The Forcemaster's Forcefield

[Sausageman]

My issue with a lot of the advice given is it's temporary - the FM backs off, uses her innate push ability a bit and the FF is back up to 3 charges quick as anything.

Dispel is, clearly, the best choice, but a Nullify on her when you cast it could literally make you cry...  This means you've gotta cast something else on her first to make sure you get it through, and THEN the 12 point Dispel...  For those unfortunate mages that have a channeling of 9, thats a LOT of mana.

What you have to do is COMPLETELY alter your strategy to try desperately to remove one card of your opponents.  While they try to savage you about the head and neck...  That's an extremely powerful card.

[Shad0w]

Three upkeep's to recharge the FF is not quick.

[Tacullu64]

My issue with a lot of the advice given is it's temporary - the FM backs off, uses her innate push ability a bit and the FF is back up to 3 charges quick as anything.

Dispel is, clearly, the best choice, but a Nullify on her when you cast it could literally make you cry...  This means you've gotta cast something else on her first to make sure you get it through, and THEN the 12 point Dispel...  For those unfortunate mages that have a channeling of 9, thats a LOT of mana.

What you have to do is COMPLETELY alter your strategy to try desperately to remove one card of your opponents.  While they try to savage you about the head and neck...  That's an extremely powerful card.

Nullify doesn't protect the Forcefield from Dispel. Dispel targets the FF not the mage. Purge Magic does target the mage.

[baronzaltor]

Also she has an innate pull, not an innate push

[Bishop084]

It is a very powerful spell, and I like to save it for late game when Dispels and what not have likely been used to get rid of my Charms and Mind Control, etc. At that point, it's usually a game ender unless my opponent has a massive creature advantage.

[Shad0w]

Great tip it is best when used mid to late game. Also another tip is to put 2 in your book but do not flip the first one early. If it gets dispelled the other player thinks they are clear then you play and flip the second one. Surprise I had 2    --  :blink:  :angry:

[zot]

   Also, note that things such as the warlock drain life ignore the ff, as does explode which could load a burn. Those conditions that have ongoing damage effects will still work even though the field is up. I really like the fm as a mage. I have been known to run 3 of those. 

[baronzaltor]

   Also, note that things such as the warlock drain life ignore the ff, as does explode which could load a burn. Those conditions that have ongoing damage effects will still work even though the field is up. I really like the fm as a mage. I have been known to run 3 of those. 

Another good way around it is direct damage.. Ghoul Rot, Magebane, Chains of Agony, Moloch's Torment, Burns, Rots, Malacoda, Altar of Pestilence, Force Crush.  Also Damage Barriers cut right through it too (as it skips the "avoid attack" phase)... So Circle of Fire has a good chance to put some burn tokens as payback on every attack.

[Loht]

Nullify doesn't protect the Forcefield from Dispel. Dispel targets the FF not the mage. Purge Magic does target the mage.

I would like this see this cleared up. Nullify does protect the mage against any incantation or enchantment spell. FF is ON the mage. Dispel targets one enchantmen wile purge magic targets all enchantments on the mage.

[Laddinfance]

Dispel targets the enchantment. Nullify only stops it if it targets the creature. Nullify cannot protect enchantments. Nullify can protect against Dissolve though, because Dissolve targets the mage.

[Zuberi]

Purge Magic does NOT "target all enchantments on the mage."

It targets the Mage. It then has the effect of destroying all enchantments on the mage.

[Moonglow]

I am not underselling its power. Once you get the card I wanted to be in the set. You will see how I was able to get past the Forcefield every round in a solo vs solo match with no problem. I will let you know two of the three cards needed are already out as of the FM vs Warlord set. I never even bothered to get rid of it since it was a non-issue when play testing. Also once we have the last card they will be in most of my build from now on.

Shadow, are you able to give more detail on what the third card was yet?

[Sailor Vulcan]

I just want to point out that Forcefield specifically says that it cancels attacks BEFORE the avoid attack step, not during. Forcefield itself doesn't cancel attacks, Forcefield tokens do. Forcefield tokens are not defenses. Unavoidable attacks do not bypass Forcefield tokens.

[Wildhorn]

I just want to point out that Forcefield specifically says that it cancels attacks BEFORE the avoid attack step, not during. Forcefield itself doesn't cancel attacks, Forcefield tokens do. Forcefield tokens are not defenses. Unavoidable attacks do not bypass Forcefield tokens.

Oh wow, does it means that Double/Triplestrike/Battle Fury get canceled on the first attack?

[ringkichard]

[mwcard=FWE05]Forcefield[/mwcard] has a pretty extensive FAQ entry.

If this Mage is the defender of an attack, before the Avoid Attack Step, you must remove a Forcefield token. If you do, cancel that attack.
Forcefield will work even against Unavoidable attacks, including Zone attacks. Since a Zone attack makes separate attacks against each attackable object in the zone, Forcefield will only protect the Mage from a Zone attack; it will not protect any other objects in that zone.
If you roll to hit with a Daze, and “miss”, that attack has missed and a Forcefield token will not be removed.
If the attack action makes multiple attacks against this Forcemaster, Forcefield will trigger (and potentially remove a token) for each attack.
If the attack is canceled with Forcefield, skip the remaining Steps of that attack;
• Skip the Avoid Attack Step (a Block enchantment will not be forced to be revealed)
• Skip the Roll Dice Step, and Assign Damage and Effects Steps. No damage or effects will occur.
• Skip the Damage Barrier and Counterstrike Steps. However a Guard marker is still removed.
Note: The forcefield only cancels one attack, not the entire attack action. If the attack action makes multiple attacks, proceed with those additional attacks as normal. Unless the Forcefield cancels one of those attacks, they could trigger the Steps above as normal. If Forcefield has no more tokens on it, it remains in play attached to the Mage, it just won’t be able to cancel any more attacks (until it gets another Forcefield token next Upkeep Phase).

Sweeping and Whirling Strike both cause multiple separate attacks within the same attack action, so canceling the first attack doesn't cancel the rest.

Double/Triple Strike and Battle Fury are... more complicated. In those cases, the second attack occurs within the first attack. The FAQ says that a token will be removed for each attack, so that's the black-letter rule, but I couldn't tell you why. Canceling the first attack should cancel all its steps, including step 5 (Doublestrike) and step 8 (Battle Fury). But the FAQ says to make those attacks anyway.

 \D:/