Guest posts by zhen_rogue

49

False Gods / Re: Need input/opinions on best 1.17 FG grinder

« on: January 09, 2010, 07:39:23 pm »

After a lot of trial/error, i'm currently running this for 1.17 FG farming:
[NOW OUTDATED, SCROLL DOWN]


Mark of TIME

Upon adding the 3 Quintessence (from my previous version in post #1 above) my winning percentage went from say, 20-25% to 40-45% (it doubled).
Stragegy is simple:
-Draw as fast as you can right down to the bottom of the deck and use the Protect Artifact on your Eternity to avoid decking out. The only way you will deck out is if Eternity is your last card in the deck (and you can't steal a god's).
-Don't play an Otyugh, FFQ, or Druid unless you can cast Quintessence on them in the same turn.
-I find that the Permafrost shield works great vs. swarm decks, and it uses water to cast - which this deck didn't use, previously. I like having it as an option to the Bone Wall, in case my Otyughs or Fire Storm aren't available to keep it charged yet.
-The Purify will double your chances versus poison-based gods, and is ridiculously cheaper than Miracle for ultimately the same result. Plus it uses water, which is barely utilized in this deck (no need to upgrade it).
-I removed the Phase Shields, because there was too much demand for aether quanta with the Quinesssence. I don't miss them frankly, as the Permafrost Shield, Sundials, and Bone Wall keep me protected long enough to get my Quintessence creatures out there - and consequently take the initiative, removing the need for more defense.
-I wanted to make use of earth quanta (not used in this deck, other than 1 for Protect Artifact), but can't see a single card worth including in this setup.

I'll keep you posted with winning percentages, but after several hours i'm already leaps and bounds better than I was with post #1 above.
Please feel free to use this deck and report back, and/or please offer suggestions to make it better!

EDIT 1:
After 4-6 hours of combined testing, i'm looking at a ballpark 40% win rate vs. all the gods (no insta-quitting).
It all comes down to the draw frankly, I lose sometimes to 'easy' gods due to a lame-ass draw sequence, and win easily versus 'hard' gods if my draws are good.
-I'm tempted to drop one of the Otyughs, since the goal in this deck is typically to Quintessence a key creature right after it's cast - will try it.
-Annubis was attractive at first, but 3 turns, 8 time quanta/2 aether quanta, and the chance to get him firebolted/gravity pulled/lobotomized/congealed/etc. is too great a cost to immortalize my first non-Annubis creature. Quinessence does the same thing for 3 aether quanta and happens instantly, with no chance for counter.
-Also thinking of trying a Poseidon, water/earth quanta are available for early/mid game and tower denial might be a good addition - will try and test this as well.

50

False Gods / Need input/opinions on best 1.17 FG grinder

« on: January 08, 2010, 03:00:01 am »

After a couple weeks of non-stop T50 rare weapons farming, i'm in sore need of cashola again.
Consequently, it's back to farming the FGs for fun and profit!

After reading through many of the threads in the "False God" forum here, as well as the "Rainbow Deck" forum, i'm thoroughly confused as to which decks have been made current (thread editing) with 1.17, and which are simply old topics with new posts in them.

If you think a deck is suitable for FG grinding here in 1.17, please post a link or a pic here!

Currently, i'm trying Scaredgirl's 40-card rainbow deck (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,1615.0.html), though mine is completely upgraded and i'm still getting a win rate of around 25%. Ideally, i'd prefer to be closer to 50%.
However, with the sundial nerf and AI improvements, perhaps 50% is simply overzealous?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

51

Issue Archive / Re: Quintessence and Freeze Effects

« on: January 04, 2010, 05:17:59 pm »

Noticed this bug as well.
I'm not sure which scenario is correct:
1. Freeze effect is SUPPOSED to be broken by Quintessence, in which case this is not happening (functional bug).
2. Freeze effect is NOT SUPPOSED to be broken by Quintessence, in which case this is happening, but the freeze graphic is lost when Quintessence is played on the frozen creature (aesthetic bug).

Bug is confirmed on Elite Otyughs, with Congeal and Quintessence - 100% repeatable v. AI in T50 matchups.

52

Aether / Re: Quintessence and Phase Recluses?

« on: December 31, 2009, 04:00:02 pm »

I also agree that 18 pillars is a bit much.
I would suggest losing 6 pillars, and adding:
2 Phase Shields
2 Electrocutors
2 Thunderbolts

I like the thunderbolts, as they can remove an early Elite Otyugh threat, or provide 'final blow' non-creature damage to your opponent if he slows your creatures down with shields (and you're near the kill).

53

Duo-Decks / Re: Beginner's Deck: Life Stompy

« on: December 30, 2009, 01:31:22 am »

Looks like a great start!
I'd suggest playing around with an Adrenaline or two, you could afford to lose 1 of the pillars easy (10 or 11 in a 30-card deck works best for me).
Also be on the lookout for a druid staff, adding that weapon when you find one seems to be a potential benefit.

