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Houston Regional is in the books, meaning we can now devote all our attention to the Spiritforged expansion, soon available to play in China.
As my contribution to the excitement around the new set, I plan to do an article for each domain, covering their best cards, impact on the upcoming metagame, and synergies. For this first instalment, let's talk about the mind domain.
During the Origins metagame, mind cards served as fantastic support first and foremost. OGN-095 became a staple in every blue deck, OGN-103, OGN-087 and OGN-096 were early game go-to cards, and OGN-116 is in the conversation for best late-game unit in Riftbound. Last, OGN-122 became a win condition the opponent was forced to play around, impacting how the late-game was played whenever a blue legend reached 6 points.
Spiritforged will likely keep the mind domain in this supporting role, but tilt its contribution towards more energy cheats rather than card advantage. It is only fair, as SFD-199, the most talked about mind legend ahead of this new set, sports a draw ability, meaning we won't have to invest as much in that department.
Plus, there is a new release which could be enough card draw on its own. I'm sure you know which card I'm talking about, so let's dive into it !
These articles are focused on the cards I feel will have the most impact in the Spiritforged set within their domain. However, this doesn't necessarily mean I believe they are all powerhouses we will play in every deck.
A card can also leave its mark as a fantastic side deck option, a solid support, or be a strong fit in a precise environment. Then, I rated each card out of five stars for more clarity on their expected role :
Niche synergy contributor — Great side deck inclusion.
Great fit for the Spiritforged metagame — Playable in multiple decks
Future staple for the domain — Able to shape the Spiritforged metagame
Premonition
Until ways to score more than two points per turn become a common occurrence, Riftbound will be played with resource management as a deciding factor. Sure, this one will hurt our runes and set us back in the energy department, but finding alternate ways to play Power Costs is a focus of this expansion.
Then, through creating some SFD-T03, we'll be sure to rarely have to recycle three runes when casting SFD-087.
With OGN-247 the dominant legend in Origins, this card already has an obvious landing spot. With this addition, the Daughter of the Void could be able to run more tempo oriented cards, cutting on OGN-087 and OGN-096 for example, to instead run beefier units early on.
Plundering Poro
Speaking of a beefier early game and ignoring power costs, this new Poro has many people talking. Indeed, when played on turn one, you are almost guaranteed to get a SFD-T03, unless the opponent removes it rather than develops a unit of their own.
There are plenty of cards to take care of it before it conquers. OGN-009 or OGN-169 were popular inclusion in the Origins metagame. Yet, even if they can handle it, immediately forcing a reaction from your opponent puts you in the driver's seat tempo wise.
Otherwise, we got a point and a SFD-T03 from our turn one unit. Fantastic contribution.
Pickpocket
With SFD-T03 being one of the core mechanics of Spiritforged, cards able to interact with it, especially cheaper ones, should represent a great way to derail your opponent's play patterns.
I'm not certain this makes it into the main deck, except for legends designed to slow down their opponent more than develop their own agenda, such as OGS-021 or the new SFD-201. However, this looks like a solid side-deck inclusion to grab the lead early on, effectively stealing a SFD-T03 from your opponent.
This becomes even more powerful, likely main deck material, if seals or 1-cost equipments become popular. Moreover, denying our next entry to be played on curve will be a massive relief.
Jayce, Man of Progress
One day, a Jayce legend will join the game, and everyone will come back to this card and look for the strongest possible pairings. Until then, the need to find this on curve, plus include enough high-cost gears to have one in our hand, might prevent SFD-084 from being a metagame staple.
We can still discuss its potential though, as certain legends will have to high roll to stand a chance. OGS-021 for example, will certainly attempt to play SFD-069 on turn one, conquer with it, smash the SFD-T03 with SFD-084 and summon SFD-168 for free.
When that happens, the opponent better pack gear removal, or side some for the next game.
The main issue is the lack of targets past this 7-cost gear. We have a few equipments to consider : SFD-115, SFD-161 and the trio of SFD-189 signature cards, SFD-192, SFD-191 and SFD-190.
Mind and Body domains are opposite, so SFD-115 won't happen, which only leaves SFD-189 and Mind - Order legends as potential landing spots.
Can OGN-242 paired with SFD-084 to summon OGS-006 or OGN-110 early on be a thing?
I feel that is SFD-084's best shot to see play. Indeed, SFD-189 will likely be busy building around another champion unit.
Ornn, Forge God
How do you remove this card without massively setting you back in runes ?
