Beyond the Bandlewood LoR Card Impressions: Nami

Beyond the Bandlewood LoR Spoilers Day 12

It’s Trevor “Shugo” Yung here and we’ve got a ton of new cards today.

The Seasonal Tournament just concluded and with it, brought us some sweet bonus reveals!

We’ve also received our 7th new champion in a row, Nami, making it a full week of getting new Bandlewood expansion champs.

We’ve got a lot of ground to cover so let’s get started.

• Nami (Bilgewater champion)
• Ebb (Bilgewater spell and Nami’s champion spell)
• The Lady of Blood (Noxus follower)
• Curious Shellfolk (Bandlewood follower)
• Tail-Cloak Matriarch (Ionia follower)
• Mirror Mage (Bandlewood follower)
• Abyssal Guard (Bilgewater follower)
• Avatar of the Tides (Bilgewater follower)
• Fleet Admiral Shelly (Bilgewater follower)
• Journeying Sandhopper (Bilgewater follower)
• Marai Songstress (Bilgewater follower)
• Marai Warden (Bilgewater follower)
• Marai Greatmother (Bilgewater follower)
• Tidal Wave (Bilgewater spell)

To follow along with past and future Bandlewood card reveals, just click here.

Nami

• Nami (level 1)
  • 3 mana 2|3 champion
  • Attune
  • Text – When you cast a spell, grant +1|+0 to the weakest other ally that isn’t Immobile.
  • Level up – You’ve gained 7+ mana this game.

• Nami (level 2)
  • 3 mana 3|4
  • Attune
  • Text – When you cast a spell, grant +2|+1 to the weakest other ally that isn’t Immobile.

Nami is here with a really unique design! We finally see the reason for the many Attune cards of Bilgewater’s past and can now explore a whole new side of the region.

She is a “spells matter” champion that wants to support other units as she can’t buff herself.

This means we’ll have to build her alongside cheap units to allow us to still bank spell mana.

Perhaps a Starlit Seer package could be a good direction to explore.

In order to take advantage of all the buffs, we’ll still need a viable target. Thankfully we’ve got the best one already within our region; Fizz!

Fizz always felt out of place within Bilgewater as he had to rely more on outside region spells to be most effective.

Now that we have Nami we’re seeing a ton of additional Bilgewater spells.

This opens up greater deckbuilding possibilities since we’re no longer as reliant on other supporting regions.

Nami is the first to introduce a level-up condition based on spell mana. This is a super interesting mechanic as it gives us complete control to flip her, but with interesting decisions and play patterns.

Do I play a unit this turn, or float mana to progress the requirement? Maybe I play a 2-drop on turn three to preserve the extra mana.

What’s interesting to note is we have to gain the spell mana. This means we must use what we have banked in order to continue towards level-up, and can’t simply sit on three banked spell mana.

We also have additional synergy with Flash of Brilliance, or other Attune cards. Shell Game actually makes a lot more sense than during its initial reveal.

I’m not sure that’s a direction worth exploring, but giving temporary Elusive to an already well-buffed unit does fit well with this type of game plan.

Cheap spells have always had a place in Runeterra and Nami brings some unique support. She’s got some interesting play patterns but we’ll have to see what home fits her best.

Most spell decks are less reliant on units but this strategy requires us to explore a path with both. Beyond the Bandlewood is going to be a wild expansion!

Ebb

• Ebb
  • 2 mana Fast spell (also Nami’s champion spell)
  • Text – Deal 2 randomly to an enemy or the enemy Nexus and create a Flow in hand.

• Flow
  • 2 mana Burst spell
  • Fleeting
  • Text – Heal an ally or your Nexus 2, and create an Ebb and Flow in hand.

• Ebb and Flow
  • 2 mana Fast spell
  • Fleeting
  • Text – deal 2 randomly to an enemy or the enemy Nexus and heal an ally or your Nexus 2.

Nami’s champion spell brings us a ton of options to utilize our excess spell mana and trigger additional spell procs.

At a baseline for two mana, Ebb is a random two damage ping. This is a tricky one as it can hit the enemy Nexus.

Even with just one enemy unit on board it’s a 50/50 chance to hit, leaving a lot up to RNG.

Flow provides a form of healing to Bilgewater and is essentially a Guiding Touch that draws the final card; Ebb and Flow.

There’s a great range of randomness with the damage half of these spells, which makes it unreliable as a removal option. Healing for two is often pretty niche but can have its uses.

The biggest appeal to Ebb is its ability to function as essentially three spells in one. As Nami’s champion spell it’s great as it provides more fuel for Nami’s buff triggers.

I’m not sure whether Ebb itself is worthy of inclusion, but in decks that want as many spells as possible, it’s a solid consideration.

