The Daily Deal

Discussion in 'Card Hunter General Chat' started by Fry_The_Guy, Aug 21, 2014.

  1. Robauke

    Robauke Guild Leader

    Noone's to blame for a "bad" Aloyzo Item but Aloyzo himself.
     
  2. Sir Veza

    Sir Veza Farming Deity

    Aloyzo would blame the help.
     
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  3. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    St. Hongjin's Soulstone
    Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
    St. Hongjin's Soulstone has 3 powerful cards and would go fine on a vamp with no buff support but you're basically paying for a glorified Shuddering Relic. If you want a real Mass Frenzy item you will want to look out for just about anything Bleneth. Whether it's Bleneth's Frenzy Medallion, Bleneth's Frenzy Tome, or Bleneth's Frenzy Pocket Protector why pay for only 1 Mass Frenzy when you could have 2 instead? Even Bleneth's Frenzy Charm gives you the same buffing power for the low low price of no tokens. There's nothing wrong with St. Hongjin's Soulstone but it has big shoes to fill. Would not purchase.

    Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
    Sometimes it's correct to spread out your character's roles in multiplayer where people tend to go after one character so that you aren't stranded with a buffer with few attacks or a wimpy vamp. In singleplayer that all goes out the window. It's rare that the AI will go after one character and when it does happen you just need to re-position a bit so that it will go back to attacking the closest character. Go with streamlined decks and you will draw what you need when you need it. Do not settle for the cheap Bleneth knockoff. Would not purchase.

    Substitutes
    Shuddering Relic (R), Dworia's Soulstone (E) (minortoken)
    Previously reviewed by @peonprop

    The key part of this review is: "why pay for one Mass Frenzy when you can have two".... Bleneth's Frenzy Medallion is the legendary that you want. Get your vamp attacks elsewhere.
    I have 3, never purchased, never used, would not purchase...

    Epics:
    Command Stone
    Decent control item for a major token - of which not many exist. This probably sees less use now Pipes Of Hamelin is a thing. You can get your beacons from the pipes and control elsewhere. But this still sees some use from folks who don't want to mess around with a Travelling Curse.

    Corian's Boots
    I'm sure I have a "meh" review of this already...
    EDIT: And here it is...
    I have really gone off Officer's Harness recently - the armor is practically worthless, and all it is just bait for a Punishing Bolt. Only real use is for a Wild Run discard. You rarely see Quick Step and this is because it is very poorly itemized - can you believe there is no item that has more that one copy!? Another problem with quick step, is that positioning has to be just right for it to work well, so no one is pushing for more.

    Maquah Of Ancient Blood
    Good source of Unnerving Strike at efficient token cost. Never forget that unnerving strike turns parries into a 50/50. This has a sometimes annoying trait, and Dangerous Club has 3 copies of the card you want - but there is no huge step between the epic and legendary here.

    Notable Rares:
    Laser Halberd
    Only item with 2x Laser Block, shame about the other cards on it though

    Manifold Healer
    For when you can't get the major token Focused Healer for your vamp

    Nightsucker's Goblet
    Decent tokenless vamp item

    Untrained Flexibility
    Tokenless Retreat if you can stand the Slowed (and lack of traits)
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2018
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  4. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    Pretty lean day here....
    Bohemian Ear Spoon
    Bohemian Ear Spoon
    Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
    Fantastic name aside, Bohemian Ear Spoon is downright awful. The damage is pitiful considering the double major token cost. Polearm Slash looks great on paper but how often are you willing to keep half of a Hardy Mail instead of dishing out 7 damage? Plus, with all these cool new armors popping up, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone starts gunning for them. A Sundering Strike here, a Boiling Armor there, and adding mediocre armor to an attack suddenly turns into a liability. I would gladly play a Double-Edged Sword or Tango Spear instead since their lower ends give you extra mobility. Would not purchase.

    Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
    You don't need crappy armor or stabs in the campaign. Good old fashioned damage is where it's at. Strap on a pair of Bejeweled Shortswords and call it a day. Would not purchase.

    Substitutes
    Double-Edged Sword (U) (majortoken)(minortoken), Tango Spear (U) (majortoken)(majortoken)

    Bohemian Ear Spoon
    Not much to say here. Low damage, no tech, no step attacks, double major token cost. Frankly, I might not even play this if it were a double minor token weapon. Would not purchase.
    Previously reviewed by @peonprop and @Gingrich Yurr

    Nothing much to add to these. The only thing going for it is the cool name.
    I don't own (I suppose you could call that a lucky drop!?), and have no intention of purchasing...

    Epics:
    Blasting Robes
    Maybe if it was tokenless... maybe death march at a push???

    Chadwick's Clogs
    I am not paying a token for Shimmering Aura

    Wedge Shield
    Some like it for the cantrip type move, but a 50/50 block does not cut it for me

    Notable rares:
    Shielding Token
    Essential item - especially for 1hp quests... Need I say more?

