Deck Philosophy

This is a Midrange–Control hybrid built around Tempo Manipulation, Positional Advantage, and Soft-Control rather than raw aggression or hard lockdown. The deck doesn’t try to end the game quickly; instead, it aims to outscale opponents through board control, flexible answers, and high-impact Unique threats.

Pros & Cons of [[Battlemage]]

Pros:

Highest starting power of any Avatar
Can't be targeted by hard removal spells i.e. ([[Bury]], [[Drown]], [[Disintegrate]])
Great target to hold and keep artifacts due to resiliency
Deceptively beefy when the board is clear and can start attacking sites

Cons:

Weak to direct damage, especially against Charge Minions and damage Spells like [[Firebolts]], [[Arc Lightning]], [[Arcane Barrage]]
Requires mobility from spells to get around the realm, no movement spells = Snailmage
Starts to lose advantage against draw based Avatars by turn 5-6 i.e. [[Sorcerer]], [[Geomancer]], [[Pathfinder]]
Hindered greatly by sites like [[Troll Bridge]], [[Gnome Hollows]], and [[Perilous Bridge]]

SPELLS

ARTIFACTS

[[Aquamarine Core]] and [[Amethyst Core]] allows you to begin moving your [[Battlemage]] earlier due to not tapping as often for Sites. These artifacts accelerate your deck and help with outpacing your opponent and being able to play your 5-6 cost power cards a turn early.

[[Ring of Morrigan]] is still one of the powerhouse staple Uniques of the game. This gives [[Battlemage]] a damage boost and can turn the tempo around immediately upon being played, especially with the Magics that are available within Air and Water. Because you will most likely be around the center of the board or on your opponents side of the realm, you'll be able to ping anything for much needed life gain.

[[Toolbox]] is the way we get to access our Collection. For non-[[Imposter]] decks, [[Toolbox]] is one of the only way Collections can be accessed and are very much another staple in the game now because of how useful the Collection is and being able to have a useful card in almost every matchup and board state.

[[Dank Omphalos]] essentially turns your Avatar into [[Sorcerer]] lite. You get access to another Spellcaster on the board which is a great way to counter [[Sturmgeist]] since it can cast the Spells in your own hand. It replaces itself at the end of your turn via card draw and is similar to [[Morgana le Fay]] but without the Threshold requirement and is also a bit more resilient since it can only be removed via artifact removal. Where you play this Monument is very important since it can only cast Minion spells at it's location but you also want to keep it away from a potential [[Toolbox]] into [[Dispel]], [[Disenchant]], or [[Bury]]. Region based removal such as [[Drown]] and [[Bury]] are cards that can potentially deal with Omphalos's since it would have to cast Minions in the same region. While Omphalos's cannot cast artifacts, artifacts have no element, it is still an amazing card that gets you amazing card advantage on the board and only gets better each turn it stays on the board.

AIR

MINIONS

With [[Ring of Morrigan]] being so strong it's important to get this artifact out as often as possible, and [[Highland Princess]] helps us tutor our favorite 1 cost artifact. While there are 2 other options to take with [[Highland Princess]], you will almost always be grabbing [[Ring of Morrigan]]. [[Bane of Aventis]] at worst is a 4 power bear for 4 mana. At best it can completely flip the board state by stealing your opponent's Ward minions like [[Sacred Stag]] and almost all of the different Order minions from Gothic. Game ending minion when your opponent's deck relies on Ward such as [[Savior]]. [[Hounds of Ondaros]] is a very durable unit because it doesn't die to [[Earthquake]], [[Atlantean Fate]], or other displacement type spells. [[Hounds of Ondaros]] also provides extra utility by revealing nearby Stealth units such as [[Morgana La Fey]] and [[Aino]].

