EVENTS:
Annihilation (Void Event)
When a Player acquires a Void card, that player may banish a card in the hand or discard pile.
Event Trophy: Gain 1 Power
The Void is admittedly my favorite faction, so I'm a little more critical of their Events than normal. Even so, I can't help but be a little peeved that the Void has gotten the crappiest Events in Block 2. This one gives a banish accelerant, which is nice, but the Event trophy is horrible; it's essentially a Hoarding Whelp that can't stack. In what scenario would you consistently pay 3 Power NOW for 1 power LATER?
Cosmic Protocol (Mechana Event)
When a player acquires a Mechana Construct, that player may put it directly into play.
Event Trophy: You may pay 2 Runes less to acquire your next Mechana Construct this turn.
The theme of Events seems to be taking the effects of two popular cards in a faction and mashing them together. In this case, we have a Rocket Courier and Auto-Builder mash-up. Both effects are good separately, but combined they make for a pretty potent win/win Event.
The Great Eclipse (Lifebound Event)
When a player acquires a Lifebound Hero, that player may put it on top of their deck.
Event Trophy: Name a hero. That Hero is also Lifebound this turn.
Another good Event. In Block 2, the primary uses are to mix with The World Tree for a potent Runes into Energy engine. However, by the time you get to 7, most times you won't have a lot of multiples in your refined deck. Another trick is to redeem the trophy FIRST, and then topdeck the newly minted Lifebound Hero. In a custom cube, this Event just gets ridiculous, comboing with Dandelion Witch for some truly evil honor pool drainage.
Moment of Clarity (Enlightened Event)
When a player acquires Enlightened card, that player may draw a card
Event Trophy: Banish a card in your hand. If you do, acquire a Mystic without paying its cost; put it in your hand.
I'm not as sold on this Event as some other players are, but it's still a really good Event. If you purchase card-drawing Enlightened Heroes, this will help you to cycle your deck faster and maintain resource advantage. The Event trophy is great for halfsies decks in that it can trade 3 Power for 2 Runes, and even in the case of a center-row whiff, those three power can turn into a Mystic, which can be used to buy a Heavy Infantry, a 3 Power for 3 Honor ROI.
Souls Unbound (Monster Event)
Monsters in the center row are Unbanishable
Event Trophy: Discard a card. If you do, gain a Soul Gem.
This is a tricky Event to manage properly IMO. The gain of a Soul Gem is a Craps shoot at best, but in mid-late game a Heavy Power based deck can gain a big advantage if they can manage to loop multiple fanatics in a turn. This deck will also do well in a Soul Gem focused deck, as they will almost certainly hit that magical Dhartha gem before the opponent can get to it
ENLIGHTENED
Arha Medium
Enlightened Hero
Cost: 2 // Honor: 1
Rarity: 3 of
You may Banish this card to acquire a Mystic or Heavy without paying its cost. Put it into your hand.
I really think this is one of those cards whose value is evident in the mid to late game rather than the early game. If purchased early, you can switch it out for a Mystic at a 3:2 conversion and get some early tempo. Many people have equated it to a one-shot, buffed Mechana Hero (in that it gives you an instant 2R or 2P). I think that's a little myopic, but the benefits of this card are certainly most prevalent for the halfsies deck that can optimize the choices it gives.
Arha Sanctuary
Enlightened Construct
Cost: 3 // Honor: 2
Rarity: Purchase Promo
When this comes into play, put the top card of your deck under this face up. Once per turn, you may swap a card in your hand for the card under Arha Sanctuary.
When Arha Sanctuary leaves play or the game ends, put the card under it into your discard pile.
Nethersnare is one of my favorite promo cards, so it stands to reason that this card would be high on my list as well... and it is. it just works with so many things in the game: you can tuck a Wandering Askara under it for a higher percentage chance of getting those extra turns. You can tuck a Unite hero under it to make sure the extra perks are gained. Rest assured, this card will have a BIG Target on it if you manage to get it in play.
Wandering Askara
Enlightened Hero
Cost: 3 // Honor: 1
Rarity: 3 of
Draw a Card, then you may banish a card in the center row
If you have played another Wandering Askara this turn, you may banish both cards to take another turn after this one.
Seer of the Forked Path + a "fixed" version of the Tablet of Time's Dawn (not that it needed fixed). I really love this card. I also enjoy the tension that comes from it being a 3-of. There's a palpable tension when each player has a Wanderer and the 3rd one pops into the center row during the late game.
