Kripp is boring so I watch trump instead. Also I use arenamastery although it's ratings need to be added for new cards so I may use something else soon.
using software to tell you what to draft feels lonely
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Quote:
I think that people who are like that are really deep. They have a sense of understanding things and are vague and quiet and mysterious you know? Like a cello. It plays depressing music (that's how I think of it) but it's so beautiful. It's a beautiful instrument and it's so. You know. Like really emotional. Yeah. Emotional is the word.
Joined: Oct 30, 2013 Posts: 16394 Location: Secret Lair
You can use a website to tell you what to pick, based on the cards you have already drafted. Past that, it's an exercise in mulligan strategy, knowing your deck, and avoiding misplays.
Joined: Oct 30, 2013 Posts: 16394 Location: Secret Lair
If you mean Murloc Warleader, that's a viable pick because it's a 3/3 by itself. That being said, which you should pick depends on what your arena deck looked like at that point in time. Both are equally viable choices depending on the rest of your deck.
I'm a (self) published author now! You can find my books on Amazon in Paperback or ebook! The Accursed, a standalone young adult fantasy adventure. Witch Hunters, book one of a young adult Scifi-fantasy trilogy.
Edit: 5-0. I've yet to see an opponent able to overwhelm me before I can stabilize with big creatures. The druid I faced for my 4th game came close, though. Eadric really saved my rear, nerfing his Foe Reaper while letting mine (via faceless manipulator) slaughter.
Murloc Knight + Mukla's champ is hilarious.
Faceless Manipulator is a GREAT card. Wish I had one or two for real.
Venture Co. Mercenary isn't as bad as I feared since it's powerful enough to be close to a must-answer.
I've gotten way more shots off Blackwing Corruptor than I thought I would.
EDIT: Earned 9 victories. 155g, 20 dust, and a GVG pack containing Force-Tank MAX, Puddlestomper, Mechwarper, Scarlet Purifier, and Coghammer.
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"Enjoy your screams, Sarpadia - they will soon be muffled beneath snow and ice."
I'm a (self) published author now! You can find my books on Amazon in Paperback or ebook! The Accursed, a standalone young adult fantasy adventure. Witch Hunters, book one of a young adult Scifi-fantasy trilogy.
Got 0 wins as Warlock Therefore, Balance is Restored Better luck next time.
The pack was good though Two rares got me 80 dust It could have been worse.
(in all seriousness, investing 150g in arena got me two packs, though neither were classic, and a kickback of 35 gold between the runs -- a gain of about 85 gold, plus the card and dust procs from the 9-win run. Seems like a good idea.)
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"Enjoy your screams, Sarpadia - they will soon be muffled beneath snow and ice."
I'm a (self) published author now! You can find my books on Amazon in Paperback or ebook! The Accursed, a standalone young adult fantasy adventure. Witch Hunters, book one of a young adult Scifi-fantasy trilogy.
Joined: Feb 09, 2015 Posts: 191
Identity: Curious Cannoli
Make sure to have enough two drops and mulligan so that you can actually play things early. The game can be lost easily by falling behind in tempo because creatures can directly attack other creatures meaning playing stuff when your opponent already has a board will let them force favorable trades, giving them both tempo and card advantage.
Know what responses your opponent can have. For example, playing a 2/3 instead of a 3/2 on turn two against a Paladin might completely change the tempo of the game if they play a Shielded Minibot.
Value, tempo, and safety are all important, and it is important to adjust during a game based on your position. For example if you have a 4/5 and a 4/2 and you need to kill their 3/4 it might be better both tempo-wise to eat it with your 4/5. If you do that however, both your creatures will have 2hp which will make them vulnerable to board wipes. Value wise the decision could go either way since attacking with the 4/2 "wastes" one of your opponent's creature's damage, but eating the creature with the 4/5 leaves you with 8 damage on the board to trade with other creatures your opponent might play. Play safer when you are ahead since you don't want to induce variance, make riskier plays with higher payoffs when you are behind because you do want to induce variance, this is true in most games though.
