Stokes [Necro]/Demon/Finesse vs Zhavier [Monoblue]

Codex Codex play-by-forum
41

P2T5

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Lord of Shadows
Lord of Shadows

STARTING HAND
Summon Skeletons
Skeletal Lord
Skeleton Javelineer
Nether Drain
Skeletal Archery

WORKERS
Poisonblade Rogue
Graveyard
Thieving Imp
Shadow Blade
Nether Drain

NextHand

Sacrifice the Weak
Deteriorate
Skeletal Lord
Pestering Haunt

Discard

Bone Collector
Skeletal Archery
Summon Skeletons
Lord of Shadows
Lord of Shadows

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($10)
Worker - ($9)
Skeletal Lord - ($6)
Bone Collector dies to Spectral Hound, gain a skeleton
Vandy kills Spectral Hound
Summon Javelineer - ($5)
Build Tech III - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 4

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

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Skeleton (2/2+A)
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]: Skeleton Javelineer (2+1/2, rune)
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]: Skeletal Lord (3/3, giving +1/+1 to Skeletons)
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Garth (1/3)
  • Vandy Lv.3 (3/1)
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 16
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Necromancy)
  • :heart: Tech III HP: 5

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

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 2
  • Disc: 5
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 10
Thoughts

As expected, another Free Speech to nullify my heroes abilites. No matter. Heā€™s building Tech II the turn that I build Tech III, so I think the game is still pretty well in my favor.

42

P1T6

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Spectral Tiger
Reteller of Truths

STARTING HAND
Manufactured Truth
Macciatus the Whisperer
Free Speech
Reteller of Truths

WORKERS
Spectral Aven
Lawful Search
Jail
Bluecoat Musketeer
Manufactured Truth

NextHand

Dreamscape
Arrest

Discard

Spectral Hound
Overeager Cadet
Free Speech
Spectral Tiger
Reteller of Truths

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($8)
Worker - ($7)
Oni kills SQL
Overeager Cadet trades with elite
Macciatus the Whisperer - ($5)
Reteller of Truths - ($3)
Free Speech - ($1)

Float ($1)
Discard 0, draw 2

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

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Reteller of Truths 4/4+A
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]:
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]: Macciatus, the Whisperer 3/3
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Quince 1/5, lvl 5
  • Onimaru 2/1, lvl 1
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Truth)
  • :heart: Heroesā€™ Hall HP: 4

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

  • Hand: 2
  • Deck: 6
  • Disc: 5
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 9
43

P2T6

StartingHand Workers

STARTING HAND
Pestering Haunt
Skeletal Lord
Sacrifice the Weak
Deteriorate

WORKERS
Poisonblade Rogue
Graveyard
Thieving Imp
Shadow Blade
Nether Drain

NextHand

Lord of Shadows
Skeleton Javelineer
Bone Collector
Bone Collector
Jandra, the Negator

Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($10)
Play Skeletal Lord - ($7)
Max Vandy - ($5)
Play River - ($3)
Build Tower - ($0)

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

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

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Vandy Lv.5 (4/5+A, Resist:1)
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]: River (2+1/3)
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]: Skeletal Lord#2 (3/3, giving +1/+1 to Skeletons)
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]: Skeletal Lord#1 (3/3, giving +1/+1 to Skeletons)
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Garth (1/3)
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 16
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Necromancy)
  • :heart: Tech III HP: 5
  • :heart: Tower HP: 4

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

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 6
  • Disc: 0
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 10
Thoughts

One day I will get to play spells and use abilitiesā€¦ but it is not this day. Right now itā€™s the slow slog to draw my Tech III cards before he gets to build his. After draw thoughts: Alright, a really good hand with both Bone Collectors and Lord of Shadows. I think Iā€™ve won at this point.

44

P1T7

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Liberty Griffon
Liberty Griffon

STARTING HAND
Arrest
Dreamscape

WORKERS
Spectral Aven
Lawful Search
Jail
Bluecoat Musketeer
Manufactured Truth

NextHand

Arrest
Eyes of the Chancellor
Porkhand Magistrate

Discard

Spectral Hound
Overeager Cadet
Free Speech
Spectral Tiger
Reteller of Truths
Arrest
Liberty Griffon
Liberty Griffon

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($10)
Dreamscape, illusions for everyone! - ($7)
Reteller runs into Vandy, returning to my hand
Replay Reteller - ($5)
Bigby - ($3)
Oni kills Vandy, Bigby to lvl 3, River to lvl 3
Macciatus trades with River, Bigby to lvl 5, returns to my hand
replay Macciatus - ($1)
Stash a card

