The Daily Deal

Smoag's Bucket Of Pitch (N)

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

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)
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Yes, but not today. At the time, there weren't many good major token burning arcane items and I was planning on using a White Flame so major token availability wasn't an issue. However, now there's Flame Warper which I would run over Smoag's Bucket of Pitch in a heartbeat.

Epics
Flax's Thirsty Vial (BV)
A vamp staple. It makes for a decent substitute for Hand Of Melvelous on stab vamps though you do get a bit more damage out of the deal.

Glowing Gland (NV)
Get your Radiation Bomb/irradiated terrain fix while you wait for the legendaries.

Spiked Shield
Wedge Shield is better.

Notable Rares
Acrobat's Aegis (P)
Acrobat's Aegis has 2 great blocks and a cycling trait. All 3 cards are particularly good against wizards. Absorbing Block essentially "blocks" additional magic attacks as long as you're not at full health. Disorienting Block is a Surging Shield Block with back attack and victory square stealing potential. If the game goes on long enough, Traveling Curse sets both the shield bearer and a random enemy at 5 less hp for free. Wizards tend to have lower health than melee characters so the free damage from Traveling Curse is even more pronounced. Acrobat's Aegis is about as good as it gets when it comes to anti-wizard shields with all purpose blocks.

Focused Electromancy (P)
Spark Generator is obviously a powerful card for spark and arcane wizards alike. What keeps Focused Electromancy from receiving the coveted Best of the Best rating is the power curve demolishing Electroporter Novice. You get much of the same attack boost and, more importantly, trait cycling at no token cost. For a major token, spark wizards also have the option of using Superb Electromancy which gives you an advance in your damage output in the form of Obliterating Spark.

Focused Pyromancy (BN)
Fancy burning spells like Instant Burn might get all the attention but the real power behind the burning wizard throne is Firestarter. For long duration burning spells, Firestarter boosts damage more than any other trait, including those of other classes. Token considerations aside, Focused Pyromancy is a near auto include. You can opt for Novice Pyromancy to save the token or Focused Burning for the off chance of stacking burning traits but the consistency and power of Focused Pyromancy wins out more often than not.

Nuclear Pistol (BN)
When you start getting to the point where major tokens are available in the campaign, the mobs start to some serious damage. Firestorm loses some of it's luster as you risk taking too much damage getting into position. That's where Volcano comes in. You get to hit everything from the comfort of your starting squares. Nuclear Pistol pairs that with Dual Laser Beacon, which not only stacks well with other terrain attachments but can also act as a difficult terrain speed bump. Alternatively, the epic Magma Scepter gives you a copy of the aforementioned Firestorm that is still useful for dishing out the final points of damage. Those looking for a good multiplayer Volcano item can turn to the epic Overheated Mesmerizer.

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. Oh, and you can go ahead and assume that any rare that falls into other categories is playable as well. 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.

(V)alue
There may be better options but this item won't bust your piggy bank.


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.

 

I like wedge sheld , if you want three extra movement cards for a minor token it is the only way to also pick up multiple blocks.

 

Yount's Chain

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Not much to say here. Burning wizards don't want it and it doesn't have enough Counterspells in case you're building for a wizard heavy field. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
A lot of magic using mobs have their own magic blocks so Counterspell doesn't land reliably if you lead off with it. Every other spell you use to bait them out is time you're giving the AI to empty its hand. You can use it as a block but who wants to add more blocks when you could be casting spells instead? Also, Glob Of Flame works best against the high hp bosses that you can focus single target attacks on but they are mostly melee focused. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Tarial's Diadem
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. As a burning wizard, you are already winning the damage race against most other wizards since you're not packing "useless" control spells. In fact, Counterspell is likely to turn on all those previously dead cards. I am much more concerned about the prospect of facing Resistant Hide so if you're not going all in on burning spells, I would go for Boiling Armor on Rantic's Orb Of Inner Fire.

Epics
Bloodfoot Wand (P)
Compared to control spells, Stone Spikes are relatively easier and cheaper to get. Ring Of Appropriation is a much better deal for your minor token.

