Peon's Not So Daily Deal

I am going to start adding comments from other players into the reviews. While they are wrong I may not agree with them, it's nice to have additional perspectives in the mix. If you feel I missed something important or just flat out disagree about an item, please feel free to comment on it.


WORK IN PROGRESS (125 to go)

Spoiler: Item Rating Code

(B)est of the Best
This item is the best of the best of the best. With honors. It is not only powerful but also fits in well established multiplayer or farming archetypes.

(N)iche
This is a great item but fits in a very specific build. You should only consider purchasing if you have that particular strategy in your sights.

(P)layable
Not the best. Not the worst. This item is simply solid all around and I believe could see play. If that isn't enough of a ringing endorsement then I don't know what is. I will not list things that I would not be willing to play myself.

(U)nique
There is nothing quite like this item. Its cards are not found on other items of the same slot or not on other items period. If this item catches your fancy you should take a second look because you won't find anything similar elsewhere.


You could probably engineer a situation where this item wouldn't suck but it's more trouble than it's worth.


This item makes me sad and will probably make you sad too if you buy it. There are no circumstances where I'd consider playing this item.

A
Absolem's Leather Shoes (N)
Absolution (N)
Advanced Crushing (P)
Advanced Ethereality
Advanced Insight
Afflicted Guard
Aloysi's Ring
Amulet of Blades (P)
Andrei's Chiropteran Bundle
Antioch's Figurine
Aork's Vial of Memories (N)
Apprentice Stoutness
Aranak's Chain Web
Arcade's Amber Amulet (P)
Ariston's Helmet
Asmod's Telekinetic Chain (B)
Atomic Drop Console (N)
Avakiria's Cup (N)
Axander's Robes
Axe of the Titans (P)
Azan's Icy Bulwark (P)
Azgul's Orb (BN)

B
Barnum's Burning Bauble
Barnum's Staff (N)
Beater (P)
Beginner Ethereality
Bendolth's Pauldrons (U)
Berian's Locket (P)
Bern's Untouchable Mail (N)
Bewlin's Baffling Bauble (P)
Bimson's Death Moat (N)
Bimson's Glowstone Robes
Bleneth's Frenzy Charm (P)
Bleneth's Frenzy Medallion (B)
Bleneth's Frenzy Tome (B)
Bleneth's Skull (B)
Bloodchopper (N)
Bloodshield of Xoc (P)
Bloody Command (P)
Bloody Stoutness (P)
Bloome's Barging Boots (N)
Blox's Unyielding Bulwark (P)
Blue Destruction (P)
Bohemian Ear Spoon
Bolg's Big Iron Plate (N)
Bolg's Club of Evasion
Boots of Etzicatl (P)
Boxton's Razorstaff (U)
Boxton's Red Pendant (P)
Brightblood Glaive (P)
Brin's Spiked Rod (P)
Brin's Storm Locket (N)
Bronson's Halberd (N)
Bruising Dervish (N)
Brutal Agility (U)
Bug Zapper 2000
Bynzer's Black Spear (N)
Bynzer's Weighted Club

C
Cadefel's Savage Maul
Captain Cedric's Boots (P)
Captain Cedric's Helm (P)
Captain Cedric's Vow (P)
Captain Teadora's Resolve
Caustic Pain
Chalchu's Hammer (P)
Chartwell's Amulet (P)
Chartwell's Ring (BN)
Chiro's Cursed Amulet
Clovidian's Mail (P)
Clowen's Boots (N)
Count Yurik's Rapier
Count Yurik's Teeth (N)
Countess Jovana's Talisman (N)
Crazy Sal's Creepers (N)
Crazy Sal's Halberd (U)
Cudgel of Wrath
Cursed Radcannon (U)
Czint's Buckler (P)

D
Dangerous Club (P)
Dark Drewg's Mace (P)
Darkblood Glaive
Darkforce Nunchaku (NU)
Darune's Dagger
Deadly, Deadly Staff (P)
Demigod's Hammer
Dianon's Staff (P)
Duncan's Chain Cap (N)
Duncan's Leather Cap (N)

