Summoner Wars Free Build

[Truth]

Free Build Variant

In this Summoner Wars deck building variant all faction ties have been broken. Summoners can recruit Units from any faction.

No Faction Limitation
When building a deck for a Free Build game of Summoner Wars you still start out by choosing a Summoner and adding the Starting Setup and Event cards for that Summoner to your deck. Then, as usual, add 2 Wall Cards to your deck. Finally, add enough Unit Cards to your deck so that you have a total of 18 Common Units and 3 Champion Units in your deck.

With the exception of the preset Starting Setup Units, the Units in your deck can belong to any faction. All Units that don't belong to the same faction as your Summoner are considered to be Mercenary Units. You can still never have more than 1 copy of a specific Champion Unit in your deck and you can never have more than 10 copies of a specific Common Unit in your deck.

No Mercenary Limitation
In a normal game of Summoner Wars you can only have up to 6 Mercenaries in a deck. That limitation is not in effect in a Free Build game of Summoner Wars.


Free Build Tips
When you are making a Free Build deck, be careful to pay attention to any faction limitations that are built right into certain cards. For example, the Cave Goblin Summoner Sneeks has a lot of Event cards that only work with Cave Goblin Units, so if you want to make use of those Event cards you'll have to make sure you've got enough Cave Goblin Units in your deck to take advantage of them.

[Quintaton16]

This sounds like a fun variant. I'm already thinking of my Grognack/Elf Warriors/Goblin Fighters army. I like Grognack for 4 attack and no faction limitations in powers, plus the extra walls make Blaze Step much better. I think the Goblin fighters are going to be almost a given in this variant since they give free attacks.

This variant gives lots of nice food for thought. For example, how would Thorkur do in a predominantly Goblin army, since low summoning costs hopefully mean lots of magic for sheilds? It's also fun to think of hilariously bad combos like Mook and Guardians. I can already see free build tourneys with Bad Army events.

[Creationist]

I think every deck in this variant would have the goblin fighters. Their ability for the extra attacks is too good to pass up. I'd love a combo of Elven Champions, Goblin Fighters, and Elven Archers.

[Jexik]

I think I'd like Grognack for this. He has the best base stats and his abilities aren't faction related. He has Reinforcements, so that means he should have some tough 2 costers around. PE Warrior synergy (blaze step) has potential too I think. [I think it was KCU master who said that first, but I'm not sure]. I'd try to squeeze in some ranged champions to fill in the gaps left by the rest of the force.

Grognack

Kaeseeall
Thorkur
Ragnor/Maelena?

Required: 2x Fighters, 1x Shaman, 1x Smasher

14 common slots left
4x Smasher
5x Berserker
5x Warrior

I'm really not all that sold on Goblin Fighters unless you've got Sneeks around to help them rush into position. This whole thing is just theory though, as I have yet to try even messing with the base decks yet. I might also replace a Warrior and a Beserker with an Archer and a Slinger just to keep people guessing.

[killercactus]

I think Grognack or Oldin would be best for this right now. If you wanted to use somebody else, I could maybe see a range/mobility-based deck around Elien. Sneeks is just too faction-specific to do much else.

Elien's only faction-specific card is Spirit of the Phoenix Elves, which I usually find myself using on Champions anyway. Here's an idea for Elien:

What About Side-by-Side with a Friend?

Elien

Kaeseeall
Thorkur
Maelena (I thought about Fire Drake too for more range / Spirit, but Maelena is just too solid)

Required Commons - Archer x2, Warrior, Guardian

Commons (14 left)

Warrior x4
Spearman x6
Archer x4

It's really just switching out some Elven commons for Dwarven Spearmen, and the Drake for Thorkur. I left the Warriors in for their awesome mobility and another use for Spirit. I originally had 3x Goblin Fighters too, but don't think they are worth it to get 2 more attacks. The Spearmen are just awesome for range and power. I like that this deck only needs 1 to summon any common, but most of them can hit with 2 dice in melee, and every unit in the deck (except Maelena and the required Guardian) can either attack from range, or attack from melee and then leave. No multi-life commons, but it just has a ton of firepower and is probably doing big damage before your opponent's units make it to you.

EDIT: I'd forgotten Oldin was also ranged - he'd probably work here too, though I'd want to work in some 2-cost Commons for Reinforcements, and I'd be too close to Jexik's deck in the other thread.

[Lord_AndraK]

wow love the idea
ill have to make my own design.

[Lord_AndraK]

Iv started a new thread under Customs for Custom Variants for anyone who is interested.

[paradox22]

So I'm planning to play in the gencon freebuild tourney... but I've never played this format before.

Who do you guys think is the best summoner for this format? Any cool deck ideas? help!?

thanks!

