First run with the new, improved Frenzy deck was vs a 'Wallfinity' deck.
Essentially, the Wallfinity deck is a R/G set that wants to play a bunch of very, very cheap walls to stave off the creature rush, then use creatures with defender to either generate a ton of mana with Overgrown Battlment in order to cast Ghitu Fire or use Vent Sentinel's ability to kill the opponent (me, in this case) off. The trick is to keep drawing cards fast enough to have the walls you need to accomplish the win.
It can be very frustrating to play against, because walls are cheap and generally nullify my cheaper creatures and by the time I get the larger ones out, smashing through the wall line is frequently too little, too late.
Fortunately, for reasons I still don't understand, those piloting the Wallfinity decks haven't addressed the weaknesses: 1) creatures with evasion (especially flying) 2) global resets and 3) non-interaction with the opponent.
They can't do much about #2: That's the price you pay when playing this deck. The third problem is difficult to manage because by its nature, Wallfinity is as non-interactive as possible. Their goal is to combo out before the opponent, anything that gets in the way of that-such as interactive cards-slows them down and makes the deck weaker. But as for the first...
In game one I had two Gelectrodes out confronted by three or four walls. I'm pinging away as best I can, one or two at a time hoping I can get things going faster than I can get Ghitu Fired.
Then the Wee Dragonauts came and who saved my opponent from the Wee Dragonauts? Nobody: I was doing 7 and then 10 damage per turn and that was game.
In game two, I was slowly working towards victory but in the middle of it all, had my army hit with Lavaball Trap. That is precisely the kind of problem Frenzy has; without the creatures, how do I do enough damage to win?
Then I drew Pyromancer Ascension. My hand consisted of the Ascenstion, Glacial Ray, Glacial Ray, Volt Charge, Volt Charge.
So: play Volt Charge, play second Volt Charge and first put a counter on the Ascension, then Proliferate that counter. Next turn cast two Glacial Rays for 8 damage, win.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to get more games in so I'll be keeping this in the hopper for another week to see if my changes hold up.
This is why my Wallfinity deck has 4 Hurricanes and 2 Wall of Tanglecord. The latter might not permanently stop Dragonauts, but it slows them down a turn or two.
ReplyDeleteAs a general rule, however, walls with reach are not plentiful, and cost more than my deck wants to spend. With the exception of Wall of Vines...but I'm not sure what I'd take out for Wall of Vines.
Wall of Vines is cheaper than Tanglecord and you don't have to pay for it to have reach. You're trying to combo out and this is a cheaper way to do it.
ReplyDeleteJ uses Spidersilk Armor to solve the whole problem and I have to say, it's remarkably effective. But he also uses Rites of Flourishing which I don't get.
I just think there are innovations to be made to that deck and there's a resistance to making them that I don't quite get. I'd understand: I like my quirk but I don't understand: Better huh? Well who cares?