5 Underrated Cards

Here's my list of the top 5 underrated Spellfire cards for the TAV format.

#5 - Cannon Ball (Dungeons, 60/100)

It's an artifact that attaches to realms. Weird! Cards that destroy holdings do nothing, because it's not a holding. How many cards target artifacts? You willing to waste a Wish on this thing? Yet if you let it hang around, attached to your opponent's front land, it's trouble. The Cannon Ball can fire into your pool if you attack the realm. Your attacking champion is safe, but your others? How many champions are immune to artifacts? This card is all kinds of primo, yet it's an afterthought to most players.

#4 - Star Gem of Martek - Clear Crystal (Runes and Ruins, 77/100)

Slap this on a spellcasting champion, and cast away! Wishes, Estate Transferences, Mindkillers, whatever you want. Not many cards target magical items, so you'll probably get to enjoy counterspell-free spellcasting for awhile. And if you have a few counters in your hand, feel free to toss them at your opponent knowing they can't themselves be countered. Not easily, anyway. One last bonus to the Star Gem of Martek: Clear Crystal - if it's in your hand, you are Loup-Garou proof!

#3 - Wrath of the Immortals (4th Edition, 157/500)

There are a bunch of events that do similar things: Takhisis's Mirror of Life Trapping, Wine of Eternity, Trapped, etc. But Wrath of the Immortals is best. It removes the enemy champion's powers, reduces it to level 1, AND forces it to be used first to attack or defend. In TAV, that's basically a free realm raze during your next attack. And your opponent using a level 1 vanilla as his or her attacker is pretty much a guaranteed loss as well. No doubt about it, Wrath is a primo event, though other events of lesser quality seem to get all of the hype.

#2 - Shayira (4th Edition, 286/500)

I don't have to explain much about this pick, do I? Shayira is level 3, which means her player will usually get to play first in battle. She is also immune to the special powers of all cards played against her in combat. Get that? Cheese doesn't work on her. No Loup-Garou, Intellect Devourer, Dreaded Ghost, Hold Person, Unnerving Aura, Death Spell, Mindkiller, etc etc. This is one awesome card. Yet she's continually dismissed and passed over in favor of flashier champions. Life isn't fair, I tells ya.

#1 - The Genie Bottle (3rd Edition chase, 436/440)

This awesome event can cancel a just-cast spell like Wish. It can cancel a limited- or unlimited-duration spell, like Forbiddance or Symbol of Pain. It destroys all holdings in play. It removes all rule cards from play. The Genie Bottle itself can't be countered (Calm still works, though). Is there anything this wrecking-ball CAN'T do? This card is phenomenal. Yet many players ignore it in favor of junk like Cold Cup of Calamity. Let's put it this way: I own five of these, and each and every one of them is in a deck. It's just that good. It's also the most underrated card in Spellfire: TAV.

Next Time: My 5 favorite Spellfire Cards!