Rebellion Showtime!! (Part 4)

I've pulled quite a number of Earth Splinter cards compared to other Splinter. Among them are the Epic, Satha Toledo, and the Legendary, Lord Thanalor. While we know that Earth Splinter have a trademark of powerful magic cards, this editions appeared to move those image away. There are also 14 (fourteen) new cards will be introduced, which is far fewer compared to Chaos Legion with its 17 (seventeen) cards.

So far this week, I've unsleeved 110 packs; from which I earned around 80 Earth Splinter cards. The two Legendary cards both consist of magic cards. I managed to pulled Lord Thanalor.

THE SUMMONER

Similar to all other Splinter, Earth Splinter gained 2 (two) new Summoner, Chuul Jujinchi and Underboss Fabino. While Chuul Jujinchi allow the combined use of Earth and Life Splinter for just 3 mana, Underboss Fabino provide something more intresting. Fabino grant option between +2 melee damage to up to 2 (two) unit; or a Poison effect to up to 1 (one) unit. This buff seemed will bring more melee roles out of Earth Splinter. So far I've used Poison option on several occasion, but find difficulty to find the cutting edge of this ability. The main reason might be the fact that Poison only cut damage by the end of the round; which means sometimes we don't know for sure if the target would be eliminated by regular attack during the round.

MELEE CHARGER

There are only 3 (three) new melee cards introduced in this editions. Noth much of a choice, but all these melee are spread evenly between Normal, Rare, and Epic type. All of the melee are a total Tanker. Endless Ape cost 8 mana for a huge 10 health which will boosted further by Scavenger ability. This is almost as having a Diemonshark but with larger health than armor. Lioceros remind me very much to Cursed Windeku. Thich endurance with straight melee damage and Thorns to counter-attack. It seemed redundant at first to have Lioceros since there's already Venari Knifer which cost 6 mana. But somehow Venari Knifer with 6 speed seemed to contradict the utility of Thorns which trigger based on attack have to be sustained. But what's more surprising is the fact that Lioceros would reach a total of 9 health and 9 armor at max level! A maximum potential to trigger Thorns.

Croire could be said as the counter-part of Ferexian Hero. With the latest meta where Weapon Training no longer disappear when the possessor destroyed; Croire could easily be expended while having the 2nd row ready to strike when needed. Croire seemed to have a "Tanker" tendency with 8 health at only Level 1.

RANGED ARTILLERY

There're also 3 (three) ranged cards for this edition. Gobson Sniper will be a Snipe complementary to Earth Splinter, although its somehow might fallen behind compared to Hunter Jarx. Swell Spore Beast is another substitute ranged card for the high mana. Swell Spore Beast and Uloth Dhampir are both very similar in term of damage and health; therefor should be useable interchangeably. Satha Toledo with its Tank Heal could substitute Goblin Psychic, not only it cost only 5 mana, but its a ranged card, which would be useful when ruleset which omits magic cards does applied.

MAGIC WATCHER

We have new magic cards at the extreme end of both mana plane. Ujurak Mystic and Blackmoor Nymph both start with a standard 1 mana damage. Both does gained quite endurance on leveling up, but other than that, their main roles remain as "Support" which limited to the abilities they possessed.

I though Lord Thanalor and Zebajin are more of raw cards, which rely on high parameter only with no considerable abilities. I consider Lord Thalanor to be excessively costly given its damage value and the health. Consider Chaos Dragon which might be far more stronger in comparison (but its coming from Dragon Splinter which supposed to be stronger than element Splinter). Scavenger might be the only useful ability, which should have so much frequent chances to trigger.

Zebajin is much more complex than Lord Thalanor. Dealing 1 magic damage at 7 mana cost might be too much. Even if we rely on Armored Strike, it barely deal only 1 damage. Other than that the 10 are really something not to be taken lightly. And knowing that it possessed Last Stand, clearly highlighted that this card is not meant for Tanker or Striker, but rather left behind in the last row as comeback measure.

BYSTANDER

Lurking Puffer is the most unique non-attack card by far. Mainly because it possess Corrosive Ward as its main counter-attack ability. Basically this ability only deal damage to armor, which means will not damage to health. So its indifference if this ability is really as useful as others such as Return Fire, Backfire, or Magic Reflect.