Hey, Sorry here! I managed to qualify for the World Championship, which means I snagged early access to test out all the cool new cards! So I'll have a more accurate review of the cards after testing them out.
Fate's Voyage: Beyond expansion introduces three new champions to the Runeterra world, Elder Dragon
, Morgana
, and Mordekaiser
. Each champion has a unique playstyle and should bring new decks into the meta.
I'll go through the new cards and give my rating and opinion on them.
Here’s my rating scale:
- 5.0: Meta-defining card, it should prove itself as a staple in multiple top-tier archetypes.
- 4.0: Archetype staple, or auto-include in multiple archetypes.
- 3.0: A solid playable could serve as a staple for some archetypes.
- 2.0: Could be used for specific synergies or to counter some decks.
- 1.0: Unlikely to find its place in the meta.
Elder Dragon
Rate: 3.5
Elder Dragon, a high-cost champion, shines in Ramp decks, aiming for a powerful late game.
The Dragon Boons significantly boost your 6-cost units, enhancing your board presence as you approach the late game. A Dragon Boon providing healing, Challenger, or Fearsome goes a long way and can put more pressure on the opponent.
Leveling up Elder Dragon demands high-power attacks, so including units like Volibear
, She Who Wanders
, orBoadir of Blackened Ice
is key.
An Elder Dragon creates that lethal threat since it's gaining all the Dragon Boons. However, once leveled, The "I CANNOT BE STOPPED" means Elder Dragon can't be frozen, blocked, killed, etc. So although Elder Dragon will have the Challenger keyword from the Dragon Boon, you'll opt to swing without challenging to connect with the opponent's Nexus.
Overall, the champion is extremely strong, mostly for the Dragon Boons it provides to other units, and still sets up that late-game win condition. I don't think you need three copies of Elder Dragon in the deck; one or two copies should be enough.
Primordial Roar is a value card to find units to play. The mana refill means there's no downside to casting the spell, and you can follow it up with a high-cost unit. However, Primordial Roar only draws 6+ cost units, so if you're looking for a defensive spell like Harsh Winds
or Three Sisters
, well, you're out of luck.
Cloud Drake
Rate: 3.0
Cloud Drake finds its place in archetypes benefiting from unit cost reduction, allowing you to drop a high-cost unit a turn earlier than expected.
The fact that Cloud Drake is 6 mana means it synergizes with Elder Dragon, letting you get a Dragon Boon on it.
Cloud Drake's 6|6 stat line is great to have on the board, capable of blocking and even putting pressure on the offense. A +1|+1 buff or additional keyword like Fearsome or Challenger from the Dragon Boon goes a long way.
Alatis the Gallant
Rate: 2.0
Alatis the Gallant's Dragon Boon shines in midrange dragon decks, particularly those capable of building a board of Dragon units like Shyvana
decks.
The play effect can be extremely strong if you find Challenger, Fearsome, or Impact, setting the stage for a powerful Dragon attack. It does, though, require at least 2-3 Dragons on the board to have a significant impact on the game.
However, Alatis the Gallant is tied to the Elder Dragon for the Dragon Boons. Not having the Elder Dragon Runeterran effect makes Alatis the Gallant an underwhelming 7|6 on play.
The main problem with Alatis the Gallant is that it's a bad card if you're losing the game. This card gives me the feeling of "I'm winning the game, but I want to win harder," but if you're behind on the board, dropping this on turn 7 doesn't catch you up to the opponent.
Dragon Allegiant
Rate: 3.0
Dragon Allegiant is just an awesome early-game unit that provides a Dragon draw, providing a valuable Dragon draw. It outshines Egghead Researcher
with its 2|3 stat line, allowing it to block and trade effectively against the opponent's early units. What sets it apart is the ability to draw a Dragon from your deck, offering a more controlled approach compared to creating a random one.
You can decide which dragons are worth including in your deck, and you'll get to draw those good Dragons you've added to the list.
Dragon Allegiant will only find value in Dargon archetypes, so I can't rate it higher than 3.0 since its performance will be heavily tied to how good Dragons are in the meta.
Ocean Drake
Rate: 2.0
Ocean Drake has a mediocre stat line of 3|5 for its cost. It does make sense since it's an elusive unit. It can squeeze Nexus damage, and its ability offers Nexus healing, which can come in handy against aggressive decks.
Overall, the card doesn't seem too impactful, but keep in mind it's a 6-cost, which means it can get a Dragon Boon on it. A +1|+1 buff from a Dragon Boon can turn it into a 4|6 Elusive unit, creating that Nexus threat you'll need. The Dragon Boons are also Skills, so they'll activate Ocean Drake's ability.
However, it won't be a card that's auto-included in Dragon decks and might be more of a tech card depending on the meta.
Heisho, Shell of the World
Rate: 3.5
Heisho, Shell of the World stands out as one of the strongest cards in this expansion. The neat thing about this 9|9 unit with Spell Shield is that it offers immediate value on play and is difficult to kill.
Getting access to another big unit on the same turn will shift the game in your favor and potentially set up a lethal attack.
Heisho, Shell of the World is in the Ionia region, so you'll want to pair it with a region that has big units like Elder Dragon or Freljord for the late-game value.
Empyrean Dance
Rate: 1.0
An expensive reactive spell to counter a Spell or a Skill and recall an opponent's unit. It does summon The Empyrean on the board, but the card can feel awkward in hand, especially if you're looking to play it as a protection tool.
So this card doesn't make much sense if you want to use it as a protection tool since you have access to Deny
in the Ionia region. It'll need a deck that can take advantage of the summoned The Empyrean to set up an Elusive win condition.
Gentle Gemdragon
Rate: 2.0
Gentle Gemdragon is more of a support unit that buffs up Dragon allies by +1|+1. This can find use in Elder Dragon decks that activate Dragon Boons and trigger Gentle Gemdragon's effect.
It doesn't buff itself, so you'll need a Dragon ally along with it or you won't get any value out of the effect.
A 6|5 stat line with no valuable keywords to put any pressure on the board once dropped. This card feels heavily reliant on the Dragon Boons to be effective.
Closing Words
The expansion has been tons of fun so far as we discover new archetypes that are holding up well against the already-established decks. There's still a lot to explore and test around with!