The Daily Deal

...except...

Aren't you more restricted by walls since you need line-of-sight whereas burst doesn't necessarily?

 

I meant that in burst you can't target two people separated by a wall.

Sparks, however, can target that way.

 

I'm less concerned with walls separating targets than walls hiding targets. Hard to Block is nice but I actually don't like it on dinky spells and 2-3 damage is about as dinky as it gets. Burst does get blocked but that block is gone and you may have hit someone else in the process. I know there are people who love Oxha's Sparkspreader, which is why I gave it the benefit of the doubt bumped up the rating a smidge. I just don't see it as better than Burst staves on most maps and on the few that it might be, Jumpspark is still an underpowered Penetrating Bolt which is an unenviable position to be in.

 

Reaper's Scythe (P)

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

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)
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. I do enjoy using it from time to time but not often enough that I'd buy it.

Epics
Axe Of Evasion
Would be a neat weapon if the blocks weren't specialized or, at the very least, were block melee instead. Blocking spells tends to be harder and less impactful than melee attacks. Control spells are an exception but Axe of Evasion doesn't give you enough firepower to finish off those pesky wizards.

Flashing Longspear (N)
The best weapon to combo with Impaler but if you're not looking for warrior trait synergies, the more versatile Double-Edged Sword usually wins out.

Mindsplinter Staff (P)
The staff for wizards that want to hit like warriors. If you want a higher variance staff with slightly more haymakers, Overloaded Staff is a better option.

Notable Rares
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 Chainhas a Lunging Bash that fairs better against blocking terrain and the almighty Violent Spin but at the high cost of randomly Halting.

Gauntlets Of The Giant (P)
When you're looking to add a little oomph to your attacks, Frenzy Aura is a good way to go. Cutting through armor like a knife through butter more than makes up for being able to be knocked off. By the time your opponent gets rid of it, you'll likely have gotten at least a couple buffed hits in. While Cuirass Of Froth is preferable if you're going all in on Frenzy Aura, Gauntlets of the Giant gives you respectable armor while ditching the self encumber.

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.

Ritual Straps (B)
Ritual Straps is one of the best tokenless divine armors. It helps keep you alive and ahead on cards with Lifesaving Block, gives you access to the incredibly useful Purging Burst, and all while allowing you to use your tokens elsewhere. If I could buy and play only one divine armor, Ritual Straps would be it. It is that good.

Rod Of Falling Cinders (V)
For being able to hit everything for a good chunk of damage, Firestorm is a singleplayer farming staple. One of the biggest problems you'll encounter when using a Firestorm strategy is getting your wizard into position. Your wizard needs to get to the center of the action for maximum effect. This makes spells like Gusts Of War incredibly useful when running multiple wizards. Double Firestorm legendaries like Azgul's Orb are preferable to maximize your odds of drawing your signature card. Short of that, items with Slide spells are the next best thing if you have the tokens. In that regard, the epic Banik's Bubbling Bauble is an obvious upgrade.

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.

 

Ozone Plates (P)

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
My general rule for item evaluation when it comes to stuff with bad cards is you need two good cards for every bad one. Similarly, a god awful card like Rusty Armor needs two fantastic cards like Toughness. I would say that Chain Harness falls under the former since it is weak as opposed to nearly useless. Grounding Plates is great so it all comes down to how much you like Lunging Bash. Some people think Lunging Bash is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I think it actively clashes with what most warriors want to do, which is kill things with short range attacks with huge numbers in the corner. If you want another copy of Lunging Bash from your heavy armor knock yourself out but I wouldn't purchase.

Peon's Prescription for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Bashes in general get significantly worse when there are no victory squares. Without the added utility of Bashing things out of position you are left with a weak attack that makes it harder for you to land subsequent attacks. Grounding Plates is essential for beating Wyverns and Wisps but you can easily find it on rares. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Mail Of Absorption (R) , Stormward Pauldrons (R) : Grounding Plates
Ogre Plate (E) : Lunging Bash
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. Grounding Plates and Lunging Bash are both fine cards but most of the time I'm not willing to pay a token for either.

Epics
Aegis Of The Defender (B)
The best major token shield though to be honest, major token shields are a pretty underpowered bunch. Aegis Of Aversion can be better for certain support priests but nothing else comes close.

Magnetic Shield (V)
The poor man's Fabrian's Shield. If you're certain you'll face magic or projectiles, I would get the tokenless Bullseye Shield instead.

Yaro's Scepter (V)
A decent budget Firestorm item for blossoming singleplayer farmers. Short Perplexing Ray occasionally gets rid of pesky armor and gives you breathing room. Being tokenless is a big plus. Personally, I'd load up on Orb Of Flames and Storm Circlets and save up for the double Firestorm legendaries.

