Nopethebard vs @nekoatl

Codex Codex play-by-forum
61

Okay. Thanks.

62

You want to play again?

63

Sure. Iā€™ll let you decide if I stick with [Necromancy]/Growth/Blood or switch to [Discipline]/Fire/Truth.

64

Either way Iā€™ll play mono white this time. I guess Necromancy/Growth/Blood. I rolled a 98, so Iā€™ll post turn 1 in a little while.

65

Good luck have fun!
P1t1

Summary

Hand
Smoker
Morningstar Flagbearer
Safe attacking
Aged Sensei
Savior monk
Workers savior monk

Get paid ($4)
Worker ($3)
Hire Setsuki ($1)
Hire Aged Sensei ($0)
In play: Setsuki and Aged Sensei
Base: 20
5 workers
Hand: 5
Deck: 0
Discard: 3

New hand

Fox Primus
Fox Viper
Snapback
Senseiā€™s Advice
Grappling hook

Thoughts

Time for early game ninja pressure!

66

GL HF

P2T1

StartingHand Workers

STARTING HAND
Jandra, the Negator
Deteriorate
Skeletal Archery
Sacrifice the Weak
Poisonblade Rogue

WORKERS
Jandra, the Negator

NextHand

Graveyard
Summon Skeletons
Pestering Haunt
Skeleton Javelineer
Thieving Imp

Discard

Deteriorate
Poisonblade Rogue
Sacrifice the Weak
Skeletal Archery

Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($5)
Worker - ($4)
Garth Torken - ($2)
Skeleton - ($1)
Deteriorate Aged Sensei

Float ($1)
Discard 3, draw 5

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader:
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Skeleton (1/1)
  • :pschip: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • L1 Garth Torken (1/3)

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 4

Gold:

  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 6
Thoughts

White, huhā€¦ DeGrey can wipe out my Wisps and Skeletons, and Mind-Parry can protect against my targeted removal. Hmmā€¦ maybe i should aim for building up large non-token units. Luckily White has no access to haste until tech II. And since that Sensei isnā€™t patrolling, Iā€™ll pick it off now while it canā€™t get a Scavenger or Technician bonus.

67

A moment of silence for the Aged Sensei. He shall be avengedā€¦
P1t2

Summary

Hand
Fox Viper
Fox Primus
Snapback
Senseiā€™s Advice
Grappling hook
Workers fox Viper
Tech Speed of the Fox and Rambasa Twin

Get paid ($5)
Worker ($4)
Tech 1 ($3)
Grappling hook ($3) move the skeleton to elite.
Setsuki gains 3 levels ($0)
Setsuki kills skeleton
In play: Setsuki
Base: 20
Tech 1: 5
6 workers
Hand: 5
Deck: 5
Discard: 0

New hand

Rambasa Twin
Grappling hook
Safe attacking
Senseiā€™s Advice
Speed of the Fox

Thoughts

I think Iā€™m off to a good start.

68

P2T2

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Giant Panda
Giant Panda

STARTING HAND
Thieving Imp
Pestering Haunt
Graveyard
Summon Skeletons
Skeleton Javelineer

WORKERS
Jandra, the Negator
Thieving Imp

NextHand

Giant Panda
Summon Skeletons
Poisonblade Rogue
Skeleton Javelineer
Deteriorate

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($7)
Worker - ($6)
Expensive Tech I - ($4)
Pestering Haunt
Skeleton - ($3)

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

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader:
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Skeleton (1/1)
  • :pschip: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • L1 Garth Torken (1/3)
  • Pestering Haunt (1/1) Unstoppable

Buildings:

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

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 4
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 3
  • Workers: 7
Thoughts

Giant Pandaā€™s high health value might (?) help discourage Setsukiā€™s swift attacks. A Tower might also, but either way I have to expect her to heal to full before I finish her off. Might be easier to just go with Doom Graspā€¦ itā€™s good value if used on a high-level hero, especially if I get free levels from the kill, but Iā€™m still worried itā€™ll be prevented by Mind-Parry Monk. Maybe I should should try to aggressively destroy his tech II building, but thatā€™s easier said than done. Thereā€™s also the concern about whether I can use Skeletons as effective patrollers going forward, considering Shuriken Hail. Guess Iā€™ll go for the Pandas, as theyā€™ll have the most reliable synergy with Blooming Ancients later.

69

Iā€™m reading through this thread and I have a little advice; donā€™t go for bloodā€™s tech 3, go for the tech 2. Pirate Gang Commander isnā€™t super scary, Crashbarrow is :wink:

Definitely agree with the advice of Temporal Distortion over Warp Gate Disciple also

70

I guess scrambling to wack the tech 3 building over and over was a waste.
P1t3

Summary

Hand
Rambasa Twin
Grappling hook
Safe attacking
Senseiā€™s Advice
Speed of the Fox
Workers safe attacking
Tech hidden ninja and Vigor Adept

Get paid ($6)
Worker ($5)
Grappling hook ($5) skeleton to Lookout.
Setsuki kills skeleton.
Hire Rambasa Twin ($1). His brother comes along too!
Float 1 gold
Squad leader: Rambasa Twin Mario
Scavenger: Rambasa Twin Luigi
In Play: Setsuki
Base: 20
Tech 1: 5
7 workers
Hand: 4
Deck: 1
Discard: 5

New hand

Fox Primus
Morningstar Flagbearer
Aged Sensei
Snapback

Thoughts

Better build tech 2 promptly.

