KCU Master's Book of Custom Decks

[KCU Master 2007]

Phoenix Elves:
Fire Beast (TMC: 40)
Elien
Laleya
Holleas
Fire Drake
1x Guardian
2x Archers
5x Fire Beast
10x Warriors

I'm thinking very strongly of dropping the number Warriors in exchange for some Fencers to help lower the TMC of this deck. On the other hand, magic was never really an issue in the very quick game in which I rolled over a standard Vanguard deck. The high number of Blaze Stepping warriors allows more of an aggressive push which is especially effective against all the two life vanguard commons. I still have a little practice for the use of Holleas' summoning but I like where its going. 5 Firebeasts is more than enough and I may even drop to about 3 and drop the number of Warriors to 8 in exchange for either Spear Grounders (who do well with the PE according to Jexik) or Vermin or hold out for some of the new Mercs coming out.

Tundra Orcs:
Tank (TMC: 42)
Grognack
Rukar
Blagog
Brag
10x Smashers
1x Shaman
2x Fighters
5x Thwarters

The idea behind this deck is to simply throw some many tough commons at your opponent that they simply can't put out enough wounds to stop you. Odds are you'll only get out one champion (other than Bragg) so you hope its Rukar, but Blagog isn't a bad second choice if you're in desperate need for your champ to hit the table.

Advance your Champ with Smashers and keep your opponent on their heels. Even if you do fall behind, you will have done so much damage to your opponents forces that a Grognack and any remaining Smasher and Thwarters can mop up what's left.

Guild Dwarves:
Control (TMC: 28)
Oldin
Thorkur
Baldar
Gror
10x Defenders
3x Engineers
5x Spearmen

I used this one before the reinforcements came out. I'm thinking about reducing some of the Engineers and Spearmen in exchange for Ballistas and Guardsmen.

Hold 'em in the Nose and Kick 'em in the... (TMC: 35)
Oldin
Tordok
Thorkur
Halvor
3x Guardsmen
3x Ballistas
7x Defenders
4x Spearmen
1x Engineer

Basically, play extremely defensive and use the Dwarven Guantlet to its fullest potential using Tordok to help keep your defenders alive. Build your magic and bring out your heavy hitters in Thorkur and Halvor. Use ballistas to strike out at your opponents walls and taking potshots at enemy units.

Cave Goblins:
MAx (TMC: )
Sneeks
Reeker
Krag
Mook
1x Beserker
2x Slingers
7x Fighters
5x Climbers
3x Beast Riders

My idea behind this deck is to try to get the most out of attacks and movements (Max Movement and Attacks..MAx). I haven't had a chance to try this deck, but my little brother tried a similar build and it worked fairly well.

Vanguards:
Volley (TMC: 40)
Sera
Kalon
Archangel
Sairook
7x Stalwart Archers
7x Guardian Knights
4x Priests

The thought is to set up firing lanes for your grouped Archers to use to isolate Common Units and tear them apart. Guardian Knights and Priests plug the holes where your Archers aren't and defend your forward walls.

Vanguard Theory (TMC: 39)
Sera
Kalon
Coleen
Jacob
3x Priest
5x Stalwart Archers
5x Guardian Knights
5x Angels

I would like to have more Stalwart Archers but don't have that many at my disposal at this point. The idea is to set up archer blocks and use Coleen to keep them alive with Priests healing as necessary. Angles are there as suicide attackers with the sole purpose of attacking where my opponent thinks he's safe and to relieve pressure from my archers. Either Kalon or Jacob is capable of leading a powerful offensive backed by Sera or Priests.

Fallen Kingdom:
Black Death (TMC: 36)
Dragos
Elut-Bal
Sairook
5x Skeletal Archers
5x Zombie Warriors
5x Vermin
3x Reapers

I had a lot of fun with this deck, but I think I'm going to either have to lower the amount of Zombies or Archers. If I choose to go with a Zombie based deck I'd need to get my hands on a few more Zombies and go with a spread more like 8 Zombies, 5 Vermin, 2 Archers, and 3 Reapers or 4 Archers and 1 Reaper. I'm just not sure. However, I love the Vermin in this deck and Sairook. Sairook adds a cheap ranged Champion that can heal himself and the Vermin allow for a cheap common with a potential for multiple wounds each turn.

Cloaks:
Cloak Theory (TMC: 24)
Vlox
Dagger
Violet
Hawk
3x Snipers
5x Slashers
5x Scrappers
2x Gunners
3x Thieves

The thought behind this deck is to use the Snipers to set up firing lanes between walls with Hawk/Vlox using Aerial Strike to hit commons and champions on approach. The main attack power comes from Slashers, Scrappers, and Dagger or Violet depending on the situation and who can come out at a better time.

Jungle Elves:
Jungle Death
Abua Shi
Miti Mumway
Shikwa
Makeinda Ru
2x Archers
4x Spear Grounders
5x Lioneers
7x Lionesses

This is based loosely on a deck that Killercactus stomped me with. I reduced the number of Lionesses and Lioneers and added in Spear Grounders. The Spear Grounders will be coming out for Jungle Guardians once the Reinforcements hit.


More to come. I have plenty of ideas, just want to test some more of them first.

[killercactus]

I think the Orc deck is a good idea. Smashers and Thwarters are just really tough to kill unless you're throwing lots of commons down at once. My only issue with that deck is that it only has one Shaman. Shamans rule.

For the Dwarves, I'd probably stick with 10x Defender, or at least not go below 8. Defenders are just so awesome for 1 magic with 2 life and Engage.

The Vanguards seem to be able to make a deck focused on any one of their 3 commons, so I'm sure that this can do well. The only problem I see with it is that it's tough with so many 2-cost commons, though Summoning Surge does help a bit.

The Vanguards still kind of puzzle me. I always feel like I'm losing when I'm playing them, but I'm usually not. I just played a game today against Phoenix Elves where I felt like the Elves were dominating the whole game, but Archangel put 3 wounds on Elien and I had 2 different chances to kill Elien (once with a Guardian Knight and once with a Priest) and missed both times before being Fire Blasted away. The Elves won, but they probably shouldn't have since I threw 2 dice at Elien and missed both (what's that - a 1/12 chance?).

[KCU Master 2007]

I think the Orc deck is a good idea. Smashers and Thwarters are just really tough to kill unless you're throwing lots of commons down at once. My only issue with that deck is that it only has one Shaman. Shamans rule.

I'm definitely in the anti-Shaman camp and have been since day 1. They are simply to unreliable for me and if I could get rid of that one Shaman I would. I'd rather get one wound than none, range or no. While an advantage, range plays a very little role in my decks.

For the Dwarves, I'd probably stick with 10x Defender, or at least not go below 8. Defenders are just so awesome for 1 magic with 2 life and Engage.

That was actually supposed to be Engineers and Spearmen, not defenders. I may drop them down to nine just to have an extra common space available.

The Vanguards seem to be able to make a deck focused on any one of their 3 commons, so I'm sure that this can do well. The only problem I see with it is that it's tough with so many 2-cost commons, though Summoning Surge does help a bit.

My preference is to summon very few commons, only keep 4-5 on the board at the very most, and burn them for magic as needed. Plus, you earn enough kills running archer formations that I don't even have to burn my hand.

[darkbladecb]

My preference is to summon very few commons, only keep 4-5 on the board at the very most, and burn them for magic as needed. Plus, you earn enough kills running archer formations that I don't even have to burn my hand.

...4 to 5 is actually a whole lot of Commons based on how my group plays. (Which is Jex's fault.)

[KCU Master 2007]

The reason I suggest 4-5 when I'm playing Vanguards is to allow for Archer Groupings and a priest for the occasional healing. When I'm playing any other faction, except the Cave Goblins, I rarely have more than 3 Commons on the Board at any time.

[Klaxas]

maybe im just inexperienced but i will summon more commons when i can. i do not however summon them to be killed by the enemy.

i will summon extra commons if i can take up space by an enemy wall, with a defencive unit, or if i can set up a decent fire lane with a ranged unit and sometimes just because i can, if i can summon to them someplace safe where they wont be attacked next turn.

if i am expecting an AOE unit to come out though i will refrain extra. mostly with gror or or fire drake. AOE melee like krung or berserkers dont scare me as much because a solid line of units negate thier ability.

[KCU Master 2007]

The reason that I, and I'm assuming many others, keep a minimal amount of commons on the board is because the less magic you use to bring out commons, the more you have available to bring out champions.

Beyond that, if I have only my summoner and three commons on the board it allows me to get three movements and, potentially, three attacks while keeping my summoner safe. If I have 5 or 6 commons on the board, I can still only get three movements and attacks in, but I have commons that aren't being productive that are available to be killed and turned into magic for my opponent.

There are some factions such as Dwarves, Goblins, and occasionally Orcs, that are good at crowding your opponent's walls and summoners. A good description of this can be found in Jexix's Crowding vs. Zoning post in the Strategy section.

[killercactus]

More commons also = more magic for the opponent.

[Killer Lawnmower]

Hmmmm. Much different style of play than me. I summon as many commons as I can(I once counted 11 in play with the FK) and then dont summon for a while to stockpile magic for champs.

[KCU Master 2007]

Played this Dwarf Army yesterday...its similar to the Control Army, but I think its best as its own entity.

Hold 'em in the Nose and Kick 'em in the...
Tordok
Thorkur
Halvor
3x Guardsmen
3x Ballistas
7x Defenders
4x Spearmen
1x Engineer

Basically, play extremely defensive and use the Dwarven Guantlet to its fullest potential using Tordok to help keep your defenders alive. Build your magic and bring out your heavy hitters in Thorkur and Halvor. Use ballistas to strike out at your opponents walls and taking potshots at enemy units.