Aven is such a polarising design, if you have access to good targeting effects early on (black/red/growth) its really bad, if you have 2 cost any target effects (green, neutral), its annoying, and if you have no good targeting options (white, blue, purple) its insane (purple kinda makes up for this at tech 1 with stewardess, but being forced to tech 2 stewardess to deal with aven kinda sucks [2 becuase with one you get ~50% not to have it t3, and giving your opponent 3 attacks is just back braking])
Blue mirror match is not an issue since you can respond with your own Aven or MT. Totally agree on White and Purple and is exactly why I think Blue is strong against White and Purple. Blue is weak against Black and I think that was highlighted in the past since Black was a dominant color.
P.S. Is Purple really strong against White? I didnāt play White and Purple that much but is what I was gathering from the MMM results.
yeah, blue v black is bad. not had the oppertunity to play against a really good blue player as purple, would assume its somewhere in the 5.5/6 -> 4.5/4 range in favour of blue. and its kinda funny, people are talking about blue being bad due to the matchup with black, and yet forget that the purple - white matchup is just as bad for white, and white also get dunked on by blue + black (in fact, does white only do well against green? not sure on that matchup)
Funny I was actually following up to ask you about Purple vs White. I donāt think White is that bad against Blue tho. If White takes P1, I think White takes the upper hand not as much as P1 Blue but still. In fact, I think White will perform well as P1 in any match up.
I strongly believe there is a healthy food chain amongst colors. From what I believe there are some confirmed orders such as:
White<<Purple<<Blue<<Black
This is my theory and still proving but I think Neutral can be effective against Black. And if I try to complete the circle as a hypothesis it would be something like this:
Red/Green<White<<Purple<<Blue<<Black<Neutral<Red/Green
would be interested to see where that goes, although Iām very not sure on Black < neutral (what do you mean by neutral as well given they only have 2 specs, and finesse/bashing on their own defo loses to black).
If I recall correctly the MMM for white v purple was 10-0 in favour of purple (although I seem to remember the lack of birds in that matchup, which I thought was strange, but Iām not a good enough white player to know if they are just too slow). But yeah, white wanting to push tempo, while purple just laughs at that, takes values trades and still has tempo.
I take it your using << to be a āis defo better thanā rather than a āhard countersā
and < to be āmight be better thanā rather than a āsoft counterā?
Take Neutral and Black out of there, and the model roughly has that loop as well. So,
Blue > Purple > White > Red/Green > Blue
Just with a few other things jumping around it, and with Black beating everything else. Most of the links arenāt particularly strong, though. Turn order can change some of them around.
Thatās correct. Yeah, when I talk colors I mostly focus on the starter decks. I see your point and I agree bringing Neutral in the circle can get muddy. I guess it should only be comparing mono colors. Hmm. although that statement might be worth something. My theory started with the assumption that Neutral-Red mono can be effective against Black but I think it could apply to other Neutral monos too. Maybe.
if your just talking about the starter, then Iām really unsure of neutral > black. Iād be interested to hear your thoughts on it, but it should probs be a different topic (if only so that other people will also see it, rather then being buried in a random game chat, becuase this sort of thing is really interesting for me at least)
I see I think that makes sense. Glad the links are not too strong.
yeah turn order is important, give me P2 any day of the week as purple.
Itās very simple. Bloom and Wither. Spark can help sometimes. The only way you will keep Black under control is that your hero has to be the bully and overpower theirs. Very had but Neutral can. Iām happy to discuss more if you want to expand in another thread.
Pretty much. The only possible model exception to that rule is playing against Red, which seems plausible.
My Codex very much revolves around Blue with some smash up with Neutral i.e. Finesse, Red i.e. Blood and Fire and occasional Green. For me, Black, White and Purple still feel uncharted so I canāt speak much representing their colors. Out of the three, Iām most interested in White and wanted to get better at it but I just couldnāt manage it very well. After some failed attempts, Iāve moved on but I think itās time to revisit and tackle it again. I have no opinion about White vs Purple but am just curious how it plays out because I can speak from experience on other mono pairings that we discussed but this one.
I think White generally shines as P1 and wonder how much of that is suppressed in the White vs Purple match up. Can I suggest a couple of P1 White vs P2 Purple games if you are interested? At your convenience prioritizing your current game of course.
sure, not a problem, feel free to start one whenever you are free
Sorry, I got paralysed by the number of targets. Well, at least I know youāre holding all your spells now. Knowledge is power, right?
P2T6
Starting hand: 2
Thoughts
This is going to be a pain without Thunderclap. I canāt think through all the options right now, so Iāll just go for what looks passable.
