@charnel_mouse sorry for the delay. Still on spring break, so I haven’t had regular access to my spreadsheet.
4 gold
Worker (3)
Bombaster(1)
Discard 3, Draw 5
Scavenger - Bomber (2/2)
Base - 20
5 workers, 1 gold
Hand: 5
Deck: 0
Discard: 3
No worries, I needed a break between rounds anyway! No idea what late game for this match looks like.
BURIAL GROUNDS: Whenever a hero dies, it’s gone forever this game.
P2T1
Tiger Cub
Young Treant
Playful Panda
Spore Shambler
Rampant Growth
Well, I think I can safely assume Kidnapping will come out at some point. Biggest problem is that he can kidnap Blooming Ancients, so my Growth engine could only rely on MoLaC but his has MoLaC and Ancients. At the moment I’m leaning more towards Peace: lets me rely on lots of small units instead of big ones that can be kidnapped, and it has my only Tech II air unit since I need to worry about Birds + Shoddy Gliders. Gunpoint Taxman are reasonably cheap, so I can start with them and move into Peace. Let’s see what happens.
Tiger Cub and Spore Shambler both kill Bombaster if it attacks. Shambler does a bit better if hasted units come out. Workering Young Treant, since I expect to get Garrisons later.
Get paid - ($5)
Worker - ($4)
Spore Shambler - ($1)
Discard 3, draw 5
Spore Shambler 2/3+1A (++)
Base HP: 20
Verdant Tree
Merfolk Prospector
Rich Earth
Forest’s Favor
Ironbark Treant
Tiger Cub
Playful Panda
Rampant Growth
Expected: 10
1 on board
5 in hand
0 in deck
3 in discard
1 in workers
Total: 10
5 x start
P1: Young Treant
Worker Bloodburn
Bring in Big Panda and Crash Bomber
5 gold (6)
Worker (5)
Tech 1 (3)
Drakk (1)
Pillage your gold, your Base takes 2 (1)
Nautical Dog (0)
Discard 2, rs, draw 4
SQL - Bombastic (2/2 +1)
Technician - Dog (1/1)
L1 Drakk (1/3)
Base - 20
Tech 1 - 5
6 workers, 0 gold
Hand: 4
Deck: 4
Discard: 0
P2T2
Verdant Tree
Merfolk Prospector
Rich Earth
Forest’s Favor
Ironbark Treant
EricF laughing it up with having a good support hero, so now I have to worry about frenzy, Bloodlust, and early Kidnapping. He can only do one this turn, though, so playing Ironbark Treant in Elite should be reasonably safe here. Alternative is Prospector + Wisp, but, if EricF gets past the Shamber, that lets the Bombaster kill the Wisp and still use its ability, easy Argagarg kill. There could also be something nasty coming from hand and getting hasted (Crash Bomber?), but not too much I can do about that.
Going for double Taxman as planned. I might need to tech Polymorph or Calypso Vystari next, to deal with Ardra’s Boulder quickly.
T2: 2 x Gunpoint Taxman
Get paid - ($6)
Worker - ($5)
Tech I - ($3)
Ironbark Treant - ($0)
Discard 3, reshuffle, draw 5
Squad Leader: Spore Shambler 2/3+1A (++)
Elite: Ironbark Treant 1+1/2+2A
Base HP: 18
Tech I HP: 5
Tiger Cub
Forest’s Favor
Merfolk Prospector
Rampant Growth
Playful Panda
Gunpoint Taxman
Gunpoint Taxman
Verdant Tree
Expected: 10 + 2 teched = 12
2 on board
5 in hand
3 in deck
0 in discard
2 in workers
Total: 12
5 x start
P1: Young Treant
P2: Rich Earth
Tech War Drums and Blooming Ancient
6 gold (6)
Worker (5)
Drank hits shambles for 1
Level Drakk to 4 (2)
Dog trades with Shambler
Mad Man (1)
Discard 2, Draw 4. Float 1 gold.
