Hello friends! Time to gear up for another exciting event, and this one is looking to be a real party! In case there is anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, we have an Event starting this Friday where we get to start the game with 2 maximum power. This could have a pretty big impact on both deck building and gameplay. Not sure what you want to play? Well this Primer is the place to start!! I make my best guesses on decks that are viable for the event and try to cook up a range of decks so everyone will have a fun list for the weekend. This particular event has a massive range of possible decks, which makes this particularly hard. Do you have some sweet brew in mind that didn’t make the list? Hot tech you want to spread to the community? Be sure to share it in the Reddit thread!

Before getting into the decks, I wanted to quickly describe my philosophy approaching this. How should we think about Eternal in the context of this special rule? This will help explain unusual choices in some of these decks, as well as give all of you some tools to build your own decks. When building these decks I generally focused on the 3-5 drops that were both the highest impact and most simple influence requirements. Why is that? Well, let’s compare 2 cards, Midnight Gale and Ageless Mentor. Both are 3 drops that I would say are roughly the same power level for general ladder play. In the Event, though, you will be able to consistently cast Mentor on turn 1 while Gale is still going to be coming down roughly on turn 3 (while other people are playing 5-drops). Midnight Gale’s strict influence requirements make it basically unplayable in the event, while Ageless Mentor is probably going to be one of the most played cards. You will see this throughout the lists, where cards like Heart of The Vault or Rindra cannot be found in decks that might typically play them. Something like Heart of the Vault or Icaria are not unplayable in the event – they are clearly still extremely powerful – but I would rather start my lists with 0 copies of any XXXYYY cards, and then be proven wrong as we move forward.

There are some cascading implications to the format given this starting point. First off, if I asked you to name a high impact 4-drop with fair conservative influence costs, I expect all of you will start thinking about everyone’s favorite sentinel Wandering Forge Sandstorm Titan. This card has clearly been format defining since early in closed beta, but now he is going to be doubly potent in this event. What does this tell us? Relic weapons are probably pretty bad for example. I don’t know about you, but if my opponents are dropping 5/6s on turn two I am not looking to play Auric Runehammers. In many respects cards like Runehammer are best against the high value 2 and 3 drops with strict influence requirements like Siraf, Champion of Glory or Vadius, and those cards will be far less popular than on regular ladder. Though this may be slightly over-bold, I think this has a big impact on control decks. Harsh Rule is clearly very good on turn 3, but outside of this many control decks are going to struggle to keep up with more proactive decks. 3 faction control is going to be a relatively worse due to clunky opening turns while their opponents are curving out with oversized monsters, and 2 faction Justice control decks tend to lean heavily on relic weapons, which are probably pretty bad. I doubt I am explaining this with as much clarity as is needed, and I could very easily be overthinking this, but this explains the relative lack of traditional control lists. Harsh Rule is still a helluva card, so it will still be around, but the supporting cast has really taken a beating.

With those general note out of the way, let’s take a look at some decks!!

EDIT: Budget Mono Time

1 Infinite Hourglass (Set1 #67)

4 Xenan Initiation (Set2 #44)

4 Ageless Mentor (Set1 #90)

4 Avirax Familiar (Set2 #46)

4 Baying Serasaur (Set3 #66)

4 Archive Curator (Set2 #50)

4 Devoted Theurge (Set1002 #6)

3 Praxis Displacer (Set1 #100)

4 Snapping Brushstalker (Set2 #53)

4 Xenan Obelisk (Set1 #103)

2 Striking Snake Formation (Set1 #112)

4 Twinbrood Sauropod (Set1 #113)

4 Plated Goliath (Set2 #64)

2 Predatory Carnosaur (Set1 #118)

2 Pillar of Amar (Set1 #122)

17 Time Sigil (Set1 #63)

4 Amber Monument (Set1 #420)

4 Amber Waystone (Set3 #51)

A number of people have asked for a budget-minded deck for the Event. This is my best bet, and although it has a hand full of rares as well as some Tale of Horus Traver cards this should be pretty manageable for most players without much of a collection. You can check out my write-up of regular Mono Time to see some of my thinking around the deck. Obviously if you have some of the legends in the full-budget version feel free to swap those in over cards like Snapping Brushstalker. I think Striking Snake Formation will be pretty important for this version of the deck as you will need to mechanism for breaking board stalls since you don’t have access to Mystic Ascendant.