E
Eadrik's Boots (N)
Eeygonnic's Shield (P)
Ekkerg's Amulet
Elemer's Diadem
Elemer's Pine Staff (P)
Evasion (P)
Ewix's Evolving Ensemble (U)
Eye of Wicna

 

F
Fabrian's Shield (P)
Ferocity (P)
Final Sword (P)
Flail of Fury
Flame Warper (NU)
Focused Crushing (N)
Focused Ethereality
Focused Lycanthropy (P)
Focused Rapidity (P)
Focused Thinker (P)
Focused Vampirism (N)
Forrtescue's Feathered Cap (N)
Forval's Chain (P)
Forval's Teak Staff (P)
Fulg's Cleansing Pot (N)

G
Garalem's Boots (P)
Gauixl's Sacred Maquah (P)
General Gideon's Helm (N)
General Jelom's Helm (N)
Glasod's Dark Eye
Glasod's Dark Skull (N)
Glasod's Dark Thighbone
Gloomthirst (P)
God's Rage
Godtouched Mace (P)
Golden Wings (N)
Granwick's Shield (P)
Gzellin's Boots (P)

H
Haethel's Resolve (N)
Hand-Held Ram (N)
Hand of Melvelous (N)
Hand of Wicna
Hawkwind's Moccasins (B)
Hawlic's Glowing Shirt
Hawlic's Handy Axe
Hawlic's Robes
Hawlic's Surging Shield (P)
Highbolt Jerkin
Heartripper (B)
Holy Hellyn's Breastplate
Hu La Houp's Vicious Circle (N)
Huetotl's Firebrand (B)
Hylithia's Robes (P)

I
Iberial's Boots (N)
Ichabod's Buckler (P)
Igneous Scorchstaff (N)
Illusion (N)
Impeccability (N)
Inara's Boots
Indiscriminate Pyromaniac (U)

J
Jaguar Spirit Staff (P)
Jannivol's Shield (P)
Jornin's Figurine
Juniper's Boots (P)
Juniper's Jumper

K
Kazmir's Staff (P)
Kelharin's Clogs (N)
Kelvim's Buckler
Kelvin's Chunk of Ice (P)
Klonox's Warper (N)
Knife of St. Blenko (P)
Korenchkin's Tactical Tunic (U)
Kreevian Radcannon (N)
Kristoph's Skull (P)

L
Lance of Overflowing Light (N)
Larkin's Orb (P)
Laser Rapier (P)
Lenora's Prayer Beads (N)
Leomunk's Kickin' Boots (P)
Lewin's Boots (P)
LoPiccolo's Lash (N)
Lt. Buckwell's Boots (P)
Lt. Buckwell's Strapping (N)
Luke's Iron Hand (P)

M
Mail of St. Oxivia (N)
Makhail's Cruel Hand (P)
Malone's Hacking Module
Mandaeus's Aegis (P)
Massive Harm
Mathilda's Locket
Mazzaram's Mighty Mattock (N)
Meztis Wyrmhide Robes (N)
Miligar's Dragon Tongue (N)
Mindless Aggression
Mindshrinker
Mokad's Reeking Skull (P)
Mokad's Unholy Tome
Mokk's Boots (P)
Mordecai's Staff of Magma (BN)
Mullik's Blisterstaff (N)

N
Nasrum's Moccasins (N)
Nightstalker's Shield
Nok's Squirming Shroud
Nuncible's Boots (P)

 

O
Og's Boots of Peril (N)
Old Snarly's Moccasins (N)
Olga's Messy Gland (P)
Oquith's Choking Incense (N)
Oquith's Foul Incense (N)
Orb of Eex (P)
Oskar's Pine Shield
Overheated Staff (N)
Ozerian's Boots (N)
Ozone Plates (P)

P
Painful Flashstaff (P)
Perfect Agility (NU)
Perfect Footwork (P)
Perfect Resilience (NU)
Perfect Stoutness (P)
Pergop's Slippers (P)
Perilous Agility (P)
Perrio's Kinetic Robes (P)
Phantom Pain (N)
Pitchfork of Shelter
Poltergeist's Cape (P)
Porior's Nimble Mace (N)
Prillith's Frock of Spite (P)
Prillith's Robes of Pain
Pwindle's Boots (P)

