Necro Ichthellid

[Squirrelmaster]

Hi, first time poster long time reader. Have really wanted to build a good Necro Ichthellid book, I really like the theme of it. I did make one a while ago but it was too slow and was crushed easily. Relied heavily on the Ichthellids infecting my own acolytes and the having a Ravenous Ghoul eating them (so evil). So this is my second attempt and I'm still not convinced. Suggestions welcome, I don't have Forged in Fire or Conquest of Kumanjaro.


[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]Ichthellid Swarm[/spellbookname]
[mage]Necromancer[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWA05]2 x  Invisible Fist[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWA02]1 x  Force Hammer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a06]2 x  Flameblast[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNA01]2 x  Acid Ball[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1j19]1 x  Deathlock[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j11]1 x  Idol of Pestilence[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j20]1 x  Sacrificial Altar[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNW02]2 x  Wall of Bones[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j12]1 x  Mana Crystal[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNC11]2 x  Ravenous Ghoul[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC13]2 x  Skeletal Archer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC05]4 x  Ichthellid[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC07]1 x  Mort[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC14]1 x  Skeletal Knight[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC01]1 x  Acolyte of the Bog Queen[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC04]1 x  Grey Wraith[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c23]1 x  Malacoda[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1e09]1 x  Agony[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e08]1 x  Death Link[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e31]1 x  Poisoned Blood[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e25]2 x  Maim Wings[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e05]1 x  Cheetah Speed[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e23]2 x  Jinx[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e29]2 x  Nullify[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1q04]1 x  Deflection Bracers[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ02]1 x  Death Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q23]1 x  Regrowth Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ01]1 x  Cloak of Shadows[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q07]1 x  Elemental Cloak[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ03]1 x  Deathshroud Staff[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q05]1 x  Demonhide Armor[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ05]1 x  Libro Mortuos[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q06]1 x  Dragonscale Hauberk[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1i28]2 x  Teleport[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i08]1 x  Drain Life[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNI03]2 x  Reassemble[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i07]2 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i24]2 x  Seeking Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]2 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

[Halewijn]

Can you explain your first rounds?
At first sight, it looks like a very solid book to me.

Maybe some more acolytes? Why did you add malacoda in this book?

[V10lentray]

Coshade and Intangible0 built one of these a while back.  I remember playing against it, not sure if it ever made one of our videos or we were just playing it in testing.

[drmambo23]

At a quick glance, the flame blast and fists go against the cloak of shadows. And the cloak of shadows cant be equipped while the elemental cloak is on.

I think the graveyard might work better for you since the creature has to die for you to get another icthelid. When that happens you get mana on the graveyard. Graveyard can also summon the wraith.

Also

Not sure if you need 2 teleports either? 1 usually does it.

Knowing your first 3 rounds or so would help for feedback

[Squirrelmaster]

The acolyte is really just in there as bit of a back up against a low creature deck. I can infected him and either sacrifice him or get the ghoul to eat him. Maybe another would work, or none at all?

I really just like Malacoda, he's tough and his ability works well with the necro. Put the cheetah speed on him and he's even better. I guess the thinking behind it is if he's in a square with one or two infected creatures and they are almost dead next upkeep pop a couple of ichthelids.

Never used the graveyard, but I see the reasoning behind it. I'll try to squeeze it in.

the two cloaks are more situational, elemental cloak is just super handy and the cloak of shadows will help against holy mages.

The attack spells are in there really to finish off almost dead infected creatures that I just can't get too, for whatever reason. Too be honest I had some spare spell points so that's why they're in there and the extra teleport.

Anyway first couple of turns would be something like;

Turn 1: QC death ring then libro
Turn 2: 16 mana plus one on libro: libro summons ichthellid leaves  9 mana QC mana crystal then move one and face down nullify.
Turn 3: 12 mana plus one on libro: Libro summons ichthellid leaves 6 mana then depending on what opponent does maybe armor/ elemental cloak.

Or maybe should pop in another crystal or meditation amulet and can then cast it and then meditate, if I don't cast the armor.

[Biblofilter]

Hi books look solid.

Few things I would change.

Drop the Acid Balls and get 2 more Dissolves. With Academy Priestess and now PvS Priestess will be played more, and her Restore ability is really annoying.

More Walls? Those Ichthellids can climb seems logical to add 1 or 2 Walls. Archers Watchtower might fit then.

Id cut Mort - I think he's a bit to expensive and tend to get focused down to much. Even with the extra Walls. Some really good players disagree with me on Mort..

[silverclawgrizzly]

Books looks pretty solid to me. I agree with Biblo about the Dissolves even if they do go against the Cloak of Shadows, you can always run away afterwards. I personally like Mort a lot but don't think you have the creatures to make him worth while here. Maybe a couple of Deathfangs instead?