Elite - Mad Man (2/1)
Technician - Bombaster (2/2)
L4 Drakk (2/3)
Base - 20
Tech 1 - 5
7 workers, 1 gold
Hand: 4
Deck: 0
Discard: 5
Careless Musketeer — Tech 0
Bloodrage Ogre — Tech 0
Pillage — Magic
Crash Bomber
P2T3
Tiger Cub
Forest’s Favor
Merfolk Prospector
Rampant Growth
Playful Panda
Did EricF whiff too? Can I risk teching up here? It means patrolling with only Ironbark Treant and Tiger Cub, so the Tech II could be destroyed if EricF’s taken Kidnapping. If he also maxbands to bring in a hasted Crash Bomber, that’s a double tech break with no return losses if he doesn’t mind Drakk taking damage at maxband and leaving the kidnapped Treant alive, but I doubt it. OK, I’ll risk teching up, if things go wrong or Blood II appears I’ll throw down the Tree along with the Taxmen next turn.
Which spec do I go for? Do I really want to go with Air Hammers to stop any Birds / Shoddy Gliders? They’re stats aren’t great for the cost, if they’re mostly for blocking. Maybe I’m better taking Growth to just race to MoLaC + Surprise Attack: I might need a Mantis anyway if EricF goes for Blood, and Sharks might give me a shot at taking out Drakk. Anarchy II just seems bad against Kidnapping threat. Unless I do Chameleon Lizzo + Garrisons for chained tech breaks, but that’s a lot of setup, and frenzied Gliders could still take out the Garrisons easily. All those hasted units might be good for MoLaC if Surprise Attack looks too risky, though.
… I could also have just brought out Zane to clear the patrol and trade the Treant with Drakk, but then EricF hits Tech II first, and I don’t want to be beaten to MoLaC if I can help it. Wait until I can afford Surprise Attack too when Zane comes out, make it more impactful.
T2: 2 x Gunpoint Taxman
T3: Might of Leaf and Claw, Surprise Attack
Get paid - ($7)
Worker - ($6)
Tech II Growth - ($2)
Tiger Cub - ($0)
Discard 3, draw 3, reshuffle, draw 2
Squad Leader: Tiger Cub 2/2+1A
Elite: Ironbark Treant 1+1/2+2A
Base HP: 18
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Growth)
Gunpoint Taxman
Gunpoint Taxman
Verdant Tree
Surprise Attack
Spore Shambler
Might of Leaf and Claw
Merfolk Prospector
Rampant Growth
Playful Panda
Expected: 10 + 4 teched = 14
2 on board
5 in hand
4 in deck
0 in discard
3 in workers
Total: 14
5 x start
P1: Young Treant
P2: Rich Earth
P3: Forest’s Favor
Careless Musketeer — Tech 0 -> worker
Bloodrage Ogre — Tech 0
Pillage —
Crash Bomber
Tech Kidnapping and Bird’s Nest
//I was considering Fesperation here, but my deck is too expensive for it.
7 gold (8)
Max Drakk (6)
Worker (5)
Crash Bomber (4), gains Haste
Bomber trades with Tiger, pings Tree for 1
Bombastic trades with Tree
Drakk and Mad Man break Tech 1 //no Cadets this turn!
Blood rage Ogre (2)
Hero’s Hall (0)
Discard 1, rs, draw 3
Technician - BRO (3/2)
Mad Man (1/1)
L6 Drakk (3/4)
Base - 20
Tech 1 - 5
Hero’s Hall - 4
8 workers, 0 gold
Hand: 3
Deck: 7
Discard: 0
Oh, interesting. I thought you’d hit the Tech II, but I suppose Tech I makes more sense against Growth.
P2T4
Gunpoint Taxman
Gunpoint Taxman
Verdant Tree
Surprise Attack
Spore Shambler
No Tech I for Taxmen means I need to either bring out maxband Argagarg to patrol with pets, or bring out Surprise Attack to trade Zane and Drakk. The latter option seems so good that I’m worried EricF has planned for it. With Drakk dead, Crash Bombers are much less dangerous, there’s no threat of Kidnapping, and Shoddy Gliders don’t hit as hard, so Blooming Ancients become much more viable. They’re still vulnerable to Whitestar Grapplers, but keeping some runes on them protects against Grapplers and Gliders.
However, I’m more worried about my base health, especially if EricF has a Dinosize in hand for that Mad Man, so I want to tech a Mantis here. I could also have an Ancient, but I’d like to have more hasted options instead, now I can’t use the Sharks for MoLaC activation. Either I tech in Anarchy II hasted units, or I take the Sanitorium. Sanitorium lets me haste the big Growth II units, and also lets me draw to maintain my hand size, plus cycle round to Mantii more quickly for more Base repair. An unorthodox choice, which might prove to be throwing the game away, but I want to have a try.
