The Top 15 Magic Items, part 6

Here we go, the final three entries on the Top 15 Spellfire: TAV magic items list! 

NUMBER 3: Bag of Beans (Night Stalkers chase, 11/25).

You'd better pull something better than a bean out of there.

The remaining three magic items are all incredible, and while #1 wasn't in doubt, the #2 and #3 positions were a bit difficult for me to decide on. Bag of Beans ended up at #3, but that's no slight against its power. This thing is a beast. After drawing your usual three cards at the beginning of your turn, you get to cut your deck during phase 3 and take the card you have cut to. If it's a realm, you have to discard it, but if it's anything else you can put it into your hand, into your pool, or play it. It's *almost* like getting a fourth card per turn. Card advantage is everything in Spellfire, especially in the Antigonish Variant. Bag of Beans gives you card advantage over your opponent, in spades. Only two magic items in the entire game are better than this one.

NUMBER 2: Dragon Font (Artifacts chase, 20/20).

Is that a dragon in there, looking at me?

At #2 we have the Dragon Font, which at first blush might seem worse than Bag of Beans. I mean, with the Font you only get to draw two cards, instead of the usual three. But wait! Instead of drawing that third card, take a long look at the bottom five cards of your deck, and pick one to grab! The remaining four go back on the bottom, a resource to be exploited by the Font next turn. You're always guaranteed to see a new card each turn, and you keep a "bank" of four more that you can take when they are most appropriate to the game situation. Words can't express how powerful this is. If you've ever played against someone using the Dragon Font each turn, you'll quickly come to understand. This thing is so good that there is only one magic item ever printed that can exceed its power. 

NUMBER 1: Bell Of Might (Forgotten Realms chase, 18/25).

If you draw this, your opponent will soon have their bell rung.

The Bell of Might is the best magic item in Spellfire, and it's not close. Duplicating an opponent's event is powerful enough in a two-player game: you Good Fortune, then when your opponent uses theirs, you Good Fortune again! It's like having two Cataclysms, two Caravans, and two Wrath of the Immortals in your deck. In a multiplayer game, the Bell of Might is insane. Nearly everyone plays with 10 events. With the Bell, once per turn you get to duplicate another player's event. We could be talking multiple extra turns, multiple Trapped's, multiple Slave Revolts, multiple Ancient Curses. The Bell is so primo, your opponents basically have to destroy it, kill the attached champion, or lose the game. I've seen multiple Wishes used to nuke the champ with the Bell attached. If it sticks around, the player who has it usually wins. That's why it's my choice as the #1 magic item of all time. 

Well, that wraps up my list of the Top 15 magic items. Let me know in the comments if you disagree with my order or if you think I missed a magic item altogether. Thanks for reading!

Next time: The 10 best Artifacts.

The Top 15 Magic Items, part 5

The countdown of the Top 15 Spellfire: TAV magic items continues!

NUMBER 6: Takhisis's Helmet of Power (Dragonlance chase, 18/25).

Wait, is it a helmet or a mirror?

In the #6 spot on the countdown we find Takhisis's Helmet of Power, another magic item you really don't want attached to a champion in combat. Instead, put it on a champion who chills out in your pool. So long as it's in play, the Helmet negates all immunities on the table. Go ahead and use a Trapped on Gib Lhadsemlo. Kill Erellika with a Finger of Death. Use a Cataclysm to destroy The Gorgon's Crown. Mindshatter the Living Wall. All this and more is now possible! Be aware, however, you have to construct a deck that can properly take advantage of Takhisis's Helmet of Power. You can't just toss it into any old deck without wrecking half of your own champions and realms. But in the right deck, it's the sixth best magic item in Spellfire.


NUMBER 5: Staff of Conjuring (4th Edition, 165/500). 

Great, another chance to be beaten by a Loup-Garou.

I don't think I really have to explain why this magic item is at #5 on my list. Just read it! Imagine having to battle an opponent who can throw down a Dreaded Ghost or a Thought Eater every turn. Even worse, if circumstances allow the same champion to battle twice in a turn, the Staff of Conjuring can bring the ally back twice too! Your dragon deck might have to deal with a Noble Djinni over and over. Your low-level instant-kill deck might have to endure multiple Intellect Devourers. And don't get me started on the Thought Eaters and Loup-Garous. The only downside is, if the Staff of Conjuring is attached to a losing champion it's off to the Abyss. It's still one of the best magic items ever printed, though.

