Cactus Game Design Message Boards

Here is my take on what a modern Water-Garden deck would look like.  My main hesitancy with Water-Garden is that it is a little slow, my goal was to fix that issue and still maintain the advantages of a Water-Garden deck. A unique aspect of this deck is the presence of GotM + Love at first sight, it's a bit of a throw back, but I thought it would be a good way to speed up this deck.  For defense I decided on Pharisees to help make it go even faster.  What do you all think?   

Cards in deck: 52

Lost Souls: 8
   Lost Soul (Punisher)
   Lost Soul (Female Only)
   Lost Soul (hopper)
   Lost Soul (N.T. only)
   Lost Soul (revealer)
   Lost Soul (shuffler)
   Lost Soul (Wanderer)
   Lost Souls (*/4)

Lamb Dominants: 5
   Angel of the Lord
   Grapes of Wrath
   New Jerusalem
   Son of God
   Harvest Time

Grim Reaper Dominants: 2
   Christian Martyr
   Mayhem

Fortresses: 2
   The Garden Tomb
   Herod's Temple

Artifacts: 5
   Holy Grail
   Samaritan Water Jar
   Gifts of the Magi
   Unholy Writ
   Four Drachma Coin
   Lampstand of the Sanctuary

White Heroes: 6
   Mary Magdalene
   Joanna
   Mary the Mother of James
   Salome
   Susanna
   Lydia

Purple Heroes: 2
John
James son of Alphaeus

Red Heroes: 1
   Peter

Gold Heroes: 2
   The Thankful Leper
   The Woman at the Well
   The Generous Widow
   The Good Samaritan
   
Multi-Color Hero Enhancements: 1
   Preaching the Truth
   First Fruits
   
White Hero Enhancements: 3
   Consider the Lilies
   'He Is Risen'
   Words of Encouragement
   Love at First Sight

Purple Hero Enhancements: 3
AoCP
Pentecost
Passover Hymn

Gold Hero Enhancements: 1
   Meeting the Messiah
   Kindness
   Convincing Miracle

Gray Evil Characters: 5
   Emperor Vitellius
   Pharisees
   Proud Pharisee
   Sabbath Breaker
   The Entrapping Pharisees

Brown ECs: 1
    Uzzah

Multi-Color ECs: 1
    Scribe

Multi-Color Evil Enhancements: 1
   Tenants Kill the Son

Gray Evil Enhancements: 3
   Balaam's Disobedience
   Gold Shield
   Pretension

My original deck plan did have purple but I ultimately felt that I didn't have room for it.  It originally contained Lydia, James, John, Reach, and AoCP. 

I think you're putting too much emphasis on both gold and white. Having one gold battle winner other than MtM is okay, but I don't see a reason to use more than two (maybe three) gold heroes, with MtM to supplement them, with maybe one other gold enhancement to play on The Woman at the Well if necessary.

Cut:
Gifts of the Magi
The Generous Widow
The Good Samaritan
Preaching the Truth
Love at First Sight
Kindness

Add:
John
Lydia
James the Lesser
Authority of Christ (p)
Pentecost

I actually like James the Lesser for a couple reasons. First, with one other Disciple in play, he negates Uzzah and Sabbath Breaker. Second, he works well with Passover Hymn (a card I meant to mention to add and forgot).

I know RDT's version is not slow.

RDT's version was actually slower than this.

Yes it had Reach + Pentecost, but His lacked Gifts, The pharisee's drawing, and 4DC.   

I think you're putting too much emphasis on both gold and white. Having one gold battle winner other than MtM is okay, but I don't see a reason to use more than two (maybe three) gold heroes, with MtM to supplement them, with maybe one other gold enhancement to play on The Woman at the Well if necessary.

Cut:
Gifts of the Magi
The Generous Widow
The Good Samaritan
Preaching the Truth
Love at First Sight
Kindness

Add:
John
Lydia
James the Lesser
Authority of Christ (p)
Pentecost

I'm iffy about taking out GotM since including it was half the point for my building this deck. 
Other than that I'll put in the cards you suggested. 

Meh... 

I say that because you're probably right. 

I'll go ahead and make the changes.

Out - Love at first sight, GotM

In - Pentecost, Passover Hymn

Any ideas on how to fit Matthew and Faith as Mustard Seed? 

@ RDT: I did decide to do passover hymn.  The way this deck is built a placed card could potentially do me in, so I decided to go with it.  Otherwise what you you think of it?  I tried to update your deck a bit by adding more speed.  The defense is stronger now, which with the new rules is helpful.  But do you think that I may have sacrificed too much offensive power?

true, perhaps it's not a whole lot 'stronger' but my main goal was speed here, not strength.  Getting Uzzah in would be a good idea though, I totally forgot him, any suggestions on what to cut for him?

That would work, It saddens me to take out a +3 but then again it'll end up being a -1 more often than not.

In: Uzzah

Out: Reach

Water Garden typically includes at least 1-2 Samaritan heroes, and Samaritan Water Jar. There's a few other differences as well - But that's the main one.