Do you like Kabus? I mean really like it? I mean put it into every Axon deck you you build? That kind of like it?

Usually, after you've put all the hard hitting and strategically important cards in your deck, you need a few 3-chi cards to balance things out. Three-chi cards are pretty important to deck building. And in that regard Kabus is a great card because it serves two purposes: takes up space in the arena blocking movement, and it can threaten when the champions are getting low in health. But there is an even better reason players add it to their decks - It does not cost aura or energy, which can become critically low in the late game. When you've ran out of resources to pay for cards, you might as well discard a card to pay for Kabus. Kabus fits a niche for a low-cost low-chi card.

But would you like a choice here? Something other than Kabus that is three-chi. You know, something different that would also fit into the Invasion set. It needs to interact with cards from that set to create synergies. Rumor has it that Discards are important in the next set that is coming out in November. We can already see this in cards from Invasion like Angel of Bliss, Spilled Knowledge, and Ruined Sculpture that have some use of the discard ability. These cards might mean that we see Kendra make a come back, or Malefic Shakti become popular. However, those two cards are far too limited in the current card pool to make discarding a popular strategy.

What we need is a card that uses the discard mechanic but turns it into something offensive. What we need is to be able to deal damage to Kendra when she tries to force her opponent to discard. What we need is a card that enhances Malefic Shakti into something more powerful. And enhances all other new cards that uses the discard mechanic.

What we need is MENTAL DAGGER!

If you are forced to discard a card, Mental Dagger can deal 1 damage to a target in the space in front of you for free. It's a great response to an attack on you that could achieve card advantage for your opponent. And since it is free, you may want to save them for late game. Thus, it enhances cards like Malefic Shakti, creates a response to someone forcing you to discard, and is a 3-chi card that potentially costs no resources in the late game. Keep this card in mind when building your Axon decks.