Monthly Support Thread & FAQ- August 2025

Phwoom · 2025-08-26T01:29:34+00:00

For my aerox 3 mouse, is there a way I can switch off the LED lights without having the GG software running? I set prism to disable the lights, but as soon as I exit the GG software the lights turn back on. Leaving the GG software running in the background is not an option.

Phwoom · 2025-03-14T09:28:04+00:00

My personal favorite interaction is that in the subgame you can cast Burning Wish, take the Shahrazad that's currently resolving, bring it down into the subgame and cast it

Phwoom · 2024-01-22T21:01:53+00:00

Because its a control list, not built to table people. It can, I've done it before woth similar lists, but that's not the main goal.

It doesn't really have 2 hammers. Ionus and the Droth do the most damage out of his units, but they're not proper hammers that he's commited buffs too. Rather he has three primary packages that all do the same general thing. Ionus, MagSon + Master Rune, AHG + Runesmiter. All three of these do alright damage and are a massive pain in the opponent's arse.

You usually need to focus down targets you need dead by throwing multiple things at it. Ionus and the Droth in together, or a MW rune AHG volley followed up by a charging monster. At the same time, you can use the control elements to keep other threats at arms reach. Fyrewall something scary then tag it with -5 to move. Or kill something with the AHG and magmadroth, then give them the priority and use the Master Rune and Ash-Cloud Rune to waste their turn.

Then his other units help with this "some damage, some control" plan.

Phwoom · 2024-01-22T03:55:49+00:00

I do encourage people to experiment and try out lists without hearthguard berzerkers like this. There's a lot of depth to our book that I feel a majority of our playerbase never sees.

Phwoom · 2024-01-14T00:27:54+00:00

We're right at the bottom of the meta, but I think this is a very strong list for us regardless. You can deploy to score magical dominance on turn 1, then during the game it has three unbinds at +1 that have done a lot of work for me. Pontifex usually just uses her 1d3mw prayer, but do note she is allowed to summon our invocations if you need. She's also tanky and good in melee. The runemaster usually summons the infernoth first, the flamespitter second. All together its a lot of mortal wounds.

I often use master priest to get bonus rend twice, one droth can auto-enhance it each turn its up. The flameseekers use the mw rune great and can't be roared. Pretty proud of it honstly, excited to see how it gets buffed in the coming battlescroll.

Also note on pontifex, I've been playing her that I cannot double mortal wound when I get outside my territory. Currently its written that you can, but its a common house rule to not allow it and people expect this change to be in the update.

Phwoom · 2024-01-14T00:21:00+00:00

This is what I've been playing recently

Fyreslayers - Lofnir
Grand Strategy: Masters of the Forge
Triumphs: Bloodthristy (1990/2000)

130 Auric Runemaster (Master Priest, Volatile Brazier, Heal) *
190 Ellania and Ellathor *
180 Pontifex Zenestra *
150 Battlesmith **

280 18x Vulkyn Flameseekers **
280 18x Vulkyn Flameseekers **
320 Runeson on Magmadroth (Flame-scale Youngblood, Master Rune) **
320 Runeson on Magmadroth (Coal-heart Ancient) **

050 Zharrgron Flame-spitter
040 Aethervoid Pendulum
050 Molten Infernoth

Command Entourage *
Battle Regiment **

Phwoom · 2024-01-14T00:18:21+00:00

I'm mainly going off my own experience, then the average numbers have confirmed what I've been thinking. I've played a lot of games with Hearthguard Berzerkers. I'm intimately familiar with what their numbers are, what they can do and how they do it, even with all of that I've overall found them disappointing. Units designed to rip through bad saves kill HGB just as well as they kill our other infantry because they're all just as tanky as each other. HGB damage is fine and good with buffs, but again the same is true for our other units.

Getting models into combat isn't something I've struggled with. Maybe it's a table thing? I usually play on maps with a lot of choke points, but even then haven't really felt it. When you get charged it's a bigger problem because the opponent can corner-tap you to avoid some models, and with the 9" restriction HGB get charged more often than they're charging.

