You know the drill! We've got a smaller set this time (whew!), but there's still plenty to talk about. It's also worth pointing out that the sample sizes for many of these cards are quite small, so there will be several surprises regarding how things appear to stack up. I'll do my best to explain why I think that is based on the card in question.

So, without further ado, @jungleboy1 and I present you the December 2021 War breakdown for the Trial of the Gods set!

WAR — Trial of the Gods Set

Bladesworn Warrior

First up, we've got what should be a particularly interesting creature given it has the cheapest access to Godblitz. Unfortunately, even with decent play rates (relative to this set), the win rates only slump as you reach Mythic levels of play. My only explanation is that at 4 mana, there are better options available.

A great example is Archangel Bruiser (a 4-cost 5/3 with has Blitz) because she gains Overkill if you're Frenzied. If you hit a lone creature with 1-2 Health, Overkill will spill over to face damage and yield the same result. Obviously this requires an enemy creature on the board to work, but if there's nothing to Overkill, your 4 mana is better spent on Godblitz relics such as Blade of Styx (3-cost 3/2 with Godblitz) or Scythes of the Harvest (4-cost 4/2 with Godblitz and R: Give randomly friendly Creature +1 Strength).

Neither TotG epic performs well within this set, so it's difficult to say how reasonable the current price is. However, I feel confident that for those wanting to use this warrior it's overvalued.

All

• Play Rate — 0.1%
• Win Rate — 49.1%
• Games Played — 3,743

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.5%
• Win Rate — 41.9%
• Games Played — 1,053

Price — $5.56

Blessing of War

Boasting the worst win rate AND the lowest price, this card is little more than a collector's item. The reasoning is that Favor has an inherent level of RNG that is difficult to interact with unless you have lots of Favor-related cards in your deck. War only as 2 before considering Neutral sources, meaning a War deck wouldn't really be a War deck if it's almost entirely Neutral. Meanwhile, Light has 5 sources that still support Light's playstyle.

All

• Play Rate — 0%
• Win Rate — 53.2%
• Games Played — 658

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0%
• Win Rate — 23.5%
• Games Played — 17

Price — $0.32

Bloodthirsty Spear

Given that the cost:output ratio is so low, this effectively limits the output potential of your deck. A 2/2 creature attacks until it dies where as this relic only swings once. Yes, War can pump relics, but you can do the same with your creatures. The closest comparison is Vicious Rend which yields 3 face damage for the same cost. Yes, it's conditional to your opponent having <30 health, but that's relatively simple to accomplish and the spell isn't limited by things like Frontline or Backline.

Simply put, "powercreep" has pushed this relic out of relevance, and it's unlikely it will ever recover.

All

• Play Rate — 0.1%
• Win Rate — 45.7%
• Games Played — 3,945

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.3%
• Win Rate — 43.5%
• Games Played — 695

Price — $0.49

Commander's Gladius

With respectable play rates and win rates at all levels, I can immediately say that the current price is slightly undervalued. Compared to the previous relic, this is a more effective use of your mana, as you achieve the same amount of relic damage (2) but with two swings you can enhance a creature in your hand that extends to influence of this card.

All

• Play Rate — 0.3%
• Win Rate — 53.3%
• Games Played — 10,757

Mythic

• Play Rate — 2%
• Win Rate — 55%
• Games Played — 4,303

Price — $0.88

Fenris Berserker

Given the efficiency of this beast, I'm somewhat confused by the reduced play rate and win rate in Mythic. For 3 mana, you receive the same stat total as a Hunt Warden or Viking Outrider, both of which currently see play. Yes, the 3 Health is vulnerable to removal, but War has ways of increasing it and granting Blitz.

You could argue that the many Neutral relic removal creatures occupy the same role, but none of them are of the Viking tribe. They also require reactionary play, whereas this big bad wolf can be played normally as an ongoing threat. If your opponent has relics, they'll need to prioritizing this creature over your other threats. This card is undervalued, and I'd go so far as to say many aren't using him accurately enough to enjoy the full potential of his ability.

