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Author Topic: Zombie Necro Deck  (Read 4561 times)

Hardcordo

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Zombie Necro Deck
« on: April 01, 2015, 11:58:38 AM »
Please take a look and offer any feedback. I think that if I were rushed I would be a little screwed so I am not 100% sure what I can do to try and lean it up a little bit if I need to change strategies. I have played against a Johktari Beastmaster twice and a Force Master. I was able to win each match but I think  that had a little to do with my opponent's strategies that let me build up a decent zombie horde.

There are some zombies that I have not used in the 3 games I have played so I might be taking some of those out if I still don't end up using them. I have not really used the plague zombie or the grey wraith. I like the idea of the bats being able to throw some Rot tokens on things but that might be a pipe dream.


[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]Zombie Necro rev 3[/spellbookname]
[mage]A Necromancer Spellbook[/mage]
[mage]built by the OCTGN SBB[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNA01]2 x Acid Ball[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MW1J19]1 x Deathlock[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNJ04]1 x Graveyard[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1J11]1 x Idol of Pestilence[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFJ06]1 x Rolling Fog[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNJ13]1 x Ziggurat of Undeath[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1J12]1 x Mana Crystal[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MW1C08]2 x Darkfenne Bat[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC04]1 x Grey Wraith[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC07]1 x Mort[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC09]2 x Plague Zombie[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC11]1 x Ravenous Ghoul[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC12]1 x Shaggoth-Zora[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC08]2 x Unstable Zombie[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC19]4 x Venomous Zombie[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC22]1 x Zombie Brute[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC23]4 x Zombie Crawler[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC24]2 x Zombie Minion[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC03]1 x Devouring Jelly[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC01]1 x Acolyte of the Bog Queen[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE03]1 x Arcane Corruption[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1E02]1 x Block[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1E08]1 x Death Link[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1E20]1 x Harmonize[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1E25]1 x Maim Wings[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNE02]1 x Rise Again[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNE03]1 x Stumble[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNQ01]1 x Cloak of Shadows[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ02]1 x Death Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ03]1 x Deathshroud Staff[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ05]1 x Libro Mortuos[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q19]1 x Mage Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ10]1 x Meditation Amulet[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNI01]1 x Animate Dead[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWPRO1]1 x Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I07]1 x Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I08]1 x Drain Life[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNI06]2 x Zombie Frenzy[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKI01]2 x Drain Soul[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

ACG

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Re: Zombie Necro Deck
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2015, 12:21:40 PM »
Please take a look and offer any feedback. I think that if I were rushed I would be a little screwed so I am not 100% sure what I can do to try and lean it up a little bit if I need to change strategies. I have played against a Johktari Beastmaster twice and a Force Master. I was able to win each match but I think  that had a little to do with my opponent's strategies that let me build up a decent zombie horde.

There are some zombies that I have not used in the 3 games I have played so I might be taking some of those out if I still don't end up using them. I have not really used the plague zombie or the grey wraith. I like the idea of the bats being able to throw some Rot tokens on things but that might be a pipe dream.

Telling us your opening/overall strategy might help (clearly, you are going for zombie horde, but what exactly do you plan to do, particularly near the start of the game?)

A few comments right away, though:

1. Drop the bats. They have no synergy with your spawnpoints, and there is no point wasting your actions to summon them.

2. Consider dropping a spawnpoint. Zombies (aside from crawlers) are relatively expensive, and there are other things you will want to cast.

3. In general, you probably have too many creatures. Focusing on building a horde to the exclusion of all else is not a great idea. You probably want to aim for 4-6 zombies (fewer, if using brutes).

4. Add a flaming hellion or two for fighting druids/flying creatures.

5. Cut 1 of the Drain Souls. They are expensive, and likely to be cast only once per game. Save them for a guaranteed finisher.

Hardcordo

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Re: Zombie Necro Deck
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2015, 01:23:09 PM »
I forgot to mention my starting strategy. I usually play Death Ring then Libro on the first turn. On turn two I would cast Mort or a Ravenous ghoul(Eternal Servant), Next I meditate and deploy crawlers then venomous and minions while casting zombie frenzy when I am able.

I am considering taking out the zombie minions because since I prefer to use the Venomous Zombies(from my limited experience with it Taint is pretty awesome). I am also thinking of removing the Shaggoth-Zora cause so far my strength seems to come from having numbers on my side especially when I can get  a zombie frenzy played.

I have removed the 2 Bats, the Grey wraith, 2 venomous zombies, 1 unstable zombie, 1 drain soul, the graveyard, and ziggurat of undeath(did not seem worth playing in previous matches). With everything removed I will be able to add the flamming hellion but still have a bit left to do. Should I put the rest into incantations and enchantments or  a few more offensive spells?

