@Nekoatl here’s what I’ll propose: a 6-game series (three on P1 three on P2 for both of us) where we remove Vandy & all her spells, then a subsequent 6-game series where we bring Vandy back but take Garth out w/ all his spells.
My prediction is Black might win one game out of the 6 in both cases, which is a huge swing from the 9-1 or 10-0 that Black vs Blue is currently.
After those two series, if you’re still down to try things, I think we swap Vandy for “Troq as a black hero”, with Vandy’s spells still in, and see if that’s closer to 5-5 (Similarly I think we could just make Vandy midband at 4 and maxband at 7 and it’d tone things down to 6-4)
I don’t mind running 6 games without Garth, but I don’t understand why you want to. I also think there might be value in a 6-game run with “Troq as a Black hero”, but with Bashing spells rather than Demonology. I’m not sure what the best approach is. Maybe we should see how the 6 game run with Vandy removed entirely goes, then discuss where to go from there?
Mainly to control for whether Vandy or Garth is more important to the matchup, and also get an idea for how much just removing a hero entirely affects play.
That sounds like the best plan tbh, so let’s go from there. I’ll post a turn one shortly, GL HF!
Perhaps just having Vandy reach each level band when Troq does would be a good test for the future, Sirlin also mentioned that if Vandy turns out to be too strong a good first thing to test would be having her max at Lv 8. I’m not as much a fan of making Troq a black hero because then it’s harder to tell whether the higher cost or the changed abilities is having the most effect on things.
Regardless of what you decide to do in the future, I look forward to seeing the results of this!
Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($5)
Worker - ($4)
Traffic Director - ($3)
Tower - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader: Traffic Director (1/1A) Untargetable
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Tower HP: 4
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 5
Deck: 0
Disc: 3
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 6
Thoughts
If he’s committing to Garth, I don’t need to worry about Orpal infecting Onimaru, but I don’t expect Onimaru to land a kill anytime soon, even if I play him. It’s tempting to drop the Newsman now, because I can’t guarantee another shot at him before a Lich’s Bargain lands, but as P2, the Newsman might not survive unless I sacrifice a hero to protect it. Better to leave the threat of a P2 Newsman play and do something else for now, I think. SQL Director can guarantee the Tower’s survival (barring a worker skip), and should discourage attacks in general… in which case maybe I can start to field some aggression.
Sacrifice the Weak
Poisonblade Rogue
Summon Skeletons
Graveyard
Events of Turn:
Upkeep:
Get Gold (5)
Tech 2 cards in (except turn 1)
All Teched Cards
Bone Collector x2
Main:
Graveyard (3)
Haunt slams into TD, Garth kills it
Summon a skeleton (2)
Worker (1)
Tech1 (0)
Workers
Poisonblade Rogue, Skeletal Archery
Patrol as below
Discard 2 Draw 1 rs Draw 3
Tech 2 cards before my next turn
Board Info:
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Tech1 HP: 5
In Patrol:
Squad Leader: Skeleton (1/1)
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician: Skeleton Javelineer (1/1)
Lookout:
In Play:
Garth (1/1 lvl 1)
Graveyard (3hp, holding Pestering Haunt)
Economy Info:
Cards:
Hand: 4
Deck: 3
Disc: 0
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 6
End of Turn Hand
Jandra, the Negator
Deteriorate
Sacrifice the Weak
Bone Collector
End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts
I feel like no matter what I do, I’m probably just playing to balance against Judgment Day. Having no combat hero is rough in this matchup, same with no Meta plan to counter that. I spose Death and Decay is my next best option, so maybe I’m playing for that? That or Zarra anyway.
So for now, I think, I’m just spamming skeletons to force the Judgment day while making steady progress closer to either DnD or Zarra.
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($6)
Worker - ($5)
Bluecoat Musketeer - ($3)
Tech I - ($2)
Float ($2)
Discard 3, reshuffle, draw 5
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger: Bluecoat Musketeer (1/2) Long-range
Technician:
Lookout:
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Tower HP: 4
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 5
Deck: 4
Disc: 0
Gold:
Gold: 2
Workers: 7
Thoughts
I’ll aim for a Flagbearer to divert Deteriorate and make room for playing the Aven (likely to be countered by a Crawler, but at least that costs $1 to activate). Also taking a Brave Knight for Manufactured Truth combos.