The Lady of Blood

• The Lady of Blood
  • 4 mana 2|4 follower
  • Text – When you discard a non-Fleeting unit, create a Fleeting copy of it in hand.

First up is a support card for the new Discard Midrange archetype. The discard mechanic as a whole requires a steep cost of actually having suitable fodder.

Our usual options are fleeting token spells like Draven’s axes or discardable units such as Flame Chompers.

With The Lady of Blood we have freedom to be more flexible as she essentially refunds the discard, provided that you can afford to play the card that round.

This is an awesome engine for an archetype that has a ton of new support.

At a 2/4 statline however, she may be a bit too slow for how Noxus typically plays, but there’s definitely potential here.

Curious Shellfolk

• Curious Shellfolk
  • 6 mana 4|6 follower
  • Text – When you pick a card from randomly selected options, create a copy in hand and reduce its cost by 1.

What a strange effect. Curious Shellfolk appears to be a support for a Manifest, Invoke, or Predict, or Prank style deck?

We’re not 100% certain as of yet but according to the text it should work in this way.

The ability to double up your value and create copies of the selected card is a powerful effect.

Granted, as a six mana 4/6 it’s reminiscent of Chief Mechanist Zevi which unfortunately never saw the light of day.

Tail-Cloak Matriarch

• Tail-Cloak Matriarch
  • 5 mana 4|5 follower
  • Text – Each round, the first time you Recall a follower, summon an exact Ephemeral copy of it.

More Recall support? It’s cool to get new pieces, but I don’t think this solves the everlying issues of the archetype.

Recall has always been value-oriented. We get to reclaim our cards and make additional use of them, at the cost of severe tempo loss.

That’s the issue and Tail-Cloak Matriarch doesn’t solve that. It’s similar to Go Get It, except without the best parts.

Sure we still get to retrigger any summon effects off the Ephemeral copy…but we don’t get to replay the unit for free afterwards.

This is also follower-specific, so sorry Katarina fans but this ain’t happening.

Another cool engine for an underplayed strategy, but once again tailored towards the fun side instead of competitive. That’s perfectly fine!

Mirror Mage

• Mirror Mage 
  • 8 mana 4|7 follower
  • Text When you play a created follower, summon an exact copy. When you play a created spell, cast it again on the same targets.

Finally the last of the Seasonal Tournament reveals, we have potentially the greatest engine of them all. Mirror Mage does some absolutely ridiculous work if you’re playing enough created cards.

The effect is undoubtedly powerful, but you all know this is an eight drop.

If you’re in the mood for some wacky gameplay then Mirror Mage is where it’s at.

However, aside from maybe topping off a controlly Go Hard strategy, we’re not likely to see this much on ladder.

Abyssal Guard

• Abyssal Guard
  • 4 mana 2|3 follower
  • Fearsome
  • Text – When you cast a spell, give me +2|+0 this round.

Would you play a vanilla four mana 6/3 with Fearsome? I don’t think you would.

Three health on a four mana body leaves so much to be desired.

There’s no form of protection here, and by the time you’re able to capitalize on the spell buffs, your opponent will likely have a Fearsome blocker…with 3 power…

That immediately trades with Abyssal Guard…no thanks.

Avatar of the Tides

• Avatar of the Tides
  • 6 mana 4|5 follower
  • Text – If you would get a mana gem, instead refill your spell mana. When you cast a spell, create in hand a random spell that costs 3 or less and give it Fleeting.

Okay, hold up, what? This card actually denies us our own round start mana gem.

In exchange we get our spell mana refilled, and generate cheap random fleeting spells upon every spell cast?

Notably, you don’t have to cast non-fleeting spells, so each random spell can generate another one.

What a bizarre card. Presumably the refill effect may also work with Attune?

Although we don’t have confirmation just yet. Another card for the fun pile.

Perhaps Unworthy becomes playable after this? Or not, haha.

Fleet Admiral Shelly

• Fleet Admiral Shelly
  • 5 mana 3|3 follower
  • Elusive, Attune
  • Text – For every two spells you play in a round, grant other allies +1|+1.

Fleet Admiral Shelly is essentially a Slippery Waverider with +1|+1 less stats but bigger payoff potential.

This card wants to be played alongside cheap spells to add permanent buffs to your board.

These buffs best apply to smaller units and have some real potential with Elusives.

It’s a little slow as a 5-drop and unfortunately doesn’t buff itself.

But if you can sustain a board, Fleet Admiral Shelly could be a nasty finisher!

Journeying Sandhopper

• Journeying Sandhopper 
  • 3 mana 4|3 follower
  • Attune

A 4/3 Attune for three mana isn’t half bad!

Whether this warrants a slot over other units will be dependent on how well the deck utilizes spell mana.

A potentially decent tempo option, but still vanilla nonetheless.