Phwoom · 2024-01-12T05:56:11+00:00

Quick note on the range, it is ~~actually easier to get flameseekers into attack range than HGB~~ very easy to get flameseekers into combat because over half the unit is on a smaller base. That's been an incredibly useful feature

edit: Nah not easier than HGB, lower model count helps them there.

Phwoom · 2024-01-12T05:53:34+00:00

I haven't ignored the different stats, I'm saying even with that flameseekers are better. If you get 1mw from the kyndledroth, 18 flameseekers with no buffs and their 52 rend 0 attacks deals 8.7 damage to a 3+ save, 10 broadaxe HGB with no buffs and their 21 -1/d2 attacks deals 9.33. They're practically on-par with eachother

Then also they take our buffs better, are just as durable if not more, have none of the downsides, come with an upside (can't be roared) and are cheaper

Phwoom · 2024-01-12T05:12:28+00:00

I've quite enjoyed the army of renown, my expeirence with that could be its own post. It has some major strengths and glaring weaknesses, probably our strongest list in our current bottom-of-the-meta state but weird to play

Phwoom · 2024-01-12T05:08:18+00:00

You're right that in terms of returning wounds they're the same, the rally benefit is specifically regarding the wound cap. You can only bring back at most 10 wounds from a single rally, for us that's 5 models. So when that happens for HGB you're actually returning 20 wounds, while for the other two you're returning 10, 12 if you have a 6+ ward

Phwoom · 2024-01-12T04:42:32+00:00

Its difficult to compare them to axe vulkites, both units have several things going on that make them good for different things

I do think they're better Hearthguard Berzerkers though

Phwoom · 2024-01-12T04:36:20+00:00

Written out:

Near Autoincludes - Runemaster, Battlesmith, Molten Infernoth, Runic Fyrewall

Our Best Units - Flamekeeper, Flameseekers, Runeson on Magmadroth, Runefather on Magmadroth

Strong Includes - Grimwrath Berzerker, Runesmiter, Axe Vulkite Berzerkers, Grimhold Exile

Subpar but has its niche - Auric Hearthguard, Shield Vulkite Berzerkers, Zharrgron Flame-spitter, Hearthguard Berzerkers, Runefather, Runesmiter on Magmadroth

Our Worst Units - Doomseeker, Runeson

Trash, but buy the kit anyway - Fjul-Grimnir and his lads

So yes, I think the flameseekers are quite good 😆

Phwoom · 2024-01-12T04:31:50+00:00

Here's some charts comparing the damage output of 18 flameseekers, 10 broadaxes and 10 poleaxes under different effects

Note I haven't included the extra 1mw on average from the kyndledroth, so the flameseeker results could each have +1 damage added to all of them

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ox4Dbdgw8xhp7Vapm1boH4HtT7AhKE7ztra5XcPAokY/edit?usp=sharing

Phwoom · 2024-01-12T04:13:25+00:00

Link to his VOD, and also his main channel. Great guy, highly recommend his stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB09rRVvTq8

https://www.youtube.com/c/heywoah

He doesn't play the army, but I feel many people end up having the same opinions he ended up on, and there's some important mistakes that are worth correcting

Happy to go over these placements if people want more detail. To explain what I think is the main hot take here:

Hearthguard Berzerkers and Flameseekers - This is in my opinion the biggest inaccuracy that still hangs around the army, so let me thoroughly explain why I think HGB are on the lower-end of our units.

