Dusk Till Dawn looms over the horizon, and with players around the world gearing up for Nationals, understanding the new tools entering the realm of Flesh and Blood is critical.

For this review, we’ll start with the tools that any deck can sleeve up, the generics. We then follow with the hero specializations that aren’t covered under other class reviews. And lastly, the Brute class!

Generics

Censor

Censor‘s effect is powerful against certain decks that run multiples of an important card, such as Mauvrion Skies for Viserai and Barraging Beatdown in Rhinar. It’s also great for ensuring certain power cards cannot be cast on a turn, such as Lumina Ascension in Boltyn or Three of a Kind in Lexi. Unlike its predecessor Chains of Eminence, Censor doesn’t disable the card from being pitched, allowing an opponent under the effect of Censor to still pitch the named card for resources. And when the opponent predicts the named card correctly, they can let Censor hit and not cast the card, or arsenal it for a future turn. But which decks can host Censor? 

Firstly, Assassins come to mind. Curving off a Spider’s Bite swing hinders the ability for Censor to be blocked, and can be hidden via stealth cards in Uzuri. As a seasoned Uzuri player, I can see myself slapping three copies of Censor into my deck, depending on which opponents I expect. Secondly, Brutes with their two-pitch weaponry and attacks have a potential role with Censor, cheating damage in with Scabskin Leathers. Thirdly are the Ninjas! Ninjas can end their long combat chains with Censor, being a cheap option allowing the Ninjas to cast other cards in the same turn, and end with disruption. While these are the classes where Censor might fit best, it might also see play in meta games where powerful decks rely on single cards being cast, such as Saber Boltyn (Lumina Ascension) or Midrange Viserai (Mauvrion Skies).

Hold the Line

Hold the Line serves a niche for countering decks that draw multiple cards in a turn, serving as a resource card when it’s not active, and as an over-rate defense reaction when the time calls for it. The nature of the card pitching for three enables this to be included in a deck’s resource base when it’s weak to decks that draw often, or to achieve win percentage in a metagame where decks that draw are common. Examples of such decks are the Lexi deck that dominated the Outsiders metagame, with both Three of a Kind and Art of War enhancing their power turns, and Levia, with Blood Dripping Frenzy and Bloodrush Bellow.

I’ll consider this card in my Rhinar decks, which crave powerful defensive tools and are weak to such decks that draw multiple cards. Any deck that faces similar issues and isn’t strict on the types of blues it runs should consider it!

Warmonger’s Diplomacy

Warmonger’s Diplomacy serves as a tool that restricts certain decks. Runeblades, namely, are kept down due to their reliance on casting non-attack actions on their turns. It also has niche applications, such as preventing non-attack actions in Dorinthea decks or preventing many powerful non-attack actions from going off on the following turn such as Three of a Kind or Bloodrush Bellow, as previously mentioned. Warmonger’s Diplomacy also blocks for three, which improves its playability as a main deck-able blue in decks that don’t mind blocking, but can also be cast when applicable.

Warmonger’s Diplomacy consumes the action point, however, and as such has to be the only play for the turn, or at the end of a combat chain. While niche, it holds potential in meta games where heroes that blend non-attack and attack actions are common. Otherwise, it’s not useful.

Hero Specializations

Star Struck

Star Struck is the star of the specializations.

Unity is a new mechanic that rewards blocking with another card and grants a Seismic Surge on Bravo’s turn when triggered. This enables them to cast powerful retaliations with the remaining cards they didn’t block, such as a two-card Chokeslam. It blocks for three and exists in a class that often blocks in their game plan.

Star Struck boasts an insanely powerful effect. Its Crush effect, when enabled by Bravo’s Dominate ability, almost ensures its effect landing on opponents without a defense reaction ready, with many decks unable to combat its effect. Most cards block for three, and most decks don’t wield attacks that go above seven. As such, Star Struck demands armor, or else outright passes a turn leaving the player open to further beatdown by Bravo. 

Even when Bravo doesn’t dominate Star Struck, it demands blocks from the receiver to produce a retaliation, almost certainly reducing the retaliation of the player significantly. Despite its high cost, when push comes to shove and Star Struck needs to be used to block, even then the Guardian is rewarded. It even pitches for two, so it’s able to be saved for a second cycle assault or to cast a different powerful attack such as Crippling Crush or Spinal Crush.

Star Struck is very very good, and Bravo should be feared come Dusk Till Dawn.

