How can we make [mwcard=MWSTX2FFC09]Otto Kronig, Master Engineer[/mwcard] good? To get value out of Otto you need to have a non-living corporeal conjuration that is so threatening to our opponent that they want to destroy it and Otto can protect and repair it. Also we are going to want Otto to get to work before the enemy arrives since he needs time to add armor. If the enemy is already attacking we would likely be better served by being aggressive. So we need a conjuration that is threatening and worth summoning by round 2. [mwcard=DNJ01]Altar of Skulls[/mwcard], would be awesome but it takes too long to actually work. [mwcard=mw1j11]Idol of Pestilence[/mwcard], [mwcard=mw1j19]Deathlock[/mwcard], [mwcard=mw1j16]Mordok's Obelisk[/mwcard] and [mwcard=mw1j21]Suppression Orb[/mwcard] are all quite threatening at the right time, but situational and you don't want to play them too early.
Which leaves one thing, walls. And if you are going to invest that much into armoring a wall, you want one that is easily repaired therefore: [mwcard=DNW02]Wall of Bones[/mwcard]. So who would benefit the most from walling yourself into your starting corner? By denying line of sight you negate a lot of normal stratagies. [mwcard=FWE06]Fortified Position[/mwcard], [mwcard=mw1e37]Sacred Ground[/mwcard], and [mwcard=mw1j15]Mohktari, Great Tree of Life[/mwcard] all become much more powerful when your opponent can't dispel them or push you out of your zone. Also your opponent can't teleport you out of your fortress without breaking down a wall first. Another neat trick is if you are attacked by a flier you can use sleep to trap them within your fortress where they cannot be easily woken up. Beware Huggin and thoughtspores which can teleport you out of your fort.
You will want to be able to cram a lot of bonus channeling into that starting square, you will want a way to attack your opponent over the wall, and you will want an innate long game advantage to get the pay off of all this defense. Ideas I've had so far, none of them tested:
Gothic Priestess: Otto, Bone walls, [mwcard=DNC01]Acolyte of the Bog Queen[/mwcard] can repair walls or power the [mwcard=mw1j23]Temple of Asyra[/mwcard]. Use the temple to summon angels and wear your opponent down while your priestess meditates in safety. Possibly use a magewand of [mwcard=mw1i22]Resurrection[/mwcard] to create an "infinite" endgame.
Entrenched - Defensive Warlord: You will want to grab more then one zone so that you can lay down a [mwcard=FWJ02]Watchtower[/mwcard] with [mwcard=FWC07]Grimson[/mwcard], and still have space for a barracks. Eventually climb your wall and place an outpost on the outside and let your barracks start summoning. Add alter of domination if you think you can pull it off.
Maybe wall in the corner and only play the barracks outside the sniper's nest once you've established a defensive line. [mwcard=FWC10]Ludwig Boltstorm[/mwcard] can scare attackers away from your walls. The dwarf warlord's +2 piercing makes Ludwig a beast.
The Skull - Defensive forcemaster. Start with Grimson and an archer tower, Otto walls you in the corner, then summon 4 thought spores. When ready use a thoughtspore to teleport the enemy mage into your cage of suffering. Or use your massive channeling and action advantage to dominate the field. Probably bind dispel, acid ball, and teleport, plus maybe minor heal or reassemble. Thought spores benefit greatly from sacred ground and fortified position, and they can guard to lose flying and hide behind the walls. Occasionally enchant them with block, most unavoidable attacks are range 1 or melee.
Who wants to help me get one of these to work? Anyone else had success using Otto?