Spiked Shield
Some of you might be thinking that this is a great Elven Maneuvers shield but do you really want to be drawing a Lunging Thrust after taking a beating? Don't dilute your card pool with bad movement cards. Get Wedge Shield instead.

Unholy Cudgel (V)
The poor man's Gloomthirst and the rich man's Coruscating Blade. Personally, I'd go with either other two options since I like to prioritize spells over attacks on my support priests.

Notable Rares
Advanced Ferocity (NU)
There is only one item with War Cry that isn't a helmet and you're looking at it. Getting rid of blocks can be useful when you know they're there but that isn't what makes Advanced Ferocity special. Rather, it's the massive amount of cards it lets you burn through. Sure, other dwarf skills have Dwarven Battle Cry but Advanced Ferocity is the only minor token skill that also gives you a cycling trait. There is no better skill to help you find the cards you need when you've got an all dwarf farming party. However, I would hold off on using it in multiplayer. Not only are you risking giving free cards to your opponent's dwarves but you're also forgoing incredible defensive options like Toughness when you do so.

Argy Bargy Brand Sneakers (U)
Ooze Shove is both a potential powerhouse and a liability as control cards go. Moving something 3 squares away is second only to Violent Spin, and that's if you choose to give up your starting position. That said, Slide Back cards are limited by any blocking terrain behind potential targets and Ooze Shove itself is a blockable melee card. Muscle Through fairs better in the Unblockable department but it too fairs poorly against Violent Spin. However, what you lose in quality you make up for it in quantity. Getting two control cards on minor token boots is incredibly rare. In fact, the only other options are also player created items. Muscle-Bound Boots gives you more consistency but in the form of underwhelming Muscle Throughs. The epic Fashionable Ball And Chain has a Lunging Bash that fairs better against blocking terrain and the almighty Violent Spin but at the high cost of randomly Halting.

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. Oh, and you can go ahead and assume that any rare that falls into other categories is playable as well. 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.

(V)alue
There may be better options but this item won't bust your piggy bank.


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.

 

Yeah its odd, almost as if a powerful Muscle-Through-Lobby made those boots happen. I'm not complaining, i wanted more muscle trough, though the options stay underwhelming.

 

Muscle-bound Boots? Clumsy ain't THAT bad. And it's just 1 turn.

 

None are bad.

 

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)

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. Short Perplexing Ray is not good enough at the current cost that I'd be willing to play unwanted cards for.

Epics
Cobalt's Chalice
I'm not a fan of running dedicated anti-magic cards in general. The magic discard duo are a lot worse in practice than on paper and Encumber cards are only really useful against melee.

Demon's Golden Blade (P)
A little light on buffs and a lot painful but it cycles and you get some pretty impressive attacks as well.

Staff Of Burning Ice (P)
All great cards in a vacuum but obviously hard to get the most out of them in each other's presence.

Notable Rares
Enormous Mattock (N)
With Enormous Mattock you need a way to deal with Large Weapon. Even if you think a map is wide open enough that you can just swing your oversized beat stick around willy nilly, guess again. You are going to find yourself next to blocking terrain more often than not. That means you're going to have to run stuff like Arrogant Armor or Genetic Engineering but if you do the payoffs are big beefy attacks with a side order of cycling traits.

Focused Healer (BN)
Talented Healer a vamp priest's best friend. Not only do you get incidental heals from all your vamp attacks but by making them Cantrip, you can chain them together and suck people dry out of nowhere. With so many good low an no token items, vamp's usually don't have problem with the major token, but if you want to run vamps in low level modules Manifold Healer is the way to go.

