Ravaging Mummie (Vess, v2.86)

[Demnchi]

So this is the Ravager Vess deck I came up with today. It's not tuned or anything but it certainly is fun and seems to work well.

Hero:

x1 Vess Swifthands

Allies:

x3 Yari Spearman
x2 Rapacious Vermin
x3 Spitfire Hound
x4 Cleric of the Asyn
x4 Murderous Hulk
x4 Yari Bladedancer

Items:

x2 Crown of Ages
x3 Thriss Almanac
x3 Obelisk of Echoes

Abilities:

x4 Crippling Blow
x4 Blood Frenzy
x2 Bloodthirsty
x3 Ellos' Resolve

So I didn't realize I only have two Crown of Ages in there, I'll likely bump that up to x3 (like I said, work in progress ).

Vess can do her (his?) thing with the attachments giving you some tough allies and/or cheap targets for Spitfire Hound or even Obelisk. Of course, whenever you do that Cleric of the Asyn thanks you heavily. Crown of Ages is a really good item when combined with these warrior alllies it can now target, as they can kill just about anything your opponent plays (the buff even lasts till your opponent's turn). It also goes a long way with Murderous Hulk (even Yari Spearman helps with that). The buff to Thriss Almanac is pretty real, +2 attack is nothing to joke about, even if you let it blow itself up the same turn you play it (also acts as a mini board wipe).

I've also found Obelisk to be quite the useful item as even using Murderous Hulk's or Spitfire Hound's ability to kill an ally will trigger it. It can even target itself if need be, handy! (plus it works just like Scriptures of the Righteous, if you play a second one, you can use it right away). I think all the abilities are self explanatory.

Anyways, I'm still considering a few things. Thriss Demolitionist is probably amazing now and I bet Zealot is too. I'm just not sure what to shift around. I'm also not too keen on Bloodthristy, but it works in a pinch and synergieses with Vess' ability.

Any comments and recommendations welcome!

[Preybird]

You need Demolitionist. Awesome ally that if he sticks for even a turn can wreck people.

[Ganjamus]

This looks pretty good! If you want you can do without a Spitfire to squeeze in that one Thriss of just do away with them completely for 2 Zealots. Zealots are crazy useful. Have you been playing this deck recently?

[Demnchi]

This looks pretty good! If you want you can do without a Spitfire to squeeze in that one Thriss of just do away with them completely for 2 Zealots. Zealots are crazy useful. Have you been playing this deck recently?

A little bit here and there. Been playing a lot of Super Smash Brothers this weekend instead of card games. :P I still make a lot of mistakes, but if you want to watch you can (IGN: A1 Demnchi)

I did throw in some Thriss Demolitionist's and it is a fantastic call. As Preybird mentioned, they can single handedly win games.

[Demnchi]

Played with a new version of the deck today and its done really well so I thought I would provide an update:

Hero:

x1 Vess Swifthands

Allies:

x3 Yari Spearman
x2 Rapacious Vermin
x3 Spitfire Hound
x4 Cleric of the Asyn
x4 Murderous Hulk
x3 Thriss Demolitionist
x4 Yari Bladedancer

Items:

x3 Crown of Ages
x3 Thriss Almanac
x3 Obelisk of Echoes

Abilities:

x3 Crippling Blow
x4 Blood Frenzy
x2 Ellos' Resolve

Deck seems to work far better than before, and Thriss Demolitionist is primarily the reason why. Although I did take out Bloodthristy to make it work and Draw can become an issue should you not get Blood Frenzy or it's taken out. I recommend always keeping one on hand if you can help it.

I've been considering x1 Aldmor Conduit because I'm often left with a lot of left over Shadow Energy and nothing to do with it, but I'm not sure if it would honestly help that much, what do you guys think?

