The Insight On 2 Mana Cards

So in this post we will take step back into the 2 mana cards collection before we continue to the 6 mana cards collection. The 2 mana cards is the most handy cards used in any battle situation and mana cap. It plays vital role as main cards in battle with less 20 mana cap, but also play minor roles (at least) as a filler or mostly cannon fodder in higher mana cap.

The 2 mana cards also show the most contrasting profile on the status parameter. The status parameter would differ starkly compared to 1 mana cards, while it has less difference compared to the 3 mana cards. This have in turn make 2 mana cards to be a preferable substitute against 3 mana cards, to save a point of mana without losing significant strength or damage power. So without further ado, lets go looks more detail into these cards!

List of Cards

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). Following a normal distribution model, there's a declining trend in the number of 2 mana cards compared to the previous 3, 4, and 5 mana cards. There are a total of only 22 cards useable under the modern battle format. There are balanced number between melee and ranged cards, but magic cards started to become rare to be found. Non-Attack cards seemed to be the only type to have consistent number between 2 to 3 cards. The rarity type looks standard, with a large number consist of Normal type, followed by Rare type, and then Epic type almost in equal number to Rare type.

Magic Card

There are only 4 cards from magic type, which consist of Rare and Epic type. The cards started with 1 up to 3 health, but the final health was surprisingly averaging on 4 to 5 health, which is higher than the 3 mana counterpart. Even Ice Pixie which ended with lowest health still got compensated from the 2 armor addition. Speed started quite low with some cards gained few or none growth at all, but somehow the final speed are quite near to a high average speed. Magic damage all uniformly started on 1 damage, and finalized at 2 damage.

My verdicts of this group:

• Although these magic cards are somehow almost in par or stronger than the 3 magic cards, consideration should be taken on the possessed abilities. The 2 mana cards not only have fewer number of abilities, but fewer number of Support abilities. Mainly there are only Tank Heal, Triage, and Rust available. This could be justified from the efficiency that buff/debuff abilities could gain from the mana cost against the actual reduction applied.
• There's a lot of contrasting aspect in 2 mana magic cards. First its more accessible with only Rare and Epic type, compared to the 3 mana cards which mostly are Legendary type. Second, I expect there are many drawbacks or non-growth on several progression steps, but the fact all the progression are filled and even there are 2 dual growth. This in the end caused the 2 mana cards to be far stronger in max level compared to the 3 mana cards counterpart.
• Considering the limited number of abilities, magic cards roles in this collection seemed to leaned toward a damage dealer or Striker rather than Support.

Melee Card

Melee cards seemingly started very low almost in par to 1 mana cards, and very much left behind from the 3 mana cards. But with a total health growth between 2 to 3 health, the final average health become closer (although a bit lower) to the 3 mana cards. Armor are available but only on a few cards. Speed started, gained growth, and finalized typically similar to other mana cards.

All cards are uniformly started with a 1 melee damage. Then all will gain 1 damage growth up to max level, except Undead Badger and Vulguine which gained 2 melee damage, and Venator Kinjo which gained nothing.

My verdicts of this group:

• There are some growth drawbacks happened but seemingly only limited to few cards. Frost Lion and Ant Miners are the only one to gained 2 drawbacks, but both cards still pacing up with their growth considering they are a Normal type cards.
• No particular cards have an exceptional starting parameter, eventhought some cards are stronger than the others. For example, Celestial Harpy are almost better than most cards having started with 2 health and 2 speed while possessing Flying and Opportunity. Vulguine could be declared better than Ant Miner, considering both started with Scavenger.
• Venator Kinjo is the only cards to gained 2 dual growth, but mainly focused only on health and abilities. Its very rare also to have low mana cards to possess up to 5 abilities. Slow should be the most value adding growth for this cards.
• Wily Coyotian so far would be the best 2 mana cards for the Tanker roles. Even the Phase are the best abilities to fend off magic damage, rather than having Void Shield to absorb it.

Non-Attack Card

All non-attack cards started with almost similar health and speed. But each would later grow and branch into difference paths. Scavo Chemist having the least health but gained 2 debuff abilities. Failes Summoner having the highest health and least speed, but also gained 1 buff and 1 debuff abilities. Pelacor Conjurer which high on both health and speed more self-centered on defensive abilities. All these cards clearly have their own utilities, and their usage would be conditional with the strategy of the battle.

Its a bit difficult to compare and decide if the non-attack card from 3 mana cards are more superior than 2 mana cards. Scavo Hireling which cost 3 mana are not as strong as Scavo Chemist or Failes Summoner, but certainly the Repair and Slow have its own usage. Likewise Venari Heatsmith clearly have the same health (considering the Void Shield) and speed as Pelacor Conjurer, but have more focus on melee counter rather than magic counter. And its hard to predict and judge if the 1 mana difference are truly make up to it.

Ranged Card

Ranged card have an overall moderate starting parameter and growth. Health started with an average 2 health, with some gaining major growth of 3 up to 4 health. The final health averaging at 5 health, which is somehow higher than the average final health of 3 mana cards (although 3 mana cards have few cards with very high health).

Speed doesn't show noticeable aspect, except there are 2 cards gaining max speed at 6 speed, which is Goblin Darting and Naga Assassin. Ranged damage started quite low, with all starting at 1 damage, and then grow by only 1 damage (except Igor Darkspear).

My verdicts of this group:

• There is quite stark discrepancies between cards. Take for example Igor Darkspear which started with 4 health, 3 speed, and 1 damage, or Naga Assassin which started with 2 health, 5 speed, and 1 damage, both are clearly far more stronger than the rest of the cards. Igor Darkspear might be easily slowly outpaced by other cards progression, but still its very powerful to be the only cards with 3 ranged damage at 3 mana cost.
• Growth are rather limited with most of the cards are an Epic type. Luckily some of the low started are Normal types, which means on final level they gained much higher growth and keep up with other high starting cards. The are not much drawbacks, thus cards can maximize on the progression steps. Only Herbalist which gained 2 drawbacks, but which seemingly have less impact, considering its a Normal type, and its main roles is more of Support.
• Weirding Warrior might seemed to gained the least. Not only it already started low, but it only managed to get 5 growth at most, and 2 of which already used for Amplify and Rust (which usefulness is rather situational).
• Naga Assassin gained so much leverage from its already high 6 speed and from possessing Swiftness and Backfire. Not only its speed are booster even more and increasing evasion to trigger Backfire, but having Swiftness for just 2 mana cost is very cost efficient.