71

P2T3

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Blooming Elm
Blooming Elm

STARTING HAND
Summon Skeletons
Deteriorate
Giant Panda
Skeleton Javelineer
Poisonblade Rogue

WORKERS
Jandra, the Negator
Thieving Imp
Poisonblade Rogue

NextHand

Graveyard
Skeletal Archery
Sacrifice the Weak
Giant Panda

Discard

Deteriorate
Pestering Haunt
Skeleton Javelineer
Summon Skeletons
Blooming Elm
Blooming Elm

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($10)
Worker - ($9)
Giant Panda - ($6)
Tech II: Growth - ($2)
Deteriorate SQL
Garth and Haunt kill SQL
Skeleton - ($1)

Float ($1)
Discard 2, draw 4

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Wisp (0/1A)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger:
  • :pschip: Technician: Skeleton (1/1)
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • L1 Garth Torken (1/1) [2 damage]
  • Giant Panda (2/4)

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Growth)

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 6

Gold:

  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 8
Thoughts

Well, if nothing else, I donā€™t need to worry about Grappling hook this turn.

72

P1t4

Summary

Hand
Fox Primus
Morningstar Flagbearer
Aged Sensei
Snapback
Workers Fox Primus
Tech young lightning dragon and versatile style.

Get paid + float ($8)
Worker ($7)
Build tech 2 discipline ($3)
Setsuki kills the wisp.
Hire Morningstar Flagbearer ($0)
Squad leader: Morningstar Flagbearer
Scavenger: Rambasa Twin
In play: Setsuki
8 workers
Base: 20
Tech 1: 5
Tech 2: 5
Hand: 4
Deck: 6
Discard: 0

New hand

Versatile style
Hidden ninja
Aged Sensei
Smoker

73

P2T4

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Bone Collector
Bone Collector

STARTING HAND
Giant Panda
Graveyard
Sacrifice the Weak
Skeletal Archery
Skeleton Javelineer
Summon Skeletons

WORKERS
Jandra, the Negator
Thieving Imp
Poisonblade Rogue
Skeleton Javelineer

NextHand

Deteriorate
Blooming Elm
Bone Collector
Pestering Haunt
Bone Collector

Discard

Sacrifice the Weak
Summon Skeletons
Skeletal Archery

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($9)
Midband Garth - ($6)
Sacriffice Skeleton to draw
Skeleton - ($5)
Sacriffice Skeleton to draw
Worker - ($4)
Graveyard - ($2)
Giant Panda - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Wisp (0/1A)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Giant Panda (2/4)
  • :pschip: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • Graveyard (3)
  • L4 Garth Torken (2/4)
  • Giant Panda (2/4)

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Growth)

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 1
  • Disc: 3

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 9
Thoughts

If heā€™s going for Discipline, maybe my token army can survive. For now, though, I should recover my hand size before Hidden Ninja removes that ability.

74

P1t5

Summary

Hand
Versatile style
Hidden ninja
Aged Sensei
Smoker
Workers smoker
Tech martial Mastery and training Ground

Get paid ($8)
Worker ($7)
Cast Hidden Ninja on Setsuki and Rambasa Twin ($5). I draw a card.
Hire Grave ($3)
Maxband Setsuki ($1)
Hire Aged Sensei ($0)
Rambasa Twin and Setsuki kill Garth. Rambasa Twin dies. Grave gains 2 levels.
Squad leader: Morningstar Flagbearer
Scavenger: Grave
Technician: Aged Sensei
In play: Setsuki
Base: 20
Tech 1: 5
Tech 2: 5
Hand: 4
Deck: 1
Discard: 5

75

P2T5

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Nether Drain
Nether Drain

STARTING HAND
Deteriorate
Blooming Elm
Bone Collector
Pestering Haunt
Bone Collector

WORKERS
Jandra, the Negator
Thieving Imp
Poisonblade Rogue
Skeleton Javelineer
Pestering Haunt

NextHand

Deteriorate
Blooming Elm
Blooming Elm
Bone Collector
Summon Skeletons

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($9)
Worker - ($8)
Drakk Ramhorn, midband - ($3)
Panda kills Flagbearer
Panda and Wisp kill Grave
Bone Collector, hasty - ($1)
Bone Collector kills Sensei

