Casual game, Andreas (monoblack) vs Armed_Pirate (Necro/Discipline/Past)

[Andreas]

"P1T7

---

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Shrine of Forbidden Knowledge
Hooded Executioner

---

STARTING HAND
Crypt Crawler
Sacrifice the Weak
Dark Pact
Zarramonde
Blackhand Dozer

---

WORKERS
Jandra, the Negator
Thieving Imp
Summon Skeletons
Skeleton Javelineer
Skeletal Archery
Skeleton Javelineer
Blackhand Dozer

---

NextHand

Hooded Executioner
Dark Pact
Zarramonde
Voidblocker

---

Discard

Dark Pact
Sacrifice the Weak
Shrine of Forbidden Knowledge
Hooded Executioner

---

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($12)
Scavenger bonus 1 gold from Vandy - ($13)
Zarramonde the Obliterator makes his appearance XD, and is forced to choose 1 of your workers to banish (well-played Monk) - ($3)
Crypt Crawler (minion of Zarramonde’s) - ($1)
Worker - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 4

---

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

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Crypt Crawler (3/3A)
• [I]Elite[/I]:
• [I]Scavenger[/I]: Zarramonde (11/11)
• [I]Technician[/I]:
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]
• Graveyard: Poisonblade Rogue, Blackhand Dozer
  [B]Buildings:[/B]
• Base HP: 16
• Tech I HP: 5
• Tech II HP: 5
• Tech III HP: 5

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

• Hand: 4
• Deck: 1
• Disc: 4
  [B]Gold:[/B]
• Gold: 0
• Workers: 11

Thoughts

Forced to take his worker out with Zarramonde due to Monk play. So I’ve workered myself to begin building an economic advantage. Also, I thankfully was able to play Crypt Crawler with my remaining 2 gold as a body in order to protect against StW. Still worried about Doom Grasp + StW combo, but at least the odds are in my favor now that Zarramonde will live another turn so that he can actually Obilterate next turn, to take down his monk and any other units he plays. Regardless, I have another Zarramonde in line waiting next turn in case, this one somehow falls. Teching a Shrine for added hand and demon bonus. Will likely use graveyard next turn to prevent it collapsing.

"

[ARMed_PIrate]

P2T7

---

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH

Hooded Executioner
Lich’s Bargain

---

STARTING HAND
Thieving Imp
Focus Master
Rambasa Twin
Seer
Netherdrain
Sacrifice the Weak

WORKERS

Poisonblade Rogue
Skeletal Archery
Skeleton Javelineer
Graveyard

NextHand

Pestering Haunt
Versatile Style
Origin Story
Netherdrain
Deteriorate

Discard

Thieving Imp
Sacrifice the Weak
Rambasa Twin
Netherdrain
Seer
Hooded Executioner

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($9)
Garth makes and sacrifices a skeleton to draw a card - ($8)
Recruit Focus Master - ($5)
Recruit Thieving Imp: random.org declares that you discard card #1 of four - ($2)
Grave kills Crypt Crawler readily, taking 3 damage…and decides to wait on the back line anyway
Garth casts Sacrifice the Weak: I sac my weak little Imp, and you sac your weak little Zarramonde; you get a gold! - ($0)
Mind-Parry Monk hits your base for 5
Garth hits your base for 4
Skip worker

Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5

---

Board Info:
In Patrol:

• Squad Leader:
• Elite:
• Scavenger:
• Technician: Focus Master (4/3, @3 focus runes that prevent one point of exactly lethal damage to heroes/units)
• Lookout:
  In Play:
• Training Grounds HP: 4
• Garth Torken, Lv. 7 (4/4)
• Mind-Parry Monk (5/4)
• Grave Stormborne, Lv. 7 (5/2, Sparkshot)
  Buildings:
• Base HP: 18
• Tech I HP: 1
• Tech II HP: 5 (Discipline)
• Tower HP: 4

Economy Info:
Cards:

• Hand: 5
• Deck: 2
• Disc: 7
  Gold:
• Gold: 0
• Workers: 9

[details=Thoughts][spoiler]
BOOOOY, did I get lucky on that StW Garth draw.

I had a tough choice deciding between Imp, Twins, and Seer. Ultimately I decided for Imp+Focus Master and skipping worker, because Focus Master’s ability might prove useful against Shadow Blade in the future, and he has a better chance of taking out a hero for less money if he survives without a Sac the Weak hitting him. Shame I couldn’t banish that Crypt Crawler to Prynn’s void, but I can’t get her out until Grave dies, and I couldn’t throw him at Z-man without killing the Crypt Crawler. There’s a hole in the bucket, dear Eliza, dear Eliza.

