With the MASSIVE change in the card pool, it does warrant a second (sometimes third) look at every card in both available sets. Specifically, cards that wouldn't be worth a **** right now, but some Tekken will become seemingly more powerful.

- Wrath of Heaven

God knows how hard I've tried. I just couldn't for the life of me be able to pull this off as long as Bitter Rivals was in the meta. Then BR got banned, but BRT remained... in the next standard? Expect more Lu Chen.

- Sa, Symbol of Protection

Seriously. You're going to THD right now because you don't know what this card is or does. Let me help you with that. For Death/Earth/Void, it's a 2/5 Action with a +2M block that as an E gives your opponent's non-weapon attack -3 damage (no minimum), or gives your opponent's weapon attack -4 damage (also no minimum).

Before rotation, this card was severely overlooked, but with rotation it is officially the best defensive damage reduction out there (barring the self-cancellable Stand Off). With such nice stats, I'd be hard pressed not to run it.

- Razor's Bite

I've been giving this card a lot of praise, but it deserves it. Card draw outside of Algol is rather limited, but being able to see the top card of the deck? on a 3/3 attack with a +2M?

- Aura of Strength

People look at Hilde and can't help but mention Dual Wielding, forgetting about its red-headed step child Aura of Strength. +2 speed and (essentially with Hilde's damage reduction E) +3 damage for an action card is certainly nice. For a 2/5 with a +2M, seems even nicer.

- Curse of the Ancient Mariner

Quite possible the ONLY Powerful attack in the meta right now that generates its own momentum. Sure, it fits a Cervantes themed deck better than anything else, but it's also emergency momentum for anything else.

- Raging Gnome

...OK, so it's only good in Ivy. I just wanted to mention how shiny it is! But seriously in Ivy this card is incredibly disgusting, and excellent for those moments where you're going in for the kill without a Path of the Master to aid you.

- Distracting Taunt

Ew, it has bad stats. But considering the way the game is going, it means that most attacks have blocks. It's at least worth a mention in the new format as a result.

- Eisserne Drossel

The best and only free and reusable speed pump in the format. Man, Life does have some doozies. But don't discount Air or Death, either...

- Evil Sparrow

I would normally not be very supportive of a 3/3 3M3 with a +2M block, but this card can take itself out of progressive difficulty. And that makes it pretty nifty.

- Frantic Search

You lose 3 cards from hand to draw 3 cards. Sure, you also get to clog up your card pool, but you should be more excited about the single, best card draw in the game right now, outside of Algol's hand refresh and some of his weird, variable tricks. Plus it has Ivy butt. And who doesn't want to run that?

- Glanzende Nova und Frischer Himmel (like saying und... sounds a lot more German )

Outside of Hilde, it's a +2 speed which is great as it is, and as an added bonus, you draw 2 cards if it deals damage. High-speed attacks, throws, anything... this card is worth running by itself, even outside of Hilde.

- Genius Alchemist

2/5 no block, but makes a card in your card pool not count toward progressive. Any card. Which means that those Combo attacks are easier to play.

- Hilt Impact

4/3 3H3 +1M vanilla attack with... Stun:2? Wow. Add some pump like Siegfred's, Hilde's stuff or Paths and you're good to go.

- Hoping for a Challenge

Sure, without BRT and Forethought there's not much to use here... except for momentum gen! This card is a hidden gem, as you can now get the momentum you need to use that multiple or powerful or any other ability.

I'm sure there's more, but I have to leave for now.

Some of the cards that i have gone back and looked are.

Memories of a Nightmare

E; Commit. Blank a Evil, Void or Death foundation for the turn yes please. This helps get rid of some really problem control pieces for a while.

Chi Disrupter

I love any attack that lets you block, the commit 1 foundation to let you play it as a reversal.

From the Horse, Endurance

I love a card that rewards you with speed for playing attacks.

Tiger claw - Yes, I'm 3 control, higher damage than difficulty and an irregular zone. Did I mention I stun you and cause future attacks to stun you aswell? Yes, Life is an awesome symbol.

Enraged golem - Way of the mightiest 2.0.

Hungry for battle - cuz who doesnt like free damage pumps.

Also, I'd have to argue Fire as the strongest symbol out there, by virtue of attack base. Midnight Launcher, Knight Breaker, Dragon's flame; holy damage Batman! Really all fire needs is a decent speed pump (I guess some hilde stuff could work) and it pushed through one of there monster attacks for 7 - 15 damage, easily.

KNEEL BEFORE ZOD! Great if your opponent gets too many of one problem card.

Jotuns Fury: Arguably Hildes best one shot attack. Odin's Wrath too.