Spellstripper Relic (P)
Purging Burst won't win any glamour awards but it is without a doubt among the most useful priest spells. See some annoying traits like Elven Maneuvers? Gone. Your opponent spent the entire round buffing up with cards like Impenetrable Nimbus? Hope they weren't planning on using those. Got caught up in your opponent's Radioactive Goo? Well those stay on for good but any self imposed handicaps aren't a problem. Attachments are the cornerstone of so many strategies that you'll rarely if ever be lacking in targets. Spellstripper Relic is the best way to get your Purge effects from the divine item slot, though there are other slots to rely on. If you don't have the minor token, Purging Charm is the way 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. Oh, and you can go ahead and assume that any rare that falls into other categories is playable as well. 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.

(V)alue
There may be better options but this item won't bust your piggy bank.


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.

 

St. Tesrim's Corona

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Mass Frenzy is a rare and powerful card. Mass Frenzy on divine armor is rarer still but it comes with a steep cost. You need to play a Shimmering Aura that is a dead card against melee. Giving up armor in the divine armor slot for powerful cards isn't bad but you get a better deal on Mass Frenzy with divine items. For the same minor token, you can get 1 copy with 2 useful cards or 2 copies from some Bleneth items. Heck, you can get a vamp attack and Mass Frenzy, albeit more painfully, at no token cost withShuddering Relic. The only reason to run St. Tesrim's Corona is if you specifically want a vamp attack and a Mass Frenzy on your divine armor since you can get both separately on other armors. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Although you can use Shimmering Aura much more effectively in singleplayer the same principles apply. Why waste a token for cards in one slot when you can get a better deal from others? St. Tesrim's Corona is very powerful, especially at lower levels, and I would definitely play it even against melee mobs since the AI is much more forgiving than human opponents. At the same time, it simply isn't a good investment. Focus your spending on the chase divine items. Those give you more bang for your buck and good low rarity divine items are much harder to come by than good divine armors. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Savage Plates (E) : Mass Frenzy
Glowing Hide Armor (C), Infused Cloth Armor (C) : vamp attack
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. As far as buffy divine armors go, Savage Plates outclasses it and I'm not even using that most of the time. You get more bang for your token from divine items.

Epics
Blasting Robes (P)
It's usually correct to go Forceful Robes for the token savings and Resistant Hide blowout potential. That said, I've definitely opted for Blasting Robes before on particularly Force Cone friendly maps.

Frozen Shield (V)
The poor man's Azan's Icy Bulwark. Encumber is nice but it isn't a great tool for warriors. Most of your prey is either already slow dwarf wizards or opposing melee characters looking to tango. Not the worst for support priests but for a major token, you should be looking to grab Aegis Of The Defender or Aegis Of Aversion.

Ihibrin's Holy Droplets
Overcosted and underpowered. If you actually want Soothing Darkness for some odd reason, try to get Lattimore's Relic instead.

Notable Rares
Advanced Ferocity (NU)
There is only one item with War Cry that isn't a helmet and you're looking at it. Getting rid of blocks can be useful when you know they're there but that isn't what makes Advanced Ferocity special. Rather, it's the massive amount of cards it lets you burn through. Sure, other dwarf skills have Dwarven Battle Cry but Advanced Ferocity is the only minor token skill that also gives you a cycling trait. There is no better skill to help you find the cards you need when you've got an all dwarf farming party. However, I would hold off on using it in multiplayer. Not only are you risking giving free cards to your opponent's dwarves but you're also forgoing incredible defensive options like Toughness when you do so.

Argy Bargy Brand Sneakers (U)
Ooze Shove is both a potential powerhouse and a liability as control cards go. Moving something 3 squares away is second only to Violent Spin, and that's if you choose to give up your starting position. That said, Slide Back cards are limited by any blocking terrain behind potential targets and Ooze Shove itself is a blockable melee card. Muscle Through fairs better in the Unblockable department but it too fairs poorly against Violent Spin. However, what you lose in quality you make up for it in quantity. Getting two control cards on minor token boots is incredibly rare. In fact, the only other options are also player created items. Muscle-Bound Boots gives you more consistency but in the form of underwhelming Muscle Throughs. The epic Fashionable Ball And Chain has a Lunging Bash that fairs better against blocking terrain and the almighty Violent Spin but at the high cost of randomly Halting.

