sylandra
08-03-2008, 12:57 PM
My first attempt at a rune review. Open to suggestion and comments. I won't be updating this as I'm too lazy/busy. Enjoy!
On me: I've been a casual poxer since way early (when polymorph was the way it used to be - had a KF/UD elf deck centred around it *sigh those were the days), sold all of my runes then came back to the game. I love RTSes and strategy based games in general.
*Starred runes are difficult to obtain, if you're a new player, don't count on having these.
Tier 1: When people say "KF has great spells" these are why.
Brambles - Simple, versatile, low nora cost. (quick cooldown too) Great for finishing off a nearly dead champ, small aoe, grounding flying units over a chasm, stopping champs from running away or prevent them from getting to you. Lots of uses.
Herbal Antidote - With so many ways to debuff champs these days, antidote comes in really handy. The healing is negligible but the aoe cleanse is so ridiculously useful. Often players will blind/stun your champ and close in so that they don't have to eat your initial attacks. Against an aggressive opponent this can really turn the tide. Don't forget it makes you immune to poison/disease for 2 turns as well - use it walk to through poison cloud or have 1 turn immunity to boghopper spitters.
Call Serpent - It's like a 25 nora champ that you can deploy anywhere (no need for a font). Very low cooldown too. Place well b/c the egg is weak. It can, however, be used to contest fonts regardless. If anything, it's 25 nora to soak up 1 enemy attack, which from a pit dragon, might be worth it. Try not to use these too often, they can't capture fonts b/c they're summoned.
*Grimlic's Mirror - Expensive, but whatever you're copying should be more than 80 nora anyway - need another Dwarven King? Lich King? [edit- you can't copy heroes] You name it, you got it, it's like having a wildcard in your deck that you can use to exploit an opponent's weakness.
*Thorn Collection - Nearly free damage. Low cooldown.
Tier 2 - Amazing support spells that can win you the game if used properly.
Vortex - KF's version of banish. Can also be used defensively to save your own unit. Great for removing powerful units from battle. Can be a game tipper if used properly.
Devolve - I don't find this as useful as I once did. It's best used to prevent super units from dishing out dmg for 2 rounds. The reduced speed is also great for stopping runners. This is ultimately a support spell because you need the right champs and positioning to capitalize on it. That's why it sits at Tier 2.
Nature's Wrath - Great aoe, used to open an attacking salvo as it decreases def by 10. Too expensive to use as just dmg.
Butterfly Wings - Situational but if used properly is extremely surprising. Imagine a 11 spd dwarven mogaslicer flying across the lava lake to charge you through the air? Can also be used to get around unit blocking/engaging to kill the thing you want. Lasts quite a long time.
Invisibility - People really underestimate this spell. The champ that you cast this on stays stealthed until it attacks or is detected. Invised units can close on ranged with impunity. You can't kill what you can't see. It's also great for getting away or to grant "mobility" - stealthed units do not engage adjacent enemies. Can be used to invis units and font harass. It's not quite Tier 1 material, but definitely should not be ignored. I would take this over Butterfly Wings if you're looking to add some spice to your deck.
Tier 3 - Highly situational
Cultivate the Earth - could be useful in a plant/hidden:forest or vegetation deck. It does pay for itself over 5 rounds but remember, nora now = champ now, so it's not 100% free. You pay with time. You could get that champ out earlier which means more AP/attacks/font contesting, etc...
Recall - Situational, you have to have good spells and construct a deck around this to make it useful. And even then, anti-spell runes will kill you: backfire, nefari torch, etc...
Grimlic's Bane - Think of it as a super smite enemy that will smite anything with the same name too. Only good against swarm/illusions. When you consider the cost it's just not worth it. There are better things to do with your nora.
Swiftwind - maybe I don't know how to use this, but I can't see how it would be that useful, doesn't help you against terrain effects or unit blocking.
Shoebox
*Polymorph - I've never seen this in game, probably b/c so many recipes use it. Not sure what Octopi's plan is with this thing. Old poly used to be so much better.
Carnivorous Vines - Brambles is better for the cost and affects an area.
Clairvoyance - only useful in conjunction with darkness in some sort of trick deck, otherwise 20 nora for 4 runes is probably going to help you as often as it will hurt you in the early game. And in the late game it's completely useless.
Lifeshield - Far too situational, most spells are aoe these days anyway.
Light as a Feather - If you rely on this to get your lumbering going, you've got problems. Very situational.