[lildrummahboi34]

So I'm planning to play in the gencon freebuild tourney... but I've never played this format before.

Who do you guys think is the best summoner for this format? Any cool deck ideas? help!?

thanks!

i think Oldin or Grognack. their event cards can be used in any free build deck, unlike Sneeks or the prince.

i also suggest using Goblin Fighters for the extra attacks and 0 cost.

[darkbladecb]

It should be noted that Sera--if you run a couple Priest (and hey, why not?)--can make some fun Free Build decks. Defenders, Berserkers, and Smashers jump to mind as some great cards to throw into this deck for a bit of variety and a bit of fun synergy with the controlling nature of it and the healing powers.

[DrAwsm]

Has anybody used any Fallen Kingdom cards in free build successfully? Ret-Talus and the champions seem too dependent on their faction's commons, but do the commons do well in free build? I'd like to know the same for the Vanguards. This just seems too fun to not try out.

[Lord_AndraK]

Cant see why the skeleton Archers wouldnt go well with some cheap commons.

"Let me sleep on it."

[PePe QuiCoSE]

well, they would like some 0 cost commons (liike Fighters, extra attack) for Dark Sacrifice. Legions of the Dead only work with FK Commons so you need some of them, same for Raise the Dead (Ret's ability). Maybe put some Defenders or Knights to buff your champions instead of your archers? But then you are left without range, get some spearman or other good range unit and lose either Repaers or Zombies.

[Lord_AndraK]

Couldn't rember if there was required units in Free build.:o
So I assumed yes hence the small number of reaper and zombie warriors.



Type Quantity Summoning Cost
Summoner- Ret Talus X1 N/A
Champion- Elut-Bal X1 7
Champion- Khan Queso X1 3
Champion- The Eater X1 4
Common- Goblin Fighter X5 0
Common- Guardian Knight X5 1
Common- Reaper X1 2
Common- Skeletal Archer X4 1
Common- Zombie Warrior X3 2
Events- Dark Sacrifice X3
Events- Forced Summon X2
Events- Legions of the Dead X2
Events- Magic Drain X2
Events- Wall X3


Crap it wont stay lined up sorry.

[DrAwsm]

Couldn't rember if there was required units in Free build.:o
So I assumed yes hence the small number of reaper and zombie warriors.



Type Quantity Summoning Cost
Summoner- Ret Talus X1 N/A
Champion- Elut-Bal X1 7
Champion- Khan Queso X1 3
Champion- The Eater X1 4
Common- Goblin Fighter X5 0
Common- Guardian Knight X5 1
Common- Reaper X1 2
Common- Skeletal Archer X4 1
Common- Zombie Warrior X3 2
Events- Dark Sacrifice X3
Events- Forced Summon X2
Events- Legions of the Dead X2
Events- Magic Drain X2
Events- Wall X3


Crap it wont stay lined up sorry.
That looks like a neat build! I'll have to sub Khan, though; I don't have one.:(

I can always use a Vanguard champion, though. Kalon Lightbringer looks like he can fill that gap. He just seems like a fun champion to use.

[Kaiser Cat]

To enhance the "Free build" feel, you could even try using one summoner's reference card with a different summoner!

(Example: Have Eilen replace Sera Eldwyn on Sera Eldwyn's start setup.

For yet more enhancement, use yet another summoner's event cards!

[killercactus]

Fallen Kingdom in Free Build, eh? I don't think I can pass up the opportunity to use Forced Summon and Dark Sacrifice on some REALLY BIG champions to get them onto the table faster and keep them alive. One immediately comes to mind...

Ret-Talus + Events

Krung
Gror
Elut-Bal

Skeletal Archer x8
Goblin Fighter x6
Zombie Warrior x3
Reaper x1

I even thought about subbing out Elut-Bal for another big-time, high life champion like Malevolence or Kalon, but I like throwing a bunch of Fighters down and sacrificing them to get Elut-Bal out quickly, too, without even having to use Forced Summon. Could you imagine using Dark Sacrifice to heal Krung when he's almost dead? EWWWWWW!!! I kept 3 Zombies in just to attempt to make Zombies Rise Again work at least a little bit, and because I need them (and a Reaper) for the starting setup. You'll be relying on your 3 ridiculous champions to deal out the punishment, and man can they ever dish it out!

[Jexik]

I really don't like Reapers usually, but I think they might have potential in Free Build.

Sera Eldwyn
1x Stalwart Archer
5x Reaper
6x GK
6x Priest

Unsure about Champions yet. But I think it'd be fun to use Priests and Divine Strength to keep some Reapers alive and kicking. Another possibility would be to try Oldin or Grognack since they have reinforcements.