Danians: The Bug People

The Danians!

This tribe is easily my personal favorite. I like the look and the feel that Danians provide.

      If you're looking for a Tribe based on teamwork and bending the will of your enemies creature's to your advantage, then look no further!


      The Danian tribe is led by Queen Illexia (the next queen, Aszil, was never released), and beyond her, the tribe follows a fairly standard monarchical structure. Their are the Nobles, the Squadleaders, the Controllers, the Battlemasters, and the Mandiblors.

Illexia, the Danian Queen

     

Mallash, a Danian Battlemaster

      The nobles are right under Illexia as leaders of the Danians, they are typically on the weaker side in combat, but have abilities and effects that are able to bolster other Danians. Of course some nobles are great fights (Nimmei!) but this tends to be the exception, not the rule.

      Battlemasters are a step down from nobles and typically have abilities that buff themselves when mandiblors are around. There isn't too much that's unique or special about this kind of Danian.

Dubin a Danian Controller

     

Junda, a Danian Squadleader

      Danian Controllers are a special type of Danian introduced in Zenith of the Hive (ZotH) These Danians focus on infecting allied or enemy creatures. Infection is another tool in the Danian arsenal that will be covered after Hive.

      Squadleaders are a step up from Mandiblor. Squadleaders are typically strong, capable fighters that lead groups of Mandiblors. There effects, however, tend to not be effected by the amount of Mandiblors present, which means that even late in the game, if you've lost a few                                             Mandiblors, they are still highly effective.

Ibiaan, a Danian Mandiblor

      The mandiblors act as the tribes grunt labor. They are plentiful, they are (often) kinda weak by themselves, and some might view them as expendable. Mandiblors become very useful with... the Hive!!!





HIVE
      The Hive ability is one of the Danian tribe's primary skills. Hive is activated on a turn-by-turn basis, meaning that you can activate it one turn through whatever means, and it's only active for that one turn, and all Hive activated abilities are in play for just that turn.
     
      Hive is idea of "strength in numbers", typically, the more Mandiblors in your control, the stronger the Hive becomes. Ibiaan, for example, gains 5 wisdom for every Mandiblor you control when Hive is active. That means that he could gain up to 30 wisdom in a 6v6 if you control only Mandiblors. (I do not advocate using only Mandiblors)

      Some abilities just flat "Hive: Gain 10 health" or "Hive: Range 2" where it doesn't matter what creatures you control as long as Hive is active. Abilities like this are seen more often on Squadleaders.

Yondaf, a Danian Controller

INFECT
        Infection is a Danian strategy that involves infecting a creature with a Danian parasite. This is a GREAT ability that works in harmony with Hive. This is becuase when you infect a creature, it counts toward your total number of mandiblors, no matter who actually controls the creature. (Again, is long as YOU infect it, if your opponent infects a creature, it does not count towards your total mandiblors)

       That means Ibiaan there suddenly can get an extra SIXTY wisdom, instead of just 30. (This is, of course, totally hypothetical)

      Danian Controllers, like Yondaf here, are good ways to get parasites out, but there are other Danians (Jaal for example), Mugic, Locations, Attacts, etc that can also get the job done.

      Plenty of Danians play around with Infecting and Uninfecting creatures, but for the most part, more parasites are better. In order to keep track of infections, there are specific parasite token cards, but any kind of marker will do.