All

• Play Rate — 0.3%
• Win Rate — 50%
• Games Played — 10,358

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.4%
• Win Rate — 40.1%
• Games Played — 880

Price — $0.77

Howling Berserker

This one's peculiar, because the numbers indicate that he's terrible in standard play, yet someone has incorporated a single copy (see the tables at the bottom of this post) into a successful deck. I can't say if the berserker squad contributes to that win rate, but logic dictates a 9-cost card that slowly spams the board with 2/2 Vikings will have situational value at best.

The card is slightly undervalued for a rare, but I wouldn't recommend anyone try running this over literally anything in the 7-9 cost range. There are so many more immediately useful creatures available in War that I'll chalk these numbers up to a statistical anomaly.

All

• Play Rate — 0.3%
• Win Rate — 38.1%
• Games Played — 431

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.4%
• Win Rate — 72.7%
• Games Played — 11

Price — $0.94

Hyrtacus, Brazen Hero

As the standout winner for the Trial of the Gods set, there's a lot to like about this heroic time bomb. His ability requires you to weigh the risk of holding him in your starting hand over hoping you draw him early enough to ramp up his Strength, but his ability to hit the board with a hefty source of removal is reason enough to make him quite popular.

Having seen what prices Genesis legendaries with exceptional performances enjoy, the current price almost seems undervalued. I fully expect that as new sets continue to release, Hyrtacus will enjoy a steadily increasing price until something more accessible or more effective replaces him.

All

• Play Rate — 1.4%
• Win Rate — 61.7%
• Games Played — 45,593

Mythic

• Play Rate — 14.7%
• Win Rate — 62.8%
• Games Played — 30,964

Price — $59.29

Lead the Charge

Holy wow! It would be one thing if there wasn't a draw mechanic in place to act as a backup when you lack a relic to interact with, but relics are found in abundance in the War domain. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like the powerful effect offered by this card is charging up win rates at any level of play.

I see this spell finding a place in War decks that enhance their relic strength earlier rather than later. This is because the highest relic strength at 4 mana (to make 4+2 possible upon reaching 6 mana) is 4. This wouldn't be a significant upgrade for many War creatures, so the goal would be to enhance a relic beyond that number such as with Rage-Filled Hammer and/or Whetstone. Otherwise, Over-proof Brew is likely to have consistently better value for generating strong power turns.

All

• Play Rate — 0%
• Win Rate — 47.4%
• Games Played — 1,132

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.2%
• Win Rate — 47.5%
• Games Played — 377

Price — $8.18

Might Makes Right

A respectable middling spell with the ability to support a Creature Ramp deck into the mid-game when a midrange deck would begin asserting dominance on the board. Unfortunately, as I continue to repeat, the current meta is all about speed vs. control. At this same mana cost, War has access to more aggressive options that allow for seizing control of the board at important moments in matches.

While play rates are above average for Trial of the Gods, the win rates indicate that knowing when to be "mighty" is important, as this spell is experiencing subpar results in standard play.

All

• Play Rate — 0.3%
• Win Rate — 47%
• Games Played — 8,162

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.6%
• Win Rate — 51.3%
• Games Played — 1,272

Price — $0.94

Mountain Raider

The theme of replicating creatures is common to Trial of the Gods, but it doesn't seem to be very effective. Nature gets three 2/2 creatures with a 4-cost spell while War gets two 2/2 creatures with a 4-cost creature. These raiders might find a home in Creature Ramp, but each card that doesn't extend the them needs to provide an important function to avoid diluting the theme.

In this case, it's clear that most players aren't achieving worthwhile results, and the lower price reflects that.

All

• Play Rate — 0.1%
• Win Rate — 47.6%
• Games Played — 1,958

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.1%
• Win Rate — 36.3%
• Games Played — 201

Price — $0.63

Nokkvi Pillager

As the most popular Trial of the Gods card for standard play, it's good to see the win rates justifying War's pillaging ways. It's even better to see that win rates are slightly improved when moving to Mythic levels of play. The combination of Leech on a 3/3 Twin Strike body means that a War is capable of healing 6 Health on the attack and another 3 Health on defense in a single round.

