Intro

This article contains two variations on the Speed attack Mage deck. The first deck is mine and a variation on the theme that Leafweir started on the Forums.

Kit's Mage Attack Deck

This is a Mage fast attack deck that I've been playing recently with quite some success. The idea is to hit your opponent fast and hard right form the first turn. You really don't need or want to complete any quests, rather you simply use the wood elf's native ability to get you to 5 power. If your opponent is not completing quests you'll be at 5 to his 3. A huge advantage. Even if he is completing quests you will gain power each turn when he completes them.

Avatar

Quests

• Gharin's Note
• Collecting Gnoll Bounty
• Exterminate the Vermin
• Beware of Ogres

Abilities

• Circle of Force x 1
• Intensify x 4
• Shock of Fire x 4
• Skeletal Grasp x 2
• Assault x 4

Tactics

• Roaring Flames x 4
• Pierce x 4
• Sacrifice x 4
• Hamstring x 3

Items

• Steel Dagger x 3

Units

• Chipped Bone Skeleton x 2
• Fallen Berserker x 2
• Gnoll Runner x 4
• Gnoll Scout x 4
• Orc Fanatic x 1
• Orcish Swordmaster x 4

This deck is a slight variation on the deck below. I find that the extra +2 attack from the dagger really help take out units at quests, I can do +2 attack and exert my avatar for damage to do two damage rather than one. This really helps keep the quests clean of enemy units allowing my units to push the avatar attack. The dagger is also a significant help when assaulting allowing me to often do 2 damage on the opponent avatar, 3 if I can add in Roaring Flames.

Sacrifice can be brutal, hitting the avatar for those extra two damage. Note that you can use it after the unit has already been exerted to add to the attack. But if you kill the last unit the attack stops. So it is best to attack with 2 or more units and then exert the cheapest one for attack and then sacrifice him add in a Pierce or Roaring Flames for extra attack if needed and then exert the 2nd unit for damage. You can sometimes do 5 or 6 damage from one attack this way.

This deck really tests you to use every power point you have to maximum effect early. Getting an extra Gnoll Runner out can add an extra damage point for only one extra power, for example.

Another hint is to not attempt to keep your avatar from taking any damage. Use the full 9 hitpoints your avatar comes with as a resource. Don't exert him on defense to save a single point if you can use him later to either kill some units to during the quest phase to open that side of the board up for attack, or push an attack of your own.

Leafweir's Mage Attack Deck

Avatar

Quests

• Gharin's Note
• Collecting Gnoll Bounty
• Exterminate the Vermin
• Beware of Ogres

Abilities

• Intensify x 4
• Shock of Fire x 4
• Skeletal Grasp x 4
• Assault x 4

Tactics

• Roaring Flames x 4
• Pierce x 4
• Sacrifice x 4
• Hamstring x 4

Units

• Gnoll Runner x 4
• Gnoll Scout x 4
• Orc Fanatic x 4
• Orcish Swordmaster x 4
• Fallen Berserker x 2

Strategy

Turn One

You want to get Assault, Intensify, or Shock of Fire on the mat as soon as possible. Ideally you can Assault, then Intensify which allows you to attack and still have 3 power to do more damage with. You also want to try to get at least one unit into play and start a raid with it. Don't be shy about taking damage on your avatar if it'll allow you to apply a damage bonus. The idea here is to burn the opponent as quickly as possible, a little collateral damage from tied combat is perfectly acceptable.

Turn Two

If your opponent has any abilities up, pick the quest that they are least likely to complete and drop a single token on it. Note: Skeletal Grasp is a bad first turn play for two reasons. You don't have shadow yet, so you're losing out on the bonus and you're giving your opponent power when you complete the quest. You want to complete as few quests as possible. Ideally you can keep one token on each and garner the two bonus per turn while starving out your opponent. You might say that Disable would be a good card towards this end, but it doesn't do anything to advance the deck's strategy. You aren't actively trying to starve your opponent, it's just a side effect of not questing and constantly attacking. The idea is to keep things too busy for the opponent to do anything other than defend themselves.

If all has gone well you now have 4 power and at least one unit in play. Save the shocks and fanatics for removal if possible, you want a clear raiding path every turn. You also want to try to use your quest phase to clear out potential defenders for your main phase. Ideally you will launch two raids this turn and a Skeletal Grasp or Assault.