Sacrificial Axe (N)
There is a relatively small pool of divine weapons with good spells so sometimes it's correct to skip them altogether and use the tokenless Sacrificial Axe for trait cycling. This is especially true if the spells you want are only available on divine items. Pressing Bashes give you late game options for capturing victory squares as well as keep opposing characters off your back. Combine them with careful positioning and the Vulnerables aren't too big of an issue against melee. They do make you weaker to ranged characters so if you are expecting to face them, you may want to opt for Vampire's Blade for less risky trait cycling instead.

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. Oh, and you can go ahead and assume that any rare that falls into other categories is playable as well. 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.

(V)alue
There may be better options but this item won't bust your piggy bank.


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.

 

Staff Of The Arctic (N)
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Staff of the Arctic is by far the worst cold staff for dedicated cold wizards. Cold wizards tend to have a tough time dealing damage so getting a bunch of Cone Of Colds in the staff slot only exacerbates the problem. Cone of Cold also happens to be the only cold spell you can get on arcane items so you will already be overflowing with them. Where Staff of the Arctic shines is when you need your arcane items slots for other spells. Smoke Bomb in particular combos well with Cone attacks as they don't require line of sight. However, most other wizards don't want more than a couple Cone of Colds and there's already Frosty Staff which is pretty much perfect for the job. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Cone of Cold doesn't have too many uses in singleplayer. In a lot of the modules where you are heavily outnumbered by melee mobs, their base movement is already slow and/or have low enough hp that outright wiping them out with your mass damage spell of choice is the right call. Cold spells also require other control spells to work optimally giving you fewer options for closing out games. If you want to use Encumber to buy time against heavy hitting mobs, I would go for Staff Of Winter. There likely won't be as many targets and you will be doing respectable damage in the meanwhile. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Frosty Staff (R) , Staff Of Winter (R)

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. Staff of Winter is my go to staff for cold wizards.

Epics
Granwick's Ringmail
Thickened Mail is not the ideal armor to be roll boosting and Chain Harness is not the Harness to do it with.

Incense Of The Caged Demon (P)
The best minor token divine item for card draw but Demonic Revenge makes it hard to play multiples. Use Ebony Prayer Beads if you want a less painful but less efficient version.

Startrooper's Crown (P)
Great set of cards but a little too expensive to equip. Bubble Helmet usually gets the nod since Force Field tends to be the most desired card.

Notable Rares
Nuclear Pistol (BN)
When you start getting to the point where major tokens are available in the campaign, the mobs start to some serious damage. Firestorm loses some of it's luster as you risk taking too much damage getting into position. That's where Volcano comes in. You get to hit everything from the comfort of your starting squares. Nuclear Pistol pairs that with Dual Laser Beacon, which not only stacks well with other terrain attachments but can also act as a difficult terrain speed bump. Alternatively, the epic Magma Scepter gives you a copy of the aforementioned Firestorm that is still useful for dishing out the final points of damage. Those looking for a good multiplayer Volcano item can turn to the epic Overheated Mesmerizer.

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. Oh, and you can go ahead and assume that any rare that falls into other categories is playable as well. 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.

(V)alue
There may be better options but this item won't bust your piggy bank.


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.

 

Hawlic's Surging Shield (P)