    Demon Charm Of The Third Circle
    Probably the best minor token Demonic Power item
     
  5. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    Iberial's Boots
    No real review of this one that I can find anyway.
    Shimmering Aura is a problematic card for me - it is only in the game, if the enemy has magic attacks - if not it is completely useless. Even if you get hit with a magic attack, it is not guaranteed to protect you from anything, 2/3 to reduce by 3. It all comes down to that: this effect is highly unlikely to win you any MP matches, so don't put it in your deck.
    For SP it has its uses for a Firestorm team but there are plenty of epic alternatives (Vira's Shoes) or the classic Bertha's Big Clogs. I use Galvanized Zombie Boots anyway...
    I don't own, and have no intention of purchasing

    Epics:
    Howling Hood
    If you want to play around with harnesses in a heavy armor build, this is the helmet I would probably use. It is good value for a minor, and the Howl is always good as well.

    Rusty Healing Armor
    If you want to add more healing through a tokenless armor - this is the best option.

    Sharp Shell
    See above for Shimmering Aura discussions... I have used this for some SP adventures though

    Notable Rares:
    Bossy Command
    Delegate is notable, but you want Venerable Positioning or Make Haste instead

    Sacrificial Axe
    Sees a lot of play on support priests. The Vulnerable shrinks your deck and it mitigated elsewhere by mobility or cushioning armor. The Pressing Bash can also help you escape trouble.

    Tough Leather Cap
    Great item for a triple warrior (among other) team,
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2018
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  6. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    St. Portia's Mail
    Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
    You need a very good reason to run Arrogant Armor and Mass Frenzy in the same deck. There aren't many enemy attachments running around these days. The most common ones are burning attachments but armor itself is already good against them. Most likely, you're going to want Arrogant Armor to shed bad traits you're running yourself to get a smaller effective deck size, such as Vulnerable from Sacrificial Axe. So what kind of priest can take advantage of this. Vamps really want Talented Healer so they're out. Inspiration priests similarly want Altruism. You could possibly want it for a Mass Frenzy spammer but you can usually cram enough onto a priest to keep a constant buff going and not being able to buff yourself is a big downside. An Impenetrable Nimbus priest loses out on Altruism and can't self buff to stay alive. What you are looking for are buffs that don't benefit from priest traits and you aren't meant for self buffing. Savage Curse and Unholy Wellspring you say? We have a winner. Small deck sizes in particular help find the hard to come by Unholy Wellspring. However, I wouldn't spend a major token just to get a Mass Frenzy on a wizard buffing priest when there are minor token options available, with Mail Of St. Oxivia being optimal. Would not purchase.

    Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
    There are a ton more attachments to worry about in singleplayer. Having access to Arrogant Armor during Secret of the Elder Mind for instance makes a nightmarish module more palatable. However, the major token requirement limits the amount of use you can get out of St. Portia's Mail and a copy of Mass Frenzy does not make up for it. There are plenty of minor token Arrogant Armor divine armors to choose from and most of them are cheaper epics. Would not purchase.

    Substitutes
    Axamander's Ringmail (E) (minortoken), Old Saint's Armor (E) (minortoken), Untouchable Plate (E) (minortoken)
    As Peonprop states in considerably more detail than I will go into here, Arrogant Armor and Mass Frenzy don't really seem to go together as you are potentially losing all the possibilities from attachments on your priest. While gaining less in return. There is one more class of priest not mentioned above that is a Walpurgis Night spammer. But I don't think they would be desperate for to spend a major token for mass frenzy either. Especially when there are so many double arrogant armor, minor token options out there.
    I own 2, never purchased, never used, would not purchase...

    Epics:
    Cohr's Black Sceptre
    Not very focused, and Whirlwind will screw you over, as often as help you out.

    Iryna's Golden Pitchfork
    Interesting one, all the cards are good... but probably suffers from there being better options out there. You probably need to have a good use for the Warding Lance to run this item.

    Ztoli Idol
    Too unfocused... especially when the tokenless Feathered Idol exists for your Wings Of Faith needs (amongst better options in other slots)

    Notable Rares:
    Focused Silversmith
    For you silver elf needs, +2 damage is a powerful effect, especially for wizards

    Madman's Paint Palette
    One of @BlackVoidDeath 's last acts before going AWOL. Only way to get Acid Jet on a arcane item, it's just a shame acid is not playable...
     
