Lone Stalker [1.26 FG grinder]

[zse]

Dude, seriously! I'm indebted to you for suggesting Aflatoxin as an addition to the deck I posted in the Deck Help forum (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,18989.msg259966#msg259966)... it seems to have helped my deck out a lot. However, considering how many of the other core ideas you used from my deck, I think I'm at least due a mention for deck design in the initial post, aren't I? This deck looks a lot more like mine than it looks like The Charge of the Light Brigade (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,18285), doesn't it?

You can put 'shteev threw a hissy fit and demanded he get a deck design credit' if you like, I'm not proud.

Do you get a lot of your best ideas from the deck help forum?

Oh, and I'm not surprised you didn't have much time for a test run... You only had 5 days between me posting my deck, and you posting 'yours'...

Dude chill out. I'm already thanking you in the opening post - for giving me the brilliant idea of using Purify. That's the only thing I copied from your deck.

If you read the Light Brigade topic, you'll see me posting my first modified version of Light Bricade on 27.12. It was this

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[shteev]

OK. Now that I've noticed that you did attribute Purify, and that you included Mindgate in an earlier version of Light Brigade, I have, in fact, chilled down a bit

Nice win %, by the way!

[The_Mormegil]

I'm having lots of fun with this deck. It may not be the most efficient / most powerful / most whatever build around here... but it feels a lot more like my first unupped Timebow than CCYB does!

I took out a Tower for an Improved Antimatter, though... it does help this deck in most cases.

[The_Mormegil]

I'm having so much fun with this deck! It's nowhere near as efficient as CCYB, or even Rol+Hope. But...

Rainbow lockdown, he stole my Mindgate. I had a Werewolf he reverse time'd last turn, though, so, with careful rewinding...


This is how it ended. The Lone Stalker indeed!

Yes, it could have had Miracles. But he continued using Mindgate to copy my Werewolves, and I think he discarded Miracles to keep creatures. Not sure how discarding goes for the AI, but since he didn't pull out two of his cards in the early game, it probably had at least a Miracle, since it's the only card he doesn't play on the spot.

[zse]

I'm having so much fun with this deck! It's nowhere near as efficient as CCYB, or even Rol+Hope. But...

Says someone who doesn't know how to play with this deck right way yet...
*Points Mindgate on Rainbows side.*

I'll add more detailed strategy guide to first post when I get time to write it, but here's one of the main strategical things for using this deck:
Never-ever play Mindgate when FG could possibly destroy/steal it.
Doing so against Rainbow can be tricky, but then the tactic is to use SoGs/weapons/shields as baits to lure FG using it's PC for those. If it doesn't use them while it does have the quanta for it, you can be fairly sure that it doesn't have those cards in hand. And if you can then Eternity-lock FG with Malignant Cells (or whatnot), you can then start cherry picking best cards from FG's deck with Mindgate.

I hope that short strategy pointer will help you on getting better results with this deck. If it wasn't written understandable enough, feel free to ask for more details.

[wavedash]

I'm auto-quitting against any FG that has more than 4 PC cards, unless I have a terrific starting hand.

[The_Mormegil]

I'm having so much fun with this deck! It's nowhere near as efficient as CCYB, or even Rol+Hope. But...

Says someone who doesn't know how to play with this deck right way yet...
*Points Mindgate on Rainbows side.*

Well, I'm surely not the best player out there, but I'm pretty sure I can handle my own thanks.

In fact, the situation at that time was this: he was locked with Malignant Cells. I rewinded a Cell, but he was drawing 2 cards nonetheless thanks to him exploding my Eternity. I had to get the damage going, and more importantly since decking out was a possibility, I had to get Mindgate out soon so that I could copy a Malignant Cell (no quanta needed to play, plus it can survive CC and spawn damage through my side of the field if no other creature comes - not counting I could rewind a Cell and play a creature immediately). I was sure he hadn't got Explosions nor Steals in his hand since my SoGs were there. So I risked. Probably a mistake since I could just wait for him to pack his hand of creatures before Eternity locking his hand... but I did it nonetheless - the risk was low after all. Ended up being stolen...

