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[XCAPS22] Round5: P1 Moby_Dick [Finesse]/Ninjutsu/Discipline vs P2 FrozenStorm [Demonology/Necromancy]/Finesse

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#1

Hey Frozen, I don’t think my deck is the right one against Nighmare. It will be very hard…

I am not sure if I can finish the game and maybe there might be a delay. We are expecting our second child this week, but who knows… Maybe Zango will jump in. GL&HF

Pirate Gunship:
Loses Obliterate 2.

Vandy Anadrose:
Loses Resist 1 at midband.

Garth Torken:
Midband 2/4 → 2/3.

Lich’s Bargain:
Base damage 4 → 6.

Might of Leaf and Claw:
If you have no units in play, remove all runes from this.

XCAPS22 Round 1 P1T1

P1 [Finesse]/Ninjutsu/Discipline vs. P2 [Demonology]/Necromancy/Finesse

StartingHand Workers

STARTING HAND
Helpful Turtle (1/2)
Granfalloon Flagbearer (2/2)
Timely Messenger (1/1)
Wither
Fruit Ninja (2/2)

WORKERS
Fruit Ninja (2/2)

NextHand

Bloom
Spark
Older Brother (2/2)
Brick Thief (2/1)
Tenderfoot (1/2)

Discard

Helpful Turtle (1/2)
Granfalloon Flagbearer (2/2)
Wither

Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($4)
Worker - ($3)
Grave - ($1)
Messenger - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Grave (2/3) l1
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Timely Messenger (1/1)
  • :pschip: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:
*

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 3

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 5
Thoughts

Unfortanetly no Tenderfoot…

I think this game will be decided until my turn 3. If I can kill his hero until then my chances are 60:40. If not I would give me 30:70.

I don’t think that I can bring Set against Vandy. So it must be Grave. Maybe he answers with Garth, who will be harder to kill. And I don’t have wither on the second hand.

4 Likes
#2

Well first off, congratulations! That’s big exciting news! And ofc understood on the timing, I’ll do my best to be responsive to help the pace of the game in hopes we can wrap up w/o interfering w/ your expectant partner’s needs :slight_smile:

Second, it helps to tag the person you’re playing so he or she knows a thread has been started :wink:

Thirdly, GL and HF @Moby_Dick!

XCAPS22 Round 5 Player 2, Turn 1

P1 Nightmare vs P2 Finesse/Ninja/Discipline

Starting Hand

Deteriorate
Sacrifice the Weak
Summon Skeletons
Skeleton Javelineer
Pestering Haunt

Events of Turn:

Upkeep:

  • Get Gold (5)
  • Tech 2 cards in except turn 1
All Teched Cards

Main:

  • Vandy + midband (1)
  • Pestering Haunt
  • Deteriorate TM, you get 1g
  • Worker (0)
Workers

Summon Skeletons

  • :pspurpleshield: Patrol as below
  • Discard 2 Draw 4

Board Info:

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20

In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Vandy (3/4a lvl 1)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :pspig: Scavenger:
  • :exhaust: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • Pestering Haunt (1/1)

Economy Info:

Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 1
  • Disc: 3

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 6
End of Turn Hand

Thieving Imp
Graveyard
Skeletal Archery
Jandra, the Negator

End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts

Okay, this is fine, Grave + weanie is a tough start but midband Vandy should be able to stand pretty tall in SQL, I can trade even w/ TM and Haunt can provide some extra pressure. Imp + Graveyard or Tech1 should be good next turn

#3

Thanks a lot! My wifes needs are easy. If she sees me in the first days with my mobile phone playing this game, I am dead, doom grasp dead.

@FrozenStorm

XCAPS22 Round 1 P1T2

P1 [Finesse]/Ninjutsu/Discipline vs. P2 [Demonology]/Necromancy/Finesse

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Martial Mastery
Nimble Fencer (2/3)

STARTING HAND
Bloom
Spark
Tenderfoot (1/2)
Older Brother (2/2)
Brick Thief (2/1)

WORKERS
Fruit Ninja (2/2)
Brick Thief (2/1)

NextHand

Older Brother (2/2)
Bloom
Granfalloon Flagbearer (2/2)
Wither

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + scav - ($6)
Worker - ($5)
Midband Grave - ($3)
Bloom Grave - ($1)
Spark Vandy - ($0)
Grave kills Vandy

Float ($0)
Discard 2, reshuffle, draw 4

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Grave + (4/2) l5
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger:
  • :pschip: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:
*

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 6
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 6
Thoughts

Tough, Det is the real nightmare. But I had no TF…

OK, I don’t find a good sultion. If I hide Grave behind a unit on elite he will kill the unit and can put Jandra in SL, that I cannot reach Vandy. If I put a unit on technician, that the trade is OK, I have lost the game if he has Stw. It does not matter what I do he will have positve trades as p2.

