Top 3: Monsters

Let's take a look at my picks for the top 3 monsters in Spellfire. Please note that (as always) my choices are based on the particular requirements of the Antigonish variant of the game. No Gibs or Avatars were considered.

#3 (tie) - Iuz the Evil (3rd Edition, 167/400)

There are a lot of great monsters in Spellfire. And while the champion type has its downsides (no unique playable card, many cards that target monsters specifically), the top-end monsters can still get the job done. The fact that Iuz is only tied for #3 on this lists shows the power of these champions. When Iuz attacks and you defend in a TAV game, you either lose, which results in one of your realms being razed, or you win, which results in one of your realms being razed (or discarded). Not the best of choices. Awesome champion that just edges out T'chaar and Tako for a share of the #3 spot.

#3 (tie) - The Gorgon (Birthright, 64/100)          

This guy is immune to allies and events. Most cheese bounces off him uselessly. He can also cast wizard spells and use blood abilities. He's level 10, so he's well positioned to win a level-up war. The Gorgon is vulnerable to spells, but because of his own casting ability he is able to defend himself with Spell Turning, Retarget, and Dispel Magic. It all adds up to an awesome monster, tied with Iuz for third best in Spellfire.

 

#2 (tie) - Headless Horseman (Ravenloft, 88/100)                                

 

I've already written about the Horseman here. He's pure awesomeness, especially when combined with cheese that lets him win without using his power (and being discarded). He ties for #2 monster in the game.   

 

#2 (tie) - Living Wall (Powers, 58/100)

Yes, that's right, the mighty Living Wall (which I've already written about here) is only tied for #2 on this list. I can almost hear the howls of protest from all you Spellfire players out there. But hear me out: while the Wall is tough to kill, it's not invincible. Events kill it but good, for example. And some of the best cheesy allies, like the Loup-Garou, are effective against it. Then there's that whole Tyvorg thing...

All that having been said, the Living Wall is still solidly entrenched in the #2 position. There's only one monster in the game that could beat it for #1...

#1 - Kronos the Titan (Millenium, 62/99) 

 ...and it's this guy. Kronos the Titan, from the Millenium sticker set. Where do we start? He's level 11. He earthwalks and swims. He can cast wizard spells, cleric spells, and use psionic power cards. AND he's able to shut down every other monster champion on the board, all at once.

He makes the Headless Horseman useless. He reduces the Living Wall to a vanilla joke. He can even mess with Gib Lhadsemlo. When it comes to monsters, Kronos is definitely top dog.

Honorable Mention - Living Scroll (3rd Edition chase, 408/420)

Here we go with our first-ever honorable mention! The Living Scroll is one of the best defensive champions in the game. Wait until a hero or cleric attacks your formation and BAM! slap this baby down and watch your opponent's champion go straight to the discard pile. Pick up a spoils and smile. When attacking, it's not nearly as good, because your opponent will most likely have other champion types at his disposal. If one is a wizard or monster, the Scroll needn't bother attacking at all. In rare cases, however, the Living Scroll can actually be a decent attacker, gaining you a quick spoils and razing a realm unopposed if your opponent has only heroes and/or clerics in his pool and hand. Nice champion, not quite good enough to make the top 3 monster list, but good enough for an honorable mention.

Next time: Going psycho!                  

Top 3: Clerics

Today I unveil my choices for the top three clerics in Spellfire. As always, my picks are based on the TAV format requirements. No avatars or gibs were considered.

#3 (Tie) - Delsenora (1st Edition chase, 10/25)

Upon further review, we have a tie at #3. Delsenora's ability to cancel an event as she is discarded is so powerful that she simply has to be on this top 3 list. Delsenora's effect can be a literal game-changer. She can stop an opponent's Caer Allison, Caravan, or Good Fortune, potentially crippling their hand or stopping a game-winning play. She can also safeguard your own interests by stopping an enemy Calm, Cataclysm, or Ambush. Events are so powerful (and important) in this game that any card able to mess with them has to be respected and planned for. Just having Delsenora in your pool can make other players wary and nervous about playing events. Their hesitation is your gain!
 
