As a brand new player, the first card I wanted to play with was the Battle Cleric (this was before Cursed Obelisks). Unfortunately, you learn quickly that, in its current incarnation, it's a terrible card. 2 HP dies to a casual sneeze. It was fun in the Iron ranks, but any higher and you quickly realized it couldn't be played.

Well, things are changing. The new card:

![bc_card.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kstreet/23uFS1GQTjzu8wgQERLvN38HXoUD8LVi68MDAUHckv8VmqQ2SjgtfhSSJ9QrmdmbWWcXN.png)


For 5 mana, a Helios Battlesworn gives you a 5/6 statline. This gives you 4/4 stats (2/2 + 2/2 Acolyte). Backline + Ward greatly increases its chances of producing additional 2/2 acolytes. If it dies, you can even pull it back to your hand with Radiant Embalmer.

Let's not forget Cleric is also getting the mystic tribe tag. The summoned Acolytes aren't mystic, so it's not worth trying to run Armored Armory for this card, but tribe support is never a bad thing. 
One obvious combo is patience priestess (also being buffed):

The new Priestess:

![pap_card.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kstreet/23u62hrTHH9zxD36KskEzoYZUG7ftGga4KNq4b9vYsLTq1212aBr5HUC8DZeGSNT9fyh2.png)

Once your Cleric is pumping out acolytes, you drop the Priestess and now they are 2/3 frontliners. This was a combo I enjoyed as a new player, but it's awkward. You need to drop Cleric first, or else it gets frontline instead of backline.

Instead, a piece like the recently buffed Anubian Redeemer will make a good fit:

![ar_card.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kstreet/23uQrimu9dBSz14PVrFT63MmqkDVQTtwv22BMwWWRddWfk3AxWvnDeM9jUyH4uz5ZZG7m.png)

Importantly, this guy currently has secret backline, but general consensus is it will lose it with the statline increase. This card, plus several new cards that generate Acolytes, can give Light the value generation it needs to overwhelm opponents.

## Denial

The new light legendary looks like a perfect fit for this deck:

![odessa_card.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kstreet/23tvgfDf7r1kR9tUZrCEXc6iWN1fxxb6vbFReeyLf9kG99Hs1y6U7hdHxEnABexvn7RWY.png)

What better way to take advantage of spitting out free Acolytes than making any further cards cost more mana? It's not the same as a mana lock. If you have 5 mana, you can play your cleric. But if your opponent then wants to play several small creatures (or small spells!), they can't.

## Finishers

![asterius.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kstreet/23tm9TkPPFBeZ1kER1jbidViKUbjpJhAVrrRwDsnq1d2XrVA1W9diWQwJJSa3KAdzvS1P.png)

But wait! Asterius is getting buffed!

> Add faction Aether. Change text from "Frontline. Roar: Friendly creatures with strength 2 or less get +2/+2." to "Frontline. Roar: Give +2/+2 to your creatures with a base strength of 2 or less strength."

This means you can hit your creatures with Radiant Dawn and they still qualify for Asterius.

There is also the new CSR card "Light of the Emissary", but at 4 mana, it seems strictly worse than Radiant Dawn:

> Give +2/+2 to each of your creatures with a base strength of 2 or less

Radiant Dawn is only 3 mana and has no qualifier = better. (Radiant Dawn nerf incoming?)

## Conclusion

I love value-generating cards (love those zombie decks). The changes to Battle Cleric mean it may squeeze out an extra Acolyte against magic, and it will definitely spit out several against Nature and War. Generating favor for your opponent with lots of little creatures will be an issue, but Light (unlike Death), has a lot of direct buff options.


## Sources:
Custom cards: https://www.gucustom.cards/
CSR card revisions: https://peakd.com/godsunchained/@meltysquid/gods-unchained-core-set-refresh-changed-core-cards
CSR new cards: https://www.reddit.com/r/GodsUnchained/comments/qqli51/ptr_playday_starting_6pm_10th_november_pst_2021/