Defensive Force!

[Sailor Vulcan]

Mage Wars deck (built using OCTGN deckbuilder) 1/18/2014 12:00:00 AM

Spellbook points: 120 used of 120 allowed

1 Forcemaster

---  Conjuration  ---
2 Temple of the Dawnbreaker
1 Hand of Bim-Shalla

---  Creature  ---
2 Guardian Angel
1 Knight of Westlock

---  Enchantment  ---
2 Forcefield
2 Force Orb
2 Force Sword
2 Mongoose Agility
1 Bear Strength
3 Nullify
1 Force Hold
1 Decoy

---  Equipment  ---
2 Dancing Scimitar
1 Galvitar, Force Blade
1 Defense Ring
1 Dragonscale Hauberk
1 Regrowth Belt
1 Force Ring
1 Elemental Cloak
1 Deflection Bracers
1 Eagleclaw Boots

---  Incantation  ---
2 Dispel
1 Seeking Dispel
2 Dissolve
3 Force Push
2 Teleport
1 Battle Fury
2 Purify
1 Repulse
1 Force Wave

---  Attack  ---
2 Acid Ball
1 Invisible Fist
1 Force Hammer



The basic idea of this build is defenses. Defenses defenses defenses. I mean, how much do you need armor when you can just avoid attacks altogther?

Here's the basic procedure:

1. Summon and then teleport your Knight of Westlock over to the enemy mage to cause a disruption to give yourself more time to set up.
2. When you're setting up, first thing you want to do is cast a force ring and a Temple of the Dawnbreaker. After that, start summoning your guards and casting nullifies and defensive enchantments on yourself on an as needed basis.
3. Eventually, cast your second Temple of the Dawnbreaker, as well as your Dancing Scimitar and your Galvitar.
4. Start attacking the enemy mage.

I designed this spellbook over a month ago, and then Murphy gave me significant help to upgrade it. Rather, he did most of the work of the upgrading and walked me through it. If you're reading this Murphy, thanks a bunch!

Also, attached to this post is a spreadsheet that charts the probability that your attack will hit me in different situations.

What do you think?

[Aylin]

Needs more cowbe- I mean Wardstone.

[Sailor Vulcan]

Hmm. I think I see what you mean. I only have two mongoose agilities, and those are vital cards. If my opponent goes after them and then sicks a bunch of creatures on me, then I could be in for a world of hurt. I made some more edits to make room for the enchanter's wardstones and will try to test it again today.

[webcatcher]

I think it looks good. I might add a second armor since the first could easily be dissolved and some attacks will get through your guards + defenses.

[Sailor Vulcan]

After some careful consideration and some more testing, I have upgraded this spellbook again so i have room for wardstones. Also, i figured that since i have acid balls and force pushes, i might as well include a wall of thorns as another source of damage.

Mage Wars deck (built using OCTGN deckbuilder) 1/18/2014 12:00:00 AM

Spellbook points: 120 used of 120 allowed

1 Forcemaster

---  Conjuration  ---
2 Temple of the Dawnbreaker
1 Hand of Bim-Shalla
2 Enchanter's Wardstone
1 Wall of Thorns

---  Creature  ---
2 Guardian Angel
1 Knight of Westlock

---  Enchantment  ---
2 Forcefield
2 Force Orb
2 Force Sword
2 Mongoose Agility
1 Bear Strength
3 Nullify
1 Force Hold
1 Decoy

---  Equipment  ---
2 Dancing Scimitar
1 Galvitar, Force Blade
1 Defense Ring
1 Dragonscale Hauberk
1 Regrowth Belt
1 Force Ring
1 Elemental Cloak
1 Deflection Bracers
1 Eagleclaw Boots

---  Incantation  ---
2 Dispel
1 Seeking Dispel
2 Dissolve
2 Force Push
1 Teleport
1 Battle Fury
2 Purify
1 Repulse
1 Force Wave

