Post by jeremyat on Oct 22, 2012 11:37:33 GMT -5
So, it's been forever (it seems) since anyone posted anything in any board other than the general board, so I thought I'd post my new favorite deck. I've been back and playing a good bit since I switched internet providers, and I haven't really run up against many decks like this, so it's a nice variant from the current meta. It's a bit of a spin on some old decks that have been posted before, so I'm not reinventing the wheel, but it's a lot of fun.
Core:
A Call to Action x 5
Exit Stage Right x 5
Odai Dunqas x 5
Leonardo DaVinci x 5
Draw:
The Discovery x 5
Laboratory Research x 5
The Mentor's Return x 3
Support:
Pick Your Poison x 4
Political Patronage x 5
Role Reversal x 3
Secret Door x 5
Total memories: 50
Basically, this is an ESR deck that's not completely dependent on ESR. I think action-heavy decks went the way of the dinosaur when Revelations first came out, since they could be countered easily with Suleiman, Yerebatan Cistern, or Byzantine Ruins. Now that those have all been nerfed, an action-heavy deck can get up and running again (though I've not yet had any success replicating the copydeck from pre-Revelations, as the income nerfs, particularly to Clothes Make the Man and In-Depth Analysis, have made it difficult to make that deck work the way it used to).
The best thing about ESR is that you get the benefit of your agent entering play as if you'd played your agent from your hand. So, for example, if you play ESR on a token and get Leo, you also draw two cards. Similarly, if you get Odai, you also get two 2/2 agent tokens. I think matching media with scholar up gives you the most options, as you can draw the cards you need for the combo with scholar, whereas you're pretty dependent on drawing the combo cards in your opening hand (and being left vulnerable to counters) if you use crime or order (faith is worthless for big-time agents).
Therefore, the primary strategy with the deck is to combo A Call to Action with ESR as quickly as possible. I like to use Secret Door in the combo as well, so you get a surprise ESR. I also use Odai instead of, say, Al Mualim (the only other really viable agent), for two reasons. One, he combos well with your self-discarding cards. Two, he provides you with more token agents to use an ESR on.
The draw power for this deck is virtually unparalleled. I am frequently in the single digits left in my deck (if not completely exhausted) by the end of the game. Laboratory Research is one of my favorite cards to use with the 11-cost cards, and I'm never afraid to launch it, even if it's the only card in my hand. Using it in conjunction with Mentor's Return nets you four cards for two gold. However, this deck does not get wrecked by Holy Day, as you're not relying on using your 11-cost cards to win you the game, only to help support you.
Finally, I like to use PYP instead of, say, Scientific Espionage, because it's extremely versatile. You can usually use it to steal something very helpful (like a Man of the People) or potentially very harmful (like a Forgotten Temple) to aid your cause. Additionally, it can be used in combination with Secret Door so that your opponent can't counter or steal it. Finally, PYP can be used along with Role Reversal if you come up against a site-heavy deck. Most site-heavy decks rely on Sacred Vault or Hagia Sophia to get the job done, and one Role Reversal neutralized those threats. Probably the toughest site matchup is the Sofia's Office/Ottoman Gunman combo, but you can hopefully either overwhelm them with your agents or use PYP to grab something helpful from their deck to slow down their combo. The toughest matchup overall is likely Femme Fatale, but, again, PYP usually generates something that will help.
I hope to see everyone back out there on the trail again soon. I'm looking forward to (hopefully) a new expansion, so that this deck will be made obsolete once more. Let me know what you think!
Gamecenter ID: JATATT
Core:
A Call to Action x 5
Exit Stage Right x 5
Odai Dunqas x 5
Leonardo DaVinci x 5
Draw:
The Discovery x 5
Laboratory Research x 5
The Mentor's Return x 3
Support:
Pick Your Poison x 4
Political Patronage x 5
Role Reversal x 3
Secret Door x 5
Total memories: 50
Basically, this is an ESR deck that's not completely dependent on ESR. I think action-heavy decks went the way of the dinosaur when Revelations first came out, since they could be countered easily with Suleiman, Yerebatan Cistern, or Byzantine Ruins. Now that those have all been nerfed, an action-heavy deck can get up and running again (though I've not yet had any success replicating the copydeck from pre-Revelations, as the income nerfs, particularly to Clothes Make the Man and In-Depth Analysis, have made it difficult to make that deck work the way it used to).
The best thing about ESR is that you get the benefit of your agent entering play as if you'd played your agent from your hand. So, for example, if you play ESR on a token and get Leo, you also draw two cards. Similarly, if you get Odai, you also get two 2/2 agent tokens. I think matching media with scholar up gives you the most options, as you can draw the cards you need for the combo with scholar, whereas you're pretty dependent on drawing the combo cards in your opening hand (and being left vulnerable to counters) if you use crime or order (faith is worthless for big-time agents).
Therefore, the primary strategy with the deck is to combo A Call to Action with ESR as quickly as possible. I like to use Secret Door in the combo as well, so you get a surprise ESR. I also use Odai instead of, say, Al Mualim (the only other really viable agent), for two reasons. One, he combos well with your self-discarding cards. Two, he provides you with more token agents to use an ESR on.
The draw power for this deck is virtually unparalleled. I am frequently in the single digits left in my deck (if not completely exhausted) by the end of the game. Laboratory Research is one of my favorite cards to use with the 11-cost cards, and I'm never afraid to launch it, even if it's the only card in my hand. Using it in conjunction with Mentor's Return nets you four cards for two gold. However, this deck does not get wrecked by Holy Day, as you're not relying on using your 11-cost cards to win you the game, only to help support you.
Finally, I like to use PYP instead of, say, Scientific Espionage, because it's extremely versatile. You can usually use it to steal something very helpful (like a Man of the People) or potentially very harmful (like a Forgotten Temple) to aid your cause. Additionally, it can be used in combination with Secret Door so that your opponent can't counter or steal it. Finally, PYP can be used along with Role Reversal if you come up against a site-heavy deck. Most site-heavy decks rely on Sacred Vault or Hagia Sophia to get the job done, and one Role Reversal neutralized those threats. Probably the toughest site matchup is the Sofia's Office/Ottoman Gunman combo, but you can hopefully either overwhelm them with your agents or use PYP to grab something helpful from their deck to slow down their combo. The toughest matchup overall is likely Femme Fatale, but, again, PYP usually generates something that will help.
I hope to see everyone back out there on the trail again soon. I'm looking forward to (hopefully) a new expansion, so that this deck will be made obsolete once more. Let me know what you think!
Gamecenter ID: JATATT