I will take the kill, but that is definetly not a 60:40 kill. No Tech 1 and a very long cycle. With imp, very bad… Maybe he will tech doom grasp to kill Grave, not good!

#4

Let’s hope not to get you doom grasp dead then :wink:

XCAPS22 Round 5 Player 2, Turn 2

P1 Nightmare vs P2 Finesse/Ninja/Discipline

Starting Hand

Thieving Imp
Graveyard
Skeletal Archery
Jandra, the Negator

Events of Turn:

Upkeep:

  • Get Gold (6)
  • Tech 2 cards in except turn 1
All Teched Cards

Dark Pact, Nimble Fencer

Main:

  • Thieving Imp, discard #2 of 4 (3)
  • Pestering Haunt hits your base to 19
  • Worker (2)
  • Tech 1 (1)
Workers

Skeletal Archery, Summon Skeletons

  • :pspurpleshield: Patrol as below
  • Discard 2 Draw 1 rs Draw 3

Board Info:

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • Tech1 HP: 5

In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader:
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :pspig: Scavenger:
  • :exhaust: Technician: Thieving Imp (2/2)
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • Pestering Haunt (1/1)

Economy Info:

Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 4
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 7
End of Turn Hand

Poisonblade Rogue
Deteriorate
Sacrifice the Weak
Skeleton Javelineer

End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts

Unexpected. I don’t feel like that really advances the cause for Moby here though. Big nasty Grave with no teching up? I spose next turn is probably maxband T1 and Hero’s Hall. Can I work around that? Maybe Doom Grasp is the right choice? I probably can’t kill him with just combat damage, not easily. Still, doesn’t feel that urgent to kill him, maybe I do get it done w/ combat damage. Vandy maxband could possibly have imp or fencer eek it out. Eh, okay, I’ll stick to DP and Fencer

#5

XCAPS22 Round 1 P1T3

P1 [Finesse]/Ninjutsu/Discipline vs. P2 [Demonology]/Necromancy/Finesse

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Nimble Fencer (2/3)
Grounded Guide (4/4)

STARTING HAND
Bloom
Granfalloon Flagbearer (2/2)
Older Brother (2/2)
Wither

WORKERS
Fruit Ninja (2/2)
Brick Thief (2/1)
Older Brother (2/2)

NextHand

Tenderfoot (1/2)
Spark
Helpful Turtle (1/2)
Martial Mastery

Discard

Bloom
Wither
Granfalloon Flagbearer (2/2)
Nimble Fencer (2/3)
Grounded Guide (4/4)

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($6)
Worker - ($5)
tech 1 - ($4)
maxband grave - ($2)
hh - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 4

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Grave + (5/6) l7
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger:
  • :pschip: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:
*

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 19
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Heroes’ Hall HP: 4

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 2
  • Disc: 5

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 7
Thoughts

Not nice, gambled wrong, imp…

I don’t think I could have predicted it, because I don’t believe he would have played it in turn 1 as an answer to grave and messenger, although he is very often playing it in the first 2 turns.

Ok next gamble, doom grasp or no doom grasp. If he has it now on hand it would be very bad. Next hand could be ok for me. But he also could have just teched his usual fencer DP. I don’t give him the technician card, just in case he has not doom grasp on hand but teched.