Command the Sandstorm: good stats and mass blanking

Driven by Fear: ...eh, it can clear for vibratos

Know When to Talk...: stops combos

Undisputed Ruler seems awfully good in the NEWFS meta...Kills ANY keyword...think about it...choose throw and fully block to incur no damage whatsoever. Disrupt Combo...i wonder what happens when one uses this card vs Reversal decks? Things that make you go, hmmmmmm....

Dread Pirate and Beyond Humanity ..."Hi, i'm BattlePak Akuma's old 2-check tech, remember ME?!?! Now, has anyone seen my old buddy, Instant Hell Murder? I miss him..."

(continues to look thru newer cards...)

guitalex2008 said:

From the Hawk, Alertness - 1/5 +3M that lets you see a card in your opponent's hand.

Ivy Decks should be running Swing Kick always.

tannerface said:

Quoted for truth.

Not to knock the OP but, Raging Gnome (and some of the other cards mentioned) were overlooked? Also, I laughed pretty hard when you said "God only knows"...when describing Wrath of Heaven.

ROTBI said:

I think the OP means to put the spotlight on cards that weren't popular pre-Start Over, but are now worth a second look. Raging Gnome (and other obviously powerful cards, like Knight Breaker, Fury of the Ancients) were popular then and are only moreso desirable.

RockStar said:

Quoted for truth on the Undisputed Ruler . It nerfs attacks with Multiple ( Menuett Dance , Fury of the Ancients ), Combo ( Knight Breaker , Wrath of Heaven , Dragon's Flame ), heck, even Weapon in a pinch against the lezzie Valkyrie Astrid . I'm thinking this little feller deserves a spot in any deck that can run it.

You can't nerf Throw with it, though; it only lasts until the end of the Enhance Phase, so it'll still be a Throw by the time you block it. I don't think it does all that much against Reversal , either, since that keyword was already played. If you can nerf it, you just went Inhuman Perception on the Reversal ; no biggie.

LordAggro said:

How would you Inhuman Perception it? Being that that just rotated. Maybe I misunderstood...

Smazzurco said:

What I mean is that I don't believe Undisputed Ruler works against Reversals , since when it resolves, the ability has already been played, and the point is moot. If it did, I believe it would have the same effect Inhuman Perception had against it.

It only affects reversals in that it prevents abilities like ...And When to Fight from being used on them. It responds to the attack being played so the reversal ability has already resolved.

I like soul stealing myself. With what i've seen of Paul's support were gonna be tapped out alot. So much stun going around with tekken might need a card like this to help block that "big attack".

Life Ivy decks should be running Low Down Neb

Stone Skin- the more i look at this card, the more i like it in a number of builds. In any earth character that shares symbols with it is fine fodder for potm when you got to finish. But primarily, it is one of Earth's only low blocks. For real. Now that blocks are so limited and the card is so small, blocking at reasonable cost becomes much more difficult. Seems like garbage in fire though...

Fire is the symbol that has to run the least fodder cards, because it has the biggest pool (7 dudes, plus support)... and even then, its fodder is usually pretty good :b (what a 1/5 foundation with a block in each zone, AND the 0/5 +3H Hope for One's People?)

I dunno about Stone Skin, you could just play Reborn Slasher or Yi Shan's Sweep (SO GOOD btw), or just man up with +3Ls like Black Giant or Striving for Perfection... that added utility (foundations are still nice...) is worth the harder block IMO.

Chasing after the power. I think it is the best foundation in the format nearly.

Enraged Golem - Way of the mightiest 2.0, but even more consistant.

Unstoppable Warrior - SPARTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Valued but not Trusted - Possibly the most overlooked card in the last block.

failed2k said:

Seconded. It made it into any of my block 3 decks that ran these symbols and it will certainly make it into any I make in block 4 (GO BUY THE CERVANTES STARTER!)

ps. also SE in said starter is a really nice 4h7 attack

- dut

Right, there's also Robes of the Grandmaster thing for speed pump.

Life IS getting ridiculous

dutpotd said:

Chasing and Shadow Flare are both sickeningly good.

SICKENING I TELL YOU

I'm already running 3 SF and 3 Curse of the Ancient Mariner in my Cervy deck, but sweet Christ SF is so good it makes me want to run a full set.

I used Flare in block 3. It is great playing it on your opponent's turn (giving - checks to the rest of their turn) via a new low (my Akuma deck) or chun-li, if you were brave enough to do her void. Needless to say, if it is good in block 3 it is hot stuff in block 4.

Geese, just checked out your Cervy deck - looks nice! Also, missed you at worlds this year

- dut

Don't forget you can play Shadow Flare as a block! It still gives the -1!

Isn't it a weapon, too? 3rd Rite here I come

Now that I write that, I feel like I read it somewhere very recently (because it works so well with 1st Rite...)