Combos

[Creationist]

What are some of your favorite combinations?

I discovered my favorite in a game of Dwarves vs. Goblins. You need Mook and Sneeks and a fairly empty field. Mook is next to your target. Sneeks is next to Mook. Your target shouldnt be able to hit Sneeks. Move mook out of the way and Sneeks into his place. Attack him with a boosted 3 attack. Then switch the two and repeat. This is a fairly effective way at taking down a Summoner near the endgame.

[Quintaton16]

I don't have the game yet :( so I don't have much of an idea. I have thought about a few combos, such as a predominantly Archer and Guardian army that hangs fairly far back and makes the enemy advance, whereupon most targets will be down to one or fewer lives due to Archer sniping and will be easy targets for Guardians.

Another is having the Fire Drake hide behind a wall (preferably an enemies' but your own works in a pinch) and hitting units on the other side with Fireline.

I don't know how well these actually work, but man am I having fun dreaming them up.

[DrLivingston]

This is so obvious I am hesitant to post it, but...

In a game last night I was able to summon Gror:

http://www.plaidhatgames.com/images/sw/cards/gror.gif

And I had just drawn the Heroic Feat event card:

http://www.plaidhatgames.com/images/sw/cards/heroicfeat.gif

And rolling 4 dice to attack with Hammer Quake is pretty sweet!

I rolled 3 hits and that meant dead Smasher (auto-took 4 hits), dead Shaman, Dead fighter, hurt Krung, hurt his wall, and hurt my wall!

I drew Heroic feat again my next turn and used it to get 3 hits again!

Though I didn't take out as many guys because my opponent had learned to fear The Hammer!

I will definitely be saving Heroic Feat for Gror in the future...

[Classicsmiley]

And don't forget, Heroic Feat stacks (http://www.plaidhatgames.com/sum_forums/showpost.php?p=673&postcount=4), so if you can play both of them in one turn, you can be rolling 6 dice with him... :D
It may be a bit overkill, if all you can attack are commons, but if you can go after one or more champions, or a Summoner, it may well be worth it.

[Jexik]

Yeah, that's a real brutal combo. Luckily it takes a lot of magic to set up, but it's hilarious!

[paradox22]

I like to do this:

Play Goblin invincibility on a turn when you will be able to finally get a goblin unit adjacent to the enemy summoner. After attacking, use sneeks sly ability to switch places with said unit, and he's free to sit there and only be wounded by 6's.. then next turn he can dish out some punishment to the enemy summoner, then use sly once again to get the heck outta there.

Very goblin thematic, and very cool! I used that tactic to kill Oldin just last night!:D

[killercactus]

I like to do this:

Play Goblin invincibility on a turn when you will be able to finally get a goblin unit adjacent to the enemy summoner. After attacking, use sneeks sly ability to switch places with said unit, and he's free to sit there and only be wounded by 6's.. then next turn he can dish out some punishment to the enemy summoner, then use sly once again to get the heck outta there.

Very goblin thematic, and very cool! I used that tactic to kill Oldin just last night!:D

Yep - Goblin Invincibility + Sly is downright sickening. I thoroughly enjoy it.

I think the big combos so far in the game are already in this thread. I like Smashers + Shamans + Reinforcements, and also Drain Magic + A Hero Is Born.

[Lord_AndraK]

could some one please elaborate on the frozen fortress technique?

I like Dwarven Gauntlet as a setup with the dwarves.

[Quintaton16]

I suppose you are referring to the Tundra Orc tactic of deploying Walls and Ice Walls into either a solid wall across the board or some sort of maze-like or corridor-like (walls and ice walls one behind the other so there are three open files but all units moving through have to stop by one of the Walls) and then using Walls of Ice Shard to get massive kills on cheap Common Units.

I would use the Dwarven Gauntlet a lot more, but my Defender always seems to be where I want that second Wall to go.