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Surging Shield Block is meant for one thing. Chasing down wascally wazzards. Being able to block a spell and move in for the kill while retaining priority is huge. The biggest problem with Hawlic's Surging Shield is the major token cost. Warriors weapons are incredibly token hungry so defense usually winds up being an afterthought. Vamp priests are much more likely to be able to fit a major token shield in but let's just pretend you've got the spare token. Now you need a good reason to play Hawlic's Surging Shield over Aegis Of The Defender, arguably the best shield in the game. You can have Surging Shield Block, fantastic against wizards but not much better than a Block against everything else, or Defender's Block, great against just about everything. There are also a couple minor token shields with double Surging Shield Block to consider. Put all that together and it's really hard to justify playing let alone purchasing Hawlic's Surging Shield. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
If you've been following along for a while you'll know that one of my rules is to never buy legendary shields. Hawlic's Surging Shield is no exception. Having good ways of getting close to ranged mobs is a must but Surging Shield Block is not the best way of doing it and certainly won't give you the best bang for your major token buck. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Jaguar Buckler (E) , Quick Buckler (E) , Spiked Shield (E) , Wedge Shield (E)
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. I generally don't play shields with blocks that don't draw cards because I don't like losing the Parry/Defender's Block arms race. I like relying on Nimble Strike and Dancing Cut instead of Surging Shield Block since at the very least they're useful as moves/block checkers. I could see making an exception for Elven Maneuvers elf warriors but you would need a weapon setup like 3 Slice And Dices (or whatever) to save the major token and keep a high damage step attack density. Personally, I'd rather use Bejeweled Shortsword and Wedge Shield.

Epics
Bloodfoot Wand (P)
Stone Spikes are a dime a dozen. Get Ring Of Appropriation instead.

Jygpin's Healing Ring (P)
One of the best minor token healing divine items. Xlaka's Sacred Bundle is the upgraded version for melee parties.

Magnetic Shield (V)
The poor man's Fabrian's Shield. I don't like running magic blocks but sometimes I manage to muster enough willpower to switch shields in singleplayer. Most of the time, the tokenless Bullseye Shield gets the nod.

Notable Rares
Mirror Of Melting (P)
When you're up against a pile of armor, there is no quicker or more efficient way off getting rid of it all than Boiling Armor. Two is the most you can get from an arcane item so Mirror of Melting is one of the best ways to get it. Akon's Amulet takes the armor removal even further with a Dissolve Armor which makes it better when you are expecting a ton of armor (I'm looking at you Blizzy) or when removing a particular armor is crucial (I'm looking at you Resistant Hide). That said, Dissolve Armor is much weaker to filler armors (I'm looking at you Officer's Harness) so just having a more impactful Stone Spikes can be more valuable.

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. Oh, and you can go ahead and assume that any rare that falls into other categories is playable as well. 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.

(V)alue
There may be better options but this item won't bust your piggy bank.


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.

 

Why do you want surging shield block for elf warriors when human and dwarfs melee priests are the ones that generally lack in movement and need to be near the enemies?

 

Elven Maneuvers.

 

But how often do you want to draw a block out of it instead of violent spin and laser thrust?

 

The only fun application i see for a lot of surging is too faciliate situations that allow you to suprise obliterate chop two carelessly flocked targets. But you can get surging on weapons or as better deal in the shield slot.

 

Beater (P)

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
There are very few playable weapons for a minor token or less and Beater does the second most damage out of all of them. There are two reasons that make it a poor purchase though. The most obvious one is that it does nothing special besides saving a token for elsewhere. For a slight dip in damage output you could get some Unnerving Strikes from Maquah Of Ancient Blood or Dangerous Club. The other reason that holds Beater back is that you can get the same damage out of tokenless options. The Strongarm and Blazing Shortsword (if you count the burning damage) both do 42 damage as well. What you are paying for with Beater is consistency but at the cost of power from some other part of your deck. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
As much as it pains me to admit, Firestorm is not the panacea that I've been making it out to be. There are a few modules that have fairly small amounts of enemies with high hp where farming is much faster with a Mass Frenzy melee party. Melvelous the Magnificent is a great example. He has high hp, constantly runs out of Firestorm range, has Shimmering Aura when you do get close enough, and has Hover for any Volcanos you're packing. It is a lot faster and way more satisfying to run up and smack the living daylights out of him. While Beater is one of the best options for the job I still can't recommend it when there are so many cheaper options. You can spend your hard earned gold on an item that helps for a few levels or save it for something that works better for just about everything else. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Blazing Shortsword (E), Blackeye Hammer (R) , Maquah Of Ancient Blood (E)
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. I do wind up using it quite a bit in singleplayer as it is the best low token weapon against Only Bones but I wouldn't be willing to pay for it for the relatively few modules where that's relevant.

