OphidianRealms Article - Making a Splash (part 1)
Posted by: Snow Miser on 2004-01-08
I'm surprised nobody's written any articles on splashing yet. For those who have never heard the term before, splashing is adding a few gladiators and cards from an extra discipline to round out a deck (such as putting Trace and Senet in a Mystic/Psi deck). Splash cards should either fill in a hole in your deck (i.e. splash Mystic for Let Freedom Ring in a Cybernetics/Bio-tek deck, which would otherwise be absent of pump removal) or give some sort of big effect that you need another discipline/color to produce (though this probably wouldn't happen in Ophidian; I guess you could put in a 3 or 4 VP Psi guy for Confused Alliance but if I'm going to promote a glad to lvl 4 I might as well base the deck off them). Even subtle changes to a deck can make a big difference in any CCG, and Ophidian is no different. This article will look at all the level one cards that have only one discipline symbol and rate them as a potential splash. I will not consider cards with multiple discipline symbols, because I feel that this requires too many extra glads to make it work. Next article, I'm going to show how much of a difference splashes can make by considering a few disciplines to splash for an example Cybernetics/Psi deck (Topka Gar). Keep in mind that the card ratings are my own opinion, and also that just like any other card, splash cards can be good or bad depending on which deck you put them in. Additionally, these ratings are only how well I think they will splash, so don't tell me that Back Up Control is the bomb diggity in your Cybernetics based deck. On with the show!
BIO-TEK
Arthritic Bile: If I really need pump hate for my deck, I can do better than this.
Cellular Collapse: Expensive to maintain. Not a bad effect though.
Festering Stink: Could be interesting in a pump based War deck.
Lung Spores: I don't like it.
Open Sores: This card's a rare?
Slobbering Bite: Pump a high level Ryla with it, then scrap it so she can have +2 ADMG. Or put it on a minion that you aren't going to keep around anyway for an extra ADMG. I like Sunder Maul better for a ADMG boosting pump.
Spinal Twist: Conditional, but still very useful considering that most minions only have 2 life to start with anyway. Drain an opponent's CP, kill off almost any minion in the game, or play it later in the wave and don't give him an option in the matter.
Violent Quiver: Not a fan.
My splashworthy cards: Festering stink (pump based War deck only), Spinal Twist.
CYBER
Adapter Droid: The best use I can see for these guys is with Back Up Control, using them to chump for your important Cybernetics minions.
Back Up Control: Speaking of which, this card is not splashworthy, and neither are Adapter Droids.
Demonic Combat Database: If you are splashing disciplines you will probably only use 1 or 2 glads in the splash discipline.
Kinetic Shield: This card's a rare?
Mega-Ram Boost: Card advantage=good. Plus if any of your non-cybernetics guys are constructs, you can pop it on them. I probably wouldn't splash just for it but if you decide to splash for any other cybernetics cards I'd at least give it a try.
Nukutal Boom-Rang: Ping off that pesky minion or finish off a glad on the edge. Nothing wrong with it, but I don't think I'd splash for it.
Phase Blades: as a war gladiator pump, this one I'd only splash if all my glads were war glads.
Re-Gen Bot: If you need pump removal for your team, go for Mystic and Let Freedom Ring. If you're going to splash for minions that deal ADMG, go for Portal.
Siphon: If you need healing for your team, go for Mystic and Lesser Healing.
Tomtakee: If you're going to splash for minions that deal ADMG, go for Portal.
My splashworthy cards: Nukutal Boom-Rang (sort of borderline though), Mega Ram Boost (if you've already splashed for the Boom-Rang).
MYSTIC
Anti-Mutation Agent: Eugene made 2 good pieces of art for Ophidian: Energy Collectors and Power in Numbers.
Kaleem's Momentum: Sometimes, you just need one last attack to finish off the guy that will otherwise swing for the win if your opponent gains flow back. He spends a cheer after you make the attack that brings his guy within killable range and smacks you. This card could be your answer if you have that problem often.