#3 (Tie) - Shayira (4th Edition, 286/500)

Just edging out Tyvorg, Ting Ling, and a few others we have Shayira, whom I have already written about here. The ability to ignore the special powers of all cards played against her in combat is just primo. She can't be killed by cheese, so must either be nuked in her pool by cards like Finger of Death and Drain Will, or beat in a level-up war. The downside to Shayira is her low level. Ordinarily, a level 3 champion is great for getting your own instant-kill cards off before your opponent does, but since Shayira is immune to them anyway a higher level would have made her even better. Oh, well. She's still good enough to take #3 on this list.
 
#2 -  Goldmoon (Artifacts, 83/100)

Now this is a powerhouse champion! Once per turn, at any time, she can grab a cleric spell from an opponent's discard pile and cast it. What an awesome ability! So, your enemy is pleased with himself after casting that Mindshatter, Creeping Doom, or Mindkiller? Wait until Goldmoon grabs it and beats him over the head with it. In a multi-player game, this champion is even better. Each turn there is likely to be a card to take out of an opponent's graveyard and cast. Another great use of Goldmoon is to wait until someone casts something you don't like, then instantly grab a Dispel from a player's discard pile. If it's an event you don't like, check around for an Intercession! See how great this champion is? Be warned, however, that Goldmoon has no immunities and attracts champion-killing cards like a magnet. 
 
#1 -  The Arch-Druid (4th Edition, 285/500)

So how can a cleric champion be better than Goldmoon? Well, if the Arch-Druid is around, Goldmoon won't be doing anything at all except taking up table space. This guy can neutralize all other clerics on the board, at the same time. Unless it's something you want to go off (like maybe a Creeping Doom against an enemy who is dangerously close to six realms), no cleric in play will be casting spells until the Druid is gone. Amazingly, his second power is also primo: he stops all avatars from being played while he's on the table. Note that he doesn't get rid of avatars already in play, so the best thing to do is slap down your own avatar, *then* play the Arch-Druid. If only this guy had some immunities, he'd be the best champion in the game! As it is he easily grabs the #1 spot on this list, and it's not close.

Disagree with my picks? Tell me how I messed up in the comments.

Next Time: Instant-kill realms! 

Top 3: Wizards

Okay folks, here's my list of the top 3 wizard champions in Spellfire. As always, my picks are designed with the Antigonish variant rules in mind.

No avatars and no Gibs were considered for this list. No Bigby, either.

#3 - Manshoon of the Zhentarim (Runes & Ruins chase, 6/25)

This guy is a great attacking champion. Launch an attack with Manshoon and take your best shot at defeating your opponent's blocker. If you win, great - you've just razed a realm and gained yourself a spoils. If you lose, just discard one card from your hand and Manshoon returns to your pool. He can't be used again until your next turn, but technically he hasn't been defeated, which means your opponent doesn't get a spoils. Manshoon also cannot be discarded by a Drain Will or other targeted champion-killing card. Definitely a primo wizard (I use him in my tournament deck), and worthy of the #3 spot on this list, just edging out Maldraedior.

#2 - Ellorelloran (The Underdark, 93/100)

Rule cards are tough to get rid of. Besides Wish and the Genie Bottle, there are precious few cards that can remove them. Slapping down your own rule card works, but what if you don't have one, or its already been played? Ellorelloran is one solution. She's level 9, can cast cleric spells, and can destroy any rule card when she is played. Later in the game she can be discarded to destroy a second rule card. The fact that she is immune to psionic powers is just icing on the cake. A high-level, versatile wizard with a unique power (that can be used twice) and a useful immunity - add it all up, you've got the #2 wizard in Spellfire.

#1 - Prismal the Outrageous (3rd Edition chase, 431/440)

There's no question this guy looks silly. Kind of a cross between Ron Weasley and the Incredible Hulk. But in a game of Spellfire, Prismal is no joke. First off, he's able to cast cleric spells as well as wizard. Secondly, he's immune to offensive magic items, so Vorpal Blade and the Rod of Seven Parts are useless against him. Thirdly, he can attack any Forgotten Realms land (and take his allies with him) regardless of where the realm is in the formation or what movement restriction it has. Lastly, if you win with Prismal, you get TWO spoils. Yes, you read that correctly. Can you say "card advantage"? Prismal is the real deal, which is why he's nestled snugly into both my tournament deck and the #1 spot on this list.

Disagree with my choices? Let me know in the comments.

Next time: When luck shines on you!