  7. Sir Veza

    Sir Veza Farming Deity

    When I saw "St. Portia's M..." I was all excited about a double-dip for my temporary account which is short of good divine weapons. Then I noticed there was an "i" where the "u" should be. What a difference a vowel can make. :(
     
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  8. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    Highbolt Jerkin
    Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
    Never mind that Leather Harness is terrible, Highbolt Jerkin is strictly inferior to Aranak's Chain Web (way less stylish too). It would be one thing if Highbolt Jerkin were cheaper or powerful enough that a slight drop in card quality would be acceptable but it is neither. Would not purchase. If anyone is wondering, I wouldn't purchase Aranak's Chain Web either.

    Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
    There are a few modules where electricity immunity really shines like Cliffs of the Wyverns and Lair of the Yellow Dragon. However, if you aren't looking to boost armors with secondary triggers, it's best to avoid Leather Harness and Chain Harness altogether. You can get better armors with Grounding Plates for much cheaper. Would not purchase.

    Substitutes
    Mail Of Absorption (R) (minortoken), Stormward Pauldrons (R) (minortoken)
    Previously reviewed by @peonprop

    Aranak's Chain Web exists and that is better by any measure. But even if I wanted Grounding Plates I would probably choose Ozone Plates or Galvanized Zombie Plates for minor, Spaceproof Carapace for a major.
    This was one of the legendaries that I KEPT getting... I stopped counting and sold the excess when I had 6. Never purchased, never used, would not purchase...

    Epics:
    Apprentice Ferocity
    I used it when it had a Desperate Block instead... Still not a bad substitute for the legendary Raging Battler

    Axander's Twisted Circlet
    I think I would prefer this to the other legendary item that gives you two Short Perplexing Rays for a minor Arcade's Amber Amulet. Since I would rather have Big Zap to Whirlwind

    Hydrogen Staff
    Just pay for Deadly, Deadly Staff or Staff Of Embers when they come up. Mixing the two burning and electrical attacks makes no sense. Let alone Acid Blast on a double major staff

    Notable Rares:
    Storge's Proboscis
    Another awesome Aloyzo item, is a mainstay in leagues like wicked waterways, where you need the Wings Of Faith. It feels pretty good when you can pull off the Sneaky Suck for maximum damage too!
     
  9. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    Snarlcub Hide
    Snarlcub Hide
    Many people consider this the best tokenless heavy armor in the game and I see people using it all the time, and it's easy to see why. It's the only tokenless source of Monstrous Hide. Guaranteed Armor 3 apart from Silver is pretty big. Just one armor point more than Reliable Mail may not seem like much but just look at the difference between Reliable Mail and Reliable Hide Armor. Silver does appear in the metagame but it's not a big problem. However, is it truly better than Perilous Ringmail? Or even Spiked Tlahuiztli? I've used Snarlcub Hide a lot and every time I draw a Toughened Hide Strips or Officer's Harness I wonder if I wouldn't rather have a Traveling Curse instead to cycle more quickly to my good cards. It feels bad every time I draw those cards. I've since switched to Perilous Ringmails. I'm glad this item came up in the Daily Deal because I've wanted to discuss it for a long time. What are your thoughts? Which is better and why? Or do each have their own uses? As for the verdict, I'll have a confirmed one if this item comes up again but for now I'll just say if you play warriors a lot or have a sizeable amount of money you might want to pick this up. Despite what I said earlier, I still bought a third because it is definitely a good item regardless.
    Previously reviewed by @Gingrich Yurr
    It is certainly debatable which is the best tokenless armor and Gingrich lays out a good discussion above. To me I think it boils down to if you expect to have discards from Wild Run or Leadership. This is definitely better... if not, it is a bit of a toss up.
    I have three, bought one, and used it a lot. I would recommend buying

    Epics:
    Cherry Shield
    Minor token Defender's Block is good, but I would go for Buckler Of Protection or Yvette's Buckler

    Evensong
    Best of the best, 2x Greater Heal and 2x Mass Frenzy plus two powerful attacks can't be beat. Sees A LOT of use...

    Frozen Shield
    Not a bad shield, there are just better options out there. Draw, tends to be stronger than any of the effects here...

    Notable Rares:
    Incense Of Roiled Air
    Fine item mixing mass frenzy with draw

    Packleader's Boots
    Strong warrior/vamp boots
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2018
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  10. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    Reaper's Scythe
    Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
    Is Reaper's Scythe better than Bejeweled Shortsword? Well that depends on how badly you want Dodge. Most warriors would rather have attacks. When it comes time to discard, Dodge just isn't reliable enough to hold on to in favor of other cards. However, if your warrior is a tank whose main job is to soak up attacks rather than dish out damage, you suddenly have a reason to hold on to all those Dodges. You could argue that Reap The Whirlwind or Bolg's Club Of Evasion would be better for the job but Reaper's Scythe is a nice middle ground for tanks that still want to be able to close out games. Purchase if you want a defensive warrior that can still pack a punch. Would not purchase for the run of the mill warrior.

    Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
    Is Reaper's Scythe better than Bejeweled Shortsword in singleplayer? Nope, see everyone tomorrow.

