[XCAFS18] charnel_mouse [Finesse]/Balance/Growth vs EricF [Feral/Growth]/Finesse

Codex Codex play-by-forum
1

GLHF @EricF!

P1T1

StartingHand Workers

STARTING HAND
Spark
Timely Messenger
Older Brother
Bloom
Tenderfoot

WORKERS
Spark

NextHand

Granfalloon Flagbearer
Fruit Ninja
Brick Thief
Helpful Turtle
Wither

Discard

Bloom
Older Brother
Tenderfoot

Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($4)
Worker - ($3)
River Montoya - ($1)
Timely Messenger - ($0)
Timely Messenger hits your base to 19

Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader:
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: River L1 2/3
  • :pschip: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • Timely Messenger 1/1 (haste)

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 3

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 5
Thoughts

This is an awkward pseudo-mirror match. I have hasted units in my starter to get early pressure going, but Ericf has Calamandra for some nasty stealth kills and mid-game spell use, and green starter’s better for long-term economy. Drawing Spark and Bloom on Turn 1 doesn’t help matters. I’m probably looking at River + Tiny Basilisk to eke out what early advantage I can.

Worst case for Eric’s patrol, I’m looking at facing a boosted Calamandra, or Calamandra sitting behind a Tiger Cub. Getting River and Timely Messenger down now, and threatening Wither next turn, seems the easiest way to prevent Eric just putting Calamandra as Squad Leader.

2

you too! Welcome to the semi-mirror!

Player 2, Turn 1
  1. Tiger Cub — Tech 0
  2. Forest’s Favor — Magic -> worker
  3. Rampant Growth — Magic
  4. Verdant Tree — Tech 0
  5. Playful Panda — Tech 0

Fast Tech 2 plan is a “go”

5 gold (5)
Worker (4)
Verdant Tree (2)
Arg (0)
Discard 3, draw 5.

SQL - Wisp (0/1 +1)
Scavanger - L1 Arg (1/3)

Base - 19
Verdant Tree - 3

6 workers, 0 gold
Hand: 5
Deck: 0
Discard: 3

Next Hand

Rich Earth — Tech 0
Ironbark Treant — Tech 0
Young Treant — Tech 0
Spore Shambler — Tech 0
Merfolk Prospector — Tech 0

1 Like
3

P1T2

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Two Step
Nimble Fencer

STARTING HAND
Fruit Ninja
Granfalloon Flagbearer
Brick Thief
Wither
Helpful Turtle

WORKERS
Spark
Fruit Ninja

NextHand

Brick Thief
Tenderfoot
Wither
Helpful Turtle
Older Brother

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($5)
Worker - ($4)
Tech I - ($3)
River kills Wisp
Granfalloon Flagbearer - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 3, reshuffle, draw 5

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Granfalloon Flagbearer 2/2+1A (flagbearer)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Timely Messenger 1/1 (haste)
  • :pschip: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • River L1 2/3

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 3
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 6
Thoughts

Huh, no Calamandra. OK, then. Well, I can kill the Wisp for free. Hasty Messenger could be killed in SQL if Ericf decides to buff Argagarg, so I’ll put X down. I’ve then got two units to be Two Stepped if I don’t draw Nimble Fencer first.

… Ugh, I drew neither. Might need to Wither something.

4
P2, Turn 2

Rich Earth — Tech 0 -> Worker
Ironbark Treant — Tech 0
Young Treant — Tech 0
Spore Shambler — Tech 0
Merfolk Prospector — Tech 0

Tech 2x Leaping Lizard

Draw: Leaping Lizard :confused: - I really would have preferred a 2-cost unit there

6 gold (6), Tech 2 cards
Young Treant (4), rs and draw 1
Worker (3)
Ironbark Treant (0)
Discard 3, Draw 4, rs, Draw 1

SQL - Young Treant (0/2 +1)
Scavenger - L1 Arg (1/3)
Technician - Ironbark Treant (1/2 +2)

Base - 19
Verdant Tree - 3

7 workers, 0 gold
Hand: 5
Deck: 2
Discard: 0

Next Hand

Tiger Cub — Tech 0
Rampant Growth — Magic
Playful Panda — Tech 0
Leaping Lizard
Leaping LIzard