I’ll tech in more big units to haste next turn, if there’s nothing more pressing.
T2: 2 x Gunpoint Taxman
T3: Might of Leaf and Claw, Surprise Attack
T4: Artisan Mantis, Sanitorium
T5: Elite Training, Overeager Cadet
Get paid - ($8)
Rebuild Tech I
Worker - ($7)
Captain Zane - ($5)
Surprise Attack - ($0)
Zane trades with Bloodrage Ogre, you draw, levels fizzle
Sharks trade with Drakk, levels fizzle, my base to 15
Discard 3, draw 4, reshuffle, draw 1
Squad Leader: Argagarg L1 1/5+1A
Elite: Wisp #1 1+0/1
Scavenger: Wisp #2 0/1
Technician: Water Elemental 3/3 (anti-air)
Playful Panda 2/2
Base HP: 15
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 5 (Growth)
Might of Leaf and Claw
Merfolk Prospector
Rampant Growth
Playful Panda
Verdant Tree
Tiger Cub
Ironbark Treant
Artisan Mantis
Sanitorium
Surprise Attack
Gunpoint Taxman
Gunpoint Taxman
Tiger Cub
Sanitorium
Elite Training
Overeager Cadet
Might of Leaf and Claw
Merfolk Prospector
Rampant Growth
Verdant Tree
Expected: 10 + 6 teched = 16
0 on board
5 in hand
7 in deck
0 in discard
4 in workers
Total: 16
5 x start
P1: Young Treant
P2: Rich Earth
P3: Forest’s Favor
P4: Spore Shambler
Dead heroes: Zane
Interesting… so I don’t have any need to build Tech II, which lets me just go down on cards again, I guess, to keep up my board presence.
Tech Earthquake x2, and I’ll decide what else comes in later.
8 gold (8)
Worker (7)
Rook (5)
Bird Nest (3)
Mad Man pokes your Tech II for a point
Arg (1)
Discard 2, Draw 4. Float 1 gold.
No Patrol needed
Big Bird (1/1)
Little Bird (1/1)
Mad Man (1/1)
Wisp (0/1)
L1 Arg (1/3)
L1 Rook (2/4) w/ nest
Base - 20
Tech 1 - 5
Hero’s Hall - 4
9 workers, 1 gold
Hand: 4
Deck: 2
Discard: 4
P2T5
Might of Leaf and Claw
Merfolk Prospector
Rampant Growth
Playful Panda
Verdant Tree
Well, that counts as something more pressing, but I don’t know what to do about it. Looks like Rook will be this deck’s biggest problem again. Ideally I’d like a Water Elemental or a Tower, that probably means a delay in getting MoLaC out. I don’t have many units in my hand either, though, wishing I’d workered the Verdant Tree instead of the Shambler last turn. Skipping a worker, since I know I can safely worker Surprise Attack when I draw it.
T2: 2 x Gunpoint Taxman
T3: Might of Leaf and Claw, Surprise Attack
T4: Artisan Mantis, Sanitorium
T5: Elite Training, Overeager Cadet
Get paid - ($9)
Skip worker!
Argagarg Garg, Wisp arrives - ($7)
Maxband Argagarg, Water Elemental arrives - ($3)
Playful Panda, Wisp arrives - ($1)
Tech Lab: Anarchy - ($0)
Discard 4, draw 5
Squad Leader: Argagarg L1 1/5+1A
Elite: Wisp #1 1+0/1
Scavenger: Wisp #2 0/1
Technician: Water Elemental 3/3 (anti-air)
Playful Panda 2/2
Base HP: 15
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 4 (Growth)
Tech Lab HP: 4 (Anarchy)
Ironbark Treant
Artisan Mantis
Surprise Attack
Gunpoint Taxman
Gunpoint Taxman
Tiger Cub
Sanitorium
Elite Training
Overeager Cadet
Might of Leaf and Claw
Merfolk Prospector
Rampant Growth
Verdant Tree
Expected: 10 + 8 teched = 18
1 on board
5 in hand
2 in deck
6 in discard
4 in workers
Total: 18
5 x start
P1: Young Treant
P2: Rich Earth
P3: Forest’s Favor
P4: Spore Shambler
Dead heroes: Zane
Defense: 6; 1, 1, 3 / 15?, 4, 5, 4, 2 = 11 + other targets
Attack: 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 2, Charge (up to 4), level up Rook = I can just barely hit 11
9 gold (10)
Bombaster (8)
Charge Bomber (5)
Bomber, Rook, and Bird kill your Arg, Level Arg to 3
Mad Man kills Scavenger
Bird kills Elite
Sac Bomber to hit Elemental (4)
Arg finishes Elemental
Max Arg (2)
Tech Thunderclap and Dinosize (either likely lethal combined with an Earthquake, or each-other)
9 gold (10)
Max Rook (3)
Rook, Arg, and Bird kill your Arg, Arg to L3
Bird kills Elite Wisp
Mad Man kills Scavenger Wisp
Max Arg (1)
Worker (0)
Discard 3, Draw 2, rs, Draw 3
SQL - Elemental (3/3 +1)
Technician - Wisp (0/1)
Big Bird (1/1)
Little Bird (1/1)
Mad Man (1/1)
L5 Arg (1/5)
L8 Rook (4/5) w/ nest
Base - 20
Tech 1 - 5
Hero’s Hall - 4
10 workers, 0 gold
Hand: 5
Deck: 7
Discard: 0
Blooming Ancient
Earthquake
Nautical Dog — Tech 0
Pillage — Magic
Kidnapping
All the anti-air, still not going to help.
