Hex TCG’s ninth set, Doombringer, is upon us and it’s once again time to forget everything we thought we knew and plunge deep into the new set of cards, searching frantically for that new combo/archetype, or that missing piece to a lower tier deck so that just like the Enders, we too can wreak havoc across Entrath. Below I share not necessarily the most powerful cards, but the cards I am most excited to play with and build around. Hopefully it gives you a few starting ideas to tinker with when the set is launched this week.

Brilliant Annihilix – Rune Ear Hierophant was an absolute beating when the Minor Wild Orb of Conservation was Standard legal, and we might be witnessing a sort of rebirth here in the form of Brilliant Annihilix . It won’t be as obnoxious as the truly spellshielded and rapidly growing Hierophant, but with the right gems it can be fantastic in its own right and emulate many of the reasons why it was such a meta shaping card. Just like REH, this is likely going to be a popular addition to any deck that plays its native color, and the new gems we have like the Major Sapphire of Vanishing will protect it from even the few cards that CAN deal with it. If you thought you could just stick to your mono colored removal and dominate this new prismatic set…well you might be in for a surprise.

Scribe of the Flayed Man – Probably one of the most exciting cards in the whole set to build around. The Ruby/ – Probably one of the most exciting cards in the whole set to build around. The Ruby/ Sapphire shard combination is one we haven’t seen much since the heydays of McBombus but Scribe is primed to change that. The possibility of playing any card as early as turn 4, especially in this set with all the power packed high costed cards at our disposal, is something to behold.

Eternal Curator – Speaking of something you might want to sneak into play early on, – Speaking of something you might want to sneak into play early on, Eternal Curator probably ranks high up on that list. We had the chance to spoil this one, so if you are wondering the possibilities this card could open up, do check that out

Sugar Rush – Wild Sapphire has often been the shards in which you can do silly things, and this card right here looks like it can provide quite the rush. You play a bunch of early troops that are able to replace themselves like – Wild Sapphire has often been the shards in which you can do silly things, and this card right here looks like it can provide quite the rush. You play a bunch of early troops that are able to replace themselves like Thunderfield Seer and then when the time comes you play this and draw a ton of cards and replenish your resources, perhaps you draw another Sugar Rush and cycle through your deck again, and then maybe you play something like Mastery of Time or Eyes of the Heart . In Standard you could probably even fit this in some Dreadling deck and go off in that fashion.

Totem of Void Star – This has to be one of the most powerful 2 drops to have been printed in this game. It might look like a – This has to be one of the most powerful 2 drops to have been printed in this game. It might look like a Wild Child from the outset but it can gain Flight and Lethal at Quick speed allowing it to trade with most of the troops in the game. However what you’ll want to use it for is discarding a card from your opponent’s hand and then promptly attacking and taking that card for yourself. Of course you could also just use it for other shenanigans like helping bury a reanimation target or perhaps triggering some of the “discard matters” cards in this set.

Scour the Archives – For the first time in Hex we have a bonafide tutor, allowing us to fetch the card of our choice in relatively straightforward fashion. Of course the operative term here is ‘relatively’, because getting this to work will actually require a copy in your crypt. But we know very well the potential power of tutoring, especially in this game where you can buff your troops with spells like – For the first time in Hex we have a bonafide tutor, allowing us to fetch the card of our choice in relatively straightforward fashion. Of course the operative term here is ‘relatively’, because getting this to work will actually require a copy in your crypt. But we know very well the potential power of tutoring, especially in this game where you can buff your troops with spells like Replicator’s Gambit , have them retain that buff in your deck, and in some cases instantly win when you play the buffed card.

Mysteres de l’angoisse – If you’re looking for a card to tutor, this might be a good choice. What for 5 for 8. From then on out you’re essentially casting a 1 3 resource (of course you’ll need to build your deck with 3 and under Actions to benefit), every turn. A mystery how this card saw the light of day . Editor’s Note: This card got nerfed just prior to release. – If you’re looking for a card to tutor, this might be a good choice. What Mysteres de l’angoisse represents is essentially a combo packed into one card. The obvious target for something like this is an Escalation deck where you’ll have an increasingly powerful card to fetch over and over again. Unlike some artifacts or constants that do absolutely nothing the turn its played, this allows you to get instant value with its first activation essentially allowing you to play a 3 cost cardfor 8. From then on out you’re essentially casting a Peek and playing the drawn card for free with only3 resource (of course you’ll need to build your deck with 3 and under Actions to benefit), every turn.. Editor’s Note: This card got nerfed just prior to release.

