Aether with Darkness Splash - Any help appreciated!

[Zawadx]

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This deck is quite good against AI3, averaging 80-85% win rate (idk if that's good LOL). However, it's not so good when it comes down to AI4/Arena. So I thought you guys could suggest some improvements?

Some notes:

- I know more Lobotomizers/Electrocuters would help this deck a LOT, but sadly I have just the one.
- I stuck to Immortals for their damage-to-quanta ration compared to Phase Dragons. Should I switch?
- I know the QI of both Darkness and Aether is very low. But this poses no problems to me. Yes, I generally have to wait till turns 3-4 before playing a card, but with this build I generally play cards as I get them, with just enough quanta for each. Of course, I'm open to suggestions if you think the QI is too high to be effective.

P. S. I'm also thinking of making a Psiontal for Arena - do you think that's better than trying to modify this for Arena?

[dragtom]

mark of , pendulums...

since you usually don't want your shields replaced, perhaps a splash with deflags is better?

[Higurashi]

PC has never helped Monoaether much since its offence is very hard to stop or slow down. With Immortals, however, it makes some sense to have PC for damage reduction shields like Titanium. The better solution is to pack more end-game offence, i.e. focus on 6 Phase Dragons and fill in with Immortals and quanta. This works better against all opponents, especially once they start getting more HP than 100. Monoaether is, for instance, the best beginner deck against Half-Bloods, and one of the best against both Bronze and Silver. Of course, since Aether got Shard of Wisdom and Psion, worrying about shields is a problem of the past. Psion can even be lobotomized if someone plays a reflective shield.

Switch to Psiontal and you'll do much better, especially against Arena. The basic recommended Monoaether builds will also work better than slowing down and reducing your offence with Steals.

[Zawadx]

mark of , pendulums...

since you usually don't want your shields replaced, perhaps a splash with deflags is better?

I've tried these out, and they don't really help much. Mark of means too much  in my hand, while not enough  .

  splash works, but steal's ability to turn your opponent's strengths against them is worth the extra Quanta.

PC has never helped Monoaether much since its offence is very hard to stop or slow down. With Immortals, however, it makes some sense to have PC for damage reduction shields like Titanium. The better solution is to pack more end-game offence, i.e. focus on 6 Phase Dragons and fill in with Immortals and quanta. This works better against all opponents, especially once they start getting more HP than 100. Monoaether is, for instance, the best beginner deck against Half-Bloods, and one of the best against both Bronze and Silver. Of course, since Aether got Shard of Wisdom and Psion, worrying about shields is a problem of the past. Psion can even be lobotomized if someone plays a reflective shield.

Switch to Psiontal and you'll do much better, especially against Arena. The basic recommended Monoaether builds will also work better than slowing down and reducing your offence with Steals.

While Phase Dragons can ignore damage reduction, what about Dusk/Procrastination/Permafrost/Fog shields? They effectively halve your damage output, and can devastate Monoaether unless some PC is applied.

But I catch your drift. So I'll switch to Psiontal, and probably revisit this once I've got Shards of Wisdom. Also, with Shards of Wisdom, which one do you think would be a better central creature, Immortals or Phase Dragons?

[Higurashi]

Aye, that's a problem if you slow down your offence by slowing down your quanta gain. In a straight MA, you rush out your Dragons so fast that they're boned regardless unless they have a response to Dims. That's what it comes down to no matter what in 90% of games. Normal MA also has enough to add in 1-2 copies of both Fractal and Psion, should it want to. Similarly, Psiontal can be run with 4 Psions, 3 Fractals, no Lobos and 3 Phase Dragons if it wants even more durable offence than the resilient kind Fractal offers. Of course, most of the time the early damage and utility of Lobo is better since it supports Dims. That said, it can also be run with Lightnings instead of Dims if PC is common (permanent control).

With SoW's, Immortals offer enough damage to fell most AI decks. Against FG's, however, you'll want Elite Phase Dragons for the massive burst damage in order to chock AI past Miracle-usage, since so many FG's have Miracles or other forms of strong stalling.

What you do to win against FG's like Miracle with MA is to play one Elite Phasie and Electro to whittle down their HP, stall with shields, then hit him with 4 Dragons once he's down to 43 HP. This will prevent him from using Miracle. You can use this tactic against all Miracle-using AI, but you must adjust after how much damage you're doing. Against Miracle your Dragons will be doing 8 damage each and your Electro 3 due to the Jade Shield. Divine Glory, on the other hand, has no shield. Morte is rushed down with SoW's and prevented from using Miracle by lobotomizing his Rays.

In Arena above Silver I would also advise Phase Dragons as decks can really start to stall well in Gold and Platinum. For Half-Bloods it doesn't matter once you get SoW's, but before that you'll wanna go with Dragons.

[Zawadx]

Aye, that's a problem if you slow down your offence by slowing down your quanta gain. In a straight MA, you rush out your Dragons so fast that they're boned regardless unless they have a response to Dims. That's what it comes down to no matter what in 90% of games. Normal MA also has enough to add in 1-2 copies of both Fractal and Psion, should it want to. Similarly, Psiontal can be run with 4 Psions, 3 Fractals, no Lobos and 3 Phase Dragons if it wants even more durable offence than the resilient kind Fractal offers. Of course, most of the time the early damage and utility of Lobo is better since it supports Dims. That said, it can also be run with Lightnings instead of Dims if PC is common (permanent control).

With SoW's, Immortals offer enough damage to fell most AI decks. Against FG's, however, you'll want Elite Phase Dragons for the massive burst damage in order to chock AI past Miracle-usage, since so many FG's have Miracles or other forms of strong stalling.

What you do to win against FG's like Miracle with MA is to play one Elite Phasie and Electro to whittle down their HP, stall with shields, then hit him with 4 Dragons once he's down to 43 HP. This will prevent him from using Miracle. You can use this tactic against all Miracle-using AI, but you must adjust after how much damage you're doing. Against Miracle your Dragons will be doing 8 damage each and your Electro 3 due to the Jade Shield. Divine Glory, on the other hand, has no shield. Morte is rushed down with SoW's and prevented from using Miracle by lobotomizing his Rays.

In Arena above Silver I would also advise Phase Dragons as decks can really start to stall well in Gold and Platinum. For Half-Bloods it doesn't matter once you get SoW's, but before that you'll wanna go with Dragons.

Thanks a lot for the advise. You restored my faith in Mono Aether .

Psiontal with Dragons is an interesting version, as well as MA with Psions and Fractals (This kinda makes me feel like I'm splashing xD).

And I never saw the potential of Mono Aether past Half-bloods and Silver, as most FGs seems to be 'Mono Aether's out by definition'.  Thanks for the amazing advice.