Notable Rares
Traveler From The North (U)
Traveler from the North breaks a lot of new ground for arcane skills. There are no others with Freeze let alone cold spells. While you can already get a high damage spell on arcane skills in Obliterating Spark, I would not fault anyone for trading in 2 damage and Hard to Block to get Encumber instead. Getting the terrain attachment hosing Dimensional Traveller as well is just icing on the cake. If you are just trying to do as much damage as possible and/or run a spark wizard, go for Superb Electromancy.

Spacediver's Face Screen (P)
This helmet has it all. Top notch defense, free attacks, and a little card draw thrown in for good measure. Spacediver's Face Screen would be a great candidate for Best of the Best were it not for its token cost. Sadly, most warriors simply cannot afford to devote a major token to the helmet slot. Those that do tend to want something extra defensive like Bubble Helmet. However, I would use Spacediver's Face Screen if you're looking for the best Mimetic Crown helmet. Alternatively, you can go for the less powerful but more consistent Flexible Space Helmet for your Mimetic needs.

Ritual Straps (B)
Ritual Straps is one of the best tokenless divine armors. It helps keep you alive and ahead on cards with Lifesaving Block, gives you access to the incredibly useful Purging Burst, and all while allowing you to use your tokens elsewhere. If I could buy and play only one divine armor, Ritual Straps would be it. It is that good.

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. Yatzie's Genetic Console (P)

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Genetic Engineering is one of those cards that looks fantastic on paper but falls short in actual use. Getting 3 random boost cards is a crapshoot. You can wind up with boosts for attack types you don't use or even boosts meant for a different class. Even worse, Adaptable added an "Adaptable to X" boost for every damage type to the card pool so you can wind up with immunity to something irrelevant. If you're thinking about using Genetic Engineering as a way to get rid of handicaps and debuffs think again. You can roll the same boost multiple times and when that happens you get one less boost for each duplicate roll. Granted, the odds of that happening are relatively slim but a Purge that also removes any buffs and boosts you had as well is no bueno. A solo copy of Radiation Bomb is not worth playing two do nothing cards. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Given how ridiculously good buffs are for speed farming, it would be foolish to gamble them away for random boosts. If you aren't using buffs for some reason and you want a way to deal with harmful attachments then you are better off using Arrogant Armor as a permanent solution. There is no reason to run Genetic Engineering unless you are heavily incentivized access to better cards. Again, one Radiation Bomb does not cut it. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
None
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. I do rate Genetic Engineering higher than I did at the time of the review since it can be used as a Purge effect. However, you are wildly overpaying for a paper quality card and only getting a Radiation Bomb in return. I would rather use Atomic Drop Console and your Purge item of choice to get full value from your tokens.

Epics
Rhood's Boots (V)
Fine if you don't have Captain Cedric's Boots yet but I like Salazar's Sandals better for non-legendary Team Walk boots.

Sarigo's Rod (P)
Good item to get some damage in from the arcane item slot. Just be wary of Sparkling Cloth Armor and Elven Maneuvers.

Sharp Flames
Traits can make or break a burning wizard. Hot Flames isn't as good as Firestarter and you aren't even getting enough of them.

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.

Cold Laser (NV)
Cold Laser has a leg up on the competition from actually having cold spells to combo with the Cooling Laser. A novel concept, I know. Throw in a Gusts Of War and you'll be sending your frozen foes back to the Ice Age. For double Cooling Laser action, you'll want the epic Supercooled Laser instead.

Crafted Monkey Boots (P)
If you've got a heavy hitting melee character that would like nothing better than to pick off an enemy character with their pants down, Sprint is definitely the way to go. You do risk getting ganged up on but it can often be worth the risk, especially if your opponent's movement cards have already been spent. Both Scamper, with its Free Move to bypass defenders, and Dangerous Maneuver further the theme of getting in a quick ambush. While Crafted Monkey Boots is the best overall Sprint boots, you may want Crazy Fast Boots as a more reliable Sprint source if you can deal with or play around Trip.

Focused Piety (N)
Breaking news: drawing cards is fantastic. Drawing cards for doing something you were going to do anyways is even better. Altruism is one of the most powerful priest traits but there is one small catch that prevents Focused Piety from seeing widespread play. There is next to nothing when it comes to low or tokenless items for Holy spells. You will be fairly hard pressed for tokens on Holy priests which is why Novice Piety usually gets the nod. When push comes to shove, getting the best spells is more important than optimizing the side benefits. Alternatively, you can go with the more risky but streamlined Untrained Piety.

Storge's Proboscis (NUV)
The best vamp weapons have 4 vamp attacks. Storge's Proboscis has 4 vamp attacks. While I hesitate to stamp it with a B due to how often Wings Of Faith is too weak or even dead, there is no denying that a solid non-legendary vamp weapon is a welcome addition for bloodsucking neophytes. Vampire's Blade is the original cheapo vamp weapon and it has a pair of cycling traits instead of weak cards making it one of the best. However, running too many Loners can be bad for your health. Lifesuck Spear and the epic Draining Dagger are less painful lower rarity weaponss but they're also less vampy at only 3 vamp attacks apiece. The top dogs of vampirism are the legendary Bynzer's Black Spear and newcomer legendary Darkforce Nunchaku as well as the aforementioned Vampire's Blade.