Going back to the Mountain Raider, this is the kind of non-Creature Ramp card you'd feel good about including because it both benefits from additional stats and has value on its own. For being a common, the current price feels moderately overvalued, but I tend to be more frugal than the average mortal ;P

All

• Play Rate — 2%
• Win Rate — 55.3%
• Games Played — 62,356

Mythic

• Play Rate — 11.40%
• Win Rate — 56.2%
• Games Played — 24,128

Price — $3.68

Strength In Numbers

When I spoke about choosing your high-cost War cards carefully, this is a great example of what I'm getting at. While this isn't a creature you can immediately deploy, it's the kind of spell that helps close out a match that's moved from trading blows to enduring attrition. By trading one turn for card advantage with built-in Creature Ramp, the following turn is quite likely to yield results.

With strong play/win rates that support the effectiveness of what I just described, it's no surprise that this strength comes with the highest price tag of an TotG rare. Despite this, the price seems reasonable given you're unlikely to need more than one copy unless you're running a Midrange Control deck that lacks end-game creatures to finish off your opponent.

All

• Play Rate — 0.5%
• Win Rate — 58.1%
• Games Played — 15,564

Mythic

• Play Rate — 4.2%
• Win Rate — 59.3%
• Games Played — 8,944

Price — $5.32

Tartessian Mob

Whereas Strength in Numbers creates board influence by creating card advantage, this mob provides physical board presence that can't be ignored if your opponent plans on using creatures to win. The Afterlife effect ensures that your opponent can't simply snipe the mob off the board, and having three land at once means that you've got 9 RNG removal damage lying in wait.

I routinely bring up Creature Ramp when discussing War, so I'll do it again now! The fact that this creature "copies" itself when played means that if you've spent the whole game ramping up your creatures, those copies share the benefits. If you've used Call to Arms, for example, you'd have three 3/4's instead of 3/2's. If you pump up the strength at all, you've got three times that amount in Afterlife removal damage.

Given the reasonably affordable price, I'd consider this slightly undervalued if—and only if —you're running a Creature Ramp deck that's lacking the stronger (more expensive!) legendary options.

All

• Play Rate — 0.1%
• Win Rate — 51.6%
• Games Played — 3,026

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.1%
• Win Rate — 50%
• Games Played — 294

Price — $1.84

Tartessian Pear

This relic is an oddity for me, as the win rates suggest I'm looking at something truly terrible. More troubling is that the Tartessian Mob is $1.84 with similar play rates and higher win rates, but the pear has an asking price more than double that without the numbers to justify the difference.

I can only assume that the theoretical appeal of pumping multiple creatures in one turn each round has primarily enticed buyers that are unaware of the poor performance. With that in mind, this relic is clearly overvalued until someone can demonstrate an effectiveness contrary to these stats.

All

• Play Rate — 0.1%
• Win Rate — 48.8%
• Games Played — 3,532

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.2%
• Win Rate — 35%
• Games Played — 351

Price — $4.01

Trial of the Innocents

Having just spoken about the potential value of Tartessian Mob's Afterlife removal damage, this spell straight up copypastes it onto all your creatures after doubling(?!) their strength. If you've secured control of the board against a non-Control deck, this is the kind of spell that prepares a win condition for the following turn.

Alternatively, it can create a tense situation for an Aggro deck that has you outnumbered, especially if Frontline is in the mix. Even if they have removal, your creatures will be dealing double their damage to the enemy. If they live to your next turn, you'll be positioned well for clearing the board. The win rates suggest that this trial's verdict is often unfavorable, but the current price feels undervalued given the potential impact this spell can have when played correctly.

All

• Play Rate — 0.1%
• Win Rate — 48.8%
• Games Played — 3,633

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.1%
• Win Rate — 45.9%
• Games Played — 281

Price — $1.14

Valka, Champion of War

There's no other way to describe her than the physical embodiment of a "win-condition". You're highly unlikely to use her most games, but if things manage to drag out, dropping her is probably going to clear the board and discourage her removal. If your opponent decides to risk her Afterlife ability, anything that follows her will be significantly harder to deal with.

