This might be because I haven’t played against Black before, but this deck scares me. Metamorphosis is pretty bad, but what I’m worried about is how many cheap units he can tech in at Tech Level 1 for Sacrifice the Weak, backed up with Twilight Barons. A lot of my options tend to having a small number of big bodies, so StW is potentially going to be a big pain in the neck, and that’s before anything like Voidblockers come out.
Let’s try and break this down:
Demonology. Early-game pressure with Vandy, lots of potential for StW at Tech Level 1, Metamorphosis is always bad, Voidblockers as further punishment if I go for big bodies. Thieving Imp and Shrine can give him a big card advantage. Priority will be taking out Vandy whenever I can, and Graveyard. Balance will be good for that, Growth can bring out more units at a time than Strength if I have the card draw.
Growth. Midori should discourage a MoLaC, so the problem would be Blooming Ancients. Not much in the way of anti-air, so Balance is still good. Strength would threaten DeGrey, Barbarbarian and Grappler are great if they survive.
Strength. Growth would struggle against DeGrey, so options are Balance again for unthrowable Basilisks and overpowering Mimics, or mirrored Strength., backed up with Moment’s Peace to try to get first use of Overpower off.
Balance seems a decent bet here. Nekoatl doesn’t have much in the way of Anti-Air, just birds and potentially Gargoyle, and there are some things like Vandy and Graveyard that I’ll need to snipe. There are potentially a lot of units out there with Overpower, so Mimic can easily pick that up, along with Sparkshot from Vandy and Flying from Faerie Dragon or birds.
Sticking Rook out in front again for now, because I think he can only die this turn really inefficiently by maxing out Vandy, and I might need birds to counter Gargoyle or birds. Going to need Midori out pretty quicky, too.
STARTING HAND
Spore Shambler
Playful Panda
Rampant Growth
Young Treant
Merfolk Prospector
WORKERS
Rich Earth
Spore Shambler
NextHand
Verdant Tree
Ironbark Treant
Young Treant
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($6)
Worker - ($5)
Tech I - ($3)
Playful Panda and Wisp - ($1)
Merfolk Prospector - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 1, reshuffle, draw 3
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader: Tiger Cub 2/2+1A
Elite:
Scavenger: Merfolk Prospector 1/1
Technician: Wisp 0/1
Lookout:
In Play:
Rook L1 2/4
Playful Panda 2/2
Buildings:
Base HP: 19
Tech I HP: 5
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 3
Deck: 4
Disc: 0
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 7
Thoughts
The Imp taking my Young Treant away is a pain, but I think I’ll need to go down on cards even more in case of early pressure. Bringing in birds for sniping and Tiny Basilisk for sniping or in case something big shows up.
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float + scavenger + tech draw - ($10)
Argagarg and Wisp - ($8)
Tiny Basilisk - ($6)
Tech II Balance - ($2)
Forest’s Favour on Bird #2 - ($0)
Birds kill Jandra, Soul Stone comes off and she’ll die on your upkeep
Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader: Tiny Basilisk 1/2+1A (deathtouch)
Elite:
Scavenger: Wisp 0/1
Technician:
Lookout:
In Play:
Argagarg L1 1/3
Bird #1 3/3 (flying, doomed)
Bird #2 2/2 (+, flying)
Buildings:
Base HP: 18
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Balance)
Heroes’ Hall HP: 4
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 5
Deck: 0
Disc: 7
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 8
Thoughts
That sucked, but if Nekoatl doesn’t have Metamorphosis or a Soul Stone in hand this patrol should stand up OK.
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + scavenger - ($9)
Bird #1 died on your turn
Worker - ($8)
Master Midori - ($6)
Nature Reclaims is trashed, Mythmaking is trashed - ($4)
Wandering Mimic - ($0)
Bird #2hits your Tech Lab for 2
Float ($0)
Discard 2, reshuffle, draw 4
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader: Tiny Basilisk 1/2+1A (deathtouch)
Elite: Argagarg L1 1+1/3
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout: Wandering Mimic 4/4 (resist 1, flying from Bird #2, sparkshot from Vandy)
In Play:
Midori L1 2/3
Bird #2 2/2 (+, flying)
Buildings:
Base HP: 18
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 3 (Balance)
Heroes’ Hall HP: 4
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 4
Deck: 7
Disc: 0
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 9
Thoughts
Well, Nature Reclaims came out in the nick of time. With that tech lab out, he can go for Terras Q into DeGrey and have Terras be instantly released. I don’t think there’s much I can do about it right now, but I can hope to have a turn and ping the Tech Lab twice with my remaining bird.
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($9)
Worker - ($8)
Wandering Mimic kills Galina, sparkshots Water Elemental
Tiny Basilisk kills Ardra’s Boulder, you draw. How do you deathtouch a boulder, anyway?
Bird #2destroys your Tech Lab, your base goes to 18, killed by Water Elemental
Garus Rook - ($6)
Bird’s Nest, both birds revive - ($4)
Potent Basilisk - ($0)
STARTING HAND
Terras Q, the Shackled
Dark Pact
Morningstar Pass
Deteriorate
Dark Pact
Soul Stone
Jandra, the Negator
Jefferson DeGrey, Ghostly Diplomat
Dinosize
Pestering Haunt
Dinosize
Dark Pact
Bird’s Nest
Discard
Dark Pact
Jandra, the Negator
Jefferson DeGrey, Ghostly Diplomat
Terras Q, the Shackled
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($13)
Morningstar Pass - ($9)
Dark Pact my base for 0 damage
Dark Pact my base for 0 damage
Thieving Imp, discard #1 of 3 - ($6)
Soul Stone on Water Elemental - ($4)
Worker - ($3)
Tech Lab: Demonology - ($2)
Float ($2)
Discard 3, draw 5
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader: Thieving Imp (2/2)
Elite: Water Elemental (5/3) Anti-air [1 damage] {Soul Stone}
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
Base HP: 20
Base HP: 20