NUMBER 4: Star Gem of Martek: Clear Crystal (Runes & Ruins, 77/100).

"Come back here with my gem, you stupid scorpion!"

"Spells cast by the attached champion cannot be dispelled". That's a primo power. You can still Spell Turn them, though, right? Well, slap this baby onto Gib Reltub and you have a champion naturally immune to harmful events who can cast a Wish spell that can't be canceled or Spell Turned. Put it on Bigby and he can cast an unstoppable Spell Turning every turn. Better keep those Re-targets handy. The Star Gem of Martek: Clear Crystal is by far the best of the Star Gems, and renders most "counterspell" effects useless against the attached champion. Any deck with spellcasters needs to include one of these things - it's a must. Because of its general all-around awesomness, this magic item gets the #4 spot on the list.

Tomorrow: The conclusion! Magic items #3-1.

The Top 15 Magic Items, part 4

Let's continue with the countdown of the Top 15 Spellfire: TAV magic items!

NUMBER 9: Staff of Mimicry (Ravenloft, 61/100). 
 

Double your fun!

If one is good, two are even better! Imagine drawing one of the awesome magic items on this list, and attaching it to your favorite champion. Then you slap this baby down and have a second copy. Think about the ramifications just using cards we've already seen on this countdown. Not to mention the cards that are coming up as we get closer to #1. Two of any of these cards could be game-breaking. The Staff of Mimicry is great, but I couldn't put it any higher than this because its effectiveness depends on your already having a great magic item in play - it's pretty worthless by itself. I ended up putting it at #9 because of its amazing potential, though.

NUMBER 8: Vorpal Blade (Forgotten Realms, 56/100).

You feeling lucky, punk?

Making an opponent draw and discard a card - for whatever reason - is always a primo power. They could draw and discard their Good Fortune, their Menzoberranzan, or their Wish. The fact that the Vorpal Blade also kills their champion 2/5 of the time is just the icing on the cake. Use this powerful magic item as a deterrent attached to a champion in your pool, or slap it on during battle where you are losing as a quick instant-kill card. Best used in decks where you can bring it back from the discard pile, though, because the Vorpal Blade attracts champion- and magic-item-killing cards like a magnet. I have it at #8 on this list.

NUMBER 7: Rod of 7 Parts, Part 7 (Artifacts, 27/100).

Who broke this thing into seven pieces, anyway?

Most of the segments of the Rod of 7 Parts are decent, but this one is amazing. It's even better in TAV than standard Spellfire because, with only one attack allowed per turn, these games see a ton of instant-win cheese hit the table. In combat with this magic item attached, you get to ignore one card played against your champion. Your opponent can't use that Dreaded Ghost or Loup-Garou. They can't hit you with a mid-combat Mindkiller or Hold Person. Well, they can...if you've already ignored another card. But then they've wasted two good cards. I've seen people avoid battling an opponent who has a champion with this card attached - the price of combat is just too high. Fittingly, I gave the Rod of 7 Parts, Part 7 the #7 place on this countdown.

Tomorrow: Magic items #6-4.

The Top 15 Magic Items, part 3

Let's continue with the countdown of the Top 15 Spellfire: TAV magic items!

NUMBER 12: Kevin's Blade Of Doom (3rd Edition, 206/400).

Careful! That thing looks sharp.

I wrestled with where to put this magic item on the Top 15. It's great in certain circumstances, not so great in others. In TAV games, levels don't usually climb as high as 20, but in the right deck the Blade of Doom can be devastating. I especially like slapping it on a hero or monster Avatar - some of them are already nearing level 20 to begin with. In fact, if you slip this thing on Llolth or Bahamut, you've got yourself a champion who automatically wins any battle it enters! There are a few other avatars (like Yondala and Cegilune) who are already dangerously close to level 20. Since Kevin's Blade Of Doom adds another +2, you might be just an ally or spell away from getting there and winning. That's good enough for this card to take #12 on the list.