Edit: I am not exactly sure what I would want to do if I were rushed early on before I had my engine running. I am hoping to get a few more matches against the Forcemaster and Johktari Beastmaster after they adjust their strategies so I can practice different starts. So far I think I was really lucky with people thinking the necro was just too hard to beat and trying to turtle up\not playing aggressive enough. I also think I was unlucky cause I feel like I learn a whole lot more when I lose a match.
« Last Edit: April 01, 2015, 01:55:43 PM by Hardcordo »

iNano78

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Re: Zombie Necro Deck
« Reply #3 on: April 01, 2015, 03:50:24 PM »
I recently built a Zombie Necromancer that looked a lot like yours along its way to where it is now.  Things I found:

- Never had enough mana to get much out of two spawn points.  Ended up going with the Libro, as it goes where I go and it's cheaper (especially with the Necro discount).  Besides, if your opponent doesn't cooperate by letting you kill lots of creatures, you won't get much extra channeling out of the Graveyard.

- Decided on a mix of Venomous and Minions because Venomous are wasted against non-living creatures (including mirror match).

- I got rid of the Brute, Unstable Zombies, Shaggoth-Zora, Acolyte, etc. because I don't need more creatures.  I focused on Crawlers and Venomous/Minion, and I use Malacoda as a guard.  I have 1 Plague Zombie for my Eternal Servant that I ditch to Sacrificial Altar when I have time to set that up, but it's my silly combo that I almost never pull off, so... probably not worth adding.

- I don't see what Mort is doing in your book.  I have Skeleton Archers for range support (especially good against fliers), and I considered Mort for a while to keep my Wall of Bones and Archers alive, but eventually I dropped him.  Would rather have Malacoda.

- Drain Soul, Drain Life and Death Link don't work with Deathlock in play.  I guess you could try to use them before dropping Death Lock, but they cost a lot of mana and I'd generally rather pump out a creature each turn than save up for Drain [something], especially when I want to play both Idol and Deathlock (18 mana between them).

- You need more spells that slow down the opposing mage and/or big creatures.  Tanglevine, Force Hold, Enfeeble...

- A Dragonscale Hauberk (or two) goes a long way towards keeping you alive against Warlocks and Fire Wizards that rush you.  The Cloak of Shadows helps, and Rolling Fog is cool, but they probably aren't enough.

- Eagleclaw Boots are a must.  Otherwise a Forcemaster will have no trouble separating you from your minions.

- I kept wanting Ziggurat of Undeath to work, but found that it's too expensive and unreliable for the few times it might do something.  The Ziggurat actually costs fewer spell book points, but I ended up dropping it and packing 1 or 2 Animate Deads instead (for bringing back your opponent's biggest creature or your own Malacoda or whatever).

So ya, cut about half your creatures and the Drain Soul/Life/Death Link and you should have room for these suggestions.  Oh, and you need more Dispels/Dissolves/Teleports!  (Are there really no Teleports?)
« Last Edit: April 01, 2015, 04:16:47 PM by iNano78 »
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Re: Zombie Necro Deck
« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2015, 04:20:29 PM »
I forgot to mention my starting strategy. I usually play Death Ring then Libro on the first turn. On turn two I would cast Mort or a Ravenous ghoul(Eternal Servant), Next I meditate and deploy crawlers then venomous and minions while casting zombie frenzy when I am able.

Sounds like a decent opening. I am uncertain whether Ravenous Ghoul would be best for this type of book, though; in my mind, the Ghoul's greatest strength is its speed, coupled with armor (giving it more staying power than Deathfang). But it sounds like you are building up a horde, in which a ghoul might be too aggressive - an opponent that fails to rush you will inevitably be crushed by your numbers, since nobody does hordes quite like the necromancer.

One thing I (and others) have noticed about Mage Wars is that one mage in a given match-up benefits more from rushing than the other (has a more short-term book), and their opponent benefits more from turtling. A build designed to create a horde of zombies will usually benefit more from turtling, so any opponent that realizes this will have to rush you, regardless of their build. You don't need to move far; if your opponent does not get to your mage FAST, you will win most of the time. So fast creatures aren't very useful.

A skeletal knight might be a better option. It is the same cost, but hits harder and is tougher to kill. It also makes a great guard for when they rush you.

I have removed the 2 Bats, the Grey wraith, 2 venomous zombies, 1 unstable zombie, 1 drain soul, the graveyard, and ziggurat of undeath(did not seem worth playing in previous matches). With everything removed I will be able to add the flamming hellion but still have a bit left to do. Should I put the rest into incantations and enchantments or  a few more offensive spells?

My advice for spells is the following:

* 1-3 copies of [mwcard=MWSTX2FFE04]Brace Yourself[/mwcard]. This spell is incredible, and works well in pretty much every book. Once cast, it can be revealed no matter how much mana you have. Players will often concentrate their efforts into doing damage in a single round; this card significantly blunts such efforts for very little investment, and can be revealed whenever you want. If I'm not mistaken, you should still have enough mana to cast this on the second turn even if you go with Mort, so this could be your answer to early rushers. It is also novice, so it costs very little to include.

* 1-2 copies of [mwcard=MWSTX2FFI03]Disarm[/mwcard] - Another great novice spell. You don't have many dissolves (by the way, maybe add another dissolve), so this can help you against extremely dangerous or frustrating pieces of equipment. It is also one of the best cards for baiting Nullify; if you think your opponent has a Nullify on them, cast this on a piece of low-level equipment for 1 mana. Worst case scenario, they were bluffing, and you disable a piece of armor or something. Also good for disabling armor to prepare for a zombie onslaught.