MAGICS

[[Grapple Shot]] is your bread and butter in this deck because it accomplishes your main goals, additional movement and extra damage. Being able to drag your [[Battlemage]] across the board to deal direct damage is great because the struck unit does not strike back and your [[Battlemage]] is free to attack again. You would normally reserve this for extra damage on your opponent, but if using [[Grapple Shot]] as a removal spell keeps you ahead on the board it's better to use it for that purpose. [[Whirling Blades]] is the big brother to [[Grapple Shot]]. It's a great midgame Magic removal spell that can deal with multiple units and get some extra damage in without needing to tap your unit. Next we have [[Browse]]. [[Browse]] is one of Air's strongest spells that will almost guarantee a new useful card in hand. [[Feast for Crows]], another OP card in the right hands. At worst this Spell lets you see your opponents hand and entire Spellbook, which is immense value for only 3 mana, but if you have experience in a plethora of matchups you'll have a higher success rate of naming relevant cards. A great Spell to name against non-[[Imposter]] decks is [[Toolbox]], essentially removing all cards in your opponent's Collection for the rest of the game, a potential 13 card removal spell. Finally we're running one copy of [[Arcane Barrage]]. The deck typically gets above 6-7 mana each game so having a flexible damage Spell that can be used to potentially door your opponent once they're below 10 life is a great option.

AURAS

[[The Black Plague]] is an amazing Minion removal Aura that goes around Regions and Stealth that also rewards being able to displace your opponent's Minions which the deck has many ways to.

WATER

The deck is very Water heavy so most of the cards do similar things or play similar roles

MINIONS

For value minions we're running a few different ones. [[Adept Illusionist]] is probably the strongest turn 2 play you can do in this deck because of the recurring value this minion can provide. It's a Spellcaster so it can cast your position limited Magics, it thins out your deck by grabbing the second copy and being able to summon it nearby, and is an amazing chump blocker when you have the second copy online. [[Polar Explorers]] allows you to set up defensive sites and not commit to the middle of the board too early, and allows you to go around your opponent's defenses. A great minion in this meta where defensive sites are common. [[Aino]] is an amazing 3 cost Minion that has inherent movement and evasion. It's important to play this as early as you can to start getting your damage. [[Lugbog Cat]] at 4-power and the ability to be played on an opponent's water site in this Water heavy meta is a great overrate minion at just 3 mana. Great beater but with many Water decks that don't rely on damage, using sites like [[Thin Ice]], it's important to know when and where to play [[Lugbog Cat]] to be able to get at least 1 instance of damage with it. Next we have [[Order of the Sacred Oak]]. A durable Minion with Ward that provides some much needed protection for your defensive sites. [[Ruler of Thul]] is still your All-Star minion in this deck. It pumps not only your minions but also your [[Battlemage]] +1 power and connects the top and bottom realm for your units only, allowing your units to rush to your opponent's sites/units in their backline. On top of this, [[Ruler of Thul]] has charge. So he provides an immediate benefit in damage, mobility, and buffs. [[Failed Mutation]] gives the deck some better early game being a durable body that can't be targeted or damaged by Magic. [[Sacred Stag]] is another durable Minion meant to stabilize your early game and provide a beefy body that provides favorable trades and potential defense for your Sites.

Now we move on to a few disruption minions. [[Coy Nixie]] is the new queen of Water right now and many times can fully turn off any early aggression your opponent may have if you have an early [[Thin Ice]] on the board. She's also a great unit to break Ward without having to spend a card in hand, and can also be used aggressively forcing your opponent's Avatar to step somewhere you can leverage more damage away from potential blockers. Another disruptor minion is [[Abaddon Succubus]]. She's a great minion when paired with multiple movement type effects you may have on the field and being able to heal and deal damage to minions makes her a great option for removal and much needed life gain. Next for disruption/removal we're running [[Lacuna Entity]]. Amazing tempo Minion that can ignores Regions when pulling weaker Minions and can be used to banish a potentially problematic minion by pulling it into the Void. Great targets are Minions like [[Rasputin]], [[Adept Illusionist]], [[Coy Nixie]], and many more. You can also use it to pull your own Minions so it's a very flexible card. [[Lord of Lies]] is both disruption and high value, being able to provide high bursts of damage and being able to force nearby Units to fight. Great target for [[Whirling Blades]] and [[Grapple Shot]] and potentially being able to get 18 damage. Finally for disruption we're running [[The Green Knight]]. Sturdy Minion with 7 toughness that forces your opponent's Minions to attack it, potentially clearing your opponents board with proper placement.