Q
Quellic's Boots (N)
Quick Jon's Axe (N)
Quick Jon's Buckler
Quinn's Buckler (P)
Quornic's Battleaxe

R
Raging Battler (B)
Raging Resilience (N)
Reality Warper (N)
Reap the Whirlwind (N)
Reaper's Scythe (N)
Red Flame (N)
Red Jon's Staff (P)
Relic of St. Darqar
Relic of the First Vampire (N)
Repulsor Raygun (P)
Reynoldo's Boots (P)
Richie's Frigid Laser
Ring of Bifurcated Healing
Ring of Majestic Healing (N)
Ripple's Reality Robes
Robes of Avak Seth
Robes of Foz
Robes of White Wylla
Rolf's Reliable Platemail

S
Sabo's Flamespit Staff
Sabo's Mirror
Sacrifice Mantle
Sahagun's Sword
Sander's Force Mirror
Sanger's Space Cap
Saramin's Shield
Searing Pain
Shield of Ultimate Dodging
Shieldripper
Shifting Thinker
Silver Justice
Silver Lightning
Silverfire Vial
Skull of Savage Iljin
Smoag's Bucket of Pitch
Snarlcub Hide
Snitrick's Last Stand
Snitrick's Shield
Spatiomancer's Sidearm
Spear of the Cozqui
Spear of St. Qaith
Spector's Raygun
St. Alipp's Hammer
St. Gennyf's Temptation
St. Gwendolyn's Armor
St. Hedvig's Black Axe
St. Hedvig's Black Bundle
St. Hedvig's Black Halo
St. Hongjin's Soulstone
St. Malaj's Cuirass
St. Nyssa's Hammer
St. Osrim's Corona
St. Pascal's Torch
St. Portia's Mail
St. Portia's Maul
St. Qaith's Armor
St. Sebanna's Armor
St. Tesrim's Corona
St. Xanu's Geneshaper Gear
St. Xarol's Mace
St. Yatzie's Genetic Console
St. Zaadia's Spacesuit
Staff of a Million Embers
Staff of Embers
Staff of the Arctic
Staff of the Misanthrope
Sundersong
Superb Flexibility
Superb Toughness
Superb Trickery
Suvv's Boots of Escape
Sven's Siege Shield
Svitlana's Scythe
Swiz's Circlet of Elements

T
Taltec's Staff
Tasty, Tasty Staff
The Bludgeonator
The Hacker's Wrench
The Hackmaster
The Irradiator
The Lunginator
The Perforator
The Pulper
The Softener
The Strongarm
The Tenderizer
Throon's Quick Laser Shield
Tlaloc's Stormplate
Town Ravager's Hide
Trained Evasion
Trained Tactics
Troll's Ire
True Silver
Twipp's Energy Boots
Twizel's Water Talisman

U
Ulrin's Scuttling Socks
Unholy Conduit
Unholy Nimbus
Unsubtle Knife
Uula's Whirling Robes

V
Vak's Portable Infirmary
Vampire Knight's Greaves
Vampire Knight's Plate
Vasyl's Ectoplasmic Raiments
Vengeful Ethereality
Vibrant Pain
Vinorkin's Cuirass
Violent Rapidity
Vira's Shimmering Robes
Volkov's Boots of Pillage
Volkov's Impenetrable Hide
Volkov's Shifting Shield
Volkov's Warmask

W
Waasker's White Cup
Warding Dervish
Wellington's Shield
Wenham's Leather Coif
White Flame
Wild Trickery
Wym's Fiery Bangle
Wym's Fiery Pin
Wym's Lavastaff
Wym's Spiteful Bucket

X
Xander's Mail
Xemu's Crown
Xemu's Staff
Xentoc's Maul
Xlaka's Sacred Bundle

Y
Yancley's Boots
Yeehat's Sidearm
Yochxti's Sacred Bundle
Yount's Chain
Yvette's Betrayal
Yvette's Buckler
Yvette's Downfall