2 Options for me, hh or float two and hope for a good hand with mm to play cards and stay on four. HH gives him the opportunity to play a unit and tech up. Without it he will probably play a hero…

#6

XCAPS22 Round 5 Player 2, Turn 3

P1 Nightmare vs P2 Finesse/Ninja/Discipline

Starting Hand

Poisonblade Rogue
Deteriorate
Sacrifice the Weak
Skeleton Javelineer

Events of Turn:

Upkeep:

  • Get Gold (7+1float)
  • Tech 2 cards in except turn 1
All Teched Cards

Star-Crossed Starlet, Maestro
Dark Pact, Nimble Fencer

Main:

  • Poisonblade Rogue (6)
  • Pestering Haunt hits your base to 18
  • Worker (5)
  • Tech 2 Finesse (1)
Workers

Skeleton Javelineer, Skeletal Archery, Summon Skeletons

  • :pspurpleshield: Patrol as below
  • Discard 2 Draw 4

Board Info:

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • Tech1 HP: 5
  • Tech2 HP: 5 Finesse

In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Thieving Imp (2/2a)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :pspig: Scavenger:
  • :exhaust: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout: Poisonblade Rogue (2/1)

In Play:

  • Pestering Haunt (1/1)

Economy Info:

Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 4

Gold:

  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 8
End of Turn Hand

Jandra, the Negator
Dark Pact
Nimble Fencer
Graveyard

End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts

Hmm. Well there’s the HH as expected. Unexpected was my lack of fencer. But that’s fine. Gonna get the deck ready for Finesse engine, and in delaying the RS knowing I have DP next turn, I can reactive tech Nether Drain or Doom Grasp next turn if I feel I need it. Gonna have haunt tick the base away instead of tech1, I think Moby’s gonna try to win through Sets so I’m less worried about a finesse engine.

#7

XCAPS22 Round 1 P1T4

P1 [Finesse]/Ninjutsu/Discipline vs. P2 [Demonology]/Necromancy/Finesse

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Maestro (3/5)
Star-Crossed Starlet (3/2)

STARTING HAND
Helpful Turtle (1/2)
Tenderfoot (1/2)
Martial Mastery
Spark

WORKERS
Fruit Ninja (2/2)
Brick Thief (2/1)
Older Brother (2/2)
Spark

NextHand

Star-Crossed Starlet (3/2)
Timely Messenger (1/1)
Maestro (3/5)
Nimble Fencer (2/3)
Wither

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($7)
Worker - ($6)
River - ($4)
Grave kills imp
Tech 2 - ($0)

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

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: River
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger:
  • :pschip: Technician: Grave + (5/4) l7
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:
*

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 19
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Finesse)
  • :heart: Heroes’ Hall HP: 4

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 7
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 8
Thoughts

Probably not good.

No teched card so far. Either could not use it last turn or they are both on his current hand. Domcrasp and Fencer would be OK. His usual Fencer and DP is bad. He will draw 2 from the new cycle after he teched in more cards…

I don’t have good options. I could kill a tech building, but then I am going down on cards and cannot tech up. I could clear the board this means going down on cards, too.

Full risk: If he has DP + fencer and draws a starlet or fencer he will kill Grave and the game is over. But everything else is too weak against Nightmare Virtuosos.

#8

XCAPS22 Round 5 Player 2, Turn 4

P1 Nightmare vs P2 Finesse/Ninja/Discipline

Starting Hand

Jandra, the Negator
Dark Pact
Nimble Fencer
Graveyard
Star-Crossed Starlet + Maestro (rs, jyackpaht)

Events of Turn:

Upkeep:

  • Get Gold (8+1float)
  • Tech 2 cards in except turn 1
All Teched Cards

Star-Crossed Starlet, Dark Pact
Star-Crossed Starlet, Maestro
Dark Pact, Nimble Fencer

Main:

  • Vandy (7)
  • Dark Pact, base to 18 rs draw 2
  • Maestro (4)
  • Garth (2)
  • Poisonblade rogue stabs River to a 0/1a, dies
  • Nimble Fencer, kills River, Garth to level 3
  • Graveyard (0)
  • Haunt pings Grave, goes to the yard
  • Star-Crossed Starlet, kills Grave, you draw 1, Vandy to level 3
  • skip worker
Workers

Skeleton Javelineer, Skeletal Archery, Summon Skeletons

  • :pspurpleshield: Patrol as below
  • Discard 1 Draw 3

Board Info:

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • Tech1 HP: 5
  • Tech2 HP: 5 Finesse

In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Maestro (3/5a)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :pspig: Scavenger:
  • :exhaust: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout: Vandy (3/4 lvl 3)

In Play:

  • Nimble Fencer (2/3)
  • Garth (1/3 lvl 3)
  • Graveyard (3hp, holding Haunt and Starlet)

Economy Info:

Cards:

  • Hand: 3
  • Deck: 2
  • Disc: 3

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 8
End of Turn Hand

Sacrifice the Weak
Deteriorate
Star-Crossed Starlet

End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts

Naaaaisu! If I can get a Starlet on the RS draw I get a Grave kill. If I tech Starlet + DP I have a very good chance of making that happen, maybe even Maestro! That’s killer. We take those chances. Worst case I kill River, get a graveyard down, and like put my own River out as a blocker or replay Imp or something. That’s manageable.
…
Nice RS! No Dark Pact which would have been the true perfect dream, but Starlet + Maestro is really strong board presence along w/ the total threat elimination. Love this position. Splitting the levels juuuust in case a suicide Speed of the Fox is around, I don’t want to lose Garth maxband access. I’m fine losing Vandy doom access to that suicide move. With a Guide fetch the game is essentially over.

#9

OK, GG! Had to gamble if you are able to kill Grave or not…

@zango

1 Like
#10

As always: very good game from you, frozen, and a well deserved victory.

Moby and I agreed before his turn that he should go for high risk, high reward. If you’re able to kill Grave, it’s probably game. But if you’re not able to do so, Moby would be in a very good situation.

Now having a look at the numbers:
71,4% for you to draw a starlet or the second DP (in case of second DP it would be 70% to draw a starlet).
I’d say DP was one more time the absolute winner for your deck, while the Vandy and Garth nerfs didn’t matter at all.

Probably the list of minimal nerfs was too short, as it feels (at least for me) that your absolute tier 1 deck still is a lot above the others.

#11

I actually felt pretty fine about not killing Grave? My worst possible draw would have been like Deteriorate + StW, but still there I get the chance to kill River, lay a graveyard, and make it tough for anything but a huge draw for Finesse engine. Seeing Moby’s hand of Fencer Starlet AND Maestro, I agree that could have been bad, but long term I think my outlook was pretty good regardless.

I can answer Sets pretty well and while the grave can two for one, after that he’s very killable and it’s harder for Moby to hit me back. If I whiff but draw Imp, I have a good chance of disrupting the bingo draw Moby has.

Still I think it was probably the right play from that position. Not great odds for the 10 choose 3 reshuffle draw to be a big engine like that draw was (maestro + starlet was about the best that could be! Guide’s too expensive on 8g on his own), but was ultimately fortunate to bottom deck the Fencer in the first cycle.

#12

Yeah well, what I meant with very good position was more like “for a not good match up” in the back of my head :sweat_smile:
Moby had the fencer and messenger guaranteed for the next hand, but Maestro and starlet was part of the draw 3 out of 10 with only one Maestro, one guide, one MM and only 8 gold at the free disposal.
With that hand of yours, your graveyard at the ready etc, it definitely was not a very good situation in terms of actually winning directly. Never before saw a turn 3 whiff that led to such an awesome situation for the one whiffing :sunglasses:

It’s been more meant as a realization that nightmares two different card draw engines are probably what makes it so incredibly strong. I always thought it was more due to the meta threat that is always so easily available, but obviously it’s the mix of the two and that awfully strong DP.
(I haven’t observed too many games of this deck first hand, so probably my realization is a bit late :wink: )
It just was eye opening what awesome probabilities you had to get what you need to just win from a situation I evaluated as at least okayish for Moby, when looking at it from his perspective only.

2 Likes
#13

DP is incredibly strong. I remember looking at the colors in pre-production and thinking it was garbage, but that was a naive person who didn’t understand how important card draw is to consistently getting what you need. Finesse engine gives that draw something awesome to do and graveyard only further helps keep the engine running. Garth summon is icing on the cake.

DP + black starter even make Harmony a strong win con as well.

Meta is super strong but definitely not the most important aspect of success in the deck. Lich’s Bargain same deal, it’s super strong all on its own and provides a pivot for an alternative win condition for the deck. Finesse Engine’s + DP is the star though. So easy to bring tons of damage, spam the board & shut down buildings safely w/ Maestro.

Leaping Lizard + DP even is great stall to sprint for Tech 3. Finesse is really strong

3 Likes
#14

At my turn 4 I could just assume that you have DP. There was still the option that you had it on your turn 3 and did not play it because you wanted to keep vandy safe from the sword. But after I decided for hh there was anyway no other option. Float 2 instead and hope for a good mm hand would have been another option for turn 3.