1
Spellbook Design and Construction / Another Adramelech Warlock Build (Arena)
« on: July 31, 2016, 04:53:36 PM »
Hi guys! I'm Lurvox and I have been playing Mage Wars for a while in Chile. Some time ago I got the Forged in Fire expansion and I tried the Adramelech Warlock. I found out that she's really fun to play with and it's a challenge to design a good spellbook for her (her spellbook from the manual lacks a lot of armor equipment). So, here's my spellbook. I only have the Core set, CoK and FiF expansion (so, not Sectarus, Force Hammer, Hurl Boulder, Circle of Fire or Cloak of Shadows yet )
[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]It burns[/spellbookname]
[mage]Adramelech Warlock[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1a06]2 x Flameblast[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a04]3 x Fireball[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a09]2 x Jet Stream[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a12]1 x Ring of Fire[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1j04]1 x Battle Forge[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j19]1 x Deathlock[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKJ01]1 x Enchanter's Wardstone[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j11]1 x Idol of Pestilence[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j12]2 x Mana Crystal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j22]2 x Tanglevine[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1w03]2 x Wall of Fire[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1c01]1 x Adramelech, Lord of Fire[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE01]1 x Adramelech's Touch[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e09]2 x Agony[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE02]1 x Akiro's Favor[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e01]1 x Bear Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e02]1 x Block[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE04]1 x Brace Yourself[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e04]1 x Chains of Agony[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e05]1 x Cheetah Speed[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e10]1 x Decoy[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e14]1 x Enfeeble[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e20]1 x Harmonize[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e21]1 x Hawkeye[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e22]2 x Hellfire Trap[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e24]1 x Magebane[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e27]2 x Marked for Death[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e28]1 x Mongoose Agility[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e29]1 x Nullify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e31]1 x Poisoned Blood[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE07]1 x Rust[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e40]1 x Vampirism[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1q06]1 x Dragonscale Hauberk[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKQ06]1 x Eagleclaw Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q08]1 x Elemental Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q07]1 x Elemental Cloak[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q09]1 x Enchanter's Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q10]1 x Fireshaper Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q14]1 x Lash of Hellfire[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q15]1 x Leather Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q16]1 x Leather Gloves[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q19]1 x Mage Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q23]1 x Regrowth Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFQ01]1 x Adramelech's Torment[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q28]1 x Ring of Curses[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1i02]1 x Battle Fury[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFI01]2 x Combustion[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]2 x Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i07]2 x Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i08]1 x Drain Life[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i12]1 x Force Push[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFI05]2 x Ignite[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i20]1 x Purify[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]
So, this spellbook uses Trogdor/Face Melter strategy to attack with 10-dice fireballs in round 3 or 4 (Fireshaper Ring + Marked for Death + Hawkeye + Akiro's favor). I tried this with a friend, and the results were pretty brutal. Over time, this strategy got easy to predict and my friend can easily counter this with a Dragonscale Hauberk + Elemental Cloak. So, I wanted to try other strategies.
Normally, my friend uses a Straywood Beastmaster, and his usual strategy consists of buffing a Steelclaw Grizzly with Bear Strength and Battle Fury bound to a Mage Wand. In one round, my mage received a whooping total of 14 attack dices. Looking to that strategy, I found out that I can do the same with the Lord of Fire if my opponent is cursed with Marked for Death. If Lord of Fire is buffed with Battle Fury, then the other mage gets 15 attack dices in one round (17 with Bear Strength). Even more if my Warlock has enough mana for a fireball. Of course, this requires to consume a lot of mana and Lord of Fire can get easily countered (put to Sleep).
I find interesting to mind trick my opponent with Hellfire Trap and Decoy. Hellfire Trap is pretty cheap in mana, deals 4 attack dices (5 if opponent is cursed) and has good chances to Burn. Moreover, I can get back the mana that I spent for Decoy.
For attack spells beside Fireballs and flameblasts (unavoidable), I have the Ring of fire for emergencies and Jet Stream. I'm concerned that my only source of non-flame attacks is Jet Stream. Nevertheless, I find this attack really awesome. It's pretty cheap (4 mana), has range 0-2 and it pushes the opponent most of the time (Force Push through walls of fire require 6 mana). This card helped me buy some time when my mage was restrained with Tanglevine and attacked by the Steelclaw Grizzly. I pushed the bear through a wall of fire, then at the next round the Beastmaster suffered the same. Moreover, Jet Stream is more useful if I have Hellfire Traps set at the other side.
