That’s a bummer. Okay, finished my turn up above, back to you!
I decided the best way to protect the Garrisons from Carrion Curse was to not have them in hand when you cast it.
P1T5
Tech StartingHand Workers
TECH
Liberty Gryphon
Liberty Gryphon
STARTING HAND
Reputable Newsman
Manufactured Truth
Spectral Aven
Spectral Hound
Porkhand Magistrate
Macciatus, The Whisperer
WORKERS
Jail
Bluecoat Musketeer
Lawful Search
Building Inspector
Porkhand Magistrate
NextHand
Spectral Flagbearer
Macciatus, The Whisperer
Reteller of Truths
Spectral Flagbearer
Discard
Manufactured Truth
Spectral Hound
Spectral Aven
Liberty Gryphon
Liberty Gryphon
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($8)
Worker - ($7)
Maxband Bigby - ($3)
Bigby draws
Reputable Newsman: $8 blocked - ($1)
Spectral Hound - ($0)
Float ($0)
Stash 1, Discard 1, draw 3
Board Info:
In Patrol:
-
Squad Leader: Spectral Hound (3/3A) -
Elite: -
Scavenger: -
Technician: Reputable Newsman (0/3) $8 blocked -
Lookout:
Squad Leader: Spectral Hound (3/3A)
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician: Reputable Newsman (0/3) $8 blocked
Lookout:In Play:
- L5 Bigby Hayes (3/4)
Buildings:
-
Base HP: 20 -
Tech I HP: 4
-
Tech II HP: 5 (Truth)
Base HP: 20Economy Info:
Cards:
- Hand: 4
- Deck: 2
- Disc: 5
Gold:
- Gold: 0
- Workers: 9
Thoughts
I’m not sure what spells I’ll want going forward, but I am sure I’ll need Gryphons ASAP, so I’ll tech them now and consider which spells to tech before the reshuffle.
5 Likes
Game 5, Player 2, Turn 5
P2 Black but no Vandy or her Spells vs P1 Blue
Starting Hand
Graveyard
Sacrifice the Weak
Deteriorate
Events of Turn:
Upkeep:
- Get Gold (9)
- Tech 2 cards in (except turn 1)
All Teched Cards
Death and Decay x2
Cursed Ghoul, Gorgon
Carrion Curse, Nether Drain
Hooded Executioner, Plague Spitter
Main:
- Garth + Level 5 (3)
- Make a skeleton, sacrifice to draw 1 (2)
- Nether Drain, Bigby give Garth that sweet sweet maxband (1)
- Fetch a Cursed Ghoul, it pops Hound
- Orpal hits Newsman for -2/2
- Worker (0)
Workers
Sacrifice the Weak, Jandra, the Negator, Summon Skeletons, Skeletal Archery, Poisonblade Rogue
-
Patrol as below - Discard 2 rs Draw 4
- Tech 2 cards before my next turn
Board Info:
Buildings:
-
Base HP: 20 - Tech1 HP: 4
- Tech2 HP: 5 Disease
In Patrol:
-
Squad Leader: Garth (3/4+1armor lvl 7) -
Elite: -
Scavenger: -
Technician: -
Lookout:
In Play:
- Orpal (2/5 lvl 6)
- Cursed Ghoul (4/5)
Economy Info:
Cards:
- Hand: 3
- Deck: 1
- Disc: 8
Gold:
- Gold: 0
- Workers: 10
End of Turn Hand
Hooded Executioner
Plague Spitter
Thieving Imp
Death and Decay
End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts
I’m gonna hope I can beat him to a Death and Decay, let’s see if that works out for me
P1T6
Tech StartingHand Workers
TECH
Free Speech
Free Speech
STARTING HAND
Macciatus, The Whisperer
Reteller of Truths
Spectral Flagbearer
Spectral Flagbearer
WORKERS
Jail
Bluecoat Musketeer
Lawful Search
Building Inspector
Porkhand Magistrate
NextHand
Arrest
Traffic Director
Discard
Manufactured Truth
Spectral Hound
Spectral Aven
Liberty Gryphon
Liberty Gryphon
Spectral Hound
Free Speech
Free Speech
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($9)
Spectral Flagbearer - ($8)
Macciatus, The Whisperer - ($6)
Reteller of Truths - ($4)
Spectral Flagbearer - ($3)
General Onimaru - ($1)
Float ($1)
Discard 0, draw 2
Board Info:
In Patrol:
-
Squad Leader: L1 General Onimaru (2/3A) Frenzy 1
-
Elite:
-
Scavenger: Spectral Flagbearer (3/3) Tempting target
-
Technician: Spectral Flagbearer (3/3) Tempting target
-
Lookout:
In Play:
- L3 Bigby Hayes (2/4)
- Macciatus, The Whisperer (3/3)
- Reteller of Truths (4/4)
- Reputable Newsman (-2/1) $8 blocked
Buildings:
-
Base HP: 20
-
Tech I HP: 4
-
Tech II HP: 5 (Truth)
Economy Info:
Cards:
- Hand: 2
- Deck: 0
- Disc: 8
Gold:
- Gold: 1
- Workers: 9
Thoughts
If he has a Plague Lab in hand, I’m in real trouble. Still, if he wants to take down my infrastructure, I have to make him work for it!
