Lava Rush vNG ~ Rushing through the Ages

[~Napalm]

~ The Lava Rush ~

by ~Napalm

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Spoiler for Description:

So I chose to revisit my namesake for Elements, perhaps this is to be my legacy. I did not put into the past two iterations of this what I had invested in the first two. I don't feel I need to explain why this is because it should be obvious enough. For a little while now, I have been reexamining the structure of these decks and searching for a balanced approach to achieving the positives of each deck while negating the negatives. Variants that did not take Phoenixes as their base were very prone to Creature Control decks. The nature of Phoenixes allowed them to surpass this hurdle in some measure, but the lack of a surefire damage dealer (you see what I did there..? ) took its toll on the overall balance and feel of the deck. The Dragons of KOTH played a role that the Phoenixes of vNG could not, and vise versa. In that day and age there was not a way around this. However, in the time since then, there have been several key additions that can bridge this gap.

The first and most important is the buff to Gnome Gemfinder. While I already touched on this with my Gems of Destruction variant, I did not do it justice. The ability to run a Fire Mark is more important than it would seem. Even though a game will normally end in 5-7 turns which means only 5-7 quanta has been transferred from Earth to Fire Quanta, the effect is tremendous. Particularly given the nerf to Cremation. It is quite difficult to explain really, it is something you'll have to experience for yourself. Having a Destroyer or Seraph out a single turn earlier than would otherwise be possible, multiple times in a single game, adds up very quickly.

Secondly, Seraphim can take the place that a Dragon would normally have filled. While the difference between 10 and 9 Fire Quanta may again seem slight (and rather obvious, why would you even consider a Dragon now..?), the difference is palpable. As an added bonus, the Light Quanta generated from Cremation isn't being used for anything else and can be invested in protection for the Seraphim in hostile environments (I've had a Seraph survive a Pandemonium or Plague this way!  8)). Seraphim are the bridge between a Dragon and a Phoenix and they make quite a splash when the enter the battlefield.

I was too stubborn to fully explore what Gems of Destruction was capable of and completely uninspired with vEnlightenment. Having returned the the old balance of 4 Fodder, 3 MP, and 5 Destroyers as a foundation to combine both of these decks has worked out quite well. While I was averse to removing the weapon at first, it is simply pleasing to the eye not having it in the deck. And furthermore, given the importance of PC in the current metagame, having nothing (important) to target can invalidate the existence of 2-3 cards in your opponents deck! A Tower/Pendulum split is also advisable but again for the purpose of aesthetics I chose to post the deck with all Towers (lookit how pretty it looks!).

TL;DR
Give this re-imagining of what Lava Rushes are capable of a test run. If you ever feel the need for speed, this is sure to please! As a result of years of re-balancing efforts, the stability is there to grant a continued respect for the sheer speed and versatility that Fire can bring to the table. Enjoy!

Spoiler for Variants:

Lava Rush vEnlightenment

by ~Napalm

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And now we've been given Seraphim to toy with in Fire decks. While they don't bring anything too new to the field, they add some pretty nifty variety. As such, the latest vNG is only a teensy bit different from its predecessors. I decided I wanted to get Seraphim in here without destroying the core of the deck. In essence I arrived upon a KOTH style deck which simply replaced the Dragons with Seraphim and the BLights with Rays of Light.

The Earth Mark gives the Destroyers plenty of room to grow and brings back the ever friendly Gavel. The ImmoFodder doubles as fuel for starting the deck and protection should the Seraphim get up and running. The Phoenixes once again provide the stability to make the deck run well most of the time. Feels good to use something so familiar again, but with new toys! And beside. Seraph has amazing art.

Gems of Destruction ~ Acronym that! I dare you.

by ~Napalm

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With the buff to the Gnome Gemfinder (it's cost was reduced from 1 to 0) there came the ability to rebalance Lava Rushes. And now with the recent Immolation/Cremation nerfs many of the older versions have taken quite a hit. Because I don't feel that the unupgraded version is a viable route anymore, I've taken the liberty of removing the construction guide that I worked so hard on. Thus ends and Era. We had a good run.

