What are some champions that you consider to be from runnable to meta right now? (Keep in mind this is from a first impression, more testing required) IMO, right now: Deep elf masochist: Tough 2 and masochism implies she actually takes 4 less damage from most attacks. That alone is huge. Calcify then can reduce another 2 damage on a second attack, and 55hp at base (then, warbanner), make her quite durable. 6spd is the new average, and 69n (if we pick the reflection 1 upgrade) is a reasonable price. I think she is one of our best tanks right now. (Have to test more, I'm not sure how masochism works with most non-basic attacks) Deep elf fire dancer: Fascinate + range 1-3 always have been a favourite of mine. Deflection fire, fire aura 3 and blind (personal choice) for 58n is pretty reasonable, but I think fire aura 1 is enough to deal with perseverance champions, so 52n is another possibility. Still, lava terrain + fascinate combo is doable. EDIT: Got wrong something, she can only pick fire aura 2, or arcane dance. Her cheaper build is 54n, which is still pretty good. Deep elf infiltrator: Shadow shift, call of the hunter and stun. 74n for 12 (+4) dmg. Kind of sad because she lost scramble, but still can pull her stealth relocate role without too much trouble. Shadow shift is quite welcome. Deep elf summoner: Her core remained roughly the same. 74n for 12(+4) dmg, 6 spd and range 1-2 psychic attack. In the same build she still have invigorate 2, but gained pawn, and she can summon an imp, so she can actually move to the front lines and take a hit or two in between invigorates. (also, she is a witch now (?), so theoretically in a weird FW/UD bg, she would benefit from witching hour.) Deep elf mercenary: Nuff said! All hail the new queen of efficiency! Red cap twins: I'm on the fence about these pair. Immortality made so much sense on them, but is also the same upgrade path for raze and vengeful. Vengeful is the less viable option, imo. This is not FW, the demons are not supposed to be dying left and right. Now, raze got a small buff (15 hp loss against avatars), but people rarely use avatars anyway; and without immortality, raze would trigger only once or twice during a normal match, so isn't particularly notorious. Hence, immortality is the clear winner not because is good, but because is the lesser evil option. However, the second upgrade path offer to downgrade rend to rank 1, which is a no-brainer, so 61n per champion. 61n for 6+6(+4) dmg, 7spd, 2 def and 57hp? Yes, please. And I would like bleed with that for the same price. So, what about you, guys? Have found something interesting?
Haven't tested this by myself, but I'm afraid the scorched dwarf is OP. Yeah, I called it, the scorched dwarf is OP. You see, demonbound was changed to something similar to other (race) bound abilities, so the champion is possessed by the opponent if the player doesn't have champion with the proper race in play. So, the SD can be put in a spider or minotaur theme without problem. Now, be not afraid, his second upgrade path allow you to choose between pariah and skirmisher. Skirmisher is a no brainer for two reasons: at one hand, even if the opponent controls the dwarf every other turn, with 4 spd is unlikely they will move it anywhere close to a champion and deal damage. The only target they could reach and hit is the immobile shri... oh, wait, skirmisher disables this. Even if the opponent attempt to made the dwarf walk on a chasm or lava, the player can just move it back to where it was. Is amusing to play some weird pull and push game with the dwarf. Now, at the other hand, pariah disables most UD sacrifice mechanics (like exile), so even if for situational (at best) scenarios, the dwarf is improved by picking anything but pariah. As for the second path, mason 1/2/3, why would you like to heal 9hp on the shrine every other turn? Unless someone is planning to scry like mad, there is little to no need to be healing the shrine that much. So, personally, mason 1 is enough, so my scorched dwarf is priced at 25n. Nora miner 2 for 25n. The only reason I would not include one dwarf in every bg is if the opponent also gains nora when the dwarf is possessed, but nora miner itself reads "at the beginning of your turn", so I doubt it works like that. Do I mentioned the dwarf lost lumbering? Even in the worst scenario I described above (the opponent gains nora if the dwarf is possessed), in a dedicated deep elf theme, he can walk around capturing off hand fonts.
These all look decent: Altered Lemeure: 10 damage, aura 3, shadowspawn, 55 health for 60 nora DEP: Capable of having poison 3, relocate demon, 2 damage types for 66 nora (assuming multi 1). Spellkaiser is still pretty good w/ cast cauterize. Imp Deceiver: Charm, Cackle, Des Scapegoat, Voices==he brings a lot of cc to the table Minotaur Sentry/Flamecrusher still seem very good: unstoppable, combat awareness, absorb for 82 nora w/ pummel 1 and 50 hp. Nefari guardian looks pretty tanky w/ good hp, resis phys, high def and bodyguard.
What the sheoul are you talking about? /me checks rune manager Holy sheet! Colossal and tough 1-2 on the same champion? Oh, wow, that's... unexpected. Ok, best tank in the game so far. Which is good for me, because nobody will nerf call the DE Masochist.
Not so much a gem, but with sever summons taken off two of the 6 champs that had it, it looks like summons are powerful and everywhere. So griefbearer remains a very good option.
Mindslicer Obelisk is looking tempting. UD has NO range anymore, except for the occasional throw axe on enforcer.
Yes but cooldown has been reduced to 2 correct me if I'm wrong,which is huge so with dragons sentrys and enforcers etc can have enough range to make people move into melee range
True but 3 champs with ranged attacks every other turn is not going to compete with other factions. I'd rather skip on those 3 champs and run anti range.
Bok Warden is VERY good imo. In fact she even seems a bit too much. 16 damage in full faction, with Arrowshot, Detection and Enrage. With Enrage activated it does 19 dmg and it has very nice HP. If I were to change it, I'd drop the Enrage (with Arrowshot she is a nice pseudo-range and Detection is flavorful, Enrage making the least sense imo) and maybe something like -1 or -2 dmg. In any case, she's very powerful now.
Imp Strangler is still really good. It's cheaper than before, and although it's lost intimidating, it also lost unequippable. With Cloak of Long Knives, he'll be popping in and out of sight as he pleases since he has Shadowspawn on base.
Can't believe no one has mentioned Corrupted Cultist. You can run him for 51 Nora, he still has 2-3 range with Loss of Life, and seems pretty much the same as before except he's 6 Nora cheaper (assuming you downgrade Afflict from 2 to 1, which... why wouldn't you?). Think he's a great, great option. Fire Giant and Enforcer are the obvious standouts, to echo everyone else. Also, Magma Elemental can now be run for 61 Nora. Pretty insane. Just downgrade Explosive Attack. He lost 1 DEF (I think?) and some HP, but still pretty nice.
Cultist is better, but his power is dependent on having a Sheoul Demon in play, who is pretty inferior to a lot of other options.
Succubus is worth to look at as well as Demonvein Vampyre. Both are pretty tanky, they still have their 7 base speed which is a lot now.
At 51 nora the lack of surge isn't going to hold him back much. I haven't tried him yet myself, but 16-18 loss of life attack is already some nice firepower. The only things that are turning me off are that he can't be beckoned and the range/defenseless. e: haven't played too much with her, but the new LKA is pretty nice. Upgraded combat awareness due to ST. Semi-related, widowmaker is reliable as ever.
Sheoul Firebow 2014? If only it didn't cost 40 nora...especially since it is competing with Demon Shield <.< .