This game is tight!
Game 5, Player 2, Turn 6
P2 Black but no Vandy or her Spells vs P1 Blue
Starting Hand
Hooded Executioner
Plague Spitter
Thieving Imp
Death and Decay
Events of Turn:
Upkeep:
- Get Gold (10)
- No techs
All Teched Cards
Death and Decay x2
Cursed Ghoul, Gorgon
Carrion Curse, Nether Drain
Hooded Executioner, Plague Spitter
Main:
- Ghoul kills Oni, levels fizzle
- Orpal hits techn for -2/2, takes 3 back
- Sacrifice Ghoul to put -1/1 on techn. The affliction spreads to technician and Newsman, who dies. You can smell the stench of corpses in the air as you rs draw 1 and flagbearer returns to your hand
- (I’m not 100% how this works lmk if you disagree) Death and Decay, Macciatus, Reteller and Techn all die. Since Flag and Reteller die same time and active player resolves ties afaik, I will have Reteller return to your hand and Flag + Macciatus to your discard as you get 1g. Bigby will get over the affliction in due time, your buildings all take 3 damage (2)
- Garth breaks your tech 2, your base to 15
- Make a skeleton (1)
Workers
Sacrifice the Weak, Jandra, the Negator, Summon Skeletons, Skeletal Archery, Poisonblade Rogue
-
Patrol as below
- Discard 3 Draw 5
- Tech 2 cards before my next turn
Board Info:
Buildings:
-
Base HP: 20
- Tech1 HP: 4
- Tech2 HP: 5 Disease
In Patrol:
-
Squad Leader:
-
Elite:
-
Scavenger:
-
Technician: Skeleton (1/1)
-
Lookout:
In Play:
- Orpal (2/2 lvl 6)
- Garth (3/4 lvl 7)
Economy Info:
Cards:
- Hand: 5
- Deck: 3
- Disc: 5
Gold:
- Gold: 1
- Workers: 10
End of Turn Hand
Deteriorate
Carrion Curse
Gorgon
Pestering Haunt
Death and Decay
End of Turn Discard
Death and Decay
Cursed Ghoul
Thieving Imp
Plague Spitter
Hooded Executioner
My Thoughts
Well I can do it, I just have to put some serious damage on Orpal if I want to pull it off. Against that board I’d say worth, so we do it and hope he workered arrest. Breaking the tech 2 to eliminate Quince as an option
Hmm, that’s a tough one, because Death and Decay reduced the Reteller to 1/1, but then it died because Macciatus’s bonus disappeared, I’m not sure if they’re considered to die at the same time or not. If they are, then I agree you get to choose, but if not, then I think the Reteller is not a valid choice. We should probably try to get a ruling just to make sure we’re doing it right.
Okay, sharpo says the Flagbearer dies first, so Reteller will go to discard. Any changes to your turn as a result?
No I’m trying to keep Bigby out, so I’ll let be. Curious why though, is it because macciatus and Teller being 4hp?
Yeah, the D&D reduces the Reteller from 4/4 to 1/1, Macciatus dies, and Reteller dies when it loses the +1/+1 from Macciatus. I didn’t know if that was all considered to happen at the same time, or if there was a delay between Macciatus’s death and the Reteller’s.
Seems my plan to proactively maxband Orpal to prevent him from paying $2 to heal paid off!