NUMBER 11: Dagger Of Venom (4th Edition, 202/500).

...but what kind of venom is it, do you think?

Unlike Kevin's Blade, when you play the Dagger of Venom, you know exactly what's going to happen: the opposing champion is going to the discard pile. No ifs, ands, or buts. Win or lose, it's discarded (unless it's undead). This type of certainty is worth putting the Dagger of Venom into the #11 place on this countdown, one spot ahead of the "maybe" effect of Kevin's Blade of Doom. I like using the Dagger on a low-level champion, then trying my best to win the round of battle. It gives me a warm glow to know that even if my opponent somehow manages to defeat me, he's still losing his champion. It can also be used near the end of a round, when you realize you're about to lose. It might be small consolation to see the enemy champ that just beat you go down, but it's better than nothing!

NUMBER 10: Amulet Of Spell Protection (Artifacts chase, 17/20).

I've already written about this magic item here. The Amulet of Spell Protection is a beast of a card that can really save your bacon in certain situations. It makes the attached champion immune to offensive spells, so it can't be gotten rid of with a Mindkiller, Death Spell, or Takhisis's Abyssal Gateway. So long as the champion with the Amulet is in your pool, you can cancel the effect of any one spell played by anyone in the game. You could stop a Raze from flipping one of your realms. You could negate a Forbiddance and attack an opponent. You could stymie an Intercession targeting one of your events. You can even stop a Wish! The only downside is that you can only do this once as the Amulet must be discarded after use...unless you have a way to bring it back. This awesome magic item takes spot #10 in this countdown.

Tomorrow: Magic items #9-7 will be revealed.

The Top 15 Magic Items, part 2

Let's continue with the countdown of the Top 15 Spellfire: TAV magic items!

NUMBER 15: Amulet Of Spell Turning (Dungeons, 72/100).
 

"Right back at ya!"

The Dungeons set had a lot of great magic items, didn't it? Amulet of Spell Turning has the ability to protect not just the champion it's attached to, but your entire pool from offensive spells. There is a chance the amulet fails, but it's only a 1 in 5 chance, as you have to cut your deck and examine the last digit of the card you cut to. If it's an 8 or 9, the spell takes effect normally. Note that you do not have to discard the cut card (or even shuffle your deck), so the risk to you is low. Also, is your opponent really going to risk having his Death Spell, Mindkiller, Death Fog, or Mindshatter turned back on the casting champion, potentially sending it straight to the discard pile or Abyss? Probably not, unless they absolutely have to (i.e. you are approaching 6 realms). If not, they'll most likely look elsewhere. The Amulet of Spell Turning takes the #15 spot for offering protection, possibly killing an enemy spellcaster—or maybe preventing your pool from being targeted in the first place.

NUMBER 14: Rings Of All Seeing (4th Edition, 171/500).

"Rings"? I only see one.

This magic item is excellent in a two-player game, and even better in multiplayer. At the beginning of your turn, you get to take a long look at your opponent's hand and pick one card to be discarded. In a multiplayer game, you get to pick which opponent you will target. You could pick the person who is closest to having 6 realms, or you could choose a weaker player in order to get an easy spoils. Any tricks in that mitt of theirs (like a powerful champion or a counterspell effect card) can be quickly discarded. The Rings of All Seeing will reveal all your enemies' secrets, and that's why this card snags the #14 spot on my list.

NUMBER 13: Amulet Of Plane Walking (Birthright, 33/100).

Travel the world! Visit strange realms! Raze them!

The Amulet of Plane Walking is better than Dori's Obsidian Steed. It's better than the Falcon Figurine. It's better than the Pretty Magical Ring. There are a lot of magic items that make attacking easier, but only the Amulet of Plane Walking combines the ability to attack any realm, regardless of position or special powers, with the ability to ignore the powers of a holding protecting that realm. Thus it provides the ultimate in mobility for your champion and allies as you try to flip over that powerful realm in your opponent's formation - whether it's a Ruins of Iolonia or a Zhentil Keep up front or a Menzonberranzan or Scarlet Brotherhood way at the back. When you absolutely, positively have to get somewhere, the Amulet of Plane Walking has you covered. For providing easy access to all enemy realms, this card is #13 on my list.

