New quest decks

[Sloth]

To get the ball rolling, I just start discussing Corwins decks:

1. Aquaman 1-3
This is the normal CawBlade deck that dominates standard, with a few substituions. We can have one of those opponents (WU control). The 1 needs to be less and the 3 more powerful.

2. Ash 1-3
They go from random BW to Nightsky Mimic (of which we already have one: Joe Kidd 1-3). I don't see the need for these.

[Corwin72]

When I created Ash 3 it was supposed to be more of a Edge of the Divinity deck. Since the curve is lower I thought it would be more aggressive than the Joe Kidd deck. Do we only want one of a color combination?

Ash 1 and 2 are from when I create large standard pools and then create decks from them. The 1 decks are common heavy and the 2 decks are rare heavy.

When I was creating the decks the thought process was to take a high powered deck for 3 and then singleton decks in the 1 and 2 slots. When you start with random cards it is really hard to defeat even a watered down deck with synergy.

Once I started adding decks that I found in the decks forum I was having a hard time finding a good place to put them.

[Chris H.]

EDIT:

This archive contains edited copies of Corwin's recent quest decks. This archive does not include the eight or so decks that he requested to be removed from consideration:

Corwin's decks edited.zip

(43.74 KiB) Downloaded 1760 times

deck listing | Open

Aquaman 1.dck
Aquaman 2.dck
Aquaman 3.dck
Ash 1.dck
Ash 2.dck
Ash 3.dck
Atomic Robo 1.dck
Atomic Robo 2.dck
Atomic Robo 3.dck
Bear 1.dck
Bear 2.dck
Bear 3.dck
Beast 2.dck
Beast 3.dck
Brood 2.dck
Cable 2.dck
Cable 3.dck
Captain America 2.dck
Captain America 3.dck
Colbert 2.dck
Colbert 3.dck
Colossus 2.dck
Colossus 3.dck
Conan 3.dck
Darkseid 2.dck
Deadpool 2.dck
Deadpool 3.dck
Dick Grayson 3.dck
Dinosaur 1.dck
Dinosaur 2.dck
Dog 2.dck
Dr Doom 2.dck
Dr Doom 3.dck
Dr Fate 3.dck
En Sabah Nur 2.dck
En Sabah Nur 3.dck
Fin Fang Foom 1.dck
Fin Fang Foom 2.dck
Fin Fang Foom 3.dck
Gambit 3.dck
Ghost Rider 3.dck
Goblin King 2.dck
Goblin King 3.dck
Goblin Recruit 2.dck
Goblin Recruit 3.dck
Green Arrow 2.dck
Green Arrow 3.dck
Gunslinger 3.dck
Hans 2.dck
Hulk 2.dck
Hulk 3.dck
Jack 2.dck
Jack 3.dck
Jason Todd 3.dck
Joker 2.dck
Jon Stewart 2.dck
Jon Stewart 3.dck
Kang 2.dck
Kang 3.dck
Krypto 3.dck
Lex 3.dck
Link 3.dck
Lucifer 2.dck
Lucifer 3.dck
Michael 3.dck
Mummy 1.dck
Namor 2.dck
Namor 3.dck
Odin 3.dck
Owlman 2.dck
Owlman 3.dck
Phoenix 3.dck
Predator 2.dck
Predator 3.dck
Ras Al Ghul 2.dck
Ras Al Ghul 3.dck
Raven 1.dck
Raven 2.dck
Raven 3.dck
Red Skull 2.dck
Robin 2.dck
Robin 3.dck
Sabertooth 2.dck
Sentinel 2.dck
Sentinel 3.dck
Shelob 1.dck
Starfire 2.dck
Starfire 3.dck
Superboy 3.dck
Swamp Thing 1.dck
Swamp Thing 2.dck
Swamp Thing 3.dck
Thing 2.dck
Thing 3.dck
Thor 1.dck
Thor 2.dck
Thor 3.dck
Thugs 2.dck
Thugs 3.dck
Vampire 2.dck
Vampire 3.dck
Werewolf 2.dck
White Knight 1.dck
White Knight 2.dck
White Knight 3.dck
Xavier 2.dck

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This archive contains the 100 x 100 sized icons for the above opponents:

opponent icons for Corwin's quest decks.zip

(594.14 KiB) Downloaded 1313 times

`
This archive contains the 100 x 100 sized icons that are not yet assigned to any existing or upcoming decks. These are for other people and the decks that they would like to contribute:

unassigned opponent icons.zip

(203.21 KiB) Downloaded 1099 times

Unassigned opponent icon listing | Open

Dilbert.jpg
Dogbert.jpg
Dragon.jpg
Flash.jpg
Hobbes.jpg
Ice Dragon.jpg
It.jpg
Jaws.jpg
Jay Flash.jpg
Jonny Storm.jpg
Ork.jpg
Pointy Haired Boss.jpg
Ratbert.jpg
Supergirl.jpg

[Sloth]

When I created Ash 3 it was supposed to be more of a Edge of the Divinity deck. Since the curve is lower I thought it would be more aggressive than the Joe Kidd deck. Do we only want one of a color combination?

