I will use the following Decklist as an example.
GU_1_5_BCCBCCBFLGAwGCTGCTCATCAuCAuCBxCByCByCDHCEyCEyIASIDJIDJIDVIDVKBBKBBKBDKBDKBTKBWCFtHAzHAzCDH
Some of the cards are more expensive than others, many of them have a specific reason or a combination/sequence of cards they should be played in.
I will give you a brief overview of how to play this deck in general and then Im gonna go into deeper insights for some matchups.
The first thing to look out for in the mulligan is: Do I have the “Crescent Werewolf” in my starting hand? If yes, you should mulligan for “Best Friends” as well. This now feels like I am writing a program or something because there will be many “IF”s in this text. I make it easier for you with not so many lines of text during the explanations.
Starting Hand possibilities in general. More detailed Strategies are rarely an option because this deck has only one goal: “Go wide, then grow, dominate and win”. And I am already really sorry for all those short forms that will come ahead…
“Crescent Werewolf (CW)”
Yes => Mulligan for Best friends(BF) and “1-Mana Wild Creature”(1MWC)
----going first and 1MWC will survive:
--------Play 1MWC, followed by turn 2: CW+BF+Godpower(GP)
----going first and 1MWC will not survive:
--------do nothing, followed by turn 2: CW+1MWC+BF+GP
----going second and 1MWC will survive:
--------Play 1MWC turn 1, followed by turn 2: CW+GP+BF+the last card in your hand if it's possible to be played
----going second and 1MWC will not survive:
--------Use GP in turn 1, followed by turn 2: CW+1WMC+BF+GP
No => Mulligan for 2 “1 MWC” and “2-Mana Wild Creature”(2MWC)
----going first and one 1MWC will survive:
--------Play 1MWC, followed by turn 2 2MWC
----going first and 1MWC will not survive:
--------Use Mana-Pip and Play both 1MWC, followed by turn 2 2MWC
----going second and one 1MWC will survive:
--------Use Mana-Pip and Play both 1MWC, followed by turn 2 2MWC
----going second and one 1MWC will not survive:
--------Use Mana-Pip and Play both 1MWC, followed by turn 2 2MWC
“Revenant Lynx (RL)”
Yes => Mulligan for Best friends(BF) and “1-Mana Wild Creature”(1MWC)
----going first:
--------Do nothing Turn 1, followed by Turn 2: RL+1MWC+BF
----going second:
--------Turn 1 GP or a 2MWC if drawn, followed by Turn 2 RL+1MWC+BF
Yes => Mulligan for "1MWC" and a “2-Mana Wild Creature”(2MWC)
----going firs or second:
--------Play 1MWC followed by turn 2: RL+2MWC
----going second and having “Singsong Satyr(SS)” in Hand:
--------Play GP followed by turn 2: RL+2MWC, followed by turn 3 1MWC+SS
----going second and having 2 2MWC:
--------“Finnian Fruitbearer (FF)” + “Black Jaguar (BJ)” / "Underbrush Boar (UB)"
------------Play FF, followed by turn 2: RL+BJ / RL+UB
--------FF + “Crescent Werewolf(CW)”
------------Play CW, followed by turn 2: RL+FF
--------UB + BJ / CW
------------Play CW / BJ, followed by turn 2 RL+UB
No => here the playing order is very similar to the first “No”-Answer given to CW.
Matchups with other Aggro-Decks
I'll do this now in text so it doesn't seem so mathematical and theoretical.
**Aggro Light: **
I already made a post to “Aggro Light and its downfall” and will link it here.
The Key here is to get as quickly as possible the 3 Attack Creatures to control the early game. As soon as you can establish a board of 2-3 Minions and could trade off the enemy minions you should be fine to win this matchup. “Underbrush Boar”, “Black Jaguar”, “Faeflame-Blade” should be the focus here.
When you go first you simply drop Black Jaguar, followed by either Faeflame Blade or Underbrush Boar to immediately destroy the turn 1 and turn 2 plays.of the opponent. If you get the Revenant Lynx as well to support your turn 3 play, it's even stronger.
When you go second, the key cards are the same, but the Turn 2 Revenant Lynx is even stronger for you.
Most 1 Mana Cards you play are not really good against Light due to the cards Lights Levy and Thaeric Extortionist. The only 1 Mana Card you can play without worrying is “Frisky Fox Pub”.
Also Important in this matchup is, that you should hold your Lightning Strike for the frontline Minions "Kadmos, Son fo Lysander" or "Asterius, Glittering One".
Hidden Deception.:
The Early-Game-Counters to this matchup are Underbrush Boars.
They are played either against "The Hollow", "Whisper Baron" or "Switch Duelist". You simply have to be quicker, using regen to “outlive” the enemy creatures and establishing board Dominance.
Important: If you can buff your creatures to 3 Attack so they cant be controlled. Neither by "Bound by her Will", nor by "Umber Arrow". Hold your Attack buffs for the possibility of the enemy playing attack reducers and putting your creatures to 0 attack, before buffing them to 2 attack directly. The enemy can still reduce your attack to 0 then. As long as you have board dominance you can play it slower with using your Godpower.
Any kind of Magic: Try to get your creatures Health to 4 or higher as soon as possible.
"Shaped Blast" is one of the biggest threads to your deck but only effective if you are at 3 or lower health. if you can buff your board by using either "Wild Fire", "Trial of the Hydra" or "Dagan, the Dawn Wolf" you can win most matchups against Magic.
War… esp. Weapon:
You can easily outpace the enemy-deck.
You only have to be very aware of the enemies durability. Hold your "Chiron, the Teacher" or "Iron-tooth Goblin" or find it as quickly as possible to deny the lethal turn 4 or 5 "Carnage Sweep".
Anubian Death:
Dont be scared.
Their Gameplan is to let their stuff die anyway. Just watch the order in which you kill their Anubians. You have more life on your creatures and deal far more damage. Additionally you should be done with finishing the Game before they can play their "Land of the Dead". Getting "Dagan, the Dawn Wolf" early on board after playing "Marsh Walker"'s, which is the best turn 1 play you can do against them, can build a board they will not be able to remove that easily.
Best play here is going second Turn 1: Play 2 Marsh Walker's. Turn 2: Play Dagan, the Dawn Wolf. The Keyword "Regen" is your biggest friend in this matchup.
Conclusion:
Don't be scared to play this deck, even if you cant figure out its max potential from the start. It needs a lot of practice to figure out which combos can be played when and what to wait for.
Take your time and don't be frustrated. Your opponent will be much more frustrated if you start playing cards for a total value of 6 Mana on turn 2.
This being said, have a good evening, night or day whatever applies to you, and see you on the next one.
