kstreet 3Speak Podcast: Recent Episodes
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Listen and watch the latest videos from kstreet. Hosted by 3Speak.tv. The free speech video platform on the HIVE blockchain.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ysygqxjt
Part of an upcoming review post for Seraph: In the Darkness. This level is one of the maps you will run after beating the storyline.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/muthmgsx
This is my second run through the game (first level). This time, I had a strategy in mind based on reload effects. I had no idea there was a powerful upgrade that would limit your ammo to 1! Once i found it, I was a reloading machine! This was a really fun surprise that made me feel powerful! Well done.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/qhozrvfw
Part of an upcoming post where I give my initial impressions of the game. I didn't quite make it on this run. Was basically trying out various skills without worrying about synergy to get a feel for relative strength.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ekgbjqyj
The Trial of Heaven is a competitive dungeon with a leaderboard based on how far you can clear. This shows me clearing a level and is part of an upcoming post I'm making on Seraph.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/byisgqxk
Sometimes you get the combo off and it just isn't enough.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/rcrevhey
Part of a hive post on the deck after watching Mepo play on stream. I've put in some reps and can confirm: it's fun! Look for the upcoming hive post and give the deck a try!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/kgtpuprx
Any time you beat anubians is a cause for celebration. It just so happens I beat them with this new void dragon list I've been enjoying. This vid will be part of an upcoming post on the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/lqrhijxn
Video of me beating the new cheese on the block: the Azaiah combo deck. He doesn't even find Lost in the Depth and STILL almost pulls the combo off. I found lethal right before he did.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/kurbistv
I'm in the process of crafting a big-beast nature deck using the new Tides of Fate cards. One of the clearly great cards is the Spellwyrm. This game showcases me dismantling the win cons of my opponent.
Part of an upcoming post on this deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/xxgpvwvn
I need more practice with this guild-bounce deck, but it's fun so I might just put in the effort to get better!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/sqzpmtaa
Olympian War can get insanely buffed. Well outside the range that magic's removal can manage them. A few critical plays in this game gave me the win.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/uxeyzbdd
Halls of Torment had a big update with new characters and a new level. This is me playing the norseman who started off slow but finished really beefy.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/syntmqyk
Arcane Burst OTK decks are great against control decks. This game highlights managing control magic's safeguard incantation. It also shows the importance of card draw - Arcane Burst was 4th from the bottom!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/rvileqho
I recorded my very first attempt at sealed mode. I spend a few minutes going over the deck, and then you get to see it in action.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/dhelxran
Vid #2 for my upcoming hive post. Necroscepter wins the game for us, which is a strong argument for running 1x.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/qimpgrzw
Going second against the board-buff light deck is just terrible. I should have conceeded immediately. They have all the answers to our threats.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/wchbshoz
Always feels good to beat a deck 10x more expensive than your own. This control war deck feels particularly good against expensive control zombies. A lot of damage comes from relics, which control death's hard removal spells aren't effective against.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/gwmkifjf
Who wants to watch a newbie get trashed playing Splinterlands? Maybe no one, but I decided to mic up and record a few games. You can watch amazing things like:
- Watch me lookup abilities live in the wiki because I have no idea what they do!
- Have no idea why I was dodging so many attacks only to read about speed later in the vid and figure it out!
- Lose some games.
- Win some games!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/aagwgcls
This midrange/tempo zombie deck has been incredibly effective over the past week. This game in particular showcases the reasons I swapped out Skeletal Hoplites for Netherborn Binders. The extra damage makes it easier to GP 1 HP creatures.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/kuhrrxfz
Gameplay vid for an upcoming hive post on this deck, which I've found to be a lot of fun (and only $15!).
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/kbacuuji
I realized I've been posting way too many winning videos and some have gotten the wrong idea about my abilities as a player. Time to show some losses! This one is also helpful as it shows how good Shines would have been if I could find it.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/hzirnjcj
Part of an upcoming hive post on the deck. Nature isn't doing so hot at the moment, but the combo Dearly Departed + Shines gives it some tools against common problem decks.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/csgdifar
The removal/reactive cards aggro nature uses gives it a really solid shot against aggro light - even when going second. This is example gameplay of how to get it done!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/whudkqvt
I didn't know our opponent was our very own @x-rain until he posted the exact same vid on his post! Very cool!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ejnqggsl
A different spin on Anubians. Part of an upcoming post on the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/rpmzqsot
This is a budget control death opponent, but the anubian gameplan against control is pretty straightforward and can be effective on expensive decks. This deck has even more options. Vid 2/2 for an upcoming hive post on the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/novvhkah
Fast decks make for short videos, no? This deck is very fast and pretty great. Part of an upcoming hive post on it.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/yjlyoikr
Second of 2 vids on the big beast deck. This time beating a hard control magic list. Part of an upcoming hive post on the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/syludpsg
Part of an upcoming hive post on the deck. This vid features it beating midrange war.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/hbiakjxz
In this game, my Amazons came out way too fast for control magic to keep up with. Part of an upcoming hive post about the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/zvkpfles
Part of an upcoming hive post on the deck. Going back to basics and using ramp + frontliners to slow aggro down. It plays nicely into this aggro light deck built to counter spells.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/anenuhec
Part of an upcoming post on the deck. This variant of aggro light is probably the most challenging aggro deck for control magic. Ward, protected, and lots of health require too many spells to remove. Luckily, our deck's reliance on frontliners instead is much more effective.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/kihirfwq
This game was really tight, and there were several critical points where a missplay would have cost the game. At the end of the game, understanding that the barrels die first and then zombies spawn is what allow me to snag the victory with Corpse Explosion.
Part of an upcoming hive post on the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/rujaneum
Just wanted to share the tail end of a game featuring the Tartessian Mob as the (hilarious) win condition. This was one was made even better by the Mintaur for even MOAR damage. It's a fun win con that is easily worth one copy of the card in your deck. Enjoy!
