Born of the Gods Limited Set Review - Red

The other color set reviews can be found at the following links:
Black
Green
White
Blue
Multicolored and Colorless

Limited Rating System

Everyone who evaluates cards uses a different system. Mine is 1-10 because I feel like it creates the easiest and most recognizable system. Using grades tends to provide some false associations; B- is a pretty lame grade in school but a pretty good card in magic. I also don't like using the 1-5 system because I'd rather say something is a five than a two point five.

10 - First pick and must play even if you have to splash it.
9 - Game winning card every time it hits the table.
8 - Bombs, top tier removal, and otherwise game defining creatures.
7 - Powerful creatures or amazingly efficient creatures, conditional removal.
6 - Solid creatures, expensive or highly restrictive removal, big play enchantments and artifacts.
5 - Core cards in your deck, on curve creatures, decent cards.
4 - Fallback cards that you'd rather not have in your deck but can fill in if needed. Cards that are too situational to main deck.
3 - Bad cards, cards that have too much risk and little reward.
2 - Really bad cards that barely do anything at all and aren't likely to impact the game in a meaningful way.
1 - A card with zero meaningful impact on Limited games of Magic.
Add-on Ratings
S - Sideboard cards. These will often be brought out of your board and are worth picking up over other things of their level because of their impact against certain match-ups.
+ - Better than the average card in this category but still not worth the step up to the next level.

Red Common/Uncommon

Akroan Conscriptor – 6
Uncommon
Act of Treason on heroic seems pretty nice. It can certainly turn your game around if you have a sac outlet. There doesn’t seem to be a ton of sac outlets though so it’s not going to make Red/Black the same kind of thing it was in M14. Still, a card like this being on the field will make them pretty concerned about playing some sort of big bad creature because you’re likely to just steal it and smack them in the face with it.

Archetype of Aggression - 5
Uncommon
Trample isn’t really the best skill. With the other Archetypes granting skills like flying and deathtouch, trample isn’t too impressive. This being a 3/2 for three helps that some. But with double red and not being a creature that can make very aggressive use of trample himself I’m forced to just feel like this one doesn’t meet the mark of several others. I’d rather see a bigger creature with trample because three power doesn’t feel very trample to me.

Bolt of Keranos – 6
Common
I dub thee Lightning Scry. However, I think Magma Jet was better; so was Lightning Strike. Conventional wisdom is that scry is worth 1/3 of a card. The question here is if it is worth one more colored mana. I don’t think it is worse than most other iterations of direct damage but this is limited and three damage is still pretty useful.

Cyclops of One-Eyed Pass - 5
Common
Is there a Cyclops of Two-Eye Pass? Just curious. Considering the vanilla nature of this creature, it’s a hard one to evaluate in many ways. Much like Regathan Firecat on its own all it can do is trade with some other big dumb creature. But with the right pairing it can pack a world of hurt. Sometimes you won’t be able to do anything with him because you’re staring down a 2/1 on the other side of the table but four mana for five power is never terrible.

Epiphany Storm – 3
Common
I love looting, I’m less fond of discard first looting. The idea of it being on an aura makes me want to cry. Along with the rest of this cycle, I think these cards are just plain bad. The effect here is good. But you’re basically paying two cards for the first one. Then one for each additional card you draw. Generally you’re seeking card advantage, not card disadvantage. Not to mention the likelihood of losing your target primarily out of spite.

Everflame Eidolon – 5+
Uncommon
Firebreathing is a pretty good ability in limited even though it’s a pretty bad card. Being able to stick it onto any guy is pretty nice. Being a bestow with a three mana cost is even cooler. The great thing about this card is you can put it on a random guy and pump it up to trade up; then you can pump it up to trade up a second time. Or you can put it on a flier or first strike guy and get in for solid damage repeatedly. The low bestow cost and the fact that even a 1/1 firebreathing is useful for trading makes this a solid card I want in my deck.

Fall of the Hammer – 6+
Common
Considering that Prey Upon was a solid card in Innistrad, I feel this can only be better. It’s a fight, without getting hit back.  Great quick kill spell to handle a creature or to finish off a creature you need to kill. Again, useless when you’re board is empty but assuming you aren’t losing by a ton this is a great card. It can also just be a big finisher with your Voltron up. I still think it should have been named Junk Shot since it's basically fight without your opponent fighting back.

Fearsome Temper – 4+
Common
+2/+2 and some sort of evasion for three is ok. Being able to shut down a blocker can be useful at times but I’d much rather be bestowing than putting this on a creature. It’s not terrible but it is pretty expensive to shut down a couple of creatures and get in for damage. With so many bestow options, a straight up enchantment just feels too risky.

Impetuous Sunchaser – 3+
This card is so close to being amazing, just one power off. 1/1s for one are generally bad. Adding flying doesn’t make it a win and neither does haste. The downside of a weak creature attacking each turn is pretty significant. This card is goes beyond undesirable cards into the unplayable realm. As a target for bestow it is acceptable since it has flying, but who cares if my 1/1 has haste.

Kragma Butcher – 5
Common
Considering that Felhide Minotaur was acceptable, if unexciting we can only see good things for his butcher brother. He feels like Minotaur Skullcleaver's slower and number cousin. But Skullcleaver  did great work in Theros, I think we’ll see the butcher hacking up his fair share of meat. I’m happy to put him in my deck.

Lightning Volley – 4+
Uncommon
This could be good card but I feel that it is asking a lot, too much in fact. I’d need three untapped creatures on and four mana at the end of my opponent’s turn to make this as useful as Flames of the Firebrand. I don’t see it likely that I’m going to get four mana worth of damage out of this card most times I cast it. I’ll probably end up using it as an expensive Shock. At one or two mana I’d really heavily consider this card, but at four I feel it is pretty high priced. I wouldn’t be thrilled with this unless I’ve got some deathtouch. It could be sided in against a deck with a ton of X/1 creatures but I'd still rather just play a something like a 2/4 at this point.

