Okay, first priority is to survive Black starter. For now, I’ll lead with Setsuki for her aggressive potential and back her up with Smoker as support. If he uses Deteriorate to bounce it, it’s trading a card for a gold, which is fair… and if I can get him to pay the Lookout resist cost, that tilts solidly in my favor. Ideally I want to maxband Setsuki and pick things off with swift strike while benefitting from her extra card draw.
I’m not entirely sure what to do with this deck, but I have played [Disease]/Discipline/Law before, so take out Law’s tricks and replace it with Vandy’s raw power. No Garth for fetch, but Grave is still a great target for Metamorphosis, and I love me some Orpal. No Graveyard + Taxman, but I still have two heroes that have good spells for card draw. Some early guesses at good strategies are heroes (Metamorphosis + Training Grounds), Disease in general (Plague Lab + sword runes + Sparring Partner), and card economy options are still decent (Imp, Carrion Curse, Martial Mastery, Gorgon, Dark Pact…)
I’m less sure about Nekoatl’s deck. Hidden Ninja can be nasty with Crashbarrows, but it’s hard to set up, and Setsuki can have problems surviving without going into ephemeral Blood units. Frenzy on Glorious Ninja might be good, haste on invisible Ninjas would be horrific.
I’m not sure what Neko’s go-to Tech I units are, Crash Bomber’s OK but playing it with Setsuki as first hero doesn’t seem as good. Maybe he goes for early Hidden Ninja? Maybe Inverse Power Ninja, which could be a pain to deal with early on.
I think I open with Vandy and play things by ear, but I’m leaning towards Gargoyle and Sparring Partner as first techs. Vandy goes behind, the Javelineer, otherwise Grappling Hook lets Neko midband Setsuki and get a kill.
L4 Setsuki Hiruki (2/3) Taxes attackers, swift attacks
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 5
Deck: 3
Disc: 0
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 6
Thoughts
Hmm, Vandy… I don’t think the Flagbearer’s gonna be much help. With no Tech I, I’m really not sure what to tech… guess I’ll go for Shuriken Hail, it can be useful for tipping the balance of power on attacks.
Pestering Haunt
Jandra, the Negator
Graveyard
Deteriorate
Sacrifice the Weak
Thoughts
Hmm, no Tech I? I think I’m fine to just kill Setsuki here, then. Between Vandy’s resist and the off-colour penalty, Nekoatl can’t afford to hit me with Snapback.
Teched cards: 2
T2: 2 x Dark Pact
Get paid + float - (7)
Worker - (6)
Deteriorate, Smoker returns to your hand
Sacrifice the Weak, Aged Sensei dies, you get a gold - (4)
Midband Vandy - (2)
Vandy kills Setsuki, hits level 5 (maxband) - (1)
Discard 2, reshuffle, draw 4
Vandy L5 4/5 (sparkshot; resist 1)
Base HP: 20
Hand: 4
Summon Skeletons
Skeleton Javelineer
Sacrifice the Weak
Pestering Haunt
Deck: 6
Poisonblade Rogue
Thieving Imp
Dark Pact
Dark Pact
Deteriorate
Graveyard
Discard: 0
Card-count check (opponent-viewable)
Expected: 10 + 2 teched = 12
0 on board
4 in hand
6 in deck
0 in discard
2 in workers
Total: 12
Gold: 1
Workers: 7
5 x start
T1: Skeletal Archery
T2: Jandra, the Negator
Inverse Power Ninja
Safe Attacking
Aged Sensei
Fox Primus
Fox Viper
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + Scavenger - ($7)
Worker - ($6)
Tech I - ($4)
Smoker - ($3)
Float ($3)
Discard 4, draw 3, reshuffle, draw 2
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician: Smoker (1/1) Cowardly
Lookout:
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 5
Deck: 5
Disc: 0
Gold:
Gold: 3
Workers: 7
Thoughts
Ouch, he had both spells! Though he would have been better off using Deteriorate to kill the Sensei so Smoker would go to discard instead of hand. Let’s see, Meta threat… minimal, for the moment; he doesn’t have room for a 2nd hero yet. IPN seems like a good answer.
Summon Skeletons
Skeleton Javelineer
Sacrifice the Weak
Pestering Haunt
Thoughts
With that much float, it’s probably safe to say that Nekoatl’s hitting Vandy with Snapback this turn. He can’t do that and tech up, so I’ll set up for a break.