Z
Zeeplon's Jumping Boots
Zero G Combat Helm
Zoltan's Helm
Zoltan's Laser Scourge

 

Ditto

 

Don't even think about it

 

One more for good luck

 

Absolem's Leather Shoes (N)
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Team Run's reign of terror is officially over. It is no longer so dominating that it overshadows other options anymore. Many people are moving the freed up token to other slots so a good tokenless pair of boots is in high demand. Well Absolem's Leather Shoes and good do not belong in the same sentence. Leather Harness is pitiful when it comes to damage prevention so you should only be looking at it to pair with triggered secondary effect armors, the only great one being Barbed Platemail. The biggest problem with this is that Barbed Platemail only comes on heavy and divine armors and you only get one copy to work with. Unlike Enchanted Harness, Leather Harness does not provide much protection by itself or even combined with other armors so holding it in hand while you wait for that single copy is often not the correct play. What it does excel at is supporting a Mimetic Armor/Mimetic Crown strategy. Items with those cards all require a major token so Absolem's Leather Shoes is one of the best option if you're struggling with token costs. If you're silently hoping the Mimetic strategy works out, give Absolem's Leather Shoes a spin. Otherwise, would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
I could maybe see playing Absolem's Leather Shoes with Spiked Tlahuiztli or Mimetic stuff to deal some extra damage. Anything else and you're taking away a token that should be going towards weapons or buffs instead. There are just so many better ways to spend your gold. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
None

 

Advanced Crushing (P)
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Crusher is one of those cards that seems great but looks can be deceiving. If you look at the all the contenders for best weapon there are shockingly few that are crushing weapons. Heck, most of them don't even have crushing attacks. All you get when you play crushing attacks is damage with a side order of more damage (excluding Bashes which have their own more reasonably costed trait). The minor token Advanced Crushing requires commits you to the cause but while you gain in raw power you lose out on versatility. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Damage wins out over tricky stuff against the AI so boosting high damage weapons even more is not too shabby. However, you get more damage out of your tokens from weapons so you don't have tokens to spare till level 11. Once you get sufficient major tokens you can just start using Bejeweled Shortsword for your obscene damage needs. The level range where Advanced Crushing excels doesn't have any modules where melee farming is faster than wizards in my opinion though maybe that's my Firestorm addiction talking. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
None

 

Advanced Insight
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
The vast majority of elves come in two flavors, warriors and vamps. Both are offensive melee classes that seek to take advantage of the elves' affinity for movement to get into attack range as quickly as possible. Unfortunately for Advanced Insight, both Violent Spin and Dodge are defensive cards much more suited for wizards and support characters. While they do potentially busted things, your run of the mill cookie cutter elves are going to want stuff like Elven Maneuvers and Slippery instead. Even the out of favor Elven Trickery is preferable for bypassing front lines and taking the edge off of any retaliation. That isn't to say that you couldn't make good use of Advanced Insight on a more defensive character but you are taking a big hit your starting hp for extra shots at cards available to all races in other item slots. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Elves are mostly limited to offensive melee characters, usually for hunting down ranged mobs, though there is an additional reason to turn to the pointy eared ones in singleplayer. There are only a few modules where you will come across elven mobs so you have free reign to use Elvish Scamper as a souped up Team Walk. This is especially useful in the "Core" modules where Free Move lets you traverse difficult terrain with ease and the team movement gives you extra outs to terrain attachments. As for Advanced Insight, it is again too defensive to be of much use. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Apprentice Insight (E), Perfect Insight (E) , Superb Insight (R) : Dodge
Advanced Footwork (E) , Practiced Scouting (R) : Violent Spin

 