1 Like
5

P1T3

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Moment’s Peace
Grounded Guide

STARTING HAND
Older Brother
Tenderfoot
Wither
Helpful Turtle
Brick Thief

WORKERS
Spark
Fruit Ninja
Wither

NextHand

Brick Thief
Two Step
Bloom
Nimble Fencer

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($6)
Worker - ($5)
River to midband - ($3)
River sidelines the Young Treant
Timely Messenger suicides into Argagarg for 1 damage
Granfalloon Flagbearer kills Argagarg, you get a gold, takes 1 damage, River hits maxband
Older Brother - ($2)
Tenderfoot
Heroes’ Hall - ($0)

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

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Older Brother 2/2+1A
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger:
  • :pschip: Technician: Tenderfoot 1/2
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • River L5 3/4
  • Granfalloon Flagbearer 2/1 (flagbearer, 1 damage)

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Heroes’ Hall HP: 4

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 4
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 7
Thoughts

Hmm, that’s a good chance that EricF has his teched cards in hand right now. I can level up River to sideline the Young Treant, then my units can kill Argagarg, and I can cheaply get some Tech 0 patrollers down. I get the feeling that’s what EricF wants me to do… I could actually play all of the units in my hand, but that’s probably a bit extreme. I can just play one and build a Heroes’ Hall instead for extra pressure.

I suspect EricF is putting down Tech II stuff next turn. Probably not a MoLaC, but let’s put in a Moment’s Peace so I have time to put my own down, and time to tech in a Nature Reclaims. Better put in a Grounded Guide, too. I’d be more worried if hasted virtuosos go down and get past my patrol. Putting a Tenderfoot down, in case they do.

EDIT: Hah, I’m an idiot. He’s should only be able to afford Tech I this turn. Or he’s going for early spell spam.

Not a bad split for the next two turns, I can start strongly with Nimble Fencer and Two Step, or can build Tech II in time for Grounded Guide.

6
P2, Turn 3

Tech 2x cloud sprite

Hand:
Tiger Cub — Tech 0 -> Worker
Rampant Growth — Magic
Playful Panda — Tech 0
Leaping Lizard
Leaping LIzard

7 gold + scav (8)
Tap tree
Tech 1 (7)
Worker (6)
Tech 2 Finesse (2)
Leaping Lizard (1)
Leaping Lizard (0)
Discard 2, draw 2, rs draw 2

SQL - Leaping Lizard (3/5)
Elite - Ironbark Treant (2/2 +2)
Technician - Leaping Lizard (3/5)

Young Treant (0/2)

Base - 19
Tech I - 5
Tech II - 5
Spec: Finesse
Verdant Tree - 3

8 workers, 0 gold
Hand: 4
Deck: 0
Discard: 4

2 Likes
7

P1T4

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Polymorph: Squirrel
Leaping Lizard

STARTING HAND
Nimble Fencer
Bloom
Two Step
Brick Thief

WORKERS
Spark
Fruit Ninja
Wither
Brick Thief

NextHand

Helpful Turtle
Timely Messenger
Grounded Guide
Moment’s Peace

Discard

Nimble Fencer
Bloom
Polymorph: Squirrel
Leaping Lizard

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($7)
Worker - ($6)
Tech II Finesse - ($2)
Two Step on Tenderfoot and Older Brother - ($0)
River and Tenderfoot kill SQL Leaping Lizard, take 3 damage each

Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 4

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader:
  • :psfist: Elite: Older Brother 1+4/4 (Two Step)
  • :ps_: Scavenger:
  • :pschip: Technician: Granfalloon Flagbearer 2/1 (flagbearer, 1 damage)
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • River L5 3/1 (3 damage)
  • Tenderfoot 3/1 (Two Step, 3 damage)
  • Two Step (channeled by River)

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Finesse)
  • :heart: Heroes’ Hall HP: 4

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 4

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 8
Thoughts

OK, right the first time, I’d forgotten that he had Leaping Lizards as cheap Tech IIs. Killing one should give me enough breathing room to bring in something suitable to get around them. Flagbearer in Technician, so I get a little compensation if a Discord comes out.

