Rajan's Falcons

[sdougla2]

I've liked the idea of stacking Rajan's Furies and Marked for Death and making powerful falcon attacks since I saw the swarm build posted by DeckBuilder, but I was never satisfied with that build. It has enormous redundancy, but no contingency for dealing with someone with strong counters to swarm play.

Here is my current iteration of trying a build that can make the same kinds of plays, but with more diverse strategic options. In matchups where I don't see a Thunderdrift Falcon swarm performing well, I can use some combination of Valshalla, Cervere, Emerald Tegu, and Highland Unicorn, and support them with nature enchantments and Wand of Healing. I need to refine this build a bit more, but I wanted to post it's current state.

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]Rajan's Falcons[/spellbookname]
[mage]Beastmaster[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1a08]1 x  Geyser[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNA01]3 x  Acid Ball[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWA02]1 x  Force Hammer[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1j22]3 x  Tanglevine[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNJ03]1 x  Etherian Lifetree[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1w04]2 x  Wall of Thorns[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j13]2 x  Mana Flower[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1J01]2 x  Rajan's Fury[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1c12]2 x  Emerald Tegu[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c14]1 x  Feral Bobcat[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c37]6 x  Thunderift Falcon[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c07]1 x  Cervere, The Forest Shadow[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c20]1 x  Highland Unicorn[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c39]1 x  Valshalla, Lightning Angel[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1e09]1 x  Agony[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e40]1 x  Vampirism[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e28]1 x  Mongoose Agility[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e05]2 x  Cheetah Speed[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e32]1 x  Regrowth[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e10]1 x  Decoy[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e27]3 x  Marked for Death[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE03]1 x  Falcon Precision[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e07]1 x  Cobra Reflexes[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e01]3 x  Bear Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e36]2 x  Rhino Hide[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e13]2 x  Eagle Wings[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNQ09]1 x  Wand of Healing[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q23]1 x  Regrowth Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q25]1 x  Ring of Beasts[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q06]1 x  Dragonscale Hauberk[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q07]1 x  Elemental Cloak[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKQ06]1 x  Eagleclaw Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q09]1 x  Enchanter's Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q16]1 x  Leather Gloves[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1i23]1 x  Rouse the Beast[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]3 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i12]3 x  Force Push[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i28]1 x  Teleport[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i07]3 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

I'm planning on replacing the Decoy with Lion's Savagery when FiF hits. I would like to replace Geyser with Surging Wave, but all of my Surging Waves are tied up in Blood Wolves at the moment.

I have 3 Acid Balls, 3 Marked for Death, and 2 Rajan's Furies to support the damage output of a swarm, and I have Highland Unicorn to heal them. I toyed with using Shift Enchantment + Fortified Position, as was used in DeckBuilder's build, but ultimately decided that including that was too big of an investment to justify, particularly with the cost in game to make proper use of it.

I use Emerald Tegu because I'm trying to have as little creature overlap as possible in my 3 BM builds, and my other Straywood build runs Timber Wolf. In particular, I'm going to want to swarm against the Necromancer, who tends to be weak to flyers, so I'll probably be using either a Falcon or Unicorn Pet in the matchup where Emerald Tegu is weak.

The matchups where I would be hesitant to swarm Falcons are Bloodwave Warlord (Veteran gives him a strong late game against swarm, whereas he might never benefit from it if you play only a few creatures), Wizard (Arcane Zap and Wizard's Tower spamming Jet Stream will shred Falcons, plus Suppression Cloak will slow you right down), and the Druid (Kralathor becomes an absolute monster after eating a swarm). Beastmaster's can run Kralathor, but it's less common. If only fire spells didn't cost triple I would consider running a couple of Fireballs or Flameblasts to take out Kralathor.

[silverclawgrizzly]

I'm currently running something similar to this though with all nature creatures backing up the falcons. It can work very effectively. I use Call of the Wild once I have a decent swarm out. Combining that with the Marked for Death and your Level 1 5 cost(wearing the ring) falcons are swinging for 7 damage and if they die? Eh they're only falcons.

