[Archive] Challenge Set 1

[monopoman]

Yeah on #6 now this is a tough one I think I have a solution for #7 already though.

[aww1979]

I had the most trouble with #4,6, and 8, and I'd guess that those ones will be the most challenging for people. (I also struggled on #9, but that's my fault; it's not actually that hard, I'm just dumb and didn't see it for awhile!) The rest of them I didn't have any trouble with, though it's different for everyone. For instance, #5 I solved in seconds because I'd already thought of the idea for #4 but couldn't quite make it work there, and others might laugh at the ones I got stumped on for awhile.

When I sent my solutions to jatill, he also told me that as far as he knows, there is no solution to #10 at this time, though, so don't go too crazy on that one! :p I think the best I came up with on that one was 21 damage.

[monopoman]

Nice no solution for 10 but its in there anyways.

[aww1979]

I'm guessing #10 was so that it wouldn't get unlocked until it's finalized. (since this is a beta version I think) Also, perhaps an upcoming card will help with that challenge? (no that's not a hint; I'm guessing :p)

[bla]

I won this challenge with a vampire dark depths deck.
I realized two things on the last run:

By using a mark before the draw phase I could use my tutors to change the drawn card and bypass the Meddling Mage. The first time I cast a Sylvan Tutor in this round I was appaled to see it completely killing my game by locking the Vampire Hexmage out, so I stopped using them in coming games and did it the hard way: have a Vampire Hexmage in your openning hand and hope it won't get blocked before coming out. I actually realized the Sylvan Tutor timing on the last time I played this challenge, after I already had Marit Lage in play (slaps head).

The other thing: Marit Lage in indestructible. So, on the 10th game, before my turn's end, Marit in play, no Instill Energy for the imediate kill, I find myself wondering just how indestructible it is. I'll never call that thing unfair again.

[bla]

Managed to finnaly beat this with a modified deck I had from previous challenges. The basics was to use Ensnare Bridge to stall and Sorin Markov to kill.

Round three was though: many low power goblins slipping through the bridge. Goblin Piledriver was a nightmare and Siege-Gang Commander the finishing touch.

Round six had to be played right as Sorin Markov would be left chasing Ivory Tower, with even insuficcient cards for a Feldon's Cane rebound.

Seven could be hard without a way to counter The Rack.

Nine was fun the first time I got there, full of mox, dad and son lotus, 3/3 Ensnaring Bridges and lots of everything except basic lands.

Round ten was a perfect hand in my winning run. I only managed to reach this round a couple of times and in one try I think I had Tempest Of Light in my deck, but out of reach of my tutors most of them Enlightened Tutor. So I exchanged it with Nevinyrral's Disk, a nice tip from somacat, and luckily draw a near-perfect hand: Mox Jet Mox Emerald 2 Mox Diamond 2 lands and Enlightened Tutor I think. I got down to 2 before activating it, which was still way close for comfort The disk was also crucial in round six making sure Sorin Markov could finish the AI off, so again thumbs up for this thread.

[bla]

I managed to beat this challenge with a mix ideas from other decks I had.

4 Oath of Druids
3 Reanimate
3 Animate Dead
4 Exhume
3 Bazaar of Baghdad
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Hellkite Overlord
2 Godsire
1 Platinum Angel
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Imperial Seal
4 Mox Diamond
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Lotus Petal
1 Black Lotus
4 Bayou
4 Swamp
2 Forest

Oath of Druids covered black and sorcery ban
Animate Dead covered green and sorcery ban
Exhume and Reanimate covered green and enchantment ban
All of the above covered, surprisingly, creature ban (and artifact ban for the angel, I believe)
Mox Diamond with other mox and lotus for backup covered the last round

All in all, I think this was easier than onslaught and shandalar 2.0

[aww1979]

You can also sac fetchlands if your top card has been named by Meddling Mage; that was one of the tricks I did when I played that challenge the first time.

[bla]

True.
A very nice tactic that I unfortunatly used only once or twice I believe.

[gabeiq]

I still stuck on #9 , maybe I'm taking a wrong clue, idk! Last evening I took like an hour at deck editor, finaly I give it up and I dreamed with this challenge whole night! Hope I could solve it now!

[jatill]

I still stuck on #9 , maybe I'm taking a wrong clue, idk! Last evening I took like an hour at deck editor, finaly I give it up and I dreamed with this challenge whole night! Hope I could solve it now!

Back when the AI had only 14 life, Fireblast + Hidetsugu's Second Rite was a valid solution. I guess that doesn't work anymore, though.

[Wrath of Tog]

Hi

I just wanted to say number 10 is indeed possible, I did it last night. Don't give up!!!

[aww1979]

Hmm, #9 has changed from last time. Off the top of my head I can't think of a solution using the eldrazi, so I'm thinking that the Eye of Ugin is either a red herring or else it is used to pitch to something else. (something like Mox Diamond, but probably not that card) I still can't imagine what the solution for #10 is but I'll give it another go since it is confirmed to be possible.

edit: #4 is also changed; you can no longer use artifacts. I had a couple solutions for that one, but they all used Black Lotus, so I guess it's back to the drawing board!

edit: lol I found two things that almost worked :p One would have worked if the AI didn't have Wall of Air, and the other would've worked if my library had been bigger.

edit: HA beat #4, only to find #5 also now has 'nonartifact cards' as a restriction. Unfortunately, my solution last time used an artifact creature Bad Jatill! :p

edit: Got a new solution for #5. I don't think it's what Jatill intended, though, since I didn't use all the mana sources available :p

edit: Solved the new #9. Jatill's really going to hate me for how I beat it...

edit: Solved #10! Woohoo! I'll bet you anything it's the same way Wrath of Tog solved it; I can't imagine that there are TWO ways to do that one :p It's definitely the hardest one of the bunch.

[gabeiq]

Haha, solved #9, I think I beat it the same way you did aww1979, becose I feel kinda cheap solving this way(if this isnt the only way).

I'm thinking about #10, its tough....

edit: Ok 10 is done, I didnt solved b4 bcse i was missreading the creature card!

[bla]

This challenge can be nasty.

I've gotten to round 6 so far and immediatly gave up since I had no means to meet the winning conditions.

Being prepared for all the conditions stole a couple of useful slots in my deck.

If the deck you're playing isn't ready for some of them there are very small windows of opportunity or none at all sometimes. The 3rd round is a good example: if the opponent gets more than 5 cards in the cemetery before the conditions are met you are screwed.
Another example: waiting for the AI to drop 5 lands with the soldier's deck. When I had the game controlled I've seen up to 10 or more rounds go by without the AI getting the required lands in play.

Also there is some really nasty situations like facing a turbofog or burn deck on round 2 (AI needs a 5/5 and you a 1/1). A small note here: seems the creatures don't have to possess those exact numbers, as I remember beating this round using a 1/2 creature

Sometimes I even feel the AI is aware of the winning conditions and makes things hard on you, although I'm sure I was just imagining things out of desperation.

The true challenge, however, are the bugs and crashes.
This challenge can have long drawn out matches with a heavy control aspect to it, and it does crash my games quite a lot.