War/War/Wiz party - how to update for new maps?

Here's the party I've been playing. I went up a bit with it but started quite low, so don't expect too much from this deck.

The concept is quite simple:
- One mobile fighter to take VPs and chase wizards
- One heavy hitter fighter to take out enemy warriors and clerics
- A wizard focused on debuff, mobility and ranged damage

The last maps had lots of difficult terrain and water, so I equipped flights and teleports. It doesn't look like they'll be that necessary on the new map, except for the bridge when the opponent spams walls.

Any ideas?

You'll notice that I didn't spend a lot of major tokens on weapons. The simple reason is that I had to build with the equipment I have, not the one I want. It did free the space for some utility though.

TL;DR: Here they are. Bonus points if you can guess where the names are from.


Tyres
Level 8 Human Warrior

Polished Plancon​

Powerful Sword​

Rageblood Dagger​

Emperor's Plate​

Chilled Buckler​

Helmet Of Thorns​

Marmot Boots​

Novice Command​

Sharp Bashing​

​

1 x War Cry​

1 x Cautious Sneak​

1 x Shuffle​

1 x Stab​

1 x Obliterating Bludgeon​

1 x Run, Team!​

1 x Wild Run​

3 x Puncturing Stab​

1 x Blind Rage​

1 x Impaler​

1 x Icy Block​

1 x Penetrating Cut​

1 x Spiked Mail​

1 x Bruiser​

1 x Solid Mail​

3 x Powerful Hack​

1 x Raging Strike​

2 x Arrogant Armor​

1 x Parry​

1 x Desperate Block​

1 x Dash​

4 x Vicious Thrust​

1 x Ouch!​

2 x Potent Stab​

1 x Dancing Cut​

1 x Vulnerable​

1 x Able Bludgeon​

​

Hammerhead
Level 8 Human Warrior

Warrior's Mace​

Infused Greatclub​

Hefty Stout Club​

Golden Splint Mail​

Pentagon Shield​

Welk's Helm​

Goblin-hide Boots​

Superb Tactics​

Novice Bruising​

​

1 x Fumble​

1 x Sprint​

1 x Quick Reactions​

2 x Thick Hide Armor​

2 x Lunging Hack​

1 x Dynamic Armor​

1 x Able Bludgeon​

1 x Muscle Through​

2 x Bruiser​

1 x Hard To Pin Down​

1 x Thickened Mail​

2 x Desperate Block​

2 x Obliterating Bludgeon​

1 x Hit The Deck​

1 x Flight Aura​

1 x Inspirational Thinking​

1 x Unreliable Block​

1 x Strong Bash​

6 x Bludgeon​

2 x Mighty Bludgeon​

3 x Trained Bludgeon​

1 x Strong Bludgeon​

1 x Parry​

​

Gambon
Level 8 Human Wizard

Counterblast Staff​

Sorcerery Staff​

Locket Of The Gale​

Axander's Twisted Circlet​

Cinnabar Ring​

Booming Ring​

Ochre Robes​

Winged Moccasins​

Perfect Command​

Electroporter Initiate​

​

2 x Winds Of War​

1 x Jarring Block​

2 x Unstable Bolt​

1 x Sorcerous Bolt​

1 x Little Zap​

2 x Short Perplexing Ray​

1 x Flanking Move​

2 x Counterspell​

1 x Dash, Team!​

1 x Run, Team!​

2 x Path Of Knives​

1 x Surging Blast​

4 x Sorcerous Blast​

1 x Big Zap​

1 x Flight Aura​

1 x Force Bolt​

1 x Ember Spray​

1 x Boiling Armor​

1 x Sprint​

1 x Devastating Spark​

1 x Resistant Hide​

1 x Spark Generator​

1 x Brain Burn​

1 x Improved Telekinesis​

1 x Dissolve Armor​

1 x Spin Around​

1 x Officer's Harness​

1 x Teleport Self​

​

 

Bonus point Claimed!