Jandra, the Negator
Deteriorate
Sacrifice the Weak
Bone Collector
Events of Turn:
Upkeep:
Get Gold (6)
Tech 2 cards in (except turn 1)
All Teched Cards
Blackhand Dozer, Death and Decay
Bone Collector x2
Main:
Bone Collector (4)
Deteriorate Musketeer, skeleton trades with him, you get 1g
Replay Haunt
Make a skeleton (3)
Worker (2)
Hero’s Hall (0)
Workers
Poisonblade Rogue, Skeletal Archery
Patrol as below
Discard 1 Draw 3
Tech 2 cards before my next turn
Board Info:
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Tech1 HP: 5
Hero’s Hall HP: 4
In Patrol:
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger: Skeleton (1/1)
Technician: Skeleton Javelineer (1/1)
Lookout:
In Play:
Garth (1/1 lvl 1)
Bone Collector (3/3)
Pestering Haunt (1/1)
Graveyard (3hp )
Economy Info:
Cards:
Hand: 3
Deck: 0
Disc: 4
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 7
End of Turn Hand
Bone Collector
Thieving Imp
Summon Skeletons
End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts
Very strong chance of Judgment Day or Injunction here IMO, so gonna get a hero’s hall. I’ll tech a DnD now as well, just in case, and a Dozer if I get to tech up.
Looks like a Skeleton army strat? Not often I see one of those attempted; looking forward to it. Deteriorate is guaranteed not to be in hand, which allows some leeway. I’m dropping my hand size hard, which means I’ll need to recover some of that, and soon. Garrisons are probably the best options, so I’ll commit to them now and leave my next-turn tech choices to flexibility respond to whatever gets played next turn. My defense strategy this turn needs to include a hero, and that hero may die, so I’ll offer up Onimaru as a sacrifice. Hopefully, seeing the Aven will either provoke some caution or provoke an early Garth maxband and delay his Tech II. Actually, with that in mind, I’ll field Bigby instead, lest he deliberately leave Onimaru alive while turtling and teching up, with no fear of Injunction.
Bone Collector
Sacrifice the Weak
Blackhand Dozer
Deteriorate
End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts
Aven is yucky and I showed my hand last turn using Deteriorate… Fear alone might have deterred it.
I can give up the ghost with Garth and just tech up, that might be my best play. On the other hand, I can get him maxbanded and snatch a Twlight Baron or Plague Spitter, and that sets me up pretty well also… I could probably grab Death Rites too, and just start slamming while I get Orpal into endgame range.
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($8)
Worker - ($7)
General Onimaru - ($5)
Manufactured Truth, Aven was really a Spitter! - ($4)
“Spitter” sacrifices itself to reduce Spitter to a 1/1
Tech II: Peace - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 2, reshuffle, draw 4
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader: L1 General Onimaru (2/3A) Frenzy 1
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician: Reputable Newsman (0/3) $2 blocked
Lookout:
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Peace)
Tower HP: 4
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 4
Deck: 7
Disc: 0
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 9
Thoughts
Boo, Plague Spitters have anti-air. Looks like I can protect my Tech II, barring use of his ult, so I’ll gamble on getting a Garrison or two deployed next turn.
Death and Decay
Thieving Imp
Death Rites
Deteriorate
End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts
Surprised he would give up his Aven like that… but I guess it sorta makes sense. Tech 2 Peace isn’t super surprising, but I’m going to make him have Free Speech or lose. If he does, fine, rush tech 3. If not, though… time to play some DnD
Tech draw, you let me down. Aiming for Drill Sergeants to counteract Disease. I might lose to Death and Decay before I get the chance, though. There’s not really anything I can do about it at the moment, however, except hope it doesn’t land.
Patrol as below
Base HP: 20
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
Squad Leader: Traffic Director (1/1A) Untargetable
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
Base HP: 20
time to play some DnD