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  1. #1
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    [Article] Archetypes

    Heyo!

    I somehow got into a mood to write stuff when that’s usually what I hate to do. If only I got that mood when I’m on school, it would help me a bunch. Most of you have already past the school on the back-road and probably don’t want to hear me rant any cheesy teenage stories and jokes from me. Hehe... decks...

    I will go down the lane of the different archetypes and make a short analyze of each of them of what I feel they are for me, most of my knowledge I will put here is drawn from MtG.


    Aggro

    Fast and painful, this archetype wins through offense and quick damage. Usually, they like to use low cost dudes as they enters play early damage and race the opponent before he/she can stabilize the board. Aggro doesn’t favors late game so they spend little on to get card advantage and being on the top of board position or even to care about the opposing board so basically, kicking the other dudes balls off before he even get's the chance to do it on you if I'm forced to sum this up even quicker.

    Notable aggro decks: Elad Rush, Aramia Wisp, America Nishaven (Monomax's America qualifier winning deck), Amber (Kris and Special Delivery version)


    Aggro-control

    Like aggro, these decks like to set up quick low cost dudes that hit hard and fast. What the difference is that they are not aiming to win aFAP but to protect their own allies for them to deal damage throughout the game.

    Cheap removal and bounce abilities such as Retreat or Darkwood Wraith complemented by cheaply cost threats that put's a fast clock for the opponent is pretty common things to look to or look out for. Being a step earlier than the opponent and have tempo flow is the is where the money is to get your army marching to victory.

    Notable aggro-control decks: Amber, Ally Darkclaw, Ripper Zal, Irina Lance


    Mid-rang

    The most supported archetype in this game, if not because how the current game is designed, which is THE dominant archetype in both QM and the tourney scene, mid-range is when you flip aggro-control upside-down but not at the extreme though.

    By the sound of it, mid-range rules the mid-game and sometimes leading it to ruling the late-game as well. They win by fighting to be on the top of board, usually by heavy impact allies backed up with removal in order to get and stay there. In early game, they like to control, stabilize and set-up, usually their draw engine before they can unleash a horde of beefy dudes. Heavy hitters balanced with draw and removal is the style of mid-range.

    Notable mid-range decks:
    Lance, Banebow, Moonstalker, Boris, Tala, Victor, Portal Majiya, Garth


    Control

    The ultimate jedi mind game, control decks seeks to grind the game until a point is reached when they have enough resources to fully take control of the game.

    Control is often mistaken by board control, because of a decks goal is to take board control doesn’t mean the deck is a “control” type.

    Control is defensive; they are trying answering the opponent’s play by disruption and removal in order for them not to reach their goal, instead of making the opponent answer your play. Because of the defensive nature, they have to adapt and shape the deck after the meta in order to answer what opponent plays. The other thing with being defensive is that this archetype itself usually makes it hard to pilot as it usually has to adapts to the opponent and predicting him/her, which is why I mentioning it's a jedi mind game, but being able to play right and knowing the opponent, the deck can be heavily rewarding if played right. Card advantage is what makes driven force here to deal with multiple threats without getting out of fuel while the opponent loses it.

    Notable control decks: Zhanna, Jericho, Millstalker, EA+FT decks, Res-des Baduruu

    PS. I'm honestly tempted to put both Zhanna and Jericho to mid-range or mid-range-control because of the reason they do pack a bunch of allies which do trying to brawl for the top of the board instead of being reactive until having the opening to win.


    Combo

    I was skeptical if I should put this into the list or not as the game as such a small card-pool that doesn’t support this strategy at all… but screw it! I got this to roll anyway. Combo decks executes by the interaction between two or more cards to together create a powerful effect that either wins you directly or creates a situation when it is going to win. Card draw and/or cycle is important to dig through the deck in order to find the combo pieces. Currently there is no real thing here in SE that put it into the extremes but there are similar things here.

    Notabe combo decks: Rothem One-turn-KO, Zalashard


    The reason for why I made this article is because I see so many people here that understands the archetypes differently, just want to know what you think of it. I'm not saying I'm right ant they are wrong, just voicing my view for the sake of maybe to bring these terms into this game. Maybe maybe...

    Peace

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    Helpful write-up, FF. Thanks for sharing.

    In your opinion, is there a specific archetype that is most supported by the current card pool of SE or do you feel that the card pool is balanced enough to create competitive decks from each archetype?

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    DP Visionary FDL's Avatar
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    Sounds about right.
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    Senior Member Veles's Avatar
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    I agree with this qualification. And I also think that standard Zhanna and Jerry belong more to mid range, although there some decks I would put under control. I guess there is a sub category in between.