Spoiler

Top Gear, UK, the original and the best

I would be using a human/dwarf control wizard. Because wow is also awesome for team movement.
Swap out the staff for a Pearwood Staff if you are not afraid of fright



Circe
Level 20 Human Wizard

Frosty Staff​

​

​

Trembling Staff​

Locket Of The Gale​

Wand Of Seared Air​

Wand Of Seared Air​

Locket Of The Gale​

Robe Of Lightness​

Azure Boots​

Perfect Command​

Electroporter Novice​

​

2 x Ember Spray​

1 x Spark Generator​

1 x Spark Inductor​

1 x Combustible​

1 x Mighty Spark​

2 x Frost Jolt​

1 x Flanking Move​

2 x Hot Spot​

1 x Cloth Armor​

1 x Dangerous Maneuver​

1 x Dash, Team!​

1 x Chilling Rime​

2 x Cone Of Cold​

2 x Hover​

1 x Dimensional Traveller​

2 x Vulnerable​

6 x Winds Of War​

2 x Flame Jet​

1 x Cold Snap​

1 x Run, Team!​

2 x Wall Of Fire​

1 x Hard To Pin Down​

1 x Quick Step​

​

 

Congrats

Yeah... No.

Maybe I'm being needlessly contrarian but I've decided to build my Wizard completely against the trend.
I call it the Out of Control Wizard.

- No dwarf
- No Whirlwinds
- No terrain effects (ok, one Stone Spikes, but I'll swap that one out when I find a good replacement for the Glowing Mirror)
- No WoWs and Path of Knives
- No cold damage and no encumbrance
- No cycles, traits, attachments or drawbacks (except the required 1), no Electroporter Novice
- No Firestorm

Ok, so what does the Wizard do?

- Mobility and team moves (8 cards)
- Card sniping (7 cards)
- Straight damage (13 cards, 61 damage total)
- Blocks (3 cards)

The token distribution is weird too - just one blue token total on arcane items. With 3 uncommons, 4 rares and 3 epics it's a bit hard to copy, although some items can be replaced with alternatives (mainly the non-token items and the boots). The key item really is the Ironwood Staff of the Magus.

Gambon
Level 8 Human Wizard

Counterblast Staff​

Ironwood Staff Of The Magus​

Simin's Glowing Mirror​

Axander's Twisted Circlet​

Befuddling Stone​

Citrine Amulet​

Ochre Robes​

Rhood's Boots​

Perfect Command​

Electroporter Initiate​

​

1 x Little Zap​

4 x Short Perplexing Ray​

1 x Penetrating Bolt​

1 x Nimble Strike​

1 x Spark Generator​

1 x Desperate Block​

1 x Team Run​

1 x Zap​

1 x Stone Spikes​

3 x Big Zap​

1 x Officer's Harness​

1 x Teleport Self​

1 x Wild Run​

1 x Rushing Aura​

1 x Maze​

1 x Jarring Block​

3 x Counterspell​

1 x Parry​

1 x Force Bolt​

2 x Sorcerous Blast​

1 x Devastating Spark​

1 x Run, Team!​

1 x Surging Blast​

1 x Surging Bolt​

1 x Dash, Team!​

1 x Resistant Hide​

1 x Obliterating Spark​

1 x Flanking Move​

​

I have no idea how this build would work out in high-rank MP but where I am it's quite fast, effective and fun to play.

 

I would be amazed if that worked well in high-rank MP. I don't think it would work well in low-rank MP either.

The problem is that you have a lot of very weak cards and not enough traits. This means you will get those bad draws with nothing but zaps, while the enemy warrior is hitting you in the back with 17 damage. You also lack control cards which is a death sentence to any wizard. Bottom line is that direct damage wizards are currently weak. There are some situations where they work pretty well, but they are very inconsistent, and most warriors will walk through any lame zapping wizard with no control cards. Your best chance is against other wