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[XCAPS22] Round9: FINALS P1 zango [Finesse]/Ninjutsu/Feral vs P2 FrozenStorm [Demonology/Necromancy]/Finesse

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#1

@FrozenStorm I still don’t understand how I was able to get through to this point, but hopefully I’ll be able to stand up for a proper fight unlike our first match during this tournament! GL & HF

XCAPS22 Round 9 FINALS P1T1

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

StartingHand Workers

STARTING HAND
Brick Thief (2/1)
Helpful Turtle (1/2)
Spark
Tenderfoot (1/2)
Fruit Ninja (2/2)

WORKERS
Fruit Ninja (2/2)

NextHand

Timely Messenger (1/1)
Bloom
Wither
Older Brother (2/2)
Granfalloon Flagbearer (2/2)

Discard

Spark
Helpful Turtle (1/2)
Brick Thief (2/1)

Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($4)
Worker - ($3)
tenderfoot - ($2)
cal - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 3, draw 5

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: cal (2/3, lvl1)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Tenderfoot (1/2)
  • :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

almost best split possible! I take it as a good omen

#2

Neutral + Cala/Sets is strong Hero play and there was a lack of hero hate in the tourney I think, that and you’ve been playing quite well! Let’s hope the P2 luck stays strong, GL HF @zango !

XCAPS22 Round 9 FINALS Player 2, Turn 1

P2 Nightmare vs P1 Finesse/Ninjutsu/Feral

Starting Hand

Deteriorate
Skeleton Javelineer
Thieving Imp
Pestering Haunt
Skeletal Archery

Events of Turn:

Upkeep:

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

Main:

  • Thieving Imp, discard #2 of 5 (2)
  • Worker (1)
Workers

Skeletal Archery

  • :pspurpleshield: Patrol as below
  • Discard 3 Draw 5

Board Info:

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20

In Patrol:

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

In Play:

  • nothin

Economy Info:

Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 3

Gold:

  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 6
End of Turn Hand

Poisonblade Rogue
Sacrifice the Weak
Summon Skeletons
Jandra, the Negator
Graveyard

End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts

Last game didn’t work out so great for early aggro and now I’m on P2. I could do something like Vandy mid + Haunt, but that risks Wither or Bloom making bad news. So I don’t think that’s the right play either. I think we just play standard Finesse plan and hit the cards to help w/ it. We’ll see if that works out

#3

Thanks for the nice words, but yes the missing white starter along with not too many Necro & Past players being around probably helped a lot.

PS: this time I had my beloved Bloom in my T2 hand, but guess in what position, yes in #2 out of 5… Would have loved to kill the imp with a bloomed cal.

XCAPS22 Round 9 FINALS P1T2

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

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Huntress (3/3)
Huntress (3/3)

STARTING HAND
Wither
Timely Messenger (1/1)
Bloom
Granfalloon Flagbearer (2/2)
Older Brother (2/2)

WORKERS
Fruit Ninja (2/2)
Granfalloon Flagbearer (2/2)

NextHand

Spark
Bloom
Brick Thief (2/1)
Timely Messenger (1/1)

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($5)
Worker - ($4)
Tech 1 - ($2)
brother - ($0)

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

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: cal (2/3, lvl1)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Older Brother (2/2)
  • :pschip: Technician: Tenderfoot (1/2)
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:
*

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 4
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 6
Thoughts

oh noes - there goes my beloved bloom. which likely would have been the best answer in this scenario with killing the imp while still having both healings available for cal.

post draw: there comes my first t3 whiff this tournament… of all possible times it’s bound to be in the finals… well, nothing I can do about it

1 Like
#4

XCAPS22 Round 9 FINALS Player 2, Turn 2

P2 Nightmare vs P1 Finesse/Ninjutsu/Feral

Starting Hand

Poisonblade Rogue
Sacrifice the Weak
Summon Skeletons
Jandra, the Negator
Graveyard

Events of Turn:

Upkeep:

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

Nimble Fencer, Dark Pact

Main:

  • Tech 1 (6)
  • Jandra, the Negator (3)
  • Graveyard (1)
  • Worker (0)
Workers

Skeletal Archery

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

Board Info:

Buildings:

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

In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Jandra, the Negator (3/3a)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :pspig: Scavenger:
  • :exhaust: Technician: Thieving Imp (2/2)
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • Graveyard (3hp)

Economy Info:

Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 3
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 7
End of Turn Hand

Nimble Fencer
Dark Pact
Skeleton Javelineer
Poisonblade Rogue

End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts

I feel like I should think this through; Cala is the main threat. Especially w/ neutral, Wither / Bloom makes for such nice bully trades and she’s a real threat if she gets maxband at the right time. So what should I do about her? Doom Grasp is so expensive, but maybe it’s the right call here? Or perhaps Discord is the way? Soul Stone is also a decent consideration. I feel like the play here is to go Jandra and DP + Fencer, try to bait Cala investment, then DG her next cycle? Idk what the answer is really, Cala’s a super stud and problematic as hell.

What do I expect next turn to be? Maybe teched BTF, maybe Ferocity, maybe Fencer or Huntress (seems to be the go-to). BtF would be a bummer but I spose I just try to tech fast, go with normal techs (minus maybe a DG) and we’ll see how it goes!

#5

Difficult decisions… Let’s see whether high risk high reward really is the thing as P1 against your deck. I doubt it!

XCAPS22 Round 9 FINALS P1T3

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

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Glorious Ninja (4/3)
Discord

STARTING HAND
Timely Messenger (1/1)
Bloom
Spark
Brick Thief (2/1)

WORKERS
Fruit Ninja (2/2)
Granfalloon Flagbearer (2/2)
Spark

NextHand

Huntress (3/3)
Helpful Turtle (1/2)
Huntress (3/3)
Wither

Discard

Timely Messenger (1/1)
Brick Thief (2/1)
Bloom
Glorious Ninja (4/3)
Discord

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($6)
Worker - ($5)
messenger pings armor off of SL - ($4)
midband cal kills SL, maxband heals - ($0)

Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 4

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Tenderfoot (1/2)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger:
  • :pschip: Technician: Older Brother (2/2)
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • cal (4/5, lvl5)

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 0
  • Disc: 5

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 7
Thoughts

that whiff really hurts… a lot… also this GY really sucks

#6

The extra gold getting to tech 2 faster really feels like it matters here

XCAPS22 Round 9 FINALS Player 2, Turn 3

P2 Nightmare vs P1 Finesse/Ninjutsu/Feral

Starting Hand

Nimble Fencer
Dark Pact
Skeleton Javelineer
Poisonblade Rogue

Events of Turn:

Upkeep:

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

Leaping Lizard, Nether Drain
Nimble Fencer, Dark Pact

Main:

  • Vandy (5)
  • Dark Pact, base to 18 draw 2
  • Worker (4)
  • Pestering Haunt
  • Tech 2 Finesse (0)
Workers

Poisonblade Rogue, Summon Skeletons, Skeletal Archery

  • :pspurpleshield: Patrol as below
  • Discard 3 Draw 1 rs Draw 4

Board Info:

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 18
  • Tech1 HP: 5
  • Tech2 HP: 5 FINESSE

In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Thieving Imp (2/2a)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :pspig: Scavenger:
  • :exhaust: Technician: Vandy (2/3 lvl 1)
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • Pestering Haunt (1/1)
  • Graveyard (3hp, holding Jandra, the Negator)

Economy Info:

Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 2
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

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

Deteriorate
Dark Pact
Nether Drain
Skeleton Javelineer
Sacrifice the Weak

End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts

That’s pretty … lucky? Was it a whiff? Or did I just not present a good enough trade for something besides investing in Cala. I can kinda set up a Nether Drain kill possibility w/ Fencer or Haunt if I leave Vandy in elite… well, I spose Wither or Bloom could mess that up, so maybe Vandy in Techn. Still Nether Drain makes the worst of Cala (a well-timed feral strike) delayed, which is sufficient, and way cheaper. I can make a card econ w/ low gold costs like that work. Lizard gives me an easy win trade if the tech2 stays up, Nether Drain buys me enough time w/ Cala, I think that’s the play. Can always get a tower if it’s a stealth attack. Okay yea, I think I present enough tough targets between Vandy, Graveyard and Tech2 w/ this variety plan that no matter what, I should have a good response next turn. Like it, cool, let’s go