Lesser Healing: If I'm splashing, I would rather have it either hit my opponent's team for damage or take out one of his threats on the board. If you reeeeeealy want to heal your guys, go for it because it's the only splashable card that does. Me, I wouldn't splash for it.
Let Freedom Ring: Bad pump removal? No pump removal? No problem! LFR can help you out!
Natural Surge: John Moriarty, however, is a good artist.
Resucitation: If you reeeeealy want a minion to live, this is an expensive way of doing it. Granted, it's the only way of doing it.
Tainted Yin: Yep, John Moriarty is a good artist.
Tainted Yang: John Moriarty sucks! (yells Snow Miser's evil twin)
Treble Factor: This card's going with my Chimney Imps from drafting Mirrodin. On second thought, last time I got a paper cut on my ass, which was not at all fun. Maybe it'll just have to stay in my commons box.
Truthful Delusion: Rob is a bit better than Eugene, but not as good as John.
My splashable cards: Kaleem's Momentum (if you reeeeealy need a second attack 4th wave), Let Freedom Ring, Resucitation (if you reeeeealy want your minion to live)
PORTAL
Bloaters: Senet's better.
Drosh: After Senet, he's in.
Flesh: To get your money's worth, you need to swing with him and play 2 bio-decay cards costing 3 or more CP.
Glubus: Senet's better.
Iron Monster: Gross in a deck with only Portal glads, but as a splash Senet's better.
Pandu: Senet's better, but if you need another minion and you will pay the estra credit for an extra life point, put him in over Drosh.
Portal Transport: Not good.
Portaled Heist: Strictly better than Let Freedom Ring, if you have any pumps in your deck at all.
Putaka: Senet's better.
Rancheck: Senet's better.
Senet: Either hit something for 1, or prevent at least that much. Plus he has 2 life, which means that he survives Nukutal Boom-Rang, plus attacks from low level glads and most minions. IMHO the most splashable minion in the game right now.
Writhing Horror: Do I have to say it?
My splashable cards: Senet, Portaled Heist, Drosh/Pandu (if you reeeeealy need another minion after Senet)
PSI
Distraction: Senet's better (since he can prevent the damage for multiple waves, or beat for 1).
Force Reversal: See Demonic Combat Database.
Hidden Danger: Mike Cunningham kicks ass.
Mind Over Body: Card draw just isn't as good in Ophidian as it is in MTG.
Mindlash: The only good discard is discard that gets you more cards than you spent to use it (especially if the target gets to choose what he pitches).
Mute: I'd rather splash for something that would kill the minion. It's the best way of dealing with He Who Hungers and Unborn though.
Palm Ripples: Mike Cunningham kicks ass.
Skull Splice: If you want pump removal, go for either mystic for Let Freedom Ring or Portal for Portaled Heist.
Suffocation: See above.
My splashable cards: Mute (maybe)
WAR
Adrenaline Shot: Adrenaline Shot, meet Chimney Imp.
Defensive Anchor: Meet Chimney Imp.
Electro Chains: Not a bad card, but I don't like this for a splash.
Experimental Magenta Pill: Chimney Imp, this is Experimental Magenta Pill.
Faulty Weapon: Not bad, but only any good against one type of deck.
Flexi Armor: See Lesser Healing.
Gercan Side Step: See Flexi Armor.
Joint Lock: See Force Reversal.
Medi Patch: See Gercan Side Step
One For the Team: See Joint Lock.
Spiked Fists: If you want another damage dealing pump after Sunder Maul.
Sunder Maul: The Hammer is stupidly big and stupidly good as a splash card.
My splashable cards: Spiked Fists, Sunder Maul, Faulty Weapon (if everyone in town insists on playing only war based pump decks).
Well, that's it for the card review. I'll be back later to analyze how different splashes can fundamentally change how a deck operates (using Topka Gar as an example).
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