Marai Songstress

• Marai Songstress
  • 2 mana 3|2 follower
  • Text – When I’m summoned, if you’ve cast a spell this round, grant me Elusive.

A 3/2 statline on a 2-drop Elusive!? Excuse me!? This doesn’t need to be played on-curve to be threatening.

We’ve already been jamming two power Elusives on turns three and four, but now we get a 3/2!?

There is actually some requirement here, as you’ll have to play a spell proactively to grant it Elusive.

Many Elusive decks want to develop before attacking and use reactive spells to protect their units.

In order to play Marai Songstress pre-attack, you’ll need a spell worth casting.

Thankfully Pranks work great for this, and other cheap token spells can help too.

Don’t be fooled, it won’t take much to make this card insane.

Marai Warden

• Marai Warden
  • 2 mana 2|1 follower
  • Text – When I’m summoned, summon a random 1 cost follower.

We’ve now got another card for the “1 cost follower” archetype, but more importantly, a new Bilgewater 2-drop similar to House Spider or Petty Officer. Wow, this card has potential.

You’ve heard me say it before, but having two bodies attached to a single unit is always valuable.

Our biggest drawback with this one is the RNG attached to it. You Petty Officer players know the struggle of summoning Shadow Fiend…plus we’ve also got a second one in Reborn Grenadier.

While decent for offensive power, they’re completely useless post-combat.

Aside from the obvious two, Marai Warden will vary greatly depending on the unit summoned. If another one health unit is summoned they become weak to cards like Make it Rain.

However, getting a 2/2 is fantastic value. Another RNG tossup but at two mana there’s a good chance it’ll see some play.

Marai Greatmother

• Marai Greatmother
  • 4 mana 3|3 follower
  • Text – When I’m summoned, create 5 random 6+ cost spells in your deck and lower their cost to 3.

Well this is a fun one! Marai Greatmother generates five random expensive spells from any region, into your deck, but with a mana cost of three!?

This gives a similar feel to treasures in that drawing one of these cards could potentially win you the game. A three mana Ruination? Yes please!

A three mana Feel the Rush? Ohhhhh yes! You get the point. There’s a lot of blowout potential if you hit the right card.

Since all of these are reduced to three mana you can even use Zap Sprayfin to tutor them out. We also have great incentive for Predict cards.

The range of potential is too wide to really narrow down its viability.. But it does actually have a small chance at seeing competitive play.

Regardless, this may be one of the most fun cards revealed to date. Looking forward to the several shared clips of insanity!

Tidal Wave

• Tidal Wave
  • 3 mana Slow spell
  • Text – Deal 1 to two different randomly targeted enemies and create a Crashing Wave in your deck.

• Crashing Wave
  • 3 mana Slow spell
  • Text – Deal 2 to four different randomly targeted enemies and create a Colossal Wave in your deck.

• Colossal Wave
  • 3 mana Slow spell
  • Text – Deal 4 to all enemies and the enemy Nexus.

Tidal Wave brings us a new spell similar to Go Hard. In its initial form, dealing one damage to two different enemies is like a more accurate slow speed Make it Rain.

That’s not great, but it’s playable. However, its next iteration is a huge upgrade. Crashing Wave is essentially a one-sided Avalanche in most cases and still at only three mana.

If you manage to hit the final form, Colossal Wave will absolutely demolish their board as effectively a slightly weaker Pack Your Bags.

Overall there’s some cool flavour and synergy here. Due to its “targeted” wording, it should count towards Ezreal’s level-up condition.

This provides more support for Bilgewater Ezreal which already was competitive in the past. One notable downside of these cards versus Go Hard is you’re only receiving one copy.

You get a potentially quicker payoff, but it’s harder to find. Perhaps Predict and/or spell tutors can help, but even then the odds are still fairly low.

Bonus Deck: Fizz Nami

Deck code: CECAEAQGEYXAMBIKAQCRUKRRSEAQEBIGAUGQCAYGCEBQCBIK2EAQCBIGBMAQEBRZAEAQKCRI

[See Shugo’s Fizz Nami deck]

Here’s a take on Fizz Nami using Bilgewater + Bandle City. The goal is to create a bunch of cheap spells in hand at little cost of tempo.

We have plenty of small units that can generate free value and Attune allows us to cast them easily.

Buff spells like Purpleberry Shake and Stress Defense provide great interaction while we chip down their Nexus with Elusives!

Best of all, if your satisfaction comes from driving the opponent crazy, we’ve also got Pranks!

There’s a ton to experiment with in Beyond the Bandlewood but I know this will be on my list!

Shugo’s Productivity Thought of the Day

How much of your time is spent doing what YOU want to do? Not enough?

What can you do today to change that?

We’re revealing the new Beyond the Bandlewood cards every day at our spoiler page. To build decks with the new cards, head to our Deck Builder.