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GRADES

I will be grading each card in the new Omens of the Past expansion for both ranked and draft play. I am going with a A+ to F grading scale this time out. A breakdown of the grading scale:

A’s: Straight bombs or very efficient cards, the best cards in the set.

B’s: Strong playables. Cards that push you into a given faction in draft.

C’s: Role players and cards you rarely cut from your deck in draft.

D’s: Narrow cards that usually don’t make the cut.

F’s: It would be a mistake to add this to your deck.

NEW MECHANICS

Revenge: When a card with Revenge dies, it is put randomly into the top ten cards of its owner’s deck. It permanently loses Revenge and gains Destiny (If this would be drawn, instead play it for free and draw a card).

Spark: Cards with Spark have an additional effect when played after the enemy player has taken damage this turn.



Auric Bully

Ranked: C+

This is a fine two drop for a weapon focused deck or perhaps a Minotaur themed deck.

Draft: C+

A solid two drop with upside, you don’t need to have lots of weapons to want this but it gets a lot better if you do.



Auric Vigilante

Ranked: C+

This is a solid threat against control decks but it is much less exciting against decks with lots of units especially value 1/1’s. Still, it can be a part of a deck focused on Revenge and perhaps Minotaurs or both!

Draft: B-

This will often trade for a 2/2 but the value you get on Revenge makes it a strong playable. There is also the upside that your opponent will stumble and it will get out of hand.



Bartholo, the Seducer

Ranked: A

This is a very efficient package overall. The combat stats and abilities call out for this to be in a weapons based deck, but this also can be used just a value unit that is a pain for opposing decks to deal with.

Draft: A

This can threaten to win games on its own, but it gets a lot better with weapons to play on it. It also is a big deal to have a Relic or two to find. This isn’t asking very much though, and it is still quite good without the extra cards needed to make it truly great.



Bloodletter

Ranked: C

The rate is fine, but I am not super excited outside of putting this on Auric Bully or having other weapon based synergies.

Draft: C+

This is a solid weapon in draft that will help swing a race into your favor.



Slay

Ranked: A

This is the cheapest unconditional removal that will kill anything. The only downsides are not being fast speed and requiring two factions. These hurdles are not enough to stop this from being a very important Ranked card. It is probably wise to play 4 in any deck that can cast it reliably.

Draft: A

Efficient removal without conditions is fantastic in draft. This deals with most bombs or other large units that are beating you down.



Champion of Vengeance

Ranked: C-

I am not that impressed with the rate on this one. It can always be Torched on your opponent’s turn even if fully powered up. It also has heavy influence requirements which means the unpowered body is important. In this case, a 3/3 for 4 is not very good in Ranked. That said, once it is fully powered up it does present a threat that must be dealt with.

Draft: B-

The difference here is that the rate is okay in draft and the upside of turning either half on is more exciting.



Sanguine Sword

Ranked: D

If this was just a 4/4 for 4 Relic Weapon it still wouldn’t be all that exciting. Having to sacrifice a value unit first makes this not that appealing.

Draft: C

If you have a lot of value units to sacrifice this gets better, but throwing away a 2/2 for 2 isn’t the worst on certain board states where you need to kill a specific unit.



Stonepowder Alchemist

Ranked: D

This is decent against an aggressive deck, but overall package isn’t that exciting against other decks. If you can find ways to permanently buff it, it gets a lot better though.

Draft: C+

This will help swing a race into your favor and provide a value blocker or a great body to wield weapons. A nice bonus here is that the life gain can buy you enough time to trigger the Destiny part of Revenge if this dies.



Streetwise Informant

Ranked: D+

This is probably too slow, but I am not ruling it out just yet because of the unique set of skills this Minotaur brings. This wields weapons quite well and has a relevant late game ability that plays very well with Relic weapons.

Draft: B+

I have been impressed with this so far. It can block lots of things and ping away at the opponent, unless you throw a weapon on and then you can seriously threaten to kill the opponent. The armor granting ability is a great way to win a race or buff your Relic weapon. It is not that rare to activate it twice in a turn in which case it can be very hard for your opponent to win.



Bereaved Stranger

Ranked: C

The rate is solid on this and gives a reason for a Stranger deck to want to splash Argenport.

Draft: B

Regardless of any other Strangers you might have, this is very good on its own. Any weapons you play on it will have a dramatic effect, and if you happen to have a few other Strangers there is extra value there. There is the risk of the opponent having more Strangers than you, but I wouldn’t worry too much about that.



Inquisitor Makto

Ranked: A+

This is in contention for best card in the set as the rate is excellent and the ability is a nightmare for most decks. Just to be clear about how Makto works, if he dies he will get shuffled into the top 10 cards and then he will have Destiny and be played immediately when drawn. You then draw another card and he retains Revenge after hitting play to repeat the process if he were to die again. It is a little funny that Makto still loses to Sandstorm Titan in a straight up fight, but despite that it is so good in most other situations that you can discount it. The Argenport faction gives you access to both Annihilate and Vanquish, so Titans should not live long against your Makto decks anyway. As with other Revenge cards, if you can grant this Echo somehow, it is even more absurd.

Draft: A+

It will be VERY hard to lose with Makto in play in draft. I will take this opportunity to point out that given that you keep any cards you draft, you will be MUCH less likely to be facing down a Makto in a given draft. Most people will take any Maktos they open for their collection or the shiftstones, thus Argenport players will very rarely get one passed to them. The only Maktos you should face will be from players who cracked one and happened to end up in Argenport. Granted if you first pick a Makto you will do everything you can to end up in Argenport, but the packs may not cooperate with that.



