Stonemaier Games Reveals the Automa Rulebook for Wingspan Asia Expansion and we get a look at Red Avadavat
This power reads: “When Activated: Give one [card] from your hand to another player. If you do, draw two [cards].”
Veteran Wingspan players will immediately draw a comparison to two of the game’s most potent cards: Killdeer and Franklin’s Gull.
Red Avadavat becomes the third bird in the game to be able to draw two cards in one activation from the Grasslands. Furthermore, its Wetlands viability is generally very high, unlike Killdeer and Franklin’s Gull. In this manner it behaves very similarly to Ruddy Duck and the birds like it, another group of highly impactful card drawing birds. It should be noted that you must have a card in hand to give away in order to start off the Avadavat’s power, an easy feat to accomplish with even a basic Wetlands engine.
Perhaps the closest comparison we can draw to an existing bird is to Savi’s Warbler. Savi’s Warbler is bound to the Wetlands and lets you draw two cards but also hands out one card to all opponents. Red Avadavat only gives one card to one opponent, albeit from your hand. At the very least its safe to say that Red Avadavat is strictly superior Savi’s Warbler in its overall capability, since you get to control the single card that is given to an opponent and it can be done from the Grasslands while laying eggs.
The fact that Red Avadavat is a two point bird, has a three egg star nest, and only costs a single wheat on top of this power is just amazing! It seems like an easy prediction to make to say that this bird is easily in the Top 20 best birds in the game and will take its place among the Top birds on our Wingspan Bird Card Tier List, Tier 0 at a minimum. What do you think about this bird? Let us know in the comments.
Check out the rest of our Wingspan Asia Expansion coverage HERE.
The Wingspan Asia Automa Rulebook can be found for free HERE.
I don’t think this is a new Killdeer/Franklin’s Gull. Part of what makes those so good in the Grasslands is that their cost is paid for in the Grassland action. You can have absolutely nothing in terms of resources and still have both eggs and cards, if you have a Killdeer.
This card works that way for the Wetlands, but you are already getting cards in the Wetlands. And, as far as that goes, the Ruddy Duck and similar are better powers, cause the cost is paid afterward and doesn’t help opponents.
The Red Avadavat is doubtless good. But, I doubt it is Top 20…
Thanks for commenting David. I suppose time will tell just how impactful this card will be. I know I’ve slept on some good cards in the past and its taken a lot of play time to appreciate their full potential.