I’m guessing he’ll give me Orpal, so teching in Sickness is an option. I should go for units, though, I already have those Dark Pacts. Do I tech as originally planned, or go straight for Tech II? The latter’s looking pretty viable, I’m on a slow cycle. I have no idea what to put in, though, I’ll add Tech I units for now.
Teched cards: 2
T2: 2 x Dark Pact
T3: Gargoyle, Sparring Partner
Get paid + float - (8)
Worker - (7)
Tech I - (5)
Heroes’ Hall - (3)
Sacrifice the Weak, Smokier dies, you draw - (1)
Vandy hits your Tech I down to 1 HP
Pestering Haunt
Discard 1, draw 3
Vandy L5 4/5 (sparkshot; resist 1)
Pestering Haunt 1/1 (unstoppable; can’t be sacrificed or patrol; attack capped at 1)
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Heroes’ Hall HP: 4
Hand: 3
Poisonblade Rogue
Dark Pact
Deteriorate
Deck: 3
Thieving Imp
Dark Pact
Graveyard
Discard: 4
Gargoyle
Sparring Partner
Sacrifice the Weak
Skeleton Javelineer
Card-count check (opponent-viewable)
Expected: 10 + 4 teched = 14
1 on board
3 in hand
3 in deck
4 in discard
3 in workers
Total: 14
Gold: 1
Workers: 8
5 x start
T1: Skeletal Archery
T2: Jandra, the Negator
T3: Summon Skeletons
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($10)
Worker - ($9)
Setsuki Hiruki - ($7)
Expensive Snapback, replace Vandy with Grave - ($3)
Inverse Power Ninja - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 4, reshuffle, draw 1
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician: Inverse Power Ninja (5/5)
Lookout:
In Play:
L1 Setsuki Hiruki (1/3) Taxes attackers
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 1
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 5
Deck: 6
Disc: 0
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 8
Thoughts
Okay, now I need to worry about Meta. The Haunt will break my Tech I, meaning it’ll be at least 3 turns until I can play a tech II unit, which discourages me from teching in one now. But, I can’t skip, so… what to take? Hmm… I’m triggering a reshuffle, but drawing only 1 card…I think Hidden Ninja may be useful.
I can wipe Neko’s board and destroy his Tech I, so why not? He really likes Setsuki, probably looking at Hidden Ninja, maybe Speed of the Fox. Going into Discipline to make my heroes untargetable, then maybe I can think about Metamorphosis.
Teched cards: 2
T2: 2 x Dark Pact
T3: Gargoyle, Sparring Partner
T4: Mind-Parry Monk, Training Grounds
Get paid + float - (9)
Worker - (8)
Orpal Gloor - (6)
Maxband Grave - (0)
Deteriorate, Inverse Power Ninja is 4/4
Grave readily kills Inverse Power Ninja, you draw, takes 4 damage
Grave swordswipes Setsuki, Orpal hits level 3
Pestering Haunt destroys Tech I, your base to 18
Discard 1, draw 3
Orpal L3 1/3+1A (deals damage in - runes)
Grave L7 4/1 (sparkshot; readiness; 4 damage)
Pestering Haunt 1/1 (unstoppable; can’t be sacrificed or patrol; attack capped at 1)
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Heroes’ Hall HP: 4
Hand: 3
Thieving Imp
Dark Pact
Graveyard
Deck: 0
Discard: 8
Gargoyle
Sparring Partner
Sacrifice the Weak
Skeleton Javelineer
Mind-Parry Monk
Training Grounds
Deteriorate
Dark Pact
Card-count check (opponent-viewable)
Expected: 10 + 6 teched = 16
1 on board
3 in hand
0 in deck
8 in discard
4 in workers
Total: 16
Gold: 0
Workers: 9
5 x start
T1: Skeletal Archery
T2: Jandra, the Negator
T3: Summon Skeletons
T4: Poisonblade Rogue
Welp, since Grave is nearly dead anyway I can have him help the Haunt to wipe Nekoatl’s board again, and bring Vandy back in. I’ll see if I can get off a Death and Decay.