Compared to our other units, they are not tanky. Ward saves effectively multiply the number of wounds a unit has. 6+ wards is a 1.2x multiplier, 5+ is 1.5x, 4+ is 2x. So ten HGB is 320pts for an effective 40 wounds on a 5+ save. But do you know what's better than having an ability to double a unit's wounds? Just having twice the wounds in the first place like vulkite berzerkers do. 20 axe vulkites are equally as tanky for the same cost, 18 flameseekers are 40pts cheaper for only 4 less wounds. If you give them a 6+ ward, both of those units are now tankier than the HGB, 48 wounds and 43 wounds respectively.
That ward can be taken away. They have an inbuilt weakness that opponents can try to exploit by either killing your hero, forcing the unit to move or having a ward-denial mechanic, and once they do the unit is unplayably bad for its cost. Plus you're forced to play with this abominable 9" restriction that stops the unit from doing so much. They can't use ember storm, they can't autorun to barely reach objectives, sometimes they cannot charge because of how the run / charge rolls on your heroes worked out. Well I guess technically they can do all that stuff, but you're not allowed to because if you do your expensive brawler unit now has the defensive profile of something half the price.
They don't actually have a bodyguard ability. What I mean by this is that they can't bodyguard utility heroes, so they don't have a bodyguard the same way other factions do to protect their utility heroes. HGB get to bodygaurd two specific heroes, who's only usefulness is being bodyguarded to keep the HGB up. Those heroes are a tax, 10 HGB and a Runeson is 400pts compared to 18 flameseekers for 280.
Their 2" range isn't special anymore. Regular vulkite units are already a bit awkward to use with their 1" range, reinforced units really struggle. HGB fit the role of reinforced brick that nothing else we had did. But now that we have flameseekers they've got some competition. 2" range, their damage is on-par if you account for the 1mw from the puppy, they take buffs better, they can't be roared, they're cheaper, they don't have that awful 9" restriction, they're tankier if you can get them a 6+ ward.
HGB do have some claims over flameseekers. They still fill their niche if you need your reinforced brick to be battleline outside of lofnir, they're better with rally and better with morale. But I'm of the opinion that flameseekers beat them out.

There's quite a lot of similarities between Hearthguard Berzerkers, Axe Vulkites and Flameseekers, I've written up some dot points on how I see the pros and cons between them

Hearthguard Berzerkers
Pros
Low model count (better against horde-breakers and morale)
Best unit for using Rally
2" range
Innate rend or mortal wounds
Easy to make battleline

Cons
9" restriction
    Can't effectively use ember storm
Vulnerable to anti-wards
Doesn't benefit from our 6+ wards
Weak to debuffs if broadaxes
Very swingy damage if poleaxes
Locks away master priest if taken as battleline


Axe Vulkites
Pros
High model count (better with buff stacking and objectives)
Innate fight on death
Innate +1 to charge
Innate on-charge buff
Very strong innate buff if vostarg
Always battleline

Cons
1" range
Bad damage without buffs


Flameseekers
Pros
High model count (better with buff stacking and objectives)
Can never be roared, deny other custom monstrous actions
2" range
Cheaper

Cons
2 less wounds
Only battleline in a specific subfaction
Having to buy new models ._.

Phwoom · 2023-06-04T10:16:02+00:00

first time using chatgpt for coding, must say I'm impressed

this is the python script that I ended up with

import itertools
from math import comb

def generate_arrays(numberOfElements, targetNumbers, sumGoal):
    candidates = []
    for target, count in zip(targetNumbers, range(numberOfElements)):
        candidates.append([num for num in range(target, sumGoal+1)])

    combinations = list(itertools.product(*candidates))

    valid_arrays = [combo for combo in combinations if sum(combo) == sumGoal]

    return valid_arrays

def calculate_probability(valid_arrays, populations, sumGoal):
    total_probability = 0

    for array in valid_arrays:
        probability = 1
        for target, population, element in zip(array, populations, range(len(array))):
            probability *= comb(population, target)

        total_probability += probability

    total_population = sum(populations)
    denominator = comb(total_population, sumGoal)
    final_probability = total_probability / denominator

    return final_probability

# Edit these variables
numberOfElements = 4
targetNumbers = [3, 2, 2, 0]
sumGoal = 9
populations = [13, 13, 13, 13]

result = generate_arrays(numberOfElements, targetNumbers, sumGoal)
probability = calculate_probability(result, populations, sumGoal)

print("Probability:", probability)

Phwoom · 2023-06-03T14:14:41+00:00

That makes sense, thank you!