The extremely high cost to deploy has likely contributed to the lower than average price tag, but the attached win rates are encouraging. I don't see her forming the basis for any deck in particular (thus not being a necessary inclusion), but she serves as the kind of end-game filler you can run just in case.

All

• Play Rate — 0.1%
• Win Rate — 53.4%
• Games Played — 2,421

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.3%
• Win Rate — 56.2%
• Games Played — 575

Price — $36.76

Valka's Axe

If you're running a Viking Creature Ramp deck, this is the relic you aspire to have. Thankfully, the price tag hasn't ballooned out of control. I suspect that the lack of popular Creature Ramp decks in the meta contributes to why this isn't topping the play rate chart, and you have to be careful about playing two War cards before using the ability to prevent it from popping.

There's also the prevalence of relic removal that has popped up in response to the numerous meta decks reliant upon certain theme enabling relics. The win rates suggest you won't hurt yourself by choosing the axe, but there are certainly more affordable options you can turn to if trying to stick to a budget.

All

• Play Rate — 0.2%
• Win Rate — 53.6%
• Games Played — 7,643

Mythic

• Play Rate — 1.1%
• Win Rate — 52.9%
• Games Played — 2,374

Price — $40.07

Valka's Discovery

With only middling play rates, it's surprising to see that more players haven't realized the effectiveness of this card as suggested by the elevated win rates at all levels of play. Perhaps many choose not to run this because it's possible to grab a copy from the Sanctum when you need it, but those that choose to include one seem to be faring rather well.

Given these numbers, it's interesting to see that it doesn't come with a price tag surpassing the statistically inferior Tartessian Pear. The current asking price is likely somewhat undervalued if you're looking for a highly flexible counter to various problematic keywords such as Sleep and Backline.

All

• Play Rate — 0.2%
• Win Rate — 57.6%
• Games Played — 6,035

Mythic

• Play Rate — 1.9%
• Win Rate — 60.4%
• Games Played — 3,918

Price — $2.45

Valknir Weaponsmith

For the same mana, you can deploy Orcish Elite (3/6 with Blitz and Twin Strike). In most cases, players are likely to choose the immediate attack from Blitz, but if you're running a heavy relic deck with multiple sources of relic enhancement, this could be the better option for you as a 5/5 with Twin Strike that boosts your relic.

Win rates take a noticeable dip at Mythic suggesting this Viking is too slow to compete in the current meta, but the current price tag is appealing for those looking for good filler in their relic deck. In fact, I'd suggest this is the kind of creature you want in a Control War deck because it extends the threat range of your relics (which form the basis for much of your removal) while putting a beefy creature on the board that can't be ignored.

All

• Play Rate — 0.2%
• Win Rate — 47%
• Games Played — 4,995

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.2%
• Win Rate — 42.8%
• Games Played — 423

Price — $0.55

Valknir Zealot

Previously, I explained that Blessing of War lacks additional Favor-related cards to make a proper theme deck that would justify its inclusion in a War deck. That doesn't apply here for a couple important reasons:

1. 3 favor is the equivalent of a single face attack on turn 3. If you can start the game aggressively enough to beat your opponent to an early Sanctum card, you might gain a snowballing advantage that allows you to block your opponent out of the Sanctum.
2. If you know your opponent's deck is likely to feature specific threats your deck isn't equipped to answer, rushing Favor might allow you to pull an important counter card from the Sanctum to ensure you have a decent chance of overcoming your opponent's threats.

The slight dip in win rate when entering Mythic suggests that having the necessary meta counters already in your deck is more valuable, but the current price is affordable enough for anyone competing at standard levels of play. The zealot is also a Viking which means it has access to the wide range of Viking synergy in most War decks.

All

• Play Rate — 0.2%
• Win Rate — 51.5%
• Games Played — 5,825

Mythic

• Play Rate — 0.3%
• Win Rate — 48.2%
• Games Played — 647

Price — $0.48

Xanthe of Tartessos

This is an odd card for me, personally, because it's counter-intuitive to what a War deck usually wants to achieve. I can't say that this is the kind of 3-drop you want in a normal Aggro deck unless you have multiple forms of card draw that allow you to keep enough cards in your had to benefit from this. That said, if you have at least one creature in your hand, it's going to get +1 Strength so long as Xanthe is on the board.

