CAFS 2016: Drakona ([Fire]/Blood/Finesse) vs. zhavier (Mono Green)

Codex Codex play-by-forum
1

Greetings @zhavier and nice to meet you! Good luck, have fun!

[details=Thoughts]You know, I literally spent all week gaming mono black, because half the decks seem to have some black in them. Racing to catch up on my lack of knowledge, worried about catching mono purple or something . . . and lo and behold, I’m facing mono green. Wait a sec, I know what this deck does…??? I’ve even played it before! Sweet.

What do I wanna do? There’s a big piece of me that wants to try for Drakk’s ult this time. I need to remember last game’s lesson, and mind the Midori and the Moment’s Peace cycle. Green can do many different things, and I shouldn’t overcommit, before getting some idea what he’s doing. At the same time, the intiative is mine.

If I had to bet, I’d bet he’ll notice I don’t have my tax men and go for flying things. Maybe I’m just excessively afraid of flying things. :wink:
[/details]

[details=Starting Hand]Charge, Mad Man, Bloodburn, Makeshift Rambaster, Pillage

There’s a big piece of me that wants to bring out River so she can act next turn. I like her mid, and two free hits is nice–he’ll probably patrol a tiger cub or a treant or something. But none of my units next turn will have haste anyway, and a free hit with the Rambaster beats two with a mad man.

Do I want to go down a card and hit him with the Mad Man too? Hmm. If he patrols anything but the Ironbark or the Shambler, Scorch and the Mad Man will be able to kill it, giving me a second swing with the Rambaster. 75% it’s 1 card for 1 damage, 25% 1 card for 4 damage. A big piece of me says go for it, but I think can do better later. And I think that BRO will be useful. I like that guy. So I’m tempted but let’s not.
[/details]

Worker

Pillage

P1T1

  • Collect 4 gold (4)
  • Worker (3)
  • Makeshift Rambaster (1)
  • Makeshift Rambaster hits your base for 3 damage (1)
  • Discard 3, draw 5

Patrol
SQL:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Tecn:
Lookout:

Other
Makeshift Rambaster (1/2)

Buildings
Base: 20 hp

Economy
Hand: 5
Discard: 3
Draw: 0
Gold: 1
Workers: 5

Hidden Cards

Workers: Pillage
Discard: Bloodburn, Mad Man, Charge
Draw:

Next Hand

Scorch, Bloodrage Ogre, Bombaster, Careless Musketeer, Nautical Dog

1 Like
2

Pleasure to meet you, too, GLHF!

P2T1

StartingHand Workers

STARTING HAND
Rich Earth
Ironbark Treant
Spore Shambler
Tiger Cub
Forest’s Favor

WORKERS
Spore Shambler

NextHand

Merfolk Prospector
Young Treant
Rampant Growth
Playful Panda
Verdant Tree

Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid ($5)
Rich Earth ($2)
Worker
Argagarg ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5

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

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Argagarg 1/3+A
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]:
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Rich Earth
  • Wisp 0/1
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 17

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

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 3
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 6
3

[details=Thoughts]It’s the water elemental opening! Well, probably. Interesting that he didn’t patrol the wisp, but I bet he’s run the numbers and knows I’d have to sacrifice too much to get through Arg, so didn’t bother. Unless his grand plan is to dinosize it or something? That would be kind of an awesome way to die.

So let’s see. That probably means an attempt to wall up and go for some sort of tech 2 plan. Totally unexpected.

Point of interest, if River had been able to act this turn, I could totally have killed Arg. Maybe aggressive starts should involve heroes. :slight_smile:

It would be wonderfully demoralizing if I killed his elemental with something that didn’t die, the turn after he played it. Two step lets me do that. BRO + two step can kill a water elemental and live. Anything + two step can kill the tiger cub or treant he might drop in another slot. He won’t have the money to maxband Arg and play an Ironbark, so I’m probably only facing one wallish thing next turn. It could be as bad as a 5/6 growthed water elemental, but I think I could still get through. Plus if I’m wrong about the strategy, I have powerfully aggressive options I don’t have to take.

Sounds like my tech choice. Two copies or one? I’m not that desperate for it, since I can probably get the job done with two units instead of one surviving one if I really have to, and a Lobber or Nimble Fencer comports better with a long term plan, since so many of my counters are spells – Kidnapping for Feral, Flame Arrow for Moment’s Peace, Discord or Ember Sparks for the frogs – I don’t want to wind up spell heavy. Plus I should get access to a basilisk blocker. The argument the other way is if I blow the draw, I could be facing multiple stampeded things in two turns. The water elemental, the wisp, maybe one more thing? Meh. I should be able to patrol three things or kill something. Not too scared.