Nyxborn Rollicker – 4
Common
+1/+1 just isn’t very much. A 1/1 creature just isn’t very good. There may end up being some magic number that makes having a 1/3 creature become a 2/4 kills half the creatures in the format. But I don’t think that this is likely to make this card worth running. It’s not totally useless, but it’s not a card that will turn the tides of the game nine out of ten times. Maybe as a heroic trigger this will have a large enough impact to make a difference but I’m not seeing the red heroics I want to make this playable.

Pharagax Giant – 5+
Uncommon
While a 5/5 for five is a pretty good deal, I can see times where people take five damage to the face to avoid you throwing down a big creature. Either way this is a decent creature. Canyon Minotaur plus Lava Axe is great for one more mana. For a common, five mana 5/5 is pretty efficient. You probably won’t want to fill your deck with these guys but having two near the top of your curve seems like solid threats.

Pinnacle of Rage – 5
Uncommon
So far I haven’t been impressed with rage cards from Theros block. They tend to be expensive and not that great. This is two lightning strikes in one spell at sorcery speed for two more colorless mana. It’s not a great deal. Sometimes you just need some more removal to clean up smaller threats. It is important to remember that this card won’t kill a 6/6 and you need two targets for it. Sometimes it is just an expensive Bile Blight.

Reckless Reveler - 5
Common
While there aren’t a lot of artifacts in this set, a 2/1 for two has never been terrible. If you end up against  someone running a Gorgon's Head or Siren Song Lyre this will be a decent way to combat it. Plus 2/1 creatures frequently end up outclassed at the end of the game, burning it to get rid of a Springleaf Drum isn’t horrible if your opponent is getting his inspired on.

Rise to the Challenge – 4+
Common
What was it about Thunder Strike that wouldn’t fit into this set? I suppose in Standard you can now play eight of a card you’d never even consider putting in your deck.  While this isn’t a bad card in limited it is fairly risky. It’s less risky than it was in M14 because M14 had so much good removal. With less quality removal you’re more likely to get your kill. I’m ok playing these here but I’d rather have an actual threat.

Satyr Nyx-Smith – 6
Uncommon
I feel like haste is what really makes this card work. It basically gives you a 2/1 and a 3/1 for six mana, which isn’t terrible in limited. It also has the chance to produce more.  Because you can lay this down when you’re guaranteed to be able to safely attack it seems more valuable than several of the other token producing uncommon. Plus getting five power out of one card can cause some real problems for your opponent the following turn, even if this smith dies quickly.

Scouring Sands – 5
Common
Electrickery with scry attached is a pretty sweet deal though sorcery over instant is not. This card may make all X/1s far worse than they previously appeared. With so many decent creatures with one toughness this spell looks like a must play in many decks. I guess we now know that the magic number on toughness is specifically not one.

Searing Blood – 6+
Uncommon
Expensive Shock with a potential upside is an interesting card. Getting to kill a creature plus three damage to an opponent makes this a five damage spell for two mana. It seems pretty good. Double red will be a little annoying but I think there’s more than enough targets in the set to make it good. Don’t forget that if you have to block with a creature to use this you’re still getting upside with the damage.

Stormcaller of Keranos – 5+
Uncommon
While 2/2 haste for three has been acceptable, it has never been exciting. The problem with them is that they always get outclassed in the late game. However, unlimited scry without tapping is pretty amazing. Late game the scry is amazing, early game the haste is acceptable. I feel that makes this a pretty solid card that I want in my deck. I’ll probably even take two. Being able to spend extra mana to avoid unneeded land drops is pretty awesome. However, you need to be in color to make this work. There always is some downside.

Thunder Brute – 7
Uncommon
5/5 haste trample is pretty good. It can cause massive when it hits the board. 8/8 trample for six is also pretty fantastic. Assuming the game can frequently make it to the late game this guy is sure to make a bashing when he gets cast. Because of trample I expect to see this guy as a 5/5 haste pretty much all the time, because if you can’t deal with a 5/5 haste trample there is no way you’ll be able to deal with an 8/8 trample.

Thunderous Might – 4
Uncommon
Still no draw a card. That’s too bad. You are most likely to get +2/0 to +5/0. +5/0 is pretty good if you can drop it on something with evasion or flying, but this doesn’t grant any form of evasion.  I have a hard time seeing this be really useful. It’s also dangerous because it is an enchantment and it is based on your devotion. Too often someone can kill a creature that gives devotion they can end up with a three for one on a well timed block. It’s not a terrible card if you can stick it on something with first strike, but overall I’d rather have something less fragile in my deck.

Red Rare

Fated Conflagration – 5
Rare
Lava Axe a creature or planeswalker, but not a player doesn’t seem fantastic. I figure that two colored mana is worth a bit more than trading in a single mana in casting cost. The fact that this goes off on creatures of planeswalkers at instant speed is nice but you have to be really deep in red to play this card. Late game I don’t even expect five damage to solve every problem I’m likely to encounter. I feel like I’m going to play this card but never end up casting it.

Felhide Spiritbinder – 7
Rare
Unlike many creatures with Inspired this one passes the vanilla test. 3/4 for four is a perfectly acceptable creature in limited and one that is likely to get in to attack. The ability to make a copy of the best creature to send back in when he untaps makes this a really big threat. Even if you’re just copying him you’re getting in for six damage. I like this minotaur a lot. If you include some of the other minotaur buffing creatures he can become an even more formidable threat.

Flame-Wreathed Phoenix – 8
Mythic
This is just bad decisions all around. A 3/3 flier that goes back to your hand is just fine for four. A 5/5 flier for four is fantastic. This is a no lose card. There’s no good choice unless you’ve got the removal spell in your hand. Just a solid card and problematic for your opponent no matter which way you look at it.

