Why is Manufactor run more than Drummer in Viktor decks, given Drummer has the same cost but higher might?

Question

Accepted Answer

I can't give a definitive deckbuilding reason without the printed Rules Text for Manufactor and Drummer. Based on the Core Rules, though, players commonly prefer a lower-Might or same-cost card with better non-stat utility or synergy (for example, an ability that triggers on play, attachments/Equipment interactions, or other deck synergies). Important rules that inform this are how printed cost is used for triggers and templates, how Equip/attachment interactions work, and how costs and resource adds are paid and resolved [131.4] [821.1.b] [356.4.f.1] [357.1] [429.3].

There is insufficient information in the provided context to state why Manufactor is run more than Drummer with certainty. The most defensible interpretation under the Core Rules is that running frequency is driven by effects other than base Might — e.g., play triggers, Equipment/Attachment synergies, or other utility — not the printed cost or the unit's Might alone. See assumptions and rules cited below for how those interactions are evaluated by the rules [131.4] [821.1.b].

Confirm printed Energy and Power costs on both Manufactor and Drummer; any rule or ability that checks cost uses the printed cost, not what was actually paid [131.4]. Compare non-stat text (keywords, play triggers, Attach/Equipment interactions, 'when you play me' effects). Abilities that trigger on play or that interact with Equipment can make a lower-Might or equal-cost card more valuable in deck construction [821.1.b]. Check whether additional costs or optional choices on the cards provide effects even if those costs are reduced to 0 (an optional additional cost counts as paid if chosen) — this can make flexible cards stronger in some lists [356.4.f.1]. Consider resource timing: Add Reaction abilities can be used while paying costs to enable plays or to pay extra mandatory additional costs (e.g., Deflect) that target or choose a permanent [429.3] [357.1]. Weigh meta and synergies: a card’s play-rate is often driven by how it fits the archetype (e.g., enabling Equipment synergies, triggering Viktor-specific text), not purely its Might number.

If one card’s play effect checks the card's printed cost for a threshold (e.g., 'when you play a spell that costs 5 or more'), printed cost is what matters — a card that is printed as cheaper but buffed at play will not meet such thresholds [131.4]. If Manufactor interacts with Equipment or can be targeted by Weaponmaster-like effects, that may be more valuable than raw Might even at identical printed costs [821.1.b]. If a card requires paying an additional cost as part of its effect, choosing to pay that optional cost still counts as paying it even if discounts reduce the payment to 0, which can enable effects on cheaper cards [356.4.f.1]. If an opponent’s Deflect or similar effect imposes mandatory additional Power costs to choose a unit, availability of Power and reaction Add abilities can influence which unit is more playable in practice [809.1.c] [429.3].

You asked why Manufactor is run more than Drummer even though they share a cost and Drummer has higher Might. I can't give a definitive answer without the printed Rules Text for those specific cards, so I must rely on the Core Rules to give the most defensible explanation. First, note that any effect that needs to determine a card's cost uses the printed cost, regardless of discounts or payment amount [131.4]. That means thresholds and 'play' triggers that check cost look at what is printed on the card, not how much you actually paid. Second, deckbuilding decisions are rarely based on a unit's Might alone — players often prefer cards that provide repeatable utility, deck-defining synergies, or better interactions with other cards in the archetype. For Viktor decks those synergies frequently involve attachments/Equipment or play-triggered effects; Weaponmaster-style interactions explicitly let a unit's play effect choose an Equipment you control and pay its Equip cost (often at a discount) to attach it, which can be more valuable than raw stats [821.1.b]. Third, optional or additional costs and resource timing can change practical value. Optional additional costs still count as paid if the player chose them even if discounts reduce the actual payment to zero; such choices can enable card effects and make a lower-Might card more flexible or rewarding to play [356.4.f.1]. Also, Add Reaction abilities can be used in the Pay Costs step to generate needed resources while playing a card, affecting which cards are realistically playable in a deck [429.3] [357.1]. Finally, template differences matter: abilities that are 'if you do' check whether an action actually occurred (and can be affected by replacement effects), while costs inside instructions are treated differently; see official clarifications when considering ability wording and whether an action counts [FAQ:unleashed#4]. Taken together, the most defensible reason for running more of Manufactor than Drummer is that Manufactor likely contributes more to the deck's game plan via its abilities or synergies (attachments, play triggers, or enabling combos) than the raw Might difference justifies. If you want a definitive ruling about why a specific tournament list runs more of one than the other, provide the exact printed Rules Text for Manufactor and Drummer and I will apply the Core Rules directly to those texts.