P1T7
Tech StartingHand Workers
TECH
Macciatus, The Whisperer
Reteller of Truths
STARTING HAND
Arrest
Traffic Director
Liberty Gryphon
WORKERS
Jail
Bluecoat Musketeer
Lawful Search
Building Inspector
Porkhand Magistrate
Traffic Director
NextHand
Free Speech
Liberty Gryphon
Spectral Aven
Discard
Arrest
Macciatus, The Whisperer
Reteller of Truths
Macciatus, The Whisperer
Reteller of Truths
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($10)
Rebuild Tech II
Arrest Skeleton - ($8)
Worker - ($7)
Spectral Flagbearer - ($6)
Spectral Flagbearer - ($5)
Float ($5)
Stash 1, Discard 0, draw 2
Board Info:
In Patrol:
-
Squad Leader:
-
Elite:
-
Scavenger: Spectral Flagbearer (2/2) Tempting target
-
Technician: Spectral Flagbearer (2/2) Tempting target
-
Lookout:
In Play:
- L5 Bigby Hayes (1/2) [2-]
Buildings:
-
Base HP: 15
-
Tech I HP: 1
-
Tech II HP: 5 (Truth)
Economy Info:
Cards:
- Hand: 3
- Deck: 6
- Disc: 5
Gold:
- Gold: 5
- Workers: 10
Thoughts
That went about as I expected, except I’m surprised to see the Ghoul chosen to be the sacrifice. Maybe the Skeleton is being held for draw power, possibly to repeat D&D? Nah, more likely to protect Orpal from Bigby. Super lucky I have this Arrest in hand, then; maybe I can recover! Stashing the Gryphon in hopes I can set up a 4x OTK. Tech choices probably don’t matter at this point, but I’ll double on my tech II units because they’re important.
Am I reading between the lines here that you killed my precious Orpal?
Er, yes, that should have been stated explicitly, sorry.
1 Like
Humbug. I was banking on Arrest being workered and the more likely thing being a Free Speech or Tech 3 gameplan. This is going to get rough for me…
Game 5, Player 2, Turn 7
P2 Black but no Vandy or her Spells vs P1 Blue
Starting Hand
Deteriorate
Carrion Curse
Gorgon
Pestering Haunt
Death and Decay
Events of Turn:
Upkeep:
- Get Gold (10+1float)
- elect to tech 2 cards in
All Teched Cards
Plague Lord x2
Death and Decay x2
Cursed Ghoul, Gorgon
Carrion Curse, Nether Drain
Hooded Executioner, Plague Spitter
Main:
- Gorgon (8)
- Pestering Haunt
- Tech 3 (3)
- Make a Skeleton (2)
- Wish I had that 0/1 wispy hero or moreso literally ANY other normal hero, Troq, Jaina, whoever you think is the worst hero, @Hobusu this is one of those super late game times!
- Deteriorate the Scav Flagbearer I guess so it pops, you get 1g
- Sacrifice my disabled skeleton to draw 1
- Skeleton Javelineer (1)
Workers
Sacrifice the Weak, Jandra, the Negator, Summon Skeletons, Skeletal Archery, Poisonblade Rogue
-
Patrol as below
- Discard 2 Draw 3 rs Draw 1
- Tech 2 cards before my next turn
Board Info:
Buildings:
-
Base HP: 20
- Tech1 HP: 4
- Tech2 HP: 5 Disease
- Tech3 HP: 5
In Patrol:
-
Squad Leader: Gorgon (2/4+1armor)
-
Elite:
-
Scavenger: Skeleton Javelineer (1/1)
-
Technician: Skeleton (1/1)
-
Lookout:
In Play:
- Pestering Haunt (1/1)
- Garth (3/4 lvl 7)
Economy Info:
Cards:
- Hand: 4
- Deck: 8
- Disc: 0
Gold:
- Gold: 1
- Workers: 10
End of Turn Hand
Graveyard
Nether Drain
Plague Lord
Plague Lord
End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts
At least I know I buried a Macciatus AND a Reteller in the discard, hopefully I can maximize on a Plague Lord draw next turn and be able to get to the Tech 3 I know Neko wants to build.
1 Like
That was a good bet, it just didn’t happen to work out this time.
