The Insight On 1 Mana Cards

This time we will move backwards into the lowest end of the mana levels where we will find the 1 mana cards collection. As the lowest mana, this collection have fewer number of cards compared to others, including the 2 mana collection. Basically 1 mana cards have a very minimum status parameter among others. This make 1 mana cards easily overpowered by other mana cards. But this doesn't mean 1 mana cards are useless. The primary reason, they gain the most benefit from buff/debuff abilities, because the diminishing return is the least. The secondary reason is from their abilities. Some abilities doesn't gain leverage from a higher status parameter (take for example Tank Heal are bring better benefit with higher health; but Strengthen, Blind, Divine Shield, etc. bring the same benefit whether the cards have lower or higher status parameter); which means those abilities will cost less mana to deploy. The 1 mana cards might be more suitable for low-mana cap battle (battle with less than 20 mana). They could fight according to their regular roles. But for the least reason, where the formation have any spare position available, they could also fill in as canon fodder (a card used as sacrificial lamb to block incoming attack). So without further ado, let's continue to analyze this collection!

Again I will not retold the guide on how to read the listed table, you can find the guide from my previous 2 posts (the link is HERE and HERE). In total there're only 15 cards from 1 mana collection. This means there's only around 2 to 3 cards for each Splinter faction, which spread across all editions. Based on the attack type, the collection uniquely consist mainly of Melee and Non-Attack cards, meanwhile there are only 1 card for magic type and 2 card for ranged type. But even for such low mana, the rarity level of the collection are not to be underestimated. A third of the collection made up from Legendary type, and only half of the collection is a Normal type. So even with a limited number of cards available, some of them are still economically accessible. One of this card is Chaos Agent, which is a Neutral Splinter and Normal type; meaning this cards is not only inexpensive but readily available in any Splinter faction used. Before we continue on, please be remind, a 2 mana card is already have a very low status parameter, and thus we should expect a 1 mana card to have status parameter at least half of the 2 mana card. So we don't expect so much growth from these collection.

Not much to be said about magic card, since Theorosa Nightshade is the sole magic card for the 1 mana collection. We should be grateful to have magic card costing 1 mana, since there's already as few as 4 magic card costing 2 mana. The card start with almost equal parameter as 2 mana card. But as Legendary type, its growth are limited to only 3 progression steps, which is 1 health and 2 abilities. This is very low if compared to 2 mana magic cards, where most of them gained up to 2 health growth, 2 speed growth, and 1 damage growth. So in conclusion Theorosa have great advantage as a Level 1 card, but losing competitiveness on later level. Triage is quite a rare `Support` ability, and to be carried by Theorosa would clearly make it very cost effective in term of mana. Void might be less useless since Theorosa only have 2 health, although this isn't entirely true if we expect the opponent to bring magic card with only 1 damage.

Melee cards makes the major parts of 1 mana cards collection. This seemed to further justify that 1 mana cards is more useful as front-line canon fodder. The starting health ranging between 1 to 2 health, which surprisingly there are more 2 health card in this collection compared to the 2 mana collection. We will see the unique leap pattern on the growth of 1 mana collection. Some of the Normal type will gained no growth and followed by growth, followed by another no growth, and so on. So 1 mana cards will gain half of the growth gained by 2 mana cards. But oddly, parameter like Speed are constant across the entire mana levels (rather than scaling up like Health). So in my opinion there should be additional progression steps to compensate Speed growth. Luckily other card like Flame Monkey and Cursed Slimeball gained more number of growth. Speed looks average at the Level 1 and the final level. Armor are unavailable at all. Melee damage started uniformly at 1 damage, and almost all (except Flame Monkey) grow into 2 damage. This looks great if compared with 2 mana collection which mostly also grow only into 2 damage.

My verdicts of this group:

• Most but not all of the cards have a leap growth on their progression steps. This mainly happens on Normal type; whilst Legendary type made full use of their progression steps. But if compare Normal and Legendary, they both gained an equal between 4 to 5 growth. Except Cursed Slimeball and Flame Monkey which gained up to 7 growth. Eventhough apparently more in numbers, those cards started rather low, so the final status parameter are not much differ with the rest.

• Although most cards have very minimum abilities, the abilities are of Tanker type which very useful to sustain their survival. Flame Monkey are the only melee to have Support ability, and in my opinion are the most useful 1 mana melee cards. Mighty Dricken might be the only one to have quite numbers of Striker ability; but the low status parameter would make it difficult to utilize it. Except with good timing and then Scavenger could boost enough health.