Tuesday, December 27, 2011

MIXED BAG. TABLE TOP TALES: AURAMONGER DECK. Update. 12/27

TABLE TOP TALES PRESENTS:


AURAMONGER DECK

To check out the original deck configuration, check out this link.


This article serves two purposes: To share the nerd entertainment around with anyone who might find it sorta interest and to keep myself in check. To do the latter, I'll be keeping track of how much I've invested into building my decks (I plan to have at least 2).

So, here we go into discussing my first deck being updated, which includes cards from the following purchases:

Deck Builder's Toolkit. Cost: $17




Intro Pack: 2012 Core Set, Sacred Assault. Cost: $13

4 Booster Packs Cost: $16


Intro Pack: Mirroden Besieged, Battle Cries. Cost: $13


 1 Booster Battle Pack: Cost: $10
Total Expense: $69

Note: Some of these purchases were gifts for Christmas or my Birthday.

So, from these purchases I've built...

AURAMONGER DECK


The deck has gone through about several major reconfigurations and I feel like it is really starting to take shape. I'd love some comments and recommendations from veterans, but keep in mind I am pretty casual.

To check out the cards in my Auramonger Deck, hit "Read More" below.





 Contains 60 Cards.
CREATURES 
(20 Cards: 9 White, 10 Green, 1 Artifacts)
My Guardian Angel.
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? This little beauty's ability makes it extremely precious. Not only is it 5/5 and Flying, it can make another one of my permanents indestructible as long as she is under my control. How can this come into handy? Say I've got a loaded up monster or artifact I need to win- make it indestructible and just work on keeping Aegis Angel alive. Imagine having multiples of this beauty? Make your enemy tear with two angels just to destroy one permanent.

The Honey Badger of my Deck
Deck contains. 4.
Reasons? Aura Gnarlid is half of the formula to my deck. This common card's abilities turn it into a powerhouse! Slapping an aura on another one of your creatures? He gets a +1/+1. Pacifying an enemy monster? He gets a +1/+1. Equip him with Spirit Mantle? Aura Gnarlid doesn't give a poo!

Aura Insurance.
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? Odds are I am gonna lose a monster with some nifty enchantments, especially the Totem Armor ones, or my enemy is gonna ditch one of my Pacificisms or something even more valuable. This card comes into play great near the middle or end of a game to ensure I have always got enchantments in my hand.

See you later, everything that gets in his way.
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? A lot of what I do with this deck is eliminating dangerous monsters and Daggerback Basilisk's Deathtouch makes him a big target from enemies who don't want to lose big monsters to an otherwise mediocre card. I throw him out late and so far he has helped me eliminate some big baddies.

The Footsoldiers.

Deck contains. 2.
Reasons? At a cost of 1 Plains for a 2/1 monster it is hard to beat the practicality and simplicity of Elite Vanguard.

The Last Griffin.
Deck contains. 2.
Reasons? I got a lot of griffins between Sacred Assault and my Deckbuilder but I found Griffin Sentinel to be the best for my deck because: he is cheap Flying, Vigilance creature card that is great for attacking (thanks to his flying ability) and defense (thanks to the fact he is pretty much never tapped and can fly).

SNATCH!
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? This card can help me out if I gotta monster who I know is going to die or am about to lose a useful enchantment. A dandy card really, with decent stats, and flying- I would like to replace one of my griffins with another of these beauties.

Enchant. Draw. Repeat.
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? This is a great card to play. Considering all the enchantments I have in my deck, she can set me up with more cards, and, since I tend to run low in my hand once I start playing enchantments,this enchantress is a great addition to the battlefield mid-game.

The Wall keeps growing!

Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? Walls make a great stall and Overgrown Battlement has the bonus of granting me extra mana in a pinch. With two other defenders in the deck, that mana adds up.

Swings like a butterfly, stings like the Sword of Michael.
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? Flying and Vigilance with 4/4 for 5 mana is nothing to sniff at. Combine it with the other two angels and you have a pretty decent trio for late game swings.

Squirm!

Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? I really love the flexibility of this card in conjunction with my auras.

I don't get how enchanting it makes it fly- but then again who cares! It can fly!

Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? A great artifact creature that gels with my deck and gets +2/+2 and 3 Abilities for one enhancement? This card can be a little bit of a stumper when I am low on mana, but is destroyer and great companion to Aura Gnarlid later on in the game.