Top 3: Thieves

Here are my picks for the top three thieves in Spellfire. Note: I am not counting avatars like Mask, or the tiresome POL (Poor Oriental Lord), who is banned in TAV anyway.

#3 - Turin Deathstalker (Night Stalkers, 35/100)

Turin just edges out The Guildmaster for the #3 spot on this list. This undead dude can't be affected by unarmed combat cards, automatically discards allies of +4 or less (which makes him Loup-Garou-proof), and is immune to the powers of Forgotten Realms champions, which means he can go toe-to-toe with the Living Wall without becoming lunch. An all-around good champion who should be in any thief deck or undead deck.

#2 - Skulker (Dungeons, 40/100)

From the merely very good (Turin) to the excellent! The Skulker is a swimmer, which lets him attack any realm showing coastline. But his primo power is the ability to rifle through your opponent's discard pile during combat, pull out whatever allies, magical items, or artifacts he finds there, and use them all! With the amount of cheese flying around in the average TAV game, there is bound to be a ton of usable cards in enemy discard piles, especially later in 2-player games or just about anytime in multi-player. The Skulker often becomes a one-man (loosely speaking) realm-razing machine!                 

#1 - Gib Reltub (Night Stalkers chase, 20/25) 

Okay, let's go through this guy's abilities one at a time. Firstly, he's an earthwalker, meaning he is able to attack back realms and avoid front ones with movement restrictions. Secondly, he's immune to all events, so he won't be Slave Revolted or Trapped or Tyranthraxus-ized. Next, he ignores rule cards, which when combined with his immunity to events means it's nearly impossible to strip him of his spellcasting or other abilties. Lastly, he casts wizard spells, and any Wish spells cast by him can't be spell turned. They can still be dispelled, but...slap a Star Gem of Martek: Clear Crystal on him and he is an unstoppable, Wish-casting maniac! Gib Reltub is a staple in my Gib deck, and for me ranks as the #1 thief champion ever printed.

Next time: Take a look at my Gibs!

Top 3: Psionicists

Here's my list of the top three psionicists.

#3 - Gib Aklem (Night Stalkers chase, 23/25)

The fact that this guy is only #3 on the list shows what a powerhouse champion type the psionicist is. A staple in my Gib deck, Aklem is a great attacking champion. He's basically risk-free, since he grabs another champion to be his ally in combat. Here's how it works: attack with Aklem and, after your opponent blocks, you can grab another champion in his pool (or another opponent's pool, if you're playing multi-player) to use as an ally. If you lose, the champion/ally is discarded instead of Aklem, who calmly returns to your pool. You can even lose on purpose! You'll give up a spoils, but can rid yourself of a troublesome Jella, Hettman Tsurin, Gwenyth, or some other champion you don't particularly like your enemy having.

#2 - Lyr of the Mists (Powers, 23/100)

Lyr is a champion you hate to see hit the board - unless you're the one plunking her down. Every time she enters combat, a champion croaks. This primo power makes Lyr one of the most feared champions in the game. I have seen her singlehandedly scare off potential attackers, and I've seen her severely punish those brave enough to attack anyway. When you keep winning, you keep discarding champions. If Lyr loses, bring her back with a Coming of the Phoenix, a Resurrection, a Silver Hands, etc. The only foolproof way of protecting yourself against Lyr of the Mists? Keeping your champions safely in your hand. But you won't win many games that way.

 #1 - Highmaster Illithios (Dungeons chase 21/25)                    

He's my pick as the best psionicist ever printed, and I'm not even sure which of the two hideous monsters on the card he is! The Highmaster has a laundry list of immunities, he's level 10, and whenever a psionic power card is played, you get to draw a card. In a psionic deck he's going to allow you to gain a tremendous card advantage in a short period of time. And card advantage is everything. Prices on this card range from $65 at trollandtoad.com to near $100 on eBay, and no wonder! Whenever I have him in my pool, I feel confident I'm going to win the game. How many cards can you say that about?

Next time: My psionicist deck revealed! 

Top 3: Regents

Here are my picks for the top 3 regent champions.

