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  1. #1
    Senior Member Keaven's Avatar
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    Cool Zaladar the Glutton [1.503]

    I haven't been going through the topics here yet so it's entirely possible that this deck uses a similar strategy from other players as it's not very complicated being my first attempt at a 1.503 death-race deck.

    Current Deck (40 cards):
    1 x Zaladar

    4 x Keldor
    4 x Infernal Gargoyle
    4 x Brutalis
    4 x Death Mage Thaddeus
    2 x Ogloth the Glutton
    (18 allies)

    2 x Soul Reaper
    4 x Mind Control
    4 x Shadow Font
    4 x Sacrificial Lamb
    2 x Shriek of Vengeance
    2 x Ley Line Nexus
    (18 abilities)

    3 x Dimension Ripper
    (3 x items)

    The deck started with a full compliment of Shadow Knights and Molten Destroyers, but these fast became my early draw auto resource, and were not working very well late game and getting in the way of better combos that were replaced by Keldor and Sacrificial Lamb. The deck can happily sit on 3/4/5 resources for a few turns with better control.

    The concept is pretty simple being a death-race deck based around board control. There are a couple of strategies that are worth explaining which relies on a great synergy Zaladar has on T4 with Brutalis, Keldor, Sacrificial Lamb, Shadow Font, and Death Mage Thaddeus.

    T2 Brutalis
    T3 Keldor
    T4 Keldor ability + Sacrificail Lamb on Keldor

    This combo is particularly effective against human opponents as a buffed Keldor can kill any T3 human ally, and can draw Mind Control to keep fatties at bay. Whilst Infernal Gargoyle or Death Mage Thaddeus can be a better choice for Shadow Heroes depending on what is on the board with Brutalis. Without drawing a Sacrificial Lamb before T3 Keldor can be resourced unless no other 3 cost ally is drawn.

    There are also the other usual control combinations at Zaladar's disposal.

    Mind Control is never sacrificed unless the opponent's deck is identified as a solo deck. Shadow Font is another card that should be resourced very rarely.

    [edit]
    -3 Molten Destroyer
    +1 Keldor
    +2 Ogloth the Glutton

    [edit]
    -1 LLN
    -1 Dimension Ripper
    +2 Shriek of Vengeance

    Demonstration play list

    Vs Majiya



    Vs Zhanna Mist



    Vs Serena Thoughtripper

    Last edited by Keaven; 07-30-2012 at 10:27 AM. Reason: Adding videos
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  2. #2
    Senior Member Unruler's Avatar
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    I have to admit, I love your ideas, Keaven!

    But isn't it easier to just go SF t4 and kill their allies with your Brut and Garg while maintaining board presence? Then go DR t5 for the cards.
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  3. #3
    Senior Member Keaven's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Unruler View Post
    I have to admit, I love your ideas, Keaven!

    But isn't it easier to just go SF t4 and kill their allies with your Brut and Garg while maintaining board presence? Then go DR t5 for the cards.
    This is a bit like the Blood Frenzy on T3? Question for warriors. Particularly for the human match up where you can still have board control after sacrificing Keldor, you will find it easy to keep board control with a hand full of cards. You can usually have several options here as well depending on whether you are player 1 or 2.

    If you go first their T3 Jasmine cannot distract your T3 Keldor, and at best they will have Puwen on the board (Kristoffer or Birgette would be dealt with by Brutalis by then) which means you will be left with a Brute Vs a Puwen with 4 Shadow Energy on your next turn and 6 cards to choose from (of which you have 4 Mind Control and Shadow Font still in your deck) to combat their T4 summon. If another 4 HP ally comes out you can still clear the board, have your Brutalis alive and 4/5 resources available on your next turn to maintain control. This T5 can now also use another 3cc ally and Sacrificial Lamb eg:

    T2 Brutalis
    T3 Keldor
    T4 Keldor's ability + Sacrificial Lamb on Keldor
    T5 Keldor/DMT/IG + Sacrificial Lamb on Brutalis or 3cc ally