Hang up a noose and let loose!
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? A sinister card that can block just about anything save some black cards and red cards. It's useful in three ways: It's massive toughness blocks anything without flying, it's Defender subtype matches up well with Overgrown Battlement and it's tap ability can give me life in a pinch.

Gross.
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? I need some nifty cards that can help me get more mana on the field. He is a card that I would wanna ditch quick to get bigger monsters out for me.

"Fly my pretties!"
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? What's scarier than putting this pretty girl on the field with a couple Aura Gnarlids? Putting Aegis Angel down to make this precious leader card indestructible.


"Watch out for that- ooh! Ah! Ee!"
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? The baby wall of my deck. Couples very well with Overgrown Battlement. Not much to say, but its reach ability helps out in a pinch.

Enchantments, Instants and a Sorcery
(20 Cards: 9 White Aura Enchantments & 1 White Non-Aura Enchantment, 4 Green Aura Enchantments, 5 Green Instants, 1 White Sorcery)


Up and over and under the ribs with a joust!
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? This late game aura is fantastic and I can just imagine the blood curling fear that attaching this to an Aura Gnarlid can inspire. It alone turns him into at least a 3/3 with flying just being attached, but add on mana and it becomes devestating.
 
"Hakuna Matata!" -Lion King
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? Totem Armor and +3/+3? Pinch me! Seriously, if you slap this on Aura Gnarlid he becomes +6/+6 and has Totem Armor- and since I want Aura Gnarlid on the field as long as possible this is a great combo.

For when Pacify isn't enough.
Deck contains. 2.
Reasons? Another aura I can slap on the field that can disable big bads with big bad abilities? Thank you sir, may I have another?

BIGGER, BADDER, BETTER!
Deck contains. 2.
Reasons? This old standard has worked more in my favor than it should...I've yet to play it. But my opponents have incorrectly feared me having the card in my hand on more than one occasion. This card makes your opponents think twice about attacking you as long as you have a card in your hand and a forest mana ready to go.


"Ancestors! Hear my pleas! Help me not to make a fool of me!" -Mulan
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? One plan to attach one aura comes in big handy. I can turn my Elite Vanguard into a 3/3 monster in my second turn.

"No king! No king! Tra-la-la-la-la-la!" -Lion King
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? Another great totem armor with two great advantages; its cheap and grants first strike.

"Bye-bye!"
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? I want more of these. This card isn't an instant but, considering it can exile any enemy creature I don't want to deal with it, it makes up for it by annoying the piss out of my opponents.



Blow a raspberry at the enemy.
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? Now, this card is a nasty piece of work. Attach is to an already beefed up Aura Gnarlid and it would allow me to soak up and destroy enemy creatures with one big creature. This is fantastic for dealing with saporlings and other 0/1 token creatures.

Dust to dust.
Deck contains. 2.
Reasons? This card is pretty damn useful. You see the enemy play something that is gonna piss you off and make things difficult? Play Naturalize and send it to the graveyard. Simple and sweet.

"I like wrestling! But I don't like fighting..." -Billy, Cage
Deck contains. 2.
Reasons? Not only does it disable nasty enemy creatures, it enhances Aura Gnarlid. I like to play it smartly, and play it often.

The metamorphosis begins!
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? A cheap 1/1 aura that gets better the longer it stays on an inactive monster. It's the winery of enchantments.

Recycling is the GREEN way.
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? Sometimes I run into a problem of losing a card I needed to survive. This card is a great, "Nope, I'll be needing that!" kind of card.

What? I don't remember that card?
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? Journey to Nowhere's nastier brother really, this card allows you to permanently remove an artifact or enchantment.This is especially useful against creatures with graveyard related abilities.

The sky is NOT the limit!
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? Another great, cheap Totem Armor that I love attaching to non-flyers. Put this on Aura Gnarlid to stretch his reach.

UNTOUCHABLE-- LIKE A BOSS!
Deck contains. 2.
Reasons? Holy crap! This card wins me matches. Attach it to Aura Gnarlid, or any other monster with big power, and swing away. This is also a great combo for the angels, especially Aegis Angel.

 
LANDS
( 20 Cards: 10 White, 7 Green, and 3 Other)


Deck contains. 7.


Deck contains. 10.


Deck contains. 3.


IDEAL 1st HAND