    Should Solo Gwen be put under combo? What about Solo DC? And Lay Low Lance?
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    Senior Member Airact's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bayushi View Post
    Helpful write-up, FF. Thanks for sharing.

    In your opinion, is there a specific archetype that is most supported by the current card pool of SE or do you feel that the card pool is balanced enough to create competitive decks from each archetype?
    I would say Control is pretty much impossible to play successfully, assuming that Jericho and Zhanna decks are not control (which I think they aren't). Sure, Moonstalker is a thing but he just folds to hate.

    Aggro kinda works (I have a really hard time justifying Elad rush, for example, as an aggro deck) as a niche but it can be played. I've seen some Wisp builds aggro people down fairly effectively. The problem with aggro is that you have to be able to do 30 damage instead of the 20 of MtG and that's kinda a big deal. You can build aggro and you can win games with it but most of the successful "aggro" decks play a very aggro-control (or tempo, if you want to call it that) playstyle.

    Midrange is kinda self-explanatory. It's like 90% of the current field and well, it's shown that it's effective.



    Regarding solo Gwen/solo DC: They both kinda operate similar to Burn in Magic. Burn as a name, unlike some MtG decks, explains what the deck wants to do pretty effectively. The goal of Burn is to cast 7 burn spells (7 times 3 equals 21) before the opponent has lifegain (against which you either have to not let them gain life, or just burn them more) or before you lose. Solo Gwen/solo DC want to get a weapon up and attack the opposing hero a certain number of times before they either gain life or win the game.

    Burn is classified as a combo deck and I would say classifying these two as combo decks is acceptable, although the decks don't play out like combo decks.


    Just my opinions.

  6. #6
    Senior Member fyrfytr998's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Airact View Post
    I would say Control is pretty much impossible to play successfully, assuming that Jericho and Zhanna decks are not control (which I think they aren't). Sure, Moonstalker is a thing but he just folds to hate.

    Aggro kinda works (I have a really hard time justifying Elad rush, for example, as an aggro deck) as a niche but it can be played. I've seen some Wisp builds aggro people down fairly effectively. The problem with aggro is that you have to be able to do 30 damage instead of the 20 of MtG and that's kinda a big deal. You can build aggro and you can win games with it but most of the successful "aggro" decks play a very aggro-control (or tempo, if you want to call it that) playstyle.

    Midrange is kinda self-explanatory. It's like 90% of the current field and well, it's shown that it's effective.



    Regarding solo Gwen/solo DC: They both kinda operate similar to Burn in Magic. Burn as a name, unlike some MtG decks, explains what the deck wants to do pretty effectively. The goal of Burn is to cast 7 burn spells (7 times 3 equals 21) before the opponent has lifegain (against which you either have to not let them gain life, or just burn them more) or before you lose. Solo Gwen/solo DC want to get a weapon up and attack the opposing hero a certain number of times before they either gain life or win the game.

    Burn is classified as a combo deck and I would say classifying these two as combo decks is acceptable, although the decks don't play out like combo decks.


    Just my opinions.
    I agree with solo DC (my current favorite) being a combo deck. If any part of the combo is broken, it just loses.
    I'm old, experienced, and usually right. So eyes open, mouth shut, and you might learn a thing or two.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bayushi View Post
    Helpful write-up, FF. Thanks for sharing.

    In your opinion, is there a specific archetype that is most supported by the current card pool of SE or do you feel that the card pool is balanced enough to create competitive decks from each archetype?
    Thanks for bringing up that question. I was thinking of to bring that up in the OP but it doesn't seem to fit there.

    As for your question, I don't feel that the card pool is balanced to all the archetype and that mid-range is the favored one both on SF and pre-SF. The way that most of the hero abilities either acts as ally removal or protector which both gravitates on taking board control. Majority of the games is usually about to build a pile of 3cc and 5cc allies and compete to who has the tallest of them which I'm sure people here knows by now. Control doesn't have all that many great removal or disruption compared to the quality and selection of allies out there (heck, there are allies that acts better as removal or disruption than the actual removal abilities) and there aren't really good finisher cards outside KP (which then, you have to build a pile of allies for it to work). Aggro in here gravitates much to aggro-control just to keep the board of balance for the opponents allies just walls them.

    Hope that helped you.
    Last edited by FlyingFerrari; 04-24-2014 at 03:53 PM.

  8. #8
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    Is there any sources that you take reference on?
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    Regionals Runner Up kentuequi's Avatar
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    Thanks for the nice and easy to read article. Now i know, :P
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    Great write up FF.

    I'd love to here people thoughts on if there are decks that can switch between two or more styles depending on the opponent?
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