This article was originally posted to our Medium on September 24, 2018

This week we’re covering a darker god, the God of War.

With Auros what you see is what you get. Loyal, aggressive minions and a lust for bloodshed. But as straightforward as he is, Auros’ powers will tempt even the most strategic duellists. War has some truly amazing creatures and skilled players will take advantage of their most powerful abilities by building decks with one or two powers in mind.

So, without further ado, let’s examine the case for converting to Auros.

Keep in mind these powers are subject to change as we go through more testing.

Ascovered last week, each god has four “Basic Powers” to choose from at the start of a match — usable once per turn as a valuable counter to your opponent’s deck. Auros’s are as follows:

Intense Training: Mediocrity has no place on your side of the battlefield, heck, not even in your hand. For just two mana you can send your favorite random minion through its annual new year’s resolution. Why let it embarrass you in front of your opponent, when you can summon a mobile barracks to help them level up? In Auros’ camp we’re all for playing fast and loose with expendable creatures, but c’mon, everyone has standards.

Onslaught: Waiting a turn for your creature to attack is so tedious. Onslaught understands your pain and, for just one mana, bestows Blitz on a creature which allows for the creature to attack the same turn it is played! This keeps your opponent on the back-foot while facilitating more board control. Of course, if you’re up against some truly massive creatures, you might want to reconsider. Sometimes it really is the size of the dog in the fight.

Enrage: At just 1 mana Enrage is incredibly cheap. And while that +2 Burn might seem like a nerf, but it can be a blessing in disguise. Some creatures in Auros’ army actually get stronger as they get damaged. Consider “Tyr, The Just” for instance, who when not at full health has +6 Attack. Use your Enrage on Tyr and your opponent will be staring down the barrel of a 12 Attack creature. Whoever said old Tyr was just a pretty face? You might also use the burn function to finish off some of the opponent’s larger creatures. But if you’re going to go down that road be careful, you might have to take a few big hits first.

Clarion: It’s never too late, or early, to call for reinforcements. At 4 mana, Clarion is expensive for the typical War deck, but in exchange, lets you call upon a legion of warriors from across the realms. If you’re willing to pay its price, Clarion summons a randomised warrior with two buffs from the following: Flanking, Leech, Twin-Strike, +1/0, +0/+1, and Protected with -0/-1. You never quite know what you’re going to get.

Looking for a little more power? Instead of selecting a Basic Power (usable every turn), players can unleash an Ultimate Power. These powers can be devastating, but, with a limit of one use per match, require some serious plotting. So, with that in mind, behold the might of Auros:

Slayer: Sometimes you just have to do everything yourself. For only 2 mana, Slayer can either help your deck push the tempo or end the game. This extra push may be exactly what your deck needs to overcome some tough matchups. So, if you’ve grown bored of torturing the enemy, then choose Slayer and put them out of their misery, fast.

So… has the God of War’s taste for blood appealed to your senses?

Or perhaps you’ll be more in touch with nature…

Stay tuned for future updates by joining us on Twitter, Medium, and Discord!