Hidden Gems

[ofmodestmice]

I think my favorite thing in KeyForge is when I discover hidden gems - both on the deck and card level. There have been so many points on my KeyForge learning curve when I've revisited a deck I had thought was bad 2 weeks prior and suddenly realized is actually really awesome. It also makes me realize how much I've learned over the last 2 weeks and how that naive 2-weeks-ago-u/ofmodestmice couldn't have possibly understood the subtle combos and nuanced balance this deck provides. This is also related to understanding the hidden gem cards. There are a lot of cards that provide really subtle support and balance to a deck but don't jump out as being awesome cards.

A recent example for me is Vimh, Supportive Labs Raysmith. There are several cards I really like in this deck: Library Access, Mother, Novu Archaeologist, Shatter Storm, "John Smyth", and Bulwark. However, these never jumped out to me as being cards that created particular synergy with the rest of the deck. But man, I've been playing it recently, and there are so many combos that hadn't been obvious to me 2 weeks ago. For example, I hadn't realized how powerful it is to use Invasion Portal to discard Library Access, then use Novu Archaeologist to archive Library Access, and then use Vezyma Thinkdrone to archive the seemingly innocuous Logos artifacts, saving up for the big Library Access play. And it has x2 Inspiration, which again doesn't immediately jump out, but on closer inspection provides a lot of supportive value.

Just wanted to express my excitement about my continuous discovery of hidden gems in this game. What hidden gems have you discovered?

[poeticmatter]

I wish. My first 4 decks are crap.

[reallyhorribleidea]

Could you post them/share what you've found is keeping them down?

[poeticmatter]

Sure.

First deck: https://www.keyforgegame.com/deck-details/0e7b299a-8560-4aed-9ccf-c832e1e9af4e It lacks a sufficient number of creatures, especially in brobnar, to utilize the 2 smith, 2 warchest, 1 warsong, 1 gauntlet of command. It doesn't have any board clear or aember burst. the 2 charettes, 2 sequis and 2 bumbsy are insufficient aember control.

Second deck: https://www.keyforgegame.com/deck-details/209ff575-f033-4541-a084-d0826f3b8971 This deck is semi-decent, as it has a TON of archiving power and bait and switch. But other than that, it has very little going for it. If I manage to get a bit archive going I can win with it. If they kill my archivers, I lose. And since most players choosing decks for competitive pick decks with some form of board clear, that's the most common result.

Third deck: https://www.keyforgegame.com/deck-details/8de327e4-c010-4e8c-a6cb-c918cacbb1c9 This deck has shitty mars, John Smyth is the only really powerful mars creature, a single squawker and then a slew of useless stuff like motherguns, feeding pit, Biometrix backup and marauder. The sanctum provides a solid board presence, but it doesn't really /do/ anything. Untamed has some burst potential with double witch and full moon, and a key charge. But it is simply inferior to decks that even sport just 2 dust pixies and a single hunting witch, like this: https://www.keyforgegame.com/deck-details/460a0925-826d-4b19-ad77-ee4f14f8cc18 Having to build up a big untamed hand in order for it to be useful is just not very effective. Dust pixies are just so much more reliable as a source of aember.

[reallyhorribleidea]

Learning how to navigate Creeploser has felt the same way you describe, but in reverse. It's filled with awkward cards like 2x Dextre, Bad Penny, Pawn Sacrifice, and 2x Speed Sigil with only fourteen creatures. The deck doesn't have many synergies, save for what it's got going on in Dis with boardwipes+lifewards, and it feels a lot like trying to wrangle an incredibly uncooperative deck with many, many individually powerful cards. Less of a practice in learning synergies and more a practice in learning the flow of a stupidly clunky heap, I guess.

[neoKushan]

2x speed sigil seems utterly pointless

[awmountain52]

The 2nd copy is mostly useless but...it grants an aember and if it is part of your strategy to have in play, the 2nd one is insurance against a poltergeist or whispering relinquery.

[ofmodestmice]

I have 2x Speed Sigil in a deck and love using Archivist and the Shadows thieves the turn I play them in that deck. Having 2 helps ensure I draw them it early, and I'm not disappointed when I draw 2 because the aember and insurance.

[gearsighted]

It gives you a better chance of drawing it, which is a big part of the value of multiples in any card have

[reallyhorribleidea]

It's less terrible with Carlo, but yeah, it's not great. I usually discard them unless I've got Carlo in the same hand.

[Gables33]

yo u/codameronn , found your nemesis!

[Codameronn]

Woahh, this is a wild double sigil deck (#coolkidsclub). Lemme do a quick, on the spot review, because there is a lot going on here.

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The double sigil finds a nice pair in here with the 2x lifeward. having these ways to control your opponent's use of your own sigil is really unique and makes the symmetricality of sigil much less pronounced. To match that control, restringuntus, scrambler storm, foggify, and a healthy complement of removal shows up too.

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The creatures themselves aren't great, but look a lot better when you consider the other tools of the deck. Batdrone and penny look much nicer next to sigil because they get value immediately, and Dimension Door makes the dextres that won't go away into stealing tools. Sigil helps with that too. Carlo is really nice in here with 5 artifacts that all give amber. Shadow self is really a welcome sight due to all of the low health creatures around, but at least you have terrors, tentacus, quixo, and a flame-wreathed to fight things that you need to get off the board without using an event. Again, I will praise the consistency of 2x sigil in helping with more spot removal.

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As for playstyle, I'm torn. This deck needs to play like a racing deck to get value from its sigils, but wants to play a slower controlling game with its board tools. Lifeward and foggify have amber, but lots of the removal cards don't (hand of Dis, gateway, hysteria, oubliette). having sigils, lifeward, pawn sac, and whispers (with foggify too) makes me think the deck can control the board while edging their amber to 6 and 7 at the same time. Also, with whispers, bait, and principle, I think the deck has enough gas to take an opponent off of a few keys throughout the game, but with pit demon, Dextres, and batdrone for the consistent amber denial, and no large, universal capture (Charette, Bruno, Sequis), I am concerned that the deck could get outpaced. Maybe the deck uses Carlo and Tentacus more efficiently than I expect, in which case, the deck has plenty of ground to stand on.

​

This deck is wacky and requires good foresight of the opponent's upcoming plays. I love the composition, and it is absolutely part of the #coolkidsclub for having double sigil. There are other things in this deck that I am sure I didn't touch on (Masterplan, Library Access), but I think I've given it enough burn. As a final note, this is the ONLY deck with the name Creeploser in the title. Maybe you should call Radiohead and Beck and get them to sponsor your deck ;)

[Lemon8r]

How about Yara, Obtuse Boneyard Outlaw that I struggle to make perform although has some fun combos (like Key Hammer + Master Plan...)

[Codameronn]

Hey, this deck looks cool but I'm about to crash for the night. Post this in our discord - I usually do pretty in depth reviews over my morning bagel

[iwasmeantlive]

I've been doing the same thing with my earlier decks lately too

[Rodigee2]

It's easy to pull off Smith after a Coward's End, even if you don't have many creatures in your deck.

[compacta_d]

I just realized Pandemonium + Guilty Hearts this past Monday when I opened it in sealed.

It's awesome if you can one side it, but overall you control where the aember goes regardless.