While World of Warcraft TCG players are familiar with weapons like Krol Blade, Perdition’s Blade, Wraith Scythe, and even the legendary Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker, there are a few weapons that draw strength not from the damage they inflict, but from the powers they contain. A caster would hardly go on the offense with Inventor’s Focal Sword, but a Mage could use it to keep those Polymorphs hopping around the board. Aurastone Hammer isn’t going to strike anyone down, but it could save your allies from death and abuse their come-into-play triggers.
 

These are small, yet effective, examples of powers that service the thriftiest of players. However, I know there are some big spenders out there, both in terms of Crafting materials and people who love big effects for big resource costs. So, what happens if a weapon is designed in that utility mindset but the effect completely breaks the game wide open and changes everything?

The biggest things sometimes come in the smallest packages. (Someday that line will be used in real life as a hint to get someone a piece of jewelry, but for now let’s think about it in TCG terms.) Today’s card is a small, one-handed weapon, but don’t let it fool you. See, this dagger has the power to bring entire wars to a standstill.

Eternium Runed Blade is a dagger that can be used by the Shaman, Priest, Warlock, and Mage classes. While not designed for melee battle, it has a huge effect on anybody fighting on the table. It screams, “Stop!” to the ally-on-ally killing, and it makes sure no new allies will be drafted into the war effort. Can’t we all just get along?

Seven resources is expensive for a weapon that isn’t designed for attacking, but this effect cannot be fully reproduced by any other card available in the game. Not only that, but we can also take this seemingly symmetrical effect and make it so that even though the killing has stopped, the slaughter of the opposing hero has just begun.

In the case of the Shaman class, Phadalus the Enlightened has been beating down with his smurf buddies since Darkmoon Faire Austin. He’s popping up in practically every Top 8 at every major tournament, and while typically found with Perdition’s Blade, this dagger can make him even more dominating. As he hates to see his blue buddies go down in a fight, this dagger ensures they stick around to keep attacking. It doesn’t matter if your opponent has a huge protector out. The allies bounce off each other all the same. If you want to throw your opponents a curve ball, give Moala Stonebinder a shot. Make your dagger immune to destruction for a turn! With a massive amount of allies in the Shaman deck, it won’t be hard to outnumber any opposing force and keep that numeric advantage with Eternium Runed Blade.

For Warlock, things get dark and dirty. While allies cannot be destroyed, they certainly can be removed from the game. Jar Soul and Shred Soul take out allies in such a way that nobody can recover the bodies. It’s not a pretty way to go. Also, don’t forget that this weapon makes Sarmoth invulnerable and a super-protector. Nothing is getting through the Voidwalker defense—not even stealth allies. Even if your opponent finds a way to remove the blueberry Pet, you’re slowly removing their allies from play with your Warlock’s removal abilities, and they can’t add any more allies to the fight. This two card soft lock can give you time to develop your board with Fel Armors and eventually nuke your opponents back to the Stone Age or grind them down with DoTs. DoTs, more DoTs!

Priests can Soul Rend allies back to their opponents’ hands, leaving them stranded. The same can be done with Psychic Scream. Now, opposing allies are stuck in the grips of your vulnerable opponents, leaving them easy prey. The dagger is solid for Mages, too. Megamorph can turn all opposing allies into a flock of sheep ready for shearing, and your hero can feel free to blast the opposing hero with Frostbolts and Fireballs until he or she is sent to the nearest burn ward. 

So, the weapon has two functions—you can lock down a board that’s already in your favor, sealing the win with your party of allies, or you can use it on a board that’s in conflict, using non-destroying, neutralizing effects like Shred Soul or Polymorph to take out the opposing allies. Yes, it’ll be hard to lose any war with Eternium Runed Blade equipped on your hero.

But it’s so expensive, you say. It’ll just be blown up, you argue. Fear not! The dagger has a way of protecting itself!

The popular equipment-destruction options in World of Warcraft TCG Constructed are mostly rooted in ally powers. “Chipper” Ironbane, Moira Darkheart, Vindicator Borovon, and Jon Reaver are all solid options that give equipment decks headaches. Not only does the Blade stop the usual suspects from coming into play, but it also keeps "Chipper" and Moira from using their powers. You can't pay a cost that asks you to destroy an ally when you're not allowed to destroy allies, now can you?

Caster weapons have focused on utility in the World of Warcraft TCG, but no piece has had the power to completely take over a game like Eternium Runed Blade. With just a few Crafting materials, any player can wield this epic dagger and ensure his or her party’s advantage on the battlefield. Yes, while this weapon may appear to be that of a peacekeeper, we know the truth. Your now-invulnerable army shall lead you to victory over all of your opponents. Make sure to start farming those materials out of March of the Legion and Fires of Outland booster packs and be ready for the war!