Askara of Souls
Enlightened Hero
Cost: 4 // Honor: 2
Rarity: 2 of
Gain a Soul Gem
Meh. I see Soul Gems as a necessary evil. When I first saw this card, I thought it was overpriced. Why would I want to pay 4 to draw a random card when I paid 1 (Arha Initiate) in the last block to draw a card I consciously put in my deck? The real power in this card is if you have carefully kept track of what Soul Gems have been purchased, so you can play it at the right time. It also does well in a Draw/Banish deck that allows you to see it multiple times and churn through the Soul Gem pile at a high rate.
Temple Guardian
Enlightened Hero
Cost: 5 // Honor: 4
Rarity: 2 of
Defeat a monster with cost-5 or less without paying its cost. If the current Event is Enlightened, draw a card.
The cost to honor ratio is certainly high, and there are a number of good 5 cost monsters in Block 2 to hit, but my personal preference really dislikes non-scalable power/one-shot kills. More often than not, I end up killing a Jackal or a Whelp with him, which seems horribly disappointing for a 5.
Elan, Soul Marshall
Enlightened Hero
Cost: 6 // Honor: 3
Rarity: 1 of
Gain a Soul Gem. Draw a card
On the down side, he's expensive and he gets you a card you can't be sure will benefit you. On the plus side, he's a gentleman who replaces himself in your hand, so that Soul Gem was essentially free. I don't go out of my way to purchase him, but I think he could be one of the big underrated cards in the set.
Aaron, the Godslayer
Enlightened Hero
Cost: 7 // Honor: 4
Rarity: 1 of
I think it's kind of crap that Aaron didn't get more input on his card, but that's kinda moot at this point in time. Admittedly, the design of the card is Vanilla as hell: It's a better Oziah and a crappier Adayu. It is however, a FANTASTIC pick up for Rune based decks and allows them to go all-in a little more than they would have without him. I also have a soft spot for him because he seems to kill Acidic Crawlers right as certain members of my play group start to amass constructs.
LIFEBOUND
Wolf Acolyte
Lifebound Hero
Cost: 1 // Honor: 1
Rarity: 3 of
Gain 1 Rune >> Unite: Draw a Card
It's a conditional Wolf Shaman, which is thematically accurate for this 1 cost. Typically, I tend to shy away from it unless it's late game and the 1:1 ROI is worth it. In early game, it's generally not worth it to put what amounts to an Apprentice in your deck because doing so is a HUGE tell that you'll be going Lifebound/Unite, which causes opposing players to either banish or hate draft them when they pop up.
Spider Witch
Lifebound Hero
Cost: 3 // Honor: 2
Rarity: 3 of
Gain 2 Honor >> Unite: Gain a Soul Gem
I like this card more than I should. There's something about it that makes it feel like an underappreciated Flytrap Witch. It's going to get looked down upon because it doesn't (typically) replace itself in your hand. However, it's got a great Cost:Honor ratio for a honor-gaining hero, can net you a good 10 honor if purchased first turn, and consistently pushes your deck via Soul Gems if you happen to purchase efficiently. Look for this one to be a sleeper workhorse in your Lifebound decks.
Beast Staff
Lifebound Construct
Cost: 4 // Honor: 2
Rarity: 2 of
Once per turn, gain 1 Power
Once per turn, you may pay 1 Rune to reveal the top card of your deck and gain an amount of Honor equal to it's honor value.
It's the new Yggdrasil Staff . Technically this will give you better results and more honor in the long run (generally 1:1 rather than 4:3) but it seems like it takes a lot more work to get it churning efficiently. Most people will combine it with topdecking effects like Stone Circle Elder or Honey Siren, but the most brtual usage I've seen is with a Void/Mechana uber-banish Construct deck -- Gain Constructs, banish everything but the machines, eat them with something like Cog Maw, shuffle back into deck, reveal and gain 4-6 honor repeatedly.
Stone Circle Elder
Lifebound Hero
Cost: 5 // Honor: 3
Rarity: 2 of
Acquire a Hero with cost 5 or less without paying its cost. Put it on top of your deck. If the current event is Lifebound, draw a card.
Another candidate for most underrated card in the game. This, for what it's worth is Cetra at 5. Think about it, what percentage of your Cetra plays net you a 6-8 cost hero? I'm willing to guess it's less than 10 percent. In this case, you're saving yourself 2 runes and getting the same production 90% of the time. For me, it's almost an auto-buy
Sabre, The Moonlit
Lifebound Hero
Cost: 6 // Honor: 3
Rarity: 1 of
Gain 1 Rune, 1 Power, and 1 Honor. Draw a card >> Unite: Gain 1 Rune, 1 Power, and 1 Honor. Draw a card
Honestly, I think this guy (if United) is overrated and would MUCH rather have Syril. To each their own though
The World Tree
Lifebound Construct
Cost: 7 // Honor: 4
Rarity: 1 of
Once per turn, you may pay up to 5 runes to gain that much honor. When you play a Lifebound Hero, gain 1 Rune.
