Testing the Restricted List - A Unicorn Version

So the restricted list came and shocked us all.  In my last post, I evaluated each of the restricted list cards impacting Dragon in a vacuum, and I came down on the side that the only reasonable choice is Void Fist.  I also linked to three different splashes from Mind's Desire himself (with his permission), and I discussed the pros and cons of each.  In this post, we're going to look at the Unicorn splash a little closer.

Here's the list

I played seven matches in preparation for writing this blog, just to get a feel of the splash and quickly asses its strengths and weaknesses.  Seven games is a small sample size, but it's enough to get the conversation going on the splash.  If you're not interested in this tournament report, feel free to jump down to the "general thoughts" section below for...well...general thoughts on the splash.

Tournament Recap
In my local league night, I played three matches using this list.  I played against the Dragon mirror, Crane, and Phoenix.

• Dragon mirror - L.  My opponent splashed Crab, and I must say, The Mountain Does Not Fall is extremely strong, and it ran away with our match when he cast it the first time.  I didn't draw any Spyglass, and it definitely felt like I had less powerful effects than my opponent.  Kitsuki Yaruma and Talisman of the Sun was a very powerful combo, but only having one Talisman led to not having it a lot.  I did get to move my opponent to Restoration of Balance, but this is the one time it really came up for me in all the games I played.
• Crane - W.  I just sort of did the Dragon thing here, and there isn't really a lot to talk about.  I played a Mitsu with three fate, he face checked a restoration of balance discarding five cards, and I put a lot of attachments on my Mitsu and broke provinces and won on turn three.  I did play a Spyglass, and drawing cards was awesome, but really, any splash would have won this game.
• Phoenix - L.  My opponent went really wide on me, and it was pretty difficult to keep up.  I didn't draw any spyglasses this game, and I felt like I was out resourced pretty hard.  I also got my Togashi Yokuni bowed by an Against the Waves, and that was honestly the worst feeling of my life.

In true degenerate fashion, I drove three hours each way to play in Mind's Desire's awesome event.  I won't talk too much about the event, but it was stacked (MD, Travis Fights Dragons, and a great group of locals).  I played three matches at this event: Lion, the Dragon mirror against MD, and Unicorn.

• Lion - W.  Man is Lion in rough shape.  My opponent did the best he could with his flop, but the worst flops from Dragon are better than the best from Lion a lot of the time.  I did get to move a conflict to my Sacred Sanctuary (under my box) to stand a character to win the favor one time, but honestly, there wasn't a lot to talk about just because of how under-powered Lion is.  Hopefully Children helps them out.
• Dragon - L.  Man is Mind's Desire good.  I lost this game with zero cards in hand to his 12 or 13.  I even drew a few cards off Spyglass, but it just didn't matter.  He had the Crab splash, and The Mountain Does Not Fall was once again incredible.  Hirma Skirmisher did a lot of work, and Tattooed Wanderer doesn't help so much in a matchup where your opponent has Let Go.
• Unicorn - W.  I'm going to be scared of Unicorn when they get their new box regardless of what splash we have.  My opponent was fate choked on some pivotal turns, but they won't be when the new box drops, and it's going to be scary.  I did draw all three spyglass in this game, and it was pretty insane drawing that many cards.  But if my opponent had a little bit more money, I still could have been in rough shape.

I played one final event with this Unicorn splash.  The day after Mind's Desire's event, I drove about an hour to a game store and battled in a three round tournament of theirs.  I played against Phoenix, Lion, and Scorpion.

• Lion - W.  I don't wanna rehash this matchup again, but it's basically the same as before.  Lion is in rough shape.  My opponent almost dishonored me here, but aggressively going for the air ring ended the match pretty quickly.
• Phoenix - W.  Didn't get behind on the board in this game, and Kitsuki Investigator did his part in taking the Display of Powers from my opponent's hand.  Drawing a bunch of cards with spyglass really made the difference here.
• Scorpion - L.  Boy did I mess this game up.  He was playing new box scorpion with the dishonor theme, and I bungled this game badly.  With five honor, I sent my last game into the province that drains you three honor when you break it.  He gladly obliged me, attacked unopposed with the air ring, and that was the ball game.  If I attack his other province (the one where you sack a guy when it breaks), I can't lose because I'm up on fate, board, and cards in hand, and I get to attack first the next round.  Honestly disappointing, but this was a good game to evaluate unicorn.  I was bidding low to not be dishonored, but Spyglass just continually drew me into cards and substituted for my honor dial.  Talisman allowed me to send my opponent into unfavorable provinces multiple times.

General Thoughts
Sypglass is a powerful card.  Unfortunately, the rest of the Unicorn splash is not powerful enough to be consistent.  I've been testing with other splashes soon (other articles to come!), and honestly, Unicorn doesn't stand up to the other options available to us.  If you mulligan aggressively to just Spyglass, then sure, you're in business, but if you don't see them, they don't do anything.

Yaruma/Talisman combo was fine when I had the luxury to do it, but it really felt win more.  Talisman is a good catch up card, but Yaruma doesn't pull its weight to be included.  I won games I wouldn't have without Talisman, but again, I don't need Yaruma for that card to be good.

Iuchi Wayfinder should get more credit than I give it here, but it isn't enough to sway me in the direction of Unicorn.  The lack of Pathfinder's Blade took some getting used to, and Wayfinder helps bridge the gap, but other splash options have more powerful effects that let you get over the province absence.

Now this is all for not because Children is coming out this January, and all of this might change when we get a full spoiler list, but for now, I'm setting Unicorn splash aside.  Next time, we check out the Phoenix splash!