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

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader:
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Skeleton (1/1) Frenzy 1
  • :pschip: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • Graveyard (3)
  • L6 Drakk Ramhorn (3/4)
  • Giant Panda (2/2) Frenzy 1 [2 damage]
  • Giant Panda (2/1) Frenzy 1 [1 damage]
  • Bone Collector (3/2) Haste, frenzy 1 [1 damage]

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Growth)

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 4
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 10
Thoughts

Iā€™m spending too much gold buying levels, will try to steal some. :3 Died: Garth

76

P1t6
Hand

Summary

Young lightning dragon
Speed of the Fox
Snapback
Vigor Adept
Versatile style
Tech earthquake and Vigor Adept

Get paid + scavenger ($10)
Draw 2 cards.
Hire young lightning dragon ($7)
Cast snapback ($4). Drakk returns to command zone and is replaced by Argagarg. Argā€™s wisp also arrives.
Hire Vigor Adept ($0)
Cast grappling hook to move skeleton to Lookout. Setsuki kills it.
Squad leader: Vigor Adept
Lookout: young lightning dragon
In play: Setsuki
Base: 20
Tech 1: 5
Tech 2: 5
9 workers
Hand: 5
Deck: 7
Discard: 0

77

P2T6

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Blooming Ancient
Blooming Ancient

STARTING HAND
Blooming Elm
Blooming Elm
Summon Skeletons
Deteriorate
Bone Collector
Nether Drain

WORKERS
Jandra, the Negator
Thieving Imp
Poisonblade Rogue
Skeleton Javelineer
Pestering Haunt
Summon Skeletons

NextHand

Blooming Elm
Sacrifice the Weak
Blooming Elm
Nether Drain
Skeletal Archery

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($11)
Garth, midband - ($6)
Deteriorate SQL
Bone Collector attacks SQL
Sacrifice Skeleton to draw
Nether Drain from Setsuki to Argagarg - ($5)
Giant Panda (2/1) trades with SQL
Argagarg buffs Giant Panda (2/2)
Giant Panda (3/2A) kills Setsuki, levels to Garth - ($4)
Maxband Garth, fetch Blooming Ancient - ($3)
Maxband Argagarg - ($1)
Move +1/+1 rune to Water Elemental
Worker - ($0)

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

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Water Elemental (4/4A) Anti-air [1+]
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: L4 Garth Torken (2/4)
  • :pschip: Technician: Blooming Ancient (2/4)
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • Graveyard (3)
  • L5 Argagarg Garg (1/5)
  • Giant Panda (2/1) [3 damage]
  • Wisp (0/1)

In Graveyard:

  • Bone Collector
  • Giant Panda

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Growth)

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 4
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 11
Thoughts

Oh man, those tech II Discipline units are imposing. Time for some shenanigans.

78

I think this is gg. How do I break through your defenses?

79

GG.

Thatā€™s a very difficult question to answer in general, but the defender has a bit of an advantage from patrol bonuses, and the attacker has a bit of an advantage in being able to choose engagements. So, if youā€™re not dominating the board, you want to either present some scary threat so that your opponent is pressured into dealing with it on your terms, negating their attacker advantage while capitalizing on your defender advantage, or launch some sudden devastating play that derails your opponentā€™s momentum. If you canā€™t do either of those, you just have to turtle up, take the punches as efficiently as possible, and try to build towards being able to turn the situation to your advantage later on.

A key element of Codex strategy is identifying build vs. build advantages early on, trying to predict what your opponent will do to try to counter you, and building your deck to counter them. Like, with this build, Iā€™ve had a lot of trouble in the past surviving early aggression and board clears, so I wanted to see if rushing Giant Pandas and replaying them from the Graveyard could provide enough defense to allow Bone Collectors to start churning out Skeletons, but when you switched to mono-Purple, I had to abandon that strategy because I had no way to stop Rewind from clearing my board and Assimilate could let you take my token generators from me. But, when Iā€™m playing normally with the Pandas and focusing heavily on defense, it should be extremely difficult to just punch through attacking normally, so you should use some less direct approach (stealth maybe).

To this matchup specifically, I think your strongest options are Jefferson DeGrey, Ghostly Diplomat to wipe out tokens and Mind-Parry Monk to prevent targeted removal like Doom Grasp, Polymorph: Squirrel, and Deteriorate. After seeing me start fielding token-generating units, I would have aimed for DeGrey by specā€™ing into Strength rather than Discipine. Prior to tech II availability, I might have tried using Inverse Power Ninja to efficiently punish attackers and discourage Bone Collectors from making tokens, then followed up with Hidden Ninja to allow them to slip past my defenses and take out key targets. I donā€™t know how exactly that would have played out, because I havenā€™t seen a game pit those strategies against each other yet, however.

Well, a lot of this is just about gaining experience with different matchups and getting used to what works and what doesnā€™t in different situations, and I think even the most experienced players still get surprised by the curve-balls that occasionally get thrown their way. In short, thereā€™s no easy answers, which is probably why I enjoy this game so much.

1 Like
80

Okay. Thanks. You want to play again?