Metagame Minute: Skirmish Season 9, Week 1

Welcome to Metagame Minute, where we tuck into the latest tournament results and discuss tasty trends, saucy highlights, and spicy decklists - all wrapped up in a bite-sized read!

Take a deep breath. Relax. It's time to chill out and have a chat about Week 1 of Skirmish Season 9. Zen was a popular deck among players this weekend, and when heroes are a popular deck choice they also tend to naturally perform well on the leaderboards, just as many heroes such as Kayo, Dromai, and Lexi have done in the past. But what's also been really exciting to see is the sheer diverse spread of heroes claiming wins in what were previously thought to be 3-5 deck formats. Seriously, 24 different faces in Blitz?!

Many things we all predicted have come to pass. Rosetta Thorn and Duskblade are unbelievably good tools for Chane, while the un-restriction of Channel Lake Frigid has brought Iyslander well back into the fold. And then there are some things that absolutely nobody saw coming. Terra making a name for himself literally a day off the shelf, BOTH versions of Arakni, and not one, not two, but THREE Shiyana!

Dash and Briar are teetering on the edge of Living Legend in Blitz, which will definitely cause some ripples throughout the metagame. Rhinar doesn't have as tight a collar, but with a strong and steady winrate like his, he could soon be grunting his goodbyes. Meanwhile in Living Legend, players are no doubt exploring counters to prominent aggro decks from Week 1 in order to slither into a win in Week 2. I've personally seen Nuu go toe to toe with titans and come out on top, who knows when she'll show up next!

Skirmish is an opportunity for casual games without such a sharp competitive bite, and it's been amazing to see new and old players embracing both formats for different reasons. Blitz offers newer players the chance to claim their first big victories with explosive power plays, while Living Legend has given old-schoolers a chance to reunite with their favourite decks from the old days.

Each week we're going to look at a unique and interesting decklist from each format, kicking off with two heroes that may have flown under the radar, only to jumpscare you in the dark...

On the Prowl

Connor Leverton making Top 8 at Battle Hardened: Manila with Arakni, Solitary Confinement was a sign which 8 Skirmish winners had the foresight to pay attention to. The young-only hero has pretty much kept to themselves since Outsiders, but the recent injection of new stealth cards from Part the Mistveil has given this masked Assassin just what they need to abuse that sweet hero ability. Can't argue with go again glued to each of your first attacks, especially when they all threaten nasty on-hits.

One of the greatest joys of playing Assassin is the crippling anxiety you get to induce in your opponent simply by holding unknown cards in your hand. Is Arakni going to play a second attack? Or are they going to dump a load of attack reactions on me? How do I defend? The answer is almost always wrong. When you don't have a blue to pitch for a dagger and 1-cost attack reaction, Redback Shroud is always ready to be cashed in, while also upping your attack reaction numbers for effects that require them. You've also got access to the full suite of Assassin disruption; Persuasive Prognosis, Leave No Witnesses, Surgical Extraction, and Flick Knives for cheeky lethal damage. Deck's real.

Just Chillin'

Lexi, Livewire has some pretty potent plays in Living Legend, provided she can reach them. While you may be familiar with the fuseless builds from last year's Classic Constructed metagame, the successful Lexi decks from this week leverage industrial cooler levels of Ice. Flipping up an Arctic Incarceration, Winter's Bite, or Frost Fang in your arsenal to dish out a Frostbite, flinging out a couple of arrows, then forcing your opponent to throw away their hand or succumb to the cold is absolutely nasty, and it gets even worse when you combine it with arrows like Chilling Icevein, which applies to all attacks that turn, backed by Shock Charmers, which allows you to trigger the on-hits several times.

Being a Ranger, the deck also comes equipped with its own massive damage dealing power plays. Three of a Kind, Rain Razors, Bolt'n' Shot, and more combine into a formidable 'Spike Turn' package, which when aligned can be impossible for the opponent to prevent. You're also packing a smorgasbord of on-hits that are extremely relevant in Living Legend format, such as Battering Bolt. It will be interesting to see if more Lexi decks surface in the coming weeks now that we have a clearer view of what heroes are popular.

There are boundless viable options available across both formats right now, and the key goal for those heading into Week 2 will be to prepare their inventory for the more popular heroes they expect to face. There's a lot of room for innovation, and in high-power formats, a lot of fireworks to be set off. Catch you next week!