As a general rule trade with your creatures when it is favorable, use your removal spells when they commit a whole turn to dropping something big and you want to push for lethal.
The classes can play pretty differently in arena. Rogue and Mage are probably the most malleable in how they can play. Paladin and Priest are very much "dude" classes, heavily oriented around playing creatures and keeping a board alive. Shaman is somewhere between Paladin and Mage, Druid is somewhere between Paladin and Rogue. Hunter wants to get their opponent low early to force a clock with their hero power, having an early game and choosing when to push for lethal are important. Warlock also wants to draft very aggressively because the late game will usually be won by your hero power if you've managed not to take too much damage, your hero power allows you to not run out of steam after playing all your cards. Warrior tries to get value and tempo off of cheap weapons, if you don't get weapons you'll probably need really good neutrals to do well since your hero power is often useless.
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"To believe something is to believe that it is true; therefore a reasonable person believes each of his beliefs to be true; yet experience has taught him to expect that some of his beliefs, he knows not which, will turn out to be false. A reasonable person believes, in short, that each of his beliefs is true and that some of them are false."
I am really tempted to call bull on "need moar twos". Since I've been trying to increase my two count, I've been run over by decks with better value for card. I just love sitting on a near empty hand with a field full of nothing and graveyard full of early game, staring down the 4-6 cost winners.
EDIT: Okay, that was harsh, and it's not anyone's fault but mine if I follow good advice badly, but I feel like the advice could use a little more nuance
I'm a (self) published author now! You can find my books on Amazon in Paperback or ebook! The Accursed, a standalone young adult fantasy adventure. Witch Hunters, book one of a young adult Scifi-fantasy trilogy.
Joined: Feb 09, 2015 Posts: 191
Identity: Curious Cannoli
It's really hard to suggest how to fix your drafting without seeing the picks. Overall your card quality seems decent, but there are a handful of cards that really bring down the deck I think. I think you're probably making some odd card valuations.
The Bad
Bloodsail Corsair => I'd probably pick 90% of cards over this. It's terrible body isn't worth the tech against weapons. It's only redeeming factor really is that it is a one drop, but still not one that can apply any real pressure or trade with two drops. Frostwolf Grunt => This card is very weak as it gets straight up eaten by ~40% of frequently played two drop commons. A two drop needs to be able to push for board control early as the value of two drops diminishes in the late game. It's a taunt, but not one that is going to get you any value and is easily destroyed. Ice Barrier => Awful card, probably worse than 95% of picks. The problem with life gain is that it doesn't get you anywhere on board so you generally just fall even further behind and end up retaking even more damage than you healed. It's hard to make pure hero lifegain like this work in arena. 2x Cone of Cold => It's not a terrible card. One is pretty decent utility in most decks, but you rarely ever would want two and you might not even want the first depending on what the other two cards are. Definitely gets better in both hyper aggressive decks and decks with spell damage and area of effect spells, neither of which yours is. Arcane Nullifier X-21 => It isn't awful but it isn't good or even average either. It is a Mech but probably not worth it even for the Blastmage. Since you don't have any other four drops that makes this better, but picking up better four drops like Yeti's would have been the even better option if it were presented. Priestess of Elune => Same problem as Ice Barrier but at least this comes with a body. Still would pick most cards in the game over it as it has terrrible stats for a late game body. Captured Jormungar => Passable if you need a late game threat, but you already have some good late game cards. 2x Frost Giant => Decent finisher for a class with a solid hero power, which the mage is. I wouldn't want two though.
