Leader Spotlight: Eldain

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Another super interesting ability, cool! :D

I like traps, and I may very well decide to build a trap deck with Eldain at some point.
 

DRK3

Forum veteran
His ability, although not bad, is way less aggressive than i had expected, i was thinking it would create/replay traps, not just give points for traps.
 
In theory his ability isn't that creative, because it is just 3 times a 3 point boost on playing traps, but the practical implementation is really great.
Moreover, I'm really great that his ability isn't really offensive, because traps are already a pretty damage heavy archetype, and a good archetype should have a certain balance between points and damage in my opinion.
The next great thing is that he helps the elf swarm archetype too.
It feels like he really is the leader that ST deserved. And this makes me even sadder about NR who got an absolute boring leader, who only helps one archetype which already had leader support to a certain degree.
 
Uh, okay.... You just made Isengrim god tier and Aelrinn guaranteed. Now if we could just get some non shit bronze cards and viable finishers post RIP Schirru....
 

DRK3

Forum veteran
Actually, i got a SC deck now that would work really well with this:

The concept is not giving targetable units for the opponent to do damage (with 3 immune units), then use commander's horn twice with francesca.
But with this i can line up the traps with the immune units, and since opponent will likely have 0/1 artefact removal, i'll transform the traps into units and have enough (5) to boost with C.Horn on the same turn.

Ofc its not as good a double C-Horn, but an Yrden wont be as devastating since it will be a more balanced attack/boosts deck.
 
I find it a bit conditional, but for sure interesting. Can't say yet if it's going to be tier 1, but for sure playable. I'm looking forward to try it out, at least is something different and original.
 
Oh I have an idea whats to come, a big fat Gimpy Gerwin taking over your lands.

On the other hand, you can probably play around it by playing pit trap as last card after converting all traps the very last turn. This way you also loose 3 points on Isengrim if you dont have the last say. He may be interesting after all. Tempo is what ST needs atm, a big finisher.
 
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  • RED Point
Reactions: rrc
Unfortunately it won't allow to protect Aglais behind a wall of traps
I hope he'll have at least 15 provisions, otherwise Eithne or even Francesca and the other elf will be better for Trap deck just because of provisions...
 

rrc

Forum veteran
I am not surprised at all. Pathetic leader ability. Of all the four leaders revealed, he is the most pathetic leader. Let me tell you why.

Traps are usually played to force the opponents out of a round and to get maximum use from them, usually they are triggered at the end of the round. If I am 6 points down, I will play Mahakam Horn. The opponent may think it is Pit Trap and pass and the trap gets triggered and I win the round and I pass. Usually, the traps are played and planned such that they are triggered at the round end and I pass.

Now, Eldain would need three traps already triggered for him to be useful. He has to draw three traps and use them (probably for a much less efficient time) to use his ability. The only trap which can be used early is Incinerating Trap and opponents can smell it miles away and make it less useless. Every other trap is kind of useful at the end of your round.

Lets not forget about artifact removal too. He could be the only leader - a leader- who can brick. How many traps should we have in our deck so that we can guarantee that he gets three targets and you can't wait till R3 because your R1 and R2 as he can't guarantee a targetable trap in R3. You may have to use him in R1 unnecessarily.

I was kind of expecting the leader to synergize with cards that want traps to be in board like Ioverth, Half-Elf Hunter, or Pyro technician.

Thanks CDPR for giving another Tier 4 or Tier 5 ST leader. After all what can I expect from you for ST other than a pathetic, useless junk leader?
 
Speaking of Traps,
it's very nice that with new update Ivoreth's Gambit will be 13 and the Horn, 8 instead of 9... but still for 8 provisions you often get at least 10 points, while Horn can be prevented from doing half of 8 so it can even do only 4...
and Ivoreth's Gambit is a 13 card that often does entire 3 points! Yeah so by using it you risk getting 10pts behind your opponent... For 13 prov you often get 15+ points...
I hope that with March expansion we'll get traps eg. these elven women; or a card that plays a trap from the deck to help Ivoreth's Gambit do more than 3 pts...
 
I have to agree that is too conditional, his ability could potentially be fully denied, unless you activate your traps with order and flip them in the same turn you play them.
The ability is really cool, i just think it belongs on a gold card, not a leader.
 
I am not surprised at all. Pathetic leader ability. Of all the four leaders revealed, he is the most pathetic leader. Let me tell you why.

Traps are usually played to force the opponents out of a round and to get maximum use from them, usually they are triggered at the end of the round. If I am 6 points down, I will play Mahakam Horn. The opponent may think it is Pit Trap and pass and the trap gets triggered and I win the round and I pass. Usually, the traps are played and planned such that they are triggered at the round end and I pass.

Now, Eldain would need three traps already triggered for him to be useful. He has to draw three traps and use them (probably for a much less efficient time) to use his ability. The only trap which can be used early is Incinerating Trap and opponents can smell it miles away and make it less useless. Every other trap is kind of useful at the end of your round.

Lets not forget about artifact removal too. He could be the only leader - a leader- who can brick. How many traps should we have in our deck so that we can guarantee that he gets three targets and you can't wait till R3 because your R1 and R2 as he can't guarantee a targetable trap in R3. You may have to use him in R1 unnecessarily.

I was kind of expecting the leader to synergize with cards that want traps to be in board like Ioverth, Half-Elf Hunter, or Pyro technician.

Thanks CDPR for giving another Tier 4 or Tier 5 ST leader. After all what can I expect from you for ST other than a pathetic, useless junk leader?

I don't think he's going to be as bad as you paint him out to be. Getting tempo out of your already used traps is good value and it further strengthens the elf swarm archetype (Isengrim and Aelirenn just got more value).

I do feel like he'll be a well established Tier 2 leader; don't cry wolf just yet.
 
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