1. This is just one guy’s opinion. If it generates chatter I have no problem updating this with a consensus. And hopefully it does, I’m a big fan of this game.
2. I thought it made more sense to organize the list by card color rather than by rank. You’re more limited in your squad choices based on the PW you choose compared to Heroscape. Planeswalkers are at the top of each color. Within the colors the cards are sorted by rank, then cost, then alphabetically.
3. For the army cards, I’m going to attempt to incorporate the What’s in an order marker? color code. It doesn’t apply 100% simply because there are no order markers in AotP. But you still have to choose a card at the beginning of your turn and this could help with the choice. And like the above, input will be appreciated and incorporated.
4. Rankings of army cards are not taking spells into consideration, this is just ranking the army cards. You could easily take a group like the Phoenixes and turn them into an endless wave of 5 dice attacks, but you can boost every team in various ways with spells. I’m just talking about base value.
5. Based on some feedback, rankings where adjusted a bit, and 2 color PWs are included twice, once for each color.
6. I’ve ranked all the spell cards as well. They’re sorted in the same way, color->rank->cost->alphabetical.
Army Cards
Spoiler Alert!
Black Sorin of the Eternal Thirst (350): A. Close range powerhouse that can hit multiple targets and heal Liliana Vess, Necromancer (325): A. With range 6, it’ll be tough to get past her boosted wall of zombies before you get snuffed out Ob Nixilis, Demon of Spite (385): B-. High cost and no range Blighted Reavers (115): A+. Necrotic stench is awesome Malakir Bloodchasers (100): B+. 2 great powers Ghoul Vanguard (100): B. Bring a reaver around with his power and take advantage of the -2 Restless Zombies (60): B-. Get a boost because they can keep coming back Skirsdag Cultists (50): C-. Glass cannons
Blue Jace Beleren, Mindmage (340): A. Mind stealer is bad ass Kiora, the Rising Tide (345): B. Decent enough. Meh Jace, Investigator (345): B-. The only plus when compared to the original is 25 more points for spells Lantern Geists (30): A+. The cheapest squad in the game has some impressive stats. Plus you can move them without taking a turn with them, and it brings them back to full health. Necro-Alchemist (125): A-. He can hit HARD, until you run out of spells Leyline Phantoms (95): B. Excellent mobile blockers Merfolk Roilmage (100): C+. +2 def in water is nice, but it’s also +1 off for the attacker (unless they’re in the water too) Illusionary Projections (65): C-. Lackluster stats and powers. Basically “get out of jail free” cards for Jace
Green Arlinn Kord, Goldnight Outcast/Moon-Blessed (340): A+. Can do it all, and howl is a solid power Nissa Revane, Animist (330): B+. Queen of the hit and run, and the range boost for her elves is nice Kiora, the Rising Tide (345): B. Decent enough. Meh Kessig Rangers/Kessig Ravagers (90): A. Close combat or ranged, 3 attacks for the price of 2 Path Wardens (100): B. Good defense, and they can really help out anyone you want to protect from ranged attacks. Pummelroot Elementals (90): B-. It’s rare to see Trample kick in, but these guys still pack a punch Elf Rangers (80): C+. Fragile. Get a slight boost because they can keep their distance
Red Chandra Nalaar, Pyromancer (365): A+. She’s capable of ending games herself Arlinn Kord, Goldnight Outcast/Moon-Blessed (340): A+. Can do it all, and howl is a solid power Nahiri, Fury in Stone (345): C. She can put together some decent squads, but you won’t be taking many turns with her army card active Mad Prophet (70): A. Durable hero killer with haste, and cheap to boot Blazing Firecats (100): B+. If you can get a few more attack dice for these cats they can do serious damage. Even without, they have very useful powers Goblin Javelineers (100): B-. Not too durable, but they do hit hard and have an unblockable ranged attack Flamewing Phoenixes (35): C. Rebirth keeps them somewhat useable Bloodline Nobles (70): D. I cant figure out how to use these guys effectively. Maybe to run in and do as much damage as they can before inevitably being wiped out in 2 turns?