My hand is full of units. Makes sense to go down on cards and pick the best, rather than hoping to draw it next turn. It’s like playing it next turn with haste. Assuming I have the self-control not to play something else. Which I don’t. :wink:

Game plan is, don’t let green have units. Kill them.

Longer term, I’m thinking I might want a hero’s hall. If the plan really is to stab things the old fashioned way, more stabby things is helpful, plus that disincentivizes the Moment’s Peace thing.
[/details]

Tech

Two-Step, Lobber

Starting Hand

Scorch, Bloodrage Ogre, Bombaster, Careless Musketeer, Nautical Dog

Worker

Careless Musketeer

P1T2

  • Floated 1 gold (1)
  • Collect 5 gold (6)
  • Worker (5)
  • Bloodrage Ogre (3)
  • Bombaster (1)
  • Tech 1 (0)

Patrol
SQL: Bloodrage Ogre (3/2 + 1A)
Elite:
Scav:
Tecn: Bombaster (2/2)
Lookout:

Other
Makeshift Rambaster (1/2)

Buildings
Base: 20 hp
Tech 1: 5 hp

Economy
Cards
Hand: 4
Draw: 3
Discard: 0
Gold
Gold: 0
Workers: 6

Hidden Cards

Workers: Pillage, Careless Musketeer
Draw: Two Step, Nautical Dog, Mad Man
Discard:

Next Hand

Bloodburn, Lobber, Charge, Scorch

4

P2T2

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Dinosize
Tiny Basilisk

STARTING HAND
Verdant Tree
Playful Panda
Rampant Growth
Young Treant
Merfolk Prospector
Ironbark Treant

WORKERS
Spore Shambler
Verdant Tree

NextHand

Tiger Cub
Tiny Basilisk
Dinosize
Rampant Growth

Discard

Playful Panda
Ironbark Treant

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($6)
Rampant Growth on Arg - ($4)
Arg kills Ogre
Young Treant, reshuffle, draw 1 - ($2)
Merfolk Prospector - ($1)
Worker
Tech 1 - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 4

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

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Young Treant 0/2+A
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]: Merfolk Prospector 1/1
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]: Wisp 0/1
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Rich Earth
  • Argagarg 1/2, Lvl 1
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 17
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5

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

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 1
  • Disc: 2
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 7
5

[details=Thoughts]. . . what? What was that supposed to accomplish?

He spent two gold and a card to kill my two gold gold and a card BRO. And then he spent some gold and cards on a bunch of freebie units for me to swing at that don’t hit back. He even went down a card to do it. I will take my freebies, but I am confused.

Think about it from his perspective. Why would you have done that? Hmmm. With Arg and a wisp facing a BRO, Bombaster, Rambaster . . . I would’ve made a water elemental, and still felt underdefended. Maybe he just wants to do anything to stop me from coming through this turn, which admittedly is kinda fair.

Are ya panicking? Is that it?

All right, then. Keep panicking. Let’s dig that hole a little deeper. :slight_smile:

That argues I should play my lobber instead of recovering for a card. Let’s think, what’s my best option? And by best I mean, the option that scares him into playing more units and going deeper into the card hole.

Plan A
Bombaster + Rambaster -> Treant, neither take any damage, 2 gold win
Lobber -> prospector, Lobber 1 damage, 1 card win
Costs 1 gold, I can worker, summon a hero to patrol, make that HH I wanted, and still have a gold in the bank. I’m down a card, but so is he.

Plan B
Summon + midband Drakk (5 gold, ow)
Bombaster x Treant, 2 gold win
Rambaster x wisp, ehhh the wisp was free, and he gets a card
Lobber (my last gold) x Prospector, 1 card win
I have to skip a worker and I’m down in cards along with him, but he has no units! That’s pretty maximum panic. Plus Drakk is threatening to maxband next turn, and a dinosized Arg is the only thing that could touch him, and would still be a loss for the other guy.

Plan B is kinda risky though in that it puts me behind. He could suicide Arg, pop out Midori, and start playing Moment’s Peace. Odds seem high he teched it. And he might be tech 2 by the time I break in.

What am I expecting to see next turn out of him? Possibly a water elemental. Possibly a centaur. Possibly an Ironbark. He must’ve passed it up in his first hand, since if he had it just now he’d have played it, which means he probably does have it now.

The water elemental costs four. The centaur costs 3. The Treant costs 3. With 8 gold to deal with, two of those seem relatively likely, but I bet my two steppers can deal with 'em.