    Substitutes
    Bec De Corbin (E) (majortoken)(majortoken)
    Previously reviewed by @peonprop

    I am a lot higher on Reaper's Scythe than Peonprop is in the above review. This has everything that you want in a double major weapon... No dead cards, strong attacks, a deck shrinking trait that is more of a boost to most warriors. This item is also a mainstay for warriors from the top players of this game. It is also incredibly versatile and capable of being the basis of a solid character. Imagine a two warrior, one priest team with something that looks a bit like the following. It only has 2 legendaries (one of which is very replaceable - see yesterdays DD!) but has a good balance of strong attacks and mobility.
    I have two, bought one, used it a bit, would recommend buying...

    Discussion point: Getting the "perfect" deck with the "best" cards will not allow you to dominate and boost your win rating. An experienced player will use the same deck very differently to a novice; you can't just generate someone else's successful deck and expect to have the same results (believe me, I have tried). In my experience, the best players are master's of (but limited to):
    • Positioning
    • When to attack and retreat
    • When to sacrifice or push for a victory star
    • When to sacrifice a character
    • Misdirection of your opponent
    • How to design and make use of synergies in your deck
    • Understand and play the odds with respect to upcoming cards (yours and opponents)
    Most of this you can only get by playing, and to a lesser extent spectating the best players. The best items (outside of a few places) only give you a marginal advantage and I think that the above has a far greater swing on matches. [/Discussion Point]

    Epics:
    Cat'leth
    Great weapon, sees a fair amount of play. Mostly as a source of All Out Attack, but also contains a trait, a high percentage and versatile block, plus some good attacks.

    Oliver's Boots
    Don't pay a minor for Shimmering Aura... Sorry, but these boot are just not good enough

    Starsaint's Manipulator
    A bit top heavy with the Healing Rays, you have to be able to use the Genetic Engineering well to make this work. Just go for Creepy Box

    Notable Rares:
    Demon Charm Of The Third Circle
    Probably the best minor token, Demonic Power item

    Overheated Force Suit
    Has two great cards and one trash. One of only two items with Lava Pool, and the only robes. Unfortunately I don't think Lava pool quite measures up to see much play...
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2018
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  11. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    Eeygonnic's Shield
    Eeygonnic's Shield
    Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
    Tokenless shields have very good melee block options in Twisting Shield and Hexagon Shield but when it comes to all purpose blocks Eeygonnic's Shield is the best of the best. Surging Shield Block does double duty in chasing down ranged characters and escaping opposing melee attackers. Wounded Block fairs poorly against Unnerving Strike but everything else is fair game. When you get attacked at a healthy life total your opponent will most likely throw a weaker block checking attack at you which is not likely going to trigger Wounded Block. You get to keep a block in hand and they are forced into the difficult position of ordering subsequent attacks. There aren't many times I choose to use a tokenless shield since Parry and Defender's Block are so bonkers but Eeygonnic's Shield is the one I always go for. Purchase if you want to increase your win percentage against wizards while using a tokenless shield.

    Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
    As much as I love Eeygonnic's Shield there is no reason to play it over other tokenless shields when you know the contents of opposing decks. The never buy legendary shield rule still applies here. Would not purchase.

    Substitutes
    Underdog's Shield (E)
    Eeygonnic's Shield
    This is a perfectly respectable shield of you're not sure what enemies you will be facing. It's one of the few tokenless shield with all blocks that can block any and it's certainly one of the best. Surging Shield is versatile and Wounded Block can be very annoying to play against. It probably won't trigger on a weak attack that your opponent is using to try to bait out blocks, and then it becomes troublesome for them to play around it. Generally though, you don't really need these shields that can block anything as most of the time melee blocks will suffice since melee attacks deal more damage than magic ones, quite a number of magic attacks are hard to block, and melee characters are usually more common. Still, I can't fault you for wanting something that works in any situation.
    Read the reviews above for more detail, but my summary goes something like this... This is a great "in theory" item, 3 block anything cards look great but they just seem to come up short against things that can give you a good effect like: draw a card. It is no hard and fast rule but I am pretty likely to spend a token on a shield so I just never think of this one. As previously stated, I am no fan of a block that is only 50% unless there is a good reason - Surging Shield Block does not measure up for me so I steer clear.
    I have one, not purchased, barely used, would not purchase

    Epics:
    Bahoxl's Maul
    One of a number of double minor, double Cleansing Ray divine weapons. They are all pretty good, just pick the one that you like the attacks for if you want the cleansing ray - like in death march.

    Ethereal Crystal Gun
    There are better Accelerate Time items out there.... and Firestorm for a major? no thanks...

