CAWS 2016: Jadiel (Mono-Black) vs. ARMed-Pirate ([Blood]/Demon/Strength)

@ARMed_PIrate I realise you haven’t finished your first game - no rush!

GL, HF :slight_smile:

P1T1


StartingHand Workers

STARTING HAND
Graveyard
Pestering Haunt
Thieving Imp
Sacrifice the Weak
Jandra, the Negator


WORKERS
Graveyard


NextHand

Deteriorate
Skeletal Archery
Summon Skeletons
Poisonblade Rogue
Skeleton Javelineer


Discard

Sacrifice the Weak
Jandra, the Negator
Thieving Imp


Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($4)
Worker - ($3)
Vandy - ($1)
Pestering Haunt

Float ($1)
Discard 3, draw 5


[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: L1 Vandy (2/3+A)
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]:
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Pestering Haunt (1/1)
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 20

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 3
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 5

Gold loot, high five! (:

[details=Thoughts][spoiler]
This is my first time playing against Mono Black, and I can see what everyone’s complaining about. On the one hand, I’m sportin’ a Rook, who is perhaps the best at standing up to T1 Vandy. But even there, he could max Vandy for 4, worker, and take out SQL Rook with Vandy and Haunt, setting up for a T3 Metamorphosis. Ugh.

If I do play Rook, I’d be pushing cheap and defense, hoping that DG+TQ is faster than Metamorphosis. I don’t think fliers are going to work against someone with Deteriorate and StW and Skeletal Archery. And he can put a lot of skeletons in the way of Crashbarrow if it even goes that long.

If I play anything other than Rook, it’s going to die.

I’ve been thinking about this for a few days, and I’ve been considering just workering and leaving my board blank. Next turn I can max Vandy for 6, dooming a hasted unit, and maybe take out his Vandy, setting up for my own Meta? And Haunt is the perfect target for my own Vandy’s doom. But it kinda depends on my opening hand, and it’s not ideal for that. I got 2 out of my 3 haste cards this turn. That means I can’t play MM and Rambaster next turn with Vandy. I could doom a blocking BRO (5/4) and stick a Rambaster in Patrol (1/2+a), and even with his own max Vandy, and StW, and Deteriorate, I don’t think he’d be able to stop me from playing Meta the next turn.

Not playing anything also lets me have the option of Max Drakk next turn, +hasted frenzied BRO (4/2) +worker. Or I could max Rook and worker. And he’d have a hard time getting Nether Drain in play before I could do something more interesting.

Now, he did float 1 this turn. And I have Pillage and Bombaster. So I could play Bombaster for 2, Pillage for 1, getting it back (to $3 again), and worker and Tech I. He’ll almost certainly kill the Bombaster with Vandy, then heal her at midband, or just StW it, and have midband Vandy and Haunt kill my Tech. I’m sure this is still the smart play because it’s thinking long-term… but let’s live a little, keep him on his toes. I don’t have to tech anything yet, so I can wait 'til next turn and decide which ultimate I want to hope to draw on Turn 3.

I’m workering Scorch.
[/spoiler][/details]

P2T1


StartingHand Workers

STARTING HAND
Charge
Mad Man
Bombaster
Scorch
Pillage

WORKERS

Scorch

NextHand

Makeshift Rambaster
Bloodrage Ogre
Careless Musketeer
Bloodburn
Nautical Dog

Discard

Mad Man
Pillage
Bombaster
Charge

Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($5)
Worker - ($4)

Float ($4)
Discard 4, draw 5


[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]:
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :exhaust: [I]Technician[/I]:
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]

[B]Buildings:[/B]

  • :heart: Base HP: 20

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 4
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 4
  • Workers: 6

Yeah, you read that right. (:

Hmmm, tough start :cry:

P1T2


Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Bone Collector
Bone Collector


STARTING HAND
Deteriorate
Skeleton Javelineer
Poisonblade Rogue
Summon Skeletons
Skeletal Archery


WORKERS
Graveyard
Poisonblade Rogue


NextHand

Bone Collector
Thieving Imp
Bone Collector
Skeletal Archery
Sacrifice the Weak


Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($6)
Worker - ($5)
Tech I - ($4)
Hero’s Hall - ($2)
Skeleton Javelineer - ($1)
Vandy and Haunt hit your base for 3

Float ($1)
Discard 3, reshuffle, draw 5


[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]:
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]: Skeleton Javelineer (1/1, javelin rune)
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Pestering Haunt (1/1)
  • L1 Vandy (2/3)
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Heroes’ Hall HP: 4

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 3
  • Disc: 0
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 6

It’s Vandy’s World! Vandy’s World! It’s party time! Excellent!