Time to start thinking longer term. What’s my endgame? The Finesse tribal strategy seems like a good one if he’s going to keep playing defense. Buff patrollers with haste? Tap Jaina, swing through the line occasionally? Tap River, hit the base most turns? Endgame deck could maybe look like –

Lobber, Two Step, Flame Arrow, Discord, Nimble Fencer x 2, Grounded Guide x2, Leaping lizard, Virtuoso x2?

11 cards. It should be 10. What can I do without? Discord is my token spam answer, but maybe I can wing it on the frogs. I don’t have room for enough copies to cast it every turn, so I need a fallback anyway. More Units isn’t a terrible fallback, though they’ll wear down eventually. Dropping Calamdra on sight is a gold loss, but a good general principle since I’m going to try to do without a tower.

Contingencies – one of the grounded guides turns into a leaping lizard in case of Balance. Both of them turn into Kidnapping in case of Feral. Something turns into a discord if he seems really committed to making lots of frogs. Could turn the Virtuosos into Drakk’s or Jaina’s ults if it seems likely to end the game faster that way.

This turn I’m discarding 2 and drawing 4 for a paltry 1/6 of picking up that Flame Arrow. But I’m guaranteed to have it turn after next if I don’t get it next, in case of Moment’s Peace of Calamdra shenanigans, so that seems okay. Them going off for a turn doesn’t seem so bad, it’s two that could be ugly. HH will do in a pinch for Moment’s Peace, though it’s a turn late to help right now. At least Drakk will pick up two levels if Arg suicides. Units will do in a pinch for frogs. Next turn’s when I’m building my tech 2, and teching my grounded guides on that turn works with the draw decks. Not guaranteed, but good as it gets. Ok. Timeline looks ok.
[/details]

Tech

Flame Arrow, Nimble Fencer

Starting Hand

Bloodburn, Lobber, Charge, Scorch

Worker

Bloodburn. Sorry, I love you, it’s just not happening this game.

P1T3

  • Collect 6 gold (6)
  • Worker (5)
  • Heroes’ Hall (3)
  • Drakk Ramhorn (1)
  • Lobber (0)
  • Makeshift Rambaster attacks Treant, breaking armor, no return damage
  • Bombaster attacks Treant, killing it
  • Lobber attacks Merfolk Prospector, killing it. One gold for you.

Patrol
SQL: Drakk Ramhorn (1/3 + 1A)
Elite:
Scav:
Tecn:
Lookout:

Other
Makeshift Rambaster (1/2)
Bombaster (2/2)
Lobber (2/1)

Buildings
Base: 20 hp
Tech 1: 5 hp
Heroes’ Hall: 4 hp

Economy
Cards
Hand: 4
Draw: 4
Discard: 0
Gold
Gold: 0
Workers: 7

Hidden Cards

Workers: Pillage, Careless Musketeer, Bloodburn
Draw: Flame Arrow, Scorch, Nimble Fencer, Charge

Next Hand

Nautical Dog, Two Step, Mad Man, Bloodrage Ogre

6

P2T3

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Circle of Life
Moment’s Peace

STARTING HAND
Rampant Growth
Dinosize
Tiger Cub
Tiny Basilisk

WORKERS
Spore Shambler
Verdant Tree
Tiger Cub

NextHand

Rampant Growth
Playful Panda
Forest’s Favor

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + Scav - ($8)
Worker
Dinosize Wisp, Kills Drakk, Arg to Lvl 3, heals - ($4)
Arg to Max - ($2)
Tiny Basilisk - ($0)

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

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

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Tiny Basilisk 1/2+A
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]: Water Elemental 4/3
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]: Argagarg 1/5, Lvl 5
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Rich Earth
  • Wisp 0/1
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 17
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5

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

  • Hand: 3
  • Deck: 6
  • Disc: 0
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 8
7

[details=Thoughts]Ah, there it is. He just wanted something to survive for the dinosize.

Still, he did choke himself, down to 1 card. Didn’t get his tech 2, either. Pressing that seems like the best move now. Of course, I screwed up my own tech 2 timeline – I needed to tech those cards LAST turn for a guaranteed draw. How did I not see that? I thought I thought it through. sigh

Still. If I discard 3, I’ve got a 1 in 5 of any card I tech. If he hits my technician, that’s 2 in 5. 35% of getting one of them even if he doesn’t hit the tech. Seems pretty reasonable. That’s not so bad. Of course, I’ll need a way of making sure the basilisk doesn’t kill my tech 2 unit immediately. Sacrificial hero seems likely :smiley:

The alternative doesn’t look as good. Two stepping the bombaster would let it kill the water elemental. Or the bombaster and Rambaster could kill Arg, live, and keep their two step. Patrol River and the lobber. I’m not scary anymore, though, with that water elemental still out and the basilisk. Feels like losing ground. I like tech option better.