You can't consider using multiple spells or abilities on it, or you would have to break four just to be allowed to target it. Plus, damage-based spells won't be reliable, as the Might will vary depending on how many gears are in play.
The Order domain has the best answer with OGN-209, especially as you don't have to target yourself. OGN-213 is pricier, but also works once SFD-085 moves to a battlefield.
However, you have to keep OGN-045 in mind when playing those cheap spells.
If you have plenty of runes available and the lead on the scoreboard, OGN-172 could be fine even if you recycle 4 runes. Otherwise, the best answer against SFD-085 probably is to remove your opponent's gears early on.
If you don't, and your SFD-189 opponent manages to set their champion unit on a battlefield, good luck taking it back.
Cloth Armor
This is the more discreet entry on this list, but I feel it becomes obvious why I have it as a great card once you picture SFD-085 sitting on a battlefield.
If you aren't convinced SFD-189 will be good enough to be competitive, SFD-064 will also pair extremely well with OGN-255 or SFD-201's play styles.
Some champion units also make sense, for example SFD-089 or SFD-058, both having great hold payoffs. Last, plenty of battlefields reward you for holding, such as OGN-288 or GN-280.
Still not seeing it? What about looking at it as OGN-046, a calm staple in the Origins metagame, but for the mind domain?
Sure, that only works when you are the defender, but your unit doesn't have to be alone for this one to grant +2 might. Plus, it seems like there are more cards helping the mind domain to be great at holding a battlefield.
Wages of Pain
Building a points' lead early on is a great way to force your opponent to act in a rush, feeling like they have to take a gamble to come back before you get in range to push for the win. This is precisely what this card helps with.
Typically, the first two turns of a match end up with each player on a battlefield, as they move their turn one unit there. Only then, the showdowns will start and the one able to conquer every turn, or secure a hold, will grab the lead.
SFD-070 could help to conquer, but 3 damage for 3 energy isn't that great of a deal. On the other end, 3 damage for a recycled rune is much better, especially as we get a SFD-T03 to pay for a future power cost as well.
This looks like a new staple for OGN-263, but could end up in SFD-199 or OGN-265 as well.
Hextech Anomaly
Let's circle back to what we talked about in the introduction about the mind domain's role in the metagame, switching from a strong card draw support to instead provide more ways to cheat energy. No card embodies this change more than SFD-083, or as some have started to call it : Time Warp on a gear.
To understand this card, one needs to have lost a match to OGN-122, unable to conquer a battlefield back while the opponent was sitting at 6 points. They got to seven, played OGN-122 and shook our hand.
With the new card, we would access different patterns of play. We can't score twice in a row because of it, but still would accomplish something similar, except SFD-083 is much more flexible to play over the course of a match.
Imagine a similar scenario, our opponent reaches 7 through holding. The game is on the line as they win if they can conquer our battlefield, or manage to hold for one more turn.
They summon some units with their runes, all at the battlefield they already own. Clearly, they plan to hold.
Then, they use SFD-083 to recycle all their runes, and summon an additional OGN-088, adding 8 might while they were almost tapped out. Now, they only have a couple of runes left, but it doesn't matter, they win if we can't conquer.
Now, let's picture a scenario where neither player is in lethal range. It is turn two, your SFD-189 opponent is on five runes after they played SFD-083 on turn one.
They tap their five runes but keep the energy. Then, they tap SFD-083 and use their legend ability to gain one energy.
They summon their champion unit : a 5-might SFD-085 you can't do much about except if you are willing to recycle more than half your runes to interact with it. Fortunately, the opponent didn't draw a seal.
Such scenarios aren't that uncommon, as long as cards without any power cost are part of the pattern. For example, SFD-199 could very well use all their runes to clear your battlefields with Chaos spells, returning your units to your hand or base. Then, SFD-083 will grant them energy, and they'll simply play OGN-176 on each battlefield for the win.
SFD-189 will be the obvious legend to use alongside the card, as the Fire Below the Mountain can ignore the power-cost of SFD-083, plus get one extra energy when they tap it. Yet, something as simple as adding OGN-088 or OGN-116 to your turn can be enough for most Mind legends to consider running one copy of SFD-083.
Closing Words
That was our review of the Mind domain for the Spiritforged set. Please let me know if you would also like some decks to be included in these articles. I planned to have builds in a separate piece so we can focus on the cards themselves here, but maybe more context would help fully understanding certain cards.
Good Game Everyone!