White Sorin of the Eternal Thirst (350): A. Close range powerhouse that can hit multiple targets and heal Gideon Jura, Combat Mage (350): C+. Along the same lines as Nahiri, but Gideon can hit back on defense. His squads usually aren’t as good though Nahiri, Fury in Stone (345): C. She can put together some decent squads, but you won’t be taking many turns with her army card active Kor Aeronaut Captain (100): B-. Hits hard, but it doesn’t take too long to chip away his life. The power to move another unit is nice to have Avacynian Inquisitors (85): B-. Top notch powers, but can’t take too much punishment Avacyn, On Bloodied Wings (100): C+. The stats are not great. Her power is her saving grace Rhox Veterans (90): C. Less effective when there are less than 3 Kor Hookmasters (60): C-. Pretty much just useful the first time they’re summoned. After that they have to keep their distance to stay alive, but a range of only 3 makes that tough
Colorless Eldrazi Ruiner (150): B-. Only 3 def and high cost hurt a bit. The ruiner goes from dominating to overwhelmed quickly Eldrazi Scions (55): C+. No powers, but when paired with a Ruiner the continuous swarm can be useful
Spell Cards
Spoiler Alert!
Spell ranks
Black: Altar's Reap (25) (MS) A+. 4 health is worth a squad creature (that you can likely bring back anyway) Rise Of The Dark Realms (25) (MS) A. Would be A+ if it could do heroes too, but still a great card Bone Splinters (10) (MS) A. Big damage in the right situation Ever After (20) (SOI) A-. The minus is because it’s squad only, but really no downside Dark Harvest (15) (MS) A-. Heavy cost for a heavy boost Killing Wave (40) (MS) B+. Bad ass, but 20% of your deck value, and you have to get close to use it Strangling Soot (15) (MS) B+. Automatically take out an attacker Despise (10) (MS) B+. Slightly cripple your biggest threat for just 10 points Duress (15) (MS) B. Choose this over Demonic Appetite Corrupt (10) (MS) B. Unblockable 1 for 1 health. Unfortunately it doesn’t work on Planeswalkers Liliana's Caress (5) (MS) B. Automatic forced discard, and cheap Virulent Swipe (40) (BFZ) B-. Makes for a potentially nasty turn, but pricey Creeping Dread (25) (SOI) B-. Leaves your opponent with a crappy choice Crippling Blight (25) (MS) B-. Good for counteracting an opponents enchantments Corpse Lunge (10) (SOI) B-. Double attack is always nice, but you pay a toll Barter In Blood (5) (SOI) B-. It’s cheap, but you would probably rather it didn’t get triggered in the first place Mental Agony (5) (MS) B-. One destroyed card for just 5 points. Not too bad, just have to get it to trigger Demonic Appetite (20) (BFZ) C+. Doesn’t trigger often enough. There are better enchantment choices Harrowing Journey (25) (SOI) C. Generally not worth it Painful Truths (20) (BFZ) C. More cards may not be worth the 2 health from a hero or PW Behold The Beyond (15) (SOI) C-. I would probably rather play the cards in my hand
Blue: Mind Control (10) (MS) A+. Control an opponents figure for just 10 points Welcome To The Fold (40) (SOI) A. The best high cost blue card. Worth squeezing in if you can Essence Flux (25) (SOI) A. Free move for any creature. You can use this and then move and attack with said creature Misdirection (25) (MS) A. You can save an enchantment currently on a team near death, or make your opponents enchantments work for you Ghostform (20) (SOI) A-. Very solid card, small issue is it only works for squad creatures Scatter To The Winds (20) (BFZ) A-. So much for that buffed squad that was coming to get you Jace's Erasure (5) (MS) A-. Frustrating to the other player: Blue’s calling card Twisted Image (25) (MS) B+. Get a big attack from a normally defensive unit. Taylor made for Phantoms and Geists Psychic Rebuttal (20) (MS) B+. This will probably make your opponent angry Scatter Arc (20) (MS) B+. This too will likely make your opponent angry Ghostly Wings (10) (SOI) B+. Solid. Not quite as handy as Essence Flux, but very useful to get one of your stragglers into the action Unsummon (10) (MS) B+. Good to get out of a jam. It does heal the target squad but sometimes that’s a price worth paying Project Self (5) (MS) B+. Essence Flux for your planeswalker. Not quite as good because if engaged you may have to take a hit Roilmage's Trick (35) (BFZ) B. Strength depends on how your opponent plays, but beastly if done right Infinite Reflection (15) (SOI) B. Only as strong as the enemy you use it on, but that can be very strong Trail Of Evidence (20) (SOI) B-. Good