So – moment of truth. Am I really doing Finesse? Gonna try to out buff the buffer? Beat the Dinosize and the Stampede? I mean, I do love those crashbarrows. They don’t patrol, though. Yeah . . . let’s go finesse. Haven’t done this against a real opponent, yet, and it looks like fun. Carpe diem and all that.
[/details]

Tech

Grounded Guide x 2

Starting Hand

Nautical Dog, Mad Man, Bloodrage Ogre, Two Step

Worker

Nautical Dog

P1T4

  • Collect 7 gold (7)
  • Worker (6)
  • Tech 2 - Finesse (2)
  • River Montoya (0)
  • Discard 3, draw 4 rs draw 1

Patrol
SQL:
Elite: Lobber (2/1)
Scav: Bombaster (2/2)
Tecn: River Montoya (2/3)
Lookout:

Other
Makeshift Rambaster (1/2)

Buildings
Base: 20 hp
Tech 1: 5 hp
Tech 2: 5 hp (Finesse)
Heroes’ Hall: 4 hp

Economy
Cards
Hand: 5
Draw: 4
Discard: 0
Gold
Gold: 0
Workers: 8

Hidden Cards

Workers: Pillage, Careless Musketeer, Bloodburn, Nautical Dog
Draw: Mad Man, Grounded Guide, Bloodrage Ogre, Two Step

Next Hand

Charge, Nimble Fencer, Scorch, Flame Arrow, Grounded Guide (lucked out)

8

P2T4

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Might of Leaf and Claw
Blooming Ancient

STARTING HAND
Rampant Growth
Playful Panda
Forest’s Favor

WORKERS
Spore Shambler
Verdant Tree
Tiger Cub
Forest’s Favor

NextHand

Moment’s Peace
Circle of Life

Discard

Rampant Growth
Might of Leaf and Claw
Blooming Ancient

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($8)
Worker
Water Elemental Kills River, you draw 1
Tech 2 (Growth) - ($4)
Rampant Growth on Wisp kills Bombaster, the wisp that keeps on killing, you get 1g - ($2)
Playful Panda - ($0)
Argagarg kills Lobber, takes 3

Float ($0)
Discard 0, draw 2

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

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Tiny Basilisk 1/2+A
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]: Wisp #2 0/1
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Rich Earth
  • Wisp #1 0/1
  • Water Elemental 3/1
  • Playful Panda 2/2
  • Argagarg 1/2, lvl 5
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 17
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Growth)

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

  • Hand: 2
  • Deck: 4
  • Disc: 3
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 9

EDIT: I misread lobber as being in SQL instead of elite, changed my turn slightly.

9
Technician Draw

Bloodrage Ogre

[details=Thoughts]I see. That turn where I was so confused what he was doing – I just did it to him. Gave all my units away. That’s not panicking, that’s setting up. That’s just trying to live to the next turn with something surviving because there’s something you wanted to do. He had the wisp he wanted to dinosize. I had the Guide I wanted to play. That’s what it looks like from the other side. Interesting.

Except I can’t do what I want because that guide is expensive and I don’t see a way to protect him from the basilisk with my remaining money.

So let’s see. I may really be in trouble here. I don’t like my chances much if Guargum comes out. I don’t like my chances against a stampede much, either. But he’s got too many more units than I do, and I don’t have a way to damage a lot of them at once. What I’d give for that Discord I decided I could live without, right now.

He did only draw two cards. I can’t kill enough of his units to deprive him of buff targets, so there’s no point in going after the technician and helping him with that situation.

On my side of the board, putting down the grounded guide and nimble fencer would make for some pretty strong units . . . but I can’t figure out a way to keep them alive against that basilisk. I’d have to skip a worker and even then, it’s dodgy. I am guaranteed the Guide again next turn, though, and he’s going to have to spend cards and buffs to kill anything of mine without return deaths. I think my strategy here has to be to just get more units, and break through. I can’t stop him from building that tech 3, but if I put enough stuff out there swinging, I may just be able to keep it down for long enough to win.

