A Newbie's "Flavorful" Johktari Beastmaster Book

[Myric]

Hi everyone, new to the forum and the game for about 2 weeks and I was looking to iron out my book here. I was going for the flavorful sort of "huntress" playstyle and so far it's been pretty solid. The book s based around getting the mage to top-level archer status and needling the opponent down quick while using spells to hold and slow them.

Johktari Beastmaster

Regrowth Belt
Hunting Bow x2
Storm Drake Hide
Dragonscale Haubrek
Reflex Boots
Mage Wand

Emerald Tegu x2
Giant Wolf Spider x2
Dire Wolf x3
Steelclaw Grizzly
Tarok, the Skyhunter

Mana Flower x3
Lair
Mohktari, Great Tree of Life
Mangler Caltrops x2
Tanglevine x2
Tooth and Nail

Block x2
Nullify x2
Teleport Trap x2
Hawkeye x2
Mongoose Agility
Cheeta Speed
Regrowth

Dispel x2
Dissolve x2
Heal
Minor Heal
Seeking Dispel x2
Sniper Shot x2
Teleport x2

Jet Stream x4

Basicaly I run to the middle and drop the lair somewhere on the side and Hawkeye on myself right in the beginning(don't flip it yet). Right after that I quickcast my bow and I'm ready to go. (28 mana on the dot without flipping Hawkeye;)

From there I just take shots, get in my first dire wolf when I can, and hold them back. Jet stream is a pretty reliable push-back if they are right on me so I can push them then shoot. Teleport serves the same purpose, be it on me or the opponent. Dire wolves mesh perfect with wounded prey and the spiders are great at holding things down for her to shoot. I've found that even without the bow's bonus pierce.bleed ability, a 6 dice pierce +1 attack just stings everything hard. The caltrops sort of feel out of place but they do what I need them to and feel totally flavorful when people get stuck on them and cant rush me, then I shoot them in the heart. The grizzly is there if I need someone to hang out and guard with my archer, and Tarok is in strictly for fliers. I don't fear fliers too much though since my mage can fight fliers in the same zone because of the rule where flyers are 1 away in the same zone for range attacks.

Gimme your thoughts on what might be able to help the deck or be taken out since I'm still very new, so far the deck has played pretty well for me and I love the flavor of having a bow-wielding huntress send out animals and stalk her prey.

[jacksmack]

I think you will be torn apart by any opening that opens with 0 or 1 mana crystal / flower.

Simply because you start spending 26 - 28 mana without putting any creatures Down.

I consider most offensive equipment terribly expensive and very ineffective.
I would any day of the week prefer to save up an additional 6 mana and cast a grizzly instead of that bow.

And tbh... offensive equipment syngerizes best with spawnpoints so you can actually spend your mages Action marker to attack rather than summoning. But a spawnpoint + a weapon is just too much of a manasink in most circumstances.

[Wiz-Pig]

Hunting bow while obviously intended for the Beastmistress is just too expensive to be practical. I would switch it out for the Ivarium Longbow. On top of that I don't think that the Lair or Mohktari are going to help you out much here. If you want Regen for your creatures, you would be better off using the Highland Unicorn as a mobile regen point that can attack (it is also an animal I would point out). Summon one of your larger creatures in your opening rather then the Lair. It also wouldn't hurt you to have a couple of Feral Bobcats... finally I'm not sure why you are running 3 Mana flowers if you aren't planning on casting any in your opening.

[Fentum]

Myric, I am loving your enthusiasm for a themed book here.

Those are cool for casual play and learning the game. Unfortunately, the obvious themes tend to be ripped apart by honed books that utilise specific out of school spells. Some of the themes don't really 'work' in practice, such as the huntress bow for johktari BM and a swarm for the original Beastmaster.

[Myric]

Thanks so far for the info guys, in a way I was hoping to get torn up a little bit so I could see what works. It is for sure more of a themed deck.

I've got to disagree with the bow not being worth it however, even though I haven't seen a lot of the metagame. The lair will for sure pump out an emerald tegu right after I pull my bow out and I'll have a solid creature ready to go (Tegu is decently tough for 9 mana, 7 with lair). If the thing they summoned on turn one is already moving, my position gives me a clean shot at it for 5 dice +1 pierce in all zones except the far corners, and the next turn I can flip the hawkeye. The bow shots basicaly seem to me like free attack spells, I would put them along the lines of a free force hammer, without the Slam effect.

The Ivarium bow is a good idea though, maybe have one of each and either upgrade later, or replace a dissolved bow.

I think the unicorn is a good call, I didn't even think of him. The tree was originaly to set up for the mage/tree/grizzly zone combo that just really dug in deep but the unicorn seems a lot more agressive and meshes with the book better.

The mana flowers I think you are right on as well, I usualy am only able to drop one down in the course of the game. Honestly though because my attacks are coming from the bow, my mana doesn't seem to be a problem, that could be 3 points worth investing somewhere else for sure.

I know the 28 mana opening seems intense but my positioning on the board ends up with me in range and ready. When I quickcast phase my bow on turn 2 I am in perfect range to hit anything but the corners, so early enemy creatures are already in danger. One thing I really wanted to fit into this deck was spiked pit or quicksand, and hopefully with these suggestions I can make room for it.

Thanks guys, I appreiciate your advice and I'm gonna press on and try to make this book into something that will work. Keep em comign if you have ideas!

[Fentum]

Watch out for being teleported and force pushed into places you don't want to be!

Specifically, far away from your Lair, through a wall of thorns into melee with a grizzly.