| April 26, 1999 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type: Ally | Renown: 2 |
| Rage: 6 | |
| Gnosis: 1 | |
| Health: 2 | |
| Keywords: Spirit | |
| Requires: Shadow Lords or cohorts. | |
| Text: Combat Event (Out): Both players play their first card in this combat for 0 Rage regardless of its cost. You may only use this Event once a turn. | |
| Quote: | |
| Phase: 3 | Artist: L. A. Williams |
| |||||||||||||||
Power: 16
The Storm Crow Spirit has a pretty potent Combat Event, sort of the Shadow Lords' answer to Might of Thor without the Gnosis cost. Not having to pay the Rage cost of your first card is not something to pass up easily. Even your Cub could pull off a Whack Upside t'Head with a little help from this kind spirit. In fact, this card makes a great addition for smaller Renown pack members to rely on to help spread out their Rage. The real power in this Card is by making the playing field even on Rage costs, making it easier to beat high Rage enemies. It is also very useful when attacking something with the combat card Adapt. No matter what they can block, you'll hit 'em for at least one. Of note, remember also that you can use this in other combats - make Enemies harder to kill, Battlefields harder to conquer, etc.
As a character, however, the Storm Crow Spirit is not much of a combatant or gift-user. The Rage is pretty high for a Renown 2 character, but that Health of 2 makes this Spirit short lived if targeted. This card will get added for its text, not combat prowess.
Usability: 12
This card is equally at home in a Shadow Lord or cohort pack. Being an ally means that you won't have to keep the token Shadow Lord alive beyond calling up the spirit in a cohort deck. You could get this card into all of the Auspice packs without a problem. In fact, a Philodox deck with Fire-in-Desert and a Shadow Lord will let you start with this card in play.
Limitations: 19
This card is very balanced - perhaps a smidge too limited, however. The most obvious balancing point is that the effects hold true for both sides of the combat. You might be walking right into a rather painful Total Disregard or Wicked Counter. You'll also be pretty much telegraphing the fact you'll be playing a high Rage card. You might use this to your advantage (by using something that targets big blocks), so this isn't as big of a limitation as much as a consideration. There is also that 'once per turn' clause on this card, so the power won't be overused. Probably the most telling limitation is the health on the card. With Renown 2, it isn't a point target, but anything that hits spirits can take this card out fairly easily. Watch out for Spirit Whistles, Bane Host Mothers, and the like.
Decks: 16
This has a home in any combat monster deck that can use it. A free card is always nice when you're playing with big Rage costs. On the flip side, a weenie deck of lower Renown characters will also get a lot of mileage out of this card. This is especially true of Cub War decks that might only have 2 or 3 Rage to spend. This card would also find a place in a deck that relies on combat card superiority. If you can get an inkling of what card they will play (through looking at their hand, or using Minke's card declaration ability), play a card specifically geared towards neutralizing it. They've wasted a card, and you presumably have designed your game play to gain more if you need it. My fourth idea involves the defense strategy of getting things to attack you so you can use Prey abilities. Combine this card with a War Paint, and defend with a card that takes advantage of high Rage/Damage cards, like Wicked Counter, at no cost. This last one is a bit of a stretch, but still a useful application.
Flavor: 19
I love the art on this card. In fact, I think it is perhaps the best piece of work on a Rage card yet. You've got a storm, you've got a crow, and the electric halo effect on the crow gives it that supernatural effect. Oddly, this actually looks like a Lawrence Snelly piece, not one of L. A. Williams's work. Either way, it's effective and appropriate. The card effect doesn't quite mesh with the card name, but everything else does. It is not beyond the realms of belief that a spirit would have the ability to affect battle. The card gets the five points for the quote portion, since the card text fills the space available. As far as appropriateness in general, this spirit definitely had a place in the Shadow Lord release. Being related to Grandfather Thunder, this card gives a spiritual presence for the Shadow Lords that directly links to their tribe.