Okay. Lots of bodies swinging next turn, give the basilisk no expensive targets, take my chances against that stampede. That’s the plan. Growth doesn’t have a lot of scary tech 2 units, and I don’t think he’s got the cards and time to really get the runes going, so I’m not too worried about Discord becoming ineffective. I’ll tech that and another Nimble fencer in an effort to stay ahead on units and try to get a tech 3 lockdown. Doesn’t look like I’ll need the leaping lizards, cool as they are.
[/details]

Tech

Nimble Fencer, Discord

Starting Hand

Charge, Nimble Fencer, Scorch, Flame Arrow, Grounded Guide, Bloodrage Ogre

Worker

Scorch

P1T5

  • Collect 1 gold from Scav death (1)
  • Collect 8 gold (9)
  • Worker (8)
  • Nimble Fencer (6)
  • Bloodrage Ogre (4)
  • Jaina Stormborne (2)
  • Drakk Ramhorn (0)
  • Discard 3, draw 3, rs, draw 2

[details=Thoughts]Ok, think this through this time! Let’s assume that due to his card shortage, he doesn’t have buffs. The wisps can’t attack, which means I’m facing the basilisk, the panda (2), the water elemental (3), and Arg (1).

If I put either Jaina or the Nimble Fencer in SQL, it would cost him two units (elemental + panda) or the basilisk to break through. Probably basilisk, leaving elemental+panda their choice of targets on the other side. They’ll kill the BRO and one other unit, leaving me one unit I don’t put in SQL, whichever he judges the lowest threat. Probably the Fencer.

If I put the BRO in SQL, the elemental can kill it or the basilisk can ignore it, leaving the basilisk has a choice of targets, or the basilisk can kill it, leaving the elemental a free choice of targets… but the Panda has nothing it can kill. It could team up with Arg to kill one more thing if he’s willing to let both die, but I kinda doubt that he is. They’d go on defense and I’d have more to act with, but also more to break through. I like that better, though, as I get two step next turn, or my other guide, or might level Jaina or Drakk. I won’t have gold to do a lot of that, but maybe enough.

If I put Drakk in SQL . . . he still takes the basilisk or elemental + panda/arg to break through, but we’re back to the panda being able to kill the BRO.

So basically, do I want to give the panda the option to kill the BRO? No. No I do not. If I want my BRO to trade with the panda, I’ll do it myself next turn, if it seems advantageous.

Ugh. I don’t much like my chances of keeping that tech 3 down. I have to bank on his low cards meaning he won’t get Guargum right away. I’m going to be fighting Calamdra or Midori next turn, too. Well, it is what it is. I think this is my best play.
[/details]

Patrol
SQL: Bloodrage Ogre (3/3)
Elite: Drakk Ramhorn (2/3)
Scav: Nimble Fencer (2/3)
Tecn: Jaina Stormborne (2/3)
Lookout:

Other
Makeshift Rambaster (1/2)

Buildings
Base: 20 hp
Tech 1 - 5 hp
Tech 2 - 5 hp
Heroes’ Hall - 4 hp

Economy
Cards
Hand: 5
Draw: 5
Discard: 0
Gold
Gold: 0
Workers: 9

Hidden Cards

Workers: Careless Musketeer, Bloodburn, Nautical Dog, Scorch
Draw: Bombaster, Nimble Fencer, Grounded Guide, Charge, Discord

Next Hand

Mad Man, Gruinded Guide, Two Step, Lobber, Flame Arrow

10

P2T5

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Guargum, the Eternal Sentinel
Blooming Elm

STARTING HAND
Circle of Life
Moment’s Peace

WORKERS
Spore Shambler
Verdant Tree
Tiger Cub
Forest’s Favor

NextHand

Dinosize
Ironbark Treant

Discard

Rampant Growth
Might of Leaf and Claw
Blooming Ancient
Circle of Life
Tiny Basilisk
Moment’s Peace
Guargum, the Eternal Sentinel
Blooming Elm

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($9)
Midori - ($7)
Tap Arg to Buff Basilisk, Basilisk kills Drakk, Midori goes to lvl 3
Circle of Life on Tiny Basilisk for a Wandering Mimic - ($5)
Wandering Mimic kills your Bloodrage Ogre (haste from your stuff)
Water Elemental trades with Jaina, Midori to lvl 5, you draw a card
Moment’s Peace! - ($3)
Heroes’ Hall - ($1)

Float ($1)
Discard 0, draw 2

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

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Midori 3/4+A, lvl 5
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]:
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Rich Earth
  • Wisp #1 1/2
  • Wisp #2 1/2
  • Playful Panda 2/2
  • Argagarg 1/2, lvl 5
  • Wandering Mimic 4/1
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 17
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Growth)
  • :heart: Heroes’ Hall HP: 4

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

  • Hand: 2
  • Deck: 2
  • Disc: 8
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 9
11
Technician Draw

Nimble Fencer

Thoughts

LOL! Wow – that went far worse than I imagined. I feel sort of annoyed that his hand consisted of two cards, and he got to play two really useful cards, whereas I’m sitting here looking at a hand of five thinking, nope, can’t use that, eeeh, that’s not great . . .

But hang on, how’d he get here? What have I seen him play?