Tomorrow: Positions #12-10 are revealed as we continue to count down to the best Spellfire: TAV magic item of all.

The Top 15 Magic Items, part 1

Well, here we go! It's been a long time coming, mostly due to the huge effort involved in ranking the top 15 Spellfire magic items of all time. There are a lot of sets and a ton of individual cards, some of which I don't own and have on-hand to evaluate. I'm going to do this in six parts, with three magic items per post. Let me know what you think of my rankings, and where you think I messed up! Please be advised that (as always) on this blog cards are ranked according to their effectiveness and usefulness in the TAV format, not standard Spellfire. Also, I have decided to not include any sticker set cards in this list, just cards originally printed in the paper Spellfire sets. Today we'll begin with four "honorable mentions". These are magic items that, while excellent, didn't quite make the Top 15. Without further ado, let's get into this.

HONORABLE MENTION: Crystal Dragon Figurine (Dungeons, 67/100).

"What a cute figurine....AHHH!"

This is a defensive magic item that gives you a +3 in any battle. Pretty mediocre, right? Let's check the second power. It can give you a +9 in any one battle, but then must be discarded. Hmmm...not really that great, but maybe in a pinch it might be useful. Wait, there's one more power? Okay....it can give you a +18 in one battle, but then both the figurine and the champion it's attached to must be discarded. Now you're talking! Put a low-level champ into combat, like Crawling Claws, Shayira, or Erellika. Odds are, you get to play first. Play your instant-kill card, and see if your opponent has an answer. They do? You're probably still losing, right? Time for the Crystal Dragon Figurine. Surprise! +18 will most likely win a level-up war, and when the battle is over all you lose is a smallish champion and the magic item. This thing is a great card to slap down as a backup when "plan A" goes astray. Not quite good enough to make the Top 15, but close.

HONORABLE MENTION: Armor of the High King (Birthright, 27/100).

He's using it wrong - don't charge into battle wearing the armor.

So you've got a deck with some regents in it, do you? Well, make sure this magic item goes on a champion you're not planning to use in battle. In my "Kings & Thieves" deck, I like putting the Armor of the High King on Julio, Master Thief. He chills in my pool, just hanging out...but each turn during phase 3 he gets to use the Armor to haul my Death Touch, Melt Bone, Battlewise, Divine Wrath, or (even better) Death Field out of the discard pile. These cards are then re-used by the heavy hitters in the deck like The Gorgon and Rhoubhe Manslayer. I also have a Tasselhoff Burrfoot standing by, in case the Armor is destroyed or Julio is Death Spelled by my opponent. It's a great magic item, but because it can only retrieve Blood Abilities it just misses out on a spot in the Top 15. 

HONORABLE MENTION: Clockwork Ogre (Dungeons, 71/100).

Why so glum? You rock!

The Clockwork Ogre is a magic item that more than justifies its spot in your deck. First of all, it provides a mighty +8 bonus to its attached champion. Not too shabby. Secondly, if said champion happens to be discarded by any means, the Ogre returns to your pool and attaches itself to another champ of your choice. Pretty cool. Thirdly, if there's no one else in your pool, it's still not gone! It just returns to your hand and you can play it again after you replenish your champion supply. It's really tough for your opponent to get rid of the Ogre once it appears, barring some sort of Wand of Telekinesis or Jella action happening. Or maybe he or she wants to waste a Wish on this? Probably not. The Clockwork Ogre is a monster of a card that just misses out on my Top 15 magic items list.

HONORABLE MENTION: Runes of the Future (Runes & Ruins chase, 13/25).

When you really, really need that one particular card, it's Runes of the Future to the rescue! Attach this thing to an expendable champion, then discard it to search your deck for the card you want most. Place it on top of your library (or second from the top, just in case a "draw and discard" mechanic happens), and next turn it's yours! A very useful magic item, which comes at the cost of one of your champions. I debated putting this one on the Top 15, but in the end it just missed being included.

Next time: We get into the actual Top 15! See you tomorrow.