Breaking Bravo!
The Baydragon Road to Auckland 10k is now in the books. I had an unblemished run through the event, topping it off with a sweet looking foil Bravo, Showstopper for the deck. I'm feeling pretty amped for TCAkl!!
Throughout my history of playing tcg's (which there has been a lot), I have always been drawn to playing a control style game plan. The reasoning for this is that I always like to work for my victory, I don't like "cheesing my opponents out". The idea that you can play a "real game" that swings back and forwards over multiple turns, where decisions actually matter makes it hard to argue that the best player hasn't won. For this reason alone its only natural that I have gravitated to Bravo as my go to guy!
Over the last few months I have developed my Bravo, Showstopper list to the following:
The whole idea of this list is to defend aggressively and swing with the weapon whenever you can, pitch your power cards early to draw them late to really make an impact when the defenses are thin.
Your opponent will normally be playing cards to try and push through your defenses, whereas you're pitching and swinging Anothos, creating a deck size advantage! Over 15 or so turns you will normally find that their deck size is considerably smaller than yours meaning they are normally very low on red line power cards and defense reactions!
Ninja match up
Against some of the aggressive strategies like Ninja you spend most of the game defending with 3-4 cards per turn. The match up relies heavily on Blessing of Deliverance and saving a 4 power defense reaction for Snatch (red), the most busted rare in the game! Whenever Snatch hits with the assistance of Razor Reflex, the game snowballs big time, so it is very important to save your equipment and premium defense reactions for the big plays.
You're on the fatigue plan here, I don't like relying fully on the Spinal Crush plan as you can over commit into setting it up and they just casually get hit with an Enlightened Strike for 7. The Ninja deck is relentless if built right.
Warrior Match up
Against Warrior you want all your defense reactions. Try to defend from arsenal as much as possible (8 defense Staunch Response paying the full 6 is back breaking for them). Like Ninja, Warrior's rely on red Snatch, Razor Reflex and Enlightened Strike to go wide or over the top to push damage and create a snowball effect. It's not just the weapon you need to think about here.
Brute Match up
Against Brute I've learnt that you definitely want your Sink Below and Springboard Somersault late game. Use your big defense reactions early or you will end up getting intimidated 3 times and left with an Unmovable in hand and losing to a 25% piece of variance, as seen in the first Savage Lands Showdown video. By cycling your smaller defense reactions early and setting them in the arsenal late you can effectively shut down a 2-3 Barraging Beatdown play by defending with 1 card from hand and the reaction in the arsenal. Lesson learned!
Guardian Match Up
As for Guardian, no one knows what happens here.. rumor has it someone, somewhere, has actually completed one of these games.. but seriously, play Crippling Crush 3 times. Remembrance them back in 3 times. Play them 6 more times, then try to hit your Last Ditch Efforts first!!
In Closing
When building Guardian, it's important to keep in mind that your blue cards are resources with utility. Three cost cards and cards with 3 defense are premium, hence why you will see cards like Stonewall Confidence over a card like Pummel. One additional defense is effectively 1 more life point from defeat. I would recommend a minimum 40 blue resource cards to play guardian, very rarely would I side any out.
Remembrance and Blessing of Deliverance is your survival engine. Use your red Sink and Springboard Somersault sparingly, defense reactions with 4 def value are absolutely crucial to stopping big plays!
Try to pitch your threats early so that late game you can start throwing hay-makers. Lastly, knowledge of the cards, how your opponent will come at you, and having a plan to combat it at the right time is crucial!
This is a guest article, provided by Cayle McCreath's. Thank you for giving us permission to publish this article!
Guests are not affiliated with Legend Story Studios or Flesh and Blood.