* [mwcard=MWSTX2FFJ01]Harshforge Monolith[/mwcard] - A little expensive, but worth it. You don't have much in the way of anti-enchantments (by the way, maybe add another dispel), which is fine, since you won't be doing much enchanting. If you face a super-aggro enchantment stacking mage, this will punish them. Alternatively, [mwcard=MWSTX2FFE03]Arcane Corruption[/mwcard] could work well (and is much cheaper) in a similar role, though it is more limited (the Monolith punishes anybody who invests heavily in enchantments; Arcane Corruption only punishes stacking them on the same creature.

* [mwcard=MW1E23]Jinx[/mwcard] - This is one of the most lethal cards in the game. Once you have your opponent in the middle of your horde, you want to keep them there; just a few turns are all you need. Most escape plans require a quick cast. Cast this on the enemy mage, and you can delay their survival plan by a turn or more, which might be all you need.

* [mwcard=MW1I28]Teleport[/mwcard] - To move the enemy into the middle of your horde. Just make sure you use Disarm to check for nullifies first.

* [mwcard=MW1J22]Tanglevine[/mwcard]/[mwcard=MW1E16]Force Hold[/mwcard] - To keep them in place while your zombies murder them.

Basically, cards that let you trap your enemy until they die from your slow but relentless zombies.

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Re: Zombie Necro Deck
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2015, 04:29:52 PM »
- Drain Soul, Drain Life and Death Link don't work with Deathlock in play.  I guess you could try to use them before dropping Death Lock, but they cost a lot of mana and I'd generally rather pump out a creature each turn than save up for Drain [something], especially when I want to play both Idol and Deathlock (18 mana between them).

Drain Soul is still extremely valuable even after Deathlock because it is a guaranteed 6 damage (assuming you test for nullify before casting it). It is also an easy way to get poison conditions on your opponent so that you can use Plague Master to deal damage every round. Drain Life and Death Link are less useful, but every necromancer should keep a copy of Drain Soul around.

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Re: Zombie Necro Deck
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2015, 05:22:10 PM »
- Drain Soul, Drain Life and Death Link don't work with Deathlock in play.  I guess you could try to use them before dropping Death Lock, but they cost a lot of mana and I'd generally rather pump out a creature each turn than save up for Drain [something], especially when I want to play both Idol and Deathlock (18 mana between them).

Drain Soul is still extremely valuable even after Deathlock because it is a guaranteed 6 damage (assuming you test for nullify before casting it). It is also an easy way to get poison conditions on your opponent so that you can use Plague Master to deal damage every round. Drain Life and Death Link are less useful, but every necromancer should keep a copy of Drain Soul around.

Good points. In my limited experience with it, it tended to be a "win more" card, but I can see how a close match might need that 6 damage on a turn with initiative before getting Fireballed to death.
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Hardcordo

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Re: Zombie Necro Deck
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2015, 07:40:00 PM »
I made a few changes based upon the wonderful feedback I received from you both. I reduced my creature count considerably cause I definitely overdid it on the creature front. I made took a few liberties that I think will fit my play style as I continue to experiment with this as I learn the game more too. Let me know if I made any stupid mistakes! Thanks again!

Edit: My strategy will be pretty similar but I will try dawning armor or brace myself depending on how my opponent goes.

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname][/spellbookname]
[mage]Necromancer[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNA01]2 x  Acid Ball[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFA01]2 x  Devil's Trident[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1j19]1 x  Deathlock[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j11]1 x  Idol of Pestilence[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j12]1 x  Mana Crystal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFJ06]1 x  Rolling Fog[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j22]1 x  Tanglevine[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNW02]2 x  Wall of Bones[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNC07]1 x  Mort[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC19]2 x  Venomous Zombie[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC23]4 x  Zombie Crawler[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC24]2 x  Zombie Minion[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC13]2 x  Skeletal Archer[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE03]1 x  Arcane Corruption[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e02]1 x  Block[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e16]1 x  Force Hold[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e14]2 x  Enfeeble[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e20]1 x  Harmonize[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e25]1 x  Maim Wings[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNE02]1 x  Rise Again[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNE03]1 x  Stumble[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e38]1 x  Teleport Trap[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE04]2 x  Brace Yourself[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e23]1 x  Jinx[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e10]1 x  Decoy[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNQ01]1 x  Cloak of Shadows[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ02]1 x  Death Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ03]1 x  Deathshroud Staff[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q06]1 x  Dragonscale Hauberk[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKQ06]1 x  Eagleclaw Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ05]1 x  Libro Mortuos[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q19]1 x  Mage Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ10]1 x  Meditation Amulet[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNI01]1 x  Animate Dead[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]2 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i07]2 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKI01]1 x  Drain Soul[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFI03]2 x  Disarm[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i24]1 x  Seeking Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i28]1 x  Teleport[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNI06]2 x  Zombie Frenzy[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNI03]1 x  Reassemble[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]
« Last Edit: April 01, 2015, 08:32:17 PM by Hardcordo »