TLD: Agent Illiana

Yep, a Tournament LOSING Deck.

I've played this deck a few times casually with moderate success and tweaked some, then I brought it for a tournament. I got 2 VPs and squeaked into the final in 5th place.

By then, I knew the deck wouldn't get far in the final, and it was proven when the guy who beat me heads up the first round was my predator and the guy who beat me heads up in the second round was my prey. My only hope was to survive till time, which I almost did.

So, review the deck if you like, I will follow the decklist with my own comments and questions.


Deck Name: Agent Illiana
Author:
Description:
I am going for a low cost star vampire. My playstyle is very toolboxy, so this deck probably tries to do too much. A little bit of bleed for lunging, deflection and delaying tactics for defense, and rush and poke for soft targets.

Crypt (Capacity min=3 max=7 avg=5.42; 12 cards)
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1x Badger 6 ani pot FOR PRO Gangrel:1
1x Camille Devereux, The Raven 5 ani FOR PRO Gangrel:1
5x Iliana 7 tha DOM FOR PRO Gangrel:2
2x Ramona 4 for pro Gangrel:2
2x Ramona ADV 4 for pro Gangrel:2
1x Ricki Van Demsi 3 for pro Gangrel:1

Library (88 cards)
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Master (14 cards)
2x Agent of Power
3x Blood Doll
2x Ecoterrorists
1x Gangrel Revel
1x Giant's Blood
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Perfectionist
2x Wider View
1x Zoo Hunting Ground

Action (20 cards)
2x Ambush
2x Bum's Rush
1x Force of Will
3x Govern the Unaligned
3x Graverobbing
2x Harass
2x Rapid Healing
2x Restoration
3x Rutor's Hand

Retainer (2 cards)
2x Homunculus

Action Modifier (15 cards)
2x Conditioning
2x Earth Control
9x Freak Drive
2x Mirror Walk

Reaction (13 cards)
7x Deflection
2x Delaying Tactics
4x Wake with Evening's Freshness

Combat (23 cards)
4x Claws of the Dead
4x Form of the Ghost
2x Rolling with the Punches
3x Skin of Night
2x Skin of Rock
2x Skin of Steel
2x Unflinching Persistence
4x Wolf Claws

Combo (1 cards)
1x Rapid Change

Created with Secret Library v0.9.3. (Feb 21, 2012 22:05:20)


First, I felt I didn't have enough bleed, and I didn't get to use Rapid Healing or Restoration. So I think I should dump those for a couple more Conditionings and/or Govern the Unaligned.

Second, I only saw a Rutor's Hand late in the second round, I don't think I got to use one in the first or final rounds. Perhaps I would have done better if I had seen it? But I'm not sure it's worth adding another one or two.

Third, I was able to make use of the rush and poke (followed by Diablarie) and I was able to Graverob a couple times in the tournament, so I felt that was pretty successful.

My main problem was card flow. I was expecting more combat, so my combat cards got jammed. I am hesitant to remove many, but I need to improve card flow.

Questions:
Should I keep the deck and tweak it? or just scrap it content with its moderate success?

What should I do to increase card flow? Toss in a Barrens, Dreams of the Sphinx and/or Fragment of the Book of Nod? Maybe throw in a few intercept or rush actions to get into combat more?

For bleeding, what would be better, some more dominate cards? Or should I throw in some +bleed retainers/equipment for more consistent bleeds?

Is there something I missed as far as a card that would fit in, or do you see something in my deck that has to go?

You've inspired me to do a merge between your deck and Proteolicious .

My version was rather infective in fast environments.
But alas, everything is better with Dominate.

I think the Dominate angle is fine, but the Thaumaturgy angle is trying to push it a bit too hard.

-2 Agent of Power
+2 Dominate

* I know you're working a combo and fun discipline angle here...but...it's a combo and fun discipline.
-3 Rutor's Hand
-2 Rapid Healing
-2 Mirror Walk


* Trade up for a little political power and Dominate
+1 Gangrel Justicar (always a fan of this)
+2 Govern the Unaligned
+4 Conditioning

* Slightly better reaction capability
-2 Wake with Evening's Freshness
+2 On the Qui Vive

* Less toolbox fighting and more push my actions through...
-1 Skin of Night
-1 Form of the Ghost
+2 Form of Mist

Flavor's mostly the same, but no THA and more DOM.

Thanks for the input, I hear ya Jeff on taking out the Thaum, and including the Form of Mist. (Form of Mist is a no-brainer, but then again I always miss something obvious!)

However, the advantage to Agent of Power is that it's a Trifle and the versatility. If I don't see Rutor's Hand, I generally give Badger Dominate.

The way I build decks I tend to value versatility highly. If Illiana has Rutor's Hand, I could give one to Badger or Ramona. Or if I have a rush in my hand, I can give Chandler fortitude, or I can give Ramona superior Protean.

The advantage to Dominate skill cards is that it increases the potential payload for bleeds beyond the one turn, and it gives me more minions that can deflect. Strictly by the numbers, Dominate skill cards are the better choice.

My deck is 88 cards, and considering Wider View and Agent of Power are trifles, I could consider simply adding one or two Dominate masters.

I threw in the Mirror Walk because protean stealth costs blood, but even still it may not be worth the card slot. However I maintain that Rutor's Hand is, even if I can't pull it off at superior.

How many Dual Forms do you own? Those can sometimes be better than Rutor's Hand. Do you dare risk taking the Rutor's Hand action at inferior anyway and rescue your own vampire?

If you keep Rutor's Hand, consider adding 1-2 Pieter. One of my favorite cards is Seal of Veddartha and he can use it as well as Badger. Also, add 1x Thaumaturgy skill card and just make sure it happens.

If you're really into flexibility, there's always Sanguine Instruction to tool up your smaller vampires with DOM, FOR, PRO, or (possibly) THA.

Hi Edward!

Having been one of the guys you mentioned in your opening statement, I also agree that you need Dominate skill cards.

I chose you as my prey because I knew that you had no intercept in your deck and not much demonstrated bounce or untap. Your Fortitude prevention is great for casual games around here since there is so much beating up going on. I guess there is less dedicated combat at tournaments. Since I had played against your deck, I knew it was pointless to ever have my minion with a gun get into combat with your vamps since you would just prevent and thus cycle that card.