Edit: lol just realized I was recording my entire desktop audio. That's Forty yelling "moar". The timing just worked out perfectly.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/lwtjzywo
The past day for me in Auric/Solar Gold has had me facing all aggro war mirror matches and zombies (designed to beat aggro war). So I decided to run Olympian War with a few tools to help manage the horde. It went well! Part of an upcoming post on the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/egthzyme
Since aggro war is the most common opponent you'll face, it's important that a deck have answers to it. Part of an upcoming hive post on the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/vcyysysi
Second of two vids on this deck archetype. Part of an upcoming hive post.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/neycfyqh
Second of 2 vids on this deck. Part of an upcoming article going in depth on it.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/bjkultqv
First of two videos on this cheap deck featuring multiple win conditions and lots of card draw.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/mhxwegnd
Part of an upcoming hive post on a nice budget war deck created by rckmtl.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/onxxvnse
Part of an upcoming post on this new light deck that features going all in on the board buffs. This one's a mirror match, and I'm able to win going second.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/hxzovhjq
Part of an upcoming hive post on my experience so far playing the Blocklords tutorial/beta. Lots to like already.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/slgiapeh
Video 1 of 2 in an upcoming hive post on this deck. In this video, Chira + Mass Raise decimates an aggro war board. This video demonstrates this deck's ability to manage aggro.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/djhwbwkh
In this game I got to play against SamBam, who is testing out a very interesting combo deck based on Coronet. This vid is 2 of 2 in and upcoming post on the deck, and this one demonstrates the deck's ability to be fast. Helpful against combo and control.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/rxgefynl
Part of an upcoming hive post on the deck, this gameplay shows the power of the deck against a relentless aggro light opponent. It was a challenging game and well played by my opponent. Coming out on top was a rewarding experience.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/pfrtxobu
Part of an upcoming peakd post on this deck. Flame-touched Paladin is such a versatile card. I've been trying to make it work for a long time. It finally has a home in Olympian War, which can be either very aggressive or midrange when up against control.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/oyiuzkgi
Faced it all: Hortuk, Hearth Mother, etc. Came out on top. Part of an upcoming peakd post on my WR.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/dvaadebm
Video 2/2 of my upcoming hive post. This guy quickly filled his deck with Deuteria. I managed to beat him, but I can imagine a bunch of 5/5 and 6/6 1 mana creatures hitting the board. Scary!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/vuuytzru
Diablo 4 Open Beta weekend finally came! I've been looking forward to it for quite a while. I've played all the Diablo games sinking 1000s of hours over the course of my life I'm sure. It's the premiere ARPG title, and if you enjoy ARPGs, you'll be wanting to play this one.
Quick note: if you are close to level 20, make sure to get that final ding for the limited cosmetic item when D4 releases!
Gameplay/VideoThe game is fun. A lot of fun, actually. I didn't want to spoil any of the main story, so the video shows two different world events and one small cellar. The events reset and are basically standalone super quests. Cellars are...cellars. Go in, clear out a room, get the loot.
I really enjoyed playing this game on an xbox controller. Just a more relaxed posture, more comfortable hand position, etc. D4 also doesn't allow you to load up 20 skills at once, and the controller handles all the skills you can use nicely. In the video, you'll see me running:
- Basic attack (Spark)
- Chain Lightning
- Frost Nova
- Teleport
- Hydra
- Lightning Spear
I never felt like a one-click build. I rolled through all of them to get the most damage output and felt rewarded for it.
Story (no spoilers)So far, the story (and cutscenes) are great. That's what I expect from a Blizzard title, and I was not disappointed. (I can still hear "East. Always East" in my head from D2.) The villain has a bit more depth than the usual, which is interesting. I've been fine in the past with "He's the devil. Kill him." Put the extra depth doesn't hurt.
Side QuestsSide quests were decent. I think I only ran across two "collect X drops" quests. Most had associated dungeons, minor events, or minor bosses to defeat.
SkillsI liked the skill system. It's nowhere near as overwhelming as Path of Exile, and it also lets you add/remove skill points with ease. This let me try out different skills and also maximize current damage without worrying about wrecking my final build (like in D2).
The system does borrow a bit from POE (as many other games have done). The skills branch off and allow for the customization of effects. As you spend skill points, you can unlock the next tier of skills.
LootThe loot was a bit 'meh,' but I largely chalk this up to being level capped at 25. Even at this stage, I found some unique items that gave special effects. One of them creates a shield around you once you become 'unhealthy' (fall below ~80% health I think).
You can also extract the aspects from unique items and put them on other items. Pretty much exactly the same as Diablo Immortal.
ConclusionIf you like Diablo games or just ARPG in general, I highly recommend picking this up when it comes out. At $70, it's pretty steep, but I know for certainl that I'll be getting a lot more than $70 worth of joy from it. I'm really looking forward to the June 6th release to try out the bigger skills, more classes, and finish the story. Not to mention seeing what higher difficulty levels have in store.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/myswlerc
Part of an upcoming Hive post on the deck. It has a lot of answers for both aggro and control opponents.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/krcfcaxq
Part of an upcoming post on the deck and it's place in the current meta.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/rqfufrvx
Part of an upcoming Hive post on the deck. This is a different take on aggro light that focusses on reactive roar cards. I've put my own spin on it.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/owdbsxwf
Part of an upcoming post on the deck. This is a deck I saw SamBam playing, and he informed me that Mirage actually came up with it. It's a versatile deck that's been performing well in the current meta.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ehjlwulc
I played this game in weekend ranked at Mythic in Gods Unchained. I played a few different decks, but happened to match up against combo magic with my light deck. There were a couple of key plays in this game that put the odds of winning in my favor. Of course, you have to draw the right cards, but understanding combo magic is the first step in beating it. My hope is that this post will help build that understanding for others.
MulliganThe most important key to beating combo magic is to identify it! This happens in the mulligan stage. Make it a habit of checking your opponent's god power. I was mostly playing this deck for fun and not concentrating, but I did remeber to check the GP out of habit. Build good habits. They pay off.
Once I've identified combo magic, the cards I'm interested in change. For example, we know combo magic wants to play Lost in the Depths on a 1 mana creature, so we don't want to open turn 1 with a one mana creature. Mace of calling looks like a keep.
Martyr would make a nice turn 2 play. It's also >1 mana, but Martyr has a second benefit. While we don't know exactly which combo magic we're playing against, but most decks need to play - and kill off - their Warp Engineers. A 2/2 frontline means they need two turns to kill the Engineer.
1 ManaThey start looking for their combo pieces with the God Power. I play Mace of Calling.
2 ManaMore digging from our opponent. If he had LiTD, he couldn't play it, so his deck stays full of cards that aren't his combo pieces.
I shift my gameplan a bit based on what I drew. Now that I have 3 1-mana cards in hand, I decide to play them all at once. I'm expecting him to play LiTD, but the amount of favor we can generate with 3 creatures and a relic is nice. The sanctum is full of nice cards, and Pacifist grows with each creature played.
3 ManaHe plays LiTD, as expected. The race is on.
Drawing Canonize basically seals the game. I play the Martyr and generate 12 favor going face.
4 ManaHe plays clone after playing the single warp engineer. Now we know which combo he's playing: Schoolteacher. Teacher is only 2 mana, so you start cloning it after a single Warp Engineer. Portal Wranglers need 2 Engineers:
After the game is over, I checked the deck to confirm:
Against school teacher, Martyr is a hero. Our opponent has to kill off the Warp Engineer before he can combo. He also needs to have a direct damage spell in hand as part of the combo. I'm able to play Canonize on my Sailweaver. If he had two direct damage spells in hand, he could kill Martyr and then sac the Engineer, but he can't just throw the Engineer directory into my 5/5. This further delays his combo while drastically increasting the damage I can do each turn. I've stalled him and shortened his timer to 1 turn.
It's important here that I not play Canonize on the Martyr.
Also, just incase it isn't obvious: I'm not wasting any time trading out his Warp Engineeer. This is a race against him playing solitaire. When he combos, it's a one turn kill from hand.
5 ManaOur opponent takes a very long turn here. He can see the board + sanctum and knows that I kill him next turn. With 5 mana, he needs to:
- Kill my Martyr.
