Banebow - Quick Assault Deck

[liquidbabylon]

Hey! I'm a newer player to SE, but I've found a Banebow deck that I really enjoy playing. Since starting a few weeks ago, I found that a vast majority of the time, trying to play the meta decks (like the undead Banebow) I struggled at my current rating (I play around the early 200s right now) against all the stall decks and was frustrated that I couldn't win as often with a 40-45 card deck. When I played with more cards (55 or so) I could compete with these decks and so I started to question why, and often the answer was because in order to dominate the board, I needed at least 4 resources to get my best cards out... doesn't seem like a big deal, but against a many players, by round 4, whatever momentum you've built can often turn on it's head with a good SE effect or what-not. Anyway, I wanted a deck that could apply quick damage right out of the gate focusing on level 2-3 allies but could also survive a mill deck which is has in every case so far.

Death Mage Thaddeus - 3
Shadow Knight - 3
Ogloth the Glutton - 1
Frostmare - 4
Rampant Krygon - 4
Harbinger of the Lost - 4
Voracious Arachnid - 4
Slingblade Demon - 2

Loom of Fate - 1
The Perfect Shot - 3
Poison Arrow - 3
Bloodlust - 3
Shriek of Vengeance - 2
Ley Line Nexus - 1
Sacrificial Lamb - 2

Soul Seeker - 4

Banebow makes it equal 45. It's very easy to cut 5 cards from this setup if you want to get it trimmed to 40, but I just prefer a few extra cards due to the insane number of mill decks in the early 200s.

Anyway, the basic strategy is getting your early cards out before the opposing players have enough resources to wipe your allies or incapacitate them... if I can get Frostmare out, then Rampant Krygon, then Voracious Arachnid, the first 3+ ally they play basically has to be something big, else I get early board control, and Arachnid gets strong very fast. Rampant gets early damage boosts on the low level cards, and if I get an early Bloodlust in there, typically I can win in about 7-10 turns. If I don't get the cards I want that early, I have a few heavies in there just in case, and Slingblade Demon for some rare occasions where I can get a lot of bang out of Frostmare, Rampant, and DMT by the usual trick of attacking, bringing them back to hand, and then casting again. Voracious Arachnid very quickly turns into a formidable card and just seems to synergize well with Rampant Krygon'd ability to buff damage output quickly.

Anyway, looking for some ways to tweak the deck to be even better, my ranking is climbing at the moment and I'd like to know what to expect as I play better opponents. Bare in mind, I'm trying to stray away from the undead deck for right now.

[BlackAngel]

Your draw engine is close to non existent. Your deck will more than likely struggle no matter where your rating is.

Draw engines are very crucial in this game because it will allows you to draw cards faster giving you more opinions to play and can make the sacrificing stage easier with more cards. I would recommend looking into both Wrath of the Forest and Hunter's Gambit. It is important to establish draw engines that allows only you to draw. If you can outdraw your opponent then more than likely you can outplay him leaving him with nothing left. Also figuring out methods to destroy your opponent's draw engines are important too which you have a pretty good set up using Shriek of Vengeance already.

[liquidbabylon]

Your draw engine is close to non existent. Your deck will more than likely struggle no matter where your rating is.

Draw engines are very crucial in this game because it will allows you to draw cards faster giving you more opinions to play and can make the sacrificing stage easier with more cards. I would recommend looking into both Wrath of the Forest and Hunter's Gambit. It is important to establish draw engines that allows only you to draw. If you can outdraw your opponent then more than likely you can outplay him leaving him with nothing left. Also figuring out methods to destroy your opponent's draw engines are important too which you have a pretty good set up using Shriek of Vengeance already.

So maybe replace the 2 Slingblade Demons with Hunter's Gambit? Usually by the time I have the 4 resources to summon Wrath of the Forest I have board control, or my opponent has done an ally wipe. That armor is good in my undead deck but didn't seem to synergise with this deck.

