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News Archives

Limited Skills - Magically Delicious
By Brad Watson
10/15/2009
In today’s article, we’re getting right to the point—there’s no beating around the bush. In this column, I’ve explored abstract Warlock strategies and rather specific Shaman strategies that you can successfully implement, but those will never be the most desirable strategies. Why settle for second best when we can just draft the LeBron James of Drums of War every time? I am, of course, talking about Mage. It should come as little surprise that sitting down with any decent Nicholas Merrick deck in the current Limited environment is like bringing a bazooka to a game of dodgeball. Mage, while powerful, is not so easy that we can't explore the cavernous pool of Mage cards and come up with some interesting gems. It's certainly not as simple as forcing Mage every draft, because the card pool would offer slim pickings. That means a savvy drafter must choose the correct opportunity to seize the day, and select that first class card. When confronted with powerful abilities and allies, which direction is best? Let’s take a look at the first set, and see what it has to offer.

The token Mage staple from Drums of War is obviously Ice Lance—there’s certainly no mystery there. But when is the correct time to take a card like this? If you gobble it up first pick, you’re either chancing that you've landed in the Mage seat, or taking a card that you’re willing to give up easily if nothing more comes along to support it. I’ve been down the first pick Ice Lance road, and I've frequently abandoned Mage a few picks into pack one. It’s also rather apparent that passing a card like this sends another player a signal for Mage, by sending him a great common for a potential Mage deck. I’m a fan of taking a powerful ally first pick over a common like Ice Lance, because it allows you to be more flexible with future picks. A good rule of thumb is to take solid allies like Rula Blackfist, Munkin Blackfist, Braeden Nightblade, or Swordsmith Hanso over a class card. If I open a pack filled with weak allies, I will consider taking a class card like Ice Lance. If you have no top-tier ally to go after, then it's correct to pick up a great common in arguably the best class.

The next situation is a little bit trickier. Sometimes you get some really absurd packs that ask questions a 45-second time limit simply can’t answer. An example: let's say you open Alexi Barov, Rula Blackfist, Johnny Rotten, and Darbun Steppeheart. Now this pack is much more dramatic than it needs to be, but the relevant point is, “What do you do?” While you sit and grumble about how you’d be a near lock for Top 8 in any Limited DMF, the timer continues to tick. Taking a class card here like Ice Lance and going for Nicholas Merrick is not unreasonable. Keep in mind that this example works for any array of 3-4 powerful allies of one faction, where you fear that picking an ally will trigger a chain of same-faction drafters behind you. Furthermore, Mage can frequently support more than one drafter per table. Even if one part of your game plan goes wrong, and taking the early Ice Lance (and all subsequent Mage cards) doesn’t get you alone in the class, you’ll probably be in solid shape.

With that point thoroughly exhausted, the only other important Mage-only card is Spell Suppression. It’s not always a card that you're eager to draw, but sometimes it fixes a problem no other card can address. What other common is capable of removing a Kazamon Steelskin, or neutralizing The Circle of Blood? On the dual-class side of things, Mage accomplishes a rare feat: all four are very strong in Drums of War. Arcane Spikes and Engulfing Blaze are powerful removal abilities that will rarely wheel around the table. If you see them once, it’s decision time, right then and there. Fire and Ice is a bit less desirable, but it's still a quality card. Spell Ricochet is similarly niche, but it can really swing the direction of a close game. In theory, I would always like to include a copy of Spell Ricochet in a draft deck, but the reality is that it often gets left on the side. Between good allies, resources, equipment, and removal abilities, you'll often need to cut a good card like the Ricochet. The bottom line is that Spell Ricochet should certainly be played if you need a few more cards to round out your deck. Too many good cards is a nice problem to have!

With no exciting or noteworthy equipment in Drums, we march onto Blood of Gladiators. Mage is a record-setting home run in Blood: every rare, uncommon, and common is worth playing. Blizzard and Combustion are decent bombs that will win their fair share of games alone. Mana Ruby is a different kind of power, however. Good on its own, and beastly when combined with “Cracklehands” Spigotgulp or “Quickhands” Spigotgulp, the Ruby is very strong. Heartburn, Meltdown, and The Taste of Arcana are quite obviously powerful, and should be taken as early as possible. Is it scary when Sear is the least powerful ability a class has to offer? That’s a solid lineup, and at this point there’s no questioning Mage's seat atop the limited Limited throne. The dual-class abilities take a backseat to the Mage-only cards, but I think Poof! has a place in some decks. This multipurpose ability can save an ally, reactivate a comes-into-play effect, or simply deny an opponent a combat trick like Blessing of the Heavens. It should be clear that Cuffs of Devastation is a great card, so take it early and enjoy.