Personally, I don't like Devil's Trident too much. To burn, I'd prefer to use flameblasts (cheaper in mana and same 0-1 range) and to restrain the opponent I use Tanglevine (cheaper in mana, longer distance 0-2, same spellbook points, restrains the opponent with 100% chance).
Deathlock and Idol of Pestilence are there to stop healers and set the timer for damage race. Deathlock is wonderful when you dealt a lot of damage to your opponent and you get the Initiative the next round.
I never had the chance to use Ignite correctly, I didn't know that it was useful to bait Nullify or other reversals.
I still don't know if Adramelech's Torment is useful. Normally, my cursed opponent is already burning. I thought of the idea of cursing my own Warlock with Adramelech's touch (3 mana total to cast and reveal this curse thanks to Enchanter's ring + Ring of curses) and then, pay 2 mana to obtain a Burn token to my mage and fire weave it to the opponent in the same zone. I might do this strategy with another creature (maybe a Necropian Vampiress, or another non-Flame immune creature).
I might need to add a few more creatures. Hellfire Hellion and Sersiryx do not resist too much (or maybe I haven't found how to use them well yet).
Another issue that I had is that my Warlock is usually starving in mana. So, I consider two mana crystals, a Harmonize (if lacking zones with no zone-exclusive conjurations) and the Enchanter's ring. My spellbook is heavy on enchantments, so I also considered an Enchanter's wardstone. In the first few rounds, I try to spend as little mana as possible (without wasting actions), so that at the mid game I can decide going all out with 10-dice fireballs or summon Adramelech.
So, my opening would be this (assuming my Battle Forge does not get destroyed with Force Hammer or Surging Waves too soon):
T1, (+9) 19: BattleForge (-8) + Mana Crystal (-5)
T2, (+10,+1) 16,1: Enchanter's ring (-1,-1) + Any enchantment on mage (-1) + Mana Crystal (-5)
T3, (+11,+1) 20,1: Any cheap 2-mana equip (-1,-1) + Any enchantment on mage (-1) + Any enchantment (-2)
T4, (+11,+1) 27,1: Decide...
At turn 4 I have 27 mana, 2 hidden enchantments on Warlock and another hidden one (not necessarily on mage). Then I have to decide what to do, depending of what my opponent has been preparing until now. Might even switch rings, as my spellbook has 3 rings.
So, what do you think guys? I would appreciate any ideas
[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]It burns[/spellbookname]
[mage]Adramelech Warlock[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1a06]2 x Flameblast[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a04]3 x Fireball[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a09]2 x Jet Stream[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a12]1 x Ring of Fire[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1j04]1 x Battle Forge[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j19]1 x Deathlock[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKJ01]1 x Enchanter's Wardstone[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j11]1 x Idol of Pestilence[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j12]2 x Mana Crystal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j22]2 x Tanglevine[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1w03]2 x Wall of Fire[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1c01]1 x Adramelech, Lord of Fire[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE01]1 x Adramelech's Touch[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e09]2 x Agony[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE02]1 x Akiro's Favor[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e01]1 x Bear Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e02]1 x Block[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE04]1 x Brace Yourself[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e04]1 x Chains of Agony[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e05]1 x Cheetah Speed[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e10]1 x Decoy[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e14]1 x Enfeeble[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e20]1 x Harmonize[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e21]1 x Hawkeye[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e22]2 x Hellfire Trap[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e24]1 x Magebane[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e27]2 x Marked for Death[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e28]1 x Mongoose Agility[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e29]1 x Nullify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e31]1 x Poisoned Blood[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE07]1 x Rust[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e40]1 x Vampirism[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1q06]1 x Dragonscale Hauberk[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKQ06]1 x Eagleclaw Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q08]1 x Elemental Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q07]1 x Elemental Cloak[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q09]1 x Enchanter's Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q10]1 x Fireshaper Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q14]1 x Lash of Hellfire[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q15]1 x Leather Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q16]1 x Leather Gloves[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q19]1 x Mage Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q23]1 x Regrowth Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFQ01]1 x Adramelech's Torment[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q28]1 x Ring of Curses[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1i02]1 x Battle Fury[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFI01]2 x Combustion[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]2 x Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i07]2 x Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i08]1 x Drain Life[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i12]1 x Force Push[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFI05]2 x Ignite[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i20]1 x Purify[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]
So, this spellbook uses Trogdor/Face Melter strategy to attack with 10-dice fireballs in round 3 or 4 (Fireshaper Ring + Marked for Death + Hawkeye + Akiro's favor). I tried this with a friend, and the results were pretty brutal. Over time, this strategy got easy to predict and my friend can easily counter this with a Dragonscale Hauberk + Elemental Cloak. So, I wanted to try other strategies.