This card is a giant kick in the nuts. With Nightfall in play, it will end the game in 2-3 turns. Without Nightfall in play, it will end the game in 4-5 turns. It's the very definition of a "WIN MORE" card and it's ability to drain 8.33% of the honor pool in a single swing should NOT be taken lightly. Good players will consistently siphon at least 3*/turn with this.
MECHANA
Recyclicrab
Mechana Construct
Cost: 3 // Honor: 3
Rarity: 2 of
When you play a Mechana Construct, if this is in your discard pile you may return it to your hand.
I think the best description of this card is in the quote "It doesn't do anything! ... No, it does nothing." It's a catalyst for all the shenanigans that the Mechana in block 2 can pull. It takes a deck built around it, but even in the end game 3:3 isn't a bad conversion rate.
Energy Monk
Mechana Hero
Cost: 4 // Honor: 3
Rarity: 1 of
Gain 2 Power. You may return a Construct you control to your hand
Oh...it's a Heavy Infantry with a one-shot Dream Machine ability. AND the bounce ability isn't restricted to Mechana Constructs. Seems good. Seems really good.
Hedron Pyromaniac
Mechana Hero
Cost: 4 // Honor: 2
Rarity: 2 of
Gain 2 Runes. You may destroy a Construct you control to gain a Soul Gem.
I like the theme of this card more than I like the actual card. The depiction of a character who recklessly blows your stuff up in the hopes of getting a random card that MAY help you is done really well here. I typically purchase this dependent on what Constructs I have in play. Like pretty much EVERYTHING construct related in Block 2, Brazer Drone makes him an absolute beast.
Spark Sprayer
Mechana Construct
Cost: 4 // Honor: 4
Rarity: 2 of
Once per turn, you may destroy a Mechana Construct you control to gain 1 Power. If the current event is Mechana, gain an additional 1 Power.
It's the Power based antithesis to Cog Maw. At 4R, it seems better but it's really not. I tend to avoid purchasing this card unless I already have a good engine into which it can be fit or used for fodder.
Astrolabe TRXMechana Construct
Cost: 5 // Honor: 5
Rarity: 2 of
When you play a Mechana Construct (including this one), gain 1 honor.
I think this card is horribly overpriced to be honest. Sure, it's 5 honor, but I'd much rather have an Everbloom in the long run.
Driller Mark IV
Mechana Construct
Cost: 6 // Honor: 6
Rarity: 2 of
Once per turn, when you play a Mechana Construct (including this one), gain a Soul Gem.
Not a big fan of this one either. In it's defense however, it doesn't take up space in your deck and gives Soul Gems as an ADDITIONAL perk to a Mechana Construct coming into play (assuming said construct will grant a resource when it CIP)
RepurposerMechana Construct
Cost: 7 // Honor: 7
Rarity: 1 of
Once per turn, when you play a Mechana Construct (including this one), you may return a Construct from your discard pile to your hand.
Again, I feel like the Mechana should be somewhat incestuous (i.e. only allow effects to count Mechana Constructs), but I'm REALLY happy when they are all-inclusive. In this case, I really think this card has the potential to be even more dangerous than Dream Machine. And, in those rare cases you have both in play, have fun tripling the production of your stuff.
VOID
Deathsworn Warrior
Void Hero
Cost: 1 // Honor: 1
Rarity: 3 of
Fate: Each player may Banish a card in their hand or discard pile // Gain 1 Power. You may banish a card in your hand or discard pile. Then, you may banish this to banish a second card in your hand or discard pile.
Probably the best 1-cost Ascension has seen to this point. Aside from the fact that it lets you banish a card when it hits the center row, it also gets rid of itself and takes 2 chaffe cards with it when banished. If multiple instances of this are purchased on the first turn, the resultant efficiency is just sick.
Soulshaper
Void Hero
Cost: 2 // Honor: 1
Rarity: 2 of
You may banish this or another card in your hand. If you do, gain a Soul Gem. If the current event is Void, you may banish a card in your discard pile to gain a Soul Gem instead.
Really like this theme of self-banishing heroes for the Void this time around. I like that this guy can banish the crap cards in your hand to get a Soul Gem that won't take up space in your deck and THEN banish himself to complete the process and leave no traces that might gunk up your engine when he's gotten rid of the other starting cards/
Trophy Hunter
Void Hero
Cost: 3 // Honor: 1
Rarity: 3 of
Gain 2 Power. You may pay 1 less the next time you defeat a Trophy Monster this turn.
Aside from having the best flavor text in the game, this guy is just waiting to be used as an integral part of a pack hunt. Pair him with Void Militia to reduce costs even more. Pair him with Soul Assassin and Canopic Jar to pop a Hoarding Tyrant for cheap and get exponential Run production... Heck, he kills Growmites all by himself. Great card.
