I find that situationally, I would rather have the option of a Wild Run versus a Cautious Sneak. A Cautious Sneak is just a Run with restrictions. Wild Run has a big downside, but has the opportunity of being a game changer. It's also great when you draw Wild Run on your first turn and can use it discarding your basic move.
I need a non-power token helm for MP. I'm using Lt. Buckwell's Strapping but am considering Gouging Helm and Shifty Skin Hat. The Gouging Helm is nice but I have plenty of armour and step-attacks on other items. Crusty Helm would be a contender but I don't need the armour. Fool's Coif looks good on the face of it, but I'm not sure how useful it would be for my warrior and the trait on Helmet Of Thorns is too much (imo). What non power-token gems am I missing?
Do Firebug Robes count as overlooked? I've probably put more mileage on those than any single item. I picked them up around level 5 and kept them through the SP campaign. Mostly, I like the resistant hide with no tokens or drawbacks. Its attacks are fair. I also enjoyed the Leaden Plate and Weakling's Helm.
If rarity isn't an issue, Captain Cedric's Helm is pretty strong for a tokenless item. It's kind of amazing how many tokenless helmets have drawbacks though. I personally consider Obvious Maneuver to be near crippling in multiplayer (But this is coming from somebody who runs elves for the sole purpose of having as many Elvish Insight as possible), so Ouch! and maybe Wimpy are probably some of the less harmful drawbacks. (Don't forget that the damage from Ouch can be blocked with armor) Maybe Pain Hat, exclusively for Demonic Pain? 3 resistable damage for a draw, which is worse than Ouch if you have 0-1 attacks but better than Ouch if you have 2+. I'm only going off helms I've seen in my collection so far though.
The problem with Ouch! as alot of people mention in different threads is not really the damage but that it is a sort of a lesser Obvious Maneuver which as you mentioned can be really devestating against a competent opponent. Sure, if you don't have any attack cards you reveal nothing, but then the opponent know you don't have any attack cards which is revealing quite alot by itself.
This may not be what you're looking for but Shaman's Felt Cap is a decent no token helm. Of course, it's all armor.
I completely forgot that it had to reveal cards in order to calculate damage, that is pretty bad then. Demonic Pain is leagues better than Ouch then, it's just too bad that the armors that come with it on the Pain Hat are trash.
After testing a lot of different staffs for MP i can fully support the Counterblast Staff. A great combination of damage and defense.
For straight-up non-token blasty staff goodness, Sorcerery Staff offers more damage on five cards (24!) than even token staffs have on six. I've counted. I love that thing for low-level SP. The only drawback is that since it's all arcane damage, your traits don't give you a damage boost. Akon's Amulet is my go-to item for SP levels where you need to debuff armor cards. Nimble Chain Boots has all I want in no-token boots: A reasonably useful move, a step attack, and a keep armor. If you don't want or need Resistant Hide, Toasty Robes is amazing. Also, you can scream Toasty!! in your best Scorpion voice when you equip it. Northgale Plate is nice because it offsets Heavy Armor with a Rushing Aura. For non-token divine Weapons, Vigun's Blessed Blade is pure Win. Literally. I can't count the times this has won me a fight.
Best no-token common staff in the game, maybe best common staff period. Two excellent attacks, and if you keep your wizard four squares away from enemies, then two of the drawbacks become good attacks. And the good thing about Arcane damage is that it isn't automatically canceled by Resistant Hide.
What about brain burn? Damage isn't that bad, but showing off your cards sounds horrible in PvP at least.
Possessed Shoes These are my go-to shoes for MP. At no talent cost you get 1 trait (thinning out your deck) - and it's a really good one too - Immovable is immunity to really powerful wizard cards like Winds Of War and Whirlwind Enemies.
I've been getting a lot of mileage out of Lizard Fryer. Nice tokenless staff which is boosted by traits, and doesn't deal any self-damage (good for 1hp quests!).
My current favourite gem is Shuddering Relic. Just look at it! One Mass Frenzy, and one Enervating Touch, for the price of a cycling Vulnerable. I have two copies, but I wish I had nine to kit out a SP priest farming team.
I've been getting a lot of mileage out of Corian's Boots since I found them ... zero token boots that allow you to keep up to 4 armour cards and a quick step to close the gap to all those spear attacking nasties has been most useful
Whiterune Staff sucks up tokens and lacks damage, but it can be a super powerful control tool on tight maps