The Good
Boneguard Lieutenant => This is a better-than-average two drop in my opinion. Mage's hero power is good which raises the quality of inspire cards slightly. And at worst it is a vanilla 3/2, which is at least reasonable. Micro Machine => I'd say this card is worse than your average two drop because it is a 2/2 when you pass the turn. However it's upside is much higher than Grunt's and your Blastmage probably pushes it to being an above average two drop. Puddlestomper => Mediocre, but definitely solid filler if you are light on twos. Snowchugger => High quality two drop. Has the solid 2/3 body with an ability that makes it very strong against weapon classes and makes it relevant when it is outclassed on board. The fact that you have Blastmage makes this a great card in your deck. Sorcerer's Apprentice => If you have 0 spells this is a mediocre pick, if you have ~10 spells it is fantastic. I'd say it's a "good" card in your deck. 2x Stonesplinter Trogg => I'd value this guy between Puddlestomper and Boneguard. He's kinda filler but (very) slightly better than a vanilla. Harvest Golem => A great three drop, better than most. Fantastic pick considering you have a Blastmage. Imp Master => Better than a lot of three drops, generally a good pick. Spellslinger => 3/4s are really good since they don't trade with 3/2s, and the effect is good since you can play it as a potential out to basically anything as well as play it when you run out of cards. Spider Tank => Really great three drop for the same reasons as Golem and Slinger. 4x Fireball => Hard to draft too many of these. The utility of threatening lethal from high amounts of health and being able to remove most creatures in the game is too good to pass up. Goblin Blastmage => At it's worst it is a Lost Tallstrider which is kind mediocre but passable. Since your deck has five mechs I'd probably rate this as a great pick, if you had seven it would be fantastic. Kvaldir Raider => A solid finisher, can win you the game singlehandedly if your opponent doesn't deal with it the turn after you drop it on turn seven. Silver Hand Knight => A very solid five drop, good stats for the mana and the utility of two bodies. Better than Kvaldir as it's actually a really good turn five play, where Kvaldir is only a decent turn seven play if you can't protect it. Sunwalker => Very solid six drop, not really a finisher but it can completely swing a board state. Gruul => Very similar in role to Kvaldir Raider. It's hard to say which is better.
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"To believe something is to believe that it is true; therefore a reasonable person believes each of his beliefs to be true; yet experience has taught him to expect that some of his beliefs, he knows not which, will turn out to be false. A reasonable person believes, in short, that each of his beliefs is true and that some of them are false."
Pick 1: Blizzard over Jeeves and Madder Bomber Pick 2: Dragon's Breath over Ice Lance and Frostwolf Warlord Pick 3: Zombie Chow over Undertaker and Antique Healbot Pick 4: Cult Master over Dragonkin Sorcerer and Novice Engineer Pick 5: Mukla's Champion over Faerie Dragon and Frigid Snobold (This one HURT. I really wanted that faerie dragon but Mukla's can just steal games) Pick 6: Mirror Image over Southsea Deckhand and Reckless Rocketeer Pick 7: Mind Control Tech over Young Priestess and Light's Champion (I strongly considered the champ...) Pick 8: Acolyte of Pain over Mechwarper and Corehound (yeah, mech mage is a thing, but acolyte is so much CA.) Pick 9: Micro Machine over Tournament Attendee and Kobold Geomancer Pick 10: Ethereal Arcanist over Fencing Coach and Murloc Tidecaller (Terrible for a set of rares) Pick 11: Senjin Shieldmasta over Lost Tallstrider and Mirror Entity (hurts to lose Mirror Entity) Pick 12: Mirror Entity over Blackwing Technician and Frost Nova (I am rewarded!) Pick 13: Cone of Cold over Dragonkin Sorcerer and Youthful Brewmaster Pick 14: Mechanical Yeti over North Sea Kraken and Arcane Explosion Pick 15: Ogre Brute over Flying Machine and Tournament Medic Pick 16: Polymorph over Mirror Image and Annoy-o-tron (Ouch!) Pick 17: Puddlestomper over Argent Horserider and Zombie Chow Pick 18: Harvest Golem over Nerub'ar Weblord and Undertaker Pick 19: Frostwolf Warlord over Dalaran Mage and Dread Corsair Pick 20: Flamewaker over Mind Control Tech and Polymorph: Boar (Kinda wanted the second tech) Pick 21: Salty Dog over Dalaran Mage and Antique Healbot Pick 22: Water Elemental over Stormwind Champion and Novice Engineer Pick 23: Arcane Intellect over Mirror Image and Frost Nova Pick 24: Frost Elemental over Captured Jormungar and Southsea Deckhand Pick 25: Arcane Explosion over Blackwing Technician and Reckless Rocketeer Pick 26: Spectral Knight over Shattered Sun Cleric and Wisp Pick 27: Lance Carrier over Reckless Rocketeer and Magma Rager Pick 28: Spellbreaker over Spider Tank (ow) and Flame Juggler Pick 29: Mirror Image over Youthful Brewmaster and Razorfen Hunter Pick 30: Mogor's Champion over Pint-sized summoner and Secretkeeper
I may autocard that later, I'm a bit tired of it right now. Won my first game, but how will the run go? no idea.