Aloysi's Ring
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
My biggest pet peeve when it comes items is when the cards don't really go together. A control wizard that wants Force Cone benefits more from arcane and Spark attacks for the overlapping benefits from Spark Generator. Likewise, a burning wizard is highly incentivized to play with a pile of burning spells to take advantage of Firestarter. There is a possibility that you are actually looking for a couple of high damage cards on arcane items to fill out your control wizard. Aside from damaging terrain, burning cards are pretty much the only thing available. However, you could just pair Sander's Force Mirror and Miligar's Dragon Tongue and call it a day. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
My biggest pet peeve when it comes to items in singleplayer is lack of Firestorms. Would not purchase. Ok, ok, obviously that was a hyperbole but it isn't far from the truth. I do not play arcane items that don't have Firestorm, Volcano, or armor removal. Control spells can be useful against big boss mobs but you generally want cards like Telekinesis that don't randomly screw you over when there's blocking terrain or walls involved. Against everything else, it's better to simply burn everything to the ground as quickly as possible. If you want the best of both worlds on a single item, look no further than Banik's Bubbling Bauble.

Substitutes
None

 

Amulet Of Blades (P)
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Path Of Knives can certainly be annoying to play against but it isn't the type of card that you want too many of in your build as they do not stack. How much mileage you get out of it depends on the rest of your deck and the board state. At its worst Path of Knives is an optional halt effect if they can avoid damage and wait out the effect. It shines when you can pressure the afflicted characters into moving either through threatening damage, controlling victory points, or baiting them into chasing one of your characters down. If mind games aren't your thing then just move them yourself using cards like Force Cannon or Violent Spin. Similar to burning effects, armor can really shut Path of Knives down. Do not under any circumstances use it on a character with Elven Maneuvers or Martyr Blessing attached or you will be a sad panda. Since you don't want too many Path of Knives, Blood Locket is my go to arcane item for it. It's a one item combo with trait cycling to boot. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
In the land where you can be surrounded by a dozen zombies a single target spell with no immediate effect is not ideal. It is more of a fun strategy than an effective one to employ. Do not use Path of Knives on targets with armor or short move sets. Of special note, you have not lived until you use Path of Knives on a Trog Gouger with Crude Plates. Would not purchase.


Substitutes
Booming Ring (E), Sarigo's Wand (E) , Bloody Bracelet (E)

 

Antioch's Figurine
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
No one in their right mind would willingly play a Simple Strike so playing a heal 3 like Twin Heals is a losing proposition. Sure, you get to heal 2 targets but you don't see people clamoring for Clumsy Chop either. The only times you see a weak attack like that used is when there's a payoff of stronger cards accompanying it or there's added value like Purging Strike. With Anitioch's Figurine, your big "payoff" for playing Twin Heals is a Sapping Spear AKA Bludgeon. Heals in general are just too weak to race the attacks without outside assistance from things like armor. There aren't too many great options when it comes to tokenless divine items but there are powerhouse buff items like Skull Of Savage Iljin or the odd value item like Purging Charm. If all else fails, throw on a vamp item like Hand Of Melvelous and call it a day. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Twin Heals actually does a decent job keeping pace with mob damage in low level modules. However, using Antioch's Figurine is akin to bringing a gun to a knife fight and then proceeding to try and pistol whip your enemy into submission. You could be using vamp items like Wuuna's Vampiric Shroud to dish out some damage while healing instead. The drawback of not being able to heal party members is easily mitigated by letting your priest lead out to take the brunt of the attacks. If you're using more of a melee based party where party members getting hit is inevitable, skipping the heals altogether is often the right call. Your warriors are going to be heartier than the average mob so a tokenless buff item like Shuddering Relic or Bleneth's Frenzy Charm can shift the damage race even more in your favor. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Ajan's Glowing Vial (E), Fingerbone Of St. Ob (E)

 

Aork's Vial Of Memories (N)
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Counterspell seems like it would be a fantastic anti-wizard card but in practice it often doesn't reach its full potential. In order to get the 2 for 1 you need one of two things to happen. Option A: you walk into line of sight of a wizard, they throw a spell at you, Counterspell's roll misses, and they have 2 more spells in hand. Option B: your opponent graciously walks his or her wizard into range with 2 spells in hand. Neither of those are very likely. How about if you draw a Counterspell at the beginning of your turn and you have priority? Well you could fire it off immediately but all your opponent's traits are still unresolved. Not only would you whiff but those traits could cycle into spells. Counterspell has some value against priests but they are even less likely to have 2 spells at any given moment and non-vamps don't have a reason to expose themselves. Most can stay back or hide behind cover and buff away. If you want a real wizard hoser go for Smoke Bomb. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Counterspell does not discard or block projectiles and the majority of magic using mobs pack magic blocks of their own. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Cobalt's Chalice (E) , Flicker's Earcuff (E)