However, decks like this one can still be pretty powerful. With the Fire Mark, the nerf to Immolation/Cremation is felt less while you can still power the Destroyers quite well in most cases. I feel like this deck is one of the more stable ways to rush with Fire. However, there are so many variations now that it all comes down to user preference. See for yourself whether or not you like Fahrenheit in a Lava Rush!

KOTH ~ Reigning King of the Hill of t50 Grinder

by ~Napalm

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May this rest in peace. The last deck to be tested by SickPillow and found to be the best of the best at t50 grinding. While I personally dislike Dragons when I Lava Rush, I had to succumb to the overwhelming need for speed if I was going to oust a Shrieker Rush. This was the end result and it really does know how to rush. Like V2, this deck is geared directly at maximum damage in a minimal time, the only exception being the Explosions that are used to take out pesky shields.

With the Arena now, I fear this can no longer justifiably keep it's title, but I'm going to leave it anyway for old times sake. This here deck is still one of the best options for super speedy rushing, especially when it comes to PvP. While the Arena may have diminished it's play time, it's just as playable as it ever was and it will forever hold a place in my heart. It was the first real accomplishment I ever had on these forums. Take it out for a spin if you want some good old fashioned t50 style speed grinding.

version Napalm Grenade ~ The Original

by ~Napalm

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Aaah, the simple joy of Phoenix Spam. This here is what I would really call the original vNG. It's also the version that, until recently, I always used. While I had posted KOTH, I always used this, simply because I like Phoenixes a lot more than Dragons. They add more durability to Lava Rushes you see. While it's a bit slower than the Dragon Version, it can handle quite a bit more of a disturbance, so the drop in speed doesn't hurt it at all. Shields still aren't an issue either.

This is simply a different way to play the deck is all. While still extremely fast and very good at what it does, you gain that durability aspect that only a Phoenix can provide. Not many things can take a hit and just keep on cruisin' and givin' you a bruisin'. I'd recommend this version over the Dragon version any day of the week. But Phoenix is my favorite card, so yeah! 1 fewer upgrades helps too! This version here is better suited to PvP as it has the durability to withstand some of those meanies decks!

[killsdazombies]

the bottom fire rush is almost exactly jimmz.

[~Napalm]

Is it really?  I swear I made it up, lol.

[killsdazombies]

Its fairly stranded and works very well.

[Retribution]

Do you really need SIX photons?

[icybraker]

The Photons are for the Immolations.

[plastiqe]

In the unupped version, 4x Deflagration is overkill for AI3.  Maybe you could try some Rage Pots?

[Retribution]

The Photons are for the Immolations.

I know that, but I don't think six are needed for six immolations. You have minor phoenixes.

[~Napalm]

In the unupped version, 4x Deflagration is overkill for AI3.  Maybe you could try some Rage Pots?

I could see your point. Perhaps 3 Deflagrations and 1 rage potion. I'll have to try it and edit. I don't want too much creature control for AI 3 because you simply don't need it. T50 is where that comes in. (Especially the Otyughs and Ray of Lights...)

Do you really need SIX photons?

I hear you. You could try it with 5, but I wouldn't recommend any less than that. Often times I end up waiting a turn or two for the 1 photon I need to rush the field. For AI 3 you'd be okay waiting, but in the t50, 1 turn can be the difference between life and death.

I was farming the t50 with this by 350 score by the way. I'd say 55-65% win rate totally unnupped. After I had 3 Minor Phoenixes and 6 Cremations, at least 70%. Fully upped is 85-90%.

[Retribution]

Perhaps you could exchange some photons for fire spirits or brimstone eaters? You can usually play those on the first turn for the upgraded version anyways (especially minor phoenix)...

[plastiqe]

..I don't want too much creature control for AI 3 because you simply don't need it. T50 is where that comes in. (Especially the Otyughs and Ray of Lights...)

I think it's the opposite, T50 with all the rainbows is where you need permanents control... but people change their decks all the time so who knows.  On the other hand, I know AI3 have quite a few creature threats: squid, maxwell's, otyugh & mind flayer to name a few.  Either way your unupgraded version could benefit from Rage Potion cause it serves double duty for buffing Golems.  For AI3/T50 I personally prefer a pillarless rush with novas cause it's super fast and I can use cards like momentum.

[~Napalm]

I've streamlined it quite a bit. It's now even more successful. Check out some of it's spectacular feats I added