I think there is a lot left to explore in Eternal. The tier 1 and tier 2 decks are established, and most people act like those are the best decks, period. However, one of the most complained about cards, Crystalline Chalice, saw absolutely zero play for the first 6 months of open beta. When ECV posted his initial Chalice control list, the hive mind picked it up and started iterating, rapidly creating a monster that has remained a tier 1 archetype to this day. Do you really think we’ve found everything? I don’t.

I think there are a lot of sleeping giants and under-explored archetypes, and the only way to discover them is to try them. Play with new cards! Tell people what worked, what didn’t work, and how you think it can be improved. With more eyes and more hands working on a raw deck, it quickly becomes refined into diamond (or even master). Here are my picks for the most under-explored shells and cards in Eternal as we approach the Tale of Horus Traveler.

Sleepless Night

Sleepless Night is expensive, but the effect is incredible. You draw 8 cards for 8 power, staggered over a few turns. It’s possible to draw the Revenge copy before you empty your hand of the first four you draw, but it’s unlikely. Sleepless Night is incredible card advantage, something Argenport is often criticized for lacking.

You can’t just hit 8 power playing a normal game and curving out without skipping several turns, so you need card draw. Thankfully, Argenport actually has a good Wisdom of the Elders substitute, assuming you want to hit high power counts: Privilege of Rank.

Combined with Argenport’s wealth of excellent removal and the powerful anti-aggro package of Copperhall Bailiff-Auric Runehammer-Throne Warden-Harsh Rule, you have a shell worth experimenting with. I tried adding Makto since Sleepless Nights helps you find him quickly after he Revenges back into your deck:

1 Seek Power (Set1 #408)

3 Annihilate (Set1 #269)

4 Vara’s Favor (Set0 #35)

2 Cat Burglar (Set2 #148)

4 Copperhall Bailiff (Set1001 #5)

3 Privilege of Rank (Set1 #157)

4 Slay (Set2 #236)

4 Valkyrie Enforcer (Set1 #151)

4 Auric Runehammer (Set1 #166)

4 Steward of the Past (Set1 #287)

4 Harsh Rule (Set1 #172)

4 Inquisitor Makto (Set2 #242)

3 Throne Warden (Set1 #514)

4 Sleepless Night (Set2 #170)

2 Sword of the Sky King (Set1 #186)

8 Justice Sigil (Set1 #126)

5 Shadow Sigil (Set1 #249)

4 Argenport Banner (Set2 #231)

4 Seat of Vengeance (Set0 #55)

4 Diplomatic Seal (Set1 #425)

Here’s a slightly older video showing the deck in action.

Perhaps this isn’t even the right shell – something more akin to Stokescar is where Sleepless Nights belongs. Either way, this much potential card draw at such a low deck building cost (you just have to be willing to play a longer game and capable of hitting 8 power) in non-Elysian factions has to have a home somewhere.

Justice-based Control

Speaking of the Justice control shell, I think this package as a whole, and especially Copperhall Bailiff, is underappreciated. Bailiff into Auric Runehammer into Throne Warden doesn’t even need a 2 drop to shut down anything aggressive HARD.

I’ve used this shell to great effect in the above deck and in Mono Justice Control (AKA Giant Metal Dongers) to enable just about any late game package. Maybe this is the key to the elusive Big Rakano deck with Jekk and Icaria! All it takes is a heavy commitment to getting JJ influence early.

I mentioned a Sir Rhino special earlier (Stokescar), but there’s one card he insist is extremely powerful despite seeing no play:

Pearlescent Drake

Just look at this card – it’s got such big numbers! A lot of the complaints you hear from newer players about Sandstorm Titan could be applied to Pearly D. To paraphrase a reddit comment with my own find & replace:

“She’s punishing for new players as she’s hard to deal with, especially for Time decks who rely on Killer/Darude to deal with big Flying units and Reckless is the icing on the bullshit cake. Only Shadow can really remove it easily, every other faction needs a specific card (Permafrost, Vanquish, Deadly Wasp, Polymorph) to trade 1 for 1 and if you don’t have the answer have fun trading 2+ units.

On top of that she’s legendary so if you want to play a Primal deck as a new player, good luck. It’s kind of a ‘you must be this tall to ride the roller coaster’ sign at a theme park, except the requirement is so high there’s no kids allowed.”

Now, I don’t think Pearlescent Drake (or Sandstorm Titan) are actually overpowered, but there’s no denying that a 6/7 Flyer for 5 is powerful. Sir Rhino’s latest list:

3 Finest Hour (Set1 #130)

4 Permafrost (Set1 #193)

4 Protect (Set1 #132)

4 Seek Power (Set1 #408)

4 Eager Owlet (Set1 #144)

4 Kothon, the Far-Watcher (Set2 #218)

4 Vanquish (Set1 #143)

2 Whispering Wind (Set1 #202)

4 Aerialist Trainer (Set2 #219)

2 Copperhall Bailiff (Set1001 #5)

4 Valkyrie Enforcer (Set1 #151)

3 Hammer of Might (Set1 #170)

4 Shelterwing Rider (Set2 #223)

4 Pearlescent Drake (Set2 #127)

6 Justice Sigil (Set1 #126)

5 Primal Sigil (Set1 #187)

2 Cobalt Monument (Set1 #418)

4 Hooru Banner (Set2 #216)

4 Seat of Order (Set0 #51)

4 Diplomatic Seal (Set1 #425)

I haven’t played this deck as much as the others in my article, but I can confirm that it is powerful and close to breaking into top-tier play. It has a hard-to-interact-with flying clock, removal for the main threats you’ll face, and solid blockers against Oni Ronin decks in Kothon, Aerialist Trainer, and Copperhall Bailiff (there that card is again!).

Whispering Wind is a perennially-underrated card that does an excellent job of keeping the gas flowing in for low-curve decks. Shelterwing Rider is another underplayed, brutal threat. A 5/4 Flying for 4 is great, and if it gets ‘removed,’ a simple Protect can get it up and attacking again. And speaking of underplayed, brutal threats:

Knucklebones

Just kidding; everyone knows this card is great.

So what do you think has some untapped potential? What cards or combinations have you had success with that no one else seems to appreciate?

Until next time, may you always draw Copperhall Baliiff against aggro.

LightsOutAce

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