Cactus Game Design Message Boards

I've had this deck for many years now, took 4th in MP at 2011 Nats in MN. The only changes I've made since then are updating to the new John/Peter, swapping out a few enhancements and Souls, and adding Foreign Wives and Scattered (this is why the deck is currently at 52, it was 51 with Plot previously but I don't have many Plots left so I don't include it anymore).

I know most people don't run the white part of TGT anymore (favoring solid purple) but I feel like white still has enough utility to be competitive. I've won more battles with just the CBN Tomb women band than the actual ignore on TGT.

Some cards I'd like to fit in: Vain Philosophy, Lampstand maybe (I've got the temple for it already)

Cards in Deck: 52
Lost Soul (first round protect)
Lost Soul (rejoice)
Lost Soul (resurrection)
Lost Soul (female only)
Lost Soul (shut door) Lost Soul (Exchanger)
Lost Soul (N.T. only)
Lost Soul (revealer)
Lost Soul (hopper)

Angel of the Lord
Grapes of Wrath
New Jerusalem
Son of God (I)
Guardian of Your Souls
Christian Martyr
Falling Away Vain Philosphy

The Garden Tomb
Herod's Temple

Unholy Writ
Magic Charms Lampstand
Four-Drachma Coin
Gifts of the Magi
The New Covenant
Captured Ark

John (I)
Peter (I)
Philip
Bartholomew
Matthew
Andrew
James (I)
Mary the Mother of James Thomas
Joanna Thaddeus
Salome James, son of Alpheus
Susanna Gabriel (I)
Lydia The Strong Angel (Wa)

AoCP
Miraculous Catch
Fishers of Men
MLaMG
Reach
Pentecost
Passover Hymn
Consider the Lilies Angelic News
He Is Risen Overwhelming Presence
First Fruits Loaves and Fishes
Magnificat

Foreign Wives
KoT (gold) Spirit of Temptation
Uzzah Sabbath Breaker
Gomer Emperor Tiberius
Am Slave Emperor Vitellius

King Manasseh Gold Shield
Damsel Balaam's Disobedience
Scattered


Any constructive thoughts/suggestions/critiques would be most welcome! ^_^

So, just to paraphrase, here's what you're suggesting?
-Captured Ark, -New Covenant, -Am Slave, -Writ, -whole defense, -FA
+Lampstand, +VP, +Words, +Strong Angel, +Pharisees defense, +Thad, +JsoA


I feel like this is lopsided, especially since I'm already 2 over. Unless Pharisees can be a 4-card defense, lol. I didn't realize 8 cards was "much defense."

You should always be playing Lampstand in MP Scott. Speaking of things you should always use in MP there's also MAYHEM!!! (even though you hate it) If I played MP seriously (big IF) I would use Darius' Decree because it is amazingly bomb-diggity.

I would drop:

Lost Soul (rejoice)
Lost Soul (rezzer)
FA
UW
The New Covenant
MiraCatch
FF
Pentecost
Am Slave
KoT

And add:

Lost Souls (3 liner)
Lost Soul (Exchanger)
Mayhem/VP
Lampstand
Darius' Decree
A Archer
ASA
Death o' Unrighteous

Quote from: Master Q on November 19, 2013, 12:43:25 PM

I would drop:

Lost Soul (rejoice)
Lost Soul (rezzer)
FA
UW
The New Covenant
MiraCatch
FF
Pentecost
Am Slave
KoT

And add:

Lost Souls (3 liner)
Lost Soul (Exchanger)
Mayhem/VP
Lampstand
Darius' Decree
A Archer
ASA
Death o' Unrighteous

I can't tell if joking or just bad advice. This be t1-mp not 2player and even then Gardensciples is better as a speed deck.

True enough, though I was under the impression that DD was very popular in MP (if not, why!?), and it's never a good idea to have more enhancements than characters.

Update bump!

The longer I mull over this deck, the more I think the defense just doesn't cut it anymore. I've marked cards with an "<----" that I feel could use either swapping out, or that I feel may not be performing up to par (you'll notice the whole defense is marked as such).