P2T6
Ironbark Treant
Artisan Mantis
Surprise Attack
Gunpoint Taxman
Gunpoint Taxman
High chance of a triple building break here. At least I drew all my teched units before that happens. Mantis goes in front to discourage follow-up, since it kills anything other than Rook and the Birds, and the latter want to hit buildings instead. Unless there’s a Stampede, not much I can do about that. Having to float some gold, if it doesn’t get stolen then delaying with maxband Onimaru is a little easier. Teching in the other copy of Elite Training, to try and spam Elite Training against those Birds.
T2: 2 x Gunpoint Taxman
T3: Might of Leaf and Claw, Surprise Attack
T4: Artisan Mantis, Sanitorium
T5: Elite Training, Overeager Cadet
T6: Artisan Mantis, Elite Training
Get paid + scavenger - ($10)
Worker - ($9)
Artisan Mantis, my base to 18 - ($5)
Gunpoint Taxman - ($3)
Gunpoint Taxman #2 - ($1)
Discard 1, draw 2, reshuffle, draw 1
Squad Leader: Artisan Mantis 4/5+1A
Elite: Playful Panda 1+2/2
Scavenger: Gunpoint Taxman #1 3/3 (anti-air, steals gold on patroller kill)
Technician: Gunpoint Taxman #2 3/3 (anti-air, steals gold on patroller kill)
Lookout: Water Elemental 3/3 (resist 0+1, anti-air)
Base HP: 18
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 4 (Growth)
Tech Lab HP: 4 (Anarchy)
Tiger Cub
Sanitorium
Verdant Tree
Elite Training
Overeager Cadet
Might of Leaf and Claw
Merfolk Prospector
Rampant Growth
Artisan Mantis
Elite Training
Ironbark Treant
Expected: 10 + 10 teched = 20
4 on board
3 in hand
8 in deck
0 in discard
5 in workers
Total: 20
5 x start
T1: Young Treant
T2: Rich Earth
T3: Forest’s Favor
T4: Spore Shambler
T6: Surprise Attack
Dead heroes: Argagarg, Zane
The Matis helps, though!
Blooming Ancient
Earthquake
Nautical Dog — Tech 0
Pillage — Magic
Kidnapping
Defense: 6 / 2, 3, 3, 3
Attack: 4? 3, 1, 1, 1 … so I could kill the Mantis, and maybe use Rook to knock something else off? Better to just patrol with him.
10 gold (10), no tech
Little bird pokes your Tech I for a point, dying horribly
Earthquake (5), your Base to 10, buildings die, Tech Lab at 3
Arg buffs Big bird, Rook and Bird kill Mantis
Nautical Dog (4)
Discard 3, Draw 5. Float 4 gold.