[KCU Master 2007]

One of my favorite strategies with the Orcs:

It is semi-difficult to set up but is great when it works. Summon Blagog and use reinforcements to bring out 2 Smashers. You move them across the Battlefield using the Smashers as damaging meat shields for Blagog who makes a dash for the opposing summoner/difficult champion. Blagog is going to make it to his target most of the time and if you can manage to have even 1 Smasher reach the target it will be devastating.

A couple fairly obvious ones for the Fallen Kingdom:

Use Ret-Talus very aggressively and move him across the middle of the field. Using Legions of the Dead to Summon Reapers or Zombies right in your opponent's face is tough to defend against. This also allows, essentially, Ret-Talus to attack and destroy a Unit who your opponent though was safely hidden behind a wall.

This requires a large amount of luck to use but is fun when it happens; use Forced Summon to help bring out Elut-Bal for free, with the aid of Summoned by Blood, early in the game.

A strategy in progress for the Vanguards:

Using 2-3 Stalwart archers you can shut down entire portions of the Battlefield. By taking up a firing line between your initial wall and the left side of the board you can mow down any common unit coming at you in that column of the board. Using a second wall you can easily divide the battlefield into three columns, any of which can be fortified with this firing line.

There is also the enjoyable use of Summoning Surge to quickly and unexpectedly summoning Kalon or Archangel behind enemy lines and making a bid at the opponent's Summoner.

A final thought for the Dwarves:

It is simply a dual gauntlet. This is a purely defensive strategy that will lock you into waiting for that powerful champion to lead a counter attack or to simply outlast your opponent. Using Thorkur and Oldin to fire into the passages no common should make it through and champions will be hung up and take a fair amount of damage before breaking through.

[mrkurtb]

KCU Master mentions the Archangel and Summoning Surge but add in a new wall and you're sure to give your opponent a rude surprise.


My new favorite combo is the Archangel Ambush:
1. During the Event Card Phase play a wall card next to the center line close as possible to your enemy's summoner.
2. During the same Event Card Phase play Summoning Surge.
3. Use the Summoning Surge to summon the Archangel.
4. Place the Archangel next to your newly placed forward wall.
5. Fly him over to your opponent's Summoner and introduce them.
6. Enjoy the look of dread on your opponent face.

A 3 card combo can be difficult to acquire but the Archangel Ambush is simply divine.




p.s. Having Intercession is almost too much to ask for but if it is present you can just about call it a day.

[KCU Master 2007]

That is a very fun thing to do. I've been able to pull it off about 3 times but it comes up short each time as my wife will Summon her own big hitter and knock Archangel down to size before too much damage is done.

[Truth]

That is a very fun thing to do. I've been able to pull it off about 3 times but it comes up short each time as my wife will Summon her own big hitter and knock Archangel down to size before too much damage is done.

This is what we saw a lot of.

[Lord_AndraK]

It doesn't have to be a big hit if there summoners hurt.

[darkbladecb]

Also, don't forget to Summon by Blood to get less units on the board than your opponent so you can hit them with a Magic Drain they thought they were safe from.

[KCU Master 2007]

Ohh...this is a good one I never thought of. I guess the same tactic could be used with Dark Sacrifice as well.

[darkbladecb]

And another Vanguard one: to use A Hero is Born to make an extremely effective use of a Summoning Surge.

[Tidus]

It is like a slap in the face lol, especially if all of their units are on your side of the battlefield. The Archangel is like a Kamikaze in some situations lol.

[Jexik]

Naked Dark Sacrifice* --> Forced Summon --> Skhull (or another powerful FK Champ)

I did this to beat truth once, when I had almost no Magic, a 3-life Ret-Talus, guys blocking all my summoning spots, no wounded Champions, and Sneeks thinking he was safe with only 2 or 3 wounds on him.


*Playing Dark Sacrifice when you don't have a wounded Champ.

The FK seem like the most combo-heavy deck, aside from maybe the Cave Goblins. Seems like Magos would be great for either, but those are also the two factions so far that don't have AHiB.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

I guess you sneak in a Magic Drain in the middle of that? What's the point of Dark Sacrifice if not?

