Mental Walls

Today I want to talk briefly about cards I value higher than I probably should in draft.  This is something I think affects every drafter: you either have a good early experience with a card, or it just fits into your style of play, or it just appeals to you in some indescribable way.  Either way, you find yourself incapable of passing that card.  You know that on every ranking list, in every cloistered scenario, it's not as powerful as that Crazed Squirrel Titan you're shipping down the line.  I imagine Reginald Lancashire is like this for people, and there are definitely cards like this for me in Set 1, but the most egregious violator is Cerulean Mentalist.  

Now I don't think I'm entirely unjustified in this since Mentalist is a solid card.  I mean, all of your expensive stuff draws you a card when you connect with it, and there are also some solid evasion guys that get Inspired by Mentalist like Wailing Banshee and Infiltrator Bot.  But in my opinion, none of these cards is more back-breaking to give the "damage = cards" effect to than Turreted Wall.

A turn-three Mentalist into a turn-four Turreted Wall is so groan-inducing for your opponent.  The 0/5 Artifact is annoying enough as is: it blocks just about everything early game and is immune to most forms of removal.  Even things like Inner Conflict that stop it's ability to block still don't neuter its ability to ping you for one every turn... and that start of turn damage will trigger your Mentalist.  Yes, for those of you unfamiliar with Mentalist, it doesn't specify combat damage.  So every turn you put your opponent one-tick closer to death you also have your very own  personal Cerebral Fulmination churning out cards.  Often times the sheer card advantage you generate off of this will be enough to put the game away, and if it doesn't the Wall still allows you to race in the air (I mean, you are dealing a point of damage every turn).

Cory also recently blogged a few more spoilers from the next set: two Shin'hare that will definitely add some power to the fledgling bunny brigade.  In trying to maintain my analysis of Shattered Destiny Cards in real time, here they are:

Cottontail Recruiter

Associated Cards: Shin'hare Militia

Recruiter is a small one-drop that turns replaces any Battle Hopper you would create into a Shin'hare Militia.  This essentially gives your Hoppers +1/+1, but since many cards put them into play on the cheap like Concubunny or Wretched Brood it's good way to capitalize on these recurring effects to create an army that does something other than chump-blocking.  I'll admit to not being the biggest Shin'hare fan, but this card seems pretty strong for a dedicated Shin'hare swarm strategy with cards like Ritualist of the Spring Litter to pump out more and more Militia to your cause.  Of course board sweepers like Heat Wave and Extinction are the bane of all swarm strategies, so until the Shin'hare get some post-apocalypse survival skills, it's unlikely they'll be topping the constructed charts anytime soon, though this is definitely a step in the right direction.  In limited this card's power will vary greatly based on what Battle Hopper creating effects are in the pool since he really wants to be drafted around: if you get him pack one and then get some Concubunnies in the next couple packs, then he's probably worth it.  Perhaps just a cautionary "Don't play him outside of Shin'hare" will suffice.

Necrophage Sensei

The "enters play" clause works a bit differently in Hex than in paper TCGs since cards retain attack and defense changes when changing zones.  If the Sensei gets killed and then brought back to life, the "+1/+1 for every troop in your graveyard" effect will happen again.  He might be a modestly sized 3/3 the first time he graces the playing field, but post-Extinction you might be able to dig him back up with a Cruelty Gemmed Xentoth's Inquisitor or a Call the Grave.  When you do, he comes back to your hand as a 3/3 (or whatever he was before), only to grow in size when you play him.  He is also annoying resilient to bounce effects, as anyone who has been in the unfortunate situation of having to Buccaneer a Honeycap or Briar Legion can attest to.  He's definitely strong in limited, though without evasion I wouldn't be surprised to see him go mid-pack.  I could also see him seeing play in Constructed, possibly as an alternate win-condition in a weird Chronic Madness deck.

Also, I'll be at Gencon this year, clawing through crowds to try to snag one of those sweet posters (and sleeves) from the Hex booth.  I missed out on getting into a Shattered Destiny draft, but hopefully they'll have some other fun stuff there for me to try out.

Finally, congratulations to Airwrecka for winning the Pack/Draft Code.  I'll friend you in game so I can message you the code.  I still have more Pack/Draft Codes to give away, so for this week to enter just reply with a card you draft earlier than you probably should and why it beckons you so much.

Until next time...

Edit: Some clarification on Necrophage Sensei