The Insight On 4 Mana Cards

Previously I've published the post about the 3 mana cards (you can find it here), where we get the picture of their starting parameter and then the growth gained on each progression. We also inquire intensely into the specialized roles inherent to certain cards group.

Cards with 4 mana are the most utilized cards on battle with any mana cap. They are versatile and common to be used in medium mana cap battle. Or when in Little Leagues ruleset, they would be cards with the highest mana. They also useful even as a filler cards on high mana cap battle. So lets not wait any longer.

List of Cards

Lets start with the guide on how to read the listed table. I've listed each cards based on their rarity, attack type, status parameter, and abilities. Each parameter consist of 2 values, the first value represent the starting parameter, while the value in the round bracket represent the value gained on maximum level. And then there is abilities column which show the name of current abilities possessed, and abilities gained in the progression which name are under the round bracket. The several last columns detailing the growth gained on each levels, which represented by certain symbol:

• Health, armor, speed, melee, ranged, and magic symbol represent the gain of respective parameter. This symbol with light gold color represent drawback or reduction in those parameter.
• Splinterland symbol represent new abilities gained in order to the abilities listed in previous column.

In total there are 38 cards which available for modern battle format (7 cards extra if compared to the 3 mana value). Melee still take the lead with 14 cards in total, followed by magic with 12 cards, and ranged with 10 cards. Non-Attack are also available but only 2 card so far. It seemed very clear that the number of magic cards started to gain traction. And later surely we will see more magic cards in the higher mana collection.

Magic Card

It seemed that magic card will still an expensive cards for the 4 mana level. There are no Normal type cards; and although Rare type is the lowest rarity, Epic type still make the large proportion of magic cards.

The cards started with an average health between 2 - 3, and mostly grow to 4, with only a handful able to reached 5 at max level. Among magic cards with mana less than 4, Coral Wraith and Light Elemental so far are the first one to started with 2 magic damage. Other than that, the damage growth of this collection was rather decent, with only handful would be able to reached up to 3 magic damage at max level.

Speed growth are inferior, and only able to reach an average of 3 - 4 speed at max level.

My verdict on this groups:

• There are still a number of drawbacks affecting most of the cards. River Nymph and Time Mage affected by dual drawbacks. But compared to River Nymph, Time Mage already started with a strong parameter, notably the exceptional 4 speed.
• There's more number of available Buff / Debuff Abilities. Blind and Rust take dominance, with Swiftness, Rust, Slow, etc. to follow after. There's also quite number of Amplify.
• The Epic cards seemed to benefit the most with strong starting parameter. The notable one would be Light Elemental, which not only due to its dual growth (health and speed) but also it obtained Headwinds and Blind, both is a powerful Debuff.
• Queen Mycelia might be the only one to gain no parameter growth other than the abilities.

Melee Card

Compared to the melee from 3 mana collection, there's fewer number of cards starting at 1 or 2 health, but still there's no significant difference with the average health is still at 3. The health growth looks very predictable since most cards grow by only 2 health, whatever their starting value. There's plenty of armored cards, making up half of the total cards, although mostly are only 1 armor.

Nothing exceptional for the speed. But the speed growth are more dispersed with some grow by only 1 speed and some by 3 speed. The speed on max level averaging between 3 up to 4 speed. Melee damage also looks decent, some already started with 2 melee damage, but its only a few of them. But the very surprising thing, the damage growth seemed inferior compared to the 3 mana value. We could clearly see
Crystal Jaguar, Xenith Monk, and Dhampir Infiltrator reached only to 2 melee damage on max level (although Dhampir Infiltrator should be exception with its Double Strike).

My verdict on this groups:

• Normal type cards still dominated the melee cards, which give a lot of progression opportunity. Drawback could still be found in some cards (8 cards in total). There's no dual growth, except for Crystal Jaguar, which doesn't give much advantage since this card affected by drawbacks on level 9, and the dual growth come rather late on level 10.
• Xenith Monk will be the most exceptional starting melee, with 6 health, 3 speed, and 1 damage. And eventhough most of its progression expended on new abilities, the final parameter are still in par with other cards.
• Second to Xenith Monk would be Goblin Thief which is a rare Ninja card, having high speed and damage, supported by Sneak. And its health is nothing near frail.

Ranged Card

In my opinion, ranged cards have the most diverse specialization. While the main roles of ranged card should be as a Striker (high damage output), we could find some Ninja (take Spark Pixies, No.35), also some Support (take Ravenhood Warden, No. 33), and even as a Tanker (take Merdhampir, No. 31 and Barking Spider, No. 32).

Unfortunately there are no armored ranged card, but seemingly its balanced by having some cards gained health growth up to 3 health.

Damage started quite fairly with almost half of the cards started with 2 ranged damage. But later on max level, all of the cards seemed to level their damage to 3 damage with only 2 cards reaching 4 damage. Kulu Swimhunter (No. 30) and Scavo Firebolt (No. 31) granted with maximum 4 damage considering both have inferior number of abilities compared to other cards.

My verdict on this groups:

• Most of the cards are Rare type cards, with only few number of normal type and 1 legendary type. Half of the cards have drawbacks in their progression, and some of them are Rare type, which limit their growth potential.
• Iza The Fanged is one of the unique ranged card. Although its very rare to find ranged cards with Sneak; ranged cards doesn't seemed to bring certain benefit, except to avoid triggering Thorns ability. Scavenger provide strong benefit on Level 1, but become quickly diminished with the growth.
• Ranged card which supposedly to possessed extra Striker abilities, surprisingly possessed quite number of Buff / Debuff Abilities. There are 2 Blind abilities, both possessed by Barking Spider (No. 32) and Dark Astronomer (No. 36). In comparison, Dark Astronomer have Shatter as extra ability, which is counter balanced by Barking Spider having much better status parameter. And then there are Ravenhood Warden (No. 33) and Tower Griffin (No. 37) which possessed Protect. And more to it, Ravenhood Warden even possess Inspire.

Non-Attack Card

Non-Attack cards are left with only 2 cards, Clockwork Aide (No. 27) the more fragile and slower one, but bring a convenience Buff / Debuff Abilities. Meanwhile Riftwing (No. 28) play a more Tanker role, having 8 health and still boosted with Scavenger. But the most menacing come from Backfire which leveraged by Flying and 5 speed. The high chance for counter is as if this card had it own attack aspect.

Final Words

The 4 mana cards collection are far more powerful compared to the 3 mana cards. Although 1 mana difference might not bring much difference on parameter or abilities; but in low mana cap battle, every single piece of mana is always considerable. A single extra mana can add a single extra cards, which if could be very much valuable if it gained all the deployable buff.

So far the good things about the 4 mana cards collection, it brings a large variety of alternative cards. Bringing so much variation to the battle outcome.