[details=Thoughts][spoiler]
I should have expected this. This is exactly why this gambit would have worked better with Rambaster and MM or MM + Charge + NDog in my second hand. If I had both, I could max Vandy, take out the skeleton with MM, then take out his Vandy with a doomed Rambaster or charged NDog. BUT.

I could still max Rook, but he’ll likely just pull out Garth and Nether Drain him. Throw the levels into Vandy, max Vandy, hit Rook with a doomed skeleton for 3 and Vandy for 4, and I’m empty and he’s set up for Meta.

I could max Vandy, with blockers as I planned. He could still pull out Garth and Nether Drain her, and no meta next turn. Same as with Rook, basically, but she might be alive to doom something else hasty next turn. If he doesn’t kill her, then Meta. He’d have to scrap his HH to play Tower.

I could max Drakk, throw a hasted NDog into the skeleton, and break his heroes’ hall with Rambaster. It would stop Garth from coming out. But he’d still be in good shape to max Vandy. And Drakk would have no blockers and 4 HP (5 in SQL). So max Vandy could kill him with Haunt. He could still rebuild HH, too.

This was an experiment… Let’s go Meta!

If he has StW and Deteriorate, he can Det my Dog in SQL, poke it dead with the Haunt, the StW my BRO. Then kill Vandy with a max Vandy and his own skeleton.
If I put BRO in SQL, and he has Det and StW, he can take care of things even more easily. But if he only has one, I’ll get my technician draw, and he won’t be able to kill Vandy. Let’s do that.

I’m workering the Musketeer. If I somehow survive into the midgame, Bloodburn seems good with skeletons everywhere.
[/spoiler][/details]

P2T2


Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH

Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis


STARTING HAND
Bloodburn
Bloodrage Ogre
Careless Musketeer
Nautical Dog
Makeshift Rambaster

WORKERS

Scorch
Careless Musketeer

NextHand

Bombaster
Pillage
Mad Man
Metamorphosis

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($10)
Worker - ($9)
Recruit BRO - ($7)
Recruit NDog - ($6)
Summon and max Vandy, dooming BRO to 5/4 and Haunt to 1/3 - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 2, reshuffle, draw 4


[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Bloodrage Ogre (5/4+a, including +2/+2 doom)
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]: Nautical Dog (1/1, Frenzy)
  • :exhaust: [I]Technician[/I]:
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Vandy Anadrose, Lv 5 (4/5, Resist 1)
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 17

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 4
  • Disc: 0
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 7

P1T3


Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Shadow Blade
Nether Drain


STARTING HAND
Bone Collector
Thieving Imp
Skeletal Archery
Sacrifice the Weak
Bone Collector


WORKERS
Graveyard
Poisonblade Rogue
Skeletal Archery


NextHand

Deteriorate
Jandra, the Negator
Summon Skeletons
Thieving Imp


Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($7)
Worker - ($6)
Bone Collector #1 - ($4)
Bone Collector #2 - ($2)
Orpal - ($0)
Haunt kills Nautical Dog, you get 1g

Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 3, reshuffle, draw 1


[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: L1 Orpal (1/3+A)
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]: Bone Collector #1 (3/3)
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]: Bone Collector #2 (3/3)
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Pestering Haunt (1/2, doomed)
  • L1 Vandy (2/3)
  • Skeleton Javelineer (1/1, javelin rune)
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Heroes’ Hall HP: 4

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 3
  • Disc: 0
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 7

[details=Thoughts][spoiler]
So, I’m pretty sure I’ve lost this. I’m sticking with my dumb plan, in part because I’m way tired of thinking after my round against Eric.

I’m trying to decide whether to destroy his Tech I or kill Vandy. If I don’t pop the Tech I now, he’ll got to Tech II next turn. And then I’m thoroughly hosed?

If I don’t kill Vandy, he can take my base waaaay down. And then next turn kill me, I think? If he pulls out a Carrion Curse, there’s not much I can do about that, either. I’m teching Dark Pacts to try to help me draw all my units next turn, just in case.

I can’t protect any HH or Tech I built this turn, and I don’t have enough for Tower, so I’m thinking of workering and throwing out a MM. But then all I’d really have is a Rambaster next turn. Nope.

I really want to go all in on his base. I think I could get him down to 8 HP before I die (6 now, 6 next turn and try to throw out blockers), and that would be satisfying. But, I guess I should theoretically not give up the game yet?

Killing Vandy takes 6 potential damage off the board. My Tech I gives him a target other than my base. He’s in a dominant position, so he’ll probably build Tech II, and he can’t put any haste stuff on the board… Let’s do that for now.