Epics
Basher's Delight (N)
Great Bashing weapon but not so great for your run of the mill warrior.

McKay's Energy Cube (V)
Put 3 of these together and you've got a makeshift Cursed Radcannon...plus some extra baggage. That said, Atomic Drop Console is the ideal Radiation Bomb divine item and it has some baggage of it's own.

Unbalanced Doloire (V)
A decent substitute for The Strongarm. Personally, I'd pick up Blazing Shortsword instead.

Notable Rares
St. Xarol's Axe (P)
When you are farming the lower level modules, 5 damage is the sweet spot as it puts you out of Weak Block range that those darn Kobolds seem to never run out of. Being able to hit two things at the same time is just icing on the cake. If there is a priest in your low level farming party, St. Xarol's Axe is an excellent choice.

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. Oh, and you can go ahead and assume that any rare that falls into other categories is playable as well. 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.

(V)alue
There may be better options but this item won't bust your piggy bank.


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.

 

St. Hongjin's Soulstone (P)

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

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)
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. You're paying for a steak but you're getting a balogna sandwich instead. A high class balogna sandwich with all the trimmings but a balogna sandwich nonetheless.

Epics
Bloody Battleaxe
A bad Rageblood Dagger. There's even Oversized Pick if you're looking to make a kamikaze Festering Guts warrior.

Eixocl's Hammer (P)
One of the better double minor token weapons. A little low on damage but good for creating breathing room or evicting victory square squatters.

Apprentice Tactics
There are better Lateral Thinking and block skills.

Notable Rares
Blackeye Hammer (V)
Blackeye Hammer is a cheaper less mobile version of Atchocl's Spear. While it isn't particularly powerful, Blackeye Hammer does decent damage for only costing a minor token. If you're willing to shell out a bit more gold you can get Maquah Of Ancient Blood, which is slightly more painful but more useful with its Unnerving Strikes.

Buckler Of Protection (P)
Defender's Block not only breaks one of the rules of the game by allowing you to block back attacks but also draws you a card. While Lifesaving Block is a dead card in the early game, it is backbreaking when it works and it makes Buckler of Protection the best card drawing minor token shield with all purpose blocks. The legendary Ichabod's Buckler has slightly less dead early game and drawback free blocks in Wounded Block to go with your Defender's Block.

Goat Boots (B)
Goat Boots has an insane amount of things going for it. It is tokenless, it has a good cycling trait in Immovable, it has 2 non-movement cards for maximizing Elven Maneuvers, and the 1 movement card it does have is a Dash with minor downside. For those not in the know, Elven Maneuvers is mostly used as a draw engine for Step attacks. Boots with fewer movement cards increase the likelihood that your stream of death will go uninterrupted. Goat Boots also happen to be a stellar choice for singleplayer where you're less likely to need the movement against melee mobs. They come to you for the most part so all you want are boots that cycle you to your more important cards. For that, you can also go with Glimmer Boots for better armor if your character can play around Squeamish.

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. Oh, and you can go ahead and assume that any rare that falls into other categories is playable as well. 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.

(V)alue
There may be better options but this item won't bust your piggy bank.


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.

 

Fabrian's Shield (P)

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Multiplayer
While it still contains the narrow Catch Arrow, I like Fabrian's Shield a lot more than Oskar's Pine Shield. Even though Oskar's Pine Shield is guaranteed to have one of it's narrow blocks work in any situation, Fabrian's Shield knows what it wants and what is wants is to crush puny wizards. Multiplayer is currently awash in a sea of warriors and priests so Fabrian's Shield may not be the best choice to use in the current metagame. However, when the day of the wizard uprising comes you'll wish that Parrying Buckler had two Catch Arrows and a Defender's Block on it.

Singleplayer
There are some modules where Fabrian's Shield is the best shield possible. No other shield has 3 blocks that can block magic and projectiles and draw cards. There are plenty of cheaper options that are nearly as good though.