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.

 

Barnum's Burning Bauble

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
While Barnum's Burning Bauble isn't a bad item it is worse than other legendary options. Most burning decks do not actively want Firestorm. It is fine to have a couple as finishers but you are likely to already have a few copies from Firehide Robes and Azgul's Orb. If you're looking to build a Firestorm wizard, something I haven't seen since the range nerf, then you will want double Firestorm items instead. Look for items that only have Flame Jet and/or Glob Of Flame. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Welcome to Singleplayerland, where up is down, black is white, and the countryside is ablaze from all the Firestormin. If you are just starting out with your Firestorm farming party you will basically want any old Firestorm item you can get your grubby mitts on. Barnum's Burning Bauble is better than most single Firestorm items but it is also way more expensive. There are plenty of rares and epics to choose from, with Magma Scepter being the cream of the crop. I would rather pick up 5 or more mediocre Firestorm items than 1 slightly better legendary. If you do want to splurge a little, hold out for Azgul's Orb, Brin's Storm Locket, and Chartwell's Ring. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
None
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. Not enough/too much Firestorm for my tastes.

Epics
Blasting Robes (P)
I almost always opt for the tokenless Forceful Robes instead but sometimes you just want that extra Force Cone.

Cudgel Of Healing Light
The best non-major token healing divine weapons but healing is already an underpowered strategy and these heals in particular aren't up to snuff.

Trogsbane
Piercing Pick is cheaper and I would just try to get high damage weapons instead for those low level armor heavy modules. Or bring a wizard for armor removal.

Notable Rares
Draining Console (N)
Vamp fans received a huge boon with the introduction of Draining Console. Not only does it provide a sink for unused major tokens, something vamps have a tendency to end up with, but it's also the first good rare vampy divine item. Healing Beacon is obviously not ideal but a pair of whopping 7 damage Invigorating Touches is more than enough for Draining Console to be in the good graces of bloodsuckers everywhere.

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.

Orb Of Flames (NV)
It can be incredibly expensive to make a great Firestorm farming party but a bare bones version will still be significantly faster than anything else you can conjure up. Enter Orb of Flames. Definitely not the most glamorous with its short range cone spell but what matters is that it'll get you started on the path to Firestorming the countryside. For Firestorm on the cheap, you can also turn to Storm Circlet. For a little extra there's epics like Banik's Bubbling Bauble, Crown Of Mad Eskin, and Stookster's Amulet which have control spells to help you get into optimal Firestorming position. You'll definitely want to be looking out for the double Firestorm legendaries in Azgul's Orb, Chartwell's Ring, and Brin's Storm Locket.

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.

 

Hu La Houp's Vicious Circle (N)
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
For all intents and purposes, Berserk Spin is a Strong Chop in multiplayer. You will almost never be surrounded by all 3 opposing characters so 2 is about all you can hope for. My rule of thumb with Chops is that if it isn't good enough as a single target attack, it isn't worth playing. Unfortunately, that rules out everything but Obliterating Chop and Massive Chop. You can bend the rules a bit by warping your build to accommodate Chops. However, even if you load up on buffs and maximize your odds of hitting multiple targets, Hu La Houp's Vicious Circle is barely better than a Simple Axe and a lot more token intensive. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Ample supply of Berserk Spin fodder that comes to you? Check. Invisibility popping up to make non-targeting attacks actually matter. Check. If there's one place Hu La Houp's Vicious Circle truly shines it's singleplayer. The double major token cost limits it to high level modules but you only encounter Invisibility in the Expedition to the Sky Citadel modules anyways. Wizards still have an edge over warriors when it comes to hitting multiple targets but not everyone likes playing wizards and warriors are certainly more durable, a big plus in more difficult modules. Purchase if you want to farm EttSC modules with warriors. If Invisibility isn't a factor, I'd go with Bloodchopper for your multi-target warrior needs.

Substitutes
Boarding Laser (C)

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. Props to @Lucky Dice for creating this useful new farming tool but I am a wizard junkie when it comes to farming. I get the shakes if I go even one round without seeing a Firestorm.

Epics
Bullseye Shield (P)
My go to magic block shield. It's two thirds of a Fabrian's Shield for 100% less tokens.

Magnetic Shield (V)
If you heal 8 from Absorbing Block, you're essentially getting a card or more. This makes Magnetic Shield fairly comparable to Fabrian's Shield but it you only buy one magic block shield today make it Bullseye Shield. That token can better spent elsewhere.

Ogre Plate
Shimmering Aura drags the whole package down. Enchanted Mail being a glorified Reliable Mail doesn't help much either.