SQL - Elemental (3/3 +1)
Scavenger - Mad Man (1/1)
Technician - Nautical Dog (1/1)
Lookout - Wisp (0/1)
Big Bird (1/1)
L5 Arg (1/5)
L8 Rook (4/1) w/ nest
Base - 20
Tech 1 - 5
Hero’s Hall - 4
10 workers, 4 gold
Hand: 5
Deck: 2
Discard: 4
Earthquake
Crash Bomber
Bloodrage Ogre — Tech 0
Charge — Magic
Bombaster — Tech 0
Draw: Dinosize
P2T7
Tiger Cub
Sanitorium
Verdant Tree
Looks like something big is incoming… but with the Verdant Tree down, I think I’m relatively safe from Earthquake for one turn. Just got to hope for no Stampede, and that I get a good Might of Leaf and Claw draw. I should have something left next turn to attack with, right? It would be nice to steal some gold here. Trading Panda + Taxman with Elemental gets me one, hitting something with the other Elemental gets me another. That leaves me with Elemental + 3 soldiers on patrol against Arg + Rook + Bird + Mad Man + probably Nautical Dog. That leaves me pretty bare, but unless there’s a hasted unit or a Growth spell in hand I think I’d be OK. Verdant Tree could then heal up the remaining Taxman. He’d be my only remaining anti-air, though, outside of Elite Training. I think I need to take some risks here, though, otherwise EricF can just wait and flatten me with buffed Birds. If things still look bad, I can go for Verdant Tree -> quick Gunships as a last shot.
T2: 2 x Gunpoint Taxman
T3: Might of Leaf and Claw, Surprise Attack
T4: Artisan Mantis, Sanitorium
T5: Elite Training, Overeager Cadet
T6: Artisan Mantis, Elite Training
Get paid + float - ($11)
Rebuild Tech I
Verdant Tree - ($9)
General Onimaru - ($7)
Maxband Onimaru, Soldiers arrive - ($0)
Playful Panda and Gunpoint Taxman #2 trade with Water Elemental, I steal a gold - ($1)
Gunpoint Taxman #1 kills Wisp, I steal a gold - ($2)
Tiger Cub - ($0)
Discard 1, draw 3
Squad Leader: Tiger Cub 2/2+1A
Elite: Soldier #1 1+1/1 (sparkshot)
Scavenger: Soldier #2 1/1 (sparkshot)
Technician: Water Elemental 3/3 (anti-air)
Lookout: Soldier #3 1/1 (resist 0+1, sparkshot)
Onimaru L8 4/5 (frenzy 1, readiness)
Gunpoint Taxman 3/3 (anti-air, steals gold on patroller kill)
Verdant Tree HP: 3 (healing 1, Tech buildings (re)build instantly)
Base HP: 10
Tech I HP: 5
Tech II HP: 0 (Growth)
Tech Lab HP: 3 (Anarchy)
Might of Leaf and Claw
Merfolk Prospector
Artisan Mantis
Elite Training
Overeager Cadet
Rampant Growth
Elite Training
Ironbark Treant
Artisan Mantis
Playful Panda
Gunpoint Taxman
Sanitorium
Expected: 10 + 10 teched = 20
3 on board
3 in hand
5 in deck
4 in discard
5 in workers
Total: 20
5 x start
T1: Young Treant
T2: Rich Earth
T3: Forest’s Favor
T4: Spore Shambler
T6: Surprise Attack
Dead heroes: Argagarg, Zane
Earthquake
Crash Bomber
Bloodrage Ogre — Tech 0
Charge — Magic
Bombaster — Tech 0
Attack: 4, 1, 1, 2, 1, Charge, Bomb = 15
Defense: 3, 1, 1, 3, 1 = 9
10 gold (12), Get a new Bird, no tech
Big Bird flies over and pokes Tech 1
Earthquake (7), your Base takes another 8, now at 2
Charge the new bird (4), it finishes off your Base. GG!
@zhavier
Ooh, I completely forgot about Charge! Well played, I was hoping the Drakk kill would throw you off, but nope!
It did keep you from getting War Drummed out much earlier in the game, so it was the right move.
Good to know, I figured it was worth it to prevent Kidnapping, and Crash Bombers are easier to deal with without haste and frenzy. Any big errors / advice? Teching in Sanitorium for hasted Growth II might have been a bad idea, but I never got to play it to find out.
Don’t play 3-cost tech 1 things in the first two turns? I know Pillage makes that hard, but you could have started with a sacrificial Arg (ie, tech no Arg spells) to productively use your extra gold.
I think I had in the back of my mind that Argagarg’s Water Elemental was one of my few anti-air options against the inevitable birds, but with a better early board I suppose I could have saved the Surprise Sacrifice to quickly deal with Rook when he appeared?
Anyway, fun game. Best of luck for the rest of the tournament!