- Kill off his Engineer into my Sailweaver.
- Full combo
He's probably sitting on 3 schoolteachers: 2 at 0 mana and 1 at 2 mana. If he drew really well, it's possible he could have killed me this turn if it wasn't for that pesky Martyr. Instead, it's GG.
ConclusionPlaying against a combo deck is usually not very enjoyable. This is especially true for newer players who aren't intimately familiar with how the various combo decks work and have no firm grasp on what their opponent likely has in hand. Even for experienced players, if you don't draw just right, you lose. However, it's important to learn the combo decks to even recognize when you have drawn just right. Several times in this game, I could have played incorrectly and likely lost. Instead, understanding what I was up against gave me the W.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/kjvoequz
I wanted to try and remake a fun nature deck based on buffs. I've tried in the past, but I decided to give it another go. Getting a buffed up porcupine with 4 armor would be a lot of fun, so why not? Well 10-15 games later, I'm here to tell you why not. This video is a great example. This post also is meant to serve as a reminder to me: never try to make Porky happen again.
Why does Spiny Porcupine suck? Let me count the ways:
Probably not even an exhaustive list.
The DeckTrust me, I had a LOT more losses than this. Tried playing with some different cards. This was my last attempt. After taking these 3 losses, I went to casual. Kept losing.
The Buffs:
I played with Sip of the Spring and a few others, but they were all pretty 'meh'. At least Guerilla Training lets you pick your target.
ConclusionI think I'm going to try one more time but completely re-tool this into a mixed amazon/wild deck. In a mixed deck, we have access to lots of blitz creatures to make up for Moonlight Charm being so slow. We also can stop depending on tribal synergies. I'm not expecting that deck to dominate, either, but it would be nice if it could win close to 50%. At least in casual, right?
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/quzeogob
This was a fun game. I'm mostly an aggro player and detest long games, but I'll occasionally play midrange for variety and it's propensity to lead to less common board states. In this game, our aggro light opponent goes first, draws well, and plays well. We still have the answers to beat him.
Deck discussion and strategy after the gameplay breakdown.
Gameplay1 Mana / MulliganAnimal Bond god power against Light every time. They want your board clear and need to kill the badgers off. They also have many warded/protected creatures that get buffed which makes Selena's Mark less effective. Note: against aggro War, take Mark. The healing helps offset their god power and their creatures are often lower HP.
In the mulligan, we are looking for reactive cards. Boars, Dagan, relics, canopy, etc. The deck is full of them, but we don't find what we're looking for. My last decision is to mull Lightning strike. Light plays lots of little creatures, many with ward, which makes LS less apealing.
Opponent has a mediocre open. Aggro light is looking to play two creatures on turn 1 going first.
My hand is so bad I opt for a pip+badger. Never a good start, but my only option.
2 ManaLuckily our opponent has a terrible turn 2. Trades and pips into his god power.
Dagan is tempting, but a 2/4 Dagan gets levied and we're sad. Playing the Martyr here buys time for the Dagan + Chiron combo I want to play. In addition, it gets me a chance to get Dagan back.
3 ManaSolid turn from our opponent.
Dagan comes down and gets the buff from Chiron and his passive. This puts him at 3/5. At the point, Light is in trouble. Not only is Dagan scary, but he can't kill him first or else Martyr brings him back to hand as a 3/5 (game over).
4 ManaOur opponent plays smartly and takes out Chiron first and clears the re-appearing Martyr. Ordering Dagan to buy time for his buffs is a solid play. He has enough creatures on board so that I can't make use of Dagan's passive on other creatures (he would just kill them).
This deck runs three relics. 2x Faeflames and 1x Staff of Roots. The staff brings a lot of value to the midrange. A 1/1 body the heals is helpful against aggro. Doing 2 damage also helps get around 1-armor creatures like Armor Lurker. Against Light, 1-armor protected creatures shut down Faeflames. I get to work with the staff, but I make sure to play Chiron first to buff Dagan again. It's unlikely aggro light is playing imperious smite, and Dagan can snowball and win the game. Additionally, buffing the 1/1 from the staff wouldn't have kept it from getting cleared.
5 ManaNice turn from opponent.
My job continues to be to get his board clear by any means necessary. A Blade of Whiteplain would have been nice here, but the Boar is decent. I take out Balthazar to get his passive off the board. He increases spell costs, and I do have spells in the deck. Next, I make use of Boar and go wide. Valewarden was another line, but not as good. Light's protected opponents trade nicely into single, big targets. They don't trade nicely against many, smaller creatures. Also, this is a good example of why you take Animal Bond: it can help clear protected, gets your board wide, and can hope for a Wildfire.
5.5 ManaAnother solid turn for Light. Without Dagan, we'd be dead for sure.
We draw the wildfire. It's such a great midrange card packing both removal and a board buff. It's incredibly tempting. I opt for the Valewarden instead. Tough call, but I'm thinking about Asterius dropping next turn. Dagan and Walker get cleared and I lose the game. No way to get back in it. I go with Valewarden because it can answer Asterius after I wildfire. I also know that the opponent has to focus Dagan first. Finally, I clear a creature and then go face with the walker to get some favor. If our opponent doesn't have Asterius, I don't want him playing the Shield Maiden, so I take it.
6 ManaAaaaaand there's Asterius! Right on queue. Dropped on curve with a full board! Should be game over. Thankfully, we anticipated this perfectly. As he should, he focuses on removing Dagan first.
Now I get to drop Finnian + Wildfire. Then make a favorable trade into Asterius. Finnian is yet another snowball threat that has to get removed. If our opponent leaves him on board, the 1/1 apples will overwhelm him. I make an odd choice and hit his Vicar with my Marsh Walker. I should have gone face for more favor + 1/1 apple, but under pressure my thinking was:
- Now dies if he trades into Minotaur.
- If he trades into Finnian like he should, I can clear him next turn.
Of course, a Canonize would have punished both plans.
6.5 ManaWe are not punished with a Canonize, but he does have a buff to get him out of Marsh Walker range.
OR SO HE THINKS! lol. We draw the second Wildfire - top decking like the real pros do. It's game over at this point, but our opponent doesnt' concede. Notice that I'm in no hurry to go face.
7 ManaMy aggro opponent's only hope is to re-take the board. He goes all in.
Opting to clear the protected Vicar may seem odd, but the overkill on Green Giant is an important consideration. If an overkill creatures hits a protected creature, the shield absorbs all damage and there is no splash. The ward on Vicar also makes my Hunts worthless if I draw them.
7.1 ManaA surprisingly good turn from Light. Ordering the Giant and fielding three creatures from a hand that was empty the turn before.
Blade shows up, which is always nice against aggro opponents with lots of weak creatures. It's an easy clear.
7.2Now this was definitely a surprise. Checking my opponents deck, this was a 1x Zealous March. Tucked away just in case he gets stretched to 7 mana. This was all the rage months back before the nerf to ZM (it used to fill the board).