boosts, but only in certain situations Ætherspouts (15) (MS) B-. Unsummon, but needs to be triggered Call to Heel (15) (MS) B-. Ætherspouts for a squad Curiosity (10) (SOI) B-. Can help you build your hand quickly if done right Selective Memory (5) (MS) B-. Not terrible if you’re almost out of points and need 1 more card for your deck Talent Of The Telepath (45) (MS) C+. Has potential to be really good, but too many variables for such a high cost card Gone Missing (40) (SOI) C+. Would be ranked a little higher if it didn’t cost 40 points Pieces Of The Puzzle (5) (SOI) C. Eh, kind of a waste. It just delays the inevitable Pore Over The Pages (5) (SOI) C. A extra die for defense is nice, but this is usually worthless by mid game Jace's Scrutiny (30) (SOI) C-. Only useful in very specific situations Anticipate (10) (BFZ) C-. Benefits your opponent too. We don’t want that Mind Tricks (5) (SOI) C-. I guess it has its uses in the right spot, but it can also throw one of your creatures to the wolves
Green: Earthen Arms (30) (BFZ) A+. Can turn the tide for a hero in trouble Bountiful Harvest (15) (MS) A. Simple, effective, and affordable Groundswell (10) (MS) A. Have your PW hit for a ton Fog (25) (MS) A-. Kind of like making your opponent lose a turn Predatory Strike (15) (SOI) B+. I tend to rank cards lower when they have special conditions, but getting a height advantage is simple enough Sheltering Word (15) (SOI) B+. Bail out a squad in trouble Nissa's Expedition (10) (MS) B+. Disengage alone makes this valuable Snare The Skies (10) (MS) B+. Hit hard and stay out of range of return fire Titanic Growth (10) (MS) B+. Nice that this works for a hero or squad creature Elvish Blade Finesse (20) (BFZ) B. Unblockable, but can be tricky to get your elves in position Leaf Arrow (20) (MS) B. Decent PW buff with a built in Hail Mary Naturalize (20) (MS) B. Can save lives. A little gamble though, if the attacker doesn’t have any enchantments then it’s a waste Rabid Bite (20) (SOI) B. Unblockable, but not always usable Natural End (15) (SOI) B. Trading life for buffs. Rank higher if playing a team with black spells, as this can remove negative enchantments Primeval Light (35) (MS) B-. A reset button. Hope it shows up in your hand early, otherwise it just sits there. Also gets a bump against a black deck Overrun (25) (MS) B-. Two extra attack dice are great, but trample rarely ever kicks in Paths Revealed (15) (MS) B-. A little bonus movement is nice to have, but doesn’t help as much as a lot of other cards Equestrian Skill (10) (SOI) C+. Helps a ranged team with some hit and run, but there are better ways to do it. Not much help for an engaged team Rapid Withdrawal (5) (BFZ) C+. Disengage is good, but you really only get it against opponents that are probably too weak to be a real threat Moonlight Hunt (30) (SOI) C. Way too specific for that cost. Plus there aren’t enough figures with transform to ever hit the max damage Skyreaping (5) (MS) C-. It’s cheap, but so rare that it’s even playable
Red: Dual Shot (20) (SOI) A+. 2 free hits from long range Seize The Day (15) (MS) A+. 0 downside to this card Firebreathing (30) (MS) A. +2 attack for squads that generally don’t fight from range anyway Malevolent Whispers (20) (SOI) A. Worth it even though you have to get pretty close Twinflame (15) (MS) A. Easy A+ if it applied to heroes Burn From Within (20) (SOI) A-. The minus is because it only works on squads Power of Fire (20) (MS) A-. Poor man’s firebreathing that works at range Stoke the Flames (15) (MS) A-. One card that can boost any/all of your figures in range. Small issue is getting characters in range but that’s not too big a deal Flames Of The Firebrand (10) (MS) A-. The only draw back is how close you have to be to 2 enemies Incinerate (25) (MS) B+. Bad news, you’re engaged in close combat. Good news, you drew this card Senseless Rage (20) (SOI) B+. Like dual attack, except the defender only rolls once Chandra's Fury (10) (MS) B+. Just keep your distance Chandra's Outrage (5) (MS) B+. Red spells are very good for unblockable damage. Just need to position right for this one Stubborn Resilience (30) (BFZ) B. Kind of turns a squad creature into a hero, but only if you’ve already lost the rest of the squad Burn At The Stake (10) (SOI) B. Basically +1 attack die for a turn, since you just name the next creature you’re going to attack Circle Of Flame (5) (MS) B. Similar to Chandra’s outrage but more specific Sure Strike (25) (BFZ) B-. Decent enough, but can only be