I came across a new light list with a decent win rate, so I've been trying it out. It's been pretty effective against the sleep meta in Diamond and Mythic while also having enough reactivity to hold it's own against aggro opponents. The gameplay vid today is actually a mirror match where I win going second.
Let's have a look.
Here's a version of the deck that's been played a lot.
Deck Code:
GU_1_3_CDFCDFKCyKCyKABKABCBNCBNKALKALHAFHAFKDQKDQCFfCFfCFYBAqBAqBGKBGKBEXBEXKDfICkICkKAYICjICjCBM
The keys to this deck
Pyramid Warden makes this particular deck expensive, but here's the deck I'm running in the video:
Deck Code:
GU_1_3_CDFCDFBCYBCYCABCABKABKABKALKALHAFHAFKDQKDQCFfCFfCFYCFYBAqBAqBGKBGKKDfICkICkKAYICjICjICbCBM
Don't let the win rate scare you. After playing 6-7 games with the deck I decided to buy a second holy writ. Then the next three games were mirror matches! (including the video). As you can see, without PW, this is a very cheap deck. Easy to earn these cards through daily play.
Other modifications:
If you can afford the PWs, then I think that tips the scales back in favor of Gleamweaver. Then that might tip the scales back in favor of Ritual Rod, but I still think 4 mystics is not enough. Also consider that playing Gleamweaver + Rod turn 1 defeats the purpose of having gleamweaver in the deck in the first place.
Earlier modifications I tried:
I tried replacing relics with these:
These are better (IMO) against against control decks, but I found that we already had enough anti-control tools. Instead, the relics help a lot against aggro. The idea is to build up 1 drops + buff in hand and then drop all at once. The relics buy us time for that against aggro.
As mentioned, my most successful games were when I could play 2-3 1 drops in a single turn + something like Holy Writ. A valuable lesson learned: don't get greedy and try to wait until 5-6 minions are on board. If you have 3 on the board and a buff in hand: play it!
Another valuable lesson: keep Madame Denholme hidden as long as humanly possible. Only commit her to attack when sealing the game or when desperately trying to avoid a loss. Against aggro opponents, she provides near-infinite value. Control opponents will have ways to deal with her unless you can get a buff off first.
Another important key to this deck is to understand how the buffs work:
This means that playing Radiant Dawn early isn't ideal. If that's all you have, fine, but don't hold it in the mulligan.
Going first, it's a standard aggro playbook: get creatures on board. Ideally ones hard to remove (ward/protected). In the mulligan, I would look for 2 1 drops + Holy Writ. If I have Madame in hand, I'm playing her asap. She starts generating value, but also, I want to get a buff on her before a board wipe can take her out. Against magic, you may get punished with Tracking Bolt + Spell Boost.
Going second, it depends on what your opponent does, but you can afford to build up creatures in hand and dump them all at once. That way, they can't use their early mana to deal with your creatures 1 or 2 at a time.
Sleep starts becoming really painful at 4-5-6 mana against Death and Deception. This is when you want your Radiant Dawns. Your warded creatures are also immune to the first sleep. Nothing feels better than waking up your full board and going face to win!
Going first relics are great turn 1 plays. So are 1 drops + buff. A single 1 drop is going to get eaten by Imp/Tavernbrawler/Axewoman/Boar/etc. You really want to play two cards turn 1. It almost doesn't matter what they are. The healing from cudgel lets you trade early with zero fear.
Going second, you want archers, axewomen, and extortionists. If I only have 1 more card to replace and I have 2 reactive cards + a cudgel, I'd probably keep the cudgel. You don't want a 4 mana buff or Asterius. This deck can win going second against aggro. You have to flip board and then you're hoping to have a buff ready to go.
Madame Denholme also helps a lot with aggro. Clearing out there 3/1 imp for example is fantastic. Even if you have to give them some favor with the trades, it's worth it to flip board. You can also go face immediately with the 1/1s to gain favor of your own. Importantly, aggro decks don't have answers to Denholme. Nature does, but with a wide board you can play around most of them.
I wanted to record a game and ended up with 4 aggro light mirror matches in a row. I thought this was a good example of winning going second. My opponent is also playing nearly the exact same deck, so it's like two gameplay vids in one.
Just looking for as much reactivity as possible. He plays the sad Ritual Rod. 2/2 with no effect. Cudgel would have been better. Just sayin'.
I play Axewoman + Benefactor knowing I can play the exact same combo the next turn.
And just like that, we have board and are winning. The only thing we don't have is a Holy Writ. Also, since our opponent is playing the same deck, we do still have to worry about levies.
This is what makes the game interesting. He has the same reactive cards we do, so is able to flip back. Not something light is known for. We play to stay a bit ahead on board and then refill our hand.
Denholme is a problem for us. A big one. One the bright side, it demonstrates her value in the deck!
I draw holy writ, which is huge, but I need to make sure I don't help out my opponent. I eventually decide that, since I can't answer Denholmeat 1/2, making her 1/6 changes nothing. I clear his 1/1s and play my buff. I opt for the relic hate from sanctum. Mainly because I know we each have another relic. This may have been a misplay. Playing my own cards and then getting Vow for card draw was probably smarter.
Our opponent makes a terrible mistake. Consider the 1 extra card draw from sern compared to 1/1s every turn for the rest of the game. That 1/1 could have gone face and then he has the 3/3 frontline from sanctum to play. For all he knows, I have a levy in hand waiting to ruin his whole life.
Sadly, I don't. So I focus the threats one at a time. I take our Sern first, which was a mistake. There's no more heal/draw coming meanwhile Denholme will keep spitting out 1/1s that can get hit with buffs like Asterius. I should have taken her out first. Luckily, we don't get punished.
They do an admiral job of pruning our board, but I'm able to clear Denholme. Thank god for that archer!
Note that we are both hyper aggro decks, but at 5.5 mana we are each still at 26 health. That's how the light mirror goes. Board first then face.
Radiant Dawn + clear his board is game.
