Tweaking Ascension: Part 3 (Whole Deck)

This is my proposed deck.  The previous suits have been chopped down even further.

Lifebound:

Wolf Shaman x3

Lunar Stag x3

Starchild x3

Granger x2

Snake Shaman x2

Honey Siren x2

Dandelion Witch x2

Lionheart x2

Yggsdrasil Staff x2

Snapdragon x2

Stone Circle x2

Avatar of Aiyana x1

Nairi, Henge Queen x1

Cetra, Weaver of Stars x1

Pathfinder x1

Syril, Runic Alpha x1

Mechana:

Grease Monk x3

Burrower Mark II x2

Rocket Courier x2

Avatar Golem x2

Reactor Monk x2

Dimension Diver x2

Socket Altar x2

Brazer Drone x2

Synchronizer x2

Autobuilder 5.0 x2

Cog Maw x2

Reclamax x1

Combustion Idol x1

Hedron Cannon x1

Hedron Link Device x1

Project Alpha x1

Prime x1

Dream Machine x1

Void:

Deathseeker x3

Guardian of Sadranis x3

Abolisher x3

Nihilmancer x3

Arbiter of Fate x2

Void Thirster x2

Nethersnare x2

Soul Assassin x2

Shadow Caster x2

Canopic Jar x2

Sadranis, Dark Emissary x1

Emri, One with the Void x1

Void Mesmer x1

Soul Collector x1

Umbral Edge x1

Penumbral Edge x1

Enlightened:

Hectic Scribe x3

Temple Librarian x3

Prodigal x3

Elder Skeptic x3

Elemental Adept x3

Askara of Fate x2

Tower Askara x2

Eternal Askara x2

Dhartha’s Retreat x1

Twofold Askara x1

Tablet of Time’s Dawn x1

Oziah the Peerless x1

Vedah, Sage of Swords x1

Raj, Psionic Master x1

Dreamer’s Glass x1

Treasures of the Study x1

Eye of Destiny x1

Monsters:

Minotaur x4

Fettered Soul x4

Hoarding Whelp x4

Tormented Soul x3

Vandal Soul x3

Vaultbreaker Worm x3

Ravenous Gorph x3

Doom Weeper x3

Wind Tyrant x2

Earth Tyrant x2

Noxious Soul x2

Polaris Demon x2

Hoarding Tyrant x2

Rat King x2

Avatar of the Fallen x1

Kythis, the Gatekeeper x1

Nemesis x1

Vortex x1

Tarik the Trickster x1

Unchained Fates x1

Events:

Arha Rising x1

Hedron Rising x1

Ogo Rising x1

Rise of the Cult x1

Void Rising x1

I intentionally wanted both Tablet Loop and Dhartha’s Retreat to be playable.  Tablet Loop is hard, especially with only one Reclamax, but I enjoy the tension of seeing someone trying to go for it.  Combustion Idol was also knocked down to 1 copy for being too good, but too fun to ban.  Adayu the Chosen is cut because he’s not broken enough.  Sordid Asp is gone for being fiddly and annoying.

Tweaking Ascension: Part 2 (Mechana)

Mechana is my other favorite suit, chaining together massive combos.  Generally, the Storm of Souls Mechana are more interesting than their previous versions, but I have a fondness for certain ones (namely Reclamax, Rocket Courier, and Burrower Mark II)

Common:

Battery Monk x3

Grease Monk x3

Grease Monk is a card that’s good without being too good- there’s not always Mechana available to buy.  Battery Monk is almost too good- with the draw a card effect, there’s no down side to having it in your deck.  If I chop things down further, Battery Monk might find itself on the list.  Mechana Initiate, Mechana’s other common, doesn’t make the cut, because it’s generally a terrible card.

Uncommons

Burrower Mark II x2

Rocket Courier x2

Grand Design x2

Avatar Golem x2

Reactor Monk x2

Reclamax x2

Dimension Diver x2

Combustion Idol x2

Socket Altar x2

Brazer Drone x2

Scrap Flinger x2

Synchronizer x2

Autobuilder 5.0 x2

Cog Maw x2

Autobuilder beats out Watchmaker’s Altar due to being more interesting.  Avatar Golem stays in because I like it, and it’s interesting to try to get multiple suits of constructs.  Portable Wormhole gets the shaft because it’s good- a little too good.

Rares

Deep Drone x1

Hedron Cannon x1

Hedron Link Device x1

Project Alpha x1

Prime x1

Dream Machine x1

Deep Drone is a rare here because I only have one and it makes the math work out better.  Hedron Cannon is generally more useful than Weapon 303V, and has a less funny name.  Dream Machine and Control room probably shouldn’t coexist in the same deck, and I like Dream Machine better.  Kor the Ferromancer is good, but comparatively boring.

Tweaking Ascension: Part 1 (Lifebound)

There’s been some discussion recently about making custom Ascension center row decks.

Why?  Partially because it’s fun, and kind of like building CCG decks, picking your favorite cards.  But also because smaller decks are more reliable, and while getting to play with all sets shuffled together is fun, it’s pretty random.  It also allows you to put a personal touch on the game- different people can play with different custom decks.

So, I’m starting with Lifebound, which is a personal favorite of mine.

Lifebound: 45 Cards

Commons (3 of each)

Initiate of Aiyana

Wolf Shaman

Lunar Stag

Starchild

Wolf Shaman and Lunar Stag are just plain good cards.  Starchild surprised me to see in the common slot, but there are three copies in Storm of Souls, and a cantripping Initiate is good.  It was a tough choice choosing between Initiate of Aiyana and Lifebound Initiate for the 1-cost slot, because they are both strong cards, but I think Initiate of Aiyana is a bit more interesting.

Uncommon (2 of each)

Granger

Snake Shaman

Honey Siren

Dandelion Witch

Lionheart

Yggsdrasil Staff

Snapdragon

Stone Circle

Granger replaces Runic Lycanthrope.  Snapdragon and Yggsdrasil Staff are both solid constructs.  Lionheart and Dandelion Witch beat out Flytrap Witch by right of being more interesting.  Stone Circle stays in for the interesting fate effect, and the fact that it’s more interesting than Druids of the Stone Circle.

Rares (1 each)

Avatar of Aiyana

Nairi, Henge Queen

Ogo Rising

Pathfinder

Syril, Runic Alpha

Most of these are obvious good Lifebound cards.  Nairi gets in because Tim likes to play her.

What didn’t make it in?  Here’s the list of rejected lifebound cards, and some notes on why they didn’t make the cut.

Lifebound Initiate: Strong, but a little boring.

Great Omen Raven: Too swingy.  Often a must buy, this card can result in a lot of gained points early on, for lucky guessers, for card counters, or for Stone Circle strategies (which is probably the most interesting use of it.)

Leprechaun:  Another swingy card.  It can be fun, but if someone gets it early (or worse, two early), they can score a lot of points.

Everbloom: Because it’s just boring.

Runic Lycanthrope: One of my favorites, but often weak, and it shows its age in comparison to the new, better worded Unite ability.  It loses its slot to the similar Granger, which is not always a strictly-better Mystic.

Druids of the Stone Circle:  Stone Circle and Honey Siren are more interesting for being able to put any card on top.

Landcaller: A good card, but Syril is more interesting.

Serpentcall: A really good card, too good in fact.

Cetra Weaver of Stars: A card I’d like to keep in, but so far I think there’s only room for 5 uniques in each suit.  (I’d rather have Cetra than Nairi, but Tim seems to really like Nairi, so she stays for now.)