Truce - Helps you as often as it hurts you.
On me: I've been a casual poxer since way early (when polymorph was the way it used to be - had a KF/UD elf deck centred around it *sigh those were the days), sold all of my runes then came back to the game. I love RTSes and strategy based games in general.
*Starred runes are difficult to obtain, if you're a new player, don't count on having these.
Tier 1: When people say "KF has great spells" these are why.
Brambles - Simple, versatile, low nora cost. (quick cooldown too) Great for finishing off a nearly dead champ, small aoe, grounding flying units over a chasm, stopping champs from running away or prevent them from getting to you. Lots of uses.
Herbal Antidote - With so many ways to debuff champs these days, antidote comes in really handy. The healing is negligible but the aoe cleanse is so ridiculously useful. Often players will blind/stun your champ and close in so that they don't have to eat your initial attacks. Against an aggressive opponent this can really turn the tide. Don't forget it makes you immune to poison/disease for 2 turns as well - use it walk to through poison cloud or have 1 turn immunity to boghopper spitters.
Call Serpent - It's like a 25 nora champ that you can deploy anywhere (no need for a font). Very low cooldown too. Place well b/c the egg is weak. It can, however, be used to contest fonts regardless. If anything, it's 25 nora to soak up 1 enemy attack, which from a pit dragon, might be worth it. Try not to use these too often, they can't capture fonts b/c they're summoned.
*Grimlic's Mirror - Expensive, but whatever you're copying should be more than 80 nora anyway - need another Dwarven King? Lich King? [edit- you can't copy heroes] You name it, you got it, it's like having a wildcard in your deck that you can use to exploit an opponent's weakness.
*Thorn Collection - Nearly free damage. Low cooldown.
Tier 2 - Amazing support spells that can win you the game if used properly.
Vortex - KF's version of banish. Can also be used defensively to save your own unit. Great for removing powerful units from battle. Can be a game tipper if used properly.
Devolve - I don't find this as useful as I once did. It's best used to prevent super units from dishing out dmg for 2 rounds. The reduced speed is also great for stopping runners. This is ultimately a support spell because you need the right champs and positioning to capitalize on it. That's why it sits at Tier 2.
Nature's Wrath - Great aoe, used to open an attacking salvo as it decreases def by 10. Too expensive to use as just dmg.
Butterfly Wings - Situational but if used properly is extremely surprising. Imagine a 11 spd dwarven mogaslicer flying across the lava lake to charge you through the air? Can also be used to get around unit blocking/engaging to kill the thing you want. Lasts quite a long time.
Invisibility - People really underestimate this spell. The champ that you cast this on stays stealthed until it attacks or is detected. Invised units can close on ranged with impunity. You can't kill what you can't see. It's also great for getting away or to grant "mobility" - stealthed units do not engage adjacent enemies. Can be used to invis units and font harass. It's not quite Tier 1 material, but definitely should not be ignored. I would take this over Butterfly Wings if you're looking to add some spice to your deck.
Tier 3 - Highly situational
Cultivate the Earth - could be useful in a plant/hidden:forest or vegetation deck. It does pay for itself over 5 rounds but remember, nora now = champ now, so it's not 100% free. You pay with time. You could get that champ out earlier which means more AP/attacks/font contesting, etc...
Recall - Situational, you have to have good spells and construct a deck around this to make it useful. And even then, anti-spell runes will kill you: backfire, nefari torch, etc...
Grimlic's Bane - Think of it as a super smite enemy that will smite anything with the same name too. Only good against swarm/illusions. When you consider the cost it's just not worth it. There are better things to do with your nora.
Swiftwind - maybe I don't know how to use this, but I can't see how it would be that useful, doesn't help you against terrain effects or unit blocking.
Shoebox
*Polymorph - I've never seen this in game, probably b/c so many recipes use it. Not sure what Octopi's plan is with this thing. Old poly used to be so much better.
Carnivorous Vines - Brambles is better for the cost and affects an area.
Clairvoyance - only useful in conjunction with darkness in some sort of trick deck, otherwise 20 nora for 4 runes is probably going to help you as often as it will hurt you in the early game. And in the late game it's completely useless.
Lifeshield - Far too situational, most spells are aoe these days anyway.
Light as a Feather - If you rely on this to get your lumbering going, you've got problems. Very situational.
Truce - Helps you as often as it hurts you.