'Giant Killer', it's one of those MEH abilities. I am not a fan of situational abilities that I cannot control.
If your opponent does not play Giant cards, then it’s useless. Snare is another, and then we have Knockout which I consider the weakest ability of all.
It has been announced that the forthcoming Rift Watchers mini-expansion is going to host a decent amount of ‘large monsters’.
Are the Spinterlands Team trying to give one of the more under-used abilities more utility?
The expansion is almost upon us unless they are going to be late again. September is the month Rift Watchers has been tentatively slated for, and @aggroed has already warned players to prepare their liquid SPS.
I figured I would have a look at Chaos Legion and see which cards could raise in value when everyone sees these huge monsters being played soon.
There are not as many as you might think. SEVEN cards with the Giant Killer ability and ZERO cards from the current Reward in-print catalogue.
Djinn Inferni
Djinn Inferni is a card I occasionally use. I find him susceptible to Opportunity attacks, although he is quite fast for a Fire monster.
I also discovered he’s a monster I need another copy of so have been buying him recently.
The stats of this card are good at max level and I see a lot of potential when combining it with the soon-to-arrive Conqueror Jacek.
With a speed of '6', and hitting magically for 10 on one of these new Rift Watcher large random monsters he's going to do some serious damage.
Grum Flameblade
Grum is a situational card and best used in the ‘Reverse Speed’ rule-set due to his slow speed.
Using Grum with Jacek would hinder him, but as a tank and a hard-hitting card, those new large tanks are going to be hurting when facing him, but only from the Gold league upwards.
I see Grum as a decent buy at $7 per BCX. I always use him when the situation is favourable. The Rift Watchers expansion could raise his value, but maybe not send it through the roof.
Mycelic Infantry
I see Mycelic Infantry as a semi-staple monster. Boasting Shield at L1 strikes similarities to Unamed’s 'Living Lava'.
That card is now expensive for a rare, and used heavily in the lower leagues, especially with the BOT army. Giant Killer is available in the Silver league and his stats are decent. I would say pick up some of these, I can see the value rising.
At MAX, we are seeing quite crazy stats if Giant Killer is invoked. Combine with Enrage and that is one angry monster coming over and making short work of the opposition’s tank.
Chaos Knight
This is a card that I rarely use and maybe one I should use more. The stats compared to the above Mycelic Infantry are comparable.
Giant Killer starts at L5 which is the Silver league. Hitting its mana cost when invoked and '3' at other times seems just about OK for a tank.
She has Shield as standard which will eradicate any monsters hitting for ‘1’. Chaos Knights are less than 6c each which reflects the markets' desirability of the card.
I don't know if it's just me but I feel Life needs a little more love from Rift Watchers.
Djinn Muirat
On first seeing Djinn Muirat, I was not overly impressed. 9 Mana for something that hits for 2 is weak, and with that crappy Knockout effect that I try and avoid to boot.
Like Chaos Knight, the Giant Killer effect comes in at Silver but it’s his other abilities that make me want to play this Djinn in high mana matches.
Forcefield is very effective against the likes of annoying Sand Wurms when placed on the back line. He has a decent amount of health and mitigates Magic attacks with great effect.
At around $5.45 per BCX, I maxed my Djinn Muirat some time ago and he regularly gets a play spot on my larger mana Death line-ups.
Will he increase in value? Maybe a little, he’s more a damage mitigation card than super-offensive.
Desert Dragon
We are talking about big damage if Desert Dragon can land a blow. Keeping him alive long enough is the issue.
With Trample, Piercing, and Retaliate he's an absolute carnage monster if allowed to live even a couple of rounds.
Giant Killer doesn’t come into the equation unless you play Diamond or Champion which is a shame.
Could you imagine Desert Dragon at L1 in Bronze with that ability, facing Grum on the opposing team?
For the survivability factor or lack of it, Desert Dragon is a relatively cheap Legendary monster at less than $3 and benefits most from the 'Monsters can attack from any position' rule-set
Legionnaire Alvar
I can’t ever recall using this neutral tank as my front line, though at a combined defence of ‘14’ he is a decent meat shield.
Giant Killer activates at Silver and hitting for '6' or '3' is hardly remarkable for a 9-casting monster.
L3 brings the very useful 'Demoralise' and though a better tank than Desert Dragon, again I prefer to use Legionnaire Alvar in the rule-set 'Monsters can attack from any position' rule-set.
Looking at all the Giant Killer cards, Mycelic Infantry and Djinn Inferni appear to be promising in terms of opposing the ‘soon-to-be be’ Rift Watcher monsters. The Djinn is the only in-print card that boasts the ability at L1.
I am quite annoyed with myself for leaving it so late to level mine up, as just a few days ago the card was less than $1.
Chaos Knight looks underwhelming, but is very cheap at 6c. I would pick up some Gold's, 85c seems like a good deal for a Shield based tank.
Desert Dragon may see an increase in value, as the rule-set I mention does come into effect in the Silver League.
Tower Griffin is one of the monsters, and the only neutral monster in the entire game than can bolster Djinn Inferni using armour.
Add one of those highly annoying Scavo Hirelings, and/or a Supply Runner and Lord of Fire and you can protect him quite well.
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Hmm good spot, certainly worth maxing these out now or buying a few golds over other cards which one can focus on later!
Interesting how all of them are quite high mana themselves.
Managed to max my Djinn Inferni, most of the others are already done. Those cheap Golds are so tempting to gouge on.
I totally agree with you, there are some cards I don't even pay attention to their abilities past the first one or two because they are so random and worthless. I did find a new card I really like the other day. I can't remember which one, but it has the ability where it adds to your thorns damage, so that paired with that Earth summoner is pretty awesome.
I tend to play this dude from Gold upwards (Heal), but in Modern you can't use Flesh Golem in Bronze which is quite OP'd.
Mycellic Infinitary may be a substitute. In Bronze you find there's a decent amount of 1 hitters coming over which are useless with a Shield Tank.
Lol, I always end up buying cards that you suggest although I suspect that they will have a slobber-mention hit with the price :0)
Scavo Hireling, L3 (Gold). I have lots of these, what a great utility card.
I think Ihave a few, I will have to check!
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cards starting skyrocket! :)
Cant wait for RW!!!!
Yeah, me too.
Chaos Knight is incredibly underrated, it works really well with every eligible summoner that is not in the starter set.
Has the benefit of being a common with an ability upgrade that comes when maxed out for Silver, which is a massive incentive to combine the cards.
very informative, very nice post....it's the first time i step upon you, i have never ever seen your posts around...
....new users must read this kind of stuff!
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STOPBring on Riftwatchers I say; could use a few new cards in my deck. But, I wasn't aware that they had so many 10+ mana cards on the schedule. I know you made the point about being unable to control the utility of the skill, but from another perspective, I usually think it's a bonus when it kicks in. I like using both Legionairre Alvar and Djinn Inferni - regardless of who the opponent is. Bonus indeed when they hit a Grumm or that flying life legenda card; forget his name. Anyways, good luck when you get to the pack opens ;)
Very informative posts. I should've seen this earlier and bought more of your recommendations before the prices went up.