Call Down the Lightning

Call Down the Lightning helps the Lexi player push through decks that attempt to fatigue Lexi, presenting unblockable damage and dissuading blocks. However, it’s likely to be a sideboard card as Lexi doesn’t utilize Lightning cards often, and the card lacks any effect if the attack was unblocked in a race. Lexi is also resource-hungry and requires specific ratios in their deck to work well, such as a certain level of arrows, and is hard-pressed to include this in the main deck in case of bricked draws with Three of a Kind. While powerful, the Unity effect of the card is less relevant due to the widespread use of Voltaire, Strike Twice giving cards go again, and the card blocking poorly at two. Niche, but potentially useful!

Anthem of Spring

Anthem of Spring competes with other Earth blues in Briar which are common to maintain the powerful Channel Mount Heroic, serving as a powerful tool in the resource base. The Unity effect of the card is also useful, bumping it from a two-block to a three-block when blocked with other cards. This also doesn’t include any Embodiments that were created on the attacking turn before, with cards like Force of Nature potentially blocking for five! While its effect when cast is weak, its competition is hard-pressed to be good cards to cast as well, as such I see this card being a powerful utility option for Briar moving forward.

Brute

Brute’s back! Not only in purple, but also in green.

Scowling Flesh Bag

I’ve been a loyal Rhinar stan for two and a half years, and this is the most powerful card they’ve printed for Brute since Scabskin Leathers.

Brute’s number one weakness is the lack of disruption, and this is it. At the opportunity cost of Crown of Providence, if used correctly, Scowling Flesh Bag can be used to disrupt a key turn from an opponent, removing a card from an opponent’s assault or dulling their attacks while you prepare a powerful retaliation on a crucial turn. It must be carefully utilized to ensure its maximum potential. The card intimidated by your opponent should be uncomfortable to be arsenalled as the card is returned to them before the arsenal phase. It’s also a skill-expressive card; understanding the play patterns of your opponents and disrupting it at the right time is crucial in maximizing it.

Numbskull & Dig Up Dinner

Numbskull initially appears amazing, with niche utility uses, such as being immune to Illusionist’s power-dropping effects like Herald of Triumph, ensuring it can trigger Phantasm. It also ignores debilitating effects such as Frostbite or Pulverize‘s on-hit effect. However, it can’t be buffed and doesn’t carry Bloodrush Bellow or Barraging Beatdown‘s empowerments. As such, it’s a niche tool useful in meta-games where its numbing effect is relevant.

As a one-cost blue, Dig Up Dinner curves well into weapon swings. However, Levia has better options, and often lacks a graveyard in the first place. Rhinar has several core blues, and the remaining spots are often debated between Energy Potion, Clearing Bellow, and Pack Hunt, based on personal preferences.  Dig Up Dinner competes for this, and while effective, it’s not my favorite. Rhinar rarely needs the cards shuffled, and might disrupt the pitch stack, and due to its random nature it might shuffle poor cards into the deck, diluting your deck further, and might not shuffle back six powers, which negates its healing effect as well. Lastly, Rhinar, when played well, is not vulnerable to fatigue strategies. Dig Up Dinner, while not my favorite, is still worth consideration for sure.

Shadow Brute

Levia’s eating well this set. Or being eaten.

Levia, Redeemed serves as a stabilization tool against decks that Levia is pounding into full blocking every turn, and ensures you can save yourself in a critical situation where the game is otherwise yours. It’s important to utilize a go again source of damage before flipping Redeemed to maintain pressure as Levia is frail after flipping, being at a measly eight health.

Blasmophet, Levia Consumed however, is the game changer. Blood Debt ticks one by one, allowing you to flip even if you overshoot its life deficit. Optimally, it’s used in a race against aggressive decks, triggering its flip as you arsenal a power card such as Dread Screamer, Bloodrush Bellow, or Blood Dripping Frenzy, and utilizing Carrion Husk and Scowling Flesh Bag to tank a retaliation using Blasmophet’s ability before clapping back with a six-card hand as a last resort to put an opponent in the dirt. Notably, you need to finish your opponent quickly, or else the Blood Debt will finish off your deck in a few turns.

Theoretically, the effects of both cards are powerful, however, they’re both clunky in their own right. Levia, Redeemed costs an action point, which is either risky due to Scabskin Leathers, or costly when pushing an opponent in an end-game scenario to trigger. Blasmophet, however, is difficult to trigger as it has to be during the exact window as you fall below 13 life, and your powerful cards cannot be cast as you’re trying to avoid turning off your Blood Debt.

Despite their drawbacks, these cards are insane additions to Levia’s arsenal all at the cost of one slot in the sideboard. Amazing.