Teched cards: 2
T2: 2 x Dark Pact
T3: Gargoyle, Sparring Partner
T4: Mind-Parry Monk, Training Grounds
T5: Death and Decay, Metamorphosis
Get paid - (9)
Worker - (8)
Tech II Discipline - (4)
Pestering Haunt suicides into Fox Primus for 1 damage
Grave trades with Vir and Fox Primus, you get a gold and draw, Orpal hits level 5 (midband)
Vandy Anadrose - (2)
Maxband Orpal - (1)
Orpal hits your Tech I to 3 HP
Discard 2, reshuffle, draw 4
Vandy L1 2/3+1A (sparkshot)
Orpal L6 2/5 (deals damage in - runes; can sacrifice unit to place - rune on a unit; - runes on 2 units on first allied, - runed unit death)
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Discipline)
Heroes’ Hall HP: 4
Hand: 4
Training Grounds
Dark Pact
Death and Decay
Pestering Haunt
Deck: 9
Gargoyle
Sparring Partner
Sacrifice the Weak
Skeleton Javelineer
Mind-Parry Monk
Deteriorate
Metamorphosis
Thieving Imp
Dark Pact
Discard: 0
Card-count check (opponent-viewable)
Expected: 10 + 8 teched = 18
0 on board
4 in hand
9 in deck
0 in discard
5 in workers
Total: 18
Gold: 1
Workers: 10
5 x start
T1: Skeletal Archery
T2: Jandra, the Negator
T3: Summon Skeletons
T4: Poisonblade Rogue
T5: Graveyard
Nice to not draw a Hive yet; but drawing Snapback off the reshuffle is scary. I’m very concerned about D&D here. At least he didn’t spec into Disease… I should have considered Abomination before choosing Hives.
Training Grounds
Dark Pact
Death and Decay
Pestering Haunt
Thoughts
I thought the Smoker dying increasing the IVP’s health stopped me getting the double tech break, but I’d forgotten that Training Grounds only cost 1 gold! I’ll hold off on Dark Pact, in case I draw the Monk or Metamorphosis.
Teched cards: 0
T2: 2 x Dark Pact
T3: Gargoyle, Sparring Partner
T4: Mind-Parry Monk, Training Grounds
T5: Death and Decay, Metamorphosis
Get paid + float - (11)
Death and Decay, Smoker dies, Inverse Power Ninja to 3/3+1A, Tech I collapses, Tech II to 2 HP, base to 13 - (3)
Midband Vandy - (1)
Training Grounds - (0)
Vandy kills Inverse Power Ninja, takes 3 damage
Orpal destroys Tech II, base to 11
Discard 2, draw 4
Vandy L3 4/1 (Training Grounds: +1/; sparkshot; resist 1; 3 damage)
Orpal L6 3/5 (Training Grounds: +1/; deals damage in - runes; can sacrifice unit to place - rune on a unit; - runes on 2 units on first allied, - runed unit death)
Training Grounds HP: 4 (heroes get +1 attack; exhaust to maxband a hero)
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Discipline)
Heroes’ Hall HP: 4
Whoops, I overlooked the line where you maxbanded Orpal… thought he was still level 5 and passed up a chance to Snapback him… though even if I had, it would have been just a stall tactic, and I would surely have been worn down and overrun before too long. I was definitely feeling cornered there. GG, WP. Black starter removal is hard to deal with, especially with both Vandy and Orpal on hand. I’m a little surprised you ran Training Grounds against Future, but I guess if you’re just going to drop them as an attack buff right before you win, there’s not much concern about Assimilate. Run it back?
GG, WP! Training Grounds were in addition to Sparring Partner and Mind-Parry Monk, it just happened to be the card I got down first. I figured that if I could keep you on the back foot with hero aggression I wouldn’t need to worry about Assimilate. Facing Hives would have been nasty, though, I was lucky to draw both D&D and Training Grounds.
Running back sounds good! I’ll start things off tomorrow.
Thieving Imp
Jandra, the Negator
Deteriorate
Summon Skeletons
Sacrifice the Weak
Thoughts
Let’s live dangerously. Jandra should be able to trade fairly well with White starter units, and I can play Graveyard next turn instead of units, so if she dies I don’t lose anything else.