Mono Fire Burn

4 Grenadin Drone (Set1 #5)

4 Oni Ronin (Set1 #13)

4 Pyroknight (Set1 #16)

4 Ruthless Stranger (Set1 #11)

4 Torch (Set1 #8)

4 Flame Blast (Set1 #2)

4 Assembly Line (Set1 #29)

4 Cinder Yeti (Set1002 #1)

2 Rally (Set1 #33)

4 Crimson Firemaw (Set1002 #3)

4 Jekk, Hunted Fugitive (Set3 #36)

4 Obliterate (Set1 #48)

4 Soulfire Drake (Set1 #47)

17 Fire Sigil (Set1 #1)

4 Granite Monument (Set1 #423)

4 Granite Waystone (Set3 #1)

Mono Fire is one of my bets for being a the most powerful right from the very start of the event. Most decks will be taking advantage of the maximum power rule by filling their deck with 3-5 drops, but Mono Fire is looking to abuse this rule by trying to max out on 1-drops and just vomit their hand in the first couple turns of the game. Jekk, Hunted Fugative and Soulfire Drake are very scary cards to see on turn 3. To top it all off you get to just max out on all the burn. 4 Torch, 4 Obliterate and 4 Flame Blast is just so much direct damage. In a deck where you are essentially guaranteed 12+ points of burn a game, you really only need to deal like 10 points of damage with your units before your spells can finish the game. I am not convinced that the 1-drop heavy approach to deckbuilding is optimal, but it is certainly worth a try. If you are feeling fancy you might want to consider a build with Gearcruncher or Kaleb, Uncrowned Prince. No matter which style you choose, I am sure you will be fully capable of beating the crap out of people.

Mono Time

4 Friendly Wisp (Set1 #82)

2 Sandstorm (Set2 #43)

4 Xenan Initiation (Set2 #44)

4 Ageless Mentor (Set1 #90)

4 Avirax Familiar (Set2 #46)

4 Dawnwalker (Set1 #86)

4 Marisen’s Disciple (Set1 #104)

4 Sandstorm Titan (Set1 #99)

4 Xenan Obelisk (Set1 #103)

4 Worldbearer Behemoth (Set3 #87)

4 Mystic Ascendant (Set1 #116)

4 Predatory Carnosaur (Set1 #118)

4 Tesya, Omen Shaper (Set2 #256)

17 Time Sigil (Set1 #63)

4 Amber Monument (Set1 #420)

4 Amber Waystone (Set3 #51)

This along with Burn are my guesses for the most powerful decks in the Event. I really think Ageless Mentor is one of the best cards in the format. I feel like the format will often be defined by who can have the biggest impact in the first couple turns of the game, and this deck is really good at just that. How does this sound: turn one Ageless Mentor, turn two 6/7 Darude, turn three 8/9 Worldbearer. I am not sure if Tesya is the best top end, or if maybe Timeweaver is well positioned, or maybe even Humbug Swarm is where you want to be. I am also a little suspicious on Marisen’s Disciple and Dawnwalker, so if those are underperforming I would encourage you to experiment. Other cards I have been considering include Ancient Terrazon, Emerging Colossus, Striking Snake Formation and Archive Curator.

