TMNT

[Death-from-above]

So I was reading this forum post, http://forum.arcanewonders.com/index.php?topic=14078.0, by sdougla2 about armored trolls and it made me want to create a variation of that spellbook. I ended up calling it Teenage Mutant Ninja Trolls (TMNT) . Here is the spellbook breakdown:

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname][/spellbookname]
[mage]Beastmaster[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1a09]2 x  Jet Stream[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWA02]2 x  Force Hammer[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1j22]3 x  Tanglevine[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j13]2 x  Mana Flower[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1w04]2 x  Wall of Thorns[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j04]1 x  Battle Forge[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKC01]4 x  Bridge Troll[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c34]1 x  Steelclaw Grizzly[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1e13]1 x  Eagle Wings[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e09]1 x  Agony[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e20]1 x  Harmonize[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e23]1 x  Jinx[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e27]1 x  Marked for Death[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e29]2 x  Nullify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e19]1 x  Ghoul Rot[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e36]1 x  Rhino Hide[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e01]3 x  Bear Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e05]2 x  Cheetah Speed[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e24]1 x  Magebane[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKE04]1 x  Enchantment Transfusion[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1q16]1 x  Leather Gloves[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q08]1 x  Elemental Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q22]1 x  Moonglow Amulet[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q23]1 x  Regrowth Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q30]1 x  Staff of Beasts[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q06]1 x  Dragonscale Hauberk[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q11]1 x  Gauntlets of Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKQ06]1 x  Eagleclaw Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q19]1 x  Mage Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q07]1 x  Elemental Cloak[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1i23]2 x  Rouse the Beast[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i28]1 x  Teleport[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i07]2 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i01]1 x  Banish[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]2 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i17]1 x  Minor Heal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i12]2 x  Force Push[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]


The whole of this spellbook is based around seperate buffs for the trolls. One troll was going to be flying, another was going to be fast, another was going to be tough and the last would have been a toss up depending on how the game was going.

For the attacks, I have Force hammers for conjurations that cause me trouble and Jetstreams for flying defense. Both of them would have been alternated through my elemental wand depending on which one I needed the most. The Battle forge was in there to beef me up while my trolls were out causing trouble. The only reason the Grizzly was in there was so I could potentially utilize my pet token ability if I needed to. This can be interchangeable depending on what pet you prefer. The enchantments and curses are the second half of this spellbook. I have the enchantments for my trolls to keep them going and if my troll plan is backfiring, my plan was to curse stack on myself while my trolls were out and about and then transfuse it to the opposing mage to cripple him. As for the incantations, I had rouse the beast in there to give some of my trolls an early start. The banish is in there simply to remove any super tough creatures my opponent happens to throw out.

The first couple of turns would look like this:

Turn 1: (19) FC: Troll (13) QC:Rouse the Beast(3) = 16
Turn 2: (13) QC: Cheetah Speed (5) FC: Magebane(FD on myself)(2) = 7
Turn 3: (16) FC: Troll (13) QC: Eagle Wings(FD on Troll)(2) = 15

After that point it all depends on how my opponent reacts. If they are aggressive, I keep working on getting my trolls out. If they are somewhat defensive, Ill sit back and start to get my equipment on me.

What do you guys think? I played this deck once and I won against a priestess. It was a relatively tough game but my trolls managed to pull it out in the end. My only concern against this spellbook is a Warlock or a Fire Wizard due to the flame +2 on my trolls, they would be much easier to kill. Also any mage running a Deathlock would mess with the trolls healing.

[sdougla2]

Whenever I play a Beastmaster, I feel like it's a bit of a waste to play a Bridge Troll because it won't benefit from all of my animals bonuses. You don't have enough ways to improve the survivability of your Trolls, and a fire based Warlock will eat your Trolls for breakfast. Run more Rhino Hides so that you can make your Trolls tougher, and add in another Steelclaw instead of the 4th Bridge Troll. That will give you something worthwhile to do against fire mages.

In addition, I would include a Timber Wolf as a cheap Pet option that doesn't cost much to include and gives you more flexible options. Defend will also really help your Trolls.

Staff of Beasts seems like an odd choice in this build, as you only have one target that you could use it on. Mage Staff will solve more problems for you, and it's cheaper to cast.

I don't like your opening at all. I don't see the benefit in casting Rouse the Beast on your Troll first turn. I like to use Rouse the Beast when it will let me do something immediately useful with the creature, like guard or attack.

I would probably open with something like:

Turn 1 (19): Mana Flower -> Mana Flower (9)
Turn 2 (20): Bridge Troll -> Enchanter's Ring (5)
Turn 3 (16): Bridge Troll -> FD Rhino Hide (2)

or

Turn 1 (19): Sprint to NC -> Battleforge (11)
Turn 2 (20): Enchanter's Ring -> Bridge Troll -> Rhino Hide (5)

[sdougla2]

Oh yeah, and add Enchanter's Ring.