[Jexik]

1. Destroyed units go to your magic pile. So it gives you magic. If you destroy 1 Unit, and then use Forced Summon, you can summon Skhull even if you had no magic- most opponents probably won't be expecting that.

2. If one of your Units was adjacent to a wall, and your opponent is occupying any other wall-adjacent spaces, this can let you summon a Champion unexpectedly.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

Ah! I missed that part of giving you magic for your own units. Damn Dark Sacrifice is really strong, you can just open with that event going second...
You can also "teleport" any commons beside Ret Talus with his Raise the Dead...

[Jexik]

Damn Dark Sacrifice is really strong, you can just open with that event going second...

Yeah, it's really cool.

[KCU Master 2007]

Just thought of this. I haven't had a chance to try it out, but it could be cool to use.

Play dark Sacrifice to heal a wounded champion or use a magic drain or what ever. Turn around and use Legions of the Dead and bring the same units back out again.

[Jivatma]

Going back to pre-FK/pre-VG...

goblin Horde-attack + Slinger

If I'm not mistaken, the Slinger will still get the extra dice if there are adjacent goblin units. I'm not too sure this is as well-known as it should be. Then again I could be wrong...

[Truth]

Going back to pre-FK/pre-VG...

goblin Horde-attack + Slinger

If I'm not mistaken, the Slinger will still get the extra dice if there are adjacent goblin units. I'm not too sure this is as well-known as it should be. Then again I could be wrong...

You are right, Slingers get the extra dice even though they themselves are not adjacent.

[Tidus]

I found a really cool combo you guys might have tried before. Last night me and my brother had a game, he was the Phoenix Elves and i was the Tundra Orcs. My brother kind of amazed me with this one, i didn't see it coming and never even thought of it.

First of all i had Blagog out (that 5 attack relentless guy) first of all he needs a 4 or higher to hit. I tried to take out his Kaeseeall in one hit, i ended up only doing one wound. On my brothers next turn he took control of Blagog with kaeseeall... then he played "Spirit Of The Phoenix". I didn't see it coming and was kind of amazed. He moved Blagog up to my only remaining wall and crumbled it with 5 auto hits. I guess i could call myself doomed... lol.

So you need:
Kaeseeall + Spirit Of The Phoenix + An opponent with a high attacker out

Basically you can crumble anything if they are a really good hitter, possibly take out a summoner in one hit.

[Incognito]

First of all i had Blagog out (that 5 attack relentless guy) first of all he needs a 4 or higher to hit. I tried to take out his Kaeseeall in one hit, i ended up only doing one wound. On my brothers next turn he took control of Blagog with kaeseeall... then he played "Spirit Of The Phoenix".
I'm fairly certain that you are not allowed to do that. Spirit of the Phoenix reads:


Choose one Phoenix Elf Unit you control. The chosen Unit gains the following ability until the end of this turn:

While you do gain control of Blagog, he is not a Phoenix Elf Unit, making me think this is not legal.

[lildrummahboi34]

I'm fairly certain that you are not allowed to do that. Spirit of the Phoenix reads:



While you do gain control of Blagog, he is not a Phoenix Elf Unit, making me think this is not legal.

just for more confirmation, that is an illegal move

[Tidus]

Ahh, i see what you mean i never even thought of that. It could still give you more variety if your opponent was Phoenix Elves also.

[Jivatma]

Ahh, i see what you mean i never even thought of that. It could still give you more variety if your opponent was Phoenix Elves also.

Without the expansions, thats not really any variety at all. But once the expansions come out, it might become advantageous.

[C_D_A]

I've only been lucky enough to pull this off once, but it was fun
Forced summon Dragos first turn, tossed other 3 cards into magic, pulled Elut on second, killed all commons, free Elut, to a Legion for my Ret attack on the same turn. In the end by turn 2 I had 2 Champs and 3 commons marching towards my pals summoner, he still won though.