P1T8
Tech StartingHand Workers
TECH
Flagstone Garrison
Flagstone Garrison
STARTING HAND
Liberty Gryphon
Free Speech
Spectral Aven
WORKERS
Jail
Bluecoat Musketeer
Lawful Search
Building Inspector
Porkhand Magistrate
Traffic Director
NextHand
Manufactured Truth
Liberty Gryphon
Reputable Newsman
Liberty Gryphon
Spectral Hound
Discard
Arrest
Macciatus, The Whisperer
Reteller of Truths
Macciatus, The Whisperer
Reteller of Truths
Spectral Flagbearer
Spectral Aven
Free Speech
Flagstone Garrison
Flagstone Garrison
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float + Scavenger - ($16)
Tech III - ($11)
General Onimaru - ($9)
Float ($9)
Stash 1, Discard 2, draw 4
Board Info:
In Patrol:
-
Squad Leader: L5 Bigby Hayes (1/2A) [2-]
-
Elite:
-
Scavenger: Spectral Flagbearer (2/2) Tempting target
-
Technician: L1 General Onimaru (2/3) Frenzy 1
-
Lookout:
Buildings:
-
Base HP: 15
-
Tech I HP: 1
-
Tech II HP: 5 (Truth)
-
Tech III HP: 5
Economy Info:
Cards:
- Hand: 5
- Deck: 2
- Disc: 10
Gold:
- Gold: 9
- Workers: 10
Thoughts
I should have built a Heroes’ Hall last turn, but since I didn’t, I need ot decide whether to cast Free Speech and try to protect Quince or call in Onimaru for support. I think Free Speech is the safer bet… I may not be able to keep Quince alive, but I have a surer chance of protecting my Tech III. The question is, does he have Death Rites or Plague Lord? Hmm… either way, I think having Onimaru is safer, and more economical. May as well tech in Garrisons in case things go bad, but I’ll wait until next turn before building a Tech Lab.
Still took you until game 5 to feel a need for that! 
3 Likes
Idk, Game 2 if it had been an option, I probably would have better considered playing a little more around Tech 2 and climbing to Tech 3 a little more gradually, especially given what I’ve learned about the Vandy-less matchup in the subsequent games (Death and Decay is almost as dangerous to play around threatening as Meta is, would you agree @Nekoatl?), and yea the other games I’ve been able to win without a third hero anyway! Black OP Vandy or no Vandy 
I think I’m one gold shy of having this, perhaps should have teched Sickness or Abom!
Game 5, Player 2, Turn 8
P2 Black but no Vandy or her Spells vs P1 Blue
Starting Hand
Graveyard
Nether Drain
Plague Lord
Plague Lord
Events of Turn:
Upkeep:
- Get Gold (10+1float)
- no techs
All Teched Cards
Plague Lord x2
Death and Decay x2
Cursed Ghoul, Gorgon
Carrion Curse, Nether Drain
Hooded Executioner, Plague Spitter
Main:
- Orpal (9)
- Plague Lord, everybody over there feels sick (3)
- Gorgon kills Bigby, Orpal to level 3
- Graveyard (1)
- Jav hucks a rune at Oni, Haunt trades kills him, Orpal to level 5
- Maxband Orpal (0)
- Sacrifice Jav to pin a rune on Flagbearer, you pops, you get 1g
- Curse not having been able to get a 2 attack-capable hero down last turn so I could break that tech 3
- Skeleton hits your tech 1, your base to 13
- Garth hits your base to 10
- Await 100 to 0 knockout by what must be a waiting 2x Gryphon + Quince
Workers
Sacrifice the Weak, Jandra, the Negator, Summon Skeletons, Skeletal Archery, Poisonblade Rogue
- Patrol as below
- Discard 2 Draw 4
- Tech 2 cards before my next turn
Board Info:
Buildings:
- Base HP: 20
- Tech1 HP: 4
- Tech2 HP: 5 Disease
- Tech3 HP: 5
In Patrol:
- Squad Leader: Orpal (2/5+1armor lvl 6)
- Elite:
- Scavenger:
- Technician: Plague Lord (4/7)
- Lookout:
In Play:
- Gorgon (2/4)
- Graveyard (3hp, holding Pestering Haunt and Skeleton Javelineer)
- Garth (3/4 lvl 7)
Economy Info:
Cards:
- Hand: 4
- Deck: 4
- Disc: 2
Gold:
- Gold: 0
- Workers: 10
End of Turn Hand
Carrion Curse
Deteriorate
Plague Spitter
Death and Decay
End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts
This is where only having two heroes feels like having a hand tied behind your back. So close to being able to kill that tech 2…
Almost, yes. I thought those 2 ultimates were comparable in danger since our original practice thread, but you seemed to prefer Meta, so that’s what I mostly tried to play around. I think Meta is harder to recover from, especially when you follow it up with a Shrine, however, and it’s less expensive, plus Vandy is harder to deal with.
