Current rating: 420
1x Zaladar
1x Soul Reaper
3x Infernal Gargoyle
3x Plasma Behemoth
2x Energy Discharge
4x Spark
4x Transference
4x Mind Control
4x Here Be Monsters
2x Shriek of Vengeance
3x Bad Santa
Total 31 cards.
I have been playing Zaladar since 1.23. Mostly against un-errataed portal of course and with good success. I have made minor tweaks since then and am now share the why and how of this deck.
The way this deck works, reminds me of the Suicide Black decks of MtG. Sinkhole and Hymn to Tourach are mirrored by HbM and Transference respectively.
This deck is flexible. You can play aggro or control. The combination of your opening hand and your opponent help you determine which approach to use. Generally, against humans, double spark stops blakes dead and is great to play while triple spark is good against almost everything. On the other hand, you can focus on control and Here Be Monsters and Transference your opponent out of the game.
Card choices:
Soul Reaper: I am not running Eternal Renewal, so this is likely to gain a bunch of life. Great after aggro starts and against mage decks. Often even gaining 6 life can make the difference between victory and defeat. You never want to draw more than one. Not as good when playing control as that approach sacrifices many creatures.
Infernal Gargoyle: A pain in the ass to remove. Often in removing it, opponents waste enough tempo to let me get ahead. With that said, not an amazing card and often gets sacrificed.
Plasma Behemoth: Wins the game. Wins without retaliation and through rain delay. 7 damage a turn in a single card. Almost as tough as gargoyle. Certainly feel free to sacrifice these if going aggro and sacrificing one may be ok even for control.
Energy Discharge: Eh? I generally sacrifice the first copy. Costing 5, Mind Control is often better, but having one in reserve is nice against anyone who seems likely to over-commit the board.
Spark: Go go aggro! Randomly wins games. Kills Blakes or dies to 4-power blakes giving you time to fry them. Also immune to Death Trap in multiples.
Transference: Your primary card advantage and disruption engine in one.
Mind Control: I run 4 so that I draw it often and am not too afraid to trash one. Generates the best type of card advantage-position advantage.
Here Be Monsters: Kills Gwen, delays Sandras/Poison Gas, clears your hand for Bad Santa abuse. Tempo is great. Go go Sinkhole!
Shriek of Vengeance: Dances on Gwen's corpse, Eats opponent's Bazaars after getting a free card. Eats Rain Delay. Considering pushing to 3 so I can trash 1 more easily. Do watch the tempo hit though.
Bad Santa: Bazaar is bad because even if you play it when you can get more cards, the situation may change down the road and you will regret your opponents having access to 2 cards a turn. Bad Santa you use when your opponent's hand is full or sacrifice it. Low cost and flexibility. Beautiful.
Cards I am NOT running:
Eternal Renewal: sure I can win with recycling, or I can put pressure on my opponent and just win. I have died to decking perhaps 2% of the time. Not having 2-3 cards in my deck that generate card disadvantage helps me every game.
Life Infusion: Card disadvantage.
Shard of Power: Great for aggro starts. completely useless long-term against everything. My creatures have staying power, this removes it.
Belladonna: Low durability makes me dislike her. Can perhaps be ran instead of Gargoyle for better resource curve. Still, sooo fragile.
Armor of Ages: This actually costs 6. By the time I have 6 resources, I either already removed their board turn 5 with Energy Discharge or neutered it by Mind Controlling the biggest threat. Often overkill. If you like the control approach more, you can go for it and run a copy, but it feels like an oversized rain delay that doesn't protect your creatures. Also, not running this makes opponent's Shrieks dead.
Bazaar: See bad Santa.
Blood Lust: Used to be in the list as a 1-of. Not a bad card. I don't like possible dead draws though.
Strategy tips:
* When going first, your optimal start is turn 1 Spark, turn 2 Bad Santa. You have some board presence, nullified your opponent's card advantage, and are thus in a good position to either drop more sparks (aggro) or start dropping HBMs (control).
* Generally play HBMs before Transferences. Tempo hits hurt and if you draw Bad Santa, you can get the card advantage back. If you don't, you still get to Mind Control before they can Sandra Lock you (or HBM lock you back).
* Taking early damage sucks, but it's not the end of the world. Eventually you will blast that Blake and Mind Control Aldon.
* Late game remove Discharge and keep Mind Controls.
Specific Matchups:
Gwen: Stop her from getting to 5 resources. The creatureless version is a walk in the park as you sacrifice Mind Control to HBM her to set her a few turns back, and then kill her with her own Bows via Transference. A Behemoth+Shriek when she finally gets a bow finishes the job. The version with creatures is more annoying as you actually need Mind Control/Discharge. Remember, a second Spark survives death traps.
Majiya: If she can HBM you a few times and then Poison Gas/Engulfing Flames before you recover, you may be in trouble. So HBM her first and try to keep 1 or two creatures on board at all times. Don't over-commit until you are fairly sure the Supernovas are gone. Energy Discharge is horrible, Soul Reaper is amazing.
Zaladar: In the mirror match, you have more focus and less useless cards than most current builds. Generally, you are better off focusing on control as early sparks will eventually be eaten. Some really amusing interactions when Mind Controlling Sparks back and forth. Feel free to Shriek a Bazaar, Behemoth gets around Armor of Ages anyway.
Bugs
Zaladar can only target the opposing hero directly the first time you activate his ability each game. Each subsequent time, there must be at least one creature under that player's control.
Sparks have quirks As mentioned before, they tend to survive Death Trap as the health loss (1) for trap is calculated before the boost for Spark's own ability.
Also, LOSING control will never lower the health/power of any of the Sparks involved, but GAINING control of a Spark does increase the bonuses.
Conclusion
Please provide constructive criticism and suggestions.
Disclaimer
I am writing this at 2:30 AM. Forgive any spelling/grammar errors.
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