[Strategy] The Current Meta

[nkeates]

Throughout the evolution of the game there have always been deck types that have dominated the meta game. The earliest was Xavier Sedarius. Long before alertness and edge cards there was always Darius Seduce Amanda with Forethought to nuke Holy Grounds. People had to prepare for it or die. Then there was Katana/Jack Donovan ......Renee decks (Buzzsaw anyone?!) etc. Latterly there has been speed decks ...one turn kill (the most dangerous for the game of all IMHO) but now much harder to pull off ...and now the 2Handed Broadsword promo ....but is it really that good?

Well there is no denying that the ability to retrieve a card from your discard if your opponent dodges is strong ... no make that very strong but what are the ways it can be beaten?

Two comments ...
1. It gets stronger the longer the game goes on as your discard pile builds up ...early game there is less chance that there is something in the discard pile that is game changing...there may be.... but there is less chance.

2. IMHO the support cards for the weapon are not that strong so you are really using it for its ability rather than anything else.

So how can you prepare for it?

1. Disarm
yeah the most obvious. If your opponent hasn't got the weapon in his hands then the ability cant be used. 2HBS is a 2 handed weapon so if disarmed you will be immediately unarmed. If the weapon is broken then even better. It is not easy in HL to recover a broken weapon and break weapon decks will make certain that extra weapon cards will be nuked before they can be triggered.
Best:- Fasil with Gladius

2. For the ability to work you need to dodge so just play blocks
Not quite as easy as it sounds because a strong 2HBS deck will have lots of unblockable attacks ..dirty tricks, ranged attacks- but there are immortals that can make this work namely Cullen, Duncan . Shield would be a must to block those ranged attacks and alertness etc.
Best:- Cullen, Duncan, Colin??!!!!!

3. Capture those cards
In order for the 2HBS to work the appropriate cards need to reach the discard pile. If they are captured then they will not get there.
Best:- Crysta

4. Keep the Discard hidden
You can only retrieve cards from the discard if the discard pile is available. Eiffel Tower is the best here ...Mako will keep it in play and getting rid of it with Kiem Sun is difficult. There are other immortal specific cards that also do the trick ...Grayson and Connor having those.
Best:- Mako, Kiem Sun

5. Remove discarded cards from the game.
I am sure I had these cards somewhere but I forget where!!!!!. Yeah Amnesia is a great anti 2HBS card (a very underrated card in my view). Those cards are removed from the game...not in the discard...cant be used. Grayson also does this well.
Best:- Grayson

6. Mirror Match
If you cant beat them join them. Use 2HBS yourself. They want to recycle that unblockable, undodgeable attack then you recycle alertness. for every action they play you counter....works for me
Best:- Any

7. Speed decks
Before the discard has chance to build up kill them early ....you know this works!
Best:- Any

Well those are my thoughts. Is 2HBS strong ...well yes ...but unbeatable ...well no!

Lets get some strategy talk going

N

[kurganfan]

For anyone who did not pick the new generic Master's Block from the last round of prize support, pick up 2. Makes any number of Immortals better, with zero downside. To a lesser extent, and to expand on Nigel's brilliant expose on the 2HBS, Graham Ashes' End of Innocence gains you the upside of the 2HBS your opponent is playing. Not a great plan unless you're playing Plot/Hilt, but still viable. No, the 2HBS is not the Holy Grail of brokenness and unbeatable. If it were I'd be designing my World Championship card right now.

Hmmm....

Master's Runner Up
Kurgan-Situation-S2-RE Gems

You may discard this card from play to force your opponent to discard all cards found in one Hard Exertion and make the Exertion again.

'Another time, Macleod'-The Kurgan

Yes I am kidding. Kinda....

[gabe]

I hate dodging decks more than anybody. My Slan deck at Gen Con had no dodges at all, I used the lighthouse to neuter my opponent's dodges and Pummeled away at them with power blows. I too have played since the "Sedarius" days and agree that meta is constantly evolving and changing. On that note, if this weapon is overused, we will see a shift where people with begin to play with a lot of disarm to compensate, or play no dodges at all. The problem lies in the fact that with 2HBS promo and dodges that let you retrieve from your discard can make decks viciously fast with powerful cards that are restricted to 1 or 2 per deck. Thereby destroying the intended purpose of Restriction numbers.

[kurganfan]

Hopefully we will see personas that don't get a lot of attention see more play. Kastigar comes to mind, Hamza also. With the talk about Disarm I shudder to think we will see Todd bring back Methos or Jin Ke Disarmer with Insignificant Threat. Annoying as %#&@ to face. Todd has to promise to shelf those builds or I boycott Gen Con.

[Heel Santa]

Nef Charm.

[gabe]

Interesting that you bring that up, Kurganfan. We here in Omaha (veteran players) have started to use less popular immortals in tournament play. Along those lines, we have also decided to do the same with weapons of choice. Our August tourney saw Rodelantern demolish everybody using the 2HBS promo. Newer players were not happy so we are going to put a house rule restriction on it if there isn't a formal errata on it. So to appease them we decided the top 3 would promise to play with a WOC voted on by the other players. Here's how the votes fell:

1. Rodelantern- has to use the Scimitar next tournament
2. Zogfyr- has to use the Chainsaw next tournament
3. gabe- has to use the butterfly knives next tournament

Hopefully it will be fun.

[Heel Santa]

gabe Butterfly knives is actually a really strong weapon in the right hands.. VERY strong.

[gabe]

Most WOC have the potential to be powerful...I know, but nobody in Omaha has played with them yet and they want to see what I can do with it... It wasn't my choice.

[kurganfan]

Zachary Blaine with Butterfly Swords. Use some of those attacks that are UD when hidden. Always fun.

[Heel Santa]

Nef, charm, charm, charm and more charm with a couple undodgeable attacks from many of the WOC. Unblockable/ undodgeable every turn isn't bad.