[BlackAngel]

So maybe replace the 2 Slingblade Demons with Hunter's Gambit? Usually by the time I have the 4 resources to summon Wrath of the Forest I have board control, or my opponent has done an ally wipe. That armor is good in my undead deck but didn't seem to synergise with this deck.

There should be no way for your opponent to use a field wipe card by T4. Priest and Mages Tidal Wave and Supernova are all T5 plays. If anything they would only help to fill up your hand.

The major issue with this deck is I don't see Banebow as an effective rush hero. I'm use to playing competitively and when actually trying to climb the ladder I'm 300+ which usually consist of other competitive decks. If you are trying to create a fun deck to play and use that's great but would still suggest a better draw engine and just x2 Hunter's Gambit is not enough.

Maybe in a rush deck Wrath of the Forest wouldn't be the best draw engine because it will slow you down too much. I would recommend still using x4 Hunter's Gambit and get ride of Loom of Fate. Also if I was going to do a rush deck with Banebow I would like support with direct damage so both Cultist Falseblood and Brimstone would be great cards to use.

Ogloth the Glutton too much much of a fatty for a rush deck also. Probably would drop the Shadow Knights down to x2 since I would mainly would want them just to bring my Krygon's back to me for more instant damage.

Ironhide Karash might be a better 2T drop also since it has the possibility of having more attack than Harbringer and won't accidentally discard something you might need.

[liquidbabylon]

There should be no way for your opponent to use a field wipe card by T4. Priest and Mages Tidal Wave and Supernova are all T5 plays. If anything they would only help to fill up your hand.

The major issue with this deck is I don't see Banebow as an effective rush hero. I'm use to playing competitively and when actually trying to climb the ladder I'm 300+ which usually consist of other competitive decks. If you are trying to create a fun deck to play and use that's great but would still suggest a better draw engine and just x2 Hunter's Gambit is not enough.

Maybe in a rush deck Wrath of the Forest wouldn't be the best draw engine because it will slow you down too much. I would recommend still using x4 Hunter's Gambit and get ride of Loom of Fate. Also if I was going to do a rush deck with Banebow I would like support with direct damage so both Cultist Falseblood and Brimstone would be great cards to use.

Ogloth the Glutton too much much of a fatty for a rush deck also. Probably would drop the Shadow Knights down to x2 since I would mainly would want them just to bring my Krygon's back to me for more instant damage.

Ironhide Karash might be a better 2T drop also since it has the possibility of having more attack than Harbringer and won't accidentally discard something you might need.

I like the Ironhide Karash suggestion, seems a good fit, and Ogloth was really only in there as a possible late changer if needed, I've already worked him out of my current deck.

I don't really consider this a "rush" deck per se but I can see how it works in a similar way. Bare in mind, it's not a one trick pony, last night I played nothing but Skervox and Moonstalker mill decks and none of them even came close because the Krygons and Frostmares ensured I always got supplemental damage up in a single turn, especially burning a timely Bloodlust in between.

Will keep all your ideas in mind as I climb in rank and play better opponents, I'm sure they will but this deck to the test more than at my current level.

[liquidbabylon]

Just an update for anyone reading (particularly new players like me), the lack of draw was absolutely correct, and I've performed much better by pacing myself just a smidge more and working WotF and Hunter's Gambit into the deck. I won't post any updates to my ally roster though there have been a few, since I'm still learning an adjusting, but I am still centralizing early control with this deck around Krygon, Arachnid, and DMT primarily, and they seem to work off of each other well, since Hunter's Gambit/Sac Lamb/Arachnid seems to synergize well with the kamikaze nature of the Krygon, and getting a Bloodlust at the right time can make your underwhelming 2-3 ally pool suddenly turn into something far more dangerous.

Anyway, thanks BlackAngel for the advice. Since switching to focusing on a bit more draw that doesn't also give cards to my opponent, I've found that opponents who do not set up their draw effectively struggle a lot more to gain any board control.