Another Fun FK thing is to kill your own reapers when you need magic, viva magic pinatas!

[Aleph]

I've only been lucky enough to pull this off once, but it was fun
Forced summon Dragos first turn, tossed other 3 cards into magic, pulled Elut on second, killed all commons, free Elut, to a Legion for my Ret attack on the same turn. In the end by turn 2 I had 2 Champs and 3 commons marching towards my pals summoner, he still won though.

Another Fun FK thing is to kill your own reapers when you need magic, viva magic pinatas!

Or kill a wounded but "charged" Reaper with an unwounded uncharged Reaper.

Also putting Retty against a wall + Legions of the Dead for Reapers is a solid counter to the archangel strategy, or indeed any rush on him besides Gror or Drake.

[KCU Master 2007]

This really doesn't do what you're thinking. The Reaper who killed the "charged" Reaper would get only the destroyed Reaper card. All other cards under the Reaper that was destroyed would go to the magic plle of the player who destroyed the Reaper. The same thing applies to a Reaper killing Blarf.

Its a neat thought though.

[Aleph]

Whoops! Might have to cross off some of my wins!

[PePe QuiCoSE]

Another variation of Sly + Invicinbility is with Rush.
Play both events, send pumped Blarf into enemy territory to hit a big thing and rush a lowly common near him, then Sly that common. Now you have 2 heavy hitters who need too many 6s to die. You are raising the stakes high with this, if it goes wrong you are mostly dead or dead dead.


I mentioned it in another thread, but double goblin rush with rage/horde is just game breaking, hard to pull but when done is a "I win" ticket. Hardest to pull on Dwarves (Defenders) and Vanguards (Kinghts), relative on Orcs (IceWalls) and Undead (Legions/Raise), easiest on the Elves (Blaze step doesn't help that much). I think this is also the reason why i find odd each time i read that Goblins struggle against Elves by the "gurus" of SW.

[Jivatma]

Another variation of Sly + Invicinbility is with Rush.
Play both events, send pumped Blarf into enemy territory to hit a big thing and rush a lowly common near him, then Sly that common. Now you have 2 heavy hitters who need too many 6s to die. You are raising the stakes high with this, if it goes wrong you are mostly dead or dead dead.


I mentioned it in another thread, but double goblin rush with rage/horde is just game breaking, hard to pull but when done is a "I win" ticket. Hardest to pull on Dwarves (Defenders) and Vanguards (Kinghts), relative on Orcs (IceWalls) and Undead (Legions/Raise), easiest on the Elves (Blaze step doesn't help that much). I think this is also the reason why i find odd each time i read that Goblins struggle against Elves by the "gurus" of SW.


I much prefer to watch the Enemy flee from The Eater while Sneeks + Blarf/Mook makea more direct assault. They've got no choice but to guard with commons. Oh what a fool they were, Sly'ing with The Eater is very hard to successfully pull off, and also very rewarding I might add :D

[Jexik]

I mentioned it in another thread, but double goblin rush with rage/horde is just game breaking, hard to pull but when done is a "I win" ticket. Hardest to pull on Dwarves (Defenders) and Vanguards (Kinghts), relative on Orcs (IceWalls) and Undead (Legions/Raise), easiest on the Elves (Blaze step doesn't help that much). I think this is also the reason why i find odd each time i read that Goblins struggle against Elves by the "gurus" of SW.

Because it's hard to get all of those cards in your hand at once, and that's really your only shot at winning? The PE are the best race at keeping down your number of commons without putting themselves in danger.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

No, because every now and then i have a game in which goblins win almost regardless to what has been going on. Maybe i have been getting really lucky with draws, maybe i need new opponents. I don't challenge your experience really (which is more vast than ours), but i still find it odd for that reason: some games goblins show their hand, yell poker and win.
Since the Prince is the one with the fewest life, goblins only need 2 units hitting and either rage or horde to roll as many dice as he has life. Protecting the prince means either exposing your walls to horde (at least early game) or not getting an optimal common exchange. So the threat of double goblin rush (and the lasting impression when it happened) is what made this MU even, or even good for the goblins.

