Mowgli Build Beastmaster

[ringkichard]

If it's any balm to your singed conscience, the tournament winning book I mentioned, Lord of Terror, wasn't a Beastmaster book. It was an Araxian Crown Warlock that played Adremelech or Dark Pact Slayer. It's now mostly outdated tech, but I'm fairly proud of this adaptation. Beastmaster seems to do it better than Warlock did because Kinship is such an efficient card. I'm wondering what I can put together using the whole card pool.

The Fox is a bit of a weak link at 1 armor and 8 health, because a lucky roll on an attack spell can kill it; but it would break-even on mana and action cost, so that's probably fine, even if it does cost your melee+1. Replacing it can be a good option if you're not at a point to close the game with attack spells yet. If possible, it's fun to have another one already prepares when the first one dies, so you cast the replacement pet immediately, rather than wait for 2 rounds for it to be able to attack again. And of course, playing 6 foxes is easy, but playing 4 attack spells just to kill foxes is harder (without spellbind).

(My Beastmasters go through a lot of pets. The humane league won't let me adopt anymore.)

[Borg]

I'd change turn 1 slightly: quickcast Cheetah Speed first, reveal it, then move twice and cast a Fox as your activation. This way, you've got an active Fox on turn 2 and could event Rouse the Beast on Cervere for 2 animals attacking in turn 2 (if your opponent didn't stay in his starting zone), or get a second Fox in play on turn 2 to make a bigger move on turn 3.

Nah, that won't work iNano78, you're 1 mana short for that

19 : Cheetah Speed 5 + Fox 5
18 : 19 needed to cast and rouse cervere

[iNano78]

I'd change turn 1 slightly: quickcast Cheetah Speed first, reveal it, then move twice and cast a Fox as your activation. This way, you've got an active Fox on turn 2 and could event Rouse the Beast on Cervere for 2 animals attacking in turn 2 (if your opponent didn't stay in his starting zone), or get a second Fox in play on turn 2 to make a bigger move on turn 3.

Nah, that won't work iNano78, you're 1 mana short for that

19 : Cheetah Speed 5 + Fox 5
18 : 19 needed to cast and rouse cervere

Wow, forgot how expensive Cervere is.  No wonder I switched him out for Rajah, Jungle's Talon in a couple of my decks.   
(Of course, Rajah isn't Fast, so it won't be able to attack turn 2 unless your opponent happens to move 2 spaces towards you - oh, and you probably need to wait a couple weeks for Academy to be released retail)

[Borg]

If you ever get Forcemaster vs Warlord, btw, replace or supplement the Fireballs with Hurl Boulder. Less susceptible to being hated on by Elemental Cloak and Dragonscale Hauberk.

Not to mention the spellbook points cost to include three Fireballs : 18 sbp's.

Other than that I really liked your scheme, going in with an unenchanted Cervere is new to me. I usually cast Cervere on R1 so he'll have at least 1 or more enchantments on him by the time he strikes but your opening might be interesting to use vs ... a Necromancer for instance ?

[Ophidimancer]

Hmm ... I do have that Hurl Meteorite.  Benefit of having a friend who goes to Gen Con every year.

[ringkichard]

Not to mention the spellbook points cost to include three Fireballs : 18 sbp's.

Yeah, at 6 points a piece they're pretty dear. That's why I'm not suggesting 4. Then again, my idea of a beautiful spellbook is Priestess playing Dire Wolves and Deathlock, or Forcemaster playing Steelclaw Grizzly, so your mileage may vary.

More seriously, Agro books aren't played for the long game. All those carefully horded spellbook points should be spent as fast as possible instead. You lose the long game to Gate to Voltari or Lair anyway.

Other than that I really liked your scheme, going in with an unenchanted Cervere is new to me. I usually cast Cervere on R1 so he'll have at least 1 or more enchantments on him by the time he strikes but your opening might be interesting to use vs ... a Necromancer for instance ?

Necro, Priestess, Swarm Beastmaster, Core Wizard, any druid that doesn't play Vine Tree on turn one (though I might try for double Fox instead of Fox pet), Anyone whose first turn play is double Mana Crystal (except Wizard's Tower Wizard, so none of them). Any newish player who hasn't seen a Round Three agro book yet, etc.

