[SF] Raikka's Swarm

[BlanketEffect]

Raikka Spellseeker

4x Ironhide Karash
4x Infernal Gargoyle
4x Rampant Krygon
4x Grimghast
2x Death Mage Thaddeus
3x Shadow Knight or 3x Flameborn Defiler

2x Fireball
4x Lightning Strike
4x Supernova

2x Shriek of Vengeance

4x Tome of Knowledge
2x Sacrificial Lamb

Total + Hero = 40 cards


This deck seeks to employ a shallow cost curve to dominate the board with cheap, but efficient, allies of utility that share a common synergy with one another.

Karash and Gargoyle are strong against many weapons, and when combined with Raikka's ability, Grimghast's ability, or both, they become very effective board prowlers against allies.

Krygon and DMT are great surprise killers against your opponent when he's achieved board control, especially when coupled with Lightning Strike.

Shadow Knight has good all-around utility, giving the deck some extra card advantage, but Flameborn Defiler is very useful combined with Raikka's ability, and is also immune to the effects of Supernova. I see these two allies as interchangeable. I've tried Dakath, but have met with limited success.

Drawing is mediocre, but consistent, with 4x ToK, and with all the ally-hate in the form of attachments, Lamb Slamming is seldom ineffective.

The deck's weaknesses are predominantly solo or semi-solo decks, and some Moonstalker builds.

[Kross]

I have been trying out a build similar to this recently.. I find that if I use too many low cost allies, I still have a rough time dealing with fatty heavy decks and I will have a terrible draw. And if I play with a more balanced resource curve, the deck ends up being too slow, and I get dangerously close to losing before the real combos set in.

Any advice on how to use portal with her while minimizing tempo loss?
Any advice on how best to use Flameborn Defiler with her?

[ipoop245]

Perhaps you should play Raika like Eladwen ? Dish out as much damage as possible and switch to Bad Santa and burn spells ?

[Th3thanx]

This is similar to the meat wagon build posted a while back. I also tried something similar but have had little luck due to problems already mentioned: too little draw, and big fatties and solo decks totally smoked it.

I'd maybe look there for ideas? A weenie deck will run out of steam pretty quick without really solid drawing capabilities... so if that's an issue that seems like a really big one to me.

[Th3thanx]

This is similar to the meat wagon build posted a while back. I also tried something similar but have had little luck due to problems already mentioned: too little draw, and big fatties and solo decks totally smoked it.

I'd maybe look there for ideas? A weenie deck will run out of steam pretty quick without really solid drawing capabilities... so if that's an issue that seems like a really big one to me.

[Kross]

It would be nice if there was a 3cc or 4cc version of Infernus, Tyrant of the Damned... with the same ability and enough health to stick around

[Shadow Blink]

I just add 2 Meteor Shower and have 3 Shadow Knight and 3 Flameborn Defiler, and fell a lot better of this deck

[Recktafy]

I added some extra cards to my deck as well really loving this build.

[Storknest]

I think Raikka's problem is she relies on allies and, like all Shadow decks, cannot really do a Rush strategy since two key Rush components are missing, I cannot find anything to compensate for their loss. Maybe next set Shadow can get two things different from Human to support Rush decks.
I do not know now how to try Control or Stall.

[BlanketEffect]

Well, between ToK and SLamb, the deck isn't completely dry of drawing, though I will admit, it is probably its weakest link.

Try what someone above suggested and run Santas. There are enough allies in the deck to drop to 0 ToK and go 3x Santa and SLamb, each. If you go this route, then I highly recommend using Shadow Knight over Defiler.