Blood Dripping Frenzy

So what’s the frenzy over this card? Blood Dripping Frenzy serves as more Bloodrush Bellows, insanely increasing the ceiling of Levia’s power. It cycles out Shadow cards and turns each individual six power banished into a buff to all your Brute and Shadow attacks, usually as a +3.

This card implies some changes to deckbuilding, reducing the number of non six-powered Shadow cards wherever possible to ensure it can be smoothly cast, as well as maximizing go again sources to utilize its buffs. It’s notable that this card doesn’t trigger Mandible Claw‘s go again like Bloodrush Bellow, and as such is reliant on other go again sources or Scabskin Leathers to maximize the Frenzy. All this at blue and blocking for three. Game changing card.

Hell Hammer

Hell Hammer is next up to bat. At the opportunity cost of wielding the Mandible Claws you can cancel your Blood Debt as Levia once. Levia is a deck that rarely swings her weapon due to the nature of her needing to stave off Blood Debt, and often having cards in banish to cast as resource dumps such as Ghostly Visit or Deep Rooted Evil. This card serves a powerful purpose, and if the new Levia decks rely less on the power of Bloodrush Bellow, Hell Hammer serves as an interesting deckbuilding option.

Spoiled Skull

Spoiled Skull directly competes with Skullhorn, however it’s useful against decks that utilize arcane often, making it difficult for Levia to fill her graveyard to fuel her attacks. Spoiled Skull serves as a method to cancel Blood Debt in a pinch, or extend a powerful turn even further. Common targets would be Dread Screamer or Ram Raider to create hand activity. Spoiled Skull should be replacing Skullhorn in Levia decks moving forward.

Banish from Hand Package

The meat of Levia’s new cards involve banishing from hand, mirroring the suite of cards Rhinar received in Welcome to Rathe. These cards are inefficient and random, however they serve as interesting options to begin stacking Blood Debt as they don’t require a graveyard. They’re also Shadow cards, which fulfill the requirements to maximize Blood Dripping Frenzy. Among these, the best is likely Ram Raider, which allows the Brute assault to continue in large hands, curving into their efficient one-cost attacks. The best part of these cards is that they block for three when they’re no longer useful. A potential deck consideration for Levia decks moving forward.

Diabolic Offering & Expendable Limbs

The first set of majestics are situational blues, with Diabolic Offering serving as a Graveling Growl look-alike at blue, potentially blocking for six, and Expendable Limbs, a blue defense reaction for four with the cost of potentially awkward turns when blocking due to the random banish. 

Diabolic Offering is likely the easiest to include, as a card that doesn’t block naturally as a cost. It serves niche applications, blocking seven when casting Art of War, or utilizing Ebon Fold on defending turns. Expendable Limbs however is a potential sideboard option, as a resource card that staves off potentially powerful attacks in a pinch, but most of the time pitched for three. These cards work hand in hand, and while not direct upgrades, they’re interesting choices for Levia’s resource base.

Shaden Death Hydra

Shaden Death Hydra is the fun one. 13 damage for three cards? Yes please! However, this card does not turn off Blood Debt itself, often meaning when you aren’t hurting yourself with its effect, you’re about to suffer Blood Debt. It has to be chained with other effects to be powerful, such as Convulsions from the Bellows of Hell or Dread Screamer in a full five-card hand to prevent Blood Debt. An excellent finisher, and at worst, a yellow six-power block three. How bad can it be?  Also, if you feel ever so fortunate, Tear Limb from Limb double’s this attack’s damage. What’s not to love?

Slithering Shadowpede

Red non-blockers in Brute are often costly as they ‘force’ themselves as a card to be cast, or to be pitched inefficiently, and are often terrible in multiples. At this drawback what does the Slithering Shadowpede give you? It’s an efficient attack that can be cast on turn zero, can be cast off of being banished by Art of War or Blood Dripping Frenzy, and is far cheaper than its predecessor Pulping by being one-cost, and hence a red can pitch for it in a pinch.

Levia in general is gated by action points, and despite its efficiency, Slithering Shadowpede is difficult to utilize naturally. It pushes the highs of the deck in a class that craves consistency and has a similar alternative in Graveling Growl. Potentially powerful, but by no means an auto include and requires active deckbuilding sacrifices to make efficient.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Generics of this set are niche and powerful in their situations, and the Brute cards heavily buff Blood Debt-heavy strategies in Levia. Moving forward, Levia can be expected to be a player in the format, dishing dirty damage at the cost of being frail to disruption. And to all of you, fear not the power offered; embrace the shadow.