Normally, my friend uses a Straywood Beastmaster, and his usual strategy consists of buffing a Steelclaw Grizzly with Bear Strength and Battle Fury bound to a Mage Wand. In one round, my mage received a whooping total of 14 attack dices. Looking to that strategy, I found out that I can do the same with the Lord of Fire if my opponent is cursed with Marked for Death. If Lord of Fire is buffed with Battle Fury, then the other mage gets 15 attack dices in one round (17 with Bear Strength). Even more if my Warlock has enough mana for a fireball. Of course, this requires to consume a lot of mana and Lord of Fire can get easily countered (put to Sleep).
I find interesting to mind trick my opponent with Hellfire Trap and Decoy. Hellfire Trap is pretty cheap in mana, deals 4 attack dices (5 if opponent is cursed) and has good chances to Burn. Moreover, I can get back the mana that I spent for Decoy.
For attack spells beside Fireballs and flameblasts (unavoidable), I have the Ring of fire for emergencies and Jet Stream. I'm concerned that my only source of non-flame attacks is Jet Stream. Nevertheless, I find this attack really awesome. It's pretty cheap (4 mana), has range 0-2 and it pushes the opponent most of the time (Force Push through walls of fire require 6 mana). This card helped me buy some time when my mage was restrained with Tanglevine and attacked by the Steelclaw Grizzly. I pushed the bear through a wall of fire, then at the next round the Beastmaster suffered the same. Moreover, Jet Stream is more useful if I have Hellfire Traps set at the other side.
Personally, I don't like Devil's Trident too much. To burn, I'd prefer to use flameblasts (cheaper in mana and same 0-1 range) and to restrain the opponent I use Tanglevine (cheaper in mana, longer distance 0-2, same spellbook points, restrains the opponent with 100% chance).
Deathlock and Idol of Pestilence are there to stop healers and set the timer for damage race. Deathlock is wonderful when you dealt a lot of damage to your opponent and you get the Initiative the next round.
I never had the chance to use Ignite correctly, I didn't know that it was useful to bait Nullify or other reversals.
I still don't know if Adramelech's Torment is useful. Normally, my cursed opponent is already burning. I thought of the idea of cursing my own Warlock with Adramelech's touch (3 mana total to cast and reveal this curse thanks to Enchanter's ring + Ring of curses) and then, pay 2 mana to obtain a Burn token to my mage and fire weave it to the opponent in the same zone. I might do this strategy with another creature (maybe a Necropian Vampiress, or another non-Flame immune creature).
I might need to add a few more creatures. Hellfire Hellion and Sersiryx do not resist too much (or maybe I haven't found how to use them well yet).
Another issue that I had is that my Warlock is usually starving in mana. So, I consider two mana crystals, a Harmonize (if lacking zones with no zone-exclusive conjurations) and the Enchanter's ring. My spellbook is heavy on enchantments, so I also considered an Enchanter's wardstone. In the first few rounds, I try to spend as little mana as possible (without wasting actions), so that at the mid game I can decide going all out with 10-dice fireballs or summon Adramelech.
So, my opening would be this (assuming my Battle Forge does not get destroyed with Force Hammer or Surging Waves too soon):
T1, (+9) 19: BattleForge (-8) + Mana Crystal (-5)
T2, (+10,+1) 16,1: Enchanter's ring (-1,-1) + Any enchantment on mage (-1) + Mana Crystal (-5)
T3, (+11,+1) 20,1: Any cheap 2-mana equip (-1,-1) + Any enchantment on mage (-1) + Any enchantment (-2)
T4, (+11,+1) 27,1: Decide...
At turn 4 I have 27 mana, 2 hidden enchantments on Warlock and another hidden one (not necessarily on mage). Then I have to decide what to do, depending of what my opponent has been preparing until now. Might even switch rings, as my spellbook has 3 rings.
So, what do you think guys? I would appreciate any ideas