Despite the fact that Character add ons and Adventure 2 have vanished into the ether, it looks like I'll finally be able to get my hands on some class decks this week (via FLGS) and I'm trying to decide which one to go for.
The cleric deck has really drawn my eye, by I find the Cleric of Nethys frustrating - there's the possibility of sinking two power feats into Blessings of Nethys- recharging them / placing them on top of your deck, instead of discarding - yet, as a level 6 card, the chances are you may never see one with the opportunity to acquire. Was very disappointed to see the Blessing of Nethys still a 6 (given that various other blessings have had their adventure number varied for class decks)
For a cleric in particular, having feats themed around the particular deity seem like a major part of the theme. As I'll just be using these for a re-run of RotR with some extra boons, what impact do people think it would have to mix these in around Adventure 4 or 5, so there's actually long enough to run into them - are they THAT much more powerful than the other blessings?
In and of itself, "top-decking" a blessing is super powerful. Deck 4 might be a bit early, but maybe deck 5 wouldn't be too bad. Maybe. Maybe if you only did like 2 of them in deck 5. Maybe.
They are pretty powerful. It is like Spyglass with Explore right? And you are top decking them so you'll have them back for your next turn. If you had a weapon and a good utility card in your hand with a fistful of them, you'd be virtually unstoppable.
Hypothetical 5 card hand size with a Weapon and Aid and 3 Blessings of Nethys.
Turn 1
Play Blessing of Nethys: monster & weapon. Put weapon on top. Explore, acquire weapon.
Play Blessing of Nethys: monster & spell. Put spell on top. Explore acquire spell.
Play Blessing of Nethys: monster & armor. Put armor on top. Explore, acquire armor.
Reset your hand: Discard weapon, spell and armor, draw back 3 Blessings of Nethys. (Note that discarding the 3 cards you acquired didn't hurt you since it didn't end up cost you anything to explore.)
Turn 2
Play Blessing of Nethys: monster & weapon. Put weapon on top. Explore, acquire weapon.
Play Blessing of Nethys: monster & barrier. Put monster on top. Explore. Defeat monster by discarding newly acquired weapon.
Play Blessing of Nethys: barrier & henchman. Put henchman on top. Explore. Defeat henchman with weapon and Aid (which is recharged).
Close location.
Reset your hand, drawing back your 3 Blessings of Nethys and two cards to replace you weapon and Aid.
If you get more than a few of them, you can basically avoid the card you can't defeat or aren't prepared for. And by top-decking them you can repeat as needed.
There's also the fact that none of the AD6 OP scenarios are out yet, so it's possible that future scenario rewards might be able to help with specific deck 6 upgrades (e.g. 'In addition to your regular upgrade, add any card of your choice to your deck').
Really, the annoying thing about Zarlova is that you have to make binding decisions (Role choice, power choice) before you know whether you'll ever get the Blessings of Nethys to make it pay off, and likely have a worthless power through part of AD5 if you want the whole 2-feat chain.
(Hint hint---if there *will be* guaranteed upgrades as rewards, it would be great to know that now, while we're choosing our characters!)
There is also a small chance that Zarlova was designed with the addition of AP's beyond six in mind. Adventure paths give you a reward at the end, right? Who's to say they didn't give her this power for the same reason - future proofing for when they release AP 7 and beyond?
Not that I'm saying that's even likely. But it's possible.
I, for one, will be writing this power off as worthless for now, however.
Yeah, I guess this one's interesting in that the Top of Deck is MASSIVELY powerful, whereas the recharge is fairly ho-hum (compared with other role-card power feats)
I might mix a few in at AP5 - as that doesn't have any New Blessings in RotR - as previously noted, the "Rewards" aspect doesn't really apply in this instance, as I'm thinking more in terms of doing another run-through of RotR, rather than actual organised play (hoping to do that at some point, but it involves FLGS getting organised, AND it being on a night I can make)