Notable Rares
Demon Charm Of The 3rd Circle (P)
If you want more cards and you want them now, nothing quite compares to Demonic Power. Unlike the vast majority of Demonic Power items, Demon Charm of the 3rd Circle has no truely bad cards. Sure Demonic Feedback is painful but it at least replaces itself. If you can swing the major token, Portable Battery and Tainted Terraformer also offer Demonic Power sans awful cards while Demon Charm Of The 7th Circle gives you the Frenzy buff all-star Unholy Wellspring. You could also go the tokenless route with Demon Charm Of The 2nd Circle for the same overall card advantage but lower card quality.

Rod Of Winds (P)
If there's one thing people tend to shy away from it's uncertainty. Whirlwinds are definitely random, it even says so in the card text. While I can't tell you where everything will land, I can tell you that it will be a pain in the butt for your opponent. Camping out on a victory square? Whirlwind. Finally got within striking distance of your wizard? Whirlwind. Got blocks waiting for a juicy target? I hope Whirlwind is good enough for you. Being able to inconvenience the entire opposing side is incredibly powerful. Rod of Winds is the single best item let alone arcane item to get Whirlwind Enemies from as there isn't anything else that gives more than one copy.

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'd like to also mention Hefty Chopper, which is IMHO the best chopping weapon. (I use them quite often in "Goblins in the Woods" and "High Mountain Pass")

 

Agreed. Goblins in the Woods especially plays surprisingly fast with duo co-op: 3x Hefty Chopper Dwarf for the grunt work and 3x Rageblood Dagger Elf for the finish.

 

That's eyebrow raising.

I like Ogre Plate purely for the fact that Enchanted Mail with Enchanted Harness work WONDERS. 2+ 5 Armor is tanky as all hell. Not only that, Lunging Bash is added! Lunging Bash is amazingly good if you can play with Bashes and they have a +2 damage boosting trait, instead of +1.

As for Shimmering Aura... eh. It's a 3+ for magic damage. Burst is usually a problematic thing, so is Radiation Bomb. Burning Spells too. With one Shimmering Aura (and just for a second pretend we still have that Enchanted Harness) you effectively remove 3 damage off anything that I said hitting you.

Oh, and one more thing.

Especially the part about being surrounded by all 3 opposing characters...

Yes, your opponent will probably never move all three at the same time, I agree. However... you can move your opponent!

I'll share that deck with you. It's my attempt at making Vicious Circle a playable item.


Rimeanthir
Level 18 Elf Warrior

Hu La Houp's Vicious Circle
Hu La Houp's Vicious Circle
Bolg's Big Iron Plate
Xander's Mail
Jaguar Buckler
Captain Cedric's Helm
Muscle-bound Boots
Cautious Mobility
Novice Impaling
​

1 x Disorienting Block
1 x Clumsy
1 x Scouting Run
3 x Surging Shield Block
2 x Violent Spin
1 x Pushback Parry
4 x Officer's Harness
1 x Penetrating Cut
2 x Reliable Mail
2 x Elven Maneuvers
2 x Muscle Through
2 x Impaler
10 x Berserk Spin
4 x Strong Bludgeon
​

Omniknight
Level 24 Human Priest

Spear Of The Cozqui
Dark Drewg's Mace
Mail Of The Martyr
Jaguar Buckler
Zachary's Boots
Unyielding Charm
Purging Charm
Unyielding Charm
Perfect Flexibility
Novice Ablution
​

2 x Unnerving Strike
1 x Polearm Slash
2 x Unholy Frenzy
2 x Advanced Battlefield Training
2 x Martyr Blessing
2 x Strong Hack
2 x Strong Bludgeon
1 x Disorienting Block
1 x Flimsy Block
1 x Surging Shield Block
2 x Violent Spin
1 x Team Heal
1 x Pushback Parry
4 x Stone Feet
2 x Holy Presence
2 x Triple Heals
1 x Weakened Armor
2 x Touch Of Death
2 x Purge
1 x Enervating Touch
1 x Purging Burst
1 x Horned Plates
​

Winjerrton
Level 23 Human Wizard

Sour Staff
Red Jon's Staff
Asmod's Telekinetic Chain
Asmod's Telekinetic Chain
Ring Of Appropriation
Defensive Forcegun
Festive Robe
Zachary's Boots
Bloody Command
Focused Electromancy
​

1 x Laser Beacon
2 x Acid Jet
1 x Weakened Armor
1 x Dual Laser Beacon
5 x Stone Spikes
2 x Potent Spark
1 x Force Cannon
1 x Sprint, Team!
1 x Flanking Move
2 x Violent Spin
2 x Acid Blast
1 x Bungled Bolt
3 x Spark Generator
1 x Gusts Of War
1 x Bloodied Block
1 x Reliable Mail
2 x Deadly Spark
8 x Telekinesis
​

I'm pretty sure it can be done other way than TK +... uh... opponent-moving moves, but that's the most control-heavy way I can think of.

