Cactus Game Design Message Boards

This deck only blocks to get more lost souls, or RARELY to play Grapes of Wrath to stop a rescue attempt.  I'd prefer 50 cards, but I think being 52 cards it would conceivably "deck out" on the same turn.  Haven't done many "speed" decks before, so this is a relative first for me.  Thanks for your help.

8 lost souls

hopper ls
revealer ls
first round protect ls
anti-burial ls
shuffler ls
NT only ls
if opp plays dominant ls
shuffle a nt lost soul ls

1 artifact

holy grail

1 fortress

garden tomb

11 dominants

harvest time
son of god
new jerusalem
guardian of your souls
grapes of wrath
angel of the lord
falling away
christian martyr
destruction of nehushtan
mayhem
burial

16 heroes

mary mother of james
suzanna
maharai
joanna
salome
mary magdalene
lydia
jacob
captain of the host
claudia
john
ethiopian treasurer
woman at the well
war officer
the strong angel
simeon

13 hero enhancements

first fruits
pentecost
lay down your life
aocp
joseph before pharaoh
a child is born
words of encouragement
reach of desperation
consider the lillies
he is risen
abraham's servant to ur
birth foretold
brass serpent promo

2 evil characters

malchus
the am slave

I think it fails against another deck that has many of the same cards, but it's supposed to win the "race" to 5.  The theory is that with Falling Away, Shuffler, First Round Protect, Anti-Burial, If Opp Play Dom, Shuffle a NT, CM, Burial, Son of God and New Jerusalem (and even Grapes if needed), it can "stall" just long enough to get 5 lost souls before the opponent.

Because it generates 4 ADDITIONAL lost souls to rescue with Am Slave, Hopper, Malchus, Joseph Before Pharaoh, and it can force a lost soul out (usually) with Harvest Time and Woman at the Well.

I admit that it's totally risky, but it might be fun to try.

Yes, I have found that standalone, with the possible exception of Uzzah, is pretty much dead and a waste of cards.  Seems to me that it's either 1) Solid defense, or 2) No defense at all.

I admit that it's totally risky, but it might be fun to try.

I stopped reading here.

Mike Turnidge (spelling?) AKA The Quadrate, won a high number of games with a defenseless deck in the pre Angel Wars era.  You may be able to have similar success.

With this type of deck your priority is winning rescues and making sure the opponent cannot stop you.  That means you want to focus on having CBN battle winners so that only doms can stop you or FBtN.  That said, I know Joseph before Pharaoh generates a rescueable LS but it can also be negated.  If you were to lose the RA when playing Jb4P then you pretty much lose a turn and you don't generate a LS.  If you can substitute a CBN battle winner for Jb4P I would do it.

Seeker of the Lost would also be a really good add IMO.  She can play Abe's Servant or Lay Down your Life.  You could take out one of the Garden Tomb girls, you've got plenty of them.

Book of Hozai would fit really well in here as would Ambush the City.  I would take out Birth Foretold for one of those because half the time BF is going to be useless since you will have SoG already.  On the other hand, the half time it could win you the game.  I think you can get rid of Brass Serpent for one of those for the reason above.  If you're having to save your Heroes from being discarded then you're already not doing what the deck is supposed to do.  Book of Hozai or Ambush the City help you win rescues now, Brass Serpent helps you win later.

I also might consider not using Garden Tomb.  If you sub out a bunch of white you can make room for CBN stuff with teal