Siren Still Hasn't Beaten Paladin

[MrSaucy]

I've played 5 games with Siren vs Paladin (as both mages). The Siren has lost every single game by a mile. She just seems very weak.

Sure, she can set up traps, but by the time she sets them up they only delay her troubles.

Her equipment is underwhelming. One of her rings is only useful for half of the rounds in the game while the other ring doesn't get a cost reduction from all water spells, only hydro and aquatic. Her ability to sustain psychic spells hasn't proven to be as helpful as I had hoped. She practically requires a Meditation Amulet since she seems to be constantly starved for mana.

I have been very disappointed with most of her creatures (save for Naiya, who is excellent). The sharks aren't strong enough. The pirates aren't strong enough. None of her level 1 or 2 creatures are worth casting because the most they can do is buy you time - The Siren appears to have a lot of ways to delay threats but few ways to actually deal with them, which is frustrating. The creatures she has that actually ARE effective are extremely expensive... which really makes me wonder why she only has channeling of 9. And then there is grapple, which honestly isn't that good. Even though its a condition marker it isn't hard to escape, and by the time my creatures do have something grappled they are half dead because I have few ways of keeping them alive.

As far as incantations go she has... well she really only has dissolve. And the only good water attack spell she has that you can cast regularly is surging wave.

What am I missing here? She comes off as a mage who is spread to thin with not enough focus on one thing.

[Puddnhead]

It might help us to see what sort of a book you've built for her and how you're planning to win the game.

My experience with her is also limited but I feel like many of her tools are Top Notch.  Her trident is one of the best weapons in the game.  Her songs and her ability to extend them coupled with her Siren's Call give her unparalleled control over the arena.  Shallow Sea is incredibly powerful it's a zone wide 2-dice differential and Shoalsdeep Tidecaller is bonkers!

[Biblofilter]

Well im like 1-10 with Siren vs all other mages atm.

Starting to do better with her, but still have a long way to go.

I really do like her, and to me it seems likes she is able to deal lots of sudden damage in a unique way.

Her songs pretty good to, unless you are facing non-living psychic immune creatures.

[wtcannonjr]

My favorite opening for Siren at the moment is:

R1: Ring of Oceans Depth (2) + Move + Shallow Sea (4) = (13)
R2: Kraken (20) = (2)
R3: Naiya (11)

From here you can have Naiya support as a battleforge or cast more Shallow Seas. The Siren can save mana, use her Siren's Call and Trident. My next creature is usually a Merren Harpooner as their range attack is nice and has a chance to snatch into favorable terrain. If you want to play a longer game, you need to bring out the Echo of the Depths spawnpoint.

This opening is 2 - 0 so far defeating both a Paladin and an Anvil Throne Warlord.

[Halewijn]

I agree on the Pirate-part. I have tried but without succes. The skeletons don't have a lot of synergy with the rest of her abilities, spells and they are squishy. I also haven't used the walls/urchins with succes yet. They cost a lot of mana indeed...

Apart from the undead pirates, I think the trick is to carefully wait to attack. Don't charge the opponent head on because her creatures can be easily killed, but let them come to you. Or pull them if they start turtling. Really make use of the initiative/tidal effects. kraken/leviathan are 2 amazing big guys, Naiya is amazing and the Trident is also pretty crazy.

I had a deck where my mage was supported by Naiya. I always used 1 round to hit with the trident and hit with all my creatures and attack spells and 1 round to summon new creatures and be more defensive. It worked out great.

[MrSaucy]

It might help us to see what sort of a book you've built for her and how you're planning to win the game

Conjurations: 11
4 Shallow Sea
2 Bed of Urchins
1 Whirlpool

Equipment: 11
1 Ring of the Oceans Depths
1 Echo of the Depths
1 Shoalsdeep Trident
1 Leviathan Scale Armor
1 Meditation Amulet
1 Eagleclaw Boots

Creatures: 40
4 Shoalsdeep Tidecallers
1 Naiya
2 Merren Harpooner
2 Deptonne Berserker
1 Colossal Crab
1 Shoalsdeep Crocodile
1 Kraken
1 Sherean Leviathan

Enchantments: 30
2 Hydrothermal Vents
4 Drown
4 Lullaby
1 Song of Love
1 Healing Charm
1 Harmonize
1 Nullify
1 Block
1 Bear Strength
1 Regrowth
1 Akiros Favor
1 Brace Yourself

Incantations: 20
4 Dissolve
1 Minor Heal
1 Seeking Dispel
3 Dispel
1 Knockdown
1 Rouse the Beast
1 Battle Fury

Attacks: 8
4 Acid Ball
4 Surging Wave

I'm assuming Ring of Tides doesn't help her Trident full action attack since the attack is water and not specifically Hydro. If it does affect her Trident I would be playing it.