    Petochl's Sword
    Decent damage output, but just doesn't do enough for a double major token weapon

    Notable Rares:
    Automatic Shield
    A must for the SP guardian chess thingy adventures

    Forsaken Earings
    Interesting Aloyzo item... but Twin Heals is just a bit too weak for it to see much play. This provides some much needed counterplay to Greater Heal spam, if only it was double Open Wound instead of the twin heals.

    Packleader's Boots
    Strong warrior/vamp boots - These seem to come up every few days!!!

    Spacediver's Face Screen
    Great major token helmet, one of my go-to items.

    Traveller From The North
    Another playable Aloyzo item, if your wizard has a spare major token and no other demands on the arcane skill, this is a good choice.
     
  12. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    Smoag's Bucket Of Pitch
    Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
    If this costed a minor token I'd tell you to pick it up all day. At a major token, Smoag's Bucket of Pitch is the toughest arcane item with only Glob Of Flame or Flame Jet to use. There is no doubt it's powerful but mixing and matching other legendary items will also allow you to get Glob of Flames you need at a lower token cost. Would purchase if your optimal wizard build can afford the major token. Would not purchase if you'll need to warp your build to accommodate it.

    Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
    The major token requirement hurts even more in singleplayer. Not only does it limit your options in deck construction, it also can't be used in lower levels. Save your gold for items that can be more widely used. Besides, Glob of Flame is not what you want for speed farming. Ten damage spread over 4 turns to a single target is agonizingly slow. Would not purchase.

    Substitutes
    Rantic's Orb Of Inner Fire (E) (majortoken)
    This is a difficult item to rate, it has all the hallmarks of a must buy item with three copies of a powerful card. But I just can't bring myself to recommend it. The token cost is certainly part of the drawbacks for this one, another is the possible alternatives - Rantic's Orb Of Inner Fire has an important armor removal card, as a good armor can be the bane of wizards. Flame Warper has two strong burning cards and the extremely powerful Accelerate Time. And there are the minor token alternatives. Is the major token that much of an upgrade over Avakiria's Cup? not in my opinion
    I don't own, and can't bring myself to spend the gold on this.

    Epics:
    Aloysi's Cloak
    Fumble uuughhhh. The item you want is Viridian Dragoncloak

    St. Ulrich's Bones
    Best of the best! Nothing powers draw like Bless and this is one of two items that has it. The Martyr Blessing is also an excellent card and Cleansing Ray is not to be sniffed at either.

    Unholy Cudgel
    Decent source of extra draw from attachments... until you get a Gloomthirst

    Notable Rares:
    Gumshoe's Gumshoes
    Very strong boots, I am surprised that they don't see more play as Investigate is very powerful

    Lantern Helm
    Good Sprint, Team! item, if you can stand the hazardous trait

    Smoking Pistol
    Early source of Volcano, until you get some of the epics/legendaries

    Stormward Pauldrons
    Cheap Grounding Plates
     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2018
  13. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    St. Qaith's Armor
    Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
    There are currently too few attachments that see play to consider running Arrogant Armor, especially on a priest. Burning attachments already get hosed by armor in general and everything else isn't very popular. The other usage of Arrogant Armor is to shed harmful traits like Vulnerable for harmless card cycling but what are you planning on cycling to? Most of the time, the answer is buffs in which case you are down a character to use them on. For those looking to cycle to vamp attacks, you're missing out on not only buffs but also access to Talented Healer. If for some reason you still want Arrogant Armor there are plenty of divine armors that have 2 copies. St. Qaith's Armor gives you an effect that isn't useful enough to play and doesn't do it as well as other items. Would not purchase.

    Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayer
    There's only one module with enough attachments that you might want something like Arrogant Armor and that's Secret of the Elder Mind. Even then, you will want one of the double Arrogant Armor items instead. Would not purchase.

    Substitutes
    Old Saint's Armor (E) (minortoken), Untouchable Plate (E) (minortoken)
    This armor does not really fill a niche... if you want Arrogant Armor you will take one of the items that has it twice for a minor - there are plenty of them. If you want extra healing, you can get the same for tokenless in Rusty Healing Armor. Or for a minor token you can use Mail Of Succor or Cleansing Shroud
    I don't own, not gonna purchase

    Epics:
    Flashing Longspear
    All on penetrating attacks and useful trait. It is just Double-edged Sword exists that has a better third range 2 attack and the all important step moves.

    Kroll's Laser Rifle
    Best way to get Spreading Laser which can be good for crowd control in SP. I even saw someone use it death march - but I don't think it was as successful as they hoped. Laser is just outclassed by the other options for MP most of the time.

    Petochl's Sword
    Decent cards, but just doesn't do enough for a double major item to be playable

    Notable Rares:
    Buckler Of Protection
    Under-rated Defender's Block for a minor. 3 block anything cards with two that draw a card.

    Crusty Helm
    Great tokenless helmet. The Obvious Manouver is rarely debilitating IMHO. But others may disagree...