 

Apprentice Stoutness
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Apprentice Stoutness is pretty much a bad Trained Toughness and I wouldn't touch that either. Most player know better than to lead off with their best attack. This is less true for generally blockless wizards but dwarf wizards are notorious for packing Toughness so even then it's very rare. What ends up happening is your opponents will see the Duck and they proceed to throw all their unimportant stuff at it until something lands. With Toughness, you get a shot at a random card from your deck that is going to be better than a low end card of your opponents' choice more often than not. For a minor token you just can't pass up playing Toughness. I would go with Raging Rock for melee characters and Advanced Toughness for wizards. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Since the AI uses attacks at random you have a much greater chance of getting something juicy with Duck. However, since you are routinely outnumbered, mob attacks tend to be weaker. There are exceptions of course with big boss mobs. If the sound of serving the Troll King a healthy dose of his own Almighty Bludgeon seems way too tempting, there are much cheaper ways to go about it. Chain Harness and Toughened Hide Strips are nothing special so replacing them with any old cards is perfectly acceptable. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Novice Stoutness (E) , Trained Toughness (E)

 

Aranak's Chain Web
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Grounding Plates is a fantastic armor but it doesn't get a benefit from Harnesses aside from slightly increasing its damage prevention. Pairing it with Chain Harness is just worse than good old Reliable Mail. If there's one Grounding Plates heavy armor you should pair with Harnesses it's Stormward Pauldrons. You get 3 shots at a high armor value card to boost instead of just one like most other heavy armors. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Grounding Plates is essential for fighting Wyverns and Wisps so I highly recommend picking something up that has it. Aranak's Chain Web hardly qualifies as a thing. Boosting armor roll doesn't even help against the spark attacks. Just get one of the rare substitutes and save your gold for something a little less revealing. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Mail Of Absorption (R) , Stormward Pauldrons (R) , Patchwork Storm Plate (R) , Galvanized Zombie Plates (E) , Vigilant Panoply (E) , Spaceproof Carapace (E) : Grounding Plates

 

Arcade's Amber Amulet (P)
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
When it comes to minor token control items, Ring Of Appropriation is the gold standard. Most items can't compete on card quality so to merit consideration, they need to do something different. Short Perplexing Ray does an admirable job against melee characters but fails to answer Step 1 attacks and Stabs. What it does do is provide a small bit of value against opposing wizards where traditional control spells are essentially useless. If you're stacking discard spells, you also open up the strategy of focusing on a single target and picking them off while their defenses are down. However, most discard items either have a greater token cost than their Telekinesis counterparts or, in the case of Arcade's Amber Amulet, have undesirable filler cards. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Discard is not a winning strategy in singleplayer. Hand sizes are shared or simply bigger and there are often too many targets. The best way to get around those big hands? Kill stuff as quickly as possible. Sometimes, you will need to resort to control spells to stay alive but it's going to be against melee mobs so more focused control items like Ring of Appropriation will be more appropriate. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Axander's Twisted Circlet (E) , Farzil's Perplexing Horn (E)

 

Ariston's Helmet
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Chain Harness got a boost in playability with the introduction of Mimetic Armor. However, Harness based strategies tend to be stretched thin when it comes to token requirements as they invest tokens into armor slots that traditionally remain tokenless. If you're choosing Chain or Leather Harness over Enchanted Harness, you're likely looking for a token discount in which case Lt. Buckwell's Strapping is optimal. On the flip side, those just looking for an extra copy of Barge can get more powerful accompanying cards using Wenham's Leather Coif or Lt. Morrison's Helmet. Ariston's Helmet is simply awkwardly positioned compared to more preferable options. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Token usage tends to be a bit different in singleplayer. Since the AI blindly marches all melee mobs towards you, tokens usually spent on boots and other mobility assisting slots can be used elsewhere. Assembling a Harness plus armor hand can be a nice bonus source of damage if you're using Barbed Platemail or Mimetic Armor but it's likely going to take a while to set up. Personally, I like to use extra tokens towards trait heavy items to cycle to attacks faster. You sacrifice late game reach for a more consistent early damage output which hopefully means that you'll never have to reach the late game to begin with. Warriors are too busy kicking butt and taking names to mess around with fancy schmancy armors. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Lt. Morrison's Helmet (E) : Barge
Howling Hood (E) , Quigley's Cap (E) : Chain Harness

