Hello there.
This week's Community Engagement Challenge is about sharing our favorite strategies. The last time I did this, I shared my Drybone + Iziar deck. I find that deck was more for high mana battles. For a more mid range or normal amount of mana battles, I frequently use a Possibilus deck.
Possibilus is a Melee strategy summoner. Not only does it give Reach to let melee monsters attack from the second position, but the Trample also adds more damage possibilities. The +2 HP is something nice to have, and is able to bolster the survivability of the already tanky melee monsters. Its biggest downside though is its high mana cost.
The second piece of the puzzle is Noa the Just. On its own, it already has pretty good stats. High speed and armor, and pretty good HP for 5 mana. The biggest reason for adding it though is the Rust ability that it has. When going for a melee team, removing those pesky armor can help kill the enemies earlier and faster.
The final piece is Kulu Mastermind. At 9 HP, it can be costly, but is nicely just below the 10 mana so it is safe from Giant Slayer triggers. The 4 attack and speed are really nice so it can deal damage, while not missing a lot of attacks. The 9 HP makes it very tanky, and can become a secondary tank in a pinch. But the best things it bring with it are its abilities. Weapons Training grants Noa melee attack. Opportunity lets it attack the backline and pick off weaker enemies.
The way the three cards work so well together is really nice. I usually place Noa in second position, and Kulu at third. Possibilus' Reach lets Noa attack, and with Noa's high speed, it can attack early. Noa's Rust removes the opponent's armor, which makes the squishy backline vulnerable to Kulu. Kulu's Opportunity attacking the backline works so well with Possibilus' Trample, since Kulu can continuously pick them off, and maybe even get a double kill.
The beauty about its simplicity, is its flexibility. For lower mana battles, the Halfling Refugee can serve as a competent front tank in first position. If you expect your opponent to use magic, Oshannus is a good option, and even if they still have melee damage, Oshannus' speed can make some of their attacks miss. If Magic is not allowed, then Commander Slade is a wonderful option.
Now for the second recipient of the Weapons Training buff, there are also a lot of possible options. My usual go-to is Merdaali Guardian. Its tank heal works well with Possibilus' +2 buff, and it can help keep my team in the fight longer. With Kulu in front of it, they can sometimes outsustain and outdamage the remaining opponent team together. If there is no healing or Magic, Scavo Hireling can be a good option. In lower mana battles, Chaos Agent is viable. I use Clockwork Aide when I expect my opponent to use opportunity monsters as well. Not only does it serve as an opportunity bait, but the swiftness helps keep up against Kelya matchups.
If available mana permits, one of the other monsters I prioritize in adding to the team is Deeplurker. Its decent stats and Opportunity makes it work well with Kulu. Any monster that survived Kulu, will usually die to Deeplurker next, and Deeplurker's attack can remove any remaining armor from the next monster, thus setting up for the next round. With its good amount of HP together with Possibilus' buff, it can also tank a good amount of sneak attack.
The final monster can be any filler card depending on the available mana. Since I like to use Merdaali, I tend to use monsters with lower HP than Merdaali to try and keep it alive longer. In low mana, I like to use Hardy Stonefish over Chaos Agent because of the armor. I use Uraeus for that extra damage, and to remove the armor from the backline. Clockwork Aide for the Swiftness and high armor for sneak attacks. For higher mana battles, I use Swamp Spitter for extra survivability of the front tank and Noa. It can also repair its own armor if there are sneak attackers.
This is basically my go to setup for my Water team. I can mix and match depending on the rulesets, available mana, and opponent's match history. This has made getting out of Bronze a breeze, and can hold its own against Silver level decks even at bronze level. It can definitely get better as more cards are available.
That is it for my Favorite Water team strategy. I hope it can help other players in their battles, and to give them an idea on other available strategies. Don't hesitate to let me know what you think, and if you have suggestions for improvement.
And as always, these are Not Financial Advice, and Do Your Own Research.
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