RUNIC SKYCLAW : THE HAWK WITH THE BROKEN WINGS

Lena has been crippled since born. She would stay all day inside her house, imagining the outside world from the window. With nowhere to go, she would spent time with her father, an eccentric inventor dedicating years of life to engineer the runic technology. He found a way to engineer a mini flight engine, installable to the parts of the body.
When the Chaos Legion arrived, all of her friends left to raise arm against the impeding forces. Lena couldn't bear to stood still and do nothing. The Runic Skyclaw suit has been complete, she knew how to ride it, but only need one thing left before she wear it. Her father knew he cannot kept Luna stayed so long. With heavy feeling, he finally give his permission to her to wear the Runic Skyclaw. Now the hawk with the broken wings finally able to take his flight into the world.

Runic Skyclaw is a powerful ranged card coming from Dragon Splinter. As ranged card with 9 mana cost, the use of this card would be very limited to mid-high to high mana cap battle. The most prominent traits of Runic Skyclaw come from its combination of high speed and high evasion (supported by Flying ability). Its a typical traits constitute a Ninja type card. But remember one thing, a Ninja type always have low health as compensation, and so does with Runic Skyclaw. Tactical consideration need to be taken before deploying this card, and considering the high risk of this card, only high roller might choose to use this card. So lets go deeper into this card!

Pros & Cons

1. High speed and combined with Flying ability are the best combination to make a pure Ninja type card. Runic Skyclaw would be best positioned in the back rows, where it will frustrate your opponent with its high evasion rate, while evading being strike by magic damage.	1. Runic Skyclaw cost 9 mana, which is not only deployable limited for mid-high or high mana cap battle, but also too precious to be lost.
2. Again high speed, high damage, and Snipe ability define Runic Skyclaw as a deadly assassin. Runic Skyclaw could shock your opponent by bringing down their back rows even at Round 1. And the high speed also means high accuracy on each attack.	2. Low health for such high mana might be Runic Skyclaw main Achilles heels. Even though if it have fair amount of armor, greater threat would come from when facing against magic card.
*Reference for Archetype term : Striker --> Superior Damage / Tanker --> Superior Health / Ninja --> Superior Speed / Support --> A Lot Number of Abilities.

Market Price Analysis

Since the release of this card around 4 - 5 months ago, the cards have been in a several price fluctuation, with several major price jump followed by sudden price falls. Price does seemed move in downtrend direction, only in the past month the price stabilize in sideways movement. The current regular foil price stand at $0.71 and gold foil price stand at $7.45. The price are quite fair for a Riftwatchers editions, considering this is a Rare type card, and the price of Riftwatchers pack now at $4.47. Counting on the total bcx needed to reached max level, Runic Skyclaw on will cost you $8.17 for regular and $16.39 for gold. This price is very affordable compared to other Rare type card. Also considering the regular-gold foil price gap only around 1:2, purchasing gold price would be preferrable if you have sufficient budget.

Progression Analysis

Basically a card started with high speed is already have the upper hand than other cards. This because speed is a parameter which did not scale with the mana level of the cards (you might understand more about this by reading this post). So with speed growth in no longer a concern, the most important aspect for a Ninja type card would be its damage; after all with high evasion its better to have higher damage than health.

Runic Skyclaw growth seemed to have no specific pattern, which means growth does not recurring and focused on certain parameter only. The first progression grant a +1 health, a somewhat minor addition, but still a good one, considering this card only have 5 health. Level 3 grant the important +1 damage. For an early levle, this is a big leap which empower Runic Skyclaw into a deadly sniper. The growth come with a cost which is a health drawback which seemed minor since it is compensated on the succeeding progression. Level 5 grant the Reflection Shield ability. This ability is very useful, considering the moderate chances your opponent using Blast and Return Fire ability. Level 6 grant +1 shield which less important, and seemed more like a stepping stone to the next progression.

Level 7 would be the ultimate objective to be pursued. With +1 damage gained, Runic Skyclaw would have reached it full potential to bring down any opponent. Finally the Level 8 would be the least important growth. There are reason for this, first Runic Skyclaw possessed Snipe ability, which means its priority target would be ranged, magic, or non-striking card in the back rows. Meanwhile according to my listing (please refer to this and this post), there are very few numbers of ranged, magic, or non-striking with mana beyond 10 mana. This ability would only be effective if use in battle with very high mana cap, where there are leftover mana assignable to higher mana back rows. But still this would be a very rare occassion.

Rulesets To Be Watched

Ruleset	Strategy
	Having only 5 health, this is not a very good ruleset for Runic Skyclaw. Even if there's card with lower health than Runic Skyclaw, there's high chance opponent will put high damage output to quickly reached to Runic Skyclaw as the main target.
	Having a high damage output will allow Runic Skyclaw to draw powerful blast damage to your opponent. In addition once it gained Reflection Shield, this ruleset will be void to affect Runic Skyclaw.
	It's almost a no go to bring Runic Skyclaw in Noxious Fumes ruleset. The low health compared to the mana cost to deploy this card, could cost you so much under this ruleset.