She's certainly popular and successful at all levels of play, but I'd caution against including her in your deck unless you have a clear plan for capitalizing on her strong ability. Her current price might be somewhat undervalued as the cheapest TotG legendary, as her numbers are better than Valka (9-cost creature you're unlikely to use often).

All

• Play Rate — 0.4%
• Win Rate — 55.5%
• Games Played — 13,371

Mythic

• Play Rate — 2.7%
• Win Rate — 56.4%
• Games Played — 5,772

Price — $34.51

RANKINGS by Category

All

Play Rate

1st	Nokkvi Pillager	2%	1.5 Copies in Deck	62,356 total matches
2nd	Hyrtacus, Brazen Hero	1.4%	Unique	45,593 total matches
3rd	Strength In Numbers	0.5%	1.14 Copies in Deck	15,564 total matches
. . .
20th	Lead the Charge	0%	1.37 Copies in Deck	1,132 total matches
21st	Blessing of War	0%	1.03 Copies in Deck	658 total matches
22nd	Howling Berserker	0%	1 Copy in Deck	431 total matches

Win Rate

1st	Hyrtacus, Brazen Hero	61.7%	Unique	45,593 total matches
2nd	Strength In Numbers	58.1%	1.14 Copies in Deck	15,564 total matches
3rd	Valka's Discovery	57.6%	1.06 Copies in Deck	6,065 total matches
. . .
20th	Bloodthirsty Spear	45.7%	1.13 Copies in Deck	3,945 total matches
21st	Blessing of War	43.2%	1.03 Copies in Deck	658 total matches
22nd	Howling Berserker	38.1%	1 Copy in Deck	431 total matches

Price

1st	Hyrtacus, Brazen Hero	$59.29	Legendary
2nd	Valka's Axe	$40.07	Legendary
3rd	Valka, Champion of War	$36.76	Legendary
. . .
20th	Bloodthirsty Spear	$0.49	Common
21st	Valknir Zealot	$0.48	Common
22nd	Blessing of War	$0.32	Common

Mythic

Play Rate

1st	Hyrtacus, Brazen Hero	14.7%	Unique	30,964 total matches
2nd	Nokkvi Pillager	11.4%	1.5 Copies in Deck	24,128 total matches
3rd	Strength In Numbers	4.2%	1.14 Copies in Deck	8,944 total matches
. . .
20th	Mountain Raider	0.1%	1.16 Copies in Deck	201 total matches
21st	Blessing of War	0%	1.03 Copies in Deck	17 total matches
22nd	Howling Berserker	0%	1 Copy in Deck	11 total matches

Win Rate

1st	Howling Berserker	72.7%	1 Copy in Deck	11 total matches
2nd	Hyrtacus, Brazen Hero	62.8%	Unique	30,964 total matches
3rd	Valka's Discovery	60.4%	1.06 Copies in Deck	3,918 total matches
. . .
20th	Mountain Raider	36.3%	1.16 Copies in Deck	201 total matches
21st	Tartessian Pear	35%	1.1 Copies in Deck	351 total matches
22nd	Blessing of War	23.5%	1.03 Copies in Deck	14 total matches

Conclusion

In summary, Nokkvi Pillager and Hyrtacus occupy the two most popular spots in the set with Hyrtacus being the more successful of the two. Strength In Numbers and Valka's Discovery round out the winner's circle, but Howling Bersker tops the Mythic win rates by a wide margin that might have more to do with its non-existent play rate than actual value.

On the flip side, Blessing of War claims the tittle of "Biggest Loser" while Fenris Berserker and Trial of the Innocents might be getting overlooked. Similarly, Tartessian Mob and Valknir Zealot offer affordable upgrades to anyone looking for a more aggressive opening play or a flexible late-game deploy.

Until next time!

~ Ent

Sources

Images

https://market.x.immutable.com/

Data

https://cardsunchained.com/

Spreadsheet

War Trial of the Gods Set

Twitter

https://twitter.com/TheJungleBoy4