 

Asmod's Telekinetic Chain (B)
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Telekinesis is hands down the best control spell. Being able to Teleport targets over impassable terrain or through walls can make the return trip far greater than 2 square but that isn't what puts Telekinesis on top. Rather, it's the only Slide spell available that is lower than gold quality. In other words, you can get 2 copies on a tokenless item, and that's exactly what you get with Asmod's Telekinetic Chain. It is the best tokenless arcane item for a control wizard for both having 2 control cards and lacking weak cards. There are good single control spell options like Sensate's Ring and Rod Of Palver Pree but they pale in comparison. Highly recommend purchasing.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
While control cards can be useful in singleplayer, they are far less effective. You often have to many mobs coming at you to rely on them for playing keep away so it's better to resort to things like Impenetrable Nimbus, using a tank character, or a good old fashioned retreat. Plus, those control spells take up valuable real estate that could be devoted to Firestorm and Volcano instead. Asmod's Telekinetic Chain slows down farming and is largely unnecessary. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Rod Of Palver Pree (E)

 

Atomic Drop Console (N)
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
While Radiation Bomb isn't as consistently good as Fireball, the fact that priests have a Burst 2 attack means that you can have your cake and buff it too. While obviously unique and powerful, the biggest problem with Atomic Drop Console is that Mind Worm trying to hide itself in the corner. There are those that will have you believe that getting your Radiation Bombs from Cursed Radcannon is better since it will not saddle you with a weak card and they are 100% correct if that's your goal. However, there is a second school of thought on deck building in which you play terrible cards if they allow you to get more copies of the cards you actually want. For instance, there is an age old debate over running Solid Rock or Perfect Toughness. Solid Rock has no weak cards but only gets you one copy of Toughness. Perfect Toughness has a crappy Rusty Armor but gives you an additional copy of Toughness for your troubles. Similarly, Atomic Drop Console gets you more Radiation Bombs per token than any other item. Which method of deckbuilding is correct? They both are. Whether you pick consistency or raw power, both will win you games. Would purchase if you want more copies of Radiation Bomb.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
When it comes to speed farming getting the maximum copies of the card you want is the way to go. However, Radiation Bomb's damage output just doesn't measure up to the holy trinity of wizard spells; Flash Of Agony, Firestorm, and Volcano. Even Fireball consistently does more damage and when your only goal is to kill things as quickly as possible consistency is king. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Glowing Gland (E)

 

Avakiria's Cup (N)
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
If you want a kickass Burning wizard Avakiria's Cup is a good way to start it off. Ideally you want to have an even mix between Flame Jet and Glob Of Flame but don't worry too much about it. You need 3-4 of these legendary arcane items before your wizard is ready to go so just get whatever comes your way. You would need a really bad run of all Flame Jet or Glob of Flame heavy items to start being choosy about which ones you pick up. Would purchase if you need another Burning arcane item.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Not only are Burning wizards a money pit where your gold goes to die but they are flat out worse than Firestorm wizards both in terms of efficiency and token requirements. The best Burning wizards need major tokens for staves and all the minor tokens they can get for arcane items which limits them to high level modules. On the flip side, the best Firestorm items are tokenless with the most powerful staves costing minor tokens. Are Burning wizards fun and flashy? No question, but if you've just landed your first job you don't go out and blow all your money on a BMW. You get a dependable clunker that will get the job done. After you've gotten a good gold reserve going and are ready to display your midlife crisis to the world, then you splurge on the Burning wizard. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Rantic's Orb Of Inner Fire (E)