Mono Shadow

2 Dark Return (Set1 #250)

4 Slumbering Stone (Set1 #255)

4 Annihilate (Set1 #269)

4 Devour (Set1 #261)

4 Madness (Set1 #267)

3 Shadowlands Guide (Set1 #280)

3 Torrent of Spiders (Set1 #272)

4 Deathstrike (Set1 #290)

2 Devious Drone (Set3 #227)

4 Steward of the Past (Set1 #287)

4 Stonescar Scrapper (Set3 #236)

4 Umbren Reaper (Set1 #299)

4 Direwood Prowler (Set2 #166)

4 Vara, Fate-Touched (Set1 #307)

21 Shadow Sigil (Set1 #249)

4 Amethyst Waystone (Set3 #201)

Mono Shadow is an archetype that often comes up as a viable Event deck. Though it doesn’t typically get much respect on ladder, the core strategy is powerful enough that we often only need a minor tweak to the metagame and suddenly the full power of Shadow can be brought to bear. I don’t know if all of you know this, but Vara is a HELL of a card. Harsh Ruled my board? OOPS! It’s all back again. Removal spells? Yeah, those don’t really work. If you haven’t had a chance to play a deck like this in the past I highly recommend that you take the opportunity since you just get to play a different game than your opponent. I expect builds of Mono Shadow will be very effective against the big time decks, and they have enough life gain to handle the Fire decks. I am very interested to see how they do.

Mono Primal Yetis

2 Eilyn’s Intervention (Set3 #152)

4 Permafrost (Set1 #193)

2 Snow Pelting (Set3 #158)

4 Snowcrust Yeti (Set2 #105)

4 Fearless Yeti (Set3 #161)

4 Iceberg Mason (Set3 #163)

2 Nocturnal Observer (Set3 #173)

4 Polymorph (Set1 #211)

4 Wump, Party Starter (Set1 #511)

4 Slushdumper (Set3 #185)

4 Thudrock, Arctic Artisan (Set3 #186)

2 Crystallize (Set1 #232)

4 Jotun Feast-Caller (Set3 #187)

2 Eilyn’s Frostrider (Set3 #193)

4 Scouting Party (Set1 #488)

17 Primal Sigil (Set1 #187)

4 Cobalt Monument (Set1 #418)

4 Cobalt Waystone (Set3 #151)

Well, I figured since I was making a bunch of mono faction decks I figured I should try with Primal. This deck is….. functional I think? Obviously Wump needed to get into one of these decks given that he is the mascot of the event, but I really am not sure you want to be playing something like this. Turn 3 Jotun Feast-Caller is quite the play, but this is the turn 2 Sandstorm Titan format. I hope someone can prove me wrong and some deck like this is just busted, but I am not seeing it.

Rakano

4 Finest Hour (Set1 #130)

2 Protect (Set1 #132)

4 Torch (Set1 #8)

4 Champion of Glory (Set1 #314)

4 Crownwatch Paladin (Set1 #139)

4 Rakano Outlaw (Set1 #20)

4 Vanquish (Set1 #143)

4 Silverwing Familiar (Set1 #152)

4 Unseen Commando (Set3 #122)

4 Valkyrie Enforcer (Set1 #151)

4 Whirling Duo (Set3 #254)

4 Hammer of Might (Set1 #170)

2 Deepforged Plate (Set1 #317)

2 Jekk, the Bounty Hunter (Set1001 #11)

6 Fire Sigil (Set1 #1)

3 Justice Sigil (Set1 #126)

4 Emerald Monument (Set1 #422)

4 Rakano Banner (Set1 #427)

4 Seat of Glory (Set0 #56)

4 Diplomatic Seal (Set1 #425)

I tried working on Mono Justice, but the rest of the RNG team basically told me I was being dumb, since there is so little incentive for sticking to Mono Justice. Instead, it just makes more sense to jam Rakano, which looks really scary. Here is a curve for you: Turn one Silverwing Familiar, turn 2 Warhammer, Turn 3 Deepforged Plate. As I have said above, Titan is going to be very popular in the event, and that is still an issue for this deck, but I expect there are a lot of games where a single Vanquish will lock up the game. Unseen Commando kinda breaks my self-imposed rules for the event since you will not be able to cast him until turn 2 at the earliest, but I don’t care. The card is really that good.

