The Hunted through the Lens of Clash

BY NATHANIEL DALTON

The Hunted pre-release is past us and we saw some crazy powerful new cards! Going into the weekend I knew that Assassin would get some powerful cards and had high hopes for Cindra but the breakout hero being Fang in limited was absolutely surprising! Not only that, some brand new archetypes that had never been possible before have emerged. Let's take a look at some of the most powerful cards coming out in The Hunted that will shake Clash.

Assassin Mark Package

To the surprise of no one, Assassin's got new and powerful cards. These are all done through Marking a hero. Reviewing the cards, its not hard to find some powerful new tools in the form of Mark of the Black Widow and Mark of the Funnel Web. They do require marking and thankfully we get an easier way to mark in the form of Hunter's Klaive. It seems pretty innocuous on it's own but put these 3 cards together and you have a small package that can fit into any Assassin build.

Class upgrades

Danger Digits fits nicely into every Assassin build as a common Flick Knives. With new cards like Up Stick and Run and Orb-Weaver Spinneret, we have new ways to replace the knife that was flicked and it opens up ways to use Hurl to great effect. No longer do you have to be worried about losing that last Knife if you able to retrieve it or create a Graphene Chelicera. Don't forget Starting Point for the Uzuri fans that can get go again off their hero ability!

Perhaps the craziest part of all of this is that many of these cards are dual class, allowing you for the first time make use of flicking a kodachi and then building a retrieve package into your Ninja. It works just as well with Assassins if you want to make sure your Spider's Bite hits by flicking it with Hurl, allowing you to hit with your critical next attack, only to get it back and threaten the end game that you want.

Generics

The hunted has some marvelous stand out generic cards. There have never been this many 3 block generics! There are mark package generics that are 3 block that are a fantastic inclusion in any hero that wants to mark. In addition, there is a set of Blue 3 blocks that can fit into a plethora of decks. Put in Context is the first blue defensive reaction that blocks for 3, but it must block something with base 3 or less. Nip at the heels is a great addition to deck that attacks with 3 or less as its a blue block 3 (it works on weapons as well!). Then Trot Along that gives go again for anything that has 3 or less base attack that also works on weapons as well! Since these are looking for base 3 or less they fit well into any class that wants to be low to the ground like warriors, ninjas, assassins and even heroes like Chane!

Another inclusion in the set is fantastic generic equipment! The Blade Beckoner suite is just better ironrot equipment. You get +1 when blocking a weapon but because it has Guardwell it allows you to use your 2 block as you like. Need to stop a breakpoint on an attack action? Block with a Blade Beckoner so it gets -1 block. Then next time they swing with a weapon you can block 1 with it. Or you can use it to stop a weapon that that 2 or attack and get full block value out of it immediately. A sneaky addition is also Bunker beard, allowed you to use your arsenal as a dreact. This feels especially good for classes like guardians when perhaps you have an expensive action that you wont be able to get out at the end of the game.

Specializations

This set does not have a lot of specializations, coming with only 3, two of which you only need one.

We'll start off with Retrace the Past. While this was made to bring back the Dishonor play line in CC, something we can't do in Clash, it is still a fantastic card to keep combat chains going or allowing you to pivot. Also a blue, block 3 for 0 feels like an auto include in Katsu.

Ring of Roses is a Verdance specialization that has the keyword legendary, so there can only be 1 in her deck. In clash this isn't as hard hitting as CC since you have less card. Verdance is already a control deck, so the likelihood of seeing this feels pretty high. This is a card that you are happy to see at any point in the game. Early on this will help you stabilize, late game, this does an additional ping of arcane. It does everything that you would want out of Verdance and is a no brainer of an inclusion.

Perhaps the most powerful is a Legendary equipment, Mark of Deceit, as an Arakni specialization. The fact that it blocks for 2 is powerful in Clash and it still has an ability when you block with it! This is so rare in Clash that it brings the power level of Arakni up substantially. The only downside is that contract Arakni probably does not want to play but ASC and AWD definitely enjoy it.

Self Contained Set

One thing that I really like about this set is that it is a really self contained set. You can build the heroes out of what is in this set. There was several very well thought out reprints here that make deck building all that much easier from just opening a couple boxes. Even the Blitz Collectors box is worth grabbing, which is the first time that I have ever suggested purchasing that product. They are all well built decks that would need minimal updates and it even comes with the original Arakni that includes the best mentor ever printed!