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

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

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Reteller of Truth 4/4+A
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]: Quince 2/5, lvl 5
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]: Bigby 3/4, lvl 5
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]: Macciatus, the Whisperer 4/4
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Dreamscape
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Truth)
  • :heart: Heroesā€™ Hall HP: 4

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

  • Hand: 3
  • Deck: 4
  • Disc: 8
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 9
45

P2T7

StartingHand Workers

STARTING HAND
Bone Collector
Jandra, the Negator
Skeleton Javelineer
Lord of Shadows
Bone Collector

WORKERS
Poisonblade Rogue
Graveyard
Thieving Imp
Shadow Blade
Nether Drain

NextHand

Summon Skeletons
Sacrifice the Weak
Pestering Haunt
Skeletal Archery
Lord of Shadows

Discard

Jandra, the Negator
Bone Collector
Skeleton Javelineer

Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($10)
Lord of Shadows - ($3)
Bone Collector - ($1)
Garth summons Skeleton - ($0)
Both Skeletal Lords invisibly destroy your Tech II

Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5

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

  • :psblueshield: [I]Squad Leader[/I]: Skeleton (3/3+A)
  • :psfist: [I]Elite[/I]:
  • :ps_: [I]Scavenger[/I]: Bone Collector (3/3)
  • :pschip: [I]Technician[/I]: Lord of Shadows (8/7) All my Black units are invisible
  • :target: [I]Lookout[/I]:
    [B]In Play:[/B]
  • Garth (1/3)
  • Skeletal Lord#1 (3/3, giving +1/+1 to Skeletons)
  • Skeletal Lord#2 (3/3, giving +1/+1 to Skeletons)
    [B]Buildings:[/B]
  • :heart: Base HP: 16
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Necromancy)
  • :heart: Tech III HP: 5
  • :heart: Tower HP: 4

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

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 1
  • Disc: 3
    [B]Gold:[/B]
  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 10
Thoughts

Lord of Shadows is now out. Invisibility means his Dreamscape is worthless while Lord of Shadows is in play, and destroying his Tech II means he canā€™t resummon his current illusions with Reteller, and he canā€™t summon another hero until he suicides someone. I could have used my invisible attacks to kill Quince this turn, but I think limiting his options with the Tech II kill is a better play. He probably silences me next turn, but thatā€™s fine, since Iā€™m going full unit play now. Iā€™ve opted to patrol the Skeleton in Squad leader so that he has to kill one more unit before reaching the Lord of Shadows. Lord of Shadows is my win condition, and he could have killed if I put it in Squad Leader. Technician patrol ensures that if he does somehow die, I will guaranteed draw my second one.

46
Stokes

If you wanted your Lord of Shadows to not die, donā€™t patrol it. It is a black unit and is hence invisible, meaning it is also unattackable when not patrolling.

1 Like
47

I concede. Iā€™m gonna take a break for a bit, I might have time for more games later.

48

@Shadow_Night_Black: I suppose thatā€™s true. I think I was okay with Lord of Shadows potentially dying because I had another one coming up in my next hand, and him dying would have required a lot of his things to die. I suppose in hindsight though, I could have just as easily NOT patrolled for the guarantee that he lives, and Iā€™d be able to kill whatever I wanted next turn anyways while still playing the second Lord of Shadows.

Sounds good @zhavier. I can see that itā€™s an uphill matchup for sure. Despite being generally ahead most of the time, I can tell youā€™re a top notch player and I felt like I had to stay on my toes the whole time. Iā€™d be interested in hearing your post game thoughts. I wonder if there are different plays or tech that could have been made in hindsight that would have swung the game in a different direction. (Fog of War makes it difficult to ever really -know- the best move during game time, but its interesting to theorycraft).

I played two very different styles between game 1 and 2 to keep you on your toes a bit. Game 1 was all about Tech I aggression and Vandy/River spell combos. Game II was a bit different with a unit heavy Necro Tech rush.

I will say, the Quince silence combo was very very scary and it kept you in the game a lot longer than usual. 3 turns in a row being silenced was rough - and in a game where the tempo was a little more even that could easily be crushing.

1 Like
49

Feel free to hit me up if youā€™re ever interested in another game @zhavier. I do feel like the Codex color matchup favored me, which is a bit disappointing. Itā€™s much less fun winning just because your deck or matchup is stronger (at least I think so).

If youā€™d like to continue the blue v black practice, Iā€™m up for it, but I also have other Codices that might make for a more even game. Iā€™m also willing to try the blue side of the matchup too, to see if I can make anything of it.

50

So, considering how that game played out, I had a lot of hard decisions to make. Last turn I strongly considered finally making a tower, but I was thinking I could put down the eyes, and then of course you broke tech 2 to stop such a thing. I can see why tower is considered the 11th card of the blue starter, but I find myself really having trouble spending the 3g on it.

2 Likes