Mastering the True Value of Your Voidspawn
Riftblade’s new Voidspawn expansion does more than just add cards to the game; it introduces an entirely new strategic dimension. These semi-permanent additions to your board can be used turn after turn, building a powerful engine your opponent can't ignore. But as any Riftblade player knows, anything that powerful comes with a cost... and a target on its back.
Unlike a fire-and-forget spell, Voidspawn are a long-term commitment. They're expensive to summon, vulnerable to attack, and demand you protect them to realize their potential. So, how do you value these powerful new assets? Let’s take a look at Inferno Troll, a powerful new Voidspawn added with the expansion, to see what’s changing:
An early rendering of Inferno Troll, a powerful new creature to be summoned to the board with the Voidspawn expansion.
Voidspawn are easily noted by their additional summoning cost and health. They can also be spotted easily at a glance for their distinctive steel frame.
Dual Cost: Voidspawn have an initial cost to acquire them from The Rift (top right corner), and a second mana cost you must pay each time you summon them to the board, located in the mid-left.
Targetable Health: They have their own health pool, seen in the mid-right, and your opponent can choose to attack the Voidspawn instead of you. However, they must deal enough damage to destroy it in a single turn.
Powerful, Persistent Abilities: Many Voidspawn grant game-changing abilities, like the expansion's first opportunity to gain extra dice during your turn. This power guarantees they will be a priority target for any savvy opponent.
Given a Voidspawn’s typically high initial cost, the obvious point is that adding these cards into your deck early, where they’ll see the most play, is most cost effective. However, that’s true for any card in Riftblade — spells included — so what’s different about Voidspawn?
Refresher - Purchasing or Triggering?
Previously, the math was simpler. You’d estimate the number of turns left based on player health pools and average damage output. Voidspawn can shatter that calculation. By creating a secondary health pool for your opponent to worry about, they fundamentally change the timeline of the game. This brings your opponent's strategy—and your own Voidspawn portfolio—into the spotlight.
The "Hidden Shield": Which Voidspawn Draw Fire?
Not all Voidspawn are created equal in your opponent's eyes. Some are subtle engines, while others are immediate, must-answer threats. Lets compare Ember Seraph to Dreadbone.
The Ember Seraph, with its low 2 Health, pings your opponent every turn and accelerates your combos with its dual Celestial/Infernal Aspect. It's a lightning rod for attacks. Dreadbone, on the other hand, offers a less direct advantage—a single card draw—and has a sturdier 3 Health. While an Infernal player may choose to target your Dreadbone, many opponents will choose to give up the card advantage — you’ve earned it after investing eight mana, after all.
Why does this threat assessment matter? It creates a "hidden shield."
Let's say you have an Ember Seraph (2 Health) and an Inferno Troll (4 Health) in play. To remove them, your opponent must spend resources dealing a total of 6 damage that isn't hitting your life total. This shield effectively extends the game, giving you more turns to assemble your combos and perfect your deck. The more Voidspawn your opponent feels forced to attack, the longer you have to live.
Voidspawn Momentum: An Unstoppable Army
Let's take this shield effect further. What happens when you build a true Voidspawn army?
I learned this lesson the hard way in a recent game. My opponent started by summoning Shadow and Dreadbone. I ignored them, going straight for their health. It seemed to be working. But then, a couple of turns later, an Ember Seraph and Gloom Shade joined the fray.
The sizable health lead I’d built was vanishing. Their board was now a machine, chunking away at my life while providing them a cascade of advantages. I faced a critical choice: pivot to knock out the Voidspawn, or race to the finish? I doubled down on my damage strategy... right as my opponent started healing. Their Voidspawn had all the time they needed to dismantle me.
The lesson was powerful: allowing an opponent to build a Voidspawn army is almost certainly a recipe for disaster.
We’ll talk more about target prioritization in the future but, for now, let’s look at one last angle.
The Thrill of the Hunt
Voidspawn don't just change combat; they change how you approach The Rift.
With an average cost of over 5 mana (compared to the core set's average of 3), Voidspawn make high-mana turns more valuable than ever. "Hunting" for a specific, game-changing card is now a premier strategy. Snagging an early Inferno Troll or Sun Phoenix can define your entire game plan and force a costly pivot from your opponent.
This creates a new, tricky question: when do you stop refreshing The Rift and play what you have? While that answer depends on the game state, I'll say this: if I'm sitting on 7 or more mana, I'm strongly tempted to go hunting for a monster that can win me the game.
The Final Tempering: Voidspawn Blueprints
Voidspawn are more than just creatures; they are strategic assets that redefine the flow of the game. To get the most out of them, remember three key principles:
The Hidden Shield: Use high-threat Voidspawn to absorb damage and buy you precious time.
The Momentum Threat: Never let an opponent build an uncontested army of Voidspawn. Prioritize key targets and dismantle their engine before it becomes unstoppable.
The High-Mana Hunt: Use high-mana turns to refresh The Rift and hunt for game-breaking Voidspawn that can anchor your strategy.
By integrating these powerful creatures into your deck, you're not just adding more cards—you're adding a host of new tactics and a powerful new path to victory. Happy Dueling Riftblades!