Dinosize, Tiny basilisk, Circle of Life, Moment’s Peace

Over four tech cycles, that’s half the cards. Fair bet there’s two copies of Moment’s Peace in there, and he’s got 12 cards between his hand and his decks. All of those would be useful next turn, and that’s half his deck! Mimic, too, is pretty useful.

What have I teched?

Two Step, Lobber, Flame Arrow, 2x Nimble Fencer, 2x Grounded Guide, Discord

I have four of those in my hand right now, and I’m seeing drawbacks that make some of them not incredibly useful. The Guide is awesome but expensive, and both this turn and last, playing him felt like a liability. Two Step seems impractical in a world with Dinosize. Flame Arrow was supposed to get me out of a Moment’s Peace lock, but it doesn’t help when Midori’s got 5 hit points and Jaina’s dead. :smiley:

I’d have rather have had the leaping lizard than the guide in my hand last turn, and perhaps now as well. I should have given myself both cheap and expensive options. Discord and Two Step seemed like huge needs when I teched them, but they may be a lot less useful by the time I’m able to actually play them; something like Ember Sparks is more generally useful. Did I specialize too much? Try too hard to be ready for things in advance? Perhaps.

Well. It is what it is.

Now, let’s think about that Moment’s Peace. He may have teched two copies, but there are two cards in his hand, and nine cards not, plus one copy in the discard pile. That’s a 2/11 of him being able to cast it next hand. I’ll take those odds and assume he won’t.

He’s got a lot of game ending things those cards could be. Another Moment’s Peace could let him get Guargum out before I could do anything. Arg’s ult could probably drop my base by half where I stand. Those aren’t really worth worrying about, as there’s nothing I can do. I should just assume his cards won’t be that useful, and go for my own kill.

Two paths I see. One, get the Tech 3 down while I have the chance. Goodness knows what he’ll pull out next turn, but that’s a lot of units and my Tech 2 could be a casualty. The Tech 3’s a target . . . but are my Virtuosos really the sort of game ending threat that he’d have to come hard after? Unlike most tech 3s, I think not really – the threat is in the tribe, and my tribe is somewhat lacking. He may simply ignore it, and it’s be a hollow threat anyway. The chance of me pulling one of those into my hand is low.

The other is to stuff the board with units. I can play my guide and my other fencer. I still have two gold left over, and can play the lobber. And the mad man, too, if I skip my worker. That’ll give me five patrollable units, plus the Rambaster, to his six things that can attack – and mine are on average much bigger. Barring ult shenanigans, I like those odds. I can do the tech 3 and the 10th worker next turn, or try to stack the guides (as was my plan) if enough stuff lives. It all attacks for three, meaning Midori’s the only one who can do a free hit, even with Arg’s buff. If he spends a card on a buff for a hit, that favors me, I think.

No, wait. Crap. That was sounding like a very good plan, but if he maxes Midori, he flies, can take out the Guide, and there’s nothing I can do to stop him, which makes both fencers MUCH weaker. Even putting him in SQL means he’ll only need to spend a wisp or something to still be able to take him out, significantly weakening everything else.

Does giving him a second target in River help? Nah. The Guide’s too obviously valuable. He’ll ignore her. Dang. I can’t play him. He’ll just get shot.

Deterrence? A tower? It’s not like that HH has helped me yet, or like I’m relying on spells at this point.

I like the units + tower plan. I can float some gold, play the guide next turn (or my tech 3). That does let him get his tech 3 down first, and getting Guargum out would be a disaster. Even as a patroller, I think I’d be hosed. But maybe he’ll have trouble getting it off right away, and maybe he won’t have any useful growth spells in his hand. Those don’t seem like completely unreasonable hopes.

Tech? MOAR UNITS. But let’s diversify. My first instinct was to reach for two lizards, but let’s do a lizard and a maestro, since if the second gives me options to take down a tech 3 even during a Moment’s Peace (right? Exhausting to deal damage isn’t attacking, right?) I may be sorry I didn’t get some of Jaina’s more generally useful spells, but Flame Arrow will do, I think.