Forgestoker Dragon – 7+
Uncommon
This is an interesting take on Flameblast Dragon. Rather than getting the Fireball effect you get to ping any creature for 1R when it attacks. Assuming you have the mana to cast him you basically can ping for three each turn. Flameblast was a powerhouse in the fairly aggressive M12 format and I think we’ll see Forgestoker do similar work here. I feel that the six casting cost for a 5/4 is a little higher than I’d like but it’s a pretty typical dragon.

Oracle of Bones – 4+
Rare
This is a really interesting card that is likely to be really to be mediocre in limited. With the unlikely chance that you’ll be sitting on a decent instant or sorcery you want to cast for free, I think that this card will pretty much always be a 3/1. Maybe you’ll get a free Searing Blood but this card is going to ask you to play expensive damage spells you probably don’t really want in your deck.  If you can pull in enough good sorcery and instant spells in something like a red/blue combo deck you could probably get significant use to make your opponent consider taking the tribute. But 3/1 for four is pretty bad. (It may be that the risk of tribute is so significant that people will always take the buffed creature and this will be a better card than it appears, but I think in limited I’ll always take the 3/1).

Satyr Firedancer – 4
Rare
This is sort of an inverse Guttersnipe but not one that I think will really do the trick. It allows you to get double value out of burn spells. There aren’t enough burn spells to make me want to play a 1/1 for two. Maybe someday I’ll draft five Searing Bloods, Pinnacle’s of Rage, and one of these guys… who am I kidding. If this was a build around it’d need to be uncommon. I think I’ll just pass over it every time I see it unless it becomes a valuable card in Burn.

Whims of the Fates – 2
Rare
Cards like this are for fun kitchen table games and making people cry in EDH. This is not a reliable or fun limited card. With huge risk no matter how you cut it you’re going to pay a bunch of mana for something that will either win you the game, lose you the game, or do nothing. But which of those it will do is entirely out of your control. It does bring up fantastic match discussions about how you should pile (odds say all in one pile) but beyond the philosophic discussion, this is just different version of Scrambleverse.

Born of the Gods Limited Set Review - Black

For me, one of the best ways to make a profit and still enjoy playing Magic is to win events. In Limited events that means knowing what is good in a format and being able to able to accurately assess the value of cards. Everyone puts their own value on certain types of cards. Some favor removal over any creatures, others take any decent creature over removal. Some like expensive or late game cards and others prefer value for early tempo. While I can't adjust for your play style I can tell you what I happen to think of certain cards.

The other color set reviews can be found at the following links:
Red
Green
White
Blue
Multicolored and Colorless

Limited Rating System

Everyone who evaluates cards uses a different system. Mine is 1-10 because I feel like it creates the easiest and most recognizable system. Using grades tends to provide some false associations; B- is a pretty lame grade in school but a pretty good card in magic. I also don't like using the 1-5 system because I'd rather say something is a five than a two point five.

10 - First pick and must play even if you have to splash it.

9 - Game winning card every time it hits the table.

8 - Bombs, top tier removal, and otherwise game defining creatures.

7 - Powerful creatures or amazingly efficient creatures, conditional removal.

6 - Solid creatures, expensive or highly restrictive removal, big play enchantments and artifacts.

5 - Core cards in your deck, on curve creatures, decent cards.

4 - Fallback cards that you'd rather not have in your deck but can fill in if needed. Cards that are too situational to main deck.

3 - Bad cards, cards that have too much risk and little reward.

2 - Really bad cards that barely do anything at all and aren't likely to impact the game in a meaningful way.

1 - A card with zero meaningful impact on Limited games of Magic.

Add-on Ratings

S - Sideboard cards. These will often be brought out of your board and are worth picking up over other things of their level because of their impact against certain match-ups.

+ - Better than the average card in this category but still not worth the step up to the next level.

Black Common/Uncommon

Archetype of Finality – 6
Uncommon
Deathtouch is a very powerful ability and giving it to your entire board can be pretty powerful. Doing so at six mana with a 2/3 makes me a little nervous but I still think that this is a good card. Suddenly your 1/1 tokens are killing machines. It makes you way more likely to get in with one or two little guys for damage on a stalled board while still keeping back your more powerful defenders. Without other creatures you’re getting a weak and expensive Basilisk but at least it makes a significant board presence on its own.

Ashiok’s Adept – 4
Uncommon
While a 1/3 for two mana will frequently find a home, a 1/3 for three is much worse. I have trouble finding ways to make this Heroic activation worth it. I suppose pumping your guy for extra damage and making an opponent discard a card is pretty good. Getting a free discard off a bestow is also fine. But I generally don’t want to be throwing my bestow cards on a 1/3 anyway.  Maybe I’m wrong and discard will be a thing, but I’d much rather have a Disciple of Phenax and I didn’t always play them.

Asphyxiate – 5+
Common
This is a very weird card. While Assassinate makes a certain amount of sense, everything about Asphyxiate feels unintuitive. I feel like there will be a number of times where this is cast on a creature, that simply taps itself in response. It is also basically countered by a Springleaf Drum. This makes it very conditional removal with some creatures it just can’t kill. Also that thing that is beating your face in every turn, it’ll never kill that because it’s always tapped when your turn comes around. I think I’d rather sit on the additional three mana and play Sip of Hemlock.

Bile Blight – 7
Uncommon
Instant -3/-3 for two black is pretty good. The chance to nail a second creature as well makes this fantastic. While doubles aren’t as common in limited as constructed, getting a two for one out of this card will occasionally be doable with tokens running around. Even at just one creature it is still better than Phareka’s Cure.

Black Oak of Odunos – 4+
Uncommon
When it comes to ways to activate Inspired I think this is one of my favorite. If you can pull in a bunch of good Inspired cards you can tap any number of them at the end of your turn to get activation off, one mana each. Suddenly a card like Icy Manipulator is looking really good but in the right deck you may still a lot of value off of this card. Other decks aren’t too likely to want it since a wall without power is just a brick dummy.