Some suggestions were for changing to Pharisees, however I've not played a Pharisee defense ever (if I play Gray, it's usually Romans like in my 2P deck). I had also thought about Philistines (especially since Disciples are fairly popular in MP) however I don't seem to have a Goliath promo anymore and he'd be necessary for that. I've also never played Philistines as a defense so I'm not sure how to build that either.

Basically, I'm looking to revamp the deck while keeping the offence centered around the same theme. I know pure purple is popular with TGT still, and I'm willing to swap to that if absolutely necessary (though I think Thaddeus isn't as good anymore), however I'd like to keep at least the 3 TGT white women if possible as their CBN band has always been a benefit for me.

Basically, halp! I've always been not the greatest at deck building in open categories (I can do pretty well at Booster/Sealed, though) so any help would be much appreciated!

Pharisees are good & add speed. Canaanites are strong and Philly's are great too. Might need a few more slots for a set defense. I myself, just for MP use a scattered defense like yours...small, but can get the blocks you need.

It has worked well for me in the past, but with all the CBN battle winners and protection running rampant in offenses, it just can't make the blocks anymore since most of the characters (even with being around 6/6) don't get initiative easily, and even if they have it they're frequently negated or otherwise hampered from using their character abilities (which is the whole point of most of them). I added Foreign Wives/Scattered in an attempt to help combat that but I just don't draw those cards frequently enough (lol at not drawing in a speed deck) to consistently block.

Though, it is MP, so I guess there's always a bit of handing out Souls and games are rarely won by a landslide (i.e.: games usually end up around 5-4-3-3 or something relatively close like that).

I would do this:

+Blue Tassel +Golden Cherubim +Miraculous Catch + Sabath Breaker +Tiberius + Vitelius + Balaams Disobedience +Spirit of Temptation (better than Gomer in Multi player because it can band to Foreign Wives) + Lampstands+ Gold Shield+ Gabriel Di

- The New Covenant -Captured Ark -First Fruits-Magnificat -Kot - Damsel- Mannasseh - Magic Charms - ASlave - Gomer - Lydia

Interesting ideas. I already have Miraculous Catch. The gray defense sounds interesting, I had been considering it anyway. Why the Gabriel? I had him in here a couple versions ago of the deck, but I didn't seem to need his recursion in the fast pace of MP.

Quote from: TheHobbit on January 14, 2014, 02:28:20 PM

I would do this:

+Blue Tassel +Golden Cherubim +Miraculous Catch + Sabath Breaker +Tiberius + Vitelius + Balaams Disobedience +Spirit of Temptation (better than Gomer in Multi player because it can band to Foreign Wives) + Lampstands+ Gold Shield+ Gabriel Di

- The New Covenant -Captured Ark -First Fruits-Magnificat -Kot - Damsel- Mannasseh - Magic Charms - ASlave - Gomer - Lydia

Interesting ideas. I already have Miraculous Catch. The gray defense sounds interesting, I had been considering it anyway. Why the Gabriel? I had him in here a couple versions ago of the deck, but I didn't seem to need his recursion in the fast pace of MP.

I thought it would be nice for the recursion if you are running low of battle winner... I was trying to find a more useful cards than Lydia. Maybe TSA as it is a nice solo attack and you can band it into battle cbn. Lydia is good two though because you can play both you colors her capture ability is basically a moot point since TSA cannot be capture either. So its basically btn+ band vs woman and plays both colors.

Might be referring to using TSA as basically a "negate" when combined with HiR. Example--attack with 3 TGT ladies, they block and play a battle winner. You use HiR to set them aside but then you also band in TSA and make the battle BTN. The set-aside is negated, but now its your 3 Ladies (CBN band) vs their EC in BTN battle.

Solo TSA is rarely a bad option in T1 MP. 

I'm prolly just being paranoid, though, lol.

Yep. If you can find room for TSA, I would definitely use him.

Quote from: browarod on January 15, 2014, 09:59:47 AM

I'm just leery of not having any enhancement support for him, even for numbers. I mean, he'd lose straight up to a King of Tyrus. I'm prolly just being paranoid, though, lol.

MP is a different beast...if you draw TSA early, he can be devastating to everyone else and may even waste a DOM to kill him. If he dies...so what, you have a good offense to take his place.

That's actually a really good point. I'll swap him in for Lydia.


Still trying to figure out the defense. Any further thoughts/suggestions on that front?