I’d been hoping to use Discord to keep EricF’s attack ratings down, but that’s only for Tech 0 and I units, so no good here. Tiny Basilisks seem the most efficient way to deal with Lizards, outside of a Tech Lab. I need to worry about Cloud Sprites though, so a Lizard for anti-air. Polymorph: Squirrel lets me fight for board presence better Tiny Basilisks tend to immediately die. I might bring a Tech Lab in later for something with higher innate attack, if he keeps bringing out high-defence units. Horselords on top of Polymorph might be good in that case, he’s got no way to steal or efficiently debuff them.

8
P2, Turn 4
  1. Rampant Growth — Magic
  2. Cloud Sprite
  3. Spore Shambler — Tech 0
  4. Merfolk Prospector

Tech in Nimble Fencer and Two Step

8 gold (8), tech 2 cards
Lizard kills Flagbearer, you draw
Spore Shambler (5)
Move a rune to Ironbark (4)
Ironbark trades with Older Brother, Two Step and Tenderfoot go away.
Cloud Sprite (2)
Summon Cal (0)
Discard 2, draw 2, rs, draw 2.

Elite - Young Treant (1/2)
Technician - Spore Shambler [1 rune] (1/2)
Lookout - Cloud Sprite (3/2) flying

Leaping Lizard (3/3)
L1 Calamandra Moss (2/3)

Base - 19
Tech I - 5
Tech II - 5
Spec: Finesse
Verdant Tree - 3

8 workers, 0 gold
Hand: 4
Deck: 4
Discard: 0

next hand

Clod Sprite
Playful Panda
Merfolk Prospector
Nimble Fencer

9

P1T5

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Potent Basilisk
Dothram Horselord

STARTING HAND
Helpful Turtle
Timely Messenger
Moment’s Peace
Grounded Guide
Polymorph: Squirrel

WORKERS
Spark
Fruit Ninja
Wither
Brick Thief
Helpful Turtle

NextHand

Nimble Fencer
Bloom
Tenderfoot
Leaping Lizard
Two Step

Tech 2 card(s)
Reshuffle and Technician draw
Get Paid - ($8)
Worker - ($7)
Master Midori - ($5)
Moment’s Peace, your units can’t attack - ($3)
Tech Lab: Balance, my base to 18 - ($2)

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

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Midori L1 2/3+1A
  • :psfist: Elite: River L5 1+3/1 (3 damage)
  • :ps_: Scavenger:
  • :pschip: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:
*

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 18
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Finesse)
  • :heart: Tech Lab HP: 4 (Balance)

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 8
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 2
  • Workers: 9
Thoughts

Hmm, with all those low-attack units EricF might be setting up for Behind the Ferns. In that case, Potent Basilisk might be worth the expense.

… Not as much Tech II stuff as I was hoping for, let’s see what else he puts down.

10
P2, Turn 5

Cloud Sprite
Playful Panda -> Worker
Merfolk Prospector
Nimble Fencer

Tech in 2x Feral Strike

8 gold (8), Tech 2 cards, Healing 1
Worker (7)
Merfolk Prospector (6)
River (4)
Max Cal (0)
Cal kills Midori, River to L3
Tap Spore Shambler to move rune to Leaping Lizard
Discard 2, Draw 4.

SQL - Leaping Lizard + (4/5 +1) (one damage, already accounted for)
Scavenger - Merfolk Prospector (1/1)
Technician - Young Treant (0/2)
Lookout - Cloud Sprite (3/2) flying

Spore Shambler (0/1)
L5 Calamandra Moss (4/3)
L3 River Montoya (2/4)

Base - 19
Tech I - 5
Tech II - 5
Spec: Finesse
Verdant Tree - 3

9 workers, 0 gold
Hand: 4
Deck: 0
Discard: 4

Next hand

Two Step
Rampant Growth — Magic
Leaping Lizard
Ironbark Treant — Tech 0

11

P1T6

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Tyrannosaurus Rex

STARTING HAND
Bloom
Leaping Lizard
Nimble Fencer
Tenderfoot
Two Step

WORKERS
Spark
Fruit Ninja
Wither
Brick Thief
Helpful Turtle
Bloom

NextHand

Moment’s Peace
Older Brother
Grounded Guide

Discard

Tenderfoot
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Tyrannosaurus Rex