Void Avenger
Void Hero
Cost: 5 // Honor: 3
Rarity: 2 of
Gain 3 Power. The next time you defeat a monster in the center row this turn, gain a Soul Gem.
Still lukewarm on this guy. Haven't seen him take over a game by himself and his Soul Gain ability is usually overshadowed by the other Void Heroes with whom he pairs to take down a monster. It's fun to pair him with a Canopic Jar to kill Nothing Man and get 2 Soul Gems, but that simply means you get 2 random cards rather than 1.
Belthar, Soul Collector
Void Hero
Cost: 6 // Honor: 3
Rarity: 1 of
Gain 3 Power. The next time you defeat a monster in the center row this turn, gain 3 Runes.
Favorite card (read: not Best) in Immortal Heroes. If you ever played Magic, you'll remember those High Tide decks that used Palinchron and the Untap X cards. Pairing Belthar with Soul Assassin and Canopic feels just like that, because you get EVERYTHING back that you invested at some point. Example: play Belthar, Soul Assassin, Canopic, swing on a Hoarding Tyrant, gain 6 runes, pop the trophy. Voila.. 8 Runes, which you can then use to get the following card:
Orb of NyxVoid Construct
Cost: 8 // Honor: 5
Rarity: 1 of
Once per turn, gain 3 Power. When you defeat a monster in the center row, gain a Soul Gem.
Naysayers will see this as "just" a Muramasa that gives you Soul Gems. And while they're completely right from a design perspective, this 8 cost has a few more advantages. First, it gives you an extra honor at the end game. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, is the fact that there is no "once per turn" clause here. WHENEVER you kill a monster in the center row, you gain a Soul Gem. As a joke, good friend Kyle Coons and I are trying to figure out how to build a deck that will drain the Soul Gem pile every turn. Cards like this make that task much easier.
MONSTERS
Cackling Jackal
Rarity: 3 of
Cost to defeat: 3
Reward: 2 Honor
Trophy: Banish this to gain 1 Rune
It's the counterpoint to a Hoarding Whelp. Not particularly powerful (though I prefer to kill it over killing the Whelp if I have the choice), though it does help the Power focused decks to "get there" if amassed.
Growmites
Rarity: 5 of
Cost to defeat: 3
Reward: 2 Honor
Ongoing Trophy: When you defeat another Growmites, gain 2 Honor
In theory, this monster can end the game quickly. In reality, you're probably not going to kill more than 2 of them in a game unless you get really lucky. Still 6 honor from 6 power is pretty good.
Nothing Man
Rarity: 3 of
Cost to defeat: 4
Reward: 3 Honor
Trophy: Banish this to gain a Soul Gem
This is more like it. I like Nothing Man for multiple reasons. Primarily because it grants you Soul Gems without taking up a spot in your hand. Secondly, because it gives you a triggered Soul Gem rather than a Soul Gem from a card randomly played from your hand after drawn. Lastly, because you can stack multiple Nothing Men and potentially get 3 Soul Gems at a time.
Acidic Crawler
Rarity: 3 of
Cost to defeat: 6
Reward: 5 Honor
If an opponent controls the most Constructs, destroy all Constructs that player controls. (If multiple opponents are tied for the most constructs, they all destroy them. If you control the most, do nothing).
Sea Tyrant what? For one more power, you can get the whole job done. I seem to have an affinity for killing these guys with Aaron the Godslayer, but I might have an unjustified love for this card based on certain members of my play group having construct fetishes.
Akam, the Genie
Rarity: 1 of
Cost to defeat: 7
Reward: 3 Honor
Ongoing Trophy: Put 3 Wish Counters on Akam. Once per turn, you may remove a Wish Counter to gain 2 Runes or 2 Power. When Akam has no wish counters, banish him.
Thematic Triumph all the way. You actually feel like you're getting 3 wishes from killing Akam, and the potential for a +2R/P when you need it shouldn't be overlooked. Easily one of my favorite monsters in all of Ascension.
Kythis, Rebel Godling
Rarity: 1 of
Cost to defeat: 8
Reward: 8 Honor
Ongoing Trophy: Once per turn, gain a Soul Gem.
Someone needs to say it: as far as monsters go, Nemesis sucked. I get what they were trying to do with it, but it really only benefited players in the VERY late game when there were 3 trophy monsters in the void to yank back out. If you killed him anytime before that, you got 1, MAYBE 2 trophy monsters out of it, and they were crappy ones like Hoarding Whelps *half assed finger twirl*. Now, you get 8 honor in addition to peeling a Soul Gem off the top EVERY TURN at no cost to you. I still think Samael is the best/coolest LARGE monster in the game, but Kythis gives him a run for him money.
