5 Best Avatars

They're huge, they have incredible powers, and they are sometimes a pain in the butt to get onto the table. Yes folks, its time to run down the 5 best Avatars in Spellfire! Let's do it.

#5 (Tie) - Bonemaster (Powers, 41/100)

He can't be rated higher, because of his very narrow usage conditions. But in the right deck - an undead deck, obviously - he can make your champions almost unstoppable. The Bonemaster is easy to get out (discard any old cleric), and grants your undead a laundry list of immunities, including offensive spells and events. Bam.                          

#5 (Tie) - Kiri (Powers, 79/100)

I've already written about this guy here. He's overrated, but in the right situation he can be a game-breaker. The ability to take away all special powers of all champions is primo. Unfortunately, it also affects your own champions. I've seen him used well, but not often. The fact that Kiri can be summoned by simply discarding a cleric gains him a few points. He's good enough to be rated #5 on this list.

#4 - Iuz (4th Edition, 488/500)

Point 1 - any undead deck can summon this dude, he's easy to get out (simply discard 10 levels of undead). Point 2 - he casts wizard spells. Point 3 - Once per turn, you can raze one of your own lands to force an opponent to raze or discard one of their lands. A useful ability if someone is getting a tad too close to having six unrazed. For sheer versatility, Iuz is hard to beat.

#3 - Istus (Powers, 42/100)

I've written about this primo card here, and I can hardly believe she is only #3 on this list. This Avatar has plagued me more than any other over the years, as several of my arch-enemies use her routinely in their decks. Her discard effect is truly devastating, and that's based on rueful experience. Istus is also a breeze to summon: just discard a cleric and she pops into existence. You can't really go wrong by adding her to a deck. But the next two Avatars are even better.

#2 - Gib Drawsemaj (Nightstalkers chase, 22/25)

I've written about this guy here, in my "favorite cards" post. He's huge (level 20) and has one of the best powers in the game. When he appears, he gains the powers of any two non-avatar champions in play. Words can't describe how crazy that ability is...would you like to take on a champion with the special powers of The Living Wall and Shayira, for example? I thought not. The only downside to Gib Drawsemaj is his rather onerous summoning condition. He can only appear just after you cause an opponent's realm to be discarded. Keep those Dissolutions, Disintegrates, and Estate Transferences handy.

#1 - Remnis (4th Edition, 481/500)

I've written about this guy already as well! Here is the link. Remnis is number one on this list, and it's not close. While the other avatars are great, the "dirty bird" is flat-out phenomenal. Retrieve your used Wish, Estate Transference, Mindshatter, or Dispel Illusion over and over. This avatar is the very definition of the words "primo" and "game breaker". And while he's not the easiest champion to summon - you have to discard 16 levels of flyers - once he hits the table you are automatically on the fast track to a win.

Honorable Mention - Sirrion (Powers, 45/100)

Best looking art on a Spellfire card, bar none. Once I was playing a game and the Magic: The Gathering players at the next table came over to check out the "cool-looking demon". Some of those people eventually became Spellfire fans, all because of Sirrion's majesty. True story!

Next time: The 5 best - and 5 worst - cards from the Spellfire sticker sets.  

The Bird is the Word!

Some cards are ok in Standard Spellfire, but become awesome in the Antigonish variant (like the Headless Horseman). Other cards are great in Standard, but utterly useless in TAV (like Tithian and Gorynych). Then there are cards that are so phenomenally incredible that they transcend formats and are universally primo. Remnis (4th Edition, 481/500) is one of these cards.

The only downside to the "dirty bird" is that he's a bit hard to get into play. One or more flyers totalling 16 levels or more must be sacrificied for him to appear. Once that's done, however, Remnis will increase your chances of victory substantially. His power? Once per turn, at the end, he can fly into the discard pile, remove one non-champion card, and return that card to his controller's hand.

While this is a great power and has a multitude of possible uses, in reality the card should just say "go get your Wish spell back once per turn". I've used this guy for years, and 9 times out of 10 it's the Wish I'll go for.

Wish, do other things, Remnis gets Wish. Rinse and repeat.

Wish got countered? No problem - try again next turn. Wish worked? Great - it goes to the discard pile, where Remnis retrieves it so you can use it again next turn (or, since Wish can be cast at any time, again this turn!).

Remnis rivals Istus and Gib Drawsemaj as the greatest, most powerful, and just plain nastiest avatar ever printed. Once on the board, he attracts your opponent's champion-killing cards like a magnet. If he dies, use Silver Hands and BAM! the "dirty bird" is back.  

Paired with a Wish, an Abyssal Gateway, a Mindkiller, an Estate Transference, a Disintegrate, etc, etc, etc...Remnis is a beast.

And if you're the one who slaps him down first - you'll probably be doing the bird dance. Just don't ever, EVER attack or defend with him.

P.S. How does Remnis remain so calm with that giant tidal wave about to hit him? :)

Next Time: The best sticker-set card for TAV is....?