I'll add more detailed strategy guide to first post when I get time to write it, but here's one of the main strategical things for using this deck:
Never-ever play Mindgate when FG could possibly destroy/steal it.
Doing so against Rainbow can be tricky, but then the tactic is to use SoGs/weapons/shields as baits to lure FG using it's PC for those. If it doesn't use them while it does have the quanta for it, you can be fairly sure that it doesn't have those cards in hand. And if you can then Eternity-lock FG with Malignant Cells (or whatnot), you can then start cherry picking best cards from FG's deck with Mindgate.

I hope that short strategy pointer will help you on getting better results with this deck. If it wasn't written understandable enough, feel free to ask for more details.

These are things I routinely do... apart from the Mindgate. Some gods - Rainbow in particular, but Obliterator, Dream Catcher, Divine Glory, even Graviton sometimes - pull out so much PC you can't afford to "play it safe". Against these gods it's best to throw Mindgate out as soon as possible (if you're sure he doesn't have a PC card in his hand right away) and hope to steal him precious cards for as long as possible. It will end up destroyed anyway.

What I mean by "not as efficient" is: CCYB has a higher win rate, I'm pretty sure of that, but even more importantly, it's WAY faster. It can kill gods in about 15 turns on a good hand, while this deck has very slow matches (as you pointed out too). RoL+Hope, on the other hand, is one of the fastest FG decks with a consistent win rate (Shakar... not so sure. Maybe I suck at playing it, or had very bad luck, but I wasted 1000 electrum for 6 wins. Not that efficient...) and can easily net me 3-4 upgraded cards per hour, at times even more.
With this deck, I have lots of fun. But I win about 3 games per hour...

I'm auto-quitting against any FG that has more than 4 PC cards, unless I have a terrific starting hand.

This on the other hand, is exaggerating. I only auto-quit against Seism.

[Boingo]

I'll add more detailed strategy guide to first post when I get time to write it, but here's one of the main strategical things for using this deck:
Never-ever play Mindgate when FG could possibly destroy/steal it.
Doing so against Rainbow can be tricky, but then the tactic is to use SoGs/weapons/shields as baits to lure FG using it's PC for those. If it doesn't use them while it does have the quanta for it, you can be fairly sure that it doesn't have those cards in hand. And if you can then Eternity-lock FG with Malignant Cells (or whatnot), you can then start cherry picking best cards from FG's deck with Mindgate.

I know this suggestion will rankle the 30-card deck fanatics, but one suggestion:  add Enchant Artifact.  (Actually, add 2 so you get one when you need it.) 

This 1 change to an otherwise great deck moves some of the "almost worth auto-quit" FGs like Seism into the nearly auto-win category and helps (though doesn't guarantee victory) on FGs like Rainbow.  The first EA goes where you need it most:  Quantum Towers for Seism, but on important shields for FGs with Explosion/BE/Steal.  I've even used it in early game on an Eternity to slow down Rainbow's rush while waiting for reinforcements arrive.  Anyway, I think EA adds more FGs to the "doable" list without costing too much on deck efficiency.

[TheIdioticIdiot]

PA(s) are almost essential in this deck...
as u depend so much on that mindgate...
since crusader usually gets pulvy ability
u will need one for eternity as well

[Tea is good]

no perm control, are explosions/obliterator a problem?

[TheIdioticIdiot]

any permanent control will make the deck very hard to use...
@Tea is good, this deck does have PC, pulvy... (use crusader to endow)

[TheForbiddenOracle]

Impossible Gods: Dark Matter, Hermes, Eternal Phoenix, Divine Glory

For the last 3 enought explosions to take out all your permanents. For the first one only way you can win is if he doesn't have a black hole or no nymph for the entire game (possible once in 100 matches).