Claim of Erebos – 4
Common
This is still a bad cycle of enchantments. Ping for two isn’t terrible when it comes on a creature but when it is its own card I’m worried. This would probably be better if it was just an enchantment that did two damage per turn like Mogis.

Drown in Sorrow – 5+
Uncommon
Bigger Mutilate with scry allows you to play some bigger black creatures with ways to deal with all the one, two and several three drops. As a turn three board sweeper this is pretty strong. The scry as an additional bonus makes this a pretty solid card. Of course, it will kill your own creatures if you’re not careful but you’ll probably be able to get a two for one if not better.

Eye Gouge - 4
Common
-1/-1 is frequently enough to do the last shot on a creature making this card a usable combat trick. But I didn’t always want Weakness in my deck and this seems far worse than that. If you happen up against a couple of cyclops (cyclopi?) maybe you  side it in for the extra possible value. It’s not totally unplayable but I’m sure there’s something better you can put in your deck.

Felhide Brawler – 4+
Common
It’s a bear with an upsi… no wait. It’s a bear with a downside. At least it can still bash in for two. That’s a good thing. I feel like with this downside it should be a single black, or something. Not really the two drop I want but a two drop none the less.

Forlorn Pseudamma – 5+
Uncommon
It’s a 2/1 for four that’s lame. But it’s got intimidate which makes it less lame. Add on it makes guys when it untaps and it’s actually pretty good. I’m in favor of any inspired guys with evasion or a way to tap themselves. Intimidate is pretty good evasion. You’ll probably have to side him out against another black deck but he is a creature your opponent can’t really afford to just ignore on the board even in black matchups.

Forsaken Drifters – 4+
Common
It’s a mill card. No, it’s a self mill card. This really isn’t Armored Skaab in a graveyard centered set like Innistrad. So it just screws you when it leaves. Why isn’t this Vampire Warlord? That card had some practical uses for the same power and toughness at one more casting cost. After seeing Boon Satyr as a 4/2 flash for three it’s hard to be excited about paying four for one that mills you when it dies even at common.

Grisly Transformation – 5+
Common
Intimidate cantrip enchantment, interesting. Considering this set has heroic and inspired this seems pretty solid. If you drop it on either creature you’re getting your card back plus making your creature unblockable. Aqueous Form saw a lot of play even though it carried all the risk of this card. I think Grisly Transformation will be a decent play in most decks.

Marshmist Titan – 5+
Common
I have a difficult time placing this card exactly. The body is good and assuming you can have as little as two devotion on the board you’re still paying for something that is on curve. If you don’t have many other black permanents than you’ll want to leave this titan at home but if you’re already playing black you’ll probably be able to drum up at least a couple devotion. I’d love to see the game where this guy can come down on turn four and start beating.

Necrobite – 6
This is removal, plain and simple. All you need is a blocker, any blocker with power. It does run the risk of losing a two for one if someone hits your blocker with removal, but there isn’t that much great instant speed removal in this set that I’d be super worried about it. This card will deal with problems you otherwise can’t.

Nyxborn Eidolon – 4
Common
It’s Unholy Strength only much much worse. 2/1 for two is understandable but having to pay five to bestow in order to get two power feels pretty lame. Remember what we got for five in Theros? +1/+1 and deathtouch plus a deathtouch guy when that creature died. This just doesn’t compare.

Odunos River Trawler – 5+
Uncommon
How come black’s Auramancer is better than Auramancer? While Auramancer is playable in this set with the enchantment creatures and such, the chance of getting two auras back for one creature is pretty amazing. It’s also just one white so if you pick up a couple of trawlers you can just throw in a plains for possible additional value. At worst you get an Auramancer, at best you basically get two.

Sanguimancy – 4
Uncommon
Considering the difficulty of getting your devotion to black very high in a non mono black deck, this is clearly a much worse card than Gray Merchant. It also doesn’t add any devotion itself meaning you may find times you draw it late in the game where X may be zero. If this was 2B I’d be all over it but at a higher cost of five mana, I’m less enthused. If you’re heavy into black I’d probably look at it again but for one more mana we had Opportunity which guaranteed four cards and was at instant speed.

Servant of Tymaret – 4+
Common
Again, the 1/3 for three isn’t very good. Making it a 1/3 with a lifelink ping on untap and regeneration makes this guy a pretty good target for a tap aura. He can insure his own survival. Losing a Regeneration shield also taps him making him an acceptable chump blocker. Overall I’m still not sure I actually want this guy in my deck but I could see him ending up in there.

Shrike Harpy – 6
Uncommon
This will be a 4/4 flier for five unless your opponent has some mana dork to give up. Maybe your opponent has some creature that has passed usefulness that is worth pitching but either way, it’s a really solid card. Big air born creatures are always solid and this does well as a weak Sengir Vampire, which is always a decent card. Paying five for an Diabolic Edict and a 2/2 flier in one card is fine.

Spiteful Returned – 5+
Uncommon
I think this is a win more card. On its own you’ve got a 1/1 for two that hits like a 3/1. On another creature that’s going to get in for damage you’ve got a 3/1 bestow which is pretty okay but not fantastic. It also doesn’t allow you to suddenly trade up your creature to handle a big threat. I think this is fine but as far as bestow abilities it is not amazing.

Warchanter of Mogis – 5
Common
A little expensive for a 3/3 it cost is fine for a 3/3 intimidate which it can certainly become after surviving one round of combat.  This makes it a solid but overall not highly impressive card. Being able to give intimidate to another creature is a nice little trick, but not one that really gives much power. Plus, unlike most intimidate creatures, you still need to get it in without dying the first round and if you have to hold it back you’re stuck without intimidate for until you can get back in for an attack.

Weight of the Underworld – 5
Common
I guess this is okay. It’s a long term Weakness or a kill spell on a two toughness guy. My only dislike here is the cost. At four mana I’d expect something bigger. I suppose it’s nice that it’ll stick around on a big creature, but this clearly isn’t Dead Weight.