Teched cards: 2
T2: Birdās Nest, Sparring Partner
T3: Thunderclap, Whitestar Grappler
T4: Doubling Barbarbarian, Whitestar Grappler
T5: Doubling Barbarbarian, Martial Mastery
T6: Ardraās Boulder, Sparring Partner
Get paid + float - (10)
Whitestar Grappler pops Spectral Aven
Sparring Partner spars with both Birds - (8)
Birds destroy Flagstone Garrison
Grave readily kills Lookout Spectral Hound, takes 3 damage
Maxband Grave - (4)
Grave swordswipes Drill Sergeant #1
Doubling Barbarbarian - (1)
Worker - (0)
Discard 0, draw 2
Doubling Barbarbarian 3/5+2A (overpower; stat buffs count double)
Rook L1 2/4
Grave L7 4/5 (sparkshot; readiness)
Whitestar Grappler 3/5 (exhaust: deal 4 to a unit, it hits Grappler if still alive, gets sidelined)
Sparring Partner 2/2 (exhaust; ally without a + rune gets one; 2g: readies, canāt attack this turn)
Bird #1 2/2 (+; flying)
Bird #2 2/2 (+; flying)
Birdās Nest (channelled by Rook; Birds return at upkeep)
Base HP: 20
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Strength)
Hand: 2
Aged Sensei
Morningstar Flagbearer
Deck: 3
Thunderclap
Whitestar Grappler
Smoker
Discard: 6
Saviour Monk
Doubling Barbarbarian
Martial Mastery
Grappling Hook
Ardraās Boulder
Sparring Partner
Card-count check (opponent-viewable)
Expected: 10 + 10 teched = 20
4 on board
2 in hand
3 in deck
6 in discard
5 in workers
Gold: 0
Workers: 10
5 x start
T1: Senseiās Advice
T2: Fox Primus
T3: Safe Attacking
T4: Fox Viper
T6: Snapback
Yes, but there was also the second garrison, and another unitā¦
P1T7
Tech StartingHand Workers
TECH
Hallucination
STARTING HAND
Traffic Director
Spectral Flagbearer
Lawful Search
Free Speech
Flagstone Garrison
Spectral Hound (3/3, Illusion)
Drill Sergeant #1 (3/3)
Overeager Cadet (2/2)
Overeager Cadet (2/2)
Hallucination
WORKERS
Bluecoat Musketeer
Porkhand Magistrate
Jail
Arrest
Building Inspector (1/1, your buildings cost 1 more)
Manufactured Truth
NextHand
Drill Sergeant #1 (3/3)
Flagstone Garrison (-/4)
Spectral Hound (3/3, Illusion)
Spectral Aven (2/2, Flying, Illusion)
Free Speech
Tech 1 card(s)
Get Paid - ($10)
Cadets and Hound trade with barbarbaian
Garrison - ($7)
Specral Flagbearer, I reshuffle and draw, shouts continue - ($6)
Hound, I Draw, shouting continues - ($5)
Traffic Director, I Draw, shouting continues - ($4)
Cadet, I Draw, shouting continues
Cadet #2, I Draw, shouting continues
Quince, - ($2)
Hallucination, targeting both birds - ($0)
Sergeant shouts and both birds pop
Sergeant kills rook, you draw, Nest goes to discard, quince to mid
Counters to Newsman, Newsman kills Grappler
Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 3, reshuffle, draw 2
Board Info:
In Patrol:
- Squad Leader: Overeager Cadet (2/2)
- Elite: Spectral Hound (3/3, Illusion)
- Scavenger: Overeager Cadet (2/2)
- Technician: Traffic Director (1/1, Untargetable)
- Lookout: Spectral Flagbearer (2/2, flagbearer, Illusion)
In Play:
- Drill Sergeant #2 (3/1)
- Reputable Newsman (5/5, Denoucing 2 cost spells and upgrades) +++++
- Flagstone Garrison (-/4)
- Quince (1/4, lvl 3)
- Mirror (0/1)
Buildings:
- Base HP: 20
- Tech I HP: 5
- Tech II HP: 5 (Peace)
Economy Info:
Cards:
- Hand: 5
- Deck: 2
- Disc: 0
Gold:
- Gold: 0
- Workers: 10
Oh, Hallucination instead of Free Speech, interesting! I think Iāll call it there, Iām out of tricks to reach the backline. Well played!
yeah, dont think free speach does much, and kill 2 units for 2 gold and a card it pretty sweet. The peace engine just really has so little weakness really, kinda wish it where a tap ability, or just the first unit you played each turn. its kinda silly as it it.
I think it would be fine, if it just took a little longer to set up. Another turn or two, and I might have been able to keep it locked down with Grapplers. As it is, Whiteās mid-game window to take the game is incredibly short.