---  Attack  ---
2 Acid Ball
1 Force Hammer




Also, while more armor could help, i'm not sure how necessary it is. while some attacks can still get through, it gets increasingly less likely over time. I think people underestimate defenses because they're luck-based. However, all attacks in this game are luckbased, since all damage is decided by die rolling. And with two Temples of the Dawnbreaker and a Defense Ring, the chances of an attack targeting me when i use a defense is really low. Furthermore, with Temple of the Dawnbreaker you can reroll failed defenses AND attack rolls you don't like that target friendly creatures. When your armor is pierced, you don't get to reroll the piercing effect; it's already too late. Furthermore, Defenses can't be corroded. That's why I have a second Dancing Scimitar instead of a second Dragonscale Hauberk. Don't forget to check out my spreadsheet! I put some good work into those calculations.

[webcatcher]

Your mileage will vary, but I'd still take the second armor over the second wardstone. I frequently run a solo FM with a temple/hand set up and in my experience it's not the probabilities on the individual attacks that get you, it's the number of attacks coming your way - especially if they all come the same round so you don't have time to reset your temples. I find that an opponent with two or three creatures out (let's say even four creatures out in your case since you've got some blockers to run interference for you) can regularly get past my defenses, at which point I appreciate the armor.

[klaymen]

Kinda related question - do the wardstones' effects stack, or only one works at a time?

[ACG]

They stack.

[Wildhorn]

Falcon Precision, Precise Strike and Unavoidable attack spells void all your defenses

[webcatcher]

Yeah, my fm has a special dispel reserved just for falcon precision.

[sIKE]

Yeah, my fm has a special dispel reserved just for falcon precision.

What happens when the Morningstar or other weapons with the Unavoidable traits come out? I ran the Vorpal Blade and Morningstar against Charmyna in several games to help against some of his creatures with Defenses. This was also before he went to the GrizWiz (Battleforge), one of my guess's was his deck evolved into the Armor stacking beastie it became as a result. I am sure he played many other players and that helped evolve that certain strategy too.

[Sailor Vulcan]

The unavoidable trait causes attacks to completely bypass defenses. Just as there are attacks that have the piercing + x trait or the critical damage trait for completely bypassing armor. I fail to see how this makes defenses inferior to armor though. Also keep in mind that all zone attacks are unavoidable. This is at least partially offset by the fact that zone attacks usually cost more, either in actions, mana or spellbook points. For Brogan I have guards and Force hold. For unavoidable non-zone attack spells, I have guards with intercept, and I'm going to also try adding the extra armor like webcatcher suggested, and replace the Regrowth Belt with a Colossus Belt. Not to mention that I can reroll such attacks against me with the Temples of the Dawnbreaker. As for Precise Strike, there's admittedly not much I can do to directly counter it. I would have to avoid a situation where the enemy could stand to benefit that much from using Precise Strike. I could also nullify the creature that is going to be targeted by Precise Strike if it really seems necessary, although most of the time my nullifies will go on me. I can also nullify an enemy creature to keep the opponent from enchanting them.

I'm thinking I'll also get rid of one of my purifies to include another dispel. I also just took out the second Enchanter's Wardstone. I'll see how it goes in the next test and post here again.

[webcatcher]

replace the Regrowth Belt with a Colossus Belt

I agree.

[Kharhaz]

Falcon Precision, Precise Strike and Unavoidable attack spells void all your defenses

Why I would recommend switching out the Knight of Westlock for either Dwarf Panzergarde or Gargoyle Sentry. I would probably go Panzer but your mileage may vary

[Aylin]

Falcon Precision, Precise Strike and Unavoidable attack spells void all your defenses

Why I would recommend switching out the Knight of Westlock for either Dwarf Panzergarde or Gargoyle Sentry. I would probably go Panzer but your mileage may vary

I think the point of the Knight is the high damage it deals, with the decent armour and defense just to make it a difficult target to kill. Neither the Dwarf nor the Sentry can do that, their defensive abilities coming from guarding. Also he has two interceptors already.