_________________
"Enjoy your screams, Sarpadia - they will soon be muffled beneath snow and ice."
I'm a (self) published author now! You can find my books on Amazon in Paperback or ebook! The Accursed, a standalone young adult fantasy adventure. Witch Hunters, book one of a young adult Scifi-fantasy trilogy.
1 win was all I got, but the pack had the Foe Reaper 4000, Tinker's Sharpsword Oil, Glaivezooka, Clockwork Gnome, and Bomb Lobber. So 3 playables, a legendary even if a trash one, and a spare rare... not bad, all things considered.
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"Enjoy your screams, Sarpadia - they will soon be muffled beneath snow and ice."
I'm a (self) published author now! You can find my books on Amazon in Paperback or ebook! The Accursed, a standalone young adult fantasy adventure. Witch Hunters, book one of a young adult Scifi-fantasy trilogy.
1 win was all I got, but the pack had the Foe Reaper 4000, Tinker's Sharpsword Oil, Glaivezooka, Clockwork Gnome, and Bomb Lobber. So 3 playables, a legendary even if a trash one, and a spare rare... not bad, all things considered.
Poor arena runs always give better packs.
Source: Almost five whole cases of anecdotal evidence.
Joined: Feb 09, 2015 Posts: 191
Identity: Curious Cannoli
Tevish Szat wrote:
For the heck of it, this was my latest Arena
record
Shaman - Mage - Warrior (Choice: Mage)
Pick 1: Blizzard over Jeeves and Madder Bomber Pick 2: Dragon's Breath over Ice Lance and Frostwolf Warlord Pick 3: Zombie Chow over Undertaker and Antique Healbot Pick 4: Cult Master over Dragonkin Sorcerer and Novice Engineer Pick 5: Mukla's Champion over Faerie Dragon and Frigid Snobold (This one HURT. I really wanted that faerie dragon but Mukla's can just steal games) Pick 6: Mirror Image over Southsea Deckhand and Reckless Rocketeer Pick 7: Mind Control Tech over Young Priestess and Light's Champion (I strongly considered the champ...) Pick 8: Acolyte of Pain over Mechwarper and Corehound (yeah, mech mage is a thing, but acolyte is so much CA.) Pick 9: Micro Machine over Tournament Attendee and Kobold Geomancer Pick 10: Ethereal Arcanist over Fencing Coach and Murloc Tidecaller (Terrible for a set of rares) Pick 11: Senjin Shieldmasta over Lost Tallstrider and Mirror Entity (hurts to lose Mirror Entity) Pick 12: Mirror Entity over Blackwing Technician and Frost Nova (I am rewarded!) Pick 13: Cone of Cold over Dragonkin Sorcerer and Youthful Brewmaster Pick 14: Mechanical Yeti over North Sea Kraken and Arcane Explosion Pick 15: Ogre Brute over Flying Machine and Tournament Medic Pick 16: Polymorph over Mirror Image and Annoy-o-tron (Ouch!) Pick 17: Puddlestomper over Argent Horserider and Zombie Chow Pick 18: Harvest Golem over Nerub'ar Weblord and Undertaker Pick 19: Frostwolf Warlord over Dalaran Mage and Dread Corsair Pick 20: Flamewaker over Mind Control Tech and Polymorph: Boar (Kinda wanted the second tech) Pick 21: Salty Dog over Dalaran Mage and Antique Healbot Pick 22: Water Elemental over Stormwind Champion and Novice Engineer Pick 23: Arcane Intellect over Mirror Image and Frost Nova Pick 24: Frost Elemental over Captured Jormungar and Southsea Deckhand Pick 25: Arcane Explosion over Blackwing Technician and Reckless Rocketeer Pick 26: Spectral Knight over Shattered Sun Cleric and Wisp Pick 27: Lance Carrier over Reckless Rocketeer and Magma Rager Pick 28: Spellbreaker over Spider Tank (ow) and Flame Juggler Pick 29: Mirror Image over Youthful Brewmaster and Razorfen Hunter Pick 30: Mogor's Champion over Pint-sized summoner and Secretkeeper
I may autocard that later, I'm a bit tired of it right now. Won my first game, but how will the run go? no idea.