Grenadin

4 Combust (Set1 #392)

2 Dark Return (Set1 #250)

4 Grenadin Drone (Set1 #5)

4 Torch (Set1 #8)

2 Annihilate (Set1 #269)

4 Devour (Set1 #261)

4 Quarry (Set1001 #15)

4 Spark Hatcher (Set3 #12)

4 Assembly Line (Set1 #29)

4 Madness (Set1 #267)

2 Devious Drone (Set3 #227)

4 Scraptank (Set1 #391)

4 Stonescar Scrapper (Set3 #236)

4 Gearcruncher (Set3 #46)

4 Fire Sigil (Set1 #1)

4 Granite Waystone (Set3 #1)

5 Shadow Sigil (Set1 #249)

4 Crest of Chaos (Set3 #268)

4 Seat of Chaos (Set0 #60)

4 Stonescar Banner (Set1 #419)

This deck is basically only a few cards off the ladder version of Grenadin, but that doesn’t matter. The weakness of the ladder version is that you often start making impactful plays on turn 5, and now you get to cheat past the first 2 turns of the game. I cut some of the Sigil seeking effects and fit in a bit of additional removal for obvious reasons. If Mono Time or Time heavy midrange ends up being popular you might want to make room for Torrent of Spiders and Steward of the Past. From my experience most Time decks are basically dead to 3+ spiders from Torrent, and Steward of the Past will cut off Dawnwalkers, which is basically their only work-around to the spiders.

Praxis Midrange

4 Torch (Set1 #8)

4 Friendly Wisp (Set1 #82)

2 Purify (Set2 #176)

2 Xenan Initiation (Set2 #44)

4 Ageless Mentor (Set1 #90)

4 Avirax Familiar (Set2 #46)

4 Dawnwalker (Set1 #86)

4 Crimson Firemaw (Set1002 #3)

4 Sandstorm Titan (Set1 #99)

4 Xenan Obelisk (Set1 #103)

4 Obliterate (Set1 #48)

2 Shatterglass Mage (Set2 #181)

4 Mystic Ascendant (Set1 #116)

2 Predatory Carnosaur (Set1 #118)

2 Great-Kiln Titan (Set3 #49)

6 Fire Sigil (Set1 #1)

3 Time Sigil (Set1 #63)

4 Amber Monument (Set1 #420)

4 Amber Waystone (Set3 #51)

4 Crest of Impulse (Set3 #251)

4 Seat of Impulse (Set0 #54)

Praxis has always been a deck that would love to start the game on turn 3. Sandstorm Titan and Crimson Firemaw are some pretty dynamite “2-drops”, and Obliterate is going to do a lot of work when it can be played so much earlier in the game. Ageless Mentor is also a total bomb, as I said before. This particular list is trying out 2 Great Kiln Titans as top end rather than something like Heart of the Vault. That card is just so powerful in a world with few sweepers (which is what I expect).

Bond Sentinels

4 Torch (Set1 #8)

4 Copper Conduit (Set1 #66)

4 Power Stone (Set1002 #4)

2 Purify (Set2 #176)

4 Ageless Mentor (Set1 #90)

4 Monolith Guardian (Set3 #253)

4 Sandstorm Titan (Set1 #99)

4 Xenan Obelisk (Set1 #103)

4 Arcanum Monitor (Set1 #520)

4 Parapet Sentry (Set3 #37)

4 Tempered Sentinel (Set3 #45)

2 Pillar of Amar (Set1 #122)

2 Great-Kiln Titan (Set3 #49)

4 Scourstone Sentinel (Set3 #98)

8 Fire Sigil (Set1 #1)

5 Time Sigil (Set1 #63)

4 Amber Waystone (Set3 #51)

4 Crest of Impulse (Set3 #251)

4 Seat of Impulse (Set0 #54)

If Harsh Rule is as bad as I think it is, this format could easily be about doing the most busted thing possible as fast as possible, and bond is an exceptional way to do this. Consider this: a Scourstone Sentinel with an Ageless Mentor buff can bond out another Scourstone Sentinel for free. Just spend a few moments looking at this deck and cooking up some of the dream curves, because there are a lot of them, and they are much more powerful than what most people are doing. There are clearly a few sketchy cards in this deck, but the ceiling of what is happening here is just broken. Not including Heart of the Vault could easily be too far, and if you would like to be a bit more conservative I would probably cut the 2 Pillar of Amar and 2 of the Parapet Sentry, as well as fitting in 4 Banners.