Get paid - (4)
Worker - (3)
Jandra, the Negator - (0)
Discard 3, draw 5
Jandra, the Negator 3/3 (overpower; dies: allied non-demon units die)
Only a hero can effectively defend against Black starter spells, though keeping that hero alive against Black heroes’ aggression is another matter. Still, I gotta try to push back.
Nothing I can do with Jandra here, but that’s fine. Maybe I tech in Soul Stone or Sickness to help get rid of Setsuki. Or Shadow Blade, but I’d rather have Soul Stone for Jandra anyway.
Teched cards: 2
T2: Gargoyle, Soul Stone
Get paid - (5)
Worker - (4)
Tech I - (2)
Graveyard - (0)
Discard 3, reshuffle, draw 5
Jandra, the Negator 3/3+1A (overpower; dies: allied non-demon units die)
Graveyard HP: 3 (4+ occupants: collapses)
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Hand: 5
Thieving Imp
Sacrifice the Weak
Gargoyle
Skeleton Javelineer
Poisonblade Rogue
Deck: 3
Deteriorate
Soul Stone
Pestering Haunt
Discard: 0
Card-count details (opponent-viewable)
Expected: 10 + 2 teched = 12
2 on board
5 in hand
3 in deck
0 in discard
2 in workers
Total: 12
Gold: 0
Workers: 6
4 x start
T1: Summon Skeletons
T2: Skeletal Archery
L6 Setsuki Hiruki (3/4) Taxes attackers, swift attacks, quick thinking
Smoker (1/1) Stealth, evasion
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 4
Deck: 4
Disc: 0
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 7
Thoughts
Flagbearer/Smoker is robust defense against Black spells, but I’m worried about Shadow Blade. Maybe better to Hook and swift attack Jandra… if she gets replayed, at least she can’t attack and costs $3. Yeah… think I’ll go with that, and maxband Setsuki to go for her ultimate… as long as I can keep Abomination at bay, the Ninja tokens should be very helpful and Setsuki’s extra card draw should counteract any discard shenanigans.
Thieving Imp
Sacrifice the Weak
Gargoyle
Skeleton Javelineer
Poisonblade Rogue
Thoughts
I don’t know how to deal with maxband Setsuki. I’ll try taking a Tower, to slow Ninjas down and make sure Sets takes some damage on attack. Teching in Dark Pact to try to keep up with unit spam, and Crypt Crawler to try and make use of sparkshot.
Teched cards: 2
T2: Gargoyle, Soul Stone
T3: Crypt Crawler, Dark Pact
STARTING HAND
Savior Monk
Grappling Hook
Morningstar Flagbearer
Safe Attacking
Fox’s Den Students
Sensei’s Advice
WORKERS
Fox Primus
Fox Viper
Savior Monk
NextHand
Fox’s Den Students
Grappling Hook
Snapback
Rickety Mine
Smoker
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($7)
Worker - ($6)
Fox’s Den Students - ($2)
Grappling Hook Javelineer to Lookout
Smoker tries to sneak past Javelineer, but gets caught by the Tower!
Sensei tutors Setsuki
Setsuki and a Ninja break your Tech I
2 Ninjas break your Graveyard
1 Ninja damages your Tower
Tech I - ($0)
Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 2, reshuffle, draw 3
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
In Play:
L6 Setsuki Hiruki (3/4) Taxes attackers, swift attacks, quick thinking
Aged Sensei (1/1) Buffs stuff
Ninja (1/1)
Ninja (1/1)
Ninja (1/1)
Ninja (1/1)
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 5
Deck: 5
Disc: 0
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 8
Thoughts
Nice split on my ultimate. I don’t need to worry about Haste, so I can skip patrolling. I’ll sacrifice the Smoker so I can make him a worker. What’s most important now is to ensure he can’t get an Abomination, so I’ll prioritize attacking tech buildings. In this situation, I would prefer not to tech any card, but that’s not an option, so… Glaxxes, I guess, since I can use them to patrol without fear of Shadow Blade discarding cards… is what I would say, if I expected to ever need to patrol again, but what I should really be thinking about right now is Orpal’s spells and abilities. Unfortunately, I don’t have a good answer to that, so… best I can do is break his Graveyard to clutter his deck and focus on rapid recovery. This might be a great time to go for Mines… in which case, I’ll hold off on Safe Attacking in favor of Grappling Hook so I can afford a Tech I.