    Draining Console
    2 copies of the best vamp attack... If you can make the problematic Healing Beacon work

    Ravager's Cudgel
    Pretty good Howl item with useful attacks
     
  14. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    Quellic's Boots
    Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
    Reliable Mail is one of the best armors in the game. Even though there are a couple armors that prevent slightly more damage per attack, the ability to jam a lot of copies into a deck puts it at number one in my book. Quellic's Boots sure looks like a great item but armored boots see very little play. Movement is too important to replace with armor for most melee characters. Wizards and support priests need movement the least but even they have much more important things to spend tokens on. It might be spells that prevent or deal more net damage than armor would. It might be team movement cards like Team Walk. Armor is best against wizards so most of them pack armor removal or go over the top with buffs like Savage Curse. Melee characters routinely do double digit damage allowing them to essentially ignore armor. Armor is simply overrated. Playing armored boots is really only warranted if you expect to take large quantities of small damage. With Firestorm builds out of the picture this is no longer a common scenario. Would not purchase.

    Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
    Armor is again not as important as other things you could be spending tokens on but playing armored boots has a lot more merit. The deciding factor in singleplayer is how great Firestorm is. When you play a Firestorm deck, you can break the symmetry by playing extra armors. Movement is also not nearly as important so when you have a spare token, the boots slot is almost always open. Quellic's Boots is a great option but it makes for an awful purchase when compared to Kerrick's Steel Boots. With movement not being as important, the difference between Flanking Move and Shuffle is tiny. It certainly is not worth 2k gold extra. Would not purchase.

    Substitutes
    Kerrick's Steel Boots (E) (minortoken)
    These are the best armored boots for a minor token. In multiplayer, you'll rarely want armor over movement on boots because movement is just too important. In the event that you need it though, these are the ones to turn to. This item comes in more useful in the campaign where movement is unimportant and armor is, especially when Firestorming. Just a single Reliable Mail prevents 4 of the 6 total damage from a Firestorm. With 2 you'll be immune to Firestorms. However, in campaign, the Flanking Move is unimportant, and you may as well use Kerrick's Steel Boots instead for a much cheaper price. There's no doubt this is a good item, but I would not purchase unless you have a lot of money.
    Not much to add to the two reviews above, but bear in mind the peonprop review is a bit older. These boots are the best at what they do: which is good armor for a minor. But it is rare that you want that because extra movement on boots is so important generally. Plus there is an epic that is only marginally worse.
    I own one copy, used rarely, would not purchase

    Epics
    Aloysi's Cloak
    From two days ago: Fumble uuughhhh. The item you want is Viridian Dragoncloak

    Cinetotl's Robes
    You have to really want those leaps... I admit that I have seen it used a couple of times of wicked waterways, but not by me.

    Terxes' Medallion
    There are far better Cause Fumble items out there, especially for a minor token

    Notable Rares:
    Ancient Heirloom Shield
    Lucky Charm with the free card mechanic can be very powerful. This is a viable shield for when you may be hanging back like on a priest.... but then Unreliable Heirloom Shield exists with 2/3 the cards for tokenless

    Manifold Healer
    For when your vamp can't spare a major token for Focused Healer

    Spellstripper Relic
    Best purging item

    Sub-zero Staff
    A bit top heavy, but a very playable cold staff
     
    Maniafig and Sir Veza like this.
  15. Sir Veza

    Sir Veza Farming Deity

    Which includes much of the campaign. If you want to run vamps in low to mid-level SP, I highly recommend this item.
     
    Melancthon, mckeen and ParodyKnaveBob like this.
  16. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    Glasod's Dark Thighbone
    Wow, I am now starting to repeat my own reviews:
    The Peonprop review was written before the balance changes two (three???) years ago. Savage Curse got a pretty hard nerf down from add 4 damage plus discard, to frenzy 3 plus discard. This really pushed it out of all playability for most builds. It probably sees more use as an actual curse on opposition warriors these days to force a discard. I am not as down on Soothing Darkness as Peonprop, but it certainly has its limitations. So, that being said, do you want this item? probably not... as it is a mish mash of different cards that might have some use in their own right, but don't really add up to anything coherent, unlike most of the best legendaries.
    I have 3, never used it, would not purchase...

    Epics:
    Aegis Of Aversion
    Nice blocks, but the Cowardly kills this one for me

    Bloody Battleaxe
    An axe that doesn't chop?! For two minor tokens, it is pretty terrible as well...

    Foley's Footwear
    Violent Spin is great, but there are better ways to get it on boots for a minor. I would pick Lewin's Boots, Vinorkin's Boots or even Infernal Boots at a push

    Notable Rares:
    Focused Slicing
    Mainly used in SP when there are more targets to make chopping worthwhile

    Going on holiday tomorrow for a week, so I probably won't be able to do this... I'm pretty sure the world will keep revolving without it, but if anyone wants to jump in, they are more than welcome to!
     