Feln Reanimator

2 Permafrost (Set1 #193)

2 Sabotage (Set1 #252)

2 Annihilate (Set1 #269)

4 Herald’s Song (Set1 #196)

4 Sporefolk (Set1 #262)

4 Strategize (Set3 #165)

4 Nocturnal Observer (Set3 #173)

2 Wisdom of the Elders (Set1 #218)

2 Deathstrike (Set1 #290)

2 Feeding Time (Set1 #381)

4 Steward of the Past (Set1 #287)

4 Grasping at Shadows (Set1 #292)

2 Withering Witch (Set1 #368)

4 Black-Sky Harbinger (Set1 #385)

2 Venomspine Hydra (Set1 #305)

2 Snowcrush Animist (Set1 #384)

4 Vara, Fate-Touched (Set1 #307)

4 Primal Sigil (Set1 #187)

2 Cobalt Waystone (Set3 #151)

3 Shadow Sigil (Set1 #249)

4 Amethyst Waystone (Set3 #201)

4 Crest of Cunning (Set3 #267)

4 Feln Banner (Set1 #417)

4 Seat of Cunning (Set0 #62)

Speaking of decks that do powerful nonsense! I am actually sad that I have not yet had a chance to work on Reanimator in the context of the Dusk Road, as Nocturnal Observer seems hot in this kind of deck. I feel like getting a Vara + another fatty in the void + a Grasping at Shadows in hand by turn 3 is going to be pretty easy, and it will be trivial to win games where all of that comes together. This version of Reanimator is the more traditional build, but I am also a fan of the Scream Reanimator decks. Though both are weak to much of the same stuff I think the Scream version is a little more vulnerable to conventional silence effects, while it is a little more explosive, and tends to be harder to stop once you get going. Both decks seem completely viable to me.

Scream Reanimator

4 Annihilate (Set1 #269)

4 Devour (Set1 #261)

4 Haunting Scream (Set1 #374)

4 Sporefolk (Set1 #262)

2 Strategize (Set3 #165)

4 Direwood Beastcaller (Set1 #271)

4 Gorgon Fanatic (Set1 #375)

4 Nocturnal Observer (Set3 #173)

2 Feeding Time (Set1 #381)

2 Steward of the Past (Set1 #287)

4 Grasping at Shadows (Set1 #292)

4 Black-Sky Harbinger (Set1 #385)

2 Venomspine Hydra (Set1 #305)

2 Snowcrush Animist (Set1 #384)

4 Vara, Fate-Touched (Set1 #307)

4 Primal Sigil (Set1 #187)

2 Cobalt Waystone (Set3 #151)

3 Shadow Sigil (Set1 #249)

4 Amethyst Waystone (Set3 #201)

4 Crest of Cunning (Set3 #267)

4 Feln Banner (Set1 #417)

4 Seat of Cunning (Set0 #62)

(See above)