Peon's prescription for prodigious players- Would not purchase Fabrian's Shield. There's no doubt that it can be very powerful in the right situation but those situations are currently fairly rare. If you truly want to take down the Harry Potters and Gandalfs of the world there are many cheaper magic blocking shields to choose from, some that don't require tokens.

Substitutes
Bullseye Shield (E), Magnetic Shield (E) , Pellucid Shield (R) , Deflecting Buckler (U) , Spellthwart Shield (R)The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. Magic blocks need step it up if they want to compete with melee blocks. They're up against Hard to Block Spark attacks and Spark Generator boosted arcane attacks with already lower success rates than their melee block counterparts. I'm not saying Catch Arrow needs to be Parry but throw us a bone.

Epics
Club Of Wrath (V)
The poor man's Cudgel Of Wrath. Personally, I prefer sacrificing some damage with Dark Drewg's Mace to avoid tough spots with Controlled Overswing but it can be perfectly reasonable as a coup de grace.

Lizard Hide Boots
Leap is only good for hopping over streams. In the leagues where you actually need Fly, getting 2 or even 3 copies with Ulrin's Scuttling Socks isn't enough.

Underdog's Shield (V)
A big step down from Ichabod's Buckler but I believe Underdog's Shield lives up to its name. You sacrifice a bit in the early game with Wounded Block but that's the price you pay for a tokenless all purpose block shield.

Notable Rares
Automatic Shield (N)
You need to be in a module where the mobs use Burst, Cone, or Linear attacks (or whatever the attacks those annoying chess pieces have are) and you also need to be using a melee party. If those two things fit whatever you're doing say hello to your new best friend. Why not just spam Impenetrable Nimbus and be done with it you ask? Well, you don't need to remain glued to your priest and you're not always going to draw a Nimbus every turn. This is a very situational item but it is definitely one you should keep in mind as future modules come along.

Blood Locket (V)
When you run Path Of Knives, you obviously want ways to force afflicted characters to move. This is most often and most easily accomplished with control spells. Blood Locket just so happens to give you both on the same item. The epic Sarigo's Rod is better if you want an additional copy of Path of Knives but that isn't always the case. You may very well want a cycling trait instead and Squeamish is one of the easiest handicaps to play around.

Enormous Mattock (N)
With Enormous Mattock you need a way to deal with Large Weapon. Even if you think a map is wide open enough that you can just swing your oversized beat stick around willy nilly, guess again. You are going to find yourself next to blocking terrain more often than not. That means you're going to have to run stuff like Arrogant Armor or Genetic Engineering but if you do the payoffs are big beefy attacks with a side order of cycling traits.

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. Oh, and you can go ahead and assume that any rare that falls into other categories is playable as well. 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.

(V)alue
There may be better options but this item won't bust your piggy bank.


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.

 

Twizel's Water Talisman (P)

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
There are a couple problems with Flash Flood. It's nearly useless against wizards, it's useless if enemy characters reach you, and the fairly popular Nimble Strike hops right over it. You can basically think of Flash Flood as a Smoke Bomb for melee opponents that is significantly easier to answer. On the plus side, some maps are perfect for deploying Flash Floods. If you can use them to block off passages or choke points before your opponents can advance and they don't have an answer, you basically have free reign over victory squares. However, with so many minor token double Flash Flood items available, paying a major token for an extra copy of a narrow card isn't very appealing. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Flash Flood can be good at keeping mobs at bay but allow me to clue you in on a dirty little secret. The AI avoids occupying damaging terrain. You could have a frail elf wizard one light breeze away from an early grave and the AI will stay away if you've created a moat from Wall Of Fire. It doesn't make sense to have a purely controlling terrain when you could use a damaging terrain to pull double duty. If for some reason you still want Flash Flood then I would again go for the minor token substitutes. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Bimson's Water Stone (E) , Tauri's Watery Maze (E) , The Soulstone (E)
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Yes, but not today. I bought it back when Flash Flood was Wall Of Stone and you could turtle up with Firestorm from anywhere. That was the plan anyways, but it got blown out by pre-nerf Whirlwind a bit too many times before I called it quits.