54

Duo-Decks / Re: The Darklife Deck

« on: December 28, 2009, 12:57:03 am »

I noticed that for T50 some more Life drains are important to get rid of the Otys. Sometimes I use Steal to Steal Fire Towers to prevent the enemy using hier RoF(works as long he has not much towers  and you have your Pest in play)

But I don't understand that you not have enough  Dark Quantums. I have more then enough with my pillars. Sometimes I need more Life Quantums so i've added a life pillar. I don't know if it is helpfull I have to trie more.

I've tried adding a life pillar or two, and tried changing my mark to Death to work with Life Towers, etc. Neither one worked very well.
The problem with Darkness quanta is that this deck has expensive staple cards, and potentially waiting till turn 4 or 5 for my first Vampire is terrible. Then, you might need 2 more turns for Vamp #2. I like having at LEAST 3 Towers in my initial draw, and 4 is preferable. Maybe If this deck had more Pests and less Vamps, the quanta situation would be better at 10 Towers.

I'm planning on trying 2 more Pests and maybe 1 less Vamp and 1 less Mantle. Might be that the key to dealing with the mass of decks that use Quantum Towers is more pests eating their mana in the early game.

55

Duo-Decks / Re: The Darklife Deck

« on: December 27, 2009, 04:51:51 pm »

Ever since adrenaline/epinephrine came out, I have also wanted to make a vamp deck.
Mine is geared for farming T50.
Sure, mono fire or speed poison can be faster and statistically more reliable - but this deck is more fun (in my opinion) as it's not quite as brainless/repetative as the others.

Here's where i'm at currently:


Mark of LIFE

So far, i've been pretty happy with it, but I definitely need some help/suggestions in fine-tuning it.

Some thoughts up front:

1. Why 32 cards?
Several reasons - first of all, this isn't exactly a mono speed deck, so I don't feel that it has to have 30. Secondly, when this deck used to be 30 cards, I actually died several times due to 'decking' out versus other 30 card decks - we were at a standstill, and I lost simply because I drew first and we both had 30 cards. Since this deck has te potential to last a long time versus other slow/rainbow decks, I like having at least 31 to avoid the occasional deck-out versus another 30. Lastly, the 30 card version had one less tower and one less Siphon - I felt that Darkness quantum growth was a bit slower than I wanted, and needed the addidional Siphon versus annoyances like Otyughs (see #2 next).

2. Problems this deck has.
A. Early Otyughs completely wreck me if I don't have a Siphon, which is why I added the 3rd Siphon (as explained in #1 above). I do like the 32 card version better vs. Otyughs, but wonder if there are perhaps better ways to deal with them?
B. Firestorms also give me a very hard time, unless i'm able to get the Eclipse out soon enough (even then, it's only a matter a time before Firestorm 2 or 3 comes out). Other than being frugal initially with my Vamps vs. speed fire and rainbow (where I know there are at least 2 Firestorms) and baiting the AI into casting them, I don't know how else to counter them. Help!

3. Things this deck does well.
A. Lifegain/survivability/elemental mastery. The deck does well versus a variety of opponents in T50.
B. Utility. I just love the Steals/Siphons as utility/contingency measures to give the deck a lot of versatility.
C. Fun. I just enjoy the deck due to all of the above, and want to make it even better versus T50!

4. Things i've already tried.
A. Feral Bond. Nice on paper, but it was horrible in practice for me. I'm already thinking that spending my precious Life quanta on Epinehrine/Vamp is more lifegain overall than simply Feral Bond itself (and costs less Life quanta as well). Furthermore, the AI just LOVES to steal/destroy FB asap, it must be very high on the threat scale. Lastly, most decks I play against that last long enough for me to need a smidge more lifegain, will likely have one for me to steal.
B. 30-card deck. This was already explained above, but I played a version that had minus one Tower and minus one Siphon. I felt that I was dying to Otyughs too often, and gaining Darkness quanta too slow.

I'm really interested in what other people playing this deck have experienced, and what some of you "vets" might recommend we do to sharpen this deck into a better T50 farmer.
Thanks!

56

Deck Help / Re: Help with duo-poison T50 farming deck

« on: December 25, 2009, 11:02:29 pm »

What are your thoughts on:

1. Retrovirus
Has the same effect/cost as plague, but also can double as a critter to whittle-down bone walls.

2. Water Tower
If in the initial draw, can crank out turn-1 physalias and congeals, and can also crank them out faster in turns 2 & 3.

57

Deck Help / Help with duo-poison T50 farming deck

« on: December 25, 2009, 08:18:54 pm »

My current deck is this...



...with one problem; I can't get the 2nd Arsenic.

Question 1.
Until I get my Arsenic #2, what would you all suggest as my temporary filler?
I've been using an upgraded purify, just to increase my survival vs. T50 poison mirror.

Question 2.
Where is the best place for me to get my second Arsenic?!
I've been alternating farming T50 and the L3 poison mirror, but just can't seem to get it.
Frankly, I never even see it flash by once in the slots, let alone seeing two of them.

Thanks in advance for your help.

58

Forum Archive / Re: Best deck for grinding t50?

« on: December 24, 2009, 09:01:30 pm »

<edit>
moved to more appropriate forum