Cactus Game Design Message Boards

This looks like a much more "normal" build of a deck I theory crafted and have been doing some minor testing with. The idea was to run as many speed bumps as possible (RBD, CWD, Moses, Nazareth, etc) and hopefully cause all the greedy speed decks to fall apart by not being able to use their speed while a small, consistent judges offense rides Moses, AUtO/Gideon, and Josh/Captain to victory. Your deck has a much more conventional ratio of card types than mine does although I'm still not sure which direction is best. So far my conclusion is that "stop the opponent from getting more cards" is a worse win condition than "get more cards".

I have run a version of this deck also and have had fun with -
Sabbath Breaker + non-inish transferring EE, if you wish + Grapes = D3, mess with opponents RA...
If your opponent is running a draw engine, Golden Cherubim can be helpful to get combo pieces to hand. If not, it is dead deck weight.
I have found the Hunter LS helpful to snag a beneficial LS from a deck...
The new Cap adds some drawing, but FbtN is hard to argue against...

The bigger question at hand is what would get nixed to make room. The deck is solid already.


Godspeed,
Mike

First comment:  With Leviathan, Serpent, Pagan Sailors, and Scattered already in deck, seems Nebby and FW should be able to fit somehow too.  Maybe FW maindeck and Nebby in Reserve?

Second comment:  The Throne package already comes w/ AUTO and Sam, and usually AWSN too.  If you can't beat 'em, join 'em 

Third comment:  It needs more testing, but one of the Teams decks I built for OH States used a splash Judges/Tab Priests (just the Teal/Red ones)/Throne deck on offense and did quite well.  Had Pentecost and Eli's Sound Advice in it, plus the Teal/Red Priests can play Counsel of Abigail.  Zadok can band to Samuel and Elijah too.  It was more designed for Teams play, but maybe there's an offense hidden in there that is viable for T1.  Might be able to splash Zadok Anoints Solomon as well.  Eli's Sound Advice is soooo good, especially when you can play a CBN Edict/Zeal afterwards.

This is great feedback. The first defense I tried totally had Nebby+Betrayal in it, got cut when I went to a more balanced idea with Sheol (I'm unity brown assuming Serpent dies)

I didn't want to join them, but maybe I should! Feels like a lot to go purple on top of this as well, would be a different look for sure.

I love Red/Teal, I just didn't think it was quite there in T1 yet. I also love Eli's Sound Advice, but I just don't know if a simple negate, D3 (especially a conditional one like that) is a viable card in the current meta of every card mattering

Feels like Covenant with Adam is the most obvious add for your ctb offense. So many really strong /3 or less ecs now, and makes the new Falling Away even better on their key small heroes who are problematic and will then die instantly when chosen cbn with Book. The new Deborah is clutch too. Isn't there a ctb combo with her?

I love Covenant with Adam.

If I was doing this deck, these are the first things I see based on my gut:

Distressed LS -> Covenant with Death makes this LS unneeded; swap for Hunter or Wicked (Hunter if you want to have a better early game; Wicked if you are more worried about DoU going through).

Shipwreck -> I just think you'd have better value with Grapes or Valley or Mayhem or DoN or something. Unless you want to use Confusion and not worry about Storehouse, then I suppose it has a dedicated function. But if you cut Confusion, I'd cut this. CotH (PoC) negates the things your offense is worried about (Sheol, Gates, Coliseum), and Woes hits most other things. Coliseum is almost a non-issue since I haven't played against a single one.

Hopper LS -> You want to go first. Or, I assume you do. If so, Hopper is bad. If you're not worried about that or Moses CoW, then it's probably fine.

AwtSN -> Redundant if you're just using it as a first turn Sam grab. There's got to be a better 10th Hero (Moses CoW...?), especially if you add IaC to the Reserve for Exiles. I know it makes Jephthah CBN but if I'm playing this deck I'd rather attack with different Heroes anyway.

Captain (wa) -> Straight swap for CotH PoC for extra draw and a negate. CwD stomps him and FbtN isn't what it used to be. Being able to play Death of Firstborn on him in a pinch can be nice.

Confusion -> In theory it's probably good. But I have yet to see one actually go off. If, by the time you draw it, the opponent hasn't played SoG or TSC yet, you're probably going to win even without it. Plus without it means you're not so dependant on the opponent not running Storehouse or CwP (though not played in main decks, CwP is probably still in a lot of Reserves thanks to Book).

Pagan Sailors -> Doesn't do anything with CwD active. Also is a terrible opening card against early Hannah and Mighty Men.

Balaam's Teaching -> If you do mostly brown, why not use brown's second Scattered (Reap the Whirlwind)? Otherwise I imagine this will be negated most of the time. Sure, it draws, but it's also not playable on all your defense.

Divination -> Move to Reserve if you go mostly brown. That way Storehouse can grab this right when it's most opportune (when CwD or Moses aren't out).

Elisha -> Just doesn't do a lot for you seeing as you have no green interrupts. AotW in Reserve for the first turn Remnant seems better.

HSR -> For Exiles or Profane Daughters? Wouldn't you rather have IaC for Exiles? Wouldn't you rather do an Endless Treasures over HSR? I would.

Daughter's Grief -> I can't really say what this should be (maybe Wasting Disease) but I know this can't be it.


If the idea behind most of the defense is unity brown, I'd use Brown's best things. Persian Horsemen with Scattered in Reserve, Reap the Whirlwind in deck; things like that. Of course, you could go the other way and do mostly pale green. In which case, this entire structure would probably have to be reworked. But if some of these things really work for you, then stick with them. Hopefully this helps; I don't want to warp this into something entirely different. Unless that's what you want...

Congratulations on your Nats win!!!

Godspeed,
Mike