40-card Boris deck (v1.27 build)

[Bucky525]

Here's the deck, with strategy comments beneath. It's not perfect, but it is very fun to play.
Hope you enjoy playing it too and give feedback.

x2 Kristoffer
x2 Birgitte
x3 Blake
x3 Puwen
x3 Jasmine
x3 Aldon
x3 Raven
x2 Aeon

x4 Blood Frenzy
x3 Crippling Blow
x3 Retreat
x2 War Banner
x2 Bad Santa

x2 King's Pride
x2 Dimension Ripper

Comments:
Allies
Kristoffer - 1-3 damage for 1cc early in game, but great sneak attack later with aldon/warbanner/kp
Birgitte - protects blake early, cast with aldon/jasmine t4 for protection against fireball
Blake - killed too easy, consider alternatives, but with 1st play --> t2 blake, t3 aldon is still great
Puwen - battles well against all t1/t2 allies, after that its just a resource
Aeon - consider +1, but two has been fine for me

Spells
Retreat - essential, don't shortchange its value just because 1.27 cripple is amazing
Bad Santa - for Jericho, and when my Blood Frenzy is hiding from me
No Smashing Blow? - SB is a good counter to Snow Sapphire --> but if you're opponent just played SS, then you're probably beating them... it will just take an extra turn. What about SB for Amber/Gwenneth? Good question. My question: have you seen an Amber/Gwenneth build that doesn't carry like 6 or 8 weapons? Or a couple Lily Rosecults? More often than not, you’ll SB that soulseeker, and feel so good about it, and then watch it pop out the very next turn with full durability. You’ll immediately wish you didn’t burn those 3 resources, and wonder why you even carry SB. Want to kill a weapon? Attack it, you don't have a choice anymore.

Weapon/Armor
King's Pride - Just a worthless end-game victory-stamp Bloodlust… for 7cc! Correct. And I love it! End the game. Don't wait for supernova/tidalwave. Besides, don't forget the health benefits. Aeon survives a rapidfire soulseeker, while aldon/jasmine need two hits from a soulseeker and also can't be fireballed as easily.
Dimension Ripper - warning: use against other warriors is highly cautioned. Let me start by saying that although Jeweler's Dream is essential for Amber, in Boris's hands it does very little. JD needs 3 uses to warrant the 4cc, but can only kill an ally that Kristoff or Boris's ability could take care of anyway. And often I'm afraid to use it against anything but the opposing hero (attack an ally for 1 damage and get 3 right back?). That brings me to DR. 2 damage is much handier against allies. And it also provides a very unique draw engine, which is fantastic against Majiya (and sometimes other mages, or priests). Deal 2 damage, steal a fireball, and give them nothing useful. You'll be drawing their deck and replacing it with resource cards. And if they mistakenly play your 6cc Aeon or your 5cc Raven, then swipe it back to your own hand with a 2cc retreat.

Final Thought
No Engrage? Valid point. A must-have against Amber or Majiya. So consider using one (for long battles with Amber), but then be cautious about using DR against Majiya when its still in your deck (the match will end if Majiya gets her hands on it). However, I don't run any Enrages. It allows me the freedom to use DR against various opponents, and keeps me always attacking. Instead of using a chunk of a turn's resources buffing myself, those 4cc are put onto the board to gain an edge. I don't need buffing if I control the board. So I guess you could consider this a rush deck of sorts – ally heavy, maybe too many weenies.

Feel free to comment/suggest/disagree.
But I hope you try it out and enjoy the gameplay.

[Fines7]

I Remember When No Used Boris And Said They Were Better Now Every Is Better And Says They Use Boris.

[Berdugo]

Hi.I did not read much then but I see that you have 2 of Brigette and 2 of Kris. If you want them to be present early you should have 4 (a certain thread said that either 4 of Kris or 4 of Brigette,but not both).

Also,based on your deck,I disagree with you not having JD.you said what's the use?you see that most your spells are 2cc,what is not to like? it is good at T4 that I cast JD and retreat/crippling blow to gain board control.

[DCjG]

This build seems like it would be decent against some. I worry, though, about your success with mages. You have a lot of weenies in this deck without actually committing to a rush deck. You only have 5 allies that can take a fireball or nova. There's plenty of Majiya decks out there still so that's something to consider.

[DCjG]

I suppose the DR is good against mages in this case. I prefer JD for it's ability to combo cripple/retreat but I can definitely see DR's strategy.

Running less "great" cards also means you have less of a chance of giving them away.

[Scion]

I Remember When No Used Boris And Said They Were Better Now Every Is Better And Says They Use Boris.

Ignoring the non readable capital letter hocus pocus, Boris was overused pass 1.23.

[Bucky525]

I use them early, when I can, but actually I use Birgitte alot on t4 to protect a second 3cc drop, and kristoff is great later with aldon/warbanner. But I could definitely agree with someone swapping out puwens or blakes (which are sort of useless later), to play more birgitte and kristoff BOTH early AND middle/late.

Yeah, I can't say 'don't use JD'... the 2 resource is nice, and i was tempted... but when I have 1st play, i go t3 jasmine, t4 aldon + birgitte -- now jasmine is set to stall an ally if need be, but also deal 4 damage to every 3cc except gargoyle (boris's ability takes care of him) if I have 2nd play... sometimes i'll retreat AND cripple on t4 to gain a foot on the board, or use jasmine's ability AND cripple/retreat... It's just when I have JD, I feel like I 'have' to use it on t4, which essentially turns my t4 into a t2. But there is something to be said, when t5 comes and you can empty your hand onto the board.

[Bucky525]

DCjG - yeah, a it's tough balance against mages. Too many weenies, and lightning/arcane pops them off the board, but too many big guys and I can't get them out fast enough to run damage as fast as their spells (which would once again argue for JD). DR and warbanner/kp really help. Any shrieks used to counter them give me an edge on resources. And with DR there are just too many goodies from a mage deck for me, and too little in my deck for them. They get allies (if they play a good one, I retreat it back to my hand), and board control spells. I get: engulfling flames, poison gas, portal, a fireball or arcane. The mage advantage is definitely leveled after a couple swapped draws.

[DCjG]

DCjG - yeah, a it's tough balance against mages. Too many weenies, and lightning/arcane pops them off the board, but too many big guys and I can't get them out fast enough to run damage as fast as their spells (which would once again argue for JD). DR and warbanner/kp really help. Any shrieks used to counter them give me an edge on resources. And with DR there are just too many goodies from a mage deck for me, and too little in my deck for them. They get allies (if they play a good one, I retreat it back to my hand), and board control spells. I get: engulfling flames, poison gas, portal, a fireball or arcane. The mage advantage is definitely leveled after a couple swapped draws.

I'd sac the DoTs you get from mages. I recently swapped them out of my mage decks for portal even though I'm not a portal mage.

Now, if you get a fireball or LS, you're loving life because they completely rely on those spells.

[Raphael Majere]

Do not underestimate JD. It serves a very important purpose on t4.

Aldon/Jas + JD attack = dead enemy 4 life ally.

T5, Raven + Retreat (extra 2 resource from JD) - swings board control back to you.