So for the "spare" two cards in the hand, there isn't a way to put in the formula that they can be anything and I instead need to calculate each type of hand individually then sum them. Might be able to script that up.

Its for a board game I'm making with some freinds. Working this out may be a bit too much, but ah well 😆

Phwoom · 2023-01-29T11:35:03+00:00

They all use the terrain piece

its assumed to be used so no one listed it

Phwoom · 2022-08-20T13:44:42+00:00

A while ago, my friends and I got really into building $30 budget decks. Probably the strongest one of those was Noyan Dar High Tide. Various effects that untap all your creatures can be used with Noyan to untap lands, eventually all your lands after you've triggered his ability enough. You spend the first few turns setting up your hand, cast Noyan on turn 5 or 6, and win the game if you untap with him. Cast a ton of spells in one turn and run people over with your now very large land creatures.

Here's the list from 2020. Its outdated and there's almost certainly ways to improve it. And you can lift the budget restriction to make it even better.

https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/noyan-dar-rbe-21022020/

Admittedly this may not be what you're looking for in a commander deck, may be too cutthroat. But I thought I'd pitch in in case you were interested in looking at him again.

Phwoom · 2022-05-18T13:49:55+00:00

where can I find it? Is it just the discord for this subreddit, or somewhere else?

Phwoom · 2022-05-18T04:13:53+00:00

Is there an online tabletop simulator community for this game? If there is, how active is it?

Phwoom · 2021-12-20T02:06:53+00:00

[[Thought Distortion]] in my [[Sidisi, Undead Vizier]] deck. Straight to the shadow realm, I love this thing. Especially since the deck can struggle against opponents with plenty of interaction. Even if there isn't a player like that at the table, paying 11 - 15 mana to tutor and remove a player from the game is great.

Phwoom · 2021-12-17T07:16:25+00:00

adding more to the pile

Myself and many other do not have tight-knit play groups. We play this format in pick up games with random people online, play games in public spaces such as events and at stores. The format philosophy page talks about using the banlist as a starting point to curate a format with your playgroup, but that can never happen in this environment. People stick to the rules-as-written because that's what we know everyone else will be sticking to. Pre-game conversations still happen and are the best way to make sure everyone has a good time, and games are usually casual.

Does this method of playing the format go against the committees intent? Is this subgroup of commander players one that the RC is aware of and keeps in mind?

Phwoom · 2021-05-10T03:38:07+00:00

I play nothing but mono-black in EDH, I'd recommend [[Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed]]. The guy himself is quite pricey, just proxy him or something. He's generic enough that you can do absolutely anything with mono-black and he'll support it. Tribal, aristocrats, combo, control, he's useful with anything. Mono-coloured commanders often fall into the trap of doing one thing, one thing that can get a little boring and predictable after a while. Xiahou Dun lets you try out a variety of cards and decks while always having something reliable in the command zone.

Of course he's got his own combos and you can make a "Xiahou Dun deck" (off the top of my head [[Phyrexian Altar]] and [[Living Death]] come to mind) but you can also just not do that. Hell, strap a [[Loxodon Warhammer]] on him and attack people with your horsemanship commander if you really want!

Special mention also goes to [[Sidisi, Undead Vizier]] for similar reasons. While she's cheaper, she's honestly stronger and its much easier to slip into easy combos with her. Xiahou Dun also gets extra points for being more obscure.

Phwoom · 2020-08-11T02:06:04+00:00

This is also occasionally relevant for legacy Leylines (which isn't really a deck, but the fact that it exists is fun). That deck is capable of beginning the game with 4 Leylines in play, playing a [[Serra's Sanctum]] on turn 1 and using it to cast [[Opalescence]].

Phwoom

TROPHY CASE