Memes to an End

4 Combust (Set1 #392)

2 Dark Return (Set1 #250)

4 Slumbering Stone (Set1 #255)

3 Annihilate (Set1 #269)

4 Devour (Set1 #261)

4 Quarry (Set1001 #15)

2 Madness (Set1 #267)

4 Means to an End (Set2 #154)

3 Shadowlands Guide (Set1 #280)

2 Devious Drone (Set3 #227)

4 Stonescar Scrapper (Set3 #236)

2 Umbren Reaper (Set1 #299)

4 Direwood Prowler (Set2 #166)

4 Infernal Tyrant (Set1 #390)

4 Vara, Fate-Touched (Set1 #307)

3 Fire Sigil (Set1 #1)

4 Granite Waystone (Set3 #1)

6 Shadow Sigil (Set1 #249)

4 Amethyst Waystone (Set3 #201)

4 Crest of Chaos (Set3 #268)

4 Seat of Chaos (Set0 #60)

Still haven’t gotten your fill of Vara decks? Will I got another one for you! It is pretty hard to explain how Means to an End combo works with Vara loops, but just trust me when I say you can set up loops where you are gain life and draw cards until your deck is empty. I am really not sure how to build a deck like this for the event given the wide open meta, but I expect some version of this deck will be playable (and a lot of fun to boot). Is this deck supposed to play Torrent of Spiders? Or maybe Grenamender? I really don’t know. ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT!

Hooru Control

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

4 Lightning Storm (Set1 #206)

4 Strategize (Set3 #165)

4 Vanquish (Set1 #143)

2 Eilyn’s Choice (Set2 #220)

2 Entrapment (Set3 #116)

2 Privilege of Rank (Set1 #157)

4 Wisdom of the Elders (Set1 #218)

2 Duelist’s Blade (Set2 #226)

4 Harsh Rule (Set1 #172)

2 Staff of Stories (Set1 #234)

4 Throne Warden (Set1 #514)

4 Kosul Brigade (Set2 #254)

1 Thunderstrike Dragon (Set1 #243)

1 Eilyn, Clan Mother (Set3 #263)

2 Leave a Witness (Set2 #100)

2 Channel the Tempest (Set1 #244)

2 Sword of the Sky King (Set1 #186)

6 Justice Sigil (Set1 #126)

3 Emerald Waystone (Set3 #101)

5 Primal Sigil (Set1 #187)

3 Cobalt Waystone (Set3 #151)

4 Hooru Banner (Set2 #216)

4 Seat of Order (Set0 #51)

As you may have picked up from my intro, I am not exactly enthusiastic about Harsh Rule control decks. Still, Harsh Rule is a powerful card, and if everyone is just playing to the board willy-nilly, decks like Hooru Control may be sufficiently well positioned that it overcomes its systemic weaknesses. Kosul Brigade is a card I am particularly interested in for the purposes of the event, as it really gives you the board impact you are looking for. Beyond that it feels like we have a collection of cards that hopefully will do something but I honestly can’t make any promises. Kidding aside, if I had to pick one card that would save this archetype it would be Leave a Witness. Having another sweeper, especially with such powerful upside, could really matter.

Big Combrei

4 Desert Marshal (Set1 #332)

4 Vanquish (Set1 #143)

4 Ageless Mentor (Set1 #90)

4 Combrei Healer (Set1 #333)

4 Knight-Chancellor Siraf (Set1 #335)

4 Stand Together (Set1 #334)

4 Devoted Theurge (Set1002 #6)

4 Sandstorm Titan (Set1 #99)

2 The Great Parliament (Set1 #338)

4 Marshal Ironthorn (Set1 #174)

2 Reality Warden (Set1 #343)

4 Waystone Infuser (Set2 #63)

4 Mystic Ascendant (Set1 #116)

2 Leave a Witness (Set2 #100)

5 Time Sigil (Set1 #63)

4 Amber Waystone (Set3 #51)

8 Justice Sigil (Set1 #126)

4 Combrei Banner (Set1 #424)

4 Seat of Progress (Set0 #58)

This deck is in a slightly odd place. On the one hand, the top end is very well positioned. Mystic Ascendant has never looked better, 7/7 Ironthorne on turn 3 is a beating, the Great Parliament is going to give 2 Owls very consistently, and Leave a Witness is going to be backbreaking against Time heavy midrange. On the other hand, the lower end of the curve is something of a mess. Siraf seems like a lock, but do we really want Healers? Marshalls? Is turn 1 Awakened Student even good when everyone is playing Titans on turn 2? What about Record Keeper, even if it is coming down on turn 2 more often than 1? 4 Stand together is probably ambitious, but I am just not sure. If you can figure out an early game that makes sense I think Combrei will be a great deck, but that tuning at the lower end of the curve is not going to be easy.