Since I was playing 3 cards, and I want to draw into Netherdrain and answers, I decided to skip worker and keep my hand up, which is part of the reason why Imp + FM seemed better than Seer+FM or Seer+Twins. Though it occurs to me in retrospect that I could have built a HH with Seer+FM, and that would solve my Prynn problem more efficiently. Too late!

…After the draw, I get the other Netherdrain, but not the HE, so if he plays a second Zarramonde, I’ll have to go fishing again, or just send wave after wave of my own men at the beast. Haunt may help me close out this game, too.
[/spoiler]

[/details]

[Andreas]

Hey- sorry for the delay.

Nice turn =) … -_-

One quick small thing, you should be teching 2 cards this turn instead of 1 since you’re at 9 workers I believe?

I should be able to respond in a few hours

[ARMed_PIrate]

HAH! You’re so right! Zarramonde! shakes fist

Easy fix, since I didn’t re-shuffle. I was debating adding a 2nd tech anyway, so I can just add in what I was thinking. If you want me to do it properly (rolling back and re-drawing) since I’ve seen my next hand, I can; just let me know. Otherwise, I’ll just toss the missing card into my discard pile and edit the turn to reflect it.

[Andreas]

No need to go back since it doesn’t affect your draw.

[ARMed_PIrate]

It’s done; ready when you are. (:

[Andreas]

"P1T8

---

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Doom Grasp
Plague Spitter

---

STARTING HAND
Dark Pact
Hooded Executioner
Voidblocker
Zarramonde

---

WORKERS
Jandra, the Negator
Thieving Imp
Summon Skeletons
Skeleton Javelineer
Skeletal Archery
Skeleton Javelineer
Blackhand Dozer

---

NextHand

Voidblocker
Blackhand Dozer
Hooded Executioner
Shadow Blade

---

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($11)
Discard Card #1
Scavenger gold bonus from Zarramonde’s sacrifice - ($12)
Crypt crawler and Z head to graveyard, which causes it to crumble, all cards are discarded (including previous Poisonblade Rogue and Dozer)
Orpal - ($10)
Resummon another Zarramonde hungry for vengeance! destroys another worker of yours - ($0)

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

---

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

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]:
• [I]Elite[/I]:
• [I]Scavenger[/I]: Orpal (1/3)
• [I]Technician[/I]: Zarramonde (11/11)
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]

[B]Buildings:[/B]

• Base HP: 7
• Tech I HP: 5
• Tech II HP: 5
• Tech III HP: 5

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

• Hand: 4
• Deck: 11
• Disc: 0
  [B]Gold:[/B]
• Gold: 0
• Workers: 11

Thoughts

Unfortunately he had StW. I am not teching any cards here to increase my chances of another zarramonde draw although his unit/hero removal ability is so efficient at thinning my cards in play/patrol, that it makes Zarramonde an easy target for StW. This will be tough to get through. After writing this, I decided to tech Plague Spitter and Doom grasp for anti-air (afraid of lightning dragon to clear my base), and easy hero/unit removal.

"

[ARMed_PIrate]

P2T8

---

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH

Training Grounds
Lich’s Bargain

---

STARTING HAND
Netherdrain
Deteriorate
Pestering Haunt
Origin Story
Versatile Style
Jandra, the Negator

WORKERS

Poisonblade Rogue
Skeletal Archery
Skeleton Javelineer
Versatile Style

NextHand

Rambasa Twin
Hooded Executioner
Jandra, the Negator
Focus Master
Netherdrain

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($8)
Garth makes and sacs a skele to draw - ($7)
Grave, MPM, and Focus Master trade with Z-man; you draw
Summon Prynn - ($5)
Prynn casts Origin Story; Orpal bounces back to the command zone - ($2)
Garth hits your base for 4
Recruit Pestering Haunt
Exhaust Training Grounds to max Prynn
Worker - ($1)

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

---

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

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]:
• [I]Elite[/I]:
• [I]Scavenger[/I]:
• [I]Technician[/I]:
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]
• Training Grounds HP: 4
• Garth Torken, Lv. 7 (4/4)
• Pestering Haunt (1/1, Unstoppable)
• Prynn Pasternaak, Lv. 7 (4/5, Fading @4)
  [B]Buildings:[/B]
• Base HP: 18
• Tech I HP: 1
• Tech II HP: 5 (Discipline)
• Tower HP: 4

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

• Hand: 5
• Deck: 11
• Disc: 0
  [B]Gold:[/B]
• Gold: 1
• Workers: 9

[details=Thoughts]
Got unlucky on the 50/50 for HE, but drew a hand full of meat for next turn, so let’s rock.

