LIFEGROW

[mYsTeRiOuS]

Why is the deck named Life Grow?, it is a brilliant rearrangement of the initials of the elements.

L = Lightning I = Ice F = Fire E = Earth G = Gravity R = Radiance 0 = Wind (Oxygen, xD) W = Water

Creatures (3 Radiance, 1 Water, 3 Gravity, 1 Fire, 10 Earth, 8 Lightning, 9 Ice, 5 Wind, 40 Total):

2 x Mystical Mergia --- [cost 5 Earth]
2 x Linsay Buckler --- [cost 2 Wind]
3 x Artis Forte --- [cost 5 Ice]
1 x Imperial Blue --- [cost 8 Water]
3 x Steady Roots --- [cost 2 Earth]
3 x Shinanigan --- [cost 3 Lightning]
2 x Xiati, Brittle Breaker --- [cost 7 Earth]
3 x Dvoid --- [cost 4 Ice]
2 x Steadfast Aviator --- [cost 3 Lightning]
1 x Balamar, Ruler of the Skies --- [cost 8 Fire]
3 x Slim Jackson --- [cost 3 Wind]
3 x Compost Bri --- [cost 5 Gravity]
3 x Aegia Expi --- [cost 6 Ice]
3 x Ahrival --- [cost 4 Lightning]
3 x Mammoth Trumpeter --- [cost 4 Earth]
3 x Shine Missile --- [cost 1 Radiance]

Cost info:
1 : RR R
2 : CC EE E
3 : CC CL LL LL
4 : II IE EE LL L
5 : II IG GG EE
6 : II I
7 : EE
8 : WF

Average cost = 4.025

Creatures / Spells / Runes: 40/0/0

3 Radiance, 5 Wind, 9 Ice, 1 Water, 3 Gravity, 10 Earth, 1 Fire, 8 Lightning

Blockers: 12.5% (5/40).
Accelerators: 7.5000005% (3/40).
Damage 2: 17.5% (7/40).
Damage 3: 7.5000005% (3/40).
Born Ready: 2.5% (1/40).
Power Attackers: 7.5000005% (3/40).
Unblockables: 10.0% (4/40).


Although a lack of clear progression and strategy.. it has been able to capitalise on the benefits of mixing up all the elements even at the expense of losing out on cost reduction.

The legacy of Final Shockwave!, although may not look it but all the elements have been decently fused to contribute to a consistent draw engine, a little tempo accel and almost complete utilisation of tempo. The essence of shockwave was to be able to use the entire deck in every duel and that has been incorporated in this too.

DRAW ENGINE:

Mystical Mergia, the card on which the deck is built. Early on the requirement for draw is limited and this is what Mergia does best, it provides draw mostly when it is required, never too much nor too little and is usually enough to counter discard on its own.. the steady though limited draw is usually underestimated by the opponent.

Compost Bri, the mid-game draw engine aided by Shinanigan, Shine Missile and at times Aegia along with decent power line up can turn a field advantage into hand advantage via silently providing their clones. Bri powers up nicely in the process.

Xiati, Brittle Breaker is there not only to provide draw when Mergia and/or Bri have failed to function completely, but also to keep the continuos pressure and have enough hand; this time with the high tempo to maintain field advantage even after the occurence of Duress.

GAMEPLAY:

Despite the obvious early benefits of the limited CR that this deck is capable of. Linsay can give an early Mammoth, likewise a Slim can do for Mergia. Shinanigan can help situationally as well.

The game gets set with Aegia entering the field and some blows being exchanged either to the instant benefit of Bri or the temporary element removal need of Mergia.

TEMPO ACCELERATION'S CHARM:

Providing an additional tempo allows me to summon creatures a turn early via functioning as a temporary CR. No matter at what stage of the game, tempo gained is an advantage, with so many cards in hand its rare that tempo gets unutilised any turn.. not to mention no benefits to be gained from unused tempo due to non-existence of responcers.

WEAKNESSES:

Progressions that take the maximum benefit out of CR, a deck that can build up field more quickly than this is generally difficult to tackle, plus fast decks with many damage 2's (including Full Sail).
Other than that a "tap n bash" or good "target killing" strategy poses a threat.. that continously removes my creatures especially the draw engines.

CLICHE`:

Imperial Blue, the benefit of field advantage can be used from surviving difficult situations to assaulting the opponent.. sometimes as a surprise.

Balamar, a fire breathing dragon that will put one in the front foot. Augments attack in situations where there aren't simply enough creatures left on the field to finish the game. Useful in finishing off a few turns earlier.


EXPERIENCE:

The deck's core competence is for it to be able to create synergies amongst creatures. Creature presence is important when one is low on CR. This is one of the reasons the deck doesn't feature much spells, the fact that it doesn't feature any at all is because no space was left! The turns when one has to choose from two or more options have become easier with better ones being identified that will assist in the later phase, it is better to have extra tempo because one needs to be lucky to benefit from CR in late game.

[Gohar]

Ooooh colorful I also like the name idea bro, nice creativity and usage of element names (and Oxygen XD).
But wait, I've ridiculously beaten this deck many times so doesn't that make my deck an advanced deck?
Anyways, I agree, it is an interesting deck.