And I'd be more likely to play this opening if I got even polarity. I wouldn't want to try this against Druid that can cast and reveal Barkskin during the QC on round 4, for instance. Of course if my opponent has a habit of leaving enchantments face down till the last possible minute, I might bring Seeking Dispel and forgo my personal attack for a round....

It looks streamlined and terrifying (it is), but there's lots of subtle decisions to make. Force Push + Wall of Thorns is a great threat to have (10 dice, ouch) but it's useless against a well armored mage, especially Vet Belt. Is it worth including? If you include it, do you ever intend to try for it? And so on.

[Ophidimancer]

If it's any balm to your singed conscience, the tournament winning book I mentioned, Lord of Terror, wasn't a Beastmaster book. It was an Araxian Crown Warlock that played Adremelech or Dark Pact Slayer. It's now mostly outdated tech, but I'm fairly proud of this adaptation. Beastmaster seems to do it better than Warlock did because Kinship is such an efficient card. I'm wondering what I can put together using the whole card pool.

The Fox is a bit of a weak link at 1 armor and 8 health, because a lucky roll on an attack spell can kill it; but it would break-even on mana and action cost, so that's probably fine, even if it does cost your melee+1. Replacing it can be a good option if you're not at a point to close the game with attack spells yet. If possible, it's fun to have another one already prepares when the first one dies, so you cast the replacement pet immediately, rather than wait for 2 rounds for it to be able to attack again. And of course, playing 6 foxes is easy, but playing 4 attack spells just to kill foxes is harder (without spellbind).

(My Beastmasters go through a lot of pets. The humane league won't let me adopt anymore.)

Emphasis mine, and yes, I also wonder what you'd put together in this vein with a more complete card pool.

[Borg]

... your full agro opening could go:
0. If possible, chose to give your opponent the Initiative marker for the first round. You want even-polarity initiative, so you can hit on round 3, then again immediately on round 4.

1. (19) Move twice to Near Center. Enchant yourself with [mwcard=MW1E05] Cheetah Speed[/mwcard]. (17)

2. (26) Summon [mwcard=MW1C07] Cervere[/mwcard]. (11) Summon a pet [mwcard=MW1C04]Fox[/mwcard] (4).

3. (13) Quickcast [mwcard=MW1J02] Animal Kinship[/mwcard] (5). Reveal [mwcard=MW1E05] Cheetah Speed[/mwcard] (2).

The advantage of that opening round 1 move is of course that you've revealed nothing yet to your opponent besides that you're going to be aggressive, you're sitting on 26 mana on round 2 and you have all your options open.

The downside is that you're standing unprotected in NC on R2 and that you are potentially in range of some nasty spells or attacks.

So, I was thinking of this opening :

(19) : Ring of Beasts (2) + Cervere (14)
(12) : Move Cervere to NC and Guard + QCast&Reveal Cheetah Speed (5) + move to NC + Pet Fox (6)
(10) : Animal Kinship ( 8 ) + Attack with Fast/Elusive Cervere, Fast/Elusive Beastmaster and Fast Pet Fox
(11) : Timber Wolf ( 8 ) + Rouse the Beast (2)
(10) : Attack + Hurl Boulder ( 8 ) ... ( alternatively you can continue QC'ing L1 Animals )

This opening keeps you in a safe position at the start of R2.
Just like your opening you end R2 in NC but this time you have a Cervere on Guard and you may be able to act last and thus avoid a direct melee attack or double attack spell played on you.

Offensively this plays out just the same.

[Borg]

(19) : Ring of Beasts (2) + Cervere (14)
(12) : Move Cervere to NC and Guard + QCast&Reveal Cheetah Speed (5) + move to NC + Pet Fox (6)
(10) : Animal Kinship ( 8 ) + Attack with Fast/Elusive Cervere, Fast/Elusive Beastmaster and Fast Pet Fox

I tried this approach against my Necromancer book yesterday and the Necromancer was finished in R6.
The Hurl Boulders in R5 and R6 definitely giving the extra push.
Next time, the Bone Walls will come up to buy extra time.