#7

That DP is sooo strong. You now have at least 5/7 probability to get your full third cycle into your hand, which is just crazy strong, while these two base damage just don’t matter at all… Let’s see whether I can still stand a chance after my whiff last turn.

XCAPS22 Round 9 FINALS P1T4

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

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Porcupine (2/6)
Feral Strike

STARTING HAND
Huntress (3/3)
Helpful Turtle (1/2)
Huntress (3/3)
Wither

WORKERS
Fruit Ninja (2/2)
Granfalloon Flagbearer (2/2)
Spark
Helpful Turtle (1/2)

NextHand

Porcupine (2/6)
Discord
Brick Thief (2/1)
Timely Messenger (1/1)

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

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

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Older Brother (2/2)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Huntress (3/3)
  • :pschip: Technician:
  • :target: Lookout: Tenderfoot (1/2)

In Play:

  • cal (4/3, lvl5)

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Ninjutsu)

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 5
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 0
  • Workers: 8
Thoughts

hoping against all hopes that cal and tech 2 survives and I can pull off a feral strike, but definitely not putting too much hope in it.

#8

DP very stronk indeed. I advocated for nerfing it though, don’t really feel bad doing this kind of shenanigans XD

XCAPS22 Round 9 FINALS Player 2, Turn 4

P2 Nightmare vs P1 Finesse/Ninjutsu/Feral

Starting Hand

Deteriorate
Dark Pact
Nether Drain
Skeleton Javelineer (discard)
Sacrifice the Weak
Nimble Fencer + Leaping Lizard (DP1)
Dark Pact + Skeleton Javelineer (rs DP 2)
Nether Drain + Leaping Lizard (DP 3)

Events of Turn:

Upkeep:

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

Leaping Lizard, Nether Drain
Leaping Lizard, Nether Drain
Nimble Fencer, Dark Pact

Main:

  • Garth (6)
  • Nether Drain Cala to Vandy (5)
  • Vandy taps and discards, fetches a Dark Pact (4)
  • Dark Pact, base to 16 draw 2
  • Dark Pact, base to 14 rs draw 2
  • Dark Pact, base to 12 draw 2
  • Leaping Lizard (3)
  • Leaping Lizard (2)
  • Make a skeleton (1)
  • Nether Drain Cala, maxband Vandy, doom Skeleton and Older Brother (0)
  • Haunt kills Cala, Garth to level 3
  • Replay Haunt from the grave
Workers

Poisonblade Rogue, Summon Skeletons, Skeletal Archery

  • :pspurpleshield: Patrol as below
  • Discard 4 Draw 1 rs Draw 4

Board Info:

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 12
  • Tech1 HP: 5
  • Tech2 HP: 5 FINESSE

In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Skeleton (3/3a)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :pspig: Scavenger: Leaping Lizard (3/5)
  • :exhaust: Technician: Leaping Lizard (3/5)
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:

  • Vandy (4/5 lvl 5)
  • Garth (1/3 lvl 3)
  • Pestering Haunt (1/1)
  • Graveyard (3hp, holding Jandra, the Negator and Thieving Imp)

Economy Info:

Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 3
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

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

Nether Drain
Skeleton Javelineer
Nether Drain
Dark Pact
Nimble Fencer

End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts

Oh okay okay, I can be really cheeky here. I have super high chance access to another Nether Drain if I use Vandy Midband to tech in another DP. I can just kill Cala w/ haunt then. Too Juicy, gotta do it. Tech another Lizard too so I have more cheap cards to spam.
…
Muah chef’s kiss, the first DP in the reshuffle. Cycles for days, I’m gonna burn my base to the ground with DP and cherry on top, I don’t even have to doom a unit over there if I don’t want to. Beautiful. I think I should have it from here.