You know you’re looking at a powerful class when set after set produces solid cards. Let’s start off with the Fields bomb: Roaring Blaze. The Blaze is an ability that requires a little finesse, but it will reap massive card advantage if you properly disguise your intentions. Always know what cards your opponent can access with the resources he has available. As long as you can avoid something like Atonement, let rip a 4 or 5-point Roaring Blaze, and leave the battlefield rather one-sided. Brittilize can deal some quick damage, and potentially buy some time by freezing an attacker. However, its secondary ability is also nice, and provides an answer to the epic bomb armors like Merciless Gladiator’s Raiment. I’d also like to go on record admitting that I underestimated Everlasting Cold. I didn’t like this card much when I first saw it, but after taking some 124-odd damage from it since the release of Fields of Honor, I’ve come around. I may be a slow learner, but I admit defeat. Everlasting Cold likely has a place in Limited and Constructed, as it can often do more damage than a random 1-drop ally. By no means am I saying that this card should be taken early; I would much rather draft a solid ally or even a Fields quest. Everlasting Cold is playable, however, and will rack up a pretty unreal amount of damage if left unchecked.

As for Nether Fissure, it is what it is. Similar to Mystic Denial, I can’t really see catching anyone by surprise with this card. Unless you have an instant 4 or 5-cost quest to complete at end of turn, you're likely to leave up all those resources and just be disappointed. The Mage arsenal expands slightly when you include Arcane Warding and Frigid Winds. The Warding is a nice trick, especially on a few powerhouse allies like Wynnd the Spry. Frigid Winds is a nice 29th or 30th card, since it can always just draw another card if you don’t want it. Mages also have access to both Whiteout Staff and Crackling Staff. With access to a few abilities that also deal frost damage, both staves are more powerful than in their other classes. As you probably know from previous articles, Wand of Prismatic Focus is a first pick removal wand, and I’m ecstatic whenever I get to draft a single copy.

However, a lack of bad picks doesn't mean that we have an excuse to not fully analyze our choices. No one needs a column to tell them that Heartburn is a first pick Mage ability. Many players have happily dropped Arcane Spikes into their draft pile when nothing else compares in power. An interesting topic to discuss is which pick to make when all the options are amazing. For example, let's say we've just finished pack one, and we're planning to take a ride on the Nicholas Merrick beatdown express. You open pack two and see Wynnd the Spry, Heartburn, and Meltdown. The good news is that you’re getting a monster card for your deck; the bad news is that neither of the other two will be lapping the table. I know some players have a steady pick order, and will just pick the best card according to their ranking system. For example, an argument can be made that Heartburn is the best of those three cards. This is certainly open for debate, however, as Wynnd the Spry is an obnoxiously powerful ally. I think, presented with the above choice, that a quick reference to the first pack might be in order. If we drafted an Ice Lance and an Arcane Spikes in the first pack, but are rather light on allies, then Wynnd may be the right ally to go for. On the other hand, if we have several blue men, and know that Mage is going to be our class, then a removal ability like Heartburn would be more appropriate. Similarly, if we have zero equipment removal, then a versatile ability like Meltdown might fit even better.

I'm not comfortable with using a strict ranking system, because there may be situations where any one of these three power cards is the right pick. Early picks involving several powerful cards are always good discussion-starters. In the forums, feel free to note some crazy situations that you’ve faced, and what choice you ultimately decided on.

Last, but not least, we are left with the choice of hero. As seen from the many, many Limited events that he has dominated, Nicholas Merrick needs little introduction. He, like Spiritualist Sunshroud for Horde Priest, should always be the hero of choice. However, the Horde Mages offer a wider range of selection. In theory, any one of the three heroes is playable, but I’m partial to Velindra Sepulchre. The flip tends to really catch people off-guard in a nasty way. Suddenly, allies like Falcore or Wyler Surestrike don’t quite do what the opponent planned. A nasty monster like Kazamon Steelskin is much more manageable once you sprinkle him with a bit of Velindra’s pixie dust. I’ve seen a few people run with Zi’mo the Empowered, but without an Icy Veins or a Kray’zin Firetusk, I don’t think his flip power is on par with Velindra's.

The king is here, and it’s not much of a surprise. Mage has led quite a few people to the Top 8 in the Drums of War limited block. The ability base is deep enough for multiple drafters, and very little can stand in the way of a competent player with a solid Mage deck. Limited often involves hitting your curve, so when your 6-drop ally gets nuked by a timely The Taste of Arcana, it’s only natural to have the tear glands activate. The best reason to avoid Mage is to secure one class all to yourself, where you can reel in the power abilities much later than normal, while using your early picks on good allies and quests. Of course, if other players follow that train of thought, you might wind up sharing a class you thought you'd be alone within. Even worse, one lucky player becomes the sole Mage drafter, and will be a favorite to 3-0 the pod! If you happen to find yourself sitting across from a lone Mage drafter, you're going to need some good luck to eke out the win. So remember, use equal care and caution when deciding to draft Mage . . . and when deciding to not.