Fun fact here: Berserk Spin halves the effect of Clumsy, because you can turn before you attack.

 

Trained Tactics (N)

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
There are a couple of ways to get rid of Handicaps and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. There's overwriting the Handicaps with 3 unique new attachments but that is slow and you are back at square one as soon as another Handicap appears. There's Purge effects and new cards like Genetic Engineering which are fine as answers to enemy cards but are card disadvantage when you are running Handicaps yourself. They also require you to run a priest. There's Holy Presence which cycles and doesn't require priority but does require a priest and careful positioning. There's Arrogant Armor which doubles as decent armor but shuts down beneficial attachments as well. There's Warp Run but it also removes beneficial attachments. And then there's Shrug It Off and Lateral Thinking which are only found on dwarf and human skills respectively. Shrug it Off is pretty terrible since it doesn't replace itself but Lateral Thinking does. Even so, I don't like these one shot answers if you're relying on them to get rid of your own Handicaps. When you draw Lateral Thinking but aren't Handicapped, you are faced with the tough decision of having a dead card in hand until you do or cycling it and lowering your chances of being able to deal with future handicaps. When you are Handicapped, using Lateral Thinking might draw you into another one leaving you back where you started. I don't think Trained Tactics is bad, especially given the increased likelihood of running into Handicaps when playing against the new expansion cards, but I wouldn't rely on Lateral Thinking alone if you're building a Handicap heavy character. Wouldn't purchase unless you're looking to supplement other Handicap removers or want insurance against a Handicap heavy metagame.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
It should be noted that Handicaps are black cards so stuff like Mind Munch don't count. Lateral Thinking will only help you in the new expansion modules or if you're running Handicaps of your own. There is a very easy and cheap way to solve the self Handicap problem, don't run any. Moving on. When fighting mutants in the new modules, I find that they often wind up hitting themselves with Handicaps as well so you are essentially on an even playing field. If you're still worried about Handicaps I'd recommend running a lot of Purging Bursts since they're helpful for dealing with Adaptable and Mass Invisibility. Trained Tactics is fine but it isn't necessary and it forces you to play with puny humans. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
None
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. Already found a full set and I prefer relying on Arrogant Armor.

Epics
Apprentice Command (P)
Solid skill though I prefer prioritizing the command cards. I would rather use skills like Command or Trained Command and take my chances with the bad filler card, especially since I don't rate Subtle Parry too highly either.

Spacemartyr's Relic (P)
Inspiring Presence is a powerful card but the items it's found on tend to have underwhelming filler. Spacemartyr's Relic avoids this problem but at the cost of a major token. Ideally, you'd want to get Xlaka's Sacred Bundle or Skull Of Savage Iljin for melee and wizard builds respectively.

Wedge Shield (P)
The best minor token shield for fighting wizards. Yes, even better than whatever Catch Arrow shield you've got lying around. Surging Shield Block always "draws" you a Cantrip Walk which is often more useful than a random card. There's no point in drawing an extra attack if your target is out of range.

Notable Rares
Focused Piety (N)
Breaking news: drawing cards is fantastic. Drawing cards for doing something you were going to do anyways is even better. Altruism is one of the most powerful priest traits but there is one small catch that prevents Focused Piety from seeing widespread play. There is next to nothing when it comes to low or tokenless items for Holy spells. You will be fairly hard pressed for tokens on Holy priests which is why Novice Piety usually gets the nod. When push comes to shove, getting the best spells is more important than optimizing the side benefits. Alternatively, you can go with the more risky but streamlined Untrained Piety.

Incense Of Roiled Air (V)
Not every Mass Frenzy has the Bleneth seal of approval but Incense of Roiled Air does the next best thing. Priority considerations aside, Inspirations act like cycling traits in reducing deck size, giving you a better shot at drawing the stuff you really want. Everything also happens to be Holy for full Altruism fueled value. The legendary double Mass Frenzy items Bleneth's Frenzy Medallion and Bleneth's Frenzy Tome are preferable if you're simply after buffs. If you've got the major token you can upgrade to the legendary Bleneth's Skull. Alternatively, you could go in the opposite direction and get Shuddering Relic for tokenless actual albeit risky trait cycling.

Storm Circlet (NV)
It can be incredibly expensive to make a great Firestorm farming party but a bare bones version will still be significantly faster than anything else you can conjure up. Enter Storm Circlet. Definitely not the most glamorous with its short range cone spell but what matters is that it'll get you started on the path to Firestorming the countryside. For Firestorm on the cheap, you can also turn to Orb Of Flames. For a little extra there's epics like Banik's Bubbling Bauble, Crown Of Mad Eskin, and Stookster's Amulet which have control spells to help you get into optimal Firestorming position. You'll definitely want to be looking out for the double Firestorm legendaries in Azgul's Orb, Chartwell's Ring, and Brin's Storm Locket.