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($11)
Worker - ($10)
Leaping Lizard - ($9)
Nimble Fencer - ($7)
Two Step on Nimble Fencer and Leaping Lizard - ($5)
Argagarg Garg, Wisp arrives - ($3)
Midband Argagarg - ($1)

Float ($1)
Discard 1, draw 3

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Leaping Lizard 5/7+1A (Two Step, anti-air)
  • :psfist: Elite: Nimble Fencer 1+4/5 (Two Step, haste)
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Argagarg L3 1/4
  • :pschip: Technician: River L5 3/1 (3 damage)
  • :target: Lookout: Wisp 1+0/1

In Play:

  • Two Step (channeled by River)

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 18
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Finesse)
  • :heart: Tech Lab HP: 4 (Balance)

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 3
  • Deck: 5
  • Disc: 3

Gold:

  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 10
Thoughts

… OK, if my Tech II survives then Moment’s Peace and Grounded Guide might just let me hold on for a bit longer.

12
P2, Turn 6

Two Step
Rampant Growth — Magic
Leaping Lizard
Ironbark Treant — Tech 0 -> Worker

Attackers: 4, 1, 3f, 0, 4, River (2-3 or sideline) = 15
Defense: 8-6 / 3, 4, 1, 1 // 4, 5, 5, 18 = 15 breaking nothing

Also, I can gain up to +6 more, so the question becomes: do I sacrifice my flier to take out River first, or just hold off.

I think my best board position is going to be leaving Arg alive and breaking the Tech II. Which is easy enough, as long as I can find 8 attack that doesn’t die to the lizard? That would be my lizard (4), Two step (2) and rampant Growth (2). Sounds like a scheme!

Tech in Grounded Guide and Appel Stomp

Alright, let’s do this!
9 gold (9), Tech 2 cards, Healing 1
Two Step, buffing my Lizard and Cloud Sprite (7)
Rampant Growth on Lizard (5)
My (8/8 +2) Lizard kills your Lizard, and takes 3 damage
Cloud Sprite flies over and breaks your Tech II building
Merfolk Prospector trades with River, my River to Max
River kills Nimble Fencer, takes 3 damage
Tap Calamandra to summon a Stalking Tiger (1)
Leaping Lizard (0)
Discard 1, rs, Draw 3

SQL - Young Treant (0/2 +1)
Scavenger - Leaping Lizard (3/5)
Technician - Spore Shambler (0/1)

Stalking Tiger (4/4) Invisible
L5 Calamandra Moss (4/4)
L5 River Montoya (3/1) w/ 2-step on Lizard+ and Sprite
Cloud Sprite (5/4) flying
Leaping Lizard + (6/5)

Base - 19
Tech I - 5
Tech II - 5
Spec: Finesse
Verdant Tree - 3

9 workers, 0 gold
Hand: 3
Deck: 6
Discard: 0

Next Hand
  1. Cloud Sprite
  2. Feral Strike (ult)
  3. Grounded Guide
1 Like
13

Yeah, I think that’s game. Nice job! @zhavier

1 Like
14

Feral Strike + Verdant Tree offers costly yet devastating options. This game was really nice to watch !

2 Likes
15

Verdant Tree plus Leaping Lizards was I think the key. The cheapest possible Tech 2 unit for great value turns.

I was very surprised charnel_mouse went for two-step with river at 1 hp.

1 Like
16

On the last turn? With Midori recently dead, I didn’t have any better options in my hand. I guess I should have just put a tower down, or the Water Elemental?

17

Hard to say what you could have done differently, really, his Verdant Tree into Lizards plan had you well and truly locked down.

1 Like
18

Yeah, I’d already set myself up for a loss several turns earlier:

  • Not teching any Tiny Basilisks. I thought I could just power through the Lizards without them.
  • Killing Argagarg in Scavenger when I knew there might be an instant Tech II coming on EricF’s turn, I’d’ve been facing just a single Lizard.
  • Going for Finesse instead of Balance? Polymorph and Horselords could’ve been an OK response if I’d gone straight for it, and done the above changes to keep his board under control.
1 Like