Draft Critique
P2: I think your pick is defendable since it works better in a diverse amount of deck archetypes, but Dragon's Breath is one of the weakest Mage removals, so I'd probably go with the Frostwolf Warlord and hope to draft a more aggroish deck. P5: I would have definitely taken the Faerie Dragon. Both Cult Master and Mukla's Champion work well in the same types of decks, but both require a low curve to function optimally. And well Cult Master is usually somewhat playable in any deck, Mukla's champion is pretty bad outside of a low curve deck or a mid curve Pally/Shaman deck. P7: I think you definitely made the right choice. Mind Control Tech can completely turn games, and it isn't uncommon for people to try to rush Mage down before turn seven. P8: I would have gone Mechwarper, but that's just a personal preference thing. I really like mech decks in arena. P10: They are all awful, but Fencing Coach is definitely the least aweful except on the off chance that you get like two playable secrets. I'd say most Mage secrets are bad in arena though unless you have a Mad Scientist, so you really don't want to force yourself into a position where you pick them. P11: I think this one is pretty close. After your last pick I might have gone with the Mirror Entity because it's more fun. P13: You should go with Youthful Brewmaster here, half way through the draft it would be bad to only have 1 two drop. P14:North Sea Kraken is one of the best neutral commons in the game, I'd highly recommend that. P17:Zombie Chow is a much better choice here. Basically the same body power as Puddlestomper but for only ONE mana, has great synergy with Cult Master and Mukla's. P22:Water Elemental is definitely the better card in my opinion, and if you'd taken the Kraken earlier I probably would have taken it. However at this point you have zero late game threats, so I'd probably have taken the Stormwind Champion since you are already over 2/3 of the way through the draft. P24: Hard between the Frost Elemental and the Captured Jormungar. Frost Elemental is better, but if you take it the biggest butt in your deck is going to five toughness. P28: I think Flame Juggler is the only defensible choice here. Juggler and Spider Tank are both amazing in their slot, but you are really lacking in two drops and have plenty of three drops. Spellbreaker is probably the weakest of the cards in your deck, though it might still be a better pick then the Tank for your curve. P29: Definitely should have picked Youthful Brewmaster, you need two drops. Images are actually really bad in your current deck because you have nothing to back them up. They need to be protecting something. P30: All of these are terrible, but you should have taken Pint-Sized Summoner because it is a two drop. You really don't need another Salty Dog, and Mogor's is even worse.
How I would have drafted it
Blizzard Frostwolf Warlord Zombie Chow Cult Master Faerie Dragon Mirror Image Mind Control Tech Mechwarper Micro Machine Fencing Coach Senjin Shieldmasta Blackwing Technician Dragonkin Sorcerer North Sea Kraken (Though I'd highly consider Mech Yeti because I have a Mechwarper) Ogre Brute Polymorph Zombie Chow Harvest Golem Frostwolf Warlord Polymorph: Boar Salty Dog Water Elemental Arcane Intellect Frost Elemental Blackwing Technician Shattered Sun Cleric Lance Carrier Flame Juggler Youthful Brewmaster Pint-sized summoner
Anyway. You weren't offered very good cards (like some prime removal). But I do think you could have made better picks and probably gotten 3 or 4 wins on average.
_________________
"To believe something is to believe that it is true; therefore a reasonable person believes each of his beliefs to be true; yet experience has taught him to expect that some of his beliefs, he knows not which, will turn out to be false. A reasonable person believes, in short, that each of his beliefs is true and that some of them are false."
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