[darkbladecb]

No, because every now and then i have a game in which goblins win almost regardless to what has been going on. Maybe i have been getting really lucky with draws, maybe i need new opponents. I don't challenge your experience really (which is more vast than ours), but i still find it odd for that reason: some games goblins show their hand, yell poker and win.
Since the Prince is the one with the fewest life, goblins only need 2 units hitting and either rage or horde to roll as many dice as he has life. Protecting the prince means either exposing your walls to horde (at least early game) or not getting an optimal common exchange. So the threat of double goblin rush (and the lasting impression when it happened) is what made this MU even, or even good for the goblins.

So don't Common Exchange? I'm to the point where I really want the PE Reinforcements to come out because I pretty much drop every Guardian and Archer I draw, opting for the vastly more useful Warriors.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

in exchange i meant trade. Sometimes you need to bring some commons to protect your prince. How and when you need them varies from the threat the goblins pose.

Anyway, this thread is more for combos than elves vs goblins so here's another one i thought, situational too.
Early game with Vanguards, you have summoned a 2 cost common (or 2 of cost 1) so you only have 2 cards in your discard pile but you really want to use Summoning Surge to it's full effect. Play Divine Strenght/Intercession (for no effect) to get a 3rd card on your discard and Surge away.
This is apart from Hero is Born which was already mentioned and is actually the best one for this.

[Jivatma]

in exchange i meant trade. Sometimes you need to bring some commons to protect your prince. How and when you need them varies from the threat the goblins pose.

Anyway, this thread is more for combos than elves vs goblins so here's another one i thought, situational too.
Early game with Vanguards, you have summoned a 2 cost common (or 2 of cost 1) so you only have 2 cards in your discard pile but you really want to use Summoning Surge to it's full effect. Play Divine Strenght/Intercession (for no effect) to get a 3rd card on your discard and Surge away.
This is apart from Hero is Born which was already mentioned and is actually the best one for this.

you could just play the summoning surge and save your other event card...faq says that summoning surge goes to discard before you get the 3 magic.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

I guided myself to what this thread says:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/5656922
I guess the FAQ wasn't updated yet. In that case it would be even better since you can do it with only 1 card in your discard.
Blame Aleph.

[Jexik]

Yeah, that'll be fixed with the next FAQ, as well as stuff relevant to the first round of Reinforcements.

[Jivatma]

haha i was part of that post. i wasn't reading much into the part about Summoning Surge.



Yeah, that'll be fixed with the next FAQ, as well as stuff relevant to the first round of Reinforcements.


like the skhull vs vermin interaction? and the magos hand-sizing? and what not? :P

[Tidus]

Never tried it but you could use Elut-Bal to get rid of half your zombie warriors and use the rest to "trap" vital areas, by infecting weak units and bringing back the others. Also to free up space and essentially carry and protect the discarded warriors. You could also use legions of the dead as a last resort if trapped or trick your opponent into trapping your summoner and use it to bring back warriors discarded by Elut bal and infect the trapping forces and bring back even more zombies discarded by elut bal. To purposefully get rid of zombies to prepare for infecting extravaganzas summon elut ball to discard zombie warriors for 0 "blood points" and the rest at 2 or 1. Next you prepare the trap(s), and create the mass plague.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

interesting (it took me some time to understand though).
Well the other trick Elut has is that it can be summoned even if your wall is completely surrounded as long as 1 space is occupied by a common of yours, since the discard happens before summoning him.

[killercactus]

There's been a couple hints at this about Summoning Surge, but I really like this combo:

Wall (Ice Wall) + Reinforcements/Summoning Surge/Forced Summon

When you can pop up a new wall somewhere that your opponent isn't expecting, and then immediately summon a unit(s) from it, it can really change the game. Whenever I play TO, GD, VG, or FK (especially the Orcs since Grognack has 6 walls), I'm constantly thinking about making this combo work for maximum effect.