Finally for some defensive utility we're running [[Archangel Raphael]]. Being able either Strike your opponent's Avatar or Ward your own is amazing value for 5 mana and having a 4 power Airborne minion that also has Ward makes great during the midgame.

MAGICS

[[Pollimorph]] is meant for minions that are harder to kill, i.e. airborne. This spell also banishes the minion and cannot be interacted with later on in the game via [[Deathspeaker]]/[[Pillar of Zeiros]]. Next for some more disruption we have [[Swap]]. Very flexible card to reposition Artifacts and Minions, and also potentially steal [[Toolbox]] or [[Ring of Morrigan]]. Can also be used to reposition an Omphalos, potentially shutting off your opponent's Omphalos since it can only cast Minions while on an Ally Site. [[Plague of Frogs]] is a high value card that provides a myriad of options either with placement, artifact holders, blockers, or even potential attackers with [[Ruler of Thul]]. Another amazing Unique Water Magic the deck runs is [[Mesmerism]] being able to steal an opponent's Minion and swinging the tempo and board state around in your favor. Finally for some AOE removal we're running 2 copies of [[Call of the Sea]]. With the majority of our sites being Water, and utilizing the multiple movement effects of the deck, we'll almost always be able to get full value with this Magic. It also ignores Ward and Stealth so it's a great way to devastate your opponent's board.

AURAS

[[Atlantean Fate]] is arguably still the strongest Water card in the game and is a great finisher card against opponents that keep their Avatars in sites like [[Free City]] or [[Gnome Hollows]]. The threshold conversion from [[Atlantean Fate]] is also a game finisher, but it is important to keep in mind that this Aura only affects Non-Ordinary Sites.

DUAL THRESHOLD

MINIONS

[[Sir Tom Thumb]] is great for a recurring blocker as well as a potential enabler of your [[Thin Ice]]. Sites like [[Mountain Peaks]] allows us to consistently be able to play this Minion on turn 2.

[[Blue Knight]] provides us with lance artifact tokens. These are single use tokens that give the bearer +1 power on their next strike and gives them first strike as well. This is a great combat trick for your minions and especially for [[Battlemage]] because it can help preserve your life and even allow you to still attack the enemy Avatar while you're both at Death's Door. With less [[Vile Imps]] and [[Quarrelsome Kobolds]] being played in main boards, [[Blue Knight]] is in a great position that also doesn't get submerged by [[Thin Ice]] and [[Coy Nixie]].

[[Sir Pelleas]] is possibly our strongest 3 Cost Minion because of it's movement and evasion. Being able to block and attack most of the board is extremely strong and the 4 attack power allows it to trade into most Minions. This paired with [[Floodplain]] can help connect your Body of Water and unlock additional movement.

MAGICS

[[Scatter]] is the main disruption Magic this deck has. I prefer this over [[Swap]] because it has a higher ceiling for disruption being able to push everything at a Location in different directions, including Avatars and even Auras. Possibly the most versatile card in the list because it can be used for some extra movement or even to steal an artifact your opponent is carrying since things are moved one at a time.

SITES

Air

[[Lone Tower]], [[Gothic Tower]], and [[Dark Tower]] provide an additional 1 mana on the turn they are played if it's the only copy among your sites. These sites are amazing with the [[Battlemage]] game plan since you get to play cards ahead of the natural curve of the game. Cutting down on Towers in general to be able to play a few more Air utility sites.

[[Mountain Peaks]] is part of the new series of double Threshold sites Gothic introduced. This helps activate our threshold with less sites required, potential turn 2 [[Cloud City]] and helps the deck feel like [[Elementalist]] at times. It also enables the deck to keep more Water sites in the starting hand.

[[Wuthering Heights]] is probably the strongest Air site in this deck because of how well it synergizes with other defensive sites and disruption effects, and also offers additional movement to our own Minions.

[[Perilous Bridge]] is a great defensive site that can stop aggro in it's tracks and force your opponent to play around it all game. While it also blocks our own Units, Minions like [[Polar Explorers]] and [[Ruler of Thul]] allow us to go very heavy into early defense without sacrificing potential aggression.