Tech

Maestro, Leaping Lizard

Starting Hand

Mad Man, Grounded Guide, Two Step, Lobber, Flame Arrow, Nimble Fencer

Worker

Two Step

P1T6

  • Collect 9 gold (9)
  • Worker (8)
  • Nimble Fencer (6)
  • Lobber (5)
  • Wreck HH, build tower (2)
  • Discard 3, draw 4, rs, draw 1
  • Float 2 gold

Patrol
SQL: Nimble Fencer (2/4)
Elite:
Scav: Lobber (2/2)
Tecn: Nimble Fencer (2/3)
Lookout:

Other
Makeshift Rambaster (1/2)

Buildings
Base: 18 hp
Tech 1: 5 hp
Tech 2: 5 hp
Tower: 4 hp

Economy
Cards
Hand: 5
Draw: 5
Discard: 0
Gold
Gold: 2
Workers: 10

Hidden Cards

Workers: Careless Musketeer, Bloodburn, Nautical Dog, Scorch, Two Step
Draw: Mad Man, Bloodrage Ogre, Maestro, Grounded Guide, Flame Arrow

Next Hand

Bombaster, Grounded Guide, Charge, Discord, Leaping Lizard

12

You are correct about the thing you were asking rhetorically in your “thoughts”

13

Haha, I am amazed you read my clueless rambling closely enough to dig out the technical questions. Thank you! I very much appreciate it!

14

P2T6

Thoughts Tech StartingHand Workers

THOUGHTS
I am mildly concerned about Lobbers and direct damage letting him/her break through to my stuff, but I am willing to bet the nimble fencers a re a clear sign of grounded guides to come. I hope my wandering mimic lives, he does good work. Also mildly concerned about kidnapping on my wandering mimic, but the end result would at least not be a flying wandering mimic.

TECH
Stampede
Stampede

STARTING HAND
Dinosize
Ironbark Treant

WORKERS
Spore Shambler
Verdant Tree
Tiger Cub
Forest’s Favor
Ironbark Treant

NextHand

Merfolk Prospector
Young Treant

Discard

Rampant Growth
Might of Leaf and Claw
Blooming Ancient
Circle of Life
Tiny Basilisk
Moment’s Peace
Guargum, the Eternal Sentineel
Blooming Elm
Dinosize
Stampede
Stampede

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($10)
Worker
Lvl Midori to Max - ($7)
Midori flies in to kill the tower, takes 1, base to 16
Wandering Mimic kills Nimble Fencer SQL
Tap Arg to buff Playful Panda
Playful Panda kills other Nimble Fencer
Dinosize Wisp #1, The Wispinator, who kills your Lobber, desperately wishing for overpower, you get 1g - ($3)
Calamandra - ($1)

Float ($1)
Discard 0, draw 2

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

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Calamandra 2/3+A, Lvl 1
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]: Wisp #2 1/2
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Rich Earth
  • Wisp #1 1/2
  • Playful Panda 2/1
  • Argagarg 1/2, lvl 5
  • Wandering Mimic 4/1
  • Midori 4/4, Lvl 8
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 17
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Growth)
  • :heart: Heroes’ Hall HP: 4

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

  • Hand: 2
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 11
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 10
15

Not that this seriously improves my position, but the mimic should have died in the attack, yes?

Also - I think you need to kill my lobber before my tech 2.

lol about the wispinator bit though. SRSLY

16

Wait – I’m a dumb. The mimic is flying because Midori is. Disregard that bit. Second point still stands though, I think.

1 Like
17

The mimic has flying and the tower was killed before the mimic attacked.

Woops quite right I somehow imagined the lobber dead with I don’t know what. Fixing my turn. Your tech 2 lives much to my dismay.

18

Interesting priorities. I was sure you’d Dinosize the mimic to take it out.

Technician Draw

Maestro

Thoughts

. . . but then I’ve seen my hand, and know how badly I want that lizard. :wink:

I continue to be in trouble here. Now I have Calamdra summoning tigers to add to the mix. Half my head says I can’t win, and half my head says hold on, he’s drawing two cards per turn, he’s going to get a crappy hand sooner or later. I just have no idea what that’s worth, so I’m going to fight hard until all hope seems genuinely lost.

I do have Discord now. Unfortunately, the wisps are no longer vulnerable to it. Just the panda doesn’t seem worth it, which is too bad.

Same choice as last time – tech 3 or blow up on units. Seeing as I have some cheapish big units, I can kind of do both. It cracks me up to use the Maestro as a blocker, but he might genuinely have some trouble killing it. I really think my best play here is to exploit the fact that my deck is cycling much faster than his and get those Blademasters into play. They won’t counter Guargum (or will they, with a little help from their friends?), but they’ll put a stop to this pecking to death nonsense for sure.

Plus, if he has to use Midori and the mimic on my tech 3, he’s not using them on the rest of my units. And the Lizard should deter that sort of nonsense anyhow.

Heh. Half my brain wants to tech lab blood and pick up some DANG CRASHBARROWS to stop this nonsense. I don’t think that’s a good idea, though. A rebuilding tech structure seems like a better choice for this sort of . . . whatever this is . . .