#9

what resist? cala has no resist at lvl 1

#10

Oh hm, I suppose the doom queues after the Nether Drain eh? Good point. Doom the Brother then I spose

#11

And I was afraid of you to go fetch second DP going for enough teched cards to have Maestro and two fencers for backline tech break, but this will do just as fine and has the benefit of getting rid of cal for sure…

That’ll definitely do even though I didn’t go all in on Cal, but as this is a finals, I’ll give you the honor to play a bit further and try to make my 5% chance to work out :wink:

It’s amazing to see that you have played at least 5 different (maybe even 6) teched cards in the same time in which I only saw 2 teched cards in my hands, but only was able to play one of these.

XCAPS22 Round 9 FINALS P1T5

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

Tech StartingHand Workers

TECH
Nimble Fencer (2/3)
Behind the Ferns

STARTING HAND
Timely Messenger (1/1)
Brick Thief (2/1)
Porcupine (2/6)
Discord

WORKERS
Fruit Ninja (2/2)
Granfalloon Flagbearer (2/2)
Spark
Helpful Turtle (1/2)
Timely Messenger (1/1)

NextHand

Feral Strike
Huntress (3/3)
Wither
Bloom

Discard

Brick Thief (2/1)
Discord
Nimble Fencer (2/3)
Behind the Ferns

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($8)
Worker - ($7)
Porcupine - ($4)
tower - ($1)

Float ($1)
Discard 2, draw 4

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader: Porcupine (2/6)
  • :psfist: Elite:
  • :ps_: Scavenger: Tenderfoot (1/2)
  • :pschip: Technician: Older Brother (4/4, doomed)
  • :target: Lookout: Huntress (3/3)

In Play:
*

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 20
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Ninjutsu)
  • :heart: Tower HP: 4

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 4
  • Deck: 1
  • Disc: 4

Gold:

  • Gold: 1
  • Workers: 9
Thoughts

LOL, so much for my rantings against DP being too strong…
last chance: stalling with a bloomed GN in elite next turn and then hoping for the perfect draw with fencer, behind the ferns and two Starlets. probability to pull that one of is probably somewhere close to zero, but it’s the only win con left that I can think of. whatever, the game is over before I did anything of relevance, so let’s get over with it.

#12

DP very stronk. Just gotta be careful not to kill myself XD

XCAPS22 Round 9 FINALS Player 2, Turn 5

P2 Nightmare vs P1 Finesse/Ninjutsu/Feral

Starting Hand

Nether Drain
Skeleton Javelineer
Nether Drain
Dark Pact
Nimble Fencer
StW + Det (DP1)
DP (Skele)
Maestro + Deteriorate (rs DP2)

Events of Turn:

Upkeep:

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

Grounded Guide, Maestro
Leaping Lizard, Nether Drain
Leaping Lizard, Nether Drain
Nimble Fencer, Dark Pact

Main:

  • Dark Pact, base to 10 draw 2
  • Midband Garth (7)
  • Make a skeleton, sac it to draw (6)
  • Deteriorate Tenderfoot
  • Maxband Garth, fetch Grounded Guide (3)
  • Dark Pact, base to 8 rs draw 2
  • Deteriorate Tenderfoot Again, it dies, you get 1g
  • Maestro (0)
  • Nimble Fencer, runs into Porcupine & dies
  • Replay Fencer from the grave, trades w/ porcupine
  • Lizard kills Huntress, takes 4
  • Other Lizard breaks tower, your base to 18
  • Vandy and Haunt break your tech2, your base to 16
  • Garth hits your tech1 to 2
Workers

Poisonblade Rogue, Summon Skeletons, Skeletal Archery

  • :pspurpleshield: Patrol as below
  • Discard 4 Draw 1 rs Draw 4

Board Info:

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 8
  • Tech1 HP: 5
  • Tech2 HP: 5 FINESSE

In Patrol:

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

In Play:

  • Vandy (4/5 lvl 5)
  • Garth (3/4 lvl 7)
  • Pestering Haunt (1/1)
  • Leaping Lizard (4/1)
  • Leaping Lizard (4/4)
  • Graveyard (3hp, holding Jandra, the Negator, Thieving Imp and Nimble Fencer)

Economy Info:

Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 2
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

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

Dark Pact
Deteriorate
Nether Drain
Nether Drain
Sacrifice the Weak

End of Turn Discard
My Thoughts

Think that should be all she wrote! Maxband for Guide before RS, DP and maybe a skeleton to DP again to get Maestro (or maybe DP a third time if I don’t draw since I wanna double deteriorate?!?!), blow stuff up good times. Guess I should be a little careful I don’t get surprise invisible base killed? Hopefully not. It’d be really tough to be holding BtF + Fencer + Starlet + Messenger or bloom or something
…
Well didn’t even need to DP the third time, no worries :slight_smile:

#13

Yeah, well, whatever :sweat_smile:

I really should count after that game how many zero cost spells you played this game, lol.

Now please finish me, the question is: via Meta or via another virtuoso or via StW?

XCAPS22 Round 9 FINALS P1T6

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

Tech StartingHand Workers

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

STARTING HAND
Huntress (3/3)
Wither
Feral Strike
Bloom
Glorious Ninja (4/3)

WORKERS
Fruit Ninja (2/2)
Granfalloon Flagbearer (2/2)
Spark
Helpful Turtle (1/2)
Timely Messenger (1/1)

NextHand

Porcupine (2/6)
Wither
Older Brother (4/4, doomed)
Star-Crossed Starlet (3/2)
Discord

Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float + scavenger - ($11)
river - ($9)
wither 4/1 Lizzo, GY topples! Yeah finally an achievement in this game :rofl: - ($7)
huntress - ($5)
rebuilt tech 2
rebuild tower - ($2)

Float ($2)
Discard 3, reshuffle, draw 5

Board Info:
In Patrol:

  • :psblueshield: Squad Leader:
  • :psfist: Elite: river (2/3)
  • :ps_: Scavenger:
  • :pschip: Technician: Huntress (3/3)
  • :target: Lookout:

In Play:
*

Buildings:

  • :heart: Base HP: 16
  • :heart: Tech I HP: 5
  • :heart: Tech II HP: 5 (Ninjutsu)
  • :heart: Tower HP: 4

Economy Info:
Cards:

  • Hand: 5
  • Deck: 9
  • Disc: 0

Gold:

  • Gold: 2
  • Workers: 9
Thoughts

As expected, nothing I can do. Might have had better lines but thinking things thoroughly through when fighting a lost cause really isn’t my strong suit.

#14

I mean StW works, make a skele, no more huntress, Garth kills Elite, and all the other things kill the base.

GG WP! I believe I played 8, 6 dark pacts across 3 turns and 2 deteriorates (in the same turn :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: ) . 5 zero-cost spells in the same turn may be a new record :slight_smile: If you count 2x free fencer as well, that’s a lot of free stuff

Welp, little dirty of a tourney win on Nightmare w/ MoLaC gimped, but we take those! Thanks to everyone that played and watched, and thanks to you and Bomber for the losses they were well fought games!

3 Likes
#15

It’s really crazy how absolutely hopeless this match was for me. Had I drawn the hoped for GN + Bloom to stall in elite your continuously available multi deteriorate still would have sealed the deal. Yes my turn 3 whiff didn’t help as well, but still I have absolutely no idea what strategy might steal a win here as P1 (with the right amount of luck already assumed to be available)… Really frustrating…

Edit: you could also count the two free haunts, which sums up to a staggering 12 free cards. That’s probably more free cards from hand than what I played from hand throughout the whole match :crazy_face: :rofl:
That’s just… Absolutely awesome!

#16

It’s incredibly interesting just how consistent that deck is, whether player 1 or 2 it puts up such a strong showing. I think you’re right that making gold a little tighter for it would reduce a lot of its dominance, while still keeping it very viable.

1 Like