| “ | Geld the males of the litter with a copper brand and salve with ointment until yellow bile seeps from their mouths and rear. Let them feed on each other, the survivor will fall into a blood stupor. Seal it with leper flux to allow it to engorge and enrage. It will awaken on the next moon. | ” |
–Esra | ||
War Rats are the Herds spin on Orphan Gang: they gain a point of health and damage, but trade speed and food conversion for it. Even with the potential to spam them using Rat Ointment, they need protection in order to start affecting the board state.
War Rats suffices as a possible opening tempo move by Daramek; it has just enough bulk to survive other cheap options bar the Bully, without evaporating like the Orphans are bound to do. They typically need protection to accomplish anything once the game is in swing due to needing to activate, which can be accomplished with Goat Outriders or Shepherd. Rat Ointment will allow you to spam War Rats at the cost of needing at least one Herd of Rats on the field at the time.
For their early-game bulk, War Rats suffer from a lack of commitment; Daramek either aims for blazing speed or ruinous durability, and this leans far enough in neither direction, awkwardly straddling the middle. Lepers are more defensive, and Orphan Gang is faster and offers food conversion – either will serve you better depending on your deck's aim. Rat Ointment will allow you to produce masses of War Rats, but locks you into an endless cycle of drawing and playing Herd of Rats and War Rats eventually, and neither card is good enough to win you a battle against a prepared opponent.
Update History[]
2014-06-26: All of the Daramek Herd cards have been revised