October 19, 2018 June 15, 2019
Empyrea Part 2
Scion Spells Review
After last year’s spell fasting KI surprised us with brand new mechanics in the fall of 2018! We call them Scion Spells and they can do double the regular damage if you meet the given requirements. The damage itself is pretty high, but you need to spend 12 pips in order to cast it. You should really aim to meet the given requirements before casting the spell because 12 pips is too expensive for regular damage.
All of these spells have two versions that are visually somewhat different from each other. The higher damage one, where you meet all the requirements, looks more majestic and impressive.
THESE SPELLS HAVE BEEN UPDATED!
Scion of Fire
Does 1300 Fire Damage regularly. Does double (2600) damage if the target you are attacking has 2+ Damage over times on them. If hit for 2600 damage, the DoTs on your target will be cleared.
Grade: ★★★★☆
PvP
In 1v1 this is a really strong spell, but it takes a bit to set up. Elf -> Elf -> Scion can be pretty devastating if you have the time and pips to set it up. An even better combo would be Death Bat -> Death Bat -> Scion. That way you can use Fire blades as well and maybe even one shot kill the opponent. There is triage of course, but using it is a double-edged sword. You’re just wasting a precious burning rampage counter.
In 2v2 Scion of Fire is even stronger, since you need only 2 rounds instead of 3 to perform a combination. Even better, your partner can use Fire Elf and you Death Bat. This basically ends with a bladed hit into an unshielded opponent.
PvE
Scion of Fire is still useful in PvE, but not as much as in PvP. Eliminating the ability to feint your opponent is just screaming to use alternative spells. While Scion of Fire can work in PvE, it simply requires to much setting up to be used as an effective way to kill most bosses.
Scion of Ice
Does 1185 Ice Damage regularly. Does double (2370) damage if YOU, the caster, have FULL Health.
Grade: ★☆☆☆☆
PvP
Ice got the short end of the stick in this batch of spells. The requirements fit the school’s premise, but it’s really hard to meet them. The best choice is to try with Scion of Ice as soon as possible. The max level meta is all about aggression and not much healing. This means that even a wand hit or a weak off-school hit can completely ruin the whole spell.
PvE
The situation in PvE is even worse than in PvP. Since monsters don’t fight as tactically as people in PvP, there’s a high chance you’ll receive a hit in a face before you’ve been even been able to obtain 12 pips.
Scion of Storm
Does 1380 Damage regularly. Does double (2760) damage if the Target has 75% or greater Health.
Grade: ★★★☆☆
PvP
Unfortunately, Scion of Storm doesn’t help Storm too much in 1v1 PvP. It’s a really strong spell that can pack a lot of punch, but that’s not how the Storm school work. Storm is all about fast play and aggression, so saving up for 12 Pips might not end well. The total health is still really low for Storm wizards, which means only one thing: you have a lot of chances to die before you’ll have enough pips to spare.
The story is little different in 2v2. With a Life partner you can stay alive long enough to save up for a massive hit and one shot kill one of the opponents.
PvE
On the other hand, this spell is great for PvE. Scion of Storm is currently the hardest hitting spell in game, which means an even easier way to one shot kill tougher bosses. It’s a bit easier to stay alive in PvE than it is in PvP and blading up makes more sense. In addition, tougher bosses usually need a bit more buffing.
Of course this won’t beat a well coordinated team that can kill most things in a few rounds, but some creatures are still a bit problematic and require more refined set ups.
Scion of Myth
Does 1260 Damage regularly. Does double (2525) damage if the Target is stunned OR YOU have at least 2 Stun Blocks. Removes all Stun Blocks from YOU when done and double dmg is dealt. Note: The spell will actually remove 2 wards (any wards, shields etc.)
Grade: ★★★★★
PvP
This spell is god-like and by far the best out of the Scion group. With Talos and the vast amount of stun opportunities there are plenty of chances of you fulfilling the requirements by just normally playing the game. If your opponent is stubborn enough to keep the stun blocks up, there’s always plan B; just use Stun Blocks on yourself and you’re good to go.
Putting Stun Blocks up in PvP is one of these “do ASAP” thingies. Because of that, there’s a high possibility you’ll be already set before you reach 12 Pips. In combination with Talos/Shatter (to take care of your opponent’s shields) this spell is ready for Mass destruction.
PvE
While Myth doesn’t usually serve as a hitter in PvE, this spell can be useful for those who decide to solo the game. Stun resist on bosses can be tricky, but the back-up plan will solve the issue.
Scion of Life
HEALS 1315 regularly. Does double (2630) healing if the target is 25% health or LESS.
Grade: ★★☆☆☆
PvP
This spell has limited use in PvP. For regular non-jade players it is pretty situational. While it can bring you back to full health, it will leave you pipless, ready to get a barage of attacks in your face. Jades on the other hand might like this spell, since they often play really conservatively and don’t spend too many pips.
PvE
In PvE it’s not that useful either. Since this is a different enviroment as PvP, you will have an easier time keeping sanctuary up and generally increase your healing boost. That basically translates into Satyrs being able to bring players back to max health.
Scion of Death
DRAINS 1040 regularly. Does double (2080) drain if the target is 33% health or LESS. Note: Drain will Heal YOU for ½ the damage dealt.
Grade: ★★☆☆☆
PvP
This is by far the strongest drain in the game, but the requirement decreases its value. When it triggers the double damage while your opponent is below 33% of their max health, this spell won’t reach its full potential. When getting opponents that low on health, you’ll probably kill them with the next hit. This means you don’t really need the drained health. Or you could use a lower pip cost alternative to finish off the opponent.
Scion of Death would be more useful in 2v2, since drained health will come in handy when dealing with the remaining player.
PvE
This spell has similar problems in PvE as it has in 1v1 PvP. The drain simply isn’t very much needed when you’re finishing off an almost dead enemy. Using a lower pip spell to do the job would work equally well or even better. This spell can potentially be used against high health bosses, but even there, it’s more suitable to play support and buff/weaken, heal.
Scion of Balance
Does 1225 Damage regularly. Does double (2450) if YOU have 6 or more Blades. Removes ALL blades if double condition is met.
Grade: ★★★☆☆
PvP
Scion of Balance requires a similar set up as the Fire spell. You will need 2 rounds prior to its hit (or 1 if you’ll play 2v2 with team mate). The downside is that Balance isn’t really known for bladestacking. The regular “spammy strategy” would need some adjustments. Regardless, blades can still be combined with Gaze of Fate or Spectral Blast for example to mix things up a little.
PvE
In PvE, this spell can have a totally different implication. Instead of relying on Spirit/Elemental blades to quickly reach the quota, you can start stacking Balance blades. Before reaching 12 pips you should be able to put 6 up already and get ready to unleash a deadly one hit kill on boss.
Final Words
It’s really nice to see that KingsIsle has decided to implement new game mechanics. Regardless, the disparity between these spells is too big for now. They could use some tweaking to bring everyone to an even ground.
The Scion spells don’t look game breaking, but these are just some initial thoughts. Time will tell what strategies these spells are going to bring to the table. I’m definitely looking forward to see them being used in PvP and PvE.
