April 28, 2024, 04:43:09 PM

Author Topic: The Quest for Perfect Strategy (and a popular video sharing website)  (Read 9077 times)

reddawn

  • Playtester
  • Sr. Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 463
  • Banana Stickers 10
    • View Profile
Re: The Quest for Perfect Strategy (and a popular video sharing website)
« Reply #15 on: August 06, 2013, 04:36:30 AM »
I do have a some notes for the BM player; Galador, in my experience with the Johktari BM, is mainly there for the Holy mage/Warlord matchup, since Galador basically craps on lots of War and Holy school creatures due to Lightning +2 (you might need to Sniper Shot to force through his attack against the Knights and intercept Dwarves, but it's worth it). 

Outside of that matchup, he's ok, but not generally as good as Makunda, because his ranged attack doesn't interact with Wounded Prey, and his melee attack is usually subpar for his cost.  The difference seems minor, they're both relatively sturdy heavy-hitters, but imo, the bleeds really help if your goal is to kill creatures (which it probably should be, since that's what the Johk BM excels at).

Makunda and Dire Wolves in particular are very good at killing non-mage creatures.  If I need a creature boost after Makunda/Steelclaw and a Dire Wolf or two (sometimes a Spider or Tarok, for flyers), or just in later rounds, I like to use Emerald Tegus + Rouse the Beast if I think I can afford to.  Tegus are fairly sturdy for their cost, work with Wounded Prey, and also are good at killing creatures with their Rots.  They're like mini-dire wolves, but it's kinda better since Rots require Purify rather than heals, so it sometimes forces your opponent to be more flexible.

I haven't gotten a chance to watch the second part yet, but just a general Johktari BM strategy tip; try to incorporate some damage-dealing curses like Chains of Agony and Ghoul Rot so that you have immediate access to Wounded Prey when you need it.  Marked for Death is also great, as with most control-ish BM builds.Learning this was a key event in me getting better at the Johktari BM, since I didn't have to actually spend my creatures actions causing the initial damage needed for the ability, and the curses themselves are plenty good on their own.  You don't need more than 1 of each btw.

Also, not sure if you cast a bow later on, but I've found the Ivarium Bow to be more useful than the Hunting Bow.  Maybe I just haven't had luck with it, but the extra piercing and chance to bleed rarely goes off (it's hard to plan for) and is rarely relevant.  Not really worth the extra 3 mana, but at least it's cool.
« Last Edit: August 06, 2013, 04:49:43 AM by reddawn »
  • Favourite Mage: Arraxian Crown Warlock

Kingslayer

  • New Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Banana Stickers 0
    • View Profile
Re: The Quest for Perfect Strategy (and a popular video sharing website)
« Reply #16 on: August 07, 2013, 08:40:47 AM »
Thanks once again reddawn, you really have some great tips. Here are my (the Johktari player's) thoughts on your strategy tips:

This was only the second time that I had played the JBM, and as such a large reason that I played Galador (and later a lot of other new cards) was because I hadn't played them before and wanted to see what they could do. I like playing a large creature early on, and as such it was a toss up between Galador and Makunda (from the Conquest cards), but Galador won out in my strategy in an an effort to have a flexible way to protect my mage from a potential Adramalech summon, without sacrificing the long term potential.

As a side note here, and I hope that I don't come across as arrogant by saying this, I am comfortably the best player in my play group (I've only ever lost three times, and very rarely play my strongest mages - the wizard and forcemaster) and trying to make new cards work is a fun way for me to level the playing field without deliberately making bad plays. So what I'm saying is that I completely agree with your 'Makunda/Steelclaw being the better choice', I just thought that you might want to know the thought process behind my plays.

I do end up equipping a hunting bow, and team it up with a dire wolf hoping to inflict bleeds, along with a few other newbies. I did wonder about the Ivarium longbow, I might give it a go in the future (along with the curses ;)

Also, parts 3,4 and 5 are now online, the rest will probably follow shortly

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBn3tnQDz9Y

reddawn

  • Playtester
  • Sr. Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 463
  • Banana Stickers 10
    • View Profile
Re: The Quest for Perfect Strategy (and a popular video sharing website)
« Reply #17 on: August 07, 2013, 04:43:31 PM »
If you were just testing Galador, no problem, I was just giving you my experience on him.  Gotta test stuff to know for sure, after all.

