Any strategy posts for the jungle elves?

[killercactus]

I just had a big post typed out and lost it, so now this is going to be shorter.

Killing your own units is awesome in the early game for the JE. It might make them susceptible to being rushed or having their walls attacked, but in my experience the threat of a Lioneer rush helps prevent that.

If you go first, try to get to 8 magic by the end of your second turn. If you go second, try to get to 6 magic by the end of your first turn. That means you'll probably be building at least 3 of your first 5 cards you draw as magic, and killing some of your own starting commons. You want to have enough magic to be able to summon a champion soon (especially Miti - I've still never seen an early Miti fueled by Chants defeated, and its going on 7-8 games now. I've been the victim, too [curse you Ranior and your early Miti + double CoH crap]), or at least be able to threaten summoning a champ or 2 Lioneers.

Remember that you can have no magic in your magic pile at the beginning of your attack phase and still plan to use CoG. You just have to kill something before your planned CoG unit attacks. That can be accomplished by attacking and killing another unit with your first attack, or Trampling something en route with Miti or an Elephant. I've even used Vermin to Plague something (they make an interseting combo with CoH incidentally, but I've shyed away from playing that).

Lastly, remember what Jexik said - "The JE are the kick you in the face faction." Look to setup that big turn where you just pin your opponent to the wall and kick him in the face. Like the Cloaks, they're a tricky bunch of dudes and dudettes. Try to plan out a turn where you get a Lioneer at the summoner by using a CoD or even a CoH/CoD combo. Even the double CoH on a champion is very effective (especially if it's Miti). Chant of Salvation is immensely useful in setting one of these big combos up. Use CoN when you can bypass defensive abilities with it or screw your opponent when they can use their abilities to thwart your plan. Use CoL when you have a wounded champion deep in their territory after you've made your "big play". Setting up this turn may involve baiting your opponent into moving to the right place. That is difficult.

Also, remember that CoH and CoD work on Abua Shi. Don't be afraid to CoD Abua Shi into the opposing summoners face if you can swap him with an Archer, but only if he can get the kill shot reliably. Also you can use those to get him out of trouble.

[Jexik]

That "kick you in the face" faction comment was originally put side by side with the Cloaks being the "kick you in the nuts" faction.

Tundra Orcs, by contrast, are the "body blow, followed by a punch to the face" faction.

Phoenix Elves are the "Not the face!" faction.

Vanguards are "rope a dope."

Fallen Kingdom are steroid abusers.

Etc.

[Freddy Finger]

So you guys saying the jungle elves plays like the cloaks?? Ya they both have what you guys call combo type events but I never see how they play the same. Jungle elves are much more swarming than cloak, that's for sure.

[killercactus]

So you guys saying the jungle elves plays like the cloaks?? Ya they both have what you guys call combo type events but I never see how they play the same. Jungle elves are much more swarming than cloak, that's for sure.

That bold part depends on how you play them. They have the ability to swarm and wall-choke with Lionesses if you want to, or they can drop a champion and Chant at it like crazy, making it a complete powerhouse.

I think they're a bit like the Cloaks in that you need to plan out a combo a turn or two before you actually do it. Cloaks have more of this because their attacks are small and surgical, but I've seen some really big JE turns that win games right then and there. Ala the kick to the face.

[PePe QuiCoSE]

What they do have in common with the Cloaks is that they have 50 ways to screw your summoner.

[Jexik]

They're similar in that they have lots of speed and reach. JE are a little more straightforward and honorable. They just hit you hard. Cloaks hit you less hard, but where it counts.

[Infection Reflection]

I'll be metaphoric. The Cloaks are like a shadow with a knife. You don't know it's there until too late. The JEs are like fighting a giant scorpion. It rushes you and kills you with one gory sting.

[Sauam]

I dont think JE is directly comparable to CL... rather I see JE as a mixture of CG's swarm + CL's tricky event + GD's strong champ

because of that, I can see many different JE play style... wall choke/destruct style with mass unit like goblin, sneaky solo target style like cloak, or champ heavy style like GD... perhaps thats the reason I am struggling in using JE for now

coming from playing CL heavily, I can see the biggest different between JE and CL is that JE is tricky with many units and CL is sneaky with very little units... there is different between tricky and sneaky

where enemy can account and ready for JE's tricky event; but CL's sneakiness cannot
and where JE creates their own opportunity; but CL has to wait for theirs

[Sauam]

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Good read guys, it definitely help me see how JE works as the driver rather than just playing against it, thumbs up

[iglew]

coming from playing CL heavily, I can see the biggest different between JE and CL is that JE is tricky with many units

I don't think JE lend themselves well to many units at all. They're just too vulnerable to being magic-starved that way. The JE deck has relatively expensive units, with extra non-summon ways to spend magic (ie, CoL and Abua's CoG), and no CUE or other magic-gaining events. All three champions are good. If you summon a lot of commons you're pretty much giving up on one champ and potentially cutting into your CoG/CoL supply as well.

I see the magic-poorness as the essential quality of the JE deck. The significant difference is that while other expensive decks (eg, Vanguards) are built for the long haul, the JE are best going for a quick win. Like the Cave Goblins, they don't play for the endgame. They need to throw the deck into mounting an attack. But whereas the CG do that mostly with commons, the JE does it mostly with champions.

(The usual caveat that it all depends on the opponent and the circumstances, but that's how I see the JE playing most of the time.)