I could either go with The Hunt or the line I took with FFB. The Hunt was the better play. Guaranteed to pop all the shields (it doesn't do more damage to a creature than it's HP). However, I was far ahead and was curious how shields worked on splash damage from overkill. The game was in the bad so it was science time. Now I know: the splash randomly hits other targets meaning that them being protected doesn't ruin it.
Then we just clear and it's GG.
The DeckCode:
GU_1_5_GAwCAuCAuCEyCEyCATCCOCCOCAvCAvIASBCCBCCIDKKBWCBxCBxLAKCAtCBqCByCByLALLALCAxCAxCApKDmCDfCDf
Definitely not a F2P deck. It's pricey even without the Blades/Martyr.
The curve is solidly midrange. Remember that Valewardens give a 7 mana wild creature on death, so imagine 2 extra cards in that 7+ column. My experience playing this deck had me make gradual changes to it over time. Two big ones:
I swapped out Sudden Blooms for The Hunt and added Serris for more healing. Aggro War and Hidden Rush Deception are so fast that you often make it to 6 mana by a sliver. You need The Hunt / Serris on curve to immediately turn the board state around. At 4 HP, Serris is free. At 4 HP or 5 with a pip you can Serris + Hunt same turn.
I realize now that 1x Winter's Bounty would be better. I never bought it, but it's only $5 now, so maybe. Like I said, I don't play this deck as much as aggro decks.
Alone, Serris isn't enough healing, but combined with Valewardens and Staff of Roots, this deck has a decent amount. Compost Charm is probably overkill for a midrange deck, but maybe it could fit.
The other key to this deck is the early removal. This is critical to keeping aggro decks from running you over.
Currently, I'm liking 1x Black Jag and 1x Stag. There are very few confused creatures in this deck for a reason.
ConclusionMidrange nature is hanging better than I thought, but its definitely not going to take you high into Mythic. The Svart Basilisk is in the deck to help with sleep, but Demogorgons and Witherfingers dominate this deck. Still, it's a a nice change of pace worth checking out!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/oqqcwuca
Every once in a while you have one of those turns that no one would believe, and it would be too complicated to explain it anyway. Big dairy cow vibes. I pull one of those off at 6 mana (7:15), which just felt fantastic.
With this video, I tried to think out loud. Having done it, I now realize that @cautionfun is right: it's hard. I also realized that some of my random thoughts are going to be stupid, but I think even those help others understand what I consider, reject, and ultimately choose. Even if I choose the wrong one, viewers (and me when I rewatch) learn from it.
Notes on the deck after the gameplay breakdown.
Gameplay Breakdown1 ManaRemember when I said some of my thoughts are stupid? My mulligan decision to hold the second Looter doesn't look so hot in hindsight. I already had one, and there were plenty of other cards in my deck that could have helped me shut down light early. I get absolutely bailed out by drawing one of them on my first turn: Dark Knives.
I play Looter #1 knowing that I can buff him out of Levy range next turn. The Duelist would not be out of range.
2 ManaEverything's going according to plan. I boost the looter and push face damage. In an aggro-vs-aggro match up, hidden rush wants to be pushing face damage and force the opponent to trade or die.
3 ManaAggro light's gameplan is different. Even aggro light needs board presence to win the game. Plus, my current board and hand isn't able to win the game in 2-3 turns with hidden creatures and face damage. I decide to abandon face damage and start managing his board.
4 ManaOur opponent uses his turn 3 to equip Lysander's Spear, which is trouble. I take out the Informant hoping to Blade the 1/1 Vesper when it's buffed to a 3/3. At this point, though, I'm in trouble. I'm supposed to be driving the pace of the game and making him react. Instead, I'm completely reactionary and trading. A great way to lose games as HRD.
5 ManaWithout stoneskin poison the game is lost. Even with it, we're hoping for a miracle.
5.5 ManaWe get that miracle. Lady Marcella off the top! Her deadly 1/1s don't care how buffed you are. We trade out his board to make sure we get to use them.
6 ManaTHE turn. Our opponent missplayed by trading into our Marcella. I would have sent 9 damage to the face. The trade wastes 5 damage (only killing a 3 health creature) AND opens him up to Umber Arrow shenanigans. In one turn, the entire game gets flipped on its head.
One of the key skills in the game is knowing when to press your advantage rather than continuing to build it.
6.5 ManaBlades do what I paid them to do: win the game. To be fair, we weren't playing against a F2P deck by any means. GG
The Deck@x-rain 's deck with a few tweaks:
Code:
GU_1_2_CCmCCmCCQGCEGCEIAlIAlCDDCDDIClIClCEPCEPKDSKDSCFMCFMCEwCEwICyCFUIAkIAkCEcCEcCAbKCuLALLALKDX
ConclusionIt was a fun game with lots of back and forth. Neither of us played it perfectly, but it did lead to quite the highlight reel turn at 6 mana.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/mzpqcnwh
I decided to get my recording/editing software fully setup on my new machine so I could do a voice over. In this video I walk through the re-build of my character. At level 80 you can no longer get free stat resets, so at 77 I finally got motivated to find a better build.
- Icey Lance with 5 support skills.
- Mana boil and passive skills to boost damage (and one for some needed mana regen)
As I mention in the vid, this build might be a little weak for the ultra end-game content, but its gotten me safely to timemark 5. If I feel like really pushing end game content, I'll probably build an entirely different character. Maybe a melee whirlwind or something. Those are always fun and polar opposite of this build.
The vid includes some void sea pirate gameplay and a map boss. Along with some explanation of how the end game system works. As with most systems in Torchlight Infinite, it feels like a simplified Path of Exile system, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It has plenty of depth without requiring 10 different apps and spreadsheets to plan an optimal build.
I'm up to 22 hours in the game to reach level 77 on my first character. Enjoyed every hour played, and again, the game is free. Definitely worth a spin!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/bqkpnjof
I've come back to my flourish deck recently. It's primarily designed to be fun to play, but I decided to make it a bit less meme-tier while still capturing the things that make it a unique deck to play. Notes on the deck after the gameplay breakdown.
Gameplay Breakdown1 ManaGoing first, a 2-2-3 mana curve is really nice. The hand is even better because the Faeflame is a reactive card that can help me respond to whatever they decide to do on their first turn. So on turn one, I play the jag. If he canopies, its a 1-for-1 trade and I haven't lost ground. If he can't answer, I build tempo advantage.
2 ManaHe has a nice opening turn, but using Faeflame is really nice. Taking 6 damage can seem scary, but we also know its an amazon deck. They only win with board presence, so all we have to do is keep the board clear and we win. I also get to go face for 3 without risking my jag dying, so we only actually fall behind by 3 damage.
3 ManaTheir sniper is a nice card to play and clears my jag. Now we have some decisions to make.
- Wasting Lightning strike on a 1/3 is a terrible idea.
- Playing the Stag alone means our opponent can clear before we get to draw an extra card.
- Playing the Dryad gets the 3 drop out of the way and leaves us with the (better) 1 drop.
So Dryad it is.