    You will also be able to deal with any 4 HP ally they summon with Brutalis and Hero ability on T5. If a shadow Hero casts a Infernal Gargoyle then you not resource on T5 and use Shadow Font so that the next turn the IG will go down with second ability blast. On T6 you should be able to blast a Plasma Behemoth and finish off with Dimension Ripper, or Mind Control their T5 ally.
    Last edited by Keaven; 05-07-2012 at 01:05 AM.
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  4. #4
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    Sorry, but I simply cannot see how using sac lamb on anything but a crippled or about to die (from poison or burning) ally is a bad play. In the eg you give, you're losing 2 cards and a (2 or 4/4 ally in play, not to mention spending 5 resources for a net card gain of one. Sure its card advantage but its the perfect example of bad card advantage because you're losing board position at a critical time of the game. When you are at 4 resources, that ally in play is worth far more than 3 cards in hand. Plus, a retaliation bad Santa or even your own ripper will lose you some of that card adv because you're filling up your hand.

    I've been playing a lot of zal recently, it doesn't need unilateral draw so badly that you have to resort to tricks like this.

  5. #5
    DP Visionary Preybird's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Unruler View Post
    I have to admit, I love your ideas, Keaven!

    But isn't it easier to just go SF t4 and kill their allies with your Brut and Garg while maintaining board presence? Then go DR t5 for the cards.
    You've been watching too many of my games Unruler

    I'm going to have to be very careful next time I bring Zal against you.

    On topic: Cool looking deck Keaven! I do feel you could benefit from a Santa or two for those times you just don't have the board presence to sac an ally (or have no allies on board)
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  6. #6
    Senior Member bobwei's Avatar
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    What if they fireballs your keldor?
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  7. #7
    Senior Member Keaven's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by psychobabble View Post
    Sorry, but I simply cannot see how using sac lamb on anything but a crippled or about to die (from poison or burning) ally is a bad play. In the eg you give, you're losing 2 cards and a (2 or 4/4 ally in play, not to mention spending 5 resources for a net card gain of one. Sure its card advantage but its the perfect example of bad card advantage because you're losing board position at a critical time of the game. When you are at 4 resources, that ally in play is worth far more than 3 cards in hand. Plus, a retaliation bad Santa or even your own ripper will lose you some of that card adv because you're filling up your hand.

    I've been playing a lot of zal recently, it doesn't need unilateral draw so badly that you have to resort to tricks like this.
    You can do enough damage with Shadow Font, and Mind Control and your opponent still feels they are at an advantage. Holding Soul Reaper for the right time clinches the win. You probably wouldn't see how it could work unless you try it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Preybird View Post
    ...
    On topic: Cool looking deck Keaven! I do feel you could benefit from a Santa or two for those times you just don't have the board presence to sac an ally (or have no allies on board)
    I have found a better alternative is replacing Molten Destroyer/LLN with Wulven Tracker.

    Quote Originally Posted by bobwei View Post
    What if they fireballs your keldor?
    Then you don't sac next turn and play another 3cc ally, all the while increasing your Soul Reaper healing potential and avoiding 4 damage to your hero.
    Last edited by Keaven; 04-16-2012 at 04:46 AM.
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  8. #8
    Senior Member ahmet476's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bobwei View Post
    What if they fireballs your keldor?
    t3 drops love firebawls I see your point Keaven. The deck looks great.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Keaven's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ahmet476 View Post
    t3 drops love firebawls I see your point Keaven. The deck looks great.
    Yeah. It's actually great when they waste burn on one of 18 potential allies.
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  10. #10
    Senior Member Harakhte's Avatar
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    I've been playing with the idea of SacLamb in Zaladar, as other draw options (Bazaar, BS) aren't unilateral. This is a different take than I had and is certainly worth some thought.

    Well done, mate.
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