played in the right circumstance Infernal Plunge (20) (SOI) B-. Free damage, but requires a sacrifice Dissension In The Ranks (15) (SOI) B-. Pretty good, but situational since you can’t move with the creature you take control of Nahiri's Machinations (10) (SOI) B-. Ok for a PW with no range, but specific activation rules knock the value down a bit Pyroclasm (10) (MS) B-. You have to hurt yourself. I try to avoid that when possible Dual Casting (45) (MS) C+. It would cost 50 points to play a 5 point spell twice, and you would have no more spells that turn. I’d rather play 3 5 point spells. Gets a plus because the red spells generally deal direct damage Harness The Storm (20) (SOI) C+. It’s pretty strong, but the stars have to align and it wastes 2 cards Stensia Masquerade (10) (SOI) C. Wish this card didn’t cost 1 health, I like the concept Goblin War Paint (10) (BFZ) C-. Someone dies and you get to move. A consolation prize at best Rolling Temblor (5) (SOI) C-. Really only good if you’re playing with multiple people and your opponents are on their last legs Rush Of Adrenaline (5) (SOI) D. I don’t think 1 health is worth 4 spaces, ever
White: Chaplain's Blessing (20) (SOI) A+. Health and a buff for a hero Hope Against Hope (20) (SOI) A. Basically +2 health for a hero Near-Death Experience (10) (MS) A. White PWs don’t have any range, so a little extra health goes a long way Blessing (30) (MS) A-. Great buffs. The minus is because it doesn’t activate until the enchanted squad is attacked Spare From Evil (20) (SOI) A-. Hope against hope for a squad. The minus is because it’s shared damage for all units in the squad Angel's Mercy (15) (SOI) A-. Only drawback is you have to choose to take a turn with a hero, so worthless if your hero is dead or you didn’t pick one Survive The Night (10) (SOI) A-. One time use and it has to be triggered, but that should happen fairly often and it’s almost guaranteed survival that turn Fell The Mighty (45) (SOI) B+. Very powerful. Also very expensive, and you have to be careful you don’t destroy one of your squads if you’re using a 2 color PW Solemn Offering (25) (MS) B+. Works to dispel an enemy buff or get a negative buff off your team Battlewise Valor (10) (MS) B+. Juggernaut for a turn, but only for squads Gideon's Phalanx (10) (MS) B+. Since your white PW will probably be in the middle of the action, this goes into effect more often than most cards like this Healing Salve (10) (MS) B+. A little healing and a card if it’s early enough in the game Skillful Lunge (5) (SOI) B+. Makes for a strong one time attack Divine Favor (25) (MS) B. Straight forward, and useful Swift Justice (5) (MS) B. This is good, provided you actually deal damage. A bad roll wastes this card Honor Of The Pure (35) (MS) B-. The buffs are good, but it depends on your squad selection, and even if you have all white creatures this doesn’t count for any that get damaged Sunlance (30) (BFZ) B-. Quickly end a fight you started. The cost and the fact it only works on a squad creature take away from it a bit Ghostly Possession (25) (SOI) B-. Reducing the defense of a squad you’re attacking is great. The other part of the card doesn’t come into play often, since your opponent rarely attacks during your turn Inspired Charge (20) (MS) B-. Situational. The defense boost really doesn’t come into play though Marked By Honor (10) (MS) B-. Yet another white card with a decent buff that has to be activated and only works for squads Sanctified Charge (10) (MS) B-. Cheap, but there are more reliable ways to heal Seize The Initiative (10) (BFZ) B-. You have to get lucky for this to be worth it Stone Will (20) (SOI) C+. I’d rather take more healing spells than let my PW health get that low. I’ll give it a plus as a Hail Mary type card Not Forgotten (15) (SOI) C+. Good in theory, but you really have to luck out for it to work. And “luck out” in this case means someone on your team dies Stasis Snare (20) (BFZ) C. Very specific, you can probably spend those 20 points better Silverstrike (15) (SOI) C. If you have a squad creature surrounded by 3 figures, you’ll probably kill it in a turn without this card Tenacity (10) (SOI) C. Very situational, I may have put it to good use once
I think I got every card in the game, but let me know if I missed any. The format of the spells list is tough to read so I’m trying to figure that out, any ideas on how to make it look pretty would be appreciated too
Last edited by shaolin; November 6th, 2018 at 11:38 PM.
Reason: Updates