  17. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    Relic Of St. Darqar
    Relic Of St. Darqar
    Used to be the only tokenless item with Cause Fumble, but Fumbledore's Stone arrived to get rid of the only thing Relic of St. Darqar had going for it. Well not quite. I'm one of the few people who actually like Cause Fumble. In fact, I've bought 2 Oquith's Choking Incense before and would absolutely buy more if they showed up. Cause Fumble is Defender's Block without the card draw, but it doesn't trigger on the comparatively weaker magic attacks, or even worse, an enemy's Triple Heals. It is a very strong card in Chess Madness where you can hide your priest behind your warriors and help block for them. However, there are some reasons not to but Relic of St. Darqar. Firstly, Fingerbone Of St. Ob does pretty much the same thing with 2 Sapping Spears but it has a Greater Heal instead which triggers Altruism. Next, Cause Fumble is better in multiples, and if you're a backline support character you won't be needing those Sapping Spears. If you move forward to attack with the priest then Cause Fumble loses a lot of its value in the holder being able to block from a distance away. Lastly, it is infamous as being a very common legendary when farming, as it is the only level 4 Legendary item. So I wouldn't recommend buying it, as eventually you'll drop some if you replay the low level adventures every day.
    Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
    One of the easiest legendary items to find and also one of the easiest to sell off in disgust. I wouldn't actually sell anything below a playset for epics or legendaries though. They are still hard to come by and cards do get buffed or replaced occasionally. For now, the Cause Fumble is narrow and the vamp attacks are too weak. I like to value vamp attacks at 2x their attack since that's what the resulting life swing will be. I wouldn't be looking to play Bludgeon so Sapping Spear is out of the question too, especially when you consider how good Wuuna's Vampiric Shroud is. Would not purchase.

    Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
    Heck no.

    Substitutes
    Flax's Thirsty Vial (E), Wuuna's Vampiric Shroud (E)
    Back from holiday, and back into action... because this is that important. Hope I didn't miss anything interesting....

    @Gingrich Yurr and @peonprop provide a good summary and I don't have much to add. But if you can't even be bothered to open the spoiler tags, the summary is as follows: Cause Fumble is pretty good but Sapping Spear is a a bit too weak to make this worthwhile. Plus you can easily get it by farming the low levels.
    I have 5, used once or twice, never purchased, would not purchase...

    Epics:
    Pirate's Rapier
    First three cards are top notch, 4th is ok, and then there are the Stabs... This is a very interesting item and sees occasional use on range 2 stabbers; the problem is the two painfully weak stabs. Also double minor weapons are not really a sweet spot, ideally you want to save a token for somewhere else with a single token, or tokenless option - not use minor instead of major.

    Silver Pitchfork
    Another interesting item, has no dead cards as Purging Strike always has potential. Probably a little too low damage though, and the Polearm Slashes can be problematic

    Staff Of The Fire God
    A great epic fire staff... slightly outclassed by the legendary fire staffs but very playable until they come along for you.

    Notable Rares:
    I have called out some of the others before, but will go for this one today...
    Silver Maquah
    Source of the most Punishing Strikes possible, I use it to take down Rust Creatures.
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2018
  18. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    Mail Of St. Oxivia
    The only reviews for this one are a bit out of date so I will go it alone. Difficult one to rate this, especially since the nerf on Savage Curse. The curse now sees more usage as a genuine curse on your opponent than a actual buff these days. The Arrogant Armor is what you're primarily targeting and this fits the bill with two copies for a minor. However, this strategy does take away a lot of options for your priest for self buffing, and utilization of cards like Altruism. The best place where this could find use is a Walpurgis Night spammer. Especially if packing a wizard with Inquisition Bolt that would allow you to target the curse with a bit of insight; but that is a rarely seen build and hard to pull off. All in all, there is no easily defined niche for this one, and there are lots of alternatives if you want double arrogant armor on a priest, so I would not recommend spending the gold.
    I own 3, never purchased, never used, would not purchase.

    Epics:
    Fashionable Ball And Chain
    Classy Aloyzo item. But the Trip is very debilitating for all but a focused built.

    Magma Sceptre
    SP farming staple, but there are better items for multiplayer.

    Raging Rock
    I am a fan and I use it fairly often. Toughness, and two Blind Rage traits that are often beneficial is very strong. Obviously compare to Lucky Toughness but this is well worth spending a spare token on.

    Notable Rares:
    Lots today!
    Ancient Heirloom Shield
    If you have the token and want an extra Lucky Block

    Epigenetic Eraser
    Interesting Aloyzo addition... Only way to get Destructive Purge on a divine item. Need to find a use for the other two cards though.