4 ManaAn average turn for our opponent, but now we get to have some fun with the dryad. I probably should have played the Stag + Beetle before attacking. You never know what you might get, so keep your options open. Jump On! is a terrible card, so I just clean up the sniper with the blade.
5 ManaLove Myrto's Daughter. Just not so much when it's played against me. Still, he's behind on board so is forced to trade rather than go face. Still, it takes me a bit to decide on the line I want. None are amazing.
- Use Jump On to clear, but this means I have no mana left to play anything else and give up the tempo to my opponent. Now they get to dictate the pace of the game.
- Use Mantincore, but same problem.
- Use Rune of Strength to clear and keep board.
The greed in me wants to keep RoS for a better use, but sanity prevails. I use the Rune to clear and play the monkey and dryad. Monkey is a really fun card, which is a nice bonus.
5.5 ManaDid I mention monkey is fun? I soften up his board with Manticore (who heals up due to dryad) then get a really nice 2-for-1 with the monkey. I opt to clear board because, again, this is amazons. It's pretty much gg at this point.
6 ManaLightning strike is the death knell and it's GG.
The DeckCode:
GU_1_5_GAwCAuCAuCEyCEyBCCBCCCATCATCAvCAvCCOCCOIASKBKKBKCBxCBxIDKIDKKBTKBTKBWCByCByKBVIDVIDVLALLAL
Drop the whiteplains for a much cheaper and still fun deck. Rabid Bears, guild enforcers, a buff card, a staff of roots. Any will work, and this deck isn't designed to dominate weekend ranked anyway.
Dryad combos really nicely with Dagan, Dalia, Manticore, Boar, and just generally works well with Nature's higher HP stats.
Vexing Rascal (monkey) isn't quite meta tier but isn't as bad as he first appears - especially in a flourish deck. Swing him into 2 damage, flourish him to deal 2 damage, and at the end of the turn he regens to do 2 more. Can lock up a board by himself.
The remaining cards are more standard fare. I played Loam Strider for the longest time, but he was just so slow and was more frustrating than fun, so he got cut.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/qtxhojpn
This aggro war deck continues to take all comers. Hows it playing? Well, no complaints from me:
A sample of matches from lower-MMR Mythic. A variety of gods playing different decks at different price points. I've been about 50/50 going first/second.
The DeckCode:
GU_1_6_HAbBDyBDyKBjHAFHAFBAiBAiBDoBDoCDqCDqIDjIDjCBBCBBOAGOAGCAZCAZIDkIAZIAZCEcCEcLALLALCAXCAXOAE
This is the expensive version of the deck from my previous post, but honestly, $500 of the price tag is the 2x Blade of Whiteplains. Plenty of obvious options to swap out for. You'll give up some wins, sure, but the deck is still solid.
I've also been comparing this to other aggro war decks in the meta, and I have to say I like not running Battle Bard and Trial Spirit. These cards are trash without something else on board. Particularly the bard.
Every card in this deck (except Another Round) is a solid card in its own right. Skollkin and Berserker get better with other creatures on board, and there are some relic synergies for Hunter and Captain, but they don't depend on them.
This deck also has a ton of reactive cards, which is why it remains competitive going second. Orcish Elite is just a phenomenal card, and it's dirt cheap. Ditto Blade of Styx.
Gameplay Breakdown1 ManaI keep those cards in the mulligan because Valka's Captain into Warmonger is a solid open. I draw Another Round, though, which gives me pause. The other line would be to just put the Outlaw out in order to pip out Another Round at 3 mana. I stick with the stronger open. I'm aggro after all.
2 ManaHe plays looter which doesn't exactly tell us what he's playing, but I'm already leaning towards control. That makes drawing the Imp even better. We get to be ultra aggressive. I don't swing the relic because 1 damage isn't too big a deal and I want to keep my options open for controlling board next turn.
3 ManaBug alert! I should have taken 1 damage when he traded into Imp right? Anyway, his Savage Strike screams control, so we were right all along. We continue our aggression. If he can stabilize the board he wins, so might as well dump what we can.
4 ManaAnother round pays off decently here. It's not perfectly clean (no frenzy), and I wish we had gotten the imp back, but it will do.
5 ManaWhen he's trading, note the 3/2 Valka's paying off. Most meta creatures are 2/3, 1/3, etc. Wolf-Cult Vanguard loves those cards and trades 2-for-1. He can only trade 1-for-1, which drastically reduces the cards power. We also know he likely has carnage sweep and wants to use it on us.
One option would be to Blade and GP. However, I actually want to draw out his sweep on a relatively cheap board, so I opt to be the biggest threat I can be.
5.5 ManaWe don't draw the sweep, but we do top deck our own blade. I'll take it.
6 ManaNow the sweep! We only have 2 cards, but I can get the Archer, so I decide not to spill my hand entirely. Our opponent is at 10 HP, so maybe I could have.
6.5 ManaKing of top decks? I trade Orcish, go face. While I'm debating whether to play Beserker I get the concede. I was a bit surprised because I was expecting the Demo next turn. Looking at his deck, he only had 1, so I'm assuming he didn't have it in hand. Instead, we squeak out the win just as a control deck should be coming into it's power cards at 7 mana.
Good game!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/tjzcevvj
Torchlight: Infinite is a free-to-play game that is in Early Access on Steam. It is loosely inspired by the Torchlight series in that it's an isometric RPG. It does some things well (like skill and build variety) but ultimately feels like what it is: a knockoff mobile game. Doesn't mean you can't have some fun with it, though.
GameplayAfter only 6.5 hours in, I'm done with the story. Of course, it does say more coming, but for now, it dropped me into the early stages of end game, which is what the video covers. As you can see, it's incredibly easy. Laughably so (just like the campaign). The vid also includes seasonal content, which is the Blacksails Pirates stuff at the end. In effect, clearing the map lets me choose some buffs and then fight another boss. I'll be the first to admit I haven't worried about learning the details of this system. I've played so few hours I'm not even sure if I'm invested or not!
With that said the basic loop is there. Map, farm, improve gear, harder maps. At least, I assume maps get harder. It feels like a direct copy of Path of Exile, in which I have sunk almost 500 hours into.
The GoodController SupportI really enjoy being able to relax with a controller and play games like this. Overall, I give the controller support a B+. It's solid for gameplay, but managing menus I still drop back to the mouse. You don't have to! The right joystick on my xbox controller moves the cursor and pressing down on it 'clicks'. I just don't like it. If you're on the couch, though, it will work.
SkillsThey definitely invested into the skill system, and the results are pretty great. You unlock active and passive skills, and as you level up, you unlock the ability to add support skills. It's of course Path of Exile, but if it isn't broke, don't fix it. The energy system is nice in that it forces you to think about how many support gems you want to add to a skill. In the image below, you can see that I have 60 energy total (top right). That's my cap, but I can choose how to spend it.
It takes 10 energy to add the first support skill. It will take 50 to add the 4th to my Ice Lances skill. If the game was challenging at all at the moment, I'd probably spend my remaining energy to unlock a few supports for my other skills.