(Ps: Never forget you can always destroy your own Blood Frenzy should you get low or need the extra damage )

[Saf]

^ Demnchi you don't need 3x Obelisk, idk bout you but I'm yet to fully use even 2 of them (they're a great target for Hound but you have no Zealots so overall you don't need much item destruction

You need more attachments! Otherwise you are much better off using Ter over Vess - it also makes Cleric's Mantle from viable to DEVASTATING. In a good Ter turn you can often do 20+ damage with Mantle. But since we're talking about Vess - Will To Fight and Enslave The Beast!! Those are Vess's best attachments. I would drop 1 Obelisk, 1 BF, 1 Thriss D, throw in 2 WTF and 1 or preferably 2 ETB by kicking out sth else (like Vermin, see below)

Now this is where we may differ: with decks like Vess where heavy mutual card draw will benefit me more than opp, I tend to run Bazaar and Loom. You may not agree (and is bad for you with your current build) but with heavy draw and attachments you tend to have the advantage (except against weenie rush). Plus Loom and Bazaar can always be destroyed by Hound (and I use Zealots too) and because like me you don't have strong cheap allies (Vermin always hurts more than helps when played early) your first 2 turns can be spent setting up draw and Crown which can later be targeted in your big turns.

[Demnchi]

^ Demnchi you don't need 3x Obelisk, idk bout you but I'm yet to fully use even 2 of them (they're a great target for Hound but you have no Zealots so overall you don't need much item destruction

You need more attachments! Otherwise you are much better off using Ter over Vess - it also makes Cleric's Mantle from viable to DEVASTATING. In a good Ter turn you can often do 20+ damage with Mantle. But since we're talking about Vess - Will To Fight and Enslave The Beast!! Those are Vess's best attachments. I would drop 1 Obelisk, 1 BF, 1 Thriss D, throw in 2 WTF and 1 or preferably 2 ETB by kicking out sth else (like Vermin, see below)

Now this is where we may differ: with decks like Vess where heavy mutual card draw will benefit me more than opp, I tend to run Bazaar and Loom. You may not agree (and is bad for you with your current build) but with heavy draw and attachments you tend to have the advantage (except against weenie rush). Plus Loom and Bazaar can always be destroyed by Hound (and I use Zealots too) and because like me you don't have strong cheap allies (Vermin always hurts more than helps when played early) your first 2 turns can be spent setting up draw and Crown which can later be targeted in your big turns.

I see what you're saying, but I don't have x3 Oblelisk because I intend to use all 3, but rather to help ensure that I will have one by the time bigger stuff comes out. I will play it on turn 1 if my hand is favorable for it though (as it alone changes how my opponent plays, and could leave me open to using Hound if necessary). Not to mention playing it early helps with those pesky attachments. Basically, I use it more for its effect rather than a cheap self-destruction option. Usually. I do keep the that option open though. So i do have to ask, given that's how I use it, would you still suggest x2? If so why?

On the subject of Cleric's Mantle, I have yet to try it. Not sure what I would take out for it though. I can see how that could suddenly deal a ton of damage as I've turns where I destroy 3+ items/abilities (not to mention what that does to Cleric of the Asyn alone). I'll have to give it a shot.

Now we do come to the part where we differ (as you say). First let me explain exactly why I chose Vess over Ter Adun, Logan, and Rothem (because I did debate it). Free Blood Frenzy. That's pretty much it. See, being able to play that on T3 (T4 going first) AND something else is a huge tempo boost imo. I don't have to slow down to play it. With Ter Adun (the only other one I would run Ravager in most likely) I would have to take a turn to do so, making it harder to get out my Clerics and other important cards needed to keep the pressure. Now that's not to say that Vess is greater than Ter Adun, but its just my preference with this deck. (personally I love Ter Adun) However given that free BF's was the only reason, I did still throw in Ellos' Resolve to help with the fact that I wouldn't be using my ability much (although it does help with Crippling Blows quite often). But I see no reason to add extra attachments just so I can use my ability more when it already gives me such a huge tempo boost (also keep in mind that can happen again should your BF be removed).

As for the extra attachment being changed from Ellos' Resolve to Enslave the Beast or Will to Fight, I'll have to give that a shot.

Also as for draw, I've always found that Bazaar helps my opponent more than myself. I know when it gets played against me I'm actually happy. I can keep draw engines shut down with Ravagers so I see no reason to give them cards, even if I can stop it later. Loom on the other hand is an option as it IS a cheap destruction option with draw attached, but I don't run Zealot's because I don't feel I need their haste and they die a bit too easily for my taste considering they destroyed an item to be useful in the first place.

