High Elf Beginner Deck

[Oshio 22]

Hey guys:

Just recently got into the game and I've started deckbuilding. While playing this game I'm going to have a couple different primary opponents. The first is my brother and a couple other CCG pals, and we are going to be interested in competative, tournament level decks. We will be jumping right into some of the higher level tournament decks, playing some of the Dwarf decks popular at Gen Con, Bolt Thrower, some different speed decks, etc.

My other opponent, and the one I will most likely be playing more, is my wife, who is certainly a gamer, but not really a CCGer. She's not interested in getting her face pounded in second turn by Orcs or getting bolt throwered to death and is more interested in having fun, while giving me a break from some of the annoying tournament decks.

At any rate, I'm trying to put a couple decks together for her for fun. I will be playing against these decks with fun things...mono Chaos, Dark Elf, etc, so no need to worry about meta for blitz or throwers. I do want to make an effective deck, however, so I wanted to post it here to see if there's anything I'm missing as I am still very much learning the card pool. Comments welcome.

Archmage of Saphery x3

Envoy from Averlorn x3

Loremaster of Hoeth x3

Shadow Warrior x3

Finreirs Guard x3

Initiate of Saphery x3

High Elf Spearmen x3

Sword Masters of Hoeth x3

Contested Village x3

Armory x3

Forgotten Cemetery x3

Contested Fortress x2

The Glittering Tower x2

Dragon Mage Wakening x2

Innovation x3

Flames of the Phoenix x2

Tear of Isha x2

Charge of the Silver Helms x2

Banish x2

A few questions:

Right now I am mostly focusing on cheap guys. Should I put in a few heroes? Any suggestions as to which one and quantities?

Are the card balances right?

Any other comments?

 

Thanks!

Connor

[LordBlunt 368]

Hey!

I am also a newbie to this game and have put something similar for my HE deck. I pretty much dumped every card that you have into the deck, with a single copy of each of the Heroes. However, the deck didnt hold out much against other decks that have been calibrated.

There isnt much advice that I can give, as I am struggling my self.

Sorry, I know that this isnt much advise, but I too hope someone else chimes in and fills in the blanks so to speak.

 

 

 

BTW: We might be the few HE deck players on these boards! 

[simpatikool 104]

Heya,

I have been trying to put together a decent HE deck as well. Its not easy. In general play, they are just fine, but when I play the more competitive players/decks, they get squashed.

I have been putting together some DD/HE and Emp/HE decks to see if they fair any better. Right now, my opinion is that the HE work well in a support role, but on there own, not so much.

 

 

[â—�Kefkaâ—� 0]

High Elf is frustrating to play for me, because they do have the tools to win, they're just so wimpy.  They can't really create any sort of threat.  Though they are still fun to play.  Here's some things I've noticed in my experience, that may help.

Resources?

The Watchstone of Athel Tamarha is interesting.  If you can get one in your opening hand, you can get some pretty ghetto innovation type action going on with Scroll of Asur and Flames of the Phoenix.  (And at the very least, Scroll of Asur, can try to guarantee you get one early)  Sure, it's no Grimgor's Camp, but if you're going spell heavy, you may be able to sub innovation for it.  (Keep in mind, we're talking tier 3 or 4 decks here)  Something like Watchstone, Scroll of Asur, into Envoy of Averlorn is a setup I wouldn't be ashamed of.

Carddraw?

Charge of the Silver Helms is great for this.  Count your gold, and then boost a random guy in your quest to rebuild your hand a little.  Technically you could do this for the Kingdom phase in the beginning of your turn, but I've had much greater success when used in the quest.  I wish HE had some better 2 slots with 2+ HP than the Loremaster, which would make this more efficient.

Support Hate?

IMO, High Elf is the best faction for 'Burn it Down'.  As I mentioned earlier, High Elf can do without Innovation, which frees up your developments to battlefield.  Ellyrian Reavers helps speed this up too.

Rush?

Dragon Prince, Dragon Prince, Dragon Prince.  Uncancellable, and an easy play on second turn.  Play him to the area Orc Rush has hit, and now they have a 4 hp wall and only 2 Clan Moulder's Elites left over.  Anyway, I would highly recommend running him in 3s.

Skaven?

Zealot Hunter is a really good answer for the more stupid Skaven characters.  Especially because High Elfs 3 slot for units is fairly weak.  If you're going spell-heavy.

Can they create any threat at all?

I've had sucess with Ancient Waystone.  Sticking 2 in the quest is a good deterrant for those wimpy little quest only guys, and stuff like the Vile Sorceress.