My character's special ability is to create a clone of himself:
He shoots your main skill once per second. You also unlock the ability to customize this special/ultimate ability as you level up:
There are also talents:
In other words, there are plenty of different ways to upgrade yourself. This has become a trend in these games, which has been on the whole positive. It keeps the progression feeling incremental as you have different level ups popping in different systems at different times. It also affords a high degree of customization even when each system itself is pretty simple.
The BadOMG The Voice ActingIt's just terrible. One of his quips starts with "Hella annoying." Your main partner in the story keeps calling you "partner". Not like a western movie, but like a cheap mobile game. This had to happen "hella" fast.
StoryIt's present. That's about the best I can say for it. I quickly started skipping every cutscene.
Mobile FeelIt feels like a mobile game. It has the daily log ins, the season pass, the premium currency. Diablo Immortal has all the same stuff, but DI just looks 10x better and feels a lot closer to a PC game. If DI felt too mobile for you to enjoy, then this game isn't for you.
ConclusionI stopped playing after my first hour due to the above negatives, but I'm glad I came back and played more - even if I stop now at 6 hours! I had fun playing through and not taking things too seriously. For now, I'm enjoying being a god among monsters, but from back in my Diablo 1 duping days, I know that gets old. If the game gets challenging enough to drive the need to upgrade gear, then I think the core RPG gameplay loop is there.
The game is early access, which means tweaks can be made to the difficulty curve and a few other things. The core flaws will remain, but on net, I think the good outweighs the bad as long as you're just looking for a game to have some fun with.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/zebckdng
Part of an upcoming peakD post on playing this deck this weekend. It's a fun, fast deck. Hard to beat if you go first, and you have enough blitzers to have a chance going second.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/jdwjxnuy
Brushed off the game after a while of not playing. Decided to play a fun deck in casual: Flourish.
I even made it more fun by tossing in some (very) off-meta cards like loam strider and vexing rascal. So of course, I run into HRD in all its stale glory.
The game starts off well (because I went first and had cards to play). I was actually able to get Loam Strider up to 3/5 before it was mercilessly destroyed by Blade. I'm not mad. After all, I'm running them in casual too, right?
I make a single error that probably cost me the game. When I played my blade, I removed the Armor Lurker. My fear being dark knives + cheat infinitely until my death. He was indeed holding Dark Knives, but he is able to follow up with 2x Assassin's Aim. He wouldn't have been able to do that on the lurker, but I suppose he would have just hit other creatures.
In any event, it was a fun enough game. It also illustrates just how slow Loam Strider is. Took me 4 turns to develop him into anything meaningful just to have him removed by a single 5 drop Blade.
Off-meta deck aside, let me know if you saw any missplays! Always room for improvement.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/txfvotqn
Second video with the burn death deck. The deck is full of card draw that damages both opponents. Getting them back to back for lethal feels great!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/mwqjfqqx
Part of an upcoming post on the deck. It's a lot of fun for casual queue. You basically burn both gods down to 0 but try to edge them out with either chip damage or a few leech hits. The deck has a ton of reach, so a few extra points of damage/leech early can be enough to win.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/uziwejfy
Part of an upcoming post on the Chosen One deck. This deck is tailor made to deal with Big Beast nature. Ordering and bouncing high-cost creatures puts the opponent at a big disadvantage.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/niufqvcj
Part of an upcoming post on the deck. It's won multiple games played against top tier control opponents by out-valuing. Particularly against mage by drawing out their win conditions early to answer beefy creatures on board.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/kwspckyk
I had never heard of Deep Rock Galactic until seeing the sale on steam. $10 bucks and "Overwhelmingly Positive" reviews got to look more into it. Recently, I've found that just jumping on twitch and looking for a game is a great way to see how active the game is and is a better sample of gameplay than random youtube videos. I liked what I saw and gave it a shot.
The Basics You and up to 3 Drawven pals work for an exploitative mining company and are routinely sent into harms way to collect precious minerals. It's a class-based first-person shooter.
Classes:
- Gunner
- Scout
- Driller
- Engineer
Each class brings unique and valuable tools to solve problems. That includes mobility tools to even get around the maze-like caves and locate objectives.
While looking for resources, you'll inevitably be attacked by alien fauna. This ranges from tiny swarmers to massive, exploding behemoths. Meteors can strike the planet at any time, and there are plenty of other hazards to keep you on your toes.
As you successfully complete missions, you can improve your gear (and other things) back in your base, which is a spaceship above the planet.
Special note: the comedy in the game is fantastic. Pressing "V" to cheer some version of "Rock and Stone" will definitely get you in the mood, but the random quips are great.
Upgrades As you acquire resources, you can spend them on improve your weapons. There are also mods that can drastically change the way they handle. As you level up, you can complete assignments, which are a series of missions to let you buy new/better/different weapons.
Here's my bitching Engineer (you earn cosmetics quickly, too):
I've got about 24 hours of gameplay clocked. The blue 19 in the top right is my overall player level. The red 19 on the left is my engineer level.
I'm currently playing with a smart rifle that auto-locks onto targets. It's actually maybe a bit less effective than the shotgun you start with, but its so unique to this game that I like playing with it.
I'm not high enough level yet, but that large gray empty slot on the right is for Overclocks. These are massive mods that drastically change the way weapons work. Can't wait to earn some.
In general, upgrading feels great. A nice sink for the minerals you collect. A great driver of the core gameplay loop (mine, upgrade, mine even harder).
Conclusion Best $10 I've spent on entertainment in a long time. I'm not even a big FPS person, but I love co-op FPS games like this. Obviously, I'd recommend picking up the game unless you just hate any/all FPS, bugs, or spelunking in general.
Also, apologies to my teammates in the gameplay video. I was too busy recording and trying to demo the game that I was completely oblivious to the submission (which we failed) and even that it was time to go. It worked out perfectly though for a nice short vid. I thought it captured the hectic nature of the game really well.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/uuzuxwfb
funky-deserver has a really solid deck and went 16/18 with a version of the one we matched up against. We are able to overcome strength steal and play around Rapture and Witherfingers to get the win.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/msmovtyx
Second video for my upcoming post on this aggro war deck. In this vid, I'm able to keep enough low strength creatures on board to buff and go face. We finish before Control Light can shut us down.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/kkoyxpou
Granted, my opponent was running an off-meta deck in casual. However, it was an excellent showcase for Mountain Watcher, which is a versatile card against strength steal deception and draw-heavy decks like magic.
In this game, they withstand an enormous amount of strength reduction and still finish the game at 8 and 9 strength.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/cyqeqsnf
Game 2 of 3 in my upcoming post on empower war. We wrap up the game right at our target time frame of 5-6 mana.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/vkjuhjsc
Gameplay 1 of 3 in an upcoming post on Empower War. In this one, Fox's Venture highrolls on our Mountain Watcher for fun times.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/bpstlacl
Nature is a challenging matchup for Hidden Deception. Canopy Barrage, Lightning Strike, and the God Power Selena's Mark can all hit your hidden creatures and give you a bad time.
I get behind early in this game due to a Canopy Barrage. On a normal weekday, I would have conceded several times during this game, but because it was the weekend (and I was recording) I decided to try for the comeback. Hope you enjoy it!
Part of my upcoming post on my 12/18 weekend ranked event!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/vqoctolc
This is another game from my weekend event. This time, we are simply too fast too hidden for our control war opponent. We even steal his Martyr, which feels good. We secure the win long before
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/kwrghuvj
This is a second game where The Rotted One + Empire Reborn was enough to win the game. We had Over The Line as well, but didn't need it. Nature is a little tricky due to Lightning Strike, which could have killed our first dragon. Luckily, they didn't have it!
Vid 2 of an upcoming peakd post on the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/szleeprm
A fun deck for casual mode. Part of an upcoming peakd post!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ltacopiw
Just a short vid to be included in my game review of Crypto Shots, a p2e shooter game on hive.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/zllymqbw
Here is an amazon deck getting a win. Part of an upcoming post on the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/eqamleck
Second video in an upcoming post on this deck. This time we have the tools needed to seal the deal.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/dmtrutag
Part of an upcoming post on the deck. It's a fun deck that has a lot of versatility. In this matchup, our pile-o-cards opponent high rolls and still just barely beats us. 1x Savange Strike and 1x Spear in the deck and had them on queue.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ntetthbd
This is just a really bad matchup for zombies. Particularly this weekend with lots of aggro light running 2x vespers along with the usual levies. It might have gone better if I had been able to find Scepter or Obelisk earlier, but just as likely he was holding the answers the entire game.
Against light, you really need to find your big nethers.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ivjxtcxy
This short vid is a demonstration of the power of Dalia in a deck designed to maximize her skills. On the finishing turn, two healing attacks + flourish is more than enough to fill the board. My opponent wisely saved time by immediatly conceding.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/sxjwjmuv
I was able to jam my opponent up at the end. If he killed my creatures he died. If he didn't, he died. A very close game.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/jetrkcxu
Going first with an excellent starting hand helped a lot. But Dagan was able to counter all the strength steal our opponent could throw at us. The board winds up getting into a very interesting state with his Marsh Walker getting buffed by Dagan, so it was a fun game.
I had an embarrassing misplay early on when I played flourish on Dagan. For several games in a row, I had smacked him into 2 strength creatures and flourish allows him to double buff. Of course, it was a complete waste against the Marsh Walker.
I still manage the pull off the win. This vid is part of an upcoming guide on the deck that will posted on PeakD!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/tletfarl
So the worst thing you could do to an opponent's Dagan would be to give it burn. Each turn it burns, regenerates, and then grows. I wasn't planning to record this game until our opponent equipped a blazing talisman. Hilarity ensued.
Once Dagan got beyond 6 health and was out of range of Lightning Strike, it was game over. Luckily, our opponent played on a little longer so I could record more of the game.
So note to self: don't run blazing talisman ever again. Hope you all enjoy!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/fjlmskfz
This is the 2nd of two gameplayd vids from my weekend ranked. Ryhan is a far superior player with a deeper card collection, so this was probably a loss anyway, but it feels bad to just have your cards abandon you when you get a matchup with a well known member of the community.
This game is a good reminder that even the best decks lose 1-2 out of 5 games. It's a card game after all, and sometimes you brick despite having 18/30 cards at or below 3 mana.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/jhaeqfhf
1 of 2 gameplays vids from my weekend ranked. This one contains a misplay at the end (can you catch it?), but I'm able to win inspite of it.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/kzacvnll
The two decks are nearly identical, and it comes down to being off by 1 hp to miss lethal. Part of an upcoming peakd post on my weekend ranked event.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ruyppwtm
Reward chests are a great way to get extra seeds and resources without needing to buy them from other players (and the only way in game to do so). I'm a small farmer, so it took me a while to complete my first rewards chest, but I finally made it with some planning.
Some advice to other small farmers and new players:
- You're going to need probably 4-5 plots minimum to complete a chest in a single season.
- If you can't complete all quests in one season, things get a lot harder. When the season ends, those quests lock. You can't re-roll them unless you re-roll everything. This means you'd have to wait until that season comes back to finish!
- For the first two seasons, don't worry about quests. Just harvest and sell your crops for CROP tokens. You'll need these to re-roll quests.
- Each quest re-roll costs 10 CROP, so you probably want ~100 CROP before you decide to tackle a chest. This just makes sure you can get rid of any bad quests (like plant 4 legendary crops).
- At the start of a new season, refresh all your quests (which you can do for free). You'll get mostly quests related to the current season.
- Re-roll any you can't complete.
- Pay attention to how long plants will take to mature when deciding what you can complete. If one quest is going to require all your plots for 12 days, re-roll it.
If you pay attention to the quests I completed, most were spring, but 2 were summer. I decided to keep them because it was the next season and made it a bit easier to complete by giving me more time. This is ideal if you have even fewer plots than I do.
Lastly, I planted my four mystery seeds because I didn't have many summer seeds. I ended up with 3x Turnips (common) and 1x Watermelon (rare). I'm not going to try for this season's reward chest, but will refresh them in the fall and see if I get a good roll.
Small farmers have to plan a bit, but it's worth it!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/sajkfeiw
PTR lets players test upcoming balance challenges and gives us access to all the cards (well almost all of them). I've been testing some of the buffed Mortal Judgment legendary cards.
Dalia looks like a perfect fit in my too-much-value nature decks. PTR also lets me run Dagan which I don't own. Fun times! Love having a full hand of big-statted creatures that I didn't have to find space for in my deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ukmvxayt
Pretty bad opening hand leads to being behind early. Really behind. Luckily, I keep the camera rolling and play it out for a great comeback!
I was happy enough with it that I decided to add a voice over talking through the game. I know it really helps me when other players think out loud so I get an idea of that types of things they are thinking about and why they do what they do. That's true even if they make the wrong plays!
Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. GG Hammerfeet!
(This game was in Ethereal Diamond.)
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/slkboqni
Despite two major misplays in this game, the value generated by this summoner light deck is enough to win anyway. Part of an upcoming pilot's guide post I'm writing for the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ibqykwzc
Who can generate the most value?! One of the best / most fun games I've played in a while against our friend from gutools.net. Definitely worth a watch!
Second gameplay vid for my upcoming pilot's guide post on the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/hyhsduzd
Gameplay featuring my weekend ranked deck, which has been aggro/guild deception for a while. Unlike hidden rush decks currently in vogue, I've stuck with the strength steal variant, which I enjoy.
It's a little slower than Assassin's Aim on a Pyramid Warden, but I find it more flexible and reliable. We also have enough card draw that we can include some tech cards and have a decent chance of having them when we need them.
This vid will be part of a larger post in the GU hive community.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/rsycydys
Twin strike + overkill is so nice against zombies!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/qpspimgi
I haven't been following the Cujo challenges, but @meltysquid posted an amazon challenge deck he used that got me thinking about how I would have built it. These are 3 games in a row with those decks. Upcoming PeakD post will go into more detail, but the idea is to use hidden and ward to keep amazons on board for buffs.
