Planar Insight is a spell that hits harder the more of your breaches are open.
Cast: Deal 2 damage. Deal 1 additional damage for each of your opened breaches.
And the mage on the card art? Jian.
Which is a little ironic, because Jian is exactly the mage who struggles to get there. She starts with 3 aether in hand — 4 if she’s buying a gem. High-cost spells are hard to reach. She does start with two breaches already open… but opening any more beyond that is slow going.
So I worked out how Jian can grab two copies of Planar Insight — one of the strongest spells in the game — as fast as possible.
The Cards I Picked Up
In order:
- V’riswood Amber
- Planar Insight
- Clouded Sapphire
- Spectral Echo
- Planar Insight
Turn by Turn
Turn 1 — V’riswood Amber
Hand: Moonstone Shard / Crystal / Crystal / Spark / Spark
Deck: Crystal / Crystal / Crystal / Spark / Spark
Use Moonstone Shard plus one Crystal to gain V’riswood Amber. Jian’s unique card counts as 2 aether — but only when you’re gaining a gem.
Prep a Spark to Breach I and another to Breach II, then end your turn. One Crystal goes unspent. Leave it.
Turn 2 — Planar Insight
Breach I: Spark · Breach II: Spark
Hand: Crystal / V’riswood Amber / Crystal / Crystal / Crystal
Deck: Spark / Spark
Don’t cast either Spark. Instead, spend V’riswood Amber plus four Crystals to gain Planar Insight.
Then arrange your discard pile so V’riswood Amber comes up first.
Turn 3 — A Second V’riswood Amber
Breach I: Spark · Breach II: Spark
Hand: Spark / Spark / Moonstone Shard / Crystal / Planar Insight
Deck: V’riswood Amber / Crystal / Crystal / Crystal / Crystal
Now cast both Sparks. Prep Planar Insight and one Spark.
Then use Moonstone Shard plus one Crystal to gain another V’riswood Amber. One Spark stays in hand — that’s fine.
Turn 4 — Clouded Sapphire
Breach I: Spark · Breach II: Planar Insight
Hand: Spark / V’riswood Amber / V’riswood Amber / Crystal / Crystal
Deck: Crystal / Crystal
Cast the Spark and Planar Insight, then prep the Spark from your hand.
Your 6 aether goes into Clouded Sapphire.
Turn 5 — Spectral Echo
Breach I: Spark · Breach II: —
Hand: Crystal / Crystal / Spark / Spark / Moonstone Shard
Deck: Crystal / Planar Insight / Spark / Clouded Sapphire / V’riswood Amber / V’riswood Amber / Crystal / Crystal
Cast the prepped Spark, then prep both Sparks from your hand.
Spend the remaining 3 aether on Spectral Echo. Focusing Breach III is also a fine choice here. So is picking up two Jades.
Turn 6 — The Second Planar Insight
Breach I: Spark · Breach II: Spark
Hand: Crystal / Planar Insight / Spark / Clouded Sapphire / V’riswood Amber
Deck: V’riswood Amber / Crystal / Crystal / Spark / Spectral Echo / Moonstone Shard / Crystal / Crystal
Cast both Sparks. Prep a Spark and Planar Insight.
And now gain your second Planar Insight.
Where to Go From Here
Breach I: Planar Insight · Breach II: Spark
Hand: V’riswood Amber / Crystal / Crystal / Spark / Spectral Echo
Deck: Moonstone Shard / Crystal / Crystal
From this hand, you have options:
- Relics: Focusing Orb or Blasting Staff
- Aether: two Jades
- Spells: Lava Tendril or Amplify Vision
Whenever Clouded Sapphire is in your hand, you’ll often be sitting on 6 aether — enough to pick up yet another Planar Insight. You’ll also want to open Breach III and Breach IV, since that’s what powers up Planar Insight’s own damage.
In the long run, keep gaining spells steadily. Having one or two high-cost spells ready every turn gives you stable damage. And holding two of them also protects you against effects that force you to discard a high-cost spell.
Why Clouded Sapphire This Time
In my earlier article on getting two Chaos Arcs with Jian, I took a Chaos Arc at the point where this line takes Clouded Sapphire.
This time I went with Clouded Sapphire for two reasons: it puts 6 aether in your hand, and it gives an ally 1 charge.
That said, in a 4-mage game you have less room to spare, so it may be better to prioritize spells over Clouded Sapphire.
Summary
- Planar Insight scales with your opened breaches — and Jian already starts with two open
- Moonstone Shard counts as 2 aether for gems — that’s what makes the turn-1 V’riswood Amber possible
- Hold your Sparks on turn 2 — that’s how the first Planar Insight lands so early
- Clouded Sapphire keeps the engine going — 6 aether in hand and a charge for an ally
- Open Breaches III and IV later to push Planar Insight’s damage further
Tested in 2-mage mode with Jian. In 4-mage mode, consider prioritizing spells over Clouded Sapphire.
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