Hi all, Unicorn player here. I'm a bit underwhelmed by our clan champion's text, unless I'm missing something, " ... you opponent chooses a character he or she controls - discard that character" They're just going to discard a (bowed) character from the current conflict aren't they? If it was a character that didnt participate, I could see some value in that (assuming unicorn went first). After a few games of seeing how powerful some clan champion abilities are, this one seems a bit ordinary.

Unicorn just have to try and win without champion. In triplecore this is finally starting to work for me. But altansernai is (in my deck) only there for charge/cavalry reserves or politics.

If it's any consolation, the first Dynasty Pack is giving you this:

Swift magistrate is not as great as she seems. She only works while attacking and she also hits your people with fate on them. The absence of cavalry also hurts. She is good......but not great.

I think FFG designed Altansarnai with the stronghold ability in mind, which is why her ability and a t are are somewhat underwhelming. Being able to move to a battle afterwards is a big deal so you can't expect to have Kisada like stats/abilities when you have that flexibility of movement. The lack of additional province strength should also be a indication of just how powerful and effect the Unicorn stronghold has.

That new card makes me think I've been playing unicorn right, spamming characters without fate and trying to rush.

51 minutes ago, Barbacuo said:

That new card makes me think I've been playing unicorn right, spamming characters without fate and trying to rush.

That's one way to play them. I don't know if it's the "right"way with just core cards. I've had the most success when I play long grindy games that wear my opponent out and evetually crush them with card advantage. However I don't know that way is right either as that makes the games go dangerously close to time

I do know that Unicorn is no one trick poni

1 hour ago, Barbacuo said:

That new card makes me think I've been playing unicorn right, spamming characters without fate and trying to rush.

If they're cavalry, it also gets some muscle in your discard sooner to use Cavalry Reserves. Which, incidentally, brings the discarded units into the current conflict with no fate on them, so that can be a powerful combo you use with the magistrate.

I love all the options the Unicorn ? have, so flexible. Must be frustrating for opponents. One game my opponent was going to send a powerful character home in an important conflict, didn't bother as it was Cavalry and stronghold not used yet.

I also like the card drawing via spyglass, means I can bid one every turn and my opponent has to choose whether to bid higher for cards or give up using assassinations. I've started putting one fate on Border Rider to dare them to blow 3 honour

I also really like putting a little extra fate on my 2 and 1 fate people to dare my opponent to Assassinate them so I can begin choking them out on cards

I've been practising with a unicorn deck that goes for the long game (lots of scouting out, winning/denying rings with the help of Way of The Unicorn (which isn't the worst Way Of, thanks to the terrible Dragon one...), and fate/card economy. run plenty of courtiers too, and I splash Scorpion for Forged Edict. It's proven really strong in my testing...

...And then I finally played it against a mate at the weekend who revealed his deck as....Scorpion. The game was a long one alright (5-6 rounds) by the end of which I'd failed to break a single province and had about one card left in hand (Scorpion rarely worry about their own honour loss). My Border Rider with +1 fate was promptly assassinated, favours were called in on both occasions I played Spyglass (he forge edicted my own forged edicts), and I realised I'd majorly overestimated IDE Trader's ability (I wrongly assumed it worked on himself when Committing to a conflict). Failed to draw any of my 3 copies of charge so had to pay full-wack for Altansarnai, but still wasn't able to use her ability as by that time I was desperately trying to defend.

I'd been annoyed by everyone saying on other forums that Unicorn are the weakest Clan, but sadly i've come round to agreeing. I hink the Stonghold is really poor, the Champion is the weakest, and even their Province is dodgy.

That bring said, Iuchi Wayfinder and Captive Audience are both fantastic cards, and the forthcoming Magistrate card looks like it will really boost my deck.

Unicorn is the weakest clan right now(there is a matchup stats sheet somewhere on the forums) and their useless champion is one of the reasons they will stay there until a better 5 drop comes out. Imagine every time you draw her you draw yokuni or tsukune. The game would be so much different.

Ya she got cavalry trait so you can use your stronghold on her and cavalry reserves also, both are situational cards at best and straight up useless if push comes to shove. Noice

23 minutes ago, BordOne said:

Unicorn is the weakest clan right now(there is a matchup stats sheet somewhere on the forums) and their useless champion is one of the reasons they will stay there until a better 5 drop comes out. Imagine every time you draw her you draw yokuni or tsukune. The game would be so much different.

You would go so far as to call Lady Altansarnai useless? Truly, there is none bolder than a Lion!

4 hours ago, Caldera said:

I've been practising with a unicorn deck that goes for the long game (lots of scouting out, winning/denying rings with the help of Way of The Unicorn (which isn't the worst Way Of, thanks to the terrible Dragon one...), and fate/card economy. run plenty of courtiers too, and I splash Scorpion for Forged Edict. It's proven really strong in my testing...

...And then I finally played it against a mate at the weekend who revealed his deck as....Scorpion. The game was a long one alright (5-6 rounds) by the end of which I'd failed to break a single province and had about one card left in hand (Scorpion rarely worry about their own honour loss). My Border Rider with +1 fate was promptly assassinated, favours were called in on both occasions I played Spyglass (he forge edicted my own forged edicts), and I realised I'd majorly overestimated IDE Trader's ability (I wrongly assumed it worked on himself when Committing to a conflict). Failed to draw any of my 3 copies of charge so had to pay full-wack for Altansarnai, but still wasn't able to use her ability as by that time I was desperately trying to defend.

I'd been annoyed by everyone saying on other forums that Unicorn are the weakest Clan, but sadly i've come round to agreeing. I hink the Stonghold is really poor, the Champion is the weakest, and even their Province is dodgy.

That bring said, Iuchi Wayfinder and Captive Audience are both fantastic cards, and the forthcoming Magistrate card looks like it will really boost my deck.

Ide Trader does work on himself if you move him into a conflict. No, it doesn't work from normal assignment, but you should rarely have any trouble moving him in.

7 hours ago, BordOne said:

Unicorn is the weakest clan right now(there is a matchup stats sheet somewhere on the forums) and their useless champion is one of the reasons they will stay there until a better 5 drop comes out. Imagine every time you draw her you draw yokuni or tsukune. The game would be so much different.

Ya she got cavalry trait so you can use your stronghold on her and cavalry reserves also, both are situational cards at best and straight up useless if push comes to shove. Noice

Enjoy the times before 5 Fate costing Utaku "Pwner of Lions" Kamoko.

I hope?

7 hours ago, Togashi Gao Shan said:

Ide Trader does work on himself if you move him into a conflict. No, it doesn't work from normal assignment, but you should rarely have any trouble moving him in.

Thank you. I'm still trying to de-programme my 'Conquest brain' (where Committing to a planet was deemed to be Moving. E.g. For the purposes of Kugath's Nurglings)

Ide Trader, didn't realise it counted himself! Doh. Now he's really good, and I have a reason to play Favoured Mount on him.

Unicorn really are the card drawing clan!

Rather than link to a 7 page, sometimes-heated, discussion, wouldn't it be easier to link to a ruling? (Or link to a link to ruling in this case.)

https://fiveringsdb.com/card/ide-trader

NOTE: fiveringsdb.com has all of the current rulings.