[/details]

[Andreas]

Question: does Prynn’s ability to “trash a unit” count as killing it, and thus active any “dies” functions ?

[Andreas]

Regardless, here is my move (edited to fix discard/draw phase so I have 3 cards to discard):

"P1T9

---

StartingHand Workers

STARTING HAND

---

WORKERS
Jandra, the Negator
Thieving Imp
Summon Skeletons
Skeleton Javelineer
Skeletal Archery
Skeleton Javelineer
Blackhand Dozer

---

NextHand

Doom Grasp
Plague Spitter
Sacrifice the Weak
Crypt Crawler
Graveyard

---

Discard

Zarramonde
Blackhand Dozer
Shadow Blade
Dark Pact

---

Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($11)
Vandy - ($9)
Voidblocker - ($6)
Hooded Executioner - ($4)
Garth, summon skeleton - ($1)

Float ($1)
Discard 3, draw 5

---

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

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Voidblocker (2/6A)
• [I]Elite[/I]: Skeleton Token (2/1)
• [I]Scavenger[/I]: Garth L1 (1/3)
• [I]Technician[/I]: Vandy L1 (2/3)
• [I]Lookout[/I]: Hooded Executioner (3/3)
  [B]In Play:[/B]

[B]Buildings:[/B]

• Base HP: 3
• Tech I HP: 5
• Tech II HP: 5
• Tech III HP: 5

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

• Hand: 5
• Deck: 5
• Disc: 4
  [B]Gold:[/B]
• Gold: 1
• Workers: 11

Thoughts

Putting up an army of patrollers to hold off any more damage to base. Pestering Haunt will definitely be … pestering. Voidblocker excellent for defense, although he likely will be ‘trashed’ by Prynn. Went for Garth + Skelly instead of Dozer this turn to avoid risk of Dozer dying and having to sacrifice another unit. Unfortunately no Zarramonde draw next turn but still have options. His Training Grounds is really hurting, and more than making up his economic deficit in workers.

"

[holytispon]

@Andreas

Question: does Prynn’s ability to “trash a unit” count as killing it, and thus active any “dies” functions ?

No, it does not. Dying is only when the unit goes to the discard. Trashing it means it leaves play completely.

[ARMed_PIrate]

That is an impressive coterie of ne’er-do-wells!

EDITS: Fixed some typos and updated Prynn’s fading count, and added a ruling link to the Achievement line.

P2T9

---

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH

Corpse Catapult
Hero’s Monument

---

STARTING HAND
Hooded Executioner
Netherdrain
Rambasa Twin
Focus Master
Jandra, the Negator
Mind-Parry Monk

WORKERS

Poisonblade Rogue
Skeletal Archery
Skeleton Javelineer
Versatile Style

NextHand

Thieving Imp
Hooded Executioner
Sacrifice the Weak
Lich’s Bargain
Origin Story

Discard

Corpse Catapult
Hero’s Monument
Netherdrain
Jandra, the Negator
Mind-Parry Monk
Rambasa Twin

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($10)
Prynn fades to 3 time runes
Garth makes and sacs a skele - ($9)
Prynn removes 2 time runes to send Voidblocker into the past
Prynn kills elite Skele, taking 2 damage and gaining a time rune
Garth kills evil Garth, taking 1 damage; you get a gold!
Garth casts Nether Drain on Prynn, causing her to lose two levels; the levels go to Garth, who uses them to style his hair - ($8)
Prynn no longer has the ability to return Voidblocker to you if she leaves play; if she dies before going back to max, Voidblocker will be gone forever
–Achievement unlocked - “Trapped in the past”–
Haunt pesters your base for 1
Recruit Hooded Executioner, boosted, to very generally destroy your weakest unit, the evil Hooded Executioner! - ($3)
Recruit Focus Master - ($0)
Skip worker

Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5

---

Board Info:
In Patrol:

• Squad Leader: Focus Master (4/3+a, 3 focus runes)
• Elite:
• Scavenger:
• Technician:
• Lookout:
  In Play:
• Training Grounds HP: 4
• Garth Torken, Lv. 7 (4/3)
• Pestering Haunt (1/1, Unstoppable)
• Prynn Pasternaak, Lv. 5 (3/2, Fading @2)
• Hooded Executioner (3/3)
  Buildings:
• Base HP: 18
• Tech I HP: 1
• Tech II HP: 5 (Discipline)
• Tower HP: 4

Economy Info:
Cards:

• Hand: 5
• Deck: 5
• Disc: 6
  Gold:
• Gold: 0
• Workers: 9

[details=Thoughts][spoiler]
I maybe shouldn’t have risked the skele-draw, considering how limited it made my funds, but any of Seer, Origin Story, Sac the Weak, or Deteriorate would have given me game, and a 4/11 chance for game seemed worth it.

