This article is part of a series named Play Better. The aim is to conduct an in-depth analysis of certain common play patterns in Eternal and determine how we can improve as players. This Play Better is focused on the use of the Scout mechanic and Strategize in Control decks.

Scout and Strategize are core parts of any control strategy. Every Eternal player is well aware that 75 card decks lead to inconsistent draws when it comes to both power and answers to the opponent’s threats. Strategize, as well as the Scout mechanic, mitigate the issue of inconsistency by offering the control pilot a modicum of card selection to smooth out otherwise inconsistent draws.

However, these mechanics are not that easy to play. Card selection provides choices, and and choices allow for mistakes. It is imperative we maximise the value of card selection, and this article aims to give us tips to teach us that. I do not profess to be one of the best players in Eternal, but I am an avid control player who is in the habit of recording my games in order to review any mistakes that I make. Over this process, I have learned some lessons, and I aim to share those with you.

This article is focused on the use of Scout and Strategize in Control decks. Aggro and Midrange decks have different considerations when it comes to the proper time to Scout (typically in the form of curving out effectively.) That is not to say that the skills are not transferable – just that the considerations I will be taking into account are more relevant for control decks.

Let’s begin with the Scout mechanic. For the newer players, Scout is:

“Look at the top card of your deck. You may put it on the bottom.”

Scout appears on a quite a few cards, the most notable being Trailblaze, Pummel and Extract. When Scout appears on cards that serve another primary function, like Extract where it is a removal spell, oftentimes players cannot put too much emphasis on when to Scout – if something on the board needs removing, then Extract has to be played, regardless of whether you want to look at the top card of your deck or not.

Where Scout gives the players most control is on Crests.

On one hand, Crests generate the power you need to cast your cards. Most players tend to develop the habit of playing depleted power on the early turns, since these tend to be the turns where you do not require the power. However, it is my belief that Crests are extremely powerful, and therefore more consideration should be taken before they are played.

The main lesson to take away from this article is this: Scout is a resource that should not be squandered lightly. In control decks, the ability to filter away cards you do not want to draw is so important, given the limited number of card draw and card filtering functions that exist in Eternal. Scouting away an Azindel’s Gift that you do not need against an aggro deck puts you one draw closer to the Harsh Rule or Hailstorm you need to clear the opposing board.

However, early in games, you often do not know what you are going to need. Do you need more power? Do you need another heavy spot removal spell like Deathstrike? Do you need a limited boardclear in Hailstorm? These are things you will not know in the early turns.

Furthermore, bottoming a card off Scout also means that you are unlikely to ever see it again in that game – this could be problematic if you really need a specific removal spell or boardclear.

Therefore, try to hold off Scout as long as possible. Scout with as much information as possible.

(All specific play scenarios in this article use Tinman’s Unitless Toadal Justice list.)

On turn 1, the obvious play here is Hooru Banner. This is for several reasons. Going first, you literally have no idea what Opponent’s deck is. If you play Crest and see a Lightning Storm, you don’t know if you need it. Secondly, you do not know if you are going to get power-screwed or flooded. Scout is valuable in mitigating those scenarios as well – and as such, should be saved for the following turn.

While an argument can be made for needing Extract on Turn 3, hence justifying the playing of Crest which provides Shadow influence, this can only happen if you draw another Shadow influence anyway. Given the limited information, I value Scout highly enough to take my chances.

It is turn 2. The Opponent played the Elysian Crest. You draw a Crest of Vengeance.

Here, I would play a Crest. Given the Opponent is in Elysian colours, there is a possibility I might need to Deathstrike a Sandstorm Titan or its ilk on Turn 4. Having too many of my power in later turns coming in depleted would be problematic. Based on curve constraints, I have no choice but to use the Scout.

The above scenario highlights a countervailing consideration when deciding to play Crests – whether you need your power to come into play un-depleted in later turns. Sometimes the importance of un-depleted power outweighs the value of a good Scout. This would justify playing the Crest, not so much for its Scout, but to get rid of a depleted power from hand.

In the above case, I scout a Slay, and I do not know if I need it or not. (In all likelihood I do.) I keep it on top.

It is now Turn 3 of the same game. The Opponent has established a TJP power-base, having played 2 Banners and a Seek Power.

From the information I have received (TJP influence), the Opponent could be TJP Mid, Big TJP, and maybe Chalice – but most likely the Opponent is running a TJP Midrange list.

In this situation, I would play Cobalt Waystone on turn 3. With Slay in hand, I do not need the fourth power next turn for Deathstrike. If Opponent plays something small like Extract or Awakened Student, playing the Crest next turn allows for the Extract anyway. Last but not least, against most TJP lists I will likely not need the early Face Aegis from Cobalt Waystone. Based on the limited power in hand, I probably have to play the Cobalt Waystone early anyway.

I am trading off the mana efficiency of using a Deathstrike on Turn 4 and saving the Slay for a more mana-efficient turn later. However, given the low number of power in hand, the lack of a Harsh Rule, and no Vara’s Favor to cheaply remove Aegis on a Shelterwing Rider, there are too many potential things I think I need, without the luxury of knowing exactly which. I’d rather Scout on a turn when I have more information.