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.

 

Superb Toughness

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Violent Spin is fantastic. The only reason it saw as little play as it did was because of a little card called Team Run. If the nerfing of Team Run goes through I would not be surprised to see a surge in Violent Spins. It is less explosive early on but it's usefulness only goes up as the game progresses. Unfortunately for Superb Toughness, Shrug It Off is a steaming pile. Before, it had niche play for people that were fed up with encumber but now you're more likely to see burning attachments or nothing at all. The cantrip keyword prevents it from being truly useless as you can always use it to regain priority but it just isn't worth it if that's its sole purpose. On the bright side, Shrug it Off counters all those pesky stun cards, aka only Anvil Strike. If you want an extra copy of Violent Spin be on the look out for Ferocity. Wouldn't purchase Superb Toughness.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
There are a heck of a lot more encumber and stun effects in the campaign. Shrug it Off gets a lot more use but is it worth a minor token and a card to unlock your character for a turn? Heck no. Save those tokens for stuff that matter and use Apprentice Ferocity or Raging Battler instead. Yes, even for wizards. Even though Blind Rage hurts sometimes the card cycling and the ability to power up other slots more than make up for it. I like dwarf wizard farming like I like my colonoscopies, over quick with a hint of danger. Wouldn't purchase Superb Toughness.

Substitutes
Charging Boulder (E) , Toughness (E)
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. Even after Shrug It Off is fixed to remove attachments from Radiation Bomb and Irradiated terrain, there still won't be enough attachments of concern to bother with a narrow solution that doesn't cycle.

Epics
Advanced Footwork (P)
Violent Spin and Escaping Run are both great but I like my racial skills to do something special. Smashing Spin is not the elf card to be chasing after.

Agility
A mishmash of more focused skills. There is no reason you'd want solo copy of all 3 cards instead of 2 or more of the individual cards.

Sharp Shell
Warriors have fantastic tokenless heavy armor options in Perilous Ringmail and Spiked Tlahuiztli. Even a Dependable Mail will end up being better than Sharp Shell.

Notable Rares
Captain's Coat (P)
Dynamic Armor is an extremely cool card that previously suffered from poor itemization. However, slap a Force Field next to it and you've suddenly got a good excuse to play it. If you're looking to exploit the movement half of Dynamic Armor with Elven Maneuvers, you may be interested in the less powerful but more synergistic Ogre Hide Armor. Force Field lovers can also turn to Spiked Forcemail and the epic Spaceproof Carapace for more defensive options.

Command (V)
Sprint, Team! is bonkers when you draw it early but quickly becomes overkill as the game progresses. This makes Perfect Command the most common choice with two medium ranged team movement cards albeit for a major token. The best Sprint, Team! skill is Bloody Command since it doesn't have a dead draw that leads to a massive tempo loss, particularly for offensive melee characters. That said, Sprint, Team! is powerful and rare enough that Command is a passable substitute that is occasionally preferable on support characters due to the additional team movement card.

Demon Charm Of The 3rd Circle (P)
If you want more cards and you want them now, nothing quite compares to Demonic Power. Unlike the vast majority of Demonic Power items, Demon Charm of the 3rd Circle has no truely bad cards. Sure Demonic Feedback is painful but it at least replaces itself. If you can swing the major token, Portable Battery and Tainted Terraformer also offer Demonic Power sans awful cards while Demon Charm Of The 7th Circle gives you the Frenzy buff all-star Unholy Wellspring. You could also go the tokenless route with Demon Charm Of The 2nd Circle for the same overall card advantage but lower card quality.

Draining Console (N)
Vamp fans received a huge boon with the introduction of Draining Console. Not only does it provide a sink for unused major tokens, something vamps have a tendency to end up with, but it's also the first good rare vampy divine item. Healing Beacon is obviously not ideal but a pair of whopping 7 damage Invigorating Touches is more than enough for Draining Console to be in the good graces of bloodsuckers everywhere.

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.

 

Dianon's Staff (P)

Spoiler: Previously Reviewed

Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Dianon's Staff is a discounted Deadly, Deadly Staff so you need to decide whether or not the lower cost is worth it. If you're not using major tokens on staves you really only need them for racial skills and boots since there are very few good major token arcane items and robes. There isn't a right or wrong answer. There are plenty of great tokenless racial skills and boots and there are also incredibly powerful major token options for both. You also need to decide if you want Deadly Spark to begin with. Burst spells do pretty much the same things as Deadly Spark but better. The only real advantage over burst spells is the addition of Hard to Block and I don't think that's enough. Would not purchase.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Deadly Spark may be able to hit multiple targets but not nearly as many as Firestorm. Hard to Block makes it better against things with magic blocks like goblins but you are limited to staves for any spark spells making spark wizards unreliable in general. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Staff Of Peril (E)
The Daily Deal

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. There are those that swear by it for mid level farming but I've never had a problem with just Firestorming.