I had a tough time figuring out what to kill and what to play:

• I really wanted to play Jandra for her Overpower, but I really didn’t want her downside.
• I wanted Twins for the extra bodies.
• I wanted MPM to protect against abilities, and for damage.
• I wanted HE to get rid of his bodies, and I ultimately decided that was more important. And because of stupid skele, I had to leave Vandy alive to get marginal value out of HE. Vandy scared me, but then I realized that I really don’t want to help him draw, and Dark Pact will kill him now. Maxxed and boosted, she’d make an impressive blocker, but that’ll be hard to while still playing Z-Man; he’d have to use Mr. T3 to take out Prynn or Garth to afford it, and that leaves all my other stuff around.
• I wanted to patrol Focus Master in Elite, so Vandy would have to suicide to kill it, but then I realized that that would max Prynn, so that an incoming Z-Man could kill Prynn and give him back a Voidblocker. So instead, Focus Master goes in SQL, where Vandy will have to attack and Shadow Blade to kill him (barring Orpal spells). Of course, he could just throw weak Vandy into my FM without maxxing her, but then he’s tossing away one blocker for another (albeit a better one), without taking out my FM. I’m okay with that choice, I think.

…After the draw, I cannot complain. Between Hooded Executioner, Sac the Weak, and Origin Story, I should be in good shape.
[/spoiler]

[/details]

[Andreas]

What an impressive combo with Nether Drain and Prynn there! Didn’t even know that was possible! And it definitely is sad to see void blocker disappear so distant in the past =( He’ll not be forgotten.

Edit: just realized I need to re-do my move. Garth was killed last turn.

"P1T10

---

StartingHand Workers

STARTING HAND
Crypt Crawler
Doom Grasp
Sacrifice the Weak
Graveyard
Plague Spitter

---

WORKERS
Jandra, the Negator
Thieving Imp
Summon Skeletons
Skeleton Javelineer
Skeletal Archery
Skeleton Javelineer
Blackhand Dozer

---

NextHand

Dark Pact
Zarramonde
Poisonblade Rogue
Shrine of Forbidden Knowledge

---

Discard

Zarramonde
Blackhand Dozer
Shadow Blade
Dark Pact
Sacrifice the Weak
Hooded Executioner
Graveyard
Doom Grasp

---

Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($12)
Scavenger bonus - ($13)
StW to kill Hooded Executioner - ($11)
Orpal - ($9)
Plague Spitter - ($6)
Crypt Crawler - ($4)
Level Orpal to 4 - ($1)

Float ($1)
Discard 2, draw 4

---

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

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Orpal (2/4A)
• [I]Elite[/I]: Crypt Crawler (4/3)
• [I]Scavenger[/I]: Plague Spitter (3/3)
• [I]Technician[/I]: Vandy L1 (2/3)
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]
• Exiled: Voidblocker
  [B]Buildings:[/B]
• Base HP: 2
• Tech I HP: 5
• Tech II HP: 5
• Tech III HP: 5

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

• Hand: 4
• Deck: 1
• Disc: 8
  [B]Gold:[/B]
• Gold: 1
• Workers: 11

Thoughts

Building up defenses still- not a very strong play. Still have the threat of pestering haunt that I can’t stop right now. Have Zarramonde play next turn to take out haunt, if he doesn’t play mind parry monk. His damn prynn tag-teamed with Garth is kicking ass right now.

"

[ARMed_PIrate]

Alas, I was one gold short of Origin Story + StW + boosted Hooded Executioner. So I had to rely on Prynn and set the Voidblocker free.