Like how I tested going control Warlorck vs earth Wizard today against Charmyna.  Not one of my better ideas lol (kicked my ass).  Definitely cannot wait long or the Wiz's mana advantage is just too much.  Needs an aggro package against high-channel mages for sure.
  • Favourite Mage: Arraxian Crown Warlock

Kingslayer

  • New Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Banana Stickers 0
    • View Profile
Re: The Quest for Perfect Strategy (and a popular video sharing website)
« Reply #18 on: August 07, 2013, 05:36:46 PM »
I am very grateful for you sharing that experience too  :)

I love playing a control game, which is probably why I like the forcemaster and the wizard so much tbh. From what I've read in the forums, Charmyna sounds like a formidable opponent, at least that way you're giving your control warlock a trial by fire, he'd probably like that idea  ;)

sIKE

  • Playtester
  • Legendary Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 4172
  • Banana Stickers 18
  • Ugh
    • View Profile
Re: The Quest for Perfect Strategy (and a popular video sharing website)
« Reply #19 on: August 07, 2013, 06:48:01 PM »
If you were just testing Galador, no problem, I was just giving you my experience on him.  Gotta test stuff to know for sure, after all.

Like how I tested going control Warlorck vs earth Wizard today against Charmyna.  Not one of my better ideas lol (kicked my ass).  Definitely cannot wait long or the Wiz's mana advantage is just too much.  Needs an aggro package against high-channel mages for sure.

He is very tough to beat....
  • Favourite Mage: Malakai Priest

reddawn

  • Playtester
  • Sr. Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 463
  • Banana Stickers 10
    • View Profile
Re: The Quest for Perfect Strategy (and a popular video sharing website)
« Reply #20 on: August 07, 2013, 07:36:58 PM »
I think I would have stood a better chance if I hadn't tried to out-channel him.  By the time I realized I needed to attack, I knew I was in trouble lol.

Probably pretty dumb to try to out-channel a Wizard, but hey, I openly admit I have close to no experience playing against the Wizard, so time to learn.

Edit: I did kill a Bear though.  Drain/Life/Soul-ed it.  At least I had some Bear jerkey before I died.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2013, 07:40:39 PM by reddawn »
  • Favourite Mage: Arraxian Crown Warlock

Fentum

  • Sr. Mage
  • ****
  • Posts: 353
  • Banana Stickers 2
    • View Profile
Re: The Quest for Perfect Strategy (and a popular video sharing website)
« Reply #21 on: August 08, 2013, 04:55:20 AM »
If you were just testing Galador, no problem, I was just giving you my experience on him.  Gotta test stuff to know for sure, after all.

Like how I tested going control Warlorck vs earth Wizard today against Charmyna.  Not one of my better ideas lol (kicked my ass).  Definitely cannot wait long or the Wiz's mana advantage is just too much.  Needs an aggro package against high-channel mages for sure.

Great to read that you are on OCTGN. I am in hols right now but look forward to seeing you in the arena soon.

reddawn

  • Playtester
  • Sr. Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 463
  • Banana Stickers 10
    • View Profile
Re: The Quest for Perfect Strategy (and a popular video sharing website)
« Reply #22 on: August 11, 2013, 10:50:30 PM »
If you were just testing Galador, no problem, I was just giving you my experience on him.  Gotta test stuff to know for sure, after all.

Like how I tested going control Warlorck vs earth Wizard today against Charmyna.  Not one of my better ideas lol (kicked my ass).  Definitely cannot wait long or the Wiz's mana advantage is just too much.  Needs an aggro package against high-channel mages for sure.

Great to read that you are on OCTGN. I am in hols right now but look forward to seeing you in the arena soon.

I've been playing a ton IRL over the past half a week or so (4-6 games or more per day :o ), but yup, I'll be online more starting Tuesday prob.  Been playing against lots of Forcemaster and Wizard, so I'd like to think I'm getting better at those match ups.  8)
« Last Edit: August 11, 2013, 10:52:20 PM by reddawn »
  • Favourite Mage: Arraxian Crown Warlock

shapeshifter

  • New Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 39
  • Banana Stickers 0
    • View Profile
Re: The Quest for Perfect Strategy (and a popular video sharing website)
« Reply #23 on: August 14, 2013, 05:45:19 AM »
I really enjoyed this video series. thanks guys.

Only tips I would suggest would be in tactical positioning: I think the warlock was too slow at closing space on the beastmaster in the early turns. It seemed like you were circling the action rather than going through it. For the beastmaster, I would think you ran away too much when you put up the wall of vines, it meant were completely incapable of supporting your dying spider, reindeer and ferret.

Otherwise a great game and good see an exploding regrowth belt and a flying Wolf spider.