I think Malacoda is a cool option as it gives you a distraction your opponents will need to deal with while your Ichthellids do their thing.

[Squirrelmaster]

Thanks guys, all great points.

The acid balls were mainly to be used against higher armor creatures, but I guess since the ichthellids and a few others have piercing, maybe that's a good point. I could always ditch some of the attack spells for two more dissolves.

I guess Mort went in as I've never used him before (just had a zombie necro) and having played against him he's pretty annoying. But he is expensive and the I do have some other expensive creatures, Malacoda being one and I want him all the time, it might be hard to cast Mort. Deathfangs would be handy.

I had more walls and watchtower in my original ichthellid build but it turned out to be really slow and expensive setting up the walls and tower before actually casting any ichthellids. But I only played it once and it ended horribly. I do see your point.
Ill make the few changes and post the new one up and give it a test play and see what happens.

[Tyrnan]

I can't say much about the Ichtellid's since I never played them. But I want to say something about the walls.

I had more walls and watchtower in my original ichthellid build but it turned out to be really slow and expensive setting up the walls and tower before actually casting any ichthellids.

In my games I realized that, indeed, setting up walls strategically and then starting to add the creatures and slowly start building up pressure is very expensive and time consuming and it actually never worked out for me. But you do not need to use walls that way. Use them situationally. React to what your opponent does and use the walls to neglect him to reach his goals or make him (and/or his creatures) go where you want him to go. Used this way walls can be pretty effective 

[Squirrelmaster]

Ok, so I made some changes:
Mort out 2x deathfangs in
Force hammer out Graveyard in
Invisable fists and flame blasts out and 2x wall of bone, agony and 2 dissolves and a reassemble in
Kept the acid balls, for heavily armoured creatures/conjurations.

Left Libro in, but as I have the graveyard, not sure I need it.
maybe take it out for leather gloves and/or boots and another death ring/dark enchantment/dispel/acolyte?



[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname][/spellbookname]
[mage]Necromancer[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNA01]2 x  Acid Ball[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNJ04]1 x  Graveyard[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j11]1 x  Idol of Pestilence[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j20]1 x  Sacrificial Altar[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNW02]4 x  Wall of Bones[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j12]1 x  Mana Crystal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j19]1 x  Deathlock[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNC13]2 x  Skeletal Archer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC14]1 x  Skeletal Knight[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC01]1 x  Acolyte of the Bog Queen[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC04]1 x  Grey Wraith[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c23]1 x  Malacoda[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC11]2 x  Ravenous Ghoul[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC02]2 x  Deathfang[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC05]4 x  Ichthellid[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1e31]1 x  Poisoned Blood[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e25]2 x  Maim Wings[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e05]1 x  Cheetah Speed[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e23]2 x  Jinx[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e29]2 x  Nullify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e09]2 x  Agony[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e08]1 x  Death Link[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNQ02]1 x  Death Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q23]1 x  Regrowth Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q07]1 x  Elemental Cloak[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ03]1 x  Deathshroud Staff[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q05]1 x  Demonhide Armor[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ05]1 x  Libro Mortuos[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q06]1 x  Dragonscale Hauberk[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ01]1 x  Cloak of Shadows[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q04]1 x  Deflection Bracers[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNI03]3 x  Reassemble[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i07]4 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i24]2 x  Seeking Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]2 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i08]1 x  Drain Life[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i28]2 x  Teleport[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

[Squirrelmaster]

Just thought I'd give an update on how the build went.
Played against a Bloodwave Warlord and unfortunately after 3hrs we had to call time. although at this point I had 1 damage to go until I was dead and had just walled myself into a corner, with all my creatures, (I think it was two ghouls, 4 ichthellids, 1 skeleton archer and the 1 knight), and my opponent had two dwarf crossbow men and i think he had maybe 15ish life left. I was about to put on a regrowth belt and had one wall and a reassemble left in my book. so who knows where it could have went.
Posatives:
The ichthellid engine worked well, i was able to infect and kill creatures regularly to keep the ichthellids churning out.
Graveyard was expensive and slow to get going but mid game it really can into its own as the bodies started to pile up.
The necros poison master ability to deal one damage when a creature has poison counter was excellent as the eggs are counted as a poison.
Negatives:
Malacoda, he got smashed really quickly, as he was a massive threat. he needed to be protected more.
Deathshroud Staff, mostly my fault i cast this and got all gun ho and ran headlong into the battle, when i should have stayed out. haha
Changes:
A heal spell/regrowth for Malacoda.
Meditation Amulet
Mage wand