1.25 Gravebella Beatdown

[Killtrend]

1.26 Gravebella Beatdown v5

***Please Note: Gravebone and Portal were nerfed (obviously because of me ) and don’t work this way anymore but enjoy the walk down memory lane. Updated Gravebone decks for each major update will be released in the Mage section.***

1 - Gravebone

4 - Brute
3 - Medusil
3 - Infernal Gargoyle
4 - Belladonna

4 - Fireball
4 - Lightning Blast
3 - Portal
2 - Research
2 - Shriek

Total: 30 Cards

To make 40 cards(tournament rules) max out all slots and add 3 bloodlust.


Ok, so I'll show an optimal start going first, then on to the explanations.

T1 - Hold
T2 - Brute
T3 - Gargoyle/Medusil Opponent depending.
T4 - Research+Search/LB/Ally Stall
T5 - 3cc+search/Bella Stall
T6 - Portal+Brute/Research/search
T7 - Bella+3cc
T8 - Bella+Bella!


Anyway, the turns vary slightly according to opponents drops but as you can see, Belladonna is the star. She's very cheap and hits very hard. Her low health is almost a help to the deck, letting me cast her over and over and keeping dmg off my hero. Sometimes I have to shriek a Bazaar/Research which slows my turns, sometimes I have to fight for control against heavy aggro. Whatever comes, I'm ready for it. This deck going first has a supreme upper hand. Going second it can reclaim control rather quickly. This might not be seen as T1, at least not until I have some more cards to work with, but this dog is always in the fight.

"Medusil vs Badwolf vs Keldor vs Deathbone" - Medusil hits hard and has a nice ability. Paying for Keldor over and over is a hindrance since I need my resources for recursion and casting my ever growing hand. Badwolf is just average. Deathbone wants to be useful, he tries so hard. In the end though, he's a wasted card.


Gargoyle reasoning: Card advantage. He dodges all DD abilities besides Nova, including Nishaven and fireballs. If left unattended he will strengthen my burn and do significant chip damage.

Brute Reasoning: Board Presence. Quick use of late resources. His 4 health is nothing to laugh at, sticking around long enough to tag team with LB to become a mini fireball.

Where's Big Boy Behemoth?! - The bench. Regardless of his awesome power, I can't focus on a single creature for my win. It's why so many people lose after building around aeon and can't understand why they cant win. Behemoth is resource intense. Turn 8 before his full potential can be unleashed. Meanwhile turn 8 I double drop Bella for +1 dmg. Or one Bella one 3cc ally for equal output. And i get no card draw with Behemoth. Simple math. Bella+Recursion+Portal=Insane.

Where's lust? - Without pure weenie (snakes) LB is much more useful in 30 cards. It was a hard switch I fought tooth and nail. It's present in the 40 card variant.

No Nova?! - No Nova. The dmg it did to me plus Raven AND Aeon surviving it PLUS losing the turn likely by passing after using it is just bad. Portal and some decent strategy can win you more control albiet slower.

40 Cards?! - Yeah. I think it's high time we all get ready to play with 40 card decks. Since I was having so much success in quickmatches with my tournament build, I decided to make the jump.

Tough Matchups - Ter Adun and Majiya are this decks toughest opponents. Coming in next is human Warriors who go heavy aggro with blood frenzy. Don't feel bad if these guys give you trouble. You can't win them all. Remember to always shriek card draw engines your opponents put out and keep the board clear when possible. Late game card advantage WILL pull you out of trouble most all times.

Gravebella in action

Questions? Comments? Let's hear them.

[paulishuku]

Why no Deathbone? While I understand that you'll be utilizing Bella and Gravebone for card draw, it could be an alternate strategy.

[Killtrend]

No room for him. And in testing, he was too weak. Upon alpha build he was in, then he got downgraded to 3cc and less dmg. Didn't work as well really. I wanted him to so bad too! Ha

[N3rd4Christ]

Looks great but where is Lightning? thats a 2 for 1 often times.

[Killtrend]

I chose lust over it. It's a turn cheaper and it helps late game to cast another card.

I like lightning, just no room.

Also, with a late creature advantage, it can really add up more dmg then lightning, with the option to spread it out.

[TotallyImba]

Its good but I prefer my Gravebone deck but its more spell based. I found that you dont need that many monsters as you can just keep bringing them back to your hand.

I like Deathbone + Portal combo. I had a game vs a Warrior deck who had a weapon and I just kept hitting him with Deathbone for 2 damage, it would die and do 2 more damage. Then I could bring him back and summon again using Portal and repreat: total 8 damage. Or you can use him to remove any 4 HP Allies or to help remove Aeon.

Its not perfect but I have only lost twice with it out of the games I have played.

1 - Gravebone

4 - Deathbone
4 - Infernal Gargoyle
3 - Plasma Behemoth

4 - Fireball
3 - Lightning Strike
3 - Research
3 - Portral
3 - Shriek of Vengeance
2 - Supernova

[Kadun]

I've lost to similar decks recently. It looks like a strong build.

[Killtrend]

@totally

Portal and bigger creatures is certainly a strong way to go. I just chose weenies with high health to keep them off my hero. And I save most of my recursion for Bella, and can't afford to keep popping deathbone in and out. As a side, I don't need draw because of Bella.

@kadun

Thanks. I like it. More fun then the standard T1 archetypes out there.

[paulishuku]

I just played this deck and yeah, it has some really seriously awesome synergy. I like it. Brutalis makes great use of the extra resources you may have late in the game after you return him. Unfortunately I played against Elementalis. If only I would have saved 1 Bloodlust I would have won. But this is a great deck. I can't even think of any changes I would make.

[Killtrend]

Yeah. This deck isn't an auto-win, but if it loses, it puts up a hell of a fight. It's a good way to shake up the meta. Glad you like it!