P2T4
Both EricF (who significantly helped rework the starter deck) and I considered these Ongoing spells (Creep Tumor & Inject Larva) to be essentially upgrades. By making them Ongoing spells instead, there is an additional prerequisite to cast them. However, it is not intended to have channeling (discussed in the thread testing vs Green.)
So the Creep Tumor is still in play.
Tech / StartingHand / Workers
TECH
Mutalisk
Ultralisk
STARTING HAND
Roach - Worker
Roach
Drone
Zurkling Rush
WORKERS
Queen
Hatchery
Inject Larva
Roach
NextHand
Hydralisk
Zurkling
Changeling
Zurkling Rush
Infested Argonaut
Technician Draw
Burrow Strike
Tech 2 card(s)
Float $1 + Scavenger $1 + Get Paid $8 - ($10)
Worker - ($9)
Build Tech II - Primal - ($5)
Play Zagara - ($3)
Play Zurkling Rush - ($1)
Summon a Zurkling Token (Zagara ability) - ($0)
2 Zurklings (Card + 1 token) attack your Tech I for 2 damage
Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 2, reshuffle, draw 3
Board Info:
In Patrol:
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician: Zurkling (1/1)
Lookout:
In Play:
- Creep Tumor
- Zagara (L1: 2/2)
- Zurkling (1/1)
- Zurkling (1/1)
Buildings:
Base HP: 20- Tech I HP: 5
- Tech II HP: 5
- Tower HP: 4
Economy Info:
Cards:
- Hand: 5
- Deck: 6
- Disc: 0
Gold:
- Gold: 0
- Workers: 9
Card Check - Opponent Viewable
Expected Cards 12 = Starting +10, Tech +6, Workers -4
- Hand: 5
- Deck: 6
- In play: 1
- Workers: 4
Thoughts
First off… it never feels good being on the defense. I am also tense about what threats he could be dropping. So even if I win this game… kuddos to Nope for making me hella uncomfortable.
Second, wow I did not expect that level of aggression. I am glad I took what I felt was the most defensive option. I was apprehensive about going down on a card, but that choice paid off.
He saved a card because he skipped a worker, however, I liked my responsive aggressive line to set his Tech I at 3 HP. Now it is within sniping range. That may force him into wanting to build his Tech II next turn, otherwise I can likely punish him (though he has not yet seen Burrow Strike in my deck.)
However, since he skipped a worker, he will only be getting $7 + $1 float. If he pays $1 to work and $4 to build Tech II, that’ll leave him with only 3 cards in hand and $3 gold to work with, plus his maxed MaxG in play. If he teched in R&D early, he may be able to recover from going down on cards next turn and maintain pressure. Even if he did tech it in, there is a fairly low chance he has it.
He is currently at 7 workers to my 9. I have my Tech II and he has not yet teched up. He has a level 5 (3/4) MaxG to my level 1 (2/2) Zagara. If he pressures aggressively, like with another Nullcraft (I believe there is a 1-in-10 chance he drew that after shuffling in.
I have been pretty Zurkling-dependent up to this point. He could have punished this with an early Assimilate tech in to steal away my Creep Tumor. I was worried about the Stewardess early game, but I feel I got lucky at a couple different points.
I think the only way I get punished here is if he can safely build his Tech II next turn and follow up with either R&D or a Slow Time Generator the following turn to punish my Macro game. However knowing what is in my hand and the potential to Maxband Zagara next turn, I can fairly confidently play into either an aggressive mid-game push OR macro ahead of him into Tech III. I think the Brutalisk is nowhere near a Tier 1 tech 3 unit… however it fits a lot of unique niches and would allow me to apply crushing pressure.
Edit: 1 Zurkling was mislabeled as a Card rather than a token. This was noted in a subsequent post which has been deleted, but I did not edit until after Nope took his turn. Somehow the Card Check was accidentally done correctly. (I think I missed the Creep Tumor but mis-included a Zurkling Token as a Card.) If that is the biggest error I ever make in my tracking / awareness on the forums here, I will be very pleased with myself.
@Nopethebard’s turn!