Rise of bahamut 1st impressions : Swordcraft

Hi everyone !

This article is the 1st of a serie about the new expansion Rise of Bahamut.

I’ll cover all the different classes and the neutral for constructed format in different articles.
At the moment we don’t know all the cards. So there will probably few updates.

Before I start, just some points to know.

Each cards will have a mark from 1 to 5. It’s based on the Luis Scott Vargas set review scale (a well-known mtg hall of famer player).

5.0: The best of the best. Meta defining. Eg : Ancient Elf
4.0: Staple. Eg : Crystalia Tia
3.5: Good in multiple archetypes, but not a staple. Eg : Elf girl Liza
3.0: Archetype staple. Eg : Elf Knight Cynthia
2.5: Role-player in some decks, but not quite a staple. Eg : Grand archer, Selwyn
2.0: Niche card. In an unknown archetype. Eg : Underbrush beast girl
1.0: It has seen play once or never. Eg : Elven archery

There are two new mechanics in ROB, enhance and clash.

Enhance (x) : If you have x mana available you pay x instead of the original cost of the card (it’s mandatory) to have a more powerful or a new effect.

Clash : the clash ability triggers, when the follower with the ability attacke a follower or is attacked by a follower.

My evaluations are my own, and it’s possible that I’m wrong. Feel free to share your point of view if you disagree with something.

It’s time to start with swordcraft !

Evaluations

Albert, Levin Saber

• Trait

  Commander

• Unevolved

  Storm.
  Enhance (9): Can’t be damaged until the end of the turn this card is played. Can attack twice per turn.

• Evolved
  Storm.

Another good legendary for swordcraft ! Not quite interesting but a very good 5 drop alongside Aurelia. Turn 5 it can value trade with all the 4/5 evolve (cudgel, floral fencer, dragon warrior, elven princess mage, and the blood one) without using a evolution point which is really important. Turn 9 and later it could be use like a finsher. It’s definitely a very flexible card in spite of not being a really impressive or a card with an original and incredible effect.

Mark : 4 

Castle in the sky

• Trait 

  ―

• Countdown (15)
  Whenever an allied follower comes into play, subtract 1 from this amulet’s countdown.
  Last Words: Give +1/+1 and Storm to all allied Swordcraft followers.

This card is really weird. You could trigger the effect pretty quicly with sword because you have lots of things who can generate token but do you really want to skip your turn 3 to play this card ? Moreover it’s an horrible topdeck. Sage Commander or Wind God are more reliable. There is still the dream with otohime but it’s just a dream.

Mark : 1

Amelia, Silver Paladin

• Trait

  Commander

• Unevolved

  

  Fanfare: Put a Gelt, Vice Captain into your hand. Then, change its cost to 0 if at least 3 enemy followers are in play

Most classes don’t have a good four drop on the play. For sword this time is gone. Amelia is amazing. It’s maybe my favourite card of sword. The 3/4 body is nice and the fanfare effect is really huge. If you are behind on the board you can easily catch up. And if you are ahead you still have a card who could be useful later. if you miss floral fencer on 4 it’s still a good card with really good stats. This card is probably more important for midrange sword than Albert.

Mark : 4

Fangbland slayer

• Trait

  Officer

• Unevolved

  Bane.
  Rush.
  Whenever this follower attacks an enemy follower, deal X damage to the enemy leader. X equals this follower’s attack.

• Evolved

  Bane.
  Rush.
  Whenever this follower attacks an enemy follower, deal X damage to the enemy leader. X equals this follower’s attack.

This card could be good in sword control. The problem is that the Alexander will probably stay the choice as a lategame board clear. So maybe we can use fangbland slayer alongside Alexander, but the curve become really high. It could find a place in a control sword deck which really wants to close the game faster or wants an extra removal (but an expensive one).

Mark : 2.5

Gelt, Vice Captain

• Trait

  Officer

• Unevolved

  Fanfare: Gain +1/+0 and Ward if you have a Commander in play.

It’s pretty good with amelia because it’s a free card. But alone it’s not that great. What you want most of the time for ward is more defense than offense. It’s not the case here. And the condition is not really great either. At the moment where you have a commander on the board, the one more attack does really matter ? Not sure. So for me this card is worse than veteran lancer.

Mark : 2

Jeno, Levin Vanguard

• Trait

  Officer

• Unevolved

  Rush.
  Enhance (6): Gain Last Words: Summon two Knights.

• Evolved

  Rush

The problem with this card is that it can’t trade with most three drops. Amelia can and amelia give you a card in your hand. At 6 mana you have really better option than playing a 4/3 with a not really good last words effect.

Mark : 2

Cyclone Blade

• Trait

  ―

• Choose an allied follower and deal X damage to all other followers. X equals the attack of the chosen follower.

No this card is not good in control sword. Control sword cares about its board too. Even if there are more late game threats than midrange sword, it still plays floral fencer and othohime. There is basically no way to transform this two-sided effect in a one-sided effect.

Mark : 1

Monika, Cloudhall Admiral

• Trait

  Commander

• Unevolved

  Fanfare: Summon a Knight.

• Evolved

  Evolve: Deal X damage to an enemy follower. X equals the number of allied followers in play.

It’s a very good five drop. It can easily make a 2 for 1 in your favor and it increase your board. The problem is that there are lots of good five drops in sword. And with Albert in the fight for the five drop slot it’s really difficult to make the cut. The card has still lots of potential and I will not be surprised if some sword deck play this card.

Mark : 2.5

Samurai

• Trait

  Officer

• Unevolved

  Fanfare: Gain +1/+1 and Bane if 3 or more enemy followers are in play.

A very good 2 drop for sword. The bane is really huge. It can with an evo point do the same role as ruthless assasin. But it’s better because a 2 PP 2/2 is not that bad either (in banner sword the card is worse than ruthless assasin but banner sword is not a good deck to begin with). The card is really flexible and will be used in lots of sword deck.

Mark : 3.5

Thief

• Trait

  Officer

• Unevolved

  Clash: Draw a card.

• Evolved

  Clash: Draw a card.

Very slow card, not really exciting body for a three drop. Sword has lots of option for the three drop slot which are better than this.

Mark : 2

Blitz Lancer

• Trait

  Officer

• Unevolved

  Rush.

• Evolved

  Rush.

It’s not a bad card. It can trade with the 2/3 followers. Novice trooper can’t. But novice trooper can face. Depending on the meta and how the new midrange sword will care about face damage, I can see a world where blitz lancer is played instead of novice trooper.

Mark : 2.5

To conclude

With the new expansion, Sword has lots of tools to be more consistent on the play and not be dependant on floral fencer on the 4th turn. Midrange sword could be one of the best deck in SV again.

My top 3

Amelia, Silver Paladin

Albert, Levin Saber

Samurai