Of course it's ok to have lots of decks with more than one color combination. The problem I see here is, that the creatures (other than Nightsky Mimic) you use are not fit for an aggressive deck:
Orzhov Guildmage
Nip Gwyllion
Stillmoon Cavalier
Divinity of Pride

Maybe we can make it a Divinity of Pride deck instead?

[Corwin72]

hmmm.
Nip Gwyllion is just such a beating when Edge of the Divinity is dropped on it on turn 2.
I was really looking at small BW creatures for that enchantment. I may have been blinded by the best case scenario.

[Sloth]

hmmm.
Nip Gwyllion is just such a beating when Edge of the Divinity is dropped on it on turn 2.
I was really looking at small BW creatures for that enchantment. I may have been blinded by the best case scenario.

Even with these cards in hand, the AI will most likely play something like:
Turn 1: Nip Gwyllion
Turn 2: Orzhov Guildmage
Turn 3: Stillmoon Cavalier

[Yes, it's hard to build powerful AI decks]

EDIT: Do you want to try to balance the Aquaman yourself?

[Corwin72]

I will try. What do you recommend to power up a deck? Higer threat density? More counter magic?

[Corwin72]

Can we please take a look at some of these decks together so that we have a process in place?
Aquaman 1
I see 60 cards
20 creatures
15 spells
1 Planeswalker
24 lands
curve goes 11,7,7,6,4,1
9 removal spells
2 average equipment
3 creature buffs
2 rares
19 uncommons

| Open

Aquaman 1
[general]
constructed
[main]
1 Accorder Paladin
1 Caravan Escort
1 Elite Vanguard
1 Enclave Cryptologist
1 Hada Spy Patrol
1 Ikiral Outrider
1 Juggernaut
1 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Kor Cartographer
1 Kor Hookmaster
1 Snapping Drake
1 Sejiri Merfolk
1 Cerulean Wyvern
1 Skywatcher Adept
1 Soul's Attendant
1 Cloud Spiri
1 Wall of Frost
1 Wild Griffin
1 Armored Ascension
1 Arrest
1 Condemn
1 Copper Carapace
1 Drake Umbra
1 Flayer Husk
1 Guard Duty
1 Inspired Charge
1 Into the Roil
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Mind Control
1 Pitfall Trap
1 Shared Discovery
1 Bonehoard
1 Unsummon
1 Venser, the Sojourner
1 Volition Reins
1 Warlord's Axe
1 Dread Statuary
11 Island
11 Plains
1 Sejiri Refuge
[sideboard]

[Chris H.]

OK, I reverted the SVN and I went back and added the 3 archives to the third message in this topic.

[Sloth]

Can we please take a look at some of these decks together so that we have a process in place?
Aquaman 1
I see 60 cards
20 creatures
15 spells
1 Planeswalker
24 lands
curve goes 11,7,7,6,4,1
9 removal spells
2 average equipment
3 creature buffs
2 rares
19 uncommons

This deck is too powerful for a tier 1 deck. Remove Mind Control, Volition Reins and Venser. Replace most of the creatures with inferior ones. Add cards like Armored Cancrix, Ajani's Mantra, Maritime Guard and Tireless Missionaries.

[Chris H.]

I will try. What do you recommend to power up a deck? Higer threat density? More counter magic?

`
One tradition is to use mox in the tier 3 decks.

[Corwin72]

Bah, I hate power 9.

[Sloth]

Bah, I hate power 9.

These cards are too weak: Obsessive Search, Jace Beleren (maybe as a 1 of), Trip Noose, Dispel.
You can replace some lands with Tundra. Tectonic Edge can become Wasteland and Strip Mine (but they are not that powerful in the hands of the AI).

[Corwin72]

All 4 of those cards were replacements for the cards that were unuseable by the AI.
Obsessive Search was Preordain
Jace was the other Jace
Trip Noose was Tumble Magnet.
Dispel was Spell Pierce.

I wanted to keep the functionality as close as possible.

[lazylockie]

thing is, AI can't use properly (aka the way it's supposed to be most effective) for neither Trip Noose, Tumble Magnet or Icy Manipulator. Also, Tumble Magnet is a meta-call on Standard, to tap the opposing equipped Hawks/creatures. I think a more direct approach is better, such as Swords to Plowshares and since AI doesn't know how to use Path to Exile very well. Another option is Oblivion Ring, but I also don't know how well is AI's decision when choosing the targets for O-Ring.

Spell Pierce is also a meta-call. I think Absorb can be much more effective, catch-all counter.