Epics
Bloody Shield
Technically a playable shield but it is so much worse than other shields of the same cost. Most notably, Ichabod's Buckler is a strict upgrade.

Healing Hand Mace (P)
Team Heal isn't exactly a chase card but don't tell that to the warrior who your priest just worked over with Mighty Bludgeon.

Stargod's Raiments (U)
Bless takes a bit of work to use effectively but the payoff is enormous. If you don't like the idea of being stuck in place for 3 rounds, Zod's Vile Spaceplate offers a similar package with smaller potential.

Notable Rares
Focused Bruising (N)
Bash warriors are wildly unpopular so their trait gets the most love in the form of a 2 point damage boost. If you do decide to run a Bash warrior, you've got the choice between Focused Bruising or the tokenless Novice Bruising. Keep in mind that Bash warrior play extremely differently from other warriors. Since you can't reliably keep your target in attack range, you are at the mercy of whatever your opponent chooses to do. This makes Bash warriors more suited for controlling victory squares than killing stuff. That is of course, unless you pair Bashes with range 2 attack. *cough* Zoltan's Laser Scourge *cough*

Frosty Staff (N)
The large variety of Cold spells on Frosty Staff allows you to stack Encumber better than any other staff. This is great if you just want a couple Cold spells on a control wizard but it only applies to targets which move 4 or greater. Also, if you're running a more dedicated Cold wizard, you'll already be packing Cone Of Colds from arcane items in which case you'd be better off with the more straightforward Staff Of Winter. Alternatively, you can opt for the legendary Staff Of The Arctic if you just want to Encumber everything in sight.

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.

 

Reality Warper (N)
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
The problem with emerald quality cards is that items are often required to put all their eggs into the emerald basket and Accelerate Time is no exception. The majority of them have at least one less than stellar card to bring the item down to a reasonable level. Reality Warper is a rare exception. It has 2 high quality control cards and barely squeaks by at level 21. So what do you do with your new found mastery of time and space? The most common use is pairing it with terrain attachments with Bless and Volcano topping the list. You can also run buffs like Unholy Energy and Soothing Darkness to get extra shots at their effects. Similarly, comboing with burning spells works well but you'll likely want Flame Warper instead. This is all well and good but there is a catch. With the exception of the aforementioned Flame Warper, none of the Accelerate Time items have good accompanying cards that combo with it. That means you'll need to invest a lot of slots, most likely on multiple characters, in order to have enough payoff cards to even bother running Accelerate Time in the first place. Purchase only if you're willing to build your party around Accelerate Time.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
While Accelerate Time is best friends forever with Volcano, accounting for the major token and arcane item slot is tough. You are taking out items like Magma Scepter and Nuclear Pistol, both of which have an extra multi mob damaging spell, and replacing them with relatively low impact control spells. Even if you're willing make the trade for immediate damage, all you really want is the Accelerate Time so there are plenty of lower rarity items that will work just as well. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Disruptive Warp Pistol (R) , Ethereal Crystal Gun (E) , Vogel's Confusotron (E)

Did Peon Buy It?
Yup. I wouldn't mind having to use Disruptive Warp Pistol instead but Reality Warper is just more consistent. On a side note, does anyone use Accelerate Time for singleplayer? I haven't tried myself so it'd be interesting to know if it's any better than straight up Volcano builds.

Epics
Croker's Lucky Laser Shield (P)
Great set of blocks but if you're going to be spending a major token, Aegis Of The Defender is still top dog.

Frozen Shield
The poor man's Azan's Icy Bulwark but seeing as that doesn't see play either, there isn't much hope for Frozen Shield.

Whiteglow Flail (P)
Solid utility cards but the token cost is quite steep for what you're getting.

Notable Rares
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.

Savvy Attacker (BU)
Warrior traits are bland and underwhelming so finding something better to do than a slight damage boost with your martial skill slot is often correct. Not only does Team Walk add much needed mobility to a melee team but it is only otherwise found on boots. Savvy Attacker is the most powerful and commonly played minor token martial skill. A must have for anyone who plays warriors.

Vampire's Blade (B)
Vamps have a tendency to fall in and out of favor but there's no denying that they are strong. One of the biggest contributors to their continued success is how few tokens they generally need. Vampire's Blade not only fits the tokenless theme but is also one of the best vamp weapons period. You can't get more than 4 vamp attacks on a divine weapon and Vampire's Blade is the only one that fills out the rest of the item with cycling traits. Loner can be painful at times, especially in singleplayer where you're not only more likely to be outnumbered and surrounded but also might start within striking distance of the mobs. While there isn't another suitable tokenless vamp weapon, there are a couple legendary options with Bynzer's Black Spear topping the list. You could also opt for the uncommon Lifesuck Spear, though at only 2 vamp attacks I'd rather just dual wield Vampire's Blade and take my chances with Loner. The two cycling traits also make Vampire's Blade a good divine weapon for priests looking to draw specific cards, in which case Sacrificial Axe is also an option.