WATCH BATTLE

Here's one of my battle experience with Runic Skyclaw in my formation. https://splinterlands.com?p=battle&id=sl_9e512ce9fb8c262b54e9ce5f2250b55e&ref=kid.miniatures for the battle link. The battle has 40 mana cap, with Counterspell and Fire & Regret, and all Splinters available. For my formation, I used:

Position	Card Name	Level	Mana	Health	Armor	Speed	Damage Type	Damage
Summoner	Drake Of Arnak	1	4	-	-	-	-	-
1st Row	Cursed Windeku	1	6	9	-	3	Melee	2
2nd Row	The Gorlodon	1	9	12	-	1	Melee	3
3rd Row	Corpse Fiend	1	0	1	-	2	Melee	1
4th Row	Silent Sha-Vi	1	5	5	-	3	Melee	2
5th Row	Dhampir Stalker	1	7	5	-	2	Ranged	3
6th Row	Runic Skyclaw	1	9	5	3	6	Ranged	3

My opponent formation:

Position	Card Name	Level	Mana	Health	Armor	Speed	Damage Type	Damage
Summoner	Obsidian	2	4	-	-	-	-	-
1st Row	Venari Knifer	3	6	6	-	5	Melee	3
2nd Row	Unicorn Mustang	1	8	10	-	4	Melee	3
3rd Row	Mycelic Slipspawn	2	9	11	-	2	Magic	2
4th Row	Regal Peryton	2	5	6	-	6	Magic	1
5th Row	Khmer Princess	1	2	2	-	1	Magic	1
6th Row	Goblin Psychic	2	6	4	-	1	Magic	2

My formation is in a bit of handicap here. I bring level 1 summoner while my opponent bring a level 2 summoner, while also bringing various level 2 cards. I decided to use Drake of Arnak to benefit the armor abilities, since I expect my opponent to use all melee formation. Then I deploy 4 melee cards, since it's the only attack not affected by the ruleset. I don't think bringing 2 high mana ranged card are a good ideas, but their high accuracy might benefit to bring down any Ninja on the opponent side.

Meanwhile my opponent bring Obsidian as summoner which of course followed with magic cards. In my opinion, this is a risky strategy, since magic card tend to have low health, and the countered magic damage would past right into their health. Its good step to deploy Venari Knifer with its Thorns ability. But the low health seemed to force the opponent to bring additional Tanker (which is Unicorn Mustang).

The combination attack of Sha-Vi, Dhampir, and Runic quickly cut off 8 health of Mycelic Slipspawn, and then followed with Thorns damage which left it with 1 health remaining. But the opponent magic damage isn't something to underestimate. The combined charge succeed to bring down Cursed Windeku.

Although at the start of Round 2 my formation already 1 card short, the formation rather is health with most of the cards have more than 5 health. Meanwhile opponent formation have very think health with only Unicorn Mustang stand firmly with 10 health. Sha-Vi, Dhampir, and Runic make a blitz attacks, and each of them managed to score a kill, eliminating Goblin Psychic, Venari Knifer, and Mycelic Slipspawn. Unicorn Mustang step up to the front row, but did nothing as it already passed it turn order earlier.

The tide are now turned into my side, with 5 cards now face against 2 cards remaining. Regal Peryton destroyed The Gorlodon, but have to sustain the countered magic damage. Runic Skyclaw now take her turn and shoot down into Regal Peryton, finally bringing it down. Unicorn Mustang strike down into Corpse Fiend, but waste it attack to destroy only the armor. Unicorn Mustang could be tough with its 4 speed and 10 health. But luckily, Sha-Vi and Dhampir able to land a hit into Unicorn, eliminating a total of 5 health.

With Runic Skyclaw landing another fatal hit into Mustang, it only a matter of time before anyone in my formation land the killing blow. And the honor given to Silent Sha-Vi which ended Unicorn Mustang for good.

CONCLUSION

Did your strategy work? What will you try differently next time?

My main strategy was divide the formation into melee cards and ranged cards with high accuracy attack. The ranged card work very well to fend off the high speed cards. Runic Skyclaw performed it roles as sniper very well. The first two round have contributed much to the demise of Mycelic Slipspawn. And then on 3rd, it bring additional merit by score a kill to Regal Peryton (although Peryton managed to act before Runic Skyclaw). And finally the last round, it landed another solid 3 damage to Unicorn Mustang which contribute to the its quick demise. In overall Runic Skyclaw have deal a total of 10 damage during the battle.

Do you like RUNIC SKYCLAW? Why or why not?

I find Runic Skyclaw very handy with its 3 damage output and 6 speed. I consider to level it up to Level 3 to gain the additional damage growth, not for higher damage, but more as prevention against debuff like Headwinds. I still believe the last row is the best possible position for Runic Skyclaw. Runic Skyclaw is suitable for long run battle. Preserving it as long as we could, and it will bring certain kill.