Leaves Tend and the Grove Rots

Well friends, today you’ll be reading a Runeblade article from someone who has historically despised the class (cough, Viserai, cough). However, Florian, Rotwood Harbinger offers a very Levia-esque playstyle to Runeblades that I am eager to explore in Rosetta. Value game plans? Two-card hand all stars? Sign me up!

A First for Hero Powers

Florian and Verdance are the first heroes to have a difference between their young and adult versions. We’ve seen how the four banish restriction pays off in limited with the World Premier this past weekend, and it proved an adaptable part of his game plan. In games versus other Earth heroes, it was a race to trigger his ability with even blue decompose attacks. Versus Lightning heroes, it was only worth decomposing with red attacks or not at all, like Lucas proved in the finals. The big question, though, is how his hero ability will play out in constructed formats. 

Because it only duplicates token auras, the main targets are Runechants and Embodiment of Earths. Yes, you could get crazy with Down But Not Out, but we’re only here for a set review, not a Dumpster Dive. 

A Fridge in the Forest

Florian’s limited weapon is Rotwood Reaper, but that might be where it stays. When you compare it to its purple step-brother Nebula Blade, Rotwood works better with carry-over Runechant generators like Sigil of Deadwood or Malefic Incantation. However, Nebula can present five value with its hit effect, which at the end of the day is more than Rotwood Reaper. Not to mention, Reaping Blade‘s passive is more real than ever with Verdance, Thorn of the Rose, and is more flexible as a one-cost. Rotwood is a strong weapon in limited, but I don’t expect it to be the focus of a constructed Florian deck.

People like Carrion Husk, right? Yeah, blocking six sounds great, but what if you could get five to seven value on the regular, and fill the graveyard with an Earth card? Meet Barkskin of the Millennium Tree. It’s always a tough decision to give up Fyendal’s Spring Tunic, but Florian needs some lasting power to wait for his hero ability and Embodiment of Earths are just that. This card is amazing early game, but also will create two Embodiments in the late game. Crazy!

Best art in the set. Probably the best effect in the set. Face Purgatory lets you block seven to eight for net zero cards. You will redraw and your opponent will discard, so the main punish comes from a poor draw on your end, or if your opponent has the age-old Beast Within. This card strictly upgrades the Crown of Providence or Balance of Justice that was run prior, so make sure to add one to your collection, quick. 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Decompose is a keyword that helps Florian get to his hero ability, and also have payoff for playing into banishing Earth cards. Take Felling of the Crown and Plow Under, for example. Two very strong disruptive pieces that get an attack buff for only four Earth cards in banish! These cards kind of do everything. They ramp, they’re above rate, and they disrupt. Felling of the Crown specifically is an all-star since there’s no way to play around its effect, so it’s always a two-card eleven.

Blocking has always been compared to getting go again on every card. If you block, you’re getting full value from a card with no hoops, it’s just not going to advance the game state. However, a card like Rootbound Carapace breaks that mold. Not only is it dipping into Sink Below territory of blocking prowess, it also lets you passively build up Florian’s hero ability without needing to fight over keeping cards. This card is one of the most powerful parts of Florian’s kit and also unlocks versatility in building Florian towards a one-turn-kill playstyle. Don’t worry, we’ll take a look at that later.

Finally, we have more above rate attacks like Cadaverous Tilling that very clearly serve the decompose cycle: they banish and they’re Earth cards. They are also unique in that they offer damage faster than Felling of the Crown, so I see it being a very foundational part of Florian’s engine. When you reach constructed and can just add more Cadaverous Tillings and good blues, cards like Strength of Four Seasons just don’t compare.

Tick… Tick… Rune!

As previously mentioned, we need to generate Runechants and Embodiment of Earths to feel the payoff from Florian’s hero ability. Lucky for Runeblades, the whole class is built around Runechants. Marry some of that together with new Embodiment support and you’ve got quite a potent package. A card like Germinate is the perfect blending of old and new. As Florian’s specialization, it naturally feeds his gameplan with unique flexibility of dipping into offense or defense. Oh, and it gains life too because why not! 

Also new to this set are meld cards like Arcane Seeds // Life. As a red, you’re incentivized to play it out as you see it, so it won’t always get its ceiling of four Runechants with Florian’s hero ability. Still, it has a baseline value of three, and lets you combo with other life gain effects like Thistle Bloom // Life. Florian gets it easy because these cards cost zero, so there aren’t many decisions to make about just resolving the left or right. 

I really want to like Earth’s Embrace. It has potential to generate infinite value, but you need to jump through some hoops. Banishing Earth cards is part of Florian’s modus operandi, but he isn’t exactly looking to do it every turn, and then you’d need to constantly be blocking with non-attack actions for the value to matter. Infinite value aside, when you proc this twice with Florian in the late game, it’s still likely adding four value to your turn. We know Flesh and Blood is all about making your three value plays into four, so that sounds pretty good to me.

Ahh, then there’s my preview card. Malefic Incantation will find its home in so many Runeblades. In Vynnset it’ll help use runegate. In Viserai it’s another zero-cost non-attack to enable his large hands. In Florian it’s simply six points of damage with his hero power. Yes, a one-card six! As you can see, there’s a trend of Florian’s hero ability absolutely busting the rate of both offense and defense which has been a telltale sign of the best decks of the past.

The Real Dread Tryptic

Runeblade majestics did not disappoint in this set. I don’t think Florian will make the best use of this trio, but Snuff Out, Succumb to Temptation, and Machinations of Dominion are incredible tools for deck building Runeblade play patterns. Hit effects and more go again are just…the best thing ever? It’s like Mauvrion Skies, Consuming Volition, and Rattle Bones had a family reunion. If you enjoy playing Viserai, Rune Blood after this set… I kind of don’t blame you.

Another thing Runeblades like to explore are OTK strategies. Florian doesn’t seem to be any different. Cards like Sigil of Deadwood and Haunting Rendition provide extra Runechant generation that Florian’s hero power will help supplement. Add those on top of Scepter of Pain, Read the Runes, and Runeblood Incantation, and you’ll have a deck capable of generating more Runechants than your opponent’s entire life total. This kind of passive deck can use Rootbound Carapace and Sow Tomorrow to great effect to continue to banish Earth cards without prematurely sending your stack of ‘chants.

All Things Must End

Alright, let’s wrap this up with some honorable mentions. Hit the High Notes once again might not make it into Florian, but the great rate and cost are delicious for Runeblades. Earth Form is a great hit effect that threatens double Embodiment with Florian, but competes with other three-for-seven slots like Splintering Deadwood that could double a Runechant instead. 

And that should do it! I’ve already seen some tier lists claiming Florian, Rotwood Harbinger is S-Tier, and I would kind of love a meta where that is the case. Florian has one beyond broken card in Felling of the Crown, but the rest of what he does is just very high value gameplay. Value metas tend to be the most fun to play because of the back and forth, so hopefully I don’t regret my excitement to see this hero at the top.

More Rosetta:

Rosetta Set Review – Commoner

Rosetta Set Review – Verdance

More to come!

Ethan Van Sant

Ethan ‘Man Sant’ Van Sant is known for his commitment to Levia and his coverage of FaB events as Savage Feats. He has a light background with Yugioh and Pokemon, but Flesh and Blood is the first TCG that has fully consumed him… As willed by Blasmophet.