Two spells with similar effects but which one do you prefer? Hammer Strike - gives -DEF so good for one rounding champs. Also, allows champs to move around because the stunned champ cannot engage. However, it can be cleansed, and stunned champ gains ap next turn. Sapping Beam - ap loss and cannot gain ap next turn. Seems to be great to stop a superchamp in its tracks (that doesn't have unstoppable) for a turn while you bring in reinforcements to finish him off. Nice because it cannot be cleansed. However, you don't have the -DEF and mobility around the champ you do with Hammer Strike. In some of my bg's I run one of each. In some, I run one or the other. I'm trying to figure out if one is better than the other overall. What do you think? Have I missed any pros/cons? Are they about equal and it is a matter of preference? Or should we just be running one of each?
Hammer is generally considered superior because it is more versatile, whereas Beam is JUST a disable spell. If you're running Soulreaver over Vial, you can slap that down for Defiling Aura to prevent a cleanse if you really need the unit to stay stunned. Most of the time, however, you will be using Hammer to aid in one-rounding something, while the stun is just a failsafe if you are unsuccessful. I personally run 2x Hammer in my decks over Sapping Beam.
I run 1 of each. you have the cleanseable factor of Hammer vrs no cleanse of sapping beam, its a nice, 2xHammer will work fine in the majority of games though.
Its really preference. Hammer strike is very powerful when used right. Sapping beam can mean the exact thing. If something is going to dish 20 damage and you really don't want to see a cleanse on it, sapping beam that booty. If something is in your face, hammerstrike it and kill it and/or go for the back field.
Thanks for your replies all. I'll try putting both in for now and see how they work. I've used the stun/bane blast combo which is very nice.
Hammer strike and 3 attacks kills most things. Considering the -2 def, that's 16 dmg caused or allowed by that spell. Even more important now that sarge doesn't have train strike.
The hidden knowledge from before the apocalypse :O (On a side note, i have faith in DoG and the above comment is purely for the shi*s and giggles.)