P2T10

---

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH

Hero’s Monument
Ebbflow Archon

---

STARTING HAND
Sacrifice the Weak
Lich’s Bargain
Hooded Executioner
Thieving Imp
Origin Story
Seer

WORKERS

Poisonblade Rogue
Skeletal Archery
Skeleton Javelineer

NextHand

Deteriorate
Training Grounds
Lich’s Bargain
Netherdrain
Hooded Executioner

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($9)
Prynn fades to 1 time rune
Garth casts Lich’s Bargain; my base takes 4, I gain Horror, Zombie, Skele, and I lose a worker - ($7)
Garth sacs Skele to draw
Garth casts Sac the Weak: I lose my Zombie and you lose your Plague Spitter, but you get a gold! - ($5)
Prynn casts Origin Story on Orpal, who again goes back to the penalty box - ($2)
Re-max Prynn; she’s now 4/3 - ($0)
Prynn kills Vandy, taking 2 damage (4/1), and gaining a time rune; you draw
Prynn spends 2 time runes to send Crypt Crawler into the past with Voidblocker; she immediately dies from lack of runes, and you get both units back, but not in patrol
Haunt, Focus Master, and Garth hit your base for 9
Skip worker
Good game!

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

---

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

• [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Horror (3/3+a, Deathtouch)
• [I]Elite[/I]:
• [I]Scavenger[/I]:
• [I]Technician[/I]:
• [I]Lookout[/I]:
  [B]In Play:[/B]
• Training Grounds HP: 4
• Garth Torken, Lv. 7 (4/3)
• Pestering Haunt (1/1, Unstoppable)
• Focus Master (4/3, 3 focus runes)
  [B]Buildings:[/B]
• Base HP: 14
• Tech I HP: 1
• Tech II HP: 5 (Discipline)
• Tower HP: 4

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

• Hand: 5
• Deck: 14
• Disc: 0
  [B]Gold:[/B]
• Gold: 0
• Workers: 8

[details=Thoughts]
Sad that I couldn’t win this turn without releasing that Voidblocker.

[/details]

Woweeee. That is the most control-y deck I’ve every piloted. This must be something like what blue/black in MtG feels like. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. But when your whole goal is to permanently exile something, and you get the chance to do it, how can you not have fun? (;

You put up a hell of a fight!

[ARMed_PIrate]

A couple things you should know:

1. I had some really lucky draws. Specifically, drawing StW off the skele to kill your first Zarramonde was pure luck (though I had a chance of drawing an Executioner, who would have done the job more expensively).

2. If you had put that first Zarramonde in SQL, I don’t think I would have easily been able to deal with Zarramonde (Crypt Crawler being protected), and it might well have gone very differently. That was the one major play mistake I noticed.

I’m not normally a black player, but if you’re interested in a post-game analysis/advice, I’d recommend asking @FrozenStorm or @Jadiel for suggestions.

I loved the Zarramonde two turns in a row! I was so afraid you’d draw him again, and I left Vandy alive specifically to decrease the chances after Dark Pact became lethal.

[Andreas]

GG, WP Pirate!

What an interesting deck you played. I felt the constant pressure of any unit or hero dying/being trashed at any point. It was really difficult to deal with. Garth’s combo to nether drain Prynn and flicker x2 (and vice versa) were both extremely effective.

Yes, I realized afterward I made a big error with patrolling Crypt Crawler in SQL instead of Zarramonde. My thought process was to protect Z-man from combat dmg which would have been guaranteed to kill him in SQL vs take a gamble and put CC in SQL and maybe Zarra would survive. It was a gamble probably not worthy in hindsight. Then again, hindsight is always 20/20. Good lesson learned there.

It’s interesting, in all my live games where I’ve managed to get Zarramonde out, I haven’t lost. But in this game he came out twice and still was defeated! Just goes to show he isn’t a flawless victory Very well played.

I’ll have to go back and review the play by plays to look for other things, but overall it was enjoyable and definitely intense!

It’s alright I won’t ask for their advice at this point. No need to pester them Perhaps another time I shall. For now, I’m still content with the game, and look forward to the next one with you (with whatever combo you decide to pull out!).

[Andreas]

After going through it all, it looks like I had you against the fences the first half, but lost all my momentum when I lost Zarramonde. You had some really effective turns 6 & 7 to turn the tempo around completely.

I maybe should have gone for metamorphosis early, although was afraid of Origin Story. I would have thought that was definitely teched because of the early high level Vandy. Darn’t!

Interesting thought processes written down. And I should give a shout out to Prynn and Garths duo ability of sending units into the past never to be seen again. They are the MVPs. These combos and seemingly endless possibilities in Codex are truly what make it such a great game.

[FrozenStorm]

It’s no problem to ask my opinion, should you ever want it I think your post game analysis is solid here

[holytispon]

@ARMed_PIrate

Prynn no longer has the ability to return Voidblocker to you if she leaves play; if she dies before going back to max, Voidblocker will be gone forever

Mind. Blown.

[Andreas]

Thanks I’m sure I’ll have to cash in on your offer sometime soon.