I won’t bring out any heroes on defense for the moment. That way if he uses Calamdra for a tiger, he’s at least not building his own tech 3. I continue to have to play the odds that he won’t draw a death card, and that luck is going to run out eventually. Though the fact that he hasn’t made an effort to build the tech suggests that he knows he’s not getting Guargum any time soon either. Some comfort in that. They must be in his discard. It’s huge. It does cycle this turn, though, and he teched something last turn. There are a bunch of bad things it could be, but whatever it is – I’m on a limited timer here.

I’ll watch and see if he builds his tech 3 next turn. That’d be the time to do it if he just teched Guargum. Otherwise – what, Stampede? Seems like a reasonable bet. He’s sure set up for it. Maybe I should consider dropping Arg with that Flame Arrow I’m getting next turn, rather than Midori.

Hmm. Half of me wants to mess with his head a bit and build a tech lab - blood. I hear those things are scary, and I could float two gold for the possibility of playing Virtoso + Grounded Guide next turn. I think I’m going to play this straight, though, and build the tower. That plus the lizard will mean Midori can’t attack, which seems like a more stable choice than going for a bluff.

Tech

Blademaster x2

Starting Hand

Bombaster, Grounded Guide, Charge, Discord, Leaping Lizard, Maestro

Worker

Bombaster. Kills me to give up a unit, but the Fencers do everything he does, and better. Plus I feel I might suddenly find my life depending on Discord, with Cal on the board – and it’s very hard for me to give up Charge.

P1T7

  • Float 2 gold (2)
  • Collect scavenger gold (3)
  • Collect 10 gold (13)
  • Worker (12)
  • Leaping Lizard (11)
  • Maestro (8)
  • Tech 3 (3)
  • Rebuild Tower (0)

Patrol
SQL: Leaping Lizard (3/5 + 1A; Anti-air)
Elite:
Scav:
Tecn: Maestro (3/5)
Lookout:

Other
Makeshift Rambaster: 1/2

Buildings
Base: 16 hp
Tech 1 - 5 hp
Tech 2 - 5 hp
Tech 3 - 5 hp
Tower - 4 hp

Economy
Cards
Hand: 5
Draw: 7
Discard: 0
Gold
Gold: 0
Workers: 11

Hidden Cards

Workers: Pillage, Careless Musketeer, Bloodburn, Two Step, Nautical Dog, Scorch, Bombaster
Draw: Blademaster x 2, Nimble Fencer x2, Grounded Guide, Lobber, Discord.

Next Hand

Bloodrage Ogre, Grounded Guide, Mad Man, Flame Arrow, Charge

Feh. I got charge out of that awesome draw deck. But hey, getting Maestro at the start was a stroke of luck. I guess it all works out. And a charging BRO ain’t bad – we’ll see what the next turn brings.

19

yea, I dunno, probably should have but nimble fencers are scary. I also probably should have just let the lobber live and saved the card. But ah well.

P2T7

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Might of Leaf and Claw

STARTING HAND
Merfolk Prospector
Young Treant
Might of Leaf and Claw - Draw

WORKERS
Spore Shambler
Verdant Tree
Tiger Cub
Forest’s Favor
Ironbark Treant

[/details]
Tech 1 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($11)
Young Treant, draw 1 - ($9)
Might of Leaf and Claw - ($6)
Wisp #2 (1), Playful Panda (2), Arg (1), Calamandra (2) deals combat damage to lizard, all dieing and putting 4 runes on MoLC
Wisp #1 finally suicides for the greater good into Maestro for 1, activating MoLC
Wandering Mimic flying deals 9 to base
Midori flying deals 9 to base, GG!

Either of my stampedes would have gotten me to 16 damage on base, too.

Wow, you write some really big thoughts, that is awesome! goes to read them

@EricF

1 Like
20

Ok, I was really curious what ericF was responding to, and yes, you can tap to deal direct damage despite moment’s peace. There were a lot of scary things I was worried you were going to do, but top of the list was nimble fencers and lobbers showing up at horribly inconvenient times to kill my stuff. Discord, Kidnapping, bloodlust and any Jaina spells were also scary, but it appears they didn’t materialize at convenient times.

The reason i played the dinosize instead of drawing an extra card and leaving your lobber was because i knew i was about to get young treant, and I thought there was at least a semi decent chance you would be able to swing with something hasty and giving you 2 or even 3 or 4 more damage (midband drakk, bloodlust, or grounded guide) meant there was a very real chance I would lose calamandra, my wisp, and any other thing you wanted to kill on my backline.

I kept envisioning my basilisk getting taken and used to kill a hero, or wandering mimic with drakk’s midband bonus to kill something and then die, but thankfully midori wouldnt give wandering mimic flying on your turns.