Turn Three

Hopefully you can get a second quest token into play granting you five power this turn. By now the deck should be in full swing. Hold your removal cards (Sacrifice, Shock of Fire, Orc Fanatic) back unless you have nothing else to play, but don't end your turn with unspent power to do so. If you have a Fanatic in play, remember to play all other cards you can before attacking. If you do attack and know you will need to Pierce/Roaring Flames/Hamstring then so before you exert him for attack.

Turn Four and Onward

Attack every turn you feasibly can. Once your opponent gets into the lower numbers start using your Shock of Fire and Sacrifice cards, the preferred target for a Sacrifice is an Orcish Swordmaster after it's lost it's first turn bonus. Make sure that you exert your units for attack before sacrificing, no point in wasting them before you waste them. The faster you can drop the opponents health, the fewer options they have and the more likely they are to panic. People who are panicking make mistakes and the game is all about making fewer mistakes than your opponent.

Pitfalls

One of the more common mistakes I see among novice deck builders is the tendency to include more than fifty cards. This mistake is amplified in a deck like the one above, you have to be able to apply pressure to the opponent every turn or your attack strategy will fail. Remember that every card above fifty reduces the probability of drawing something more important.

Avoid cards that cost more than three, you will note that the only card I include at the cost of three is the Fallen Berserker. I can play two cards first turn nearly every game, and sometimes three or four. If you can't play it furst turn, you don't need it. You need to be able to start pouring on the damage as soon as possible.

Don't be afraid to take damage or lose units. Any health on you above one is a resource, use it. Don't waste the pierce or exert for attack if you can take the tie and exert for more damage. On the same token, units are expendable, unless you have a hand full of pierces and hamstrings it's ok to lose a unit to get more damage out.

Summary

The proper speed deck is an art form, too many times I see people playing with 60 cards and less aggressively than they should. Don't let this happen to you. Stay lean and focused, figure out how to do what you're doing more quickly. The above principle applies to all decks. If you're deck isn't up and running by turn three, you are probably going to lose. If a card sits in your hand more than two games, figure out what you were missing at that moment and replace it with something that fills that function. Don't be the bad player.

[This deck was originally posted in the LoN forums, that thread contains further discussion on the deck. - Editor]

Leafweir's Shadow Mage Deck - version 2

This deck is a refinement posted hours after I put up the original version of this article. As with any good deck idea, it shows how a basic idea can be refined over time to be more consistent and powerful.

Avatar

Quests

• Gharin's Note
• Collecting Gnoll Bounty
• Exterminate the Vermin
• Beware of Ogres

Abilities

• Intensify x 2
• Skeletal Grasp x 3
• Assault x 4
• Disable x 3
• Reclaim x 4

Tactics

• Roaring Flames x 3
• Pierce x 2
• Sacrifice x 2
• Sunder x 2

Items

• Glowing Dagger of the Arcanist x 2
• Slippers of Dark Mana x 2

Units

• Fallen Berserker x 2
• Gnoll Runner x 4
• Gnoll Scout x 4
• Gnoll Soothsayer x 4
• Orc Fanatic x 4
• Fippy Darkpaw x 3

Strategy

The deck has evolved a bit and has better over all synergy now.

Orc Fanatic damage should always go to Fallen Berserkers or Gnoll Soothsayers if possible. Use the Gnoll Soothsayers to cushion your Gnoll Runners and Gnoll Scouts (prior to shadow). If at all possible don't win defensive combat, just tie and feed the extra damage to your Soothsayer. Gnoll Soothsayer is simply an amazing card, your opponent has to expend resources to give you more cards.

This version of the deck focuses on hitting shadow alot more quickly so that you can take advantage of the bonuses sooner. You should be able to play the dagger by your third turn virtually every time, sooner with slipper support. Between the Soothsayers and Slippers, you should rarely stall out mid-game, the card drawing potential is simply obscene.

The Glowing Dagger of the Arcanist, Slippers of Dark Mana, and Avatar ability can generate nine power with zero quests complete. That's four Fippy Darkpaw attacks. Fippy is quickly becoming my star player, just line up your team at the Gnoll Bounty quest and take him down field for easy consistent damage. Once your opponent is exerted out, Fippy can go in for two or three damage a pop all by himself if need be. Fippy is also the answer to decks that will try to stall you with one blocker, he chews right through and keep going. Much love for Fippy Darkpaw.

[This deck was originally posted in the LoN forums - Editor]