But we do agree on one thing, early Rapacious Vermin stings. But he is a Ravager, and Crown helps a lot Early game.

Would type more but I gtg for now!

[Saf]

^ Hey, with good draw (BF) plus likelihood of opp playing some nefarious attachment on your ally in a game (relatively speaking, low - your main nemeses here are Warrior and Wulven (CB/CP) out of all the classes, even Zail's Hymn cannot be removed without turning into a Banish anyway!) So for that reason I use it mainly for destruction rather than its effect - don't get me wrong it is just BEAUTIFUL when you've had Cleric languishing under CB until opp got Hulked etc and RELEASE!! CLERIC AVENGES WITH HIS HARBOURED MULTIPLE ATK BOOSTS OVER THE GAME but again it's a rare sit. The risk is so great that I have seen a few opps attack a disabled Cleric just to avoid this risk (even rarer, but sth I noticed since Leviathan was introduced). So in your case you are probably better off with 3x as you mainly use it for destruction rather than effect plus you don't have other cheap items to destroy (and keeping Crown in play for as long as possible gains you its atk boost + places a strong fear in opp)

For Mantle, don't bother squeezing it into Vess, it will just compromise your deck by kicking out relatively more useful cards (I only use it with Ter) It's just so, so crazy you gotta try it

Good reasoning for Vess, my approach was spend first turn or 2 setting up items (draw/boost) but for your style you are much better off your way. I just enjoy the kamikaze playstyle with Ravager so much but often I've helped opp significantly more than I'd have liked before destroying Bazaarloom. In a typical game, how many "missed powers" (turns where you had the Shadow for power but wasn't necessary) do you tend to have? If your playstyle works for you then this point doesn't matter but in terms of efficiency things like that would bug me - a non-point really

WTF/ETB - Keep your 2x Ellos' (consider replacing one with Bloodthirsty)! You're better off kicking out the cards I mentioned before (apart from Obelisk) - though since BF is your only draw engine I would keep your 4 - again consider Bloodthirsty (one of my Vess builds uses Confluence alongside BF but it's only viable with heavy attachments so just an idea but not right for you lol usualy hurts me more than helps anyway :P). Thriss Demolitionist has a great power but is rarely used - and if you don't use his power he becomes a very expensive ally. I don't think you need more than 2! Vermin - either 1 or none! A successful Vermin is one of the rarest occurrences in this game!!

Great points - if opp plays Bazaar and doesn't have boardwipes I can guarantee a win (unless it's Rogue or Warrior (Shuriken/Marksman)) since I run ally-heavy decks. And ofc it makes my day!! MAY MY ALLIES FLOURISH! And so true about Zealot; would 3/4 really be OP for him?? I also suggested Spitfire being 2/3 if summoned without using his ability - fingers crossed!!

Funny I never considered Crown Vermin - 3/5 early on?! A great play to consider since T2 Vermin T3 Crown + Ability thanks!

[Demnchi]

First off, let me apologize for never responding! I've been playing other games last week so I forgot about this thread x.x

I'll certainly have to give this Ter Ravager with Mantle a try so I can share your enthusiasm! As for how many "missed Powers" I get, it generally varies. Assuming things are going perfectly, I will usually not use the ability passed the free BF which I will admit bugs me a lot, but I'm winning so its not a big deal. If things get a little rough, or I've had to play another free blood frenzy, I'll generally "miss" two ability triggers. Sometimes I end up using it every single time to combat allies with CB or play Ellos' Resolve (which btw, is amazing on a Yari Spearman ). It is one of the things that I wish I could improve on the deck, but I'm not 100% certain on how to accomplish it without changing too much of the deck. I've been considering either Aldmor Conduit (my opponent gets draw too, but lessens their ability usage) or Punisher Gauntlets (but they're quite expensive resource wise). I suppose Plate Armor could be a thing, but I doubt it would be that useful.

I still need to give Will to Fight a try. That could actually work well, I'll try it out tonight.

Yeah, honestly I think Zealot could use a decent buff, but maybe only if another ravager card gets knocked down. Zealot is still fantastic value if you destroy an item with an effect for being destroyed (although terrible if not, dies too easily as I said). I can only imagine that would only get better as new cards arrive. But we'll have to see, maybe it is warranted.