Hello all!

My name's EliteAvarice, and I'm fairly new to Mage Wars, and new to the forums here. My wife and I have been playing for a few months now, and I thought it would be good to seek advice from some experienced players.

I'll open by saying that we have the 1x Original Set and 1x FM vs WL for our card library. We will probably expand to DvN in the near future.

So below are our (roughly) current spellbooks. I play the Priestess while my wife plays the Air Wizard. If the decks seem a little weird, it's because she and I only play with each other. Therefore our decks are chiefly centered around countering each other, as opposed to having a catch all strategy. I'll give an explanation of the general strategies we've used with the respective books. What I hope to gain is some insight into card additions/subtractions, strategy, and micro-theory.

To the books! In my head, I wanted to play a Warlord, but I really felt its options were just... underwhelming. So I gave it some thought and tried to manipulate the Priestess into being the Creature Support Mage I wished the Warlord to be. For strategy, my first goal is mana generation. More mana = more options. I open with 2x Mana Crystal with a single move left. I follow up with Moonglow, Storm Drake Hide, and a move into the Near Center. The NC zone serves from this point forward as my base of operations. I'll typically FC a Royal Archer and QC (reveal) a Hawkeye. My wife plays a very slow start, by this point my Royal Archer commands the field. Things are subject to change at this point, either I'll counter something she's done, or I'll FC another creature to gain the advantage. Mid-game is centered around my base of operations. Zone Enchants like Fortified Position and Sacred Ground, and the conjuration Archer's Tower allow me to command 80% of the field with my Archers; 100% if I've summoned Grimson. With the range advantage and a Brogan defense, I target her infrastructure and mana, then I eliminate her pesky range creatures, and then deliver the final blow to the Wizard.

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname][/spellbookname]
[mage]Priestess[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWJ02]1 x  Archer's Watchtower[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWJ08]1 x  Renewing Spring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j12]2 x  Mana Crystal[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWC07]1 x  Grimson Deadeye, Sniper[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c28]2 x  Royal Archer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c20]1 x  Highland Unicorn[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c22]1 x  Knight of Westlock[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c39]1 x  Valshalla, Lightning Angel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c06]1 x  Brogan Bloodstone[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWE06]2 x  Fortified Position[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e01]1 x  Bear Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e32]1 x  Regrowth[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e21]2 x  Hawkeye[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e37]1 x  Sacred Ground[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e11]1 x  Divine Intervention[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e03]1 x  Bull Endurance[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e12]2 x  Divine Protection[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e35]1 x  Reverse Magic[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e30]1 x  Pacify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e29]2 x  Nullify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e02]2 x  Block[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e36]1 x  Rhino Hide[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1q07]1 x  Elemental Cloak[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q19]1 x  Mage Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q22]1 x  Moonglow Amulet[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q23]1 x  Regrowth Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWQ10]2 x  Storm Drake Hide[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1i17]2 x  Minor Heal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i24]2 x  Seeking Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i28]2 x  Teleport[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i14]1 x  Heal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i07]3 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i13]1 x  Group Heal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]2 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]


For my wife's current build, her main focus is generally trying to hold back the storm that is me. She's hesitant to play relatively aggressive, however I think that will change soon. Our last game was fairly close, some key rolls made the difference. I mentioned before that she has a very slow start. She opens Moonglow and Gate while moving 1 left. She follows up with 2x Mana Crystal, then again follows up with a Harmonize to her Gate and a 3rd Mana Crystal. With her Gate + Harmonize (+4 Mana if I cast twice) she can easily summon those pesky Arcane creatures. Until that time, she applies some harass and tries to prevent me from readily establishing zone control. Once she has some creatures out and some pressure, she attacks and tries to mana deny me. Usually by this time, however, I have 3 ranged creatures out, a Brogan in her face, and a Valshalla in the waits. She's torn between going full aggro with her mage and all of it's attacks, and trying to support her creatures. She's getting there though!

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]Superiority[/spellbookname]
[mage]Wizard (Air)[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1a02]2 x  Chain Lightning[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a13]1 x  Thunderbolt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a03]2 x  Electrify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a09]1 x  Jet Stream[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a07]2 x  Lightning Bolt[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1j07]1 x  Gate to Voltari[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j12]3 x  Mana Crystal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j18]2 x  Poison Gas Cloud[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1c09]1 x  Darkfenne Hydra[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c35]1 x  Stonegaze Basilisk[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c40]1 x  Whirling Spirit[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c34]1 x  Steelclaw Grizzly[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c24]2 x  Mana Leech[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c18]1 x  Gorgon Archer[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1e01]1 x  Bear Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e09]1 x  Agony[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e24]1 x  Magebane[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e36]1 x  Rhino Hide[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e06]1 x  Circle of Lightning[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e32]1 x  Regrowth[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e15]2 x  Essence Drain[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e38]2 x  Teleport Trap[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e05]2 x  Cheetah Speed[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e29]1 x  Nullify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e35]1 x  Reverse Magic[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e20]1 x  Harmonize[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e27]1 x  Marked for Death[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e25]1 x  Maim Wings[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e03]1 x  Bull Endurance[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1q11]1 x  Gauntlets of Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q15]1 x  Leather Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q32]1 x  Suppression Cloak[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q22]1 x  Moonglow Amulet[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q33]1 x  Wind Wyvern Hide[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q04]1 x  Deflection Bracers[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q19]1 x  Mage Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q08]1 x  Elemental Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q31]1 x  Staff of the Arcanum[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q17]1 x  Lightning Ring[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1i24]2 x  Seeking Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i17]1 x  Minor Heal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i09]1 x  Drain Power[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i23]1 x  Rouse the Beast[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i07]2 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]3 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

I apologize for the length, but I wanted to be clear and offer as much foundation as possible in preparation for comments. Please feel free to comment and ask questions. I'm eager to learn!

V/R
EliteAvarice