    Inquisitor's Pitchfork
    All decent cards... probably outclassed by some more focused items though

    Focused Dervish
    For the step warrior in your life. Lots of great synergies with many other strategies.
     
    Maniafig, compasses, Sir Veza and 2 others like this.
  19. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    Mokad's Unholy Tome
    Unholy Energy is a powerful draw card, with the downside of revealing some details of your hand. And it is somewhat fragile as the effect can be purged off. Because of the risk of not getting bang for your buck, I rarely use this type of card, and if I want to target extra draw I will spend my tokens to get Bless, Delegate or Demonic Power. Also Ebony Prayer Beads exists, and while Mind Worm is better than Bad Luck, Accelerated Thought is better than Unholy Energy so it is a bit of a toss up. In my opinion not worth the gold...
    I have one, never purchased, never used, would not purchase.

    Epics:
    Black Walnut Staff
    There are better staffs at this token cost for Deadly Spark (for MP) and Firestorm (for farming)

    Pacifist Trickery
    Not bad for tokenless, but Fright is a tough drawback, and there are better options out there

    Vira's Shoes
    I suppose they could work for firestorm farming, but even then I probably wouldn't choose them

    Notable Rares:
    Ravager's Cudgel
    Playable Howl weapon with a good mix of attacks
     
    Sir Veza and compasses like this.
  20. mckeen

    mckeen Hydra

    The Irradiator
    The Irradiator
    Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
    The biggest problem with Radioactive Spray is its short range. Yes, you can effectively target a character 5 squares away but you could also find yourself standing next to the 2 randomly generated Irradiated terrains. Still, Radioactive Spray does wonders for discouraging squatters. Those that stick it out risk becoming easy pickings for unaffected characters. If you can play around Radioactive Spray with cards like Hover or Arrogant Armor, you can break an otherwise symmetrical effect though the incremental advantage takes a while to accumulate. Purchase if slow grindy matches and/or victory square wins are your cup of tea.

    Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
    Radioactive Spray loses a lot of value in the campaign. There aren't always victory squares and the AI only avoids standing directly on Irradiated terrain. While this makes handicapping easy, you will likely need to subject yourself to Irradiated terrain if you're fighting against melee mobs that continually try to get into attack range. Also, Radioactive Spray is slow which is not something any self respecting speed farmer would condone. Would not purchase.
    The Irradiator
    Irradiated terrain is great. Often, you see enemies panicking when one of their characters is beside one and will do anything in their power to get away. The potential blowout from getting a bad handicap is just too scary. However, Radioactive Spray has some problems. First of all, it's highly unreliable. You may land some radiation next to an enemy 8 squares away, or you may find yourself stuck between 2 squares of Irradiated terrain. This can be mitigated by playing Arrogant Armor/Gene Therapy/Genetic Engineering/Purges. Another problem is the short range. As mentioned it is possible to land one next to a distant enemy but for the most part you can only count on the one you're playing which is at a short range of 4. Your priest is likely pretty low on defenses so being that close to a warrior can be dangerous. It's also not easy to get it in range of an enemy wizard. The third problem is that there are some handicaps that can backfire spectacularly on you. Namely, Mad Dog and Festering Guts. Those "handicaps" could potentially cost you the game should your opponent get them. In conclusion, Irradiated terrain is great but Radioactive Spray isn't that great. I would even prefer Radioactive Goo instead. Still, Rad Spraying is a very fun strategy and I have had a lot of fun playing it before. Just don't expect the most consistent results.
    I struggle to rate this one, as Radioactive Spraying is a strategy that I have never really tried. @peonprop and @Gingrich Yurr provide a good idea of what to expect. It is rare to see in MP, and it struck me as far to inconsistent to work so I never gave it a try. But if it is something that appeals to you, by all means, this is the way to do it.
    I own 2, never purchased, never used, purchase if you fancy giving the strategy a try.

    Epics:
    Dorimer's Boots
    Three good cards, but for a major token boots, I would want something a bit more consistent.

    Dusk And Dawn
    Great Aloyzo item, I would use it as part of a Walpurgis Night deck if I ever got round to trying it. as the Inquisitor's Strikes and Daylight synergize well with walpurgis.

    Red Shaman's Blade
    All of the cards are good in their own way... but you are adding extra attacks at the expense of support cards - not the way I usually go with priests.

    Notable Rares (Another busy day here):

    Coven Lance
    Only item with multiple Destructive Purge... could be used as part of that hypothetical Walpurgis Night deck - see above ;)

    Frenzied Lycanthropy
    Two traits and Frenzy Aura for a minor is a good deal

    Gumshoe's Gumshoes
    Best source of Investigate

    Infected
    Fun, but not really playable AA item. Only source of Festering Guts (outside of random handicap sources)

    Trog-forged Junkplate
    Another AA item, only source of the annoying to play against: Crude Plates
     

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