Skirmish Season 4 Hero Showcase Series: Part III

We are one week into the Blitz Constructed Skirmish Season 4 which runs March 26-April 17 around the globe! This week, our third and final, will take one last look at the young heroes of Rathe who received their first Specialization, or were themselves released in Everfest.

Week one, we caught up with Valda Brightaxe and Kayo, Berserker Runt, last week we explored Data Doll MKII and Benji, the Piercing Wind and today we'll catch up with two of the coldest heroines (each in their own way) of Rathe, Kassai, Cintari Sellsword and Iyslander.

Now that week one of Skirmish Season 4 is underway, it's the perfect time to get to know some of the young heroes of Rathe a bit better for Skirmish Season, Armories, Battle Hardeneds, Callings or the kitchen table!

Kassai, Cintari Sellsword

Kassai was once the daughter of a powerful general, well-versed in the language of war. As the eldest child, she was the heir to her father’s legacy, her childhood lost to years of training, preparing for the day that she would take the reins… But that day never came. In a cruel twist of fate, Kassai lost everything in a single night, as her father was overthrown by his own lieutenant. While she escaped with her life, she was forced to leave her family behind.

As she wandered the deserts, searching for food and water, Kassai stumbled across the Cintari, a group of bloodthirsty brigands who sought the thrill of battle. Recognising her skill with the blade, they inducted Kassai into their ranks. With them, she could lie low and bide her time, gathering wealth and power as she waits for her chance to strike.

Key Cards:

- Blood on Her Hands

- Blade Runner

- Valiant Dynamo

- Cintari Sabers

Basic Strategy:

This Kassai build is a slow grueling grinder of a deck. We play all the quality actions that give our weapon attacks go again, such as all six Driving Blades, Hit and Run and the timelessly powerful Spoils of War. In addition to the massive of amount of go again action cards, gaining more action points also comes in the form of attack reactions. This list features the full six copies of Blade Runner, a brilliant new additon from Everfest. Much of the slow and steady gameplan sees us poke away at our enemy twice a turn with our Cintari Sabers, triggering our hero ability and removing a counter from the legendary equipment Valiant Dynamo. This gradual "grind 'em out" strategy will allow Kassai's spectacular new Specialization, Blood on Her Hands to annihilate our enemies when we get to the later stages of the game.

If our opponent does not respect our on-hit triggers throughout the game we will slowly accumulate Copper and will be able to finish them with our power-closer Blood on Her Hands, which is especially devastating in combination with some of our attack reactions if we find ourselves not needing to defend.

Kassai's new Specialization can be insanely powerful, even when it's the only card you have to play for the turn. With only Blood on Her Hands in arsenal and the incredibly versatile Courage of Bladehold chest in play, we can present 12 damage to our opponent out of nowhere, which can be very dangerous, even when your hand size is low.

Additionally, with Valiant Dynamo backing us up we are gaining incremental advantage turn after turn. A common play pattern is; pitch a blue strip card, play a card enabling go again then attack twice. This is something we can do consistently with this deck. For those of you familiar with the starter hero 'Ira, Crimson Haze' this Kassai deck has a very similar playstyle with a more devastating finisher - definitely worth a try for someone wanting a non-ice, more traditional tempo control deck.

Iyslander

A lost child thrusted into the vast and unforgiving ice-plains of the Bleak Expanse, you grew up amongst the spirits of the cold northern winds. With a heart full of wonder and innocence, you embraced the angry elements that battered these lands. And in time, they became your closest friend, and you their protector.

But what is this searing pain, every time you close your eyes?

What arcane secrets lie behind the shackles that bind your mind?

Even as you take command of the power that courses through these endless plains of snow, you cannot help but grasp at the frozen memories of your long forgotten past...

Key Cards:

- Absorb in Aether

- Emeritus Scolding

- Channel Lake Frigid

- Forked Lightning

Basic Strategy:

Sit back, chill and whittle your opponent down before freezing them to their core with your fearsome arsenal of ice cold damage. This Iyslander deck is definitely a defensive style of deck where we are wanting to defend with most of our hand, then whack the opponent from our arsenal with some arcane aggression while their defenses are down. Alternatively, we can use our blue strip Ice cards to slow the enemy down mid-turn while we continue to setup our assault of staggered Ice and arcane with sharp spikes of damage in between, in the form of red Voltic Bolt and friends.

Once we have the opponent's life total at a low enough number where lethal damage is within reach, our gameplan shifts to Absorb in Aether or Stir the Aetherwinds in combination with Forked Lightning to end the game in a stunning fashion. Absorb in Aether also has the dual utility of being able to amplify our chip damage midgame and allows us to achieve our win conditions even sooner.

Scour can be a nice touch if your Skrimish Season sees seas of Runechants, providing you with a way to simultaneously deal with the Runeblade auras and slowly drop the opponent's health lower. Channel Lake Frigid helps you play the game at your own pace and with so many Ice cards in this Iyslander build, the Lake may be around for quite some time, causing quite the brain freeze for your enemies.

Emeritus Scolding, another new Everfest standout, plays a brilliant role in this build, being both blue and another way to chip away at the enemy. The final piece of the puzzle is Iyslander's incredible new weapon, Kraken's Aethervein. This card deals arcane damage and draws cards for three resources- at instant speed. The Aethervein provides a clock for your opponent and consistent card advanatge for you at the same time.