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'd love to get my hands on Flame Warpers and try them in SP, but the item still eludes me.

 

I do use accelerate time on MP. In fact, I use the accelblesscano whenever I have a chance, and... ya know, it helps. I guess I could have more cano instead, but.. eh, idk.

 

I use accelerate time for the first level of CoC. It's really the only time I have enough tokens to make it worthwhile and I look to do as much damage as possible as fast as possible.
For those interested, 3x of these work well

D-WIZ1
Level 24 Dwarf Wizard

Mordecai's Staff Of Magma
Searing Pain
Boiling Warper
Boiling Warper
Boiling Warper
Boiling Warper
Robe Of Lightness
Sticky Slippers
Advanced Ferocity
Electroporter Novice
​

 

Nice! And to think, all you need is 16,950 gold! $:^ ]

$:^ |

$:^ P

 

Deadly, Deadly Staff (P)
Peon's Prescription for Prodigious Multiplayers
Hard to Block makes Deadly Spark highly effective against everything but Laser Block and powered up Bloodied Blocks/Lifesaving Blocks. However, 5 damage is relatively weak so you really need to be buffed up or hitting multiple targets to make them worthwhile. Luckily, Spark wizards have Spark Generator to turn to and Deadly, Deadly Staff is one of the few staves with enough quality Spark spells to make spending a token on traits worthwhile. Slap on some Frenzy buffs and an Arcane Aura or two and you've got a wizard that laughs in the face of both blocks and armor. The downfall of many a Spark wizard is the dreaded wall but Linear does allow Deadly Spark to shoot around the occasional cover. It is generally harder to hit multiple targets with Linear spells than Burst spells though some maps do funnel characters into positions that favor them. Purchase if you want a wizard that rips through enemy defenses.

Peon's Perspective for Penny-Pinching Singleplayers
Blocks are mostly an issue in the early to mid levels against kobolds and goblins. Once you have access to double major tokens, you're mostly dealing with block bearing wisps but by that time you will be able to pack an ample supply of block bypassing Volcanoes. I could see a case for getting Dianon's Staff for kobold frying but Deadly Spark gets outclassed very quickly in the higher levels. Would not purchase.

Substitutes
Staff Of Peril (E)

Did Peon Buy It?
Nope. I just don't like Deadly Spark for some reason. Maybe it's because I keep targeting empty squares and hitting nothing by mistake.

Epics
Blazing Shortsword (BV)
The Strongarm is the pinnacle of tokenless weapon technology for it's high damage consistency but Blazing Shortsword is no slouch. Fiery Stab is a lot worse against armor it becomes preferable if you happen to have a Stab warrior. Having a relatively harmless Combustible for trait cycling is a big plus but if you don't enjoy the prospect of the occasional immolation and can't afford The Strongarm, Unbalanced Doloire gives you a reasonable albeit weaker alternative.

Superb Stoutness (V)
With every dwarf wizard and their bearded mother packing Toughness, leading off with a Sundering Strike or other armor removal is a common occurrence. That is good news for those relying on Duck instead. The legendary Perfect Stoutness is better if you plan on ending turns with a full grip but that is less of a concern for armor light non-warriors.

Torching Staff
It can be hard scrounging up spare tokens for a burning wizard but low token staves are not the way to go about it. Torching Staff doesn't give you the reach or finishing power of the best Ember Burst or Instant Burn staves. The only real option when it comes to low token burning staves is the legendary Overheated Staff which gives you two thirds of a White Flame at half the cost.

Notable Rares
Command (V)
Sprint, Team! is bonkers when you draw it early but quickly becomes overkill as the game progresses. This makes Perfect Command the most common choice with two medium ranged team movement cards albeit for a major token. The best Sprint, Team! skill is Bloody Command since it doesn't have a dead draw that leads to a massive tempo loss, particularly for offensive melee characters. That said, Sprint, Team! is powerful and rare enough that Command is a passable substitute that is occasionally preferable on support characters due to the additional team movement card.

Ironwood Staff Of The Magus (N)
Wizards have it rough when it comes to defense. They have no shield for blocks, they only have one dedicated armor slot, and the armor they do get is mostly flimsy. That's where Ironwood Staff of the Magus comes in. You get a pair of surprise blocks and movement cards in the form of Step attacks to keep melee characters off your back. The double major tokens and relative lack of damage are steep costs, but control wizards are more concerned about dictating the flow of the game than outright killing things anyways. If you can't swing the major tokens, the epic Voltstaff and Staff Of Chask are also fine anti-melee options.

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.