Black Rares

Champion of Stray Souls - 8
Mythic
This feels like the ETB engine that just won’t stop. Cycling your Gray Merchant for another one, or two for two is just plain mean. Also his return from the graveyard effect is going to make this 4/4 a real problem to deal with. I think he qualifies as a total bomb in limited since he will never go away and he lets you swap all your out of date creatures for the best creatures you’ve already lost.

Eater of Hope – 7
Rare
Big demons are rarely disappointing unless they make you sac your own guys. This one doesn’t make you, it lets you. Still, sacrificing two insignificant creatures to destroy any creature is an amazing bonus. The 6/4 flier isn’t bad either. This looks like a tough card to answer all the way around. Seven is a bit expensive but being able to off other creatures makes it feel worth it.

Fate Unraveler – 6
Rare
When I read the text on this card I assume that I’m not really going to like it. But paying four mana for a 3/4 is pretty decent. Black doesn’t normally get creatures this efficient without a drawback. And it’s not a drawback, it’s a significant upside. On a lesser creature I’d be significantly less impressed but on top of being a meaningful body on the field you’re going to be automatically pinging for at least one every turn. Plus it’ll punish people that like draw heavy decks.

Fated Return – 5
Rare
Wow, the effects of this card are awesome but seven mana is just plain brutal. Getting the best creature that’s died so far on your side with indestructible is really cool, assuming you have a way to get a good creature into the graveyard. Even by the time I hit seven mana I’m not guaranteed to have anything bigger than 3/3 in the yard. This feels like a really risky play that will occasionally pay off. It’s not terrible to have at the top of your curve but it doesn’t really solve any of your problems if the biggest threat in the game is still on the battlefield.

Gild – 8
Rare
Unconditional creature removal that exiles, not destroys is fantastic. It’s not Swords to Plowshares but it’s probably the closest black is ever going to get. I’m not sure what’s up with the extra mana token but if it lets me cast my six drop instead of a five drop I’m on board. I’m not even that broken up about the sorcery speed. This is a big black answer to any problem sitting pretty at four mana. I’m a big big fan.

Herald of Torment - 7+
Rare
Nimbus Naiad saw tons of play and this is much better. A 3/3 flier in black for three is already way ahead of curve. Having the bestow for five that gives +3/+3 and flying is fantastic. The downside is small enough that if you play it on a creature you’ll win so fast it just won’t matter. Getting another creature off the ground will guarantee you enough damage that you’ll always be happy to play this.

Pain Seer – 5+
Rare
Mini Bob, the lesser Dark Confidant is not really a limited card. Considering the danger of paying CMC for cards in limited I don’t feel like this card will be a massive advantage to a deck. I’m pretty sure I’d play him anyway. But I feel like he often times will be a bear with a dangerous upside.  I’m also not sure how often you’ll be able to tap your 2/2.

SA 2.0 Dev Blog Post #16: New Merits - Last Blog Post

Merit System

The current system with a limit of two merits works with the current limited list of merits. But we wanted to open up more merits without limiting people just two. So the system has changed a little.

First off all humans get a free merit. They may pick this merit as their basic subfaction choices (gifted kinfolk, ghoul, sorcerer, etc) or they can spend it on something else.

Secondly there is no limit on merits. Merits, however, will cost 3 xp plus 3 additional xp for each merit you currently have. Meaning your first merit is 3 xp (free if you're a human), your second is 6xp (even if you're a human), your third is 9xp, etc.

New Merits

DOOMSLAYER <Dark Arcanoi tree> (Wraith only)
You may use the chosen dark arcanoi without being in catharsis.  You may exchange this merit for another one if you ever check your character in with 10 angst.

FOMORI (Human only)
You have been possessed by a bane spirit. Pick one innate fomori tree, you receive the first power in this tree at no cost. Additionally you gain a derangement. If you pick the Toad tree you must also gain an mutation. While this merit is active you are permanently tainted.

GHOUL (Human only)
A human will automatically gain this merit if he is given 2 points of blood from a vampire in the same feeding. You gain Celerity, Fortitude, and Potence as innate trees. You get one level in the Potence tree. Your energy type becomes vitae. Being given health by a vampire instead will give you energy. If you go through an entire event without consuming at least two blood from a vampire in the same feeding this merit goes dormant. To reactivate this merit you must consume two points of blood from a vampire in one feeding. While this merit is active all sorcery trees and gifts go dormant as well. If purchased at character creation you get faction knowledge  vampires at no cost.

HEALTHY
Your maximum health is increased by one.

HIDDEN AMARANTH (Vampire only)
You always answer the Sense Amaranth power with “0”.

INVESTMENT
You have a small income source from a job, small business or benefactor. Most of your earnings go to supplies but you gain 3 pence at check in each game. This merit may be purchased multiple times.

KINFOLK (Human only)
Select a tribe from the Shifter section as your sub-faction. You may not purchase gifts and your energy type does not change. You may start the game with knowledge appropriate to your tribe. At check in you may switch this merit for Gifted Kinfolk at no cost or put your name in for the drawing to become a Shifter.

KINFOLK, GIFTED (Human only)
Select a tribe from the Shifter section as your sub-faction. Your energy type becomes gnosis. Select a level 1 gift from the homid or your tribe power tree. These are your two innate trees. You may not purchase the Sorcerer merit. You may start the game with knowledge appropriate to your tribe. If you purchase this merit you may not become a Shifter.

LOST SOUL (Shifter or Vampire only)
You have the option to become a wraith at the next event after you become dead though your faction is normally prohibited from doing so.  You may not have this merit at the same time as Mortwight.

MORTWIGHT (Human, Shifter or Vampire only)
Upon becoming dead you immediately become a specter. You need to carry a wraith character card with a set of starting character stats that has been approved by a Character Guide. Upon your death, drop all items with in-game value on the ground, immediately put on a white headband, and begin play with your second character sheet.  Your spectre persona may only take dark arcanoi as innates, but you may spend XP on it as normal during check in.  Just keep in mind that your reign of terror is likely to be a short one.  You may not have this merit at the same time as Lost Soul.