Remnant Shards – What would a Prismatic set be without access to some great fixing. For the first time in Hex you’re able to get your choice of two thresholds without any prerequisites and without sacrificing in terms of charges gained or access to the resource gained that turn. These are meant to facilitate splashing a third color with relative ease and not necessarily allow a three color deck all by themselves, so be wary of how you make use of them should you not have a plan for the health loss.

Doombringer Kha – A prime example of what you might want to splash for is the namesake card of this set, – A prime example of what you might want to splash for is the namesake card of this set, Doombringer Kha . Kha promises to be quite the late game card, equally capable of dealing 10 damage in the blink of an eye, removing your opponent’s most feared card (and yes that includes the aforementioned Annihilix) or fetch into your deck for further answers should you feel it necessary. This is everything a dragon wishes it could be.

Ghastly Banquet – This is perhaps a risky card to play given its sacrifice requirement, but the payoff seems like it could be substantial. Sacrificing an – This is perhaps a risky card to play given its sacrifice requirement, but the payoff seems like it could be substantial. Sacrificing an Underworld Crusader socketed with Major Blood Orb of Fleshcraft would give you 5 troops with a combined attack of 12 ready to attack on turn 5.

Eparch of Souls – Swap healths you say? There’s got to be a way to break this ability, and even the end deck will likely be too janky for competitive purposes, it definitely sounds like it might be worth trying. I know at least some PvE fans will appreciate this card, finally giving them a chance to pull a fast one on the AI and use their OPness against them. – Swap healths you say? There’s got to be a way to break this ability, and even the end deck will likely be too janky for competitive purposes, it definitely sounds like it might be worth trying. I know at least some PvE fans will appreciate this card, finally giving them a chance to pull a fast one on the AI and use their OPness against them.

Blight – Dealing with a mass amount of low defense troops hasn’t been easy early on in the game, allowing ‘go-wide’ strategies like Candles to really take off (especially in formats like Rock). – Dealing with a mass amount of low defense troops hasn’t been easy early on in the game, allowing ‘go-wide’ strategies like Candles to really take off (especially in formats like Rock). Blight represents a great answer and should hopefully keep these strategies in check and allow more wide ranging types of decks to prosper. Whip Crack is another answer for fans of Fight Night and Soul Severance is at disposal in other formats as well.

Fusion Cards – If there’s anything Dragon Ball Z has taught us, fusing things can end up good or at times quite… – If there’s anything Dragon Ball Z has taught us, fusing things can end up good or at times quite… wonky . In the example picture here, it looks pretty darn good with 16/16 worth of troops being potentially generated out of one 7 cost card. This is clearly more of a limited mechanic but it would be interesting if one or two of these Terminus can make it onto a constructed deck somewhere.

That just scratches the surface of cards that I’m eagerly anticipating getting my hands on. I haven’t even mentioned many of the cards likely to become constructed powerhouses like Count Dragomir and his ability to complete dominate the game or Voice of D’endrrah that seems to be good against just about every archetype . We also have access to some insane removal like Engulf, Annihilate, Assimilate, Subsume, and Violent Breach so we can expect a lot of back and forth interactive gameplay. Oh and I almost forgot about the crazy gnolls, don’t let the fact that they’re having too much fun (eg: Falling Fangs aka Dark Heart of Nulzann killer) distract you from their destructive capacity. In fact R/W is going to be quite a scary archetype with a Turn 2 Righteous Outlaw readying into a Turn 3 +3/0 Feral charge power along with something like Whack-a-Gnoll and boom that’s 20 damage despite the opponent having a blocker.

That wraps up my quick look at the upcoming set, what cards are you most looking forward to in Doombringer?