P1T9
StartingHand Workers
STARTING HAND
Liberty Gryphon
Manufactured Truth
Liberty Gryphon
Reputable Newsman
Spectral Hound
Free Speech
WORKERS
Jail
Bluecoat Musketeer
Lawful Search
Building Inspector
Porkhand Magistrate
Traffic Director
NextHand
Macciatus, The Whisperer
Flagstone Garrison
Spectral Hound
Arrest
Manufactured Truth
Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid + float + Scavenger - ($20)
Rebuild Tech 0
Sirus Quince, maxband - ($14)
Free Speech - ($12)
Mirror Illusion - ($10)
Liberty Gryphon, mirrored
Liberty Gryphon
4x Gryphon break base, GG
Float ($10)
Discard 3, draw 1, reshuffle, draw 4
Board Info:
In Patrol:
-
Squad Leader:
-
Elite:
-
Scavenger:
-
Technician:
-
Lookout:
In Play:
- Liberty Gryphon (5/5) Flying, haste
- Liberty Gryphon (5/5) Flying, haste
- Liberty Gryphon (5/5) Flying, haste
- Liberty Gryphon (5/5) Flying, haste
Buildings:
-
Base HP: 10
-
Tech I HP: 5
-
Tech II HP: 5 (Truth)
-
Tech III HP: 5
Economy Info:
Cards:
- Hand: 5
- Deck: 11
- Disc: 0
Gold:
- Gold: 10
- Workers: 10
Thoughts
Whew, that was close, got super lucky. Feels a bit cheap to win because of a lack of replacement hero for Black, though.
2 Likes
GG WP! Great use of Stash in that game, and man Hounds and Flagbearers are a much better gambit against Deteriorate only, when Vandy isn’t around to use her body to beat them up and her maxband to finish them they are a coin flip to be excellent value!
Ok, 3-2 in favor of Black still, how will game 6 go? This is exciting
2 Likes
GG WP, though this last win especially, I feel like I just barely squeaked out. GL HF!
P1T1
StartingHand Workers
STARTING HAND
Spectral Aven
Arrest
Jail
Manufactured Truth
Bluecoat Musketeer
WORKERS
Jail
NextHand
Lawful Search
Porkhand Magistrate
Building Inspector
Reputable Newsman
Traffic Director
Discard
Manufactured Truth
Spectral Aven
Bluecoat Musketeer
Arrest
Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($4)
Worker - ($3)
General Onimaru - ($1)
Float ($1)
Discard 4, draw 5
Board Info:
In Patrol:
-
Squad Leader:
-
Elite:
-
Scavenger:
-
Technician:
-
Lookout:
In Play:
- L1 General Onimaru (2/3) Frenzy 1
Buildings:
-
Base HP: 20
Economy Info:
Cards:
- Hand: 5
- Deck: 0
- Disc: 4
Gold:
- Gold: 1
- Workers: 5
Thoughts
Okay, this game I’ll try to mix it up and lead with Flagbearers as if I were going Truth, then drop Garrisons ASAP and hopefully he won’t try Carrion Curse again after last game’s whiff. This is a really bad starting hand, though.
This is definitely an interesting test so far, I do think “you don’t get a hero” is overkill, but it’s useful overkill. Definitely says a lot about Black’s power in this matchup.
3 Likes
That’s exactly what I was trying to say, it’s “useful overkill.” It’s a very simple to implement and very easy to understand test that has quickly helped us get a much clearer picture of the nature of this matchup’s imbalance, and that’s all it was ever meant to be.
I still think that if they’d instead replaced Vandy with Troq or something it would be unclear whether the slight Black favor we’ve seen thus far would be because of Troq or just inherent to Black, so this was the exact right test to do imo.
4 Likes