[ClockWork]

I think the water symbol on her staff is hydro. Hydro and acid belong to water school, just as wind and lighting belong to Air school.

[MrSaucy]

I think the water symbol on her staff is hydro. Hydro and acid belong to water school, just as wind and lighting belong to Air school.

I didn't think so. Acid Ball has the water symbol but only has the Acid subtype. Surging Wave has the water symbol and specifies that it has the Hydro subtype. Unless Acid Ball has a printing mistake I am lead to believe that an attack isn't Hydro unless explicitly stated. This is just like the case where the wizards lightning ring doesn't affect wind spells and his wind ring doesn't affect lightning spells. Both subtypes belong to the Air school but are exclusive.

[Halewijn]

I think the water symbol on her staff is hydro. Hydro and acid belong to water school, just as wind and lighting belong to Air school.

I didn't think so. Acid Ball has the water symbol but only has the Acid subtype. Surging Wave has the water symbol and specifies that it has the Hydro subtype. Unless Acid Ball has a printing mistake I am lead to believe that an attack isn't Hydro unless explicitly stated. This is just like the case where the wizards lightning ring doesn't affect wind spells and his wind ring doesn't affect lightning spells. Both subtypes belong to the Air school but are exclusive.

Clockwork is correct here. Check the attack bar of [mwcard=DNA01]Acid Ball[/mwcard]. The green "blub" you see there is the symbol for acid while the little wave on the attack bar of [mwcard=MWSTX1CKA01]Surging Wave[/mwcard] and the trident symbolises a hydro attack. Just compare the trident with the [mwcard=MW1Q14]Lash of Hellfire[/mwcard] which does not have the flame subtype, but the attack itself is a flame attack.

Analogue:
[mwcard=MW1A03]Electrify[/mwcard] has the lightning-bolt symbol for lightning damage type while [mwcard=MW1A09]Jet Stream[/mwcard] has a little tornado that identifies wind.

For attacks on equipment, creatures and attack spells you should always check the attack bar to identify the damage type and not the subtype of the card in the upper right corner. There are currently no attack spells where the subtype of the spell and the damage type of the attack differ but this could change in the future.

The subtype in the upper right corner is the subtype of the spell itself while the damage type in the attack bar represents what hits the opponent in the face.

[wtcannonjr]

The subtype in the upper right corner is the subtype of the spell itself while the subtype on the attack represents what hits the opponent in the face.

A clarification - the icons on the attack bar are called damage types and not subtypes in the rules. This can be useful to keep the terms separate due to other spell interactions.

I agree that the ring works with the hydro attack on her Trident.

[Halewijn]

A clarification - the icons on the attack bar are called damage types and not subtypes in the rules. This can be useful to keep the terms separate due to other spell interactions.

Thanks. I edited my text. 

[Super Sorcerer]

ב"ה

Just compare the trident with the [mwcard=MW1Q14]Lash of Hellfire[/mwcard] which does not have the fire subtype, but the attack itself is a fire attack.

While you are absolutely correct in your analysis and did a great job in explaining it, I just have to point out that the attack of the Lash of Hellfire is a "Flame" attack and not a "Fire" attack, as the name of that damage type is "Flame".
I totally agree with the other things you said here, the type of the attack (if any) is determined by the icons in the attack bar.

[Halewijn]

Thanks. I missed some therminology in my explanation it seems.  (edited above)

[MrSaucy]

Thanks for clearing that up. I will definitely be using Ring of Tides now since it works with the trident. Now what about equipment? If it doesn't say Hydro but has the water symbol does her Ring of the Oceans Depths let you pay less mana?

Is there any point to having Rust as Siren when you have Acid Ball? I know Rust is cheaper but it can just be dispelled

[Puddnhead]

Thanks for clearing that up. I will definitely be using Ring of Tides now since it works with the trident. Now what about equipment? If it doesn't say Hydro but has the water symbol does her Ring of the Oceans Depths let you pay less mana?

Is there any point to having Rust as Siren when you have Acid Ball? I know Rust is cheaper but it can just be dispelled

I think it comes down to a style and meta choice.  You get both Acid Ball and Rust at cost.

Many of your other enchantments will have dissipate and not necessarily be targeted by a Dispel which would favor Acid Ball.

Acid Ball is not a guaranteed 2 corrode.  After seeing the Lost Grimoire spoilers Acid ball will probably be less favorable than Rust.

You could also plan to bleed them out with all of your bleed effects which bypasses armor and the need for either spell, but that may require you to run Deathlock/Poisoned Blood.