ORACLE
You receive one prophecy at check-in.

PALE AURA
Your answer to the Sense Faction power is Human. For the purposes of Sense Energy you are considered to have Vitality as your energy type.

SORCERER (Human only)
Select two power trees from the Sorcery section as your innate trees. Your energy type becomes essence. Select a level 1 innate power. You may pay 3 pence at check-in to create a focus. You may not purchase the Gifted Kinfolk merit.

STRONG WILL
Mental powers last half of their normal duration on you.

TAINTED SOUL
You are permanently tainted.

TASTE OF OBLIVION (Wraith only)
Whenever a character attempts to use Usury to drain health or pathos from you, say "Taste of Oblivion! Unresistable Catharsis!" That character then immediately goes into catharsis, gaining an angst as normal, but may then proceed with draining. Spectres are unaffected.  This merit is only active while you are tainted.

UMBRAL AFFINITY (Shifter only)
Stepping sideways when not at a Gaian node takes you 30 seconds of meditation instead of 60.

SA 2.0 Dev Blog #15: New Bad Things for Bad People, and some more good.

We wanted to share some of the new powers that we'll be rolling out for characters interested in things like Wyrm Powers, Dark Thaumatergy, and Dark Arcanoi. We felt the need to increase the offering of evil of to increase it's draw to a wider range of characters. This allows us to make sure that some of the primary canon powers were well represented in the game.

As a note we aren't happy with some of the names of the powers but haven't gotten to the stage of rewriting the names yet. We're still focused on making sure the powers work as intended. Again, I'm not posting the trees that things come from but if you do some canon research you may be able to figure it out. We'll start out with the treats for bad people (not exclusive to NPCs) and then share a few more of the great new powers available for conventional starting characters.

Some new stuff for bad people.

HELLBORN INVESTITURE (Passive)
Cost: None
Call: None
This power removes fire as a form of aggravated damage from the character.

HIDDEN TAINT (Passive)
Cost: None
Call: “No Effect” to Wyrm’s Voice and Sanctuary
A character with this power will answer “No” to any use of Sense Taint power on them. Additionally, he is immune to the Wyrm's Voice and Sanctuary powers.

LEECH OF FEAR (Passive)
Cost: None
Call: None
Each time you use the Dreamshape power on a target, your maximum energy is increased by one for the remainder of the event. This bonus can only be received once per target per event.

VULNERABLE (Status)
Cost: 1 energy
Call: “Vulnerable”
Any damage the target takes is aggravated damage.

WYRM’S HERALD (Passive)
Cost: None
Call: “No Effect” to Sanctuary
You are immune to the Sanctuary power and you may spend willpower to break from the Wyrm’s Voice power even if permanently tainted.

WYRM’S VOICE (Mental)
Cost: 1 Energy
Call: “Wyrm’s Voice”
A target that is tainted must follow all commands given by the caster to the best of his ability. A character who is permanently tainted may not break this power with willpower. Targets that are not tainted are immune and state “no effect”.
 

Some new stuff for good people (who might want to do bad things)

DECAY (Damage)
Cost: 1 Energy
Call: “Decay”, “Agg 1”
The caster touches a target with her hand.  Every 10 seconds, the caster causes one aggravated damage to the target. A character who is dead that suffers damage in this way immediately becomes decaying and turns to ash (goes out of game). This power ends immediately if the caster is no longer touching the target or moves his feet.

RELEASE SPIRIT – (Touch)
Cost: None
Call: “Release Spirit”
After 10 seconds of honoring a spirit you may activate this power and the spirit will immediately become Decaying and turn to ash (go out of game). The caster then gains 1 willpower up to their maximum willpower.

SENSE SPIRIT (Sensory)
Cost: None
Call: “Sense Spirit”
This power may be activated after staring intently at a target for 10 seconds. The target must state OOG their spirit power level. Targets that are not spirits respond “No Effect”.

SONG OF RAGE (Mental)
Cost: 1 Energy
Call: “Song of Rage”
After the caster shouts out a war cry he may activate this power. While under the effects of this power the target may choose to frenzy without losing virtue. While in frenzy provoked from this power the target gains Augment 1.

CRAVING (Touch [Condition])
Cost: 1 Energy
Call: “Craving <single word>”
After speaking with the target for one minute the caster may activate this power. The word mentioned becomes the target’s primary desire.

Coming Soon

In the next post I'll be talking about some of the new merits and character creation rules we're looking at in order to open up some concepts that are currently prohibited by the character knowledge rules (ungifted kinfolk). This will be my last Dev Blog post, as we will release our in process document of the rules after the May event. Then there's not much left to spoil to you.

SA 2.0 Dev Blog #14: New Good Things for Good People

Preamble

In order to bring in some diversity to trees we wanted to add in some powers to make each tribe, discipline, and arcanoi more unique. This allowed us to try to bring in some of the great canon powers that are somewhat missing. It also allowed us to remove some of the powers which had been subbed in because it was slightly similar to another power that was remaining in the game. We also took the opportunity to remove some powers that had some serious rules issues in a LARP setting.
  Below are a couple of rules that have been added to facilitate some of these changes:

Condition
Conditions are long term effects such as poisons or illnesses that will remain until treated or the end of the event, a player may decided to have the condition continue from event to event if they like. If you are affected by a condition you will need to follow the rules element as well as roleplay in the suggested manner. You are free to describe your symptoms in an in-game way.

Mass meta call
Mass attacks affect everyone within mental range of the caster.

New Powers 

ENTRANCEMENT (Mental)
Cost: 1 Energy
Call: “Entrancement”
The target is oathed to the caster for the duration of the power. This power will end if the caster makes any attacks against the target. The target of this power may spend willpower to break from the mental effect even though they are under the effects of an oath.