I ended up fighting a wizard who waited a little too late to bring out his wizard tower last Sunday. 4 Falcons immediately swarmed it, bringing it down in one turn. Same thing happened with his obelisk. I'll admit he Cloak of Suppression is annoying though.

[sdougla2]

You've got me thinking about a more Swiss army knife style build that has extremely flexible options that would look something like this:

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]Rajan's Falcons[/spellbookname]
[mage]Beastmaster[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWA02]1 x  Force Hammer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNA01]2 x  Acid Ball[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWA04]1 x  Hurl Boulder[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1j04]1 x  Battle Forge[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j22]3 x  Tanglevine[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1J01]2 x  Rajan's Fury[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j13]2 x  Mana Flower[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKC03]1 x  Galador, Protector of Straywood[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c14]1 x  Feral Bobcat[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c07]1 x  Cervere, The Forest Shadow[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c37]6 x  Thunderift Falcon[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c34]3 x  Steelclaw Grizzly[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c38]1 x  Timber Wolf[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1e13]1 x  Eagle Wings[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e07]1 x  Cobra Reflexes[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e32]1 x  Regrowth[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e36]1 x  Rhino Hide[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE03]2 x  Falcon Precision[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e01]3 x  Bear Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e09]1 x  Agony[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e40]1 x  Vampirism[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e28]1 x  Mongoose Agility[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e05]1 x  Cheetah Speed[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e27]2 x  Marked for Death[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e03]1 x  Bull Endurance[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1q18]1 x  Mage Staff[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q06]1 x  Dragonscale Hauberk[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q07]1 x  Elemental Cloak[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q11]1 x  Gauntlets of Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q15]1 x  Leather Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q22]1 x  Moonglow Amulet[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q23]1 x  Regrowth Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q25]1 x  Ring of Beasts[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ09]1 x  Wand of Healing[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q09]1 x  Enchanter's Ring[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1i07]3 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i28]1 x  Teleport[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i12]2 x  Force Push[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i18]2 x  Perfect Strike[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i23]1 x  Rouse the Beast[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]3 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

The Perfect Strikes are placeholders for Defend, and the Bull Endurance is a placeholder for Lion's Savagery.

I would be nice to find some room for a couple Walls of Thorns.

With this build I can open aggressively with either

Turn 1 (19): Sprint to NC -> Battle Forge (11)
Turn 2 (20): Ring of Beasts -> Steelclaw Grizzly -> FD Bear Strength (1)
Turn 3 (10): Enchanter's Ring -> Pet Thunderdrift Falcon -> FD Bear Strength (1)

Or

Turn 1 (19): Sprint to NC -> Ring of Beasts (17)
Turn 2 (26): Pet Steelclaw Grizzly -> Enchanter's Ring (3)

Or I can open with something more defensive/economic like

Turn 1 (19): Mana Flower -> Mana Flower (9)
Turn 2 (20): Ring of Beasts -> Steelclaw Grizzly (2)

Or

Turn 1 (19): Mana Flower -> Battle Forge (6)

I have the option for a Falcon swarm, or if I don't think that will work, I can rush my opponent with just a few creatures or spam bears. When in doubt, spam bears. It's usually a good policy. Few mages are happy facing 3 bears.

[jacksmack]

Turn 1 (19): Sprint to NC -> Battle Forge (11)
Turn 2 (20): Ring of Beasts -> Steelclaw Grizzly -> FD Bear Strength (1)
Turn 3 (10): Enchanter's Ring -> Pet Thunderdrift Falcon -> FD Bear Strength (1)

1 of the most interesting BM openings I have seen.

[sdougla2]

I like that it splits your threats enough that control will be less efficient, it has a bit of economy, and it puts pressure on your opponent pretty rapidly. I really need to try it next time I play.