Epics
Barreling Club (P)
A must for Barge warriors that want finishing power. Worse than Bejeweled Shortsword for everyone else.

McKay's Energy Cube (V)
The best substitute for Atomic Drop Console unless you're able to take advantage of Irradiated terrain with Glowing Gland.

Robes Of The Crab
A downgrade from the cheaper Wingtip Robes. If you're not playing leagues you're not going to need either.

Notable Rares
Inspired Command (P)
Inspirational Thinking is the most powerful draw effect in the game so it gets paired with less than stellar cards. The difference with Inspired Command is that Shuffle, Team! and Subtle Parry, while weak, are moderately useful. If you like "going big or going home" strategies this may just be the skill for you.

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. Oh, and you can go ahead and assume that any rare that falls into other categories is playable as well. 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.

(V)alue
There may be better options but this item won't bust your piggy bank.


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.

 

Ring Of Majestic Healing (N)

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
I've mentioned it before but small heals aren't very good, even when they heal the entire team. Damage is generally dealt in large chunks aimed at one character at a time. Single target heals already have a tough time keeping up. Using something like Team Heal is almost futile. The exception is when you're fighting against Firestorm but it's been a long time since Firestorm was a significant portion of the metagame. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny Pinching Singleplayers
I still prefer Impenetrable Nimbus to heals even with Firestorm builds since it also turns one of your characters into a punching bag to absorb any attacks but you can make Team Heal work. However, the major token cost limits Ring of Majestic Healing to higher level modules and Hrillia's Healing Ring is nearly the same but much cheaper. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Hrillia's Healing Ring (E)
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. Team Heal is too tiny of an effect to be worth playing, even for dedicated healers. I would try to load up on Greater Heals and Inspiring Presences instead. You won't be able to jam quite as many of either but they at least have a chance of keeping pace with the damage you're taking.

Epics
Oxha's Sparkspreader
If healing 3 to your team is mediocre, dealing 3 to the opposing team is not much better, and that's only if you've got line of sight on everyone. You do have the option of buffing up but you'd be better off with Burst spells most of the time.

Raxcotl's Hammer
Maquah Of Ancient Blood is cheaper to equip and more useful.

Staff Of Immolation
Ember Burst is great, but not at the cost of running short range low damage Cone spells. The best budget burning staff is Staff Of The Fire God though I would save up for one of the premium legendary staves instead. On second thought, I'd avoid burning wizards altogether if you're just scraping by on gold.

Notable Rares
Manifold Healer (N)
Talented Healer is a vamp priest's best friend. Not only do you get incidental heals from all your vamp attacks but by making them Cantrip, you can chain them together and suck people dry out of nowhere. With so many of the best vamp items requiring minor tokens or less, there is almost no reason to not play the major token requiring Focused Healer. That is of course unless you're using a vamp in a low level module. When major tokens aren't available, Manifold Healer is the next best thing.

Skipping Boots (P)
If that Reliable Hide Armor were any half decent movement card instead, Skipping Boots would undoubtedly be one of the best tokenless boots. As is, it is still above average and one of the few ways to get Healing Dash for vamps. Those packing answers to handicaps or counters to Halt also have the option of going for Boots Of Discretion.

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. Oh, and you can go ahead and assume that any rare that falls into other categories is playable as well. 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.

(V)alue
There may be better options but this item won't bust your piggy bank.


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.

 

I feel like you're not giving it a chance.

Yes, you do need a vision, but, at the same time, you're not as restricted by walls as burst is. Not only that, your opponent might be taken by a surprise. He'll put his units further apart from each other and Arcing Spark will still hit him. It's also important that electricity has a nice bonus, that burning spells can only dream about - Hard to Block. Defender's Block suddenly becomes even less reliable, same with blocks that move you and/or the target, etc. You're more in control with sparks, that's what I mean.

Bonus points for the fact that Sparky traits add Hard to Block to Arcane Magic ^^