FAST HEALING (Passive)
Cost: None
Call: None
This power increases the caster’s Regeneration rate by 1. If he does not have regeneration from his faction he will gain Regeneration 1.

HALLUCINATION (Mental)
Cost: 1 energy
Call: “Hallucination <description>”
The target has a hallucination that fits with the description in some way. The <description> is limited to three words.

JUGGERNAUT (Damage)
Cost: Energy equal to the <number> of the damage attack call.
Call: “Juggernaught <damage call>”
The caster may add the Juggernaut meta onto a single damage call.  Juggernaut attacks are considered successful attacks and cause damage even if blocked.

MASK OF A THOUSAND FACES (Mask)
Cost: None
Call: None
The caster may put on any type of mask they desire. Additionally, a character with this power is no longer required to wear makeup requirements of their sub-faction. Also, a character with this power may identify himself under a different name without a full face covering (see disguising rules, p.XXX).

PENCE FROM HEAVEN (Other)
Cost: None
Call: None
You get 3 additional pence at check in.

READ MAGIC (Passive)
Cost: None
Call: None
A character with this power may read the rules portion of any ritual scroll or tag and take the information in game.

RESIST GAUNTLET (Self)
Cost: 2 energy
Call: “Resist”
This power allows the caster to resist a single attack with the “Breach” meta call.

RESIST TAINT (Self)
Cost: 2 Energy
Call: “Resist Taint”
The caster may use this power any time they would become tainted or poisoned to not be tainted or resist the poison effect.

SANCTUARY (Mental)
Cost: 2 energy
Call: “Mass Sanctuary”
All tainted targets must attempt to remain 10 feet from the caster and may not make attacks against the caster. This power has no effect on targets that are not tainted.

SILVER ARMOR (Passive)
Cost: None
Call: None
Silver is no longer considered a source of aggravated damage for this character.

TRUE FORM (Mental)
Cost: 1 Energy
Call: “True Form”
The target must remove any mask they are currently wearing and cease using the Cloak power.  For the duration of this power the target may not wear any mask or use the Cloak power.

VISIONS (Other)
Cost: None
Call: None
You receive an additional prophecy at check in.

WOADLING (Touch)
Cost: 1 Energy
Call: “Woadling”
The caster must paint a Gaian symbol on the target. The target may resist the next status attack that hits them. Future uses of this power require a new symbol to be drawn.

WOUNDING LIES (Mental)
Cost: 1 Energy
Call: “Wounding Lies”
Each time the target makes an untruthful statement per character knowledge, he suffers one aggravated damage that cannot be resisted and cries out in pain.

  

SA 2.0 Dev Blog #13: Clarifying and Rewriting Powers, Two

Josh had complained that there weren't enough powers. So I'll include some more here. 10 this time instead of five -- but the first two don't really count. Enjoy.

We've discussed the two below. So they shouldn't be a surprise.

FORM OF VAPOR (Mask)

Cost: None

Call: “Form of Vapor”
The caster puts on a silver or black cloth face covering. While this power is active he may resist Damage and Status attacks for 1 energy. He may not make any damage attacks or status attacks and may not drain or block with boffers. This power may not be activated within 10 seconds of making an attack.

GAUNTLET WALK (Self)

Cost: 1 Energy

Call: “Umbra” or “Realm” state your destination.
The caster may spend 1 energy to travel from the realm to the umbra or the umbra to the realm immediately. This power cannot be used within ten seconds of making an attack.


-- In the attempt to make escape and defensive powers very effective over the short run but not over-powerful in the long run you'll see some changes in anything that gives an immunity to a whole attack type like form of vapor, hasty escape, hero's stand and form of war.

HASTY ESCAPE (Self)

Cost: None

Call: “Hasty Escape”
The caster crosses their arms over their chest. He must immediately leave the area of any combat as quickly as possible and may not return while the power is active. He may not voluntarily end the power until he has left the area and may not make any attacks while under the effects of this power. While this power is active the caster may resist damage and status attacks for 1 energy and is immune to draining.


HERO’S STAND (Self)

Cost: None

Call: “Hero’s Stand”
The caster plants one foot in place. For 10 minutes he may resist damage and status attacks for 1 energy.  Once the 10 minutes expires, or If the caster lifts his foot for any reason, the caster will immediately drop to 0 health.

-- Go crazy then go to take merciful sleep was always a really weird thing. Making horrid reality a powerful but effective defensive/offensive mental make's more sense and still gives the flexibility needed to still make the power fun.

HORRID REALITY (Mental)

Cost: 1 Energy

Call: “Horrid Reality <description>”
The target must roleplay as if they are dying in the way described. The <description> is limited to three words. For the duration of this power the target may not attack.

-- Meditate had become one of the most powerful attack powers due to it basically being the same as merciful sleep when used on an enemy. It really isn't supposed to be a power you use on your enemies that are trying to kill you. So we wanted to make it something you use on a friend. It can also be used to diffuse situations as it gives a specific advantage to people who stop to meditate.

MEDITATE (Touch)

Cost: 1 Energy

Call: “Meditate”
If the target roleplays meditation for 60 seconds without walking, speaking, attacking or being attacked, the target may resist the next mental power used against them (and only the next mental power used against them) without spending willpower. If they choose not to resist the mental this power is still expended.

-- Thieving talons is the most errataed power in the game. We've given more rulings on this power than any other, including obedience. We needed to simplify the effect and get it to not be a level three power that lets you have every other sensory power in the game. The canon of this power is tricky since it technically allows you to take someone's power and then they can't use it. I don't think that's the direction that we want to go but controlling it to be more manageable is necessary.

MIMIC (Touch)

Cost: 1 energy

Call: “Mimic <power>”
The caster is able to activate the damage, status, and mental power named for 10 minutes so long as the target has it listed on their character card as a gift. If the target does not have the power listed on their character sheet as a gift they state “no effect”. Only one power may be mimiced at a time. If this power is resisted, the caster believes the target does not have the power mentioned.