Aaaand, no Dark Pact. I’m probably dead. Best I can do is almost certainly charge a BRO or put BRO and Rambaster in patrol. Well, it was an interesting experiment. Maybe next time I go up against Black, I’ll go with Rook and Earthquake as my goal? Honestly, if I don’t worker Bloodburn and Musketeer, my deck’s set up for that.
[/spoiler][/details]

P2T3


Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH

Dark Pact
Dark Pact


STARTING HAND
Bombaster
Mad Man
Pillage
Metamorphosis

WORKERS

Scorch
Careless Musketeer

NextHand

Metamorphosis
Makeshift Rambaster
Bloodburn
Charge
Bloodrage Ogre

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($7)
Scavenger bonus - ($8)
Haunt and Ogre die from Vandy
Skip worker
Build Tech I - ($6)
Vandy casts Metamorphosis (Who needs friends?), gaining +2/+2 in runes, invisibility, and readiness - ($0)
Hero Vandy kills villain Vandy, taking 2 damage

Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 4, reshuffle, draw 1


[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]:
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :exhaust: [I]Technician[/I]:
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Vandy Anadrose, Lv 5 (6/5, including +2/+2 in runes, Resist 1, Invisible, Readiness)
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Base HP: 17

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 7
  • Disc: 0
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 7

You’ve forgotten to list your Tech I building in your summary.

P1T4


Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Lich’s Bargain
Doom Grasp


STARTING HAND
Summon Skeletons
Jandra, the Negator
Deteriorate
Thieving Imp


WORKERS
Graveyard
Poisonblade Rogue
Skeletal Archery
Jandra, the Negator


NextHand

Sacrifice the Weak
Shadow Blade
Deteriorate
Pestering Haunt
Nether Drain


Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($7)
Worker - ($6)
Garth - ($4)
Skeleton - ($3)
Tower, HH destroyed, my base to 18 - ($0)
BC #1, Javelineer & Orpal break Tech I, base to 15, I get a skeleton
BC #2 hits your base, base to 12, I get a skeleton

Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 3, reshuffle, draw 2


[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Skeleton (1/1+A)
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]: Skeleton (1/1)
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]:
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]: Skeleton (1/1)
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Bone Collector #1 (3/3)
  • Bone Collector #2 (3/3)
  • Skeleton Javelineer (1/1, javelin rune)
  • L1 Garth (1/3)
  • L1 Orpal (1/3)
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 18
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tower HP: 4

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 4
  • Disc: 0
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 8
1 Like

[details=Thoughts]
All bad. I should have slapped his base a few times and called it a day. I wonder if it’s evident how sleep-deprived I am?
[/details]

P2T4


Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH

Crash Bomber
Ardra’s Boulder


STARTING HAND
Metamorphosis
Charge
Makeshift Rambaster
Bloodburn
Bloodrage Ogre

WORKERS

Scorch
Careless Musketeer
Metamorphosis

NextHand

Pillage
Dark Pact
Mad Man
Metamorphosis

Discard

Makeshift Rambaster
Charge
Bloodburn
Crash Bomber
Ardra’s Boulder

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($7)
Rebuild Tech I
Recruit BRO - ($5)
Worker - ($4)
Vandy kills lead skeleton, takes 2
Recruit Rambaster - ($2)
Rambaster trades with Lookout Skeleton
Build Heroes’ Hall - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 4


[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Bloodrage Ogre (3/2+a)
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :exhaust: [I]Technician[/I]: Vandy Anadrose, Lv 5 (6/3, including +2/+2 in runes, Resist 1, Invisible, Readiness)
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]

[B]Buildings:[/B]

  • :heart: Base HP: 12
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Heroes’ Hall HP: 4

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 3
  • Disc: 5
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 8

Makeshift Rambaster can’t patrol. Please re-do turn and re-draw end-of-turn hand.

D’oh. On it.

I’m guessing there’s probably a way to get lethal here, but I can’t find it. @EricF might make a What’s the Play out of it if it’s somewhere there…

P1T5


Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Dark Pact
Twilight Baron


STARTING HAND
Nether Drain
Shadow Blade
Sacrifice the Weak
Pestering Haunt
Deteriorate


WORKERS
Graveyard
Poisonblade Rogue
Skeletal Archery
Jandra, the Negator


NextHand

Doom Grasp
Lich’s Bargain
Summon Skeletons
Thieving Imp


Discard

Deteriorate
Nether Drain
Shadow Blade
Sacrifice the Weak
Dark Pact


Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($8)
Skip worker
Garth casts Deteriorate on BRO ($8)
Tower reveals Vandy, and Garth casts Nether Drain on her, paying 1 extra for resist. Vandy is L3 (5/2) and Orpal to L3 - ($6)
Midband Orpal - ($5)
Make a Skeleton, sac it to Orpals midband, killing BRO - ($4)
Skeleton Javelineer uses rune, and attacks Vandy at long range, dealing 1 damage
Skeleton (who was in scav slot) trades with Vandy, Garth to L3, you draw.
Maxband Garth, raising a Twilight Baron from my discard - ($0)
Play Pestering Haunt ($0)
BC #1, BC#2, Garth and Orpal hit your base for 11, I get 2 skeletons

Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 4


[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Twilight Baron (4/4+A)
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]: Skeleton (1/1)
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]: Skeleton (1/1)
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Bone Collector #1 (3/3)
  • Bone Collector #2 (3/3)
  • Skeleton Javelineer (1/1)
  • L7 Garth (3/4)
  • L4 Orpal (2/4)
  • Pestering Haunt (1/1)
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 18
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tower HP: 4

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 5
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 8

P2T5


Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH

Zarramonde, the Obliterator
Oathkeeper of Kor Mountain


STARTING HAND
Metamorphosis
Pillage
Dark Pact
Mad Man
Nautical Dog

WORKERS

Scorch
Careless Musketeer
Metamorphosis

NextHand

Dark Pact
Bombaster
Bloodburn
Zarramonde, the Obliterator

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($8)
Skip worker
Recruit NDog - ($7)
Recruit Mad Man - ($6)
Summon Garus Rook - ($4)
Summon Draaaaaaakkkk - ($2)
Drakk casts Pillage: your base takes 1! - ($1)

Float ($1)
Discard 2, draw 2, reshuffle, draw 2


[B]Board Info:[/B]
[B]In Patrol:[/B]

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Drakk Ramhorn, Lv. 1 (1/3+a) “Come at me, bro!”
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]: Garus Rook, Lv. 1 (2+1, 4, Is convinced he’s a demon, and invisible. That was the plan, right?)
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :exhaust: [I]Technician[/I]: Nautical Dog (1/1, The only one who seems to know his ship is sunk)
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]: Mad Man (Resist 1, Thinks he’s Vandy)
    [B]In Play:[/B]

[B]Buildings:[/B]

  • :heart: Base HP: 1
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Heroes’ Hall HP: 4

[B]Economy Info:[/B]
[B]Cards:[/B]

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 9
  • Disc: 0
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 8

So, I’d love to hear exactly how I die.

Beyond that, this was my first time playing against mono-black, and I clearly made many grievous errors, starting from the beginning. I’m okay with that, as I entered this tournament as a learning experience. (I never expected to win a game against Eric or become highlighted in my game 3.)

But if you don’t mind looking at my starting hand on Turn 1, would you be willing to tell me what you’d consider the strongest opener against you? Bombaster+Pillage against your float, with Tech I? Tech or HH + Rook in SQL or Elite? Vandy to Lv. 4 in Elite, skip Tech?
I’d understand if you’re not willing to answer until after the tourney, or if you’d prefer to answer in a private message.

Well played!

Pestering Haunt hits your base for 1…

GG, WP. It was a brave plan, but I think it’s really difficult to justify the investment in Metamorphosis for just Vandy. Your turn 2 already put you a long way behind economically, and Meta didn’t really help.

Early game against Vandy & friends is really tough I think (it’s worse when black has both haunt and javelineer in their starting hand). In your position, I would have played Bombaster and Rook, with Rook in SQL and Bombaster in SCAV. Yes I can max Vandy and trade Haunt for Rook, but it means I can’t play anything (so I discard 4, which is usually bad) and I give your Bombaster +2/+2, so you can kill Vandy next turn and get free levels on your Vandy, which puts you ahead. Rook is almost as unfair as Vandy, and I think in your deck you should be bringing one of them out on turn 1 a lot of the time. Bombaster and Pillage isn’t a great play here I don’t think as you need Drakk to make it work and he just looks like breakfast to Vandy.

I’m still learning my way around the game also - this tournament is my first time playing mono-black, so I’m only 1 game ahead of you! If anyone else has better advice, feel free to chip in. I probably made a bunch of mistakes also!

Thanks for the game :slight_smile:

@EricF

1 Like

Agree that Rook SQL is reasonable anti-Vandy + black starter, though when it’s Vandy + Haunt + Jav P1T1 you probably put Bombaster SQL and let him make an OK trade on it, or don’t bring out Rook.

The key is understanding that Vandy doesn’t WANT to maxband until she can use the buff to make a big play AND set up an immediate two-hero meta. As Jadiel said, a just Vandy meta isn’t all that strong, too expensive early on. So even if Vandy can kill Rook, if she’s not getting free levels / a big play from doing so, it isn’t all that bad for you.

1 Like