Game 1: 0:00
Game 2: 5:33
Game 3: 18:00
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ewzokmak
Another Academy variant. A bit better than Rat Rods, but still tough. Also part of an upcoming hive post.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/edvsfjfx
Rat decks have been around for ages, but some new cards in Mortal Judgment got me thinking of a new setup for the deck. Part of an upcoming post and deck guide on hive.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/nwyvutiv
I just realized my OBS audio capture wasn't on during these games, so I apologize for the lack of sound. Next vids will have that fixed.
I wanted to record a nature rematch to show what was possible. This time, we end the game with a full board and full hand like nature intended. This game also showcases Celestial Stag instead of Ominous Burrow. Less memes more power. Consider for 5 mana you drop a Stag and a Howler and get back 2 cards in hand. Ridiculous.
Anyway, my full guide to this deck is now posted here:
https://peakd.com/hive-173286/@kstreet/out-valuing-with-nature
I'll also add this game to that post. Hope it inspires you to give the deck a shot.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/waqbfrio
Sometimes your opponent just has all the answers...including a surprise GOLD Svart Basilisk... Also part of an upcoming post.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/wnoawtfg
When you have so many cards you stop playing around rapture dance... Part of an upcoming peakd post.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/kklxfavk
Following up on my pilot's guide for this deck, I've kept playing. I really wanted to get a recording of the combo going off. Not only did that happen, but we also got to see our Paladin in action taking out an ordered creature.
As you can see, we were out of cards and top decking near 6 mana. Deception got a lot of value from us which taxed our aggro deck heavily. Getting some card draw from the sanctum is always a good call, and we were able to get our second win condition setup. True, a single hunting trap would have killed
the bruiser. We probably would have struggled, but at a minimum we had Slayer to hit for 2 each turn.
We were able to win despite:
- Going second
- Deception getting a ton of value from pickpockets
- Stealing our enduring shield
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/fntrkanf
Utilizing hidden creatures to dominate the board and then hit face. Part of an upcoming pilot's guide post.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/vpsxfztc
This is not only a fun deck, but this game itself was fun. Reminds me of GU a year ago where board control went back and forth and the game felt interactive. Full write up incoming for the deck and play strategy.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ejdcxjin
I am determined to get back to playing fun decks. Even against the current meta and player base which seems to all play the same 4-5 decks.
This deck? This deck is fun. An absolute sprint to 0 HP where you try and get there just after your opponent. I'm going to put a full hive post together to go over the details.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/zuehxktp
I attempted to add voice over to this vid, but the re-render caused the game to look really bad. While I work on improving my AV skills, I figured I'd just use this vid in an upcoming post on my GoG demo experience.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/wtlwexsu
In this gameplay vid, I talk through my decision making process. After rewatching the game, there are some better choices I could make. I'll be reviewing that, and my deck in general, in an upcoming (longer) post.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/bzhwnegw
Hey everyone,
In this video I talk about my experience so far with the Illuvium private beta, which I was recently invited to. I talk about:
- Synergies
- Team comp
- Placement
- Hero items
As a short summary, this is the survival mode, where you try to hold out against ever-more-diffult waves of enemy illuvials. This is also how combat will work while traveling through the overworld (when it's released). The game looks really nice, is surprisingly bug free, and is already fun to play. Can't wait to see more!
Hope you enjoy the vid.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/vciwuplp
36 damage in one turn is pretty scary! There is definite potential for this deck. This vid will be embedded in a full blog post discussing the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ppjfarmv
In this video, we are able to generate enough offense to get the kill before the turn 7 Dralamar OTK. Will be embedding this video into a larger post about the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ykmicrrx
Sometimes it's good to get back to basics. A big beast nature deck has the tools to deal with aggro and control. Will embed this video into a larger post detailing the deck.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/dpskkqei
Similar performance against Light as my video against nature. This deception deck is a strong counter to zoo lists.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/vmgbbjfj
This is going to get rolled into a larger blog post on this deck, but this game play clip shows off the power of this deck against one of the most popular gods/archetypes in the game: aggro nature.
The combination of armor, strength steal, and stat switching allows me to have a massive swing turn and take control of the game after being behind for the first 5-6 turns.
In particular, I think armory heist is being slept on. It's a great replacement for Rapture Dance in aggro deception decks. It's actually better in a meta full of 1-3 mana aggro. They can re-fill their board easily. Much harder to deal with a board full of 0/X.
Anyway, look for my full write up on this deck in the next day or so.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/sigkbstk
For everyone saying how 'boring' and 'skilless' nature is to play, this video shows something very different.
There were multiple times during this game where ordering correctly was critical to winning. It kept me on my toes, and even so, I make a few mistakes with it later in the game. The problem is that the skill is sublte, so easy to miss.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ykhbvybh
Countering the counter meta! Magic is overloaded with AOE board clears. These aren't effective against stronger targets.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/ffkcybmt
Example of counter meta catching up to aggro nature.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/esnkuted
This is a finishing clip from a game where I was able to use Twisting Talisman in a way I hadn't planned on: my own creatures
Deception has a lot of ways to boost strength, but then those characters get cleared quickly. TT lets you turn any
creature into a switch duelist for a turn.
Here's how the armor lurked wound up here (wish I had recorded the whole game):
- Buffed with two Selfless Guidmates and attacked face.
- Became a 9/1 with 1 armor.
- Used god power to hide him.
- Next turn, went face again.
- He became 9/1 with 0 armor.
- I used twisting talisman to make him 1/9 and then hid him again.
- Then the finishing turn is in the video.
I started thinking about Twisting Talisman because of all the new strength steal cards. I was (and still am) running
Munosian Infiltrator because you can instantly kill any creature that you've lowered to 0 strength. The downside
of Munosian is that it's only creatures 3 mana or less.
Twisting Talisman doesn't have this restriction, so I gave it a try. It is effective at creature removal when combo'd
with all the new strength steal Deception has. Deception isn't known for relics, so an opponent (not deck peaking)
would likely mulligan away removal. At only 2 mana, it's not hard to get equipped while maintaining some
tempo.
It wasn't until this game, where I was looking at a 9/1 armor lurker about to get killed that I thought to check
to see if the relic works on your own creatures.
Conclusion Is this meta? I don't know. Maybe not. BUT, this is what I love about TCGs: discovering something new. To my
knowledge, no one has put this together yet, and even if so, it's still rewarding to have discovered it own
your own. I'm still refining my deck, but I'll probably post it in the next week or so. Just wanted to share this
for now.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/eujbihij
Was a rough weekend. This is one of the few games I managed to win.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/hccchejh
Trying to make hand buff War work. We got off a combo, but still just barely beat Anubian Death.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=kstreet/diunyxvl
I played a lot of different decks this weekend (and I'm not doing well over all), but this deception deck I'm currently
5-0 with. The strength steal cards are clearly busted. War is already in a bad spot, but this deck just completely
shuts him down.