-- The definition given for obedience has been a level 4 power in a level 2 slot. There's a few things here that needed limitation. Obviously obedience was never meant to be a 10 minute "do what I say". But the rules allowed for that and it became the only major use of for it. Making it a reasonable power meant limiting what could be said with it. In canon it's generally only applicable to one word. We also wanted to avoid the stupid things like "obedience hop" making forcing someone to hop for 10 minutes. It still needed to be flexible but didn't need to be godly. The perform an action once is a good limitation on that.

OBEDIENCE (Mental)

Cost: 1 Energy

Call: “Obedience <action>” or “Obedience <action> <noun>” (The action and noun are spoken IG)
The target immediately carries out the action to the best of her ability as directed in the call. The power ends immediately once the action has been performed one time. The target may attack and defend themselves as normal. This power may not be used to cause a target to harm herself.

-- Paralyze is often viewed as what made status attacks so unstable. It's also the power that makes Resilience mandatory at higher power levels. If you can be paralyzed you're able to be taken down. There's a few defenses that could still be used to try to keep you alive but you were basically hosed. Most paralyze powers in canon more of a mez than a stun (to use the common MMO terms). It's still very useful, but no longer an instagib. It also is not the default status you want to use no matter what. Status attacks like Venom don't go away when struck making the use of paralyze tactical rather than expected.

PARALYZE (Status)

Cost: 1 Energy

Call: “Paralyze”
The target is held in total paralysis unable to do anything other than use regeneration. This power ends immediately if the target is attacked or damaged.

-- Bind foot had some very specific limitations. We wanted a more general power with a more specific name. This also gives more of the impression of something grabbing your foot like shadows or briars.

ROOT (Status)

Cost: 1 energy

Call: “Root”
The target’s feet are stuck in place, he is unable to move either foot. This power ends immediately if the target takes damage from any source.  Umbrabound creatures in the umbra may use this power across the Gauntlet by saying “Breach” before the sig call.

SA 2.0 Dev Blog #12: Clarifying Powers, one

I've been crazy busy the past couple weeks and I think I'm behind on getting promised posts out. I'm going to do this one in a big fun way. I'm going to just list some of the rewrites we've done to powers and talk about why we went in that direction. Some of these powers had an unintended side effect use that went beyond their intended use that wasn't intentional. Not all the wording has been finally polished but it should clarify how the power can be used. Take a look:

BEAST MIND (Mental)

Cost: 1 Energy

Call: “Beast Mind” and “predator” or “prey”
The target must roleplay as an animal that is either a predator or prey based on what signature call was used. While under the effect of this mental, the target may not use language, whether verbal, written, or telepathic.

--Using Beast Mind as an in combat/incapacitating mental was never the intended use. While making someone flop like a fish was funny, it doesn't really fit the theme of the game. Specifying more generally to give a target a bestial mind is more the intended effect.



Cloak (Self)

Cost: 1 energy

Call: “Cloak”
You may spread your hand out in front of your face to indicate that you are no longer visible. You may not use this power within 10 seconds of having made an attack. This power will end if you speak, interact with any object or person, make an attack or lower your hand from covering your face.

-- Cloak has basically become a power that can kill anyone without cloak sight. A cool down timer would decrease its effectiveness for disappearing style combat but retain its escape and sneak up ambush features. Incidentally, this also gave a slight nerf to cloak sight as someone trying to use cloak to get in free hits would require significantly more time kill you making cloak sight valuable but not a must have survival power.



Cloak Gathering (Touch)

Cost: 1 energy

Call: “Cloak Gathering”

While using the Cloak power the caster may hide a target person or item by touching them. The target becomes Cloaked as per the Cloak power. This power ends immediately if the caster and target are no longer touching or if the caster is no longer cloaked.

-- Rolling Cloak item and cloak gathering into a single skill made it more suitable for a level 3 power. It also opened up a slot at level 2 in obfuscate which we really really wanted to fit some other canon powers in there.



CONDITIONING (Other)

Cost: 4 energy

Call: “Conditioning <Mental Power Call>”
Immediately after having a conversation with a target for at least 60 seconds you may add the “Conditioning” meta call onto any mental attack that does not use the “Mass” meta call. Powers with the conditioning meta call can’t be resisted or broken with willpower.

-- The 1 hour nature of conditioning never really fit it into the level 3 slot. It was a thing that could be used occasionally but the nature of most powers is that they last about 1-3 minutes to get their full effect. It also led to the possibility of some crappy things you have to do for an hour. We wanted to make it the top of dominate. Something that was very vampire and very dominate. Now things like "don't talk to vampires or bad things may happen" has some real backing.



DISQUIET (Mental)

Cost: 1 energy

Call: “Disquiet”
This power will immediately end frenzy in the target, this is an exception to frenzy’s regular immunity to Mental Attacks. Additionally, a target will not be able to frenzy for the duration of this power.

-- The calming influence of Disquiet never really had support from the rules. The powers from canon that disquiet come from tend to force someone out of a frenzy and keep them there. Making it a mental effect that not only ends frenzy but prevents it from happening can make it useful for the calming an friend that is teetering on the brink supporting the RP that some people are already doing.



FABRICATE ARMOR (Other)

Cost: 1 Energy

Call: “Fabricate Armor”
The caster spends one minute roleplaying building invisible armor on the target. The target then receives 4 additional armor points that do not require a phys-rep. These armor points are the first to be used when the target is struck for damage. A character may only have one fabricated suit of armor at any time. If the power is used again when the armor has taken damage but has not been destroyed it will only refill to a maximum of 4 armor.

-- I'm not aware of anyone who liked the tag part of Fabricate Armor. Most people who used it regularly kept a card in their pocket rather than visible so item sense never really worked on  it anyway. Also the math on it was always wacky. It cost a lot of energy to build up and that would never work under the new energy system. Taking it down from 6 to 4 is balanced by the cost at a single energy. This makes it equivalent to a preemptive healing touch.