[[Cloud City]] is an extremely versatile site that can give you many options throughout the state of the game due to the mobility it can offer. It's also a great Site to hinder [[Enchantress]] decks since it leaves a void in its place once moved.

Water

[[Deep Sea]] similar to [[Mountain Peaks]], allowing a few earlier threshold hungry cards like [[Mesmerism]] and [[Archangel Raphael]] to be played easier.

[[Floodplain]] provides an additional Water threshold if necessary, allowing you to have a low site count and still being able to play those crucial high Water threshold Spells. [[Floodplain]] also creates a threat to any deck that uses burrowed minions, i.e. [[Root Spider]], since it can flood an adjacent site and kill any burrowed minion at that site. We can also use the Flood effect to play [[Lugbog Cat]] atop an Adjacent enemy Site and give our [[Sir Pelleas]] additional options for movement. Paired with [[Deep Sea]], the deck essentially has 6 double Water Threshold Sites.

[[Babbling Brook]] is an amazing Water card from AL. This Site definitely feels like [[Quagmire]] but with a lot more utility because it's able to remove Stealth and Ward from nearby minions. This can also cancel out your opponent's [[Infiltrate]] because it gets cancelled whenever Stealth is removed from the infiltrated minion. This Site also helps with better establishing your next turn and being able to stop your opponent's early aggression.

[[River Rapids]] is similar to [[Wuthering Heights]] because it provides extra synergy with movement as well as being able to push Minions onto an adjacent Site, a great Water Site that can be played up front as a pseudo-defensive Site.

[[Troll Bridge]] is one of the actual defensive Sites that synergizes extremely well with the decks inherent ability to move units on the board. It discourages opponents from playing and moving Units into it, and also provides potential removal during our own turn if we can push an opponent into it.

[[Thin Ice]] is another defensive Site that rewards positioning and disruption and providing extremely efficient removal. This is one of the main forms of Site based removal that you can use to great advantage with Minions like [[Coy Nixie]], Sites like [[Wuthering Heights]] and [[River Rapids]], and Magics like [[Scatter]] and [[Swap]]. You can use your Submerge Minions to activate [[Thin Ice]] at the end of your turn as a form of evasion and removal as well.

Dual Threshold

[[Lighthouse]] is the only Site in the deck that provides Water and Air so they're very important in helping smooth out your threshold requirements during the early turns. Ideally keep one in your starting hand.

Non-Threshold

[[The Void]] is the only non-Threshold Site in this list and acts as another defensive Site that can be used as removal by pushing or pulling your opponent's Minions into it. You can also enter this Site with your Avatar and being protected against attacks from non-Voidwalk minions. Your opponent can also use this Site to their advantage as well, so be wary of having your own Minions being forced into [[The Void]].

Starting Hand Tierlist (Not Legible on Mobile) WIP

S-Tier: A-Tier: B-Tier:

[[Sir Pelleas]] ______________[[Daperyll Vampire]] _____________ [[Magic Missiles]]

[[Polar Explorers]] ______________[[Shrink]]

[[Grapple Shot]] _________________[[Pollimorph]]

[[Gyre Hippogriffs]] ______________[[Screaming Skull]]

[[Ruler of Thul]] _________________[[Questing Beast]]

[[Ring of Morrigan]] ______________[[Disenchant]]

[[Feast for Crows]] _______________[[Blue Knight]]

[[Lugbog Cat]] ___________________[[Atlantean Fate]]

[[Browse]] ______________________[[Sugarplum Pixies]]

[[Highland Princess]] ____________[[Wizard's Den]]

[[Phase Assassin]] _______________[[Cloud City]]

[[Mask of Mayhem]] ______________[[Observatory]]

[[Torshammar Trinket]] __________[[Merlin's Tower]]

[[Pond]] _________________________[[Troll Bridge]]

[[Lookout]]_______________________[[Tactical Move]]

[[Floodplain]]

ANY TOWERS

ANY MULTI THRESHOLD SITES

ANY CORES

The deck is always a work in progress, and as of now this is the current version I play exclusively.

Leave a comment if you have any suggestions and have fun!!!

Scatter the Frog

@Count Tolstoy