 

My issue, is I just can't create a threat.  Charge of the Silver Helms helps, but their units are just so **** wimpy, and they have no skaven to back them up like DE does.  I dunno. I didn't look at the March of the Damned spoiler too in-depth, so I don't know what Lizardmen are bringing to the table.

[Dam the Man 84]

Currently, only unit you really can attack normally with them are the Sword Masters. Rest either don't have Power (as in 90% of them probably have 1-P) and those with 2-P tend to die (Spearmen) or are the prime targets because they are one of the few 2-P units. While decently effective, there isn't that much fun in HElves when you know you're just looking for the SMoH to do your damage. Against unprotected zone (after Flames of the Phoenix), you need to mass everything you can and burn it in one attack. Still, turn 2 Illyriel into BZ followed by a pair of SMoH on turns 3 and 4 is an icky start against unit-using people. With Illyriel, they are forced to keep 2 resources unspent or bounce a unit each turn and you can "aid" this with Banisment, etc. thus keeping their unit levels in check while getting almost free reign with your few juicy hitters. All other races I've seen managing to hit for 15+ dmg with a single attack here and there, but HElves just can't muster enough Power to do it.

[LordBlunt 368]

Kefka and Dam,

Good points. Well written out synopsis Kefka. I will heed your suggestions.

 

Do you believe that the upcoming add-on cards will help to make a solid HE deck? Is the possibility good?

[Clamatius 1]

As you say, HE unit decks aren't competitive at the moment and the general depth of HE is terrible - they just don't have as many cards, the healing mechanic doesn't do enough and HE has a solid number of the worst cards in the game.  But here you go.

Illyriel is pretty good.  The other HE heroes are comparatively weak - Caradryan is probably the next best.  As mentioned, Charge of the Silver Helms is solid.  Envoy is good for early card draw.

I like Silver Helm Detachment - by the time you use up the counters it's done its job and 2 hammers for 3 is a decent deal.  I think it is significantly better than the Spearmen because you can Charge it.

Banish is normally worse than Pilgrimage.  It's really bad.

Steel's Bane is decent defense - a single Envoy can soak a whole attack.  I'm not saying it's good, but compared with most of your other tactics it's ok.

With the next BP (Silent Forge),  you get DESCENDANT OF INDRAUGHNIR. There is your damage engine. The dragon is a savage beating.  Swinging for 8 is nothing to sniff at.  Steel's Bane can save it from Master Rune of Spite.

And finally, if you have March of the Damned, Citadel of Dusk is really good.  Consider adding Lizardmen too - Skinks of Sotek makes a nice bounce target for Illyriel (don't forget she can bounce your Zealot Hunters too) and the Savage mechanic combos well with Loremaster of Hoeth.  Shadow Warriors + Spawn of Itzl is also decent.  If Dwarves didn't have such a ridiculously good support base, I'd consider running Lizards out of HE instead of Dwarves.  As is, the HE plan is just too reliant on units and Troll Vomit out of Orc control will wreck you.  Of course you can't realistically beat Thrower, but that isn't in this assignment. 

[Dam the Man 84]

Sea Guard of Lothern adds some much needed 2-P units in Silent Forge as well (along with the Dragon). Could even get lucky and get to put them into play for free if a Scout tosses them from your hand. Too bad Troll Vomit isn't a Spell, SF adds another canceller to boost Disdain.

[Oshio 22]

Here's a deck I put together utilizing the new sets. Slowly moving away from 'beginner' but we are still basically pretending Bolt Thrower doesn't exist. Comments welcome, I'd like a few more people in the deck but I'm not quite sure where to trim.

Envoy from Averlorn x3

Shadow Warrior (or Finreir's Guard...HE have no good 2 cost guys) x2

Sea Guard Captain x3

Loremaster of Hoeth x3

Sword Masters of Hoeth x3

Lolthern Sea Guard x3

Illyriel x2

Descendant of Indraugnir x3

 

Outpost of Tiranoc x3

Citadel of Dusk x3

Elven Warship x3

Contested Village x3

Mining Tunnels x3

 

From Beneath the Waves x3

Dragon Mage Awakening x2

Charge of the Silver Helms x3

Flames of the Phoenix x2

Innovation x3

 

Idea is to use a lot of the new indirect damage tech the elves are getting to full effect. With some of the new guys they have a little more power, giving them slightly more offensive punch. Mining Tunnels can help with card draw and developing your kingdom can set up for a big Innovation/Flames of the Phoenix finishing punch. Elven Warship/From Beneath The Waves + Outpost is fun.

Not going for a tier 1 deck, but it seems more playable than what they have now. Anyways, looking for comments.

 

Connor