Rolant’s Choice

Ranked: B-

Draft: B+

This is expensive, but I like the versatility. The first choice is great on Revenge units as even if the opponent deals with the unit, you have a chance at getting it back with the buffed stats. The second choice will be great in certain situations, but you are putting this in your deck to maximize the first choice.



Valkyrie Denouncer

Ranked: F

The rate is too low on this to matter in Ranked. Comparing it to Makto is funny.

Draft: B-

This is a great threat with resilience that is a very good reason to be Argenport.



Grinva, Judge of Battles

Ranked: B

This can end the game in a hurry, and the rate on the body is competitive. A common line of play will be to fill the board with units, preferably with Revenge, play Grinva and then Harsh Rule the following turn to deal a ton of damage to the opponent, possibly killing them.

Draft: A

This dominates the board in play on its own, and the ability makes combat a nightmare for the opponent.



Champion of Fury

Ranked: A

This is a huge addition to the Skycrag aggressive deck as a very powerful two drop.

Draft: B-

You will always play this, but it is a little less exciting in draft because there are so many opposing two drops that trade effectively with it.



Kaleb’s Choice

Ranked: B

This is versatile enough to usually have a good target, and more answers to Xenan Obelisk are always welcome.

Draft: C

There isn’t a ton of room for cards beyond power, units, and removal in your deck but this is a strong contender for one of those slots outside the core cards.



Rockslide

Ranked: B

This is a solid card to combat aggressive decks but also can be relevant against Relic weapons.

Draft: B

You can get some crazy value with this as there are many juicy 1 health targets, but you also can just kill an annoying evasive unit.



Clan Hero

Ranked: B

The rate on this is very competitive as part of the Skycrag aggro deck. It can put on a lot of pressure if unanswered.

Draft: B

Even if you can’t Spark it, this is a fine card. It will bump up the value of two drops, especially if they have some kind of evasion, as Sparking this is quite powerful.



Vadius, Clan Father

Ranked: A

The rate is excellent, and the Ultimate makes this very hard to deal with and provides value even if it is dealt with. Another great piece to the Skycrag aggro deck, but this also could have a home in a more mid-range deck.

Draft: A

What a nightmare set of stats to deal with and if the game somehow goes long you get to add a nice piece of value with the Ultimate. This wields any other weapons very well too.



Calderan Cradle

Ranked: C

You can’t discount a win condition that is hard to interact with like this. The problem here is that it is very slow to get going and you need to take a turn off to get started. That said, if you can land this early you can start making dragons quickly in the right deck. The problem can often be that you need to cast a lot of spells to survive to the point where you can cast this, and then you won’t have enough spells to get a dragon later. Keep an eye on this especially as a finisher for controlling decks.

Draft: D

The payoff is huge if you can trigger this, but it will be hard to have a competitive deck that also has enough spells to make this happen. The games where you don’t draw the Cradle, your deck won’t function very well. Thus, I think it will take a rare deck to make this work.



Hunter’s Harpoon

Ranked: B-

You just need to trigger this once to prevent the risk of card disadvantage, and from there you can generate some sick value. It is risky, but the reward can be game winning. It may be stretch, but I am not ruling this out yet.

Draft: B+

I love this card! It is very easy to throw this on a flier and just win the game as you bury your opponent in card advantage. It also plays very well with any deadly units you may have. I love splashing this in a Time based deck and putting it on Sand Viper.



Mortar

Ranked: B+

The rate is not amazing, but the versatility of being able to go to the face makes this a solid card. It will kill many Relic Weapons and several important units. Being fast really puts this over the top.

Draft: A

Excellent removal and being fast can enable blowouts in combat. This also has the upside of just killing the opponent if they get too low.



Storm Glider

Ranked: F

This seems too slow and fragile to be relevant.

Draft: B

A solid threat in the air, but there are a lot of fliers that trade well with this which keeps it from being elite.



Towering Stranger

Ranked: D

This is an interesting set of stats, but I don’t think the ability is something the Stranger deck needs.

Draft: B

You are going to take this for the efficient body and not worry too much about having other Strangers.



Knucklebones

Ranked: C

One of the weirdest and coolest cards in the set. If this were indestructible it would be closer to a B+, but if the opponent can kill it, it is devastating as your deck is now fully random, and probably not good. Unchecked though it can bury your opponent in card advantage. Given that it is so expensive and the risk of ruin is huge, I am skeptical that this will be a competitive card, but certainly it is a fun one and I am likely to try it.

Draft: B-

It is a lot harder to kill this in draft as most decks aren’t playing answers to Relics, and thus if you land this you will probably bury the opponent in card advantage. The problem is that it is quite expensive and will sit in your hand for a long time before you can deploy it. I am excited to try it.



Topaz Drake

Ranked: F

The rate isn’t there for this one.

Draft: C-

I like having one of these, but you should be careful not to play too many 7+ cost cards. The first is usually effective though.



Molot & Nakova

Ranked: B+

The rate is powerful here, the only question is if there is a deck for this to shine in. Costing 8 does limit just how good it can be as many games don’t get to the point where you can cast this.

Draft: A+

Definition of bomb legendary, just make sure you construct your deck so that you can survive to cast it, and the dragons will do the rest.



Decimate

Ranked: C-

A theoretical finisher for a control deck, but it is so expensive and you need multiple to really get the job done. This is very cute with West-Wind Herald though.

Draft: D

It is asking a lot to get to 10 power and often you will use this to take down the opponent’s best unit which likely is not an efficient play.

Thanks for reading, and come back soon for the Xenan and Factionless cards next!

-Ben Chapman

@bchap55

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