That being said, there are scenarios where you should scout on early turns. Sometimes you need the Scout early because your hand is bad relative to the board state. Sometimes, as mentioned earlier, you need to get rid of depleted power from hand. It’s not about formalistic heuristics to follow, but about being aware of the board situation and what tradeoffs you make when you play your cards.

In the above scenario, I am going second against an unknown opponent. Depending on what their first play is, the line I take on my turn will change. If Opponent plays turn 1 Oni Ronin or any aggresive one-drop, I will definitely play Crest. My hand is clearly ill-equipped to handle any kind of aggression, and I will need to start digging immediately for removal. Furthermore, I already have 3 power in my starting hand, and can comfortably bottom any power on the top.

However, if he plays a depleted power, I will be happy to play Hooru Banner, regardless of the Opponent’s influence.

Let’s look at a more fringe case.

This situation is somewhat 50-50, but I would play a Crest. I want to have the option of curving into Devastating Setback on Turn 3 if the Opponent is aggro, and hence want to maximise the odds of doing so. Given I have 3 depleted power in hand, I want to benefit from the probability that I will draw a Sigil that will activate Seat of Order, or any other un-depleted power.

When Scouting in this scenario, I will top almost any card (with the exception of Sword of the Sky King and The Last Word), given the lack of information from the Opponent. I also have Strategize to put cards I do not need back into the deck.

Next turn, the Opponent plays turn 1 Argenport Crest. It is now unlikely he is an Oni Ronin aggro deck. In the event he is Argenport Midrange, getting to Harsh Rule on Turn 5 or 6 should be timely enough removal. I therefore choose to play Seat of Cunning, taking my time with the Scout on the Crest.

Let’s look at another scenario.

This game is a good example of why Scouting needlessly can lose games, even in the endgame. It is the middle of the game against Big Combrei. I had just Channelled the Opponent’s 6/6 Mystic Ascendant, and drew 3 power – a Banner, a Seat, and a Crest.

If I had played Crest, guess which card I would have seen on the top? Hailstorm. Now, when facing down a Big Combrei that has dropped 2 Mystic Ascendants, a Worldbearer Behemoth, and a Sandstorm Titan, there is no way I would have topped Hailstorm.

Opponent did show some small drops – Reliquary Rider and Temple Scribe, to be exact – but because of the lack of unconditional spot removal in my hand, I would throw Hailstorm to dig for unconditional removal, or maybe a Channel the Tempest.

Let’s take a look at what happens next turn.

He plays two smaller threats that are both in Hailstorm range. If I had bottomed Hailstorm, I would not have access to such an easy solution. I would probably have to Harsh Rule this board, which opens me up to getting killed by another Time beater, or by the Great Parliament.

That is not to say that a better play would not have emerged if I hadn’t bottomed Hailstorm. However, sometimes cards we do not think we need end up being the ones we do.

In conclusion, Scout is an extremely powerful resource for control decks that benefits from being played where there is more information. Holding off on them when there is no cost to doing so is often the right play. However, sometimes the Crests demand to be played, especially when countervailing considerations like curving out arise.

Let’s move on to Strategize.

My rule when it comes to Strategize is very similar to Scout – never use it needlessly. Strategize is a card that does not net any extra cards drawn – its value comes entirely from filtering card quality. Hence, Strategize is at its best when you know what you need – more importantly, when you know what you don’t need.

I often see pointless Strategizes being played by opposing control players on turn 2 when nothing has been played yet. If you don’t know what your Opponent’s deck is, how do you know what to bottom? Conventional wisdom would dictate bottoming expensive cards like Channel the Tempest – but in Control Mirrors, having a Channel the Tempest in hand from the start is never a bad thing.

More importantly, if you don’t know you are going to get power screwed or flooded over the upcoming turns, you don’t know if you are going to need power or not. Most often, the cards that are bottomed are power cards – bottoming them needlessly when you might get power screwed can be a game losing decision.

In this situation, I would never Strategize. I don’t know what I need and what I don’t need – there is nothing in my hand that I can definitively say I will bottom.

More importantly, the Devastating Setback in hand will likely be played on the Opponent’s hand – that will give me far more information on the style of deck my Opponent is running. Armed with that information, my Strategize will become much better.

Of course, there are plenty of instances where Strategizing early is the correct play. The clearest case would be when you are going to miss a power drop for the turn. Alternatively, there are certain boardstates where you know you are (a) likely going to need more answers than you have in hand, and (b) will not have the mana to Strategize in later turns. The early Strategize will often be correct.

In summary, when it comes to cards like Strategize and mechanics like Scout, information is key. Maximising the value of card selection is often the difference between winning and losing.

This article did not cover every situation that can arise from Scout or Strategize. However, hopefully you have been equipped with the thought process necessarily to evaluate when these oft-overlooked mechanics should be played. Thanks for reading!