#3 - Gib Cram (Chaos, 5/72)

Yes, that's me in the picture. And yes, this is one of the three cards I designed that made it into the sticker sets (The Forgotten Idol and, with Hayden, Insanely Good Fortune being the other two). But that's not why Gib Cram makes the list. His phenomenal power makes him the #3 regent champion in the game. Movement restrictions? He laughs at movement restrictions. He can't be killed by the Scarlet Brotherhood. He's not discarded by Raurin. He can't be poisoned by The Spiderfell. He attacks Iolonia, The Lost City, and Zhentil Keep with impunity! And takes all his allies along for the ride. AND passes the power to ignore movement restrictions and land powers to all your other champions! He's a handsome devil, as well...

#2 - The Noble Outlaw (Birthright, 91/100)

I declare him to be...an OUTLAWWW!!! *ahem* Excuse me. The Noble Outlaw has an amazing power, which to my mind puts him over the top for spot #2 on this list, ahead of Gib Cram. In the Antigonish Variant, spoils are easier to get than in standard. This guy messes with your opponents' ability to collect spoils. Therefore, he can be a game-breaker. He's also level 10, and his ability to use unarmed combat cards can make him handy as a last-ditch attacker or defender. But mostly, you want him nestled deep in your pool, dishing out punishment to your opponent in 2-player by denying him spoils, and providing one of the greatest incentives ever to NOT attack you in multiplayer games.  

#1 - Rhuobhe Manslayer (Birthright chase, 14/25) 

This guy is a real beast. He heads up my "Kings & Thieves" deck, and does a smashing job of it, too. One of the greatest attacking champions in the game, Rhuobhe can imitate the power of any champion in any pool when he is pushed forward into combat. He can steal two cards before combat if there is an Istus in play. He can nuke two realms if Iuz is lurking in someone's pool. He can be Lyr of the mists and destroy a champion. If Cram is out, he can ignore movement restrictions. He can be immune to all cards played against him, if Shayira is around. The possibilities are endless. For those reasons (and maybe because he has the toughest name to spell in the game) Rhuobhe Manslayer is the #1 regent ever printed.

Next Time: Top 3 Psionicists.

Top 3: Heroes

Here are my picks for the top three heroes for Spellfire TAV.

#3 - Helm (4th Edition, 255/500)

Personally, I prefer the art on the older Helm (Forgotten Realms, 89/100), but...hey wait a minute. It's my blog, right? Let's try this again.

There. As I was saying, Helm is pretty awesome. He casts both wizard and cleric spells, and can be discarded to stop an event. A very versatile card which, when combined with Star Gem of Martek: Clear Crystal, creates a spell-casting maniac who can anchor your entire pool. He can be brought back with Coming of the Phoenix or Resurrection to stop multiple events. He can even attack or defend in a pinch, with allies, unarmed combat cards, and spells at his disposal. A great all-around card for any format.

#2 - Ethereal Champion (4th Edition chase, 508/520)

Ethereal Champion (or as I call him, "Cyric's daddy") is my pick for second-best hero. He'd be first, if the card at #1 wasn't so doggone amazing. The Ethereal Champion is immune to all offensive cards, the special powers of opposing champions, can cast both wizard and cleric spells, and allows you to flip your pool over and mix it up a la Cyric. That's a real laundry list of powers. In 2011, this guy can go for up to $100 on eBay. I traded mine to an unscrupulous scallywag for much less value back in 2002. If you've got him, folks, hang onto him. Great card in any format, despite apparently being a pile of mist.

#1 - Gib Kcir (Runes & Runes chase, 16/25)

I do still have a Gib Kcir, and you can bet it's not going anywhere soon. A staple in my tournament deck, this guy is phenomenally primo. (By the way, even though it says "her" on the card, and despite the glitter and eye-makeup, I have no doubt Gib Kcir is a dude. I mean come on...the name is 'Big Rick' backwards. Ever heard of a female named Rick?) The thing that puts Kcir into the discussion as one of the greatest Spellfire hero champions is its ability to destroy any one card in play - except a realm - sending it straight to the Abyss. The thing that makes this card the best hero of all for TAV is its ability to automatically raze a realm. That's right, in the Antigonish variant once combat is initiated, if Kcir is used to destroy the defending champion, then POOF! there goes the realm, and a spoils granted to the attacking player. There's no beating that kind of power, combined with his already uber abilities in Standard, not to mention an immunity to events which could remove him from play, such as Slave Revolt, Tyranthraxus, Trapped, and Curse of the Azure Bonds. Gib Kcir, you gender-confused peeping Tom, take a bow!

Next time: My top 3 regents.