Big Argenport

4 Sabotage (Set1 #252)

4 Wanted Poster (Set3 #106)

4 Annihilate (Set1 #269)

4 Vanquish (Set1 #143)

4 Auric Sentry (Set1 #146)

4 Slay (Set2 #236)

2 Auric Runehammer (Set1 #166)

4 Devastating Setback (Set3 #226)

4 Steward of the Past (Set1 #287)

4 Harsh Rule (Set1 #172)

4 Tavrod, Auric Broker (Set1002 #18)

4 Throne Warden (Set1 #514)

2 Leave a Witness (Set2 #100)

2 Sword of the Sky King (Set1 #186)

5 Justice Sigil (Set1 #126)

4 Emerald Waystone (Set3 #101)

4 Shadow Sigil (Set1 #249)

4 Argenport Banner (Set2 #231)

4 Crest of Vengeance (Set3 #264)

4 Seat of Vengeance (Set0 #55)

This deck breaks basically all of my self-imposed rules for this event. 1) It plays relic weapons. 2) Does not have much in the way of good 4-drops. 3) Plays an influence-heavy 5-drop. 4) Tries to play a reactive strategy in a wide open metagame. Together that should totally invalidate this kind of deck, but Tavrod is probably good enough to at least give him a list. If Fire Aggro ends up being under-represented I would consider dropping the Setbacks for something like Entrapment or maybe even Makto.

Revenge

4 Annihilate (Set1 #269)

4 Crownwatch Paladin (Set1 #139)

4 Piercing Grief (Set2 #143)

4 Tranquil Scholar (Set2 #76)

3 Vanquish (Set1 #143)

1 Bloodletter (Set2 #235)

4 Hero of the People (Set1 #156)

4 Silverwing Familiar (Set1 #152)

4 Slay (Set2 #236)

4 Unseen Commando (Set3 #122)

2 Devastating Setback (Set3 #226)

4 Stonepowder Alchemist (Set2 #239)

4 Inquisitor Makto (Set2 #242)

2 Watchwing Conscript (Set1002 #9)

2 Leave a Witness (Set2 #100)

7 Justice Sigil (Set1 #126)

6 Shadow Sigil (Set1 #249)

4 Argenport Banner (Set2 #231)

4 Crest of Vengeance (Set3 #264)

4 Seat of Vengeance (Set0 #55)

I have learned that unless it is totally impossible to play a revenge in an event, I should always include a Piercing Grief list. You Piercing Grief people are just so in love with that card that you will play it under any circumstances. I suppose I am not one to judge, given the amount of time I have already spent playing with Jotun Feast-Caller. ANYWAY! This is a revenge deck. There are a bunch of cards in the deck the feature the revenge mechanic, or synergize with the revenge mechanic. Unseen Commando is actually an interesting pick-up for this archetype, as most of the units feature at least 2 battle skills. If I know anything about you Revenge people it is that the only thing you like more than 3/1 lifesteal charge units it is 4/2 lifesteal charge units. You could probably stretch the deck to fit in Trailblazers, but I worry that is just going to be too slow.

Xenan

2 Sabotage (Set1 #252)

3 Annihilate (Set1 #269)

4 Ageless Mentor (Set1 #90)

4 Ayan, the Abductor (Set2 #204)

3 Deathstrike (Set1 #290)

4 Devoted Theurge (Set1002 #6)

4 Duskwalker (Set3 #271)

4 Sandstorm Titan (Set1 #99)

4 Steward of the Past (Set1 #287)

4 Xenan Augury (Set2 #209)

4 Mask of Torment (Set2 #212)

2 Stray into Shadow (Set1001 #9)

4 Mystic Ascendant (Set1 #116)

4 Slimespitter Slug (Set2 #167)

5 Time Sigil (Set1 #63)

4 Amber Waystone (Set3 #51)

4 Shadow Sigil (Set1 #249)

4 Amethyst Waystone (Set3 #201)

4 Seat of Mystery (Set0 #61)

4 Xenan Banner (Set2 #201)

Big Xenan is clearly an archetype that has seen intermittent ladder success over the course of Eternal. Like a number of other decks on this list, we are looking at a big Time deck that can play Ageless Mentor and Sandstorm Titan. I have explained already why I think that is great, but in addition we get access to some busty top end in the form of stuff like Mask of Torment. Duskwalker also allows for explosive nonsense like Mystic Ascendant + power on turn 3. I might even be interested in playing Encroaching Darkness or The Last Word as top end card if I were feeling frisky.

Cradle

2 Permafrost (Set1 #193)

4 Seek Power (Set1 #408)

4 Torch (Set1 #8)

2 Kaleb’s Choice (Set2 #188)

2 Lightning Storm (Set1 #206)

2 Lightning Strike (Set1 #197)

4 Strategize (Set3 #165)

4 Trailblaze (Set2 #111)

4 Vanquish (Set1 #143)

2 Eilyn’s Choice (Set2 #220)

4 Entrapment (Set3 #116)

4 Wisdom of the Elders (Set1 #218)

4 Calderan Cradle (Set2 #192)

4 Harsh Rule (Set1 #172)

2 Leave a Witness (Set2 #100)

2 Channel the Tempest (Set1 #244)

1 Fire Sigil (Set1 #1)

3 Justice Sigil (Set1 #126)

3 Primal Sigil (Set1 #187)

4 Cobalt Waystone (Set3 #151)

2 Rakano Banner (Set1 #427)

4 Seat of Glory (Set0 #56)

4 Seat of Order (Set0 #51)

4 Crest of Fury (Set3 #266)

I have a weird fixation of Cradle. It is a card that I come back to a lot for events or for my “Hot Takes” series. It feels like on of those challenges that I always want to take on. If I had to play a control deck in the event I actually expect I would be most interested in something like this. Certainly controlling, but you at least have a proactive plan.

Dinosaurs!

4 Permafrost (Set1 #193)

4 Twilight Hunt (Set3 #59)

4 Evelina, Valley Searcher (Set2 #48)

4 Ageless Mentor (Set1 #90)

4 Avirax Familiar (Set2 #46)

4 Baying Serasaur (Set3 #66)

4 Nocturnal Observer (Set3 #173)

4 Avisaur Patriarch (Set1001 #13)

2 Clutchmate (Set3 #179)

4 Sandstorm Titan (Set1 #99)

4 Scaletender (Set3 #260)

4 Predatory Carnosaur (Set1 #118)

4 Foraging Sauropod (Set3 #99)

6 Time Sigil (Set1 #63)

3 Primal Sigil (Set1 #187)

4 Crest of Wisdom (Set3 #261)

4 Elysian Banner (Set1 #421)

4 Common Cause (Set3 #279)

4 Diplomatic Seal (Set1 #425)

I am a really big buyer on Baying Serasaur and Noturnal Observer. These cards are a really cool combo, and I am pretty determined to find a shell of them. This might be an interesting time to mess around in that space. I am extremely conflicted over the 4-drop slot, as none of the options are great. Scaletender is probably fine if you hit Mentor on 1, and is obviously a nice combo with Evelina.

Those are the decks for this week! Lots of crazy stuff happening all over the place in these lists. It is really hard to guess what the event meta will actually look like given how broad this restriction is, but we will get to find out soon! Do you have deck ideas that I didn’t discuss? Got a sweet list you want to share? What to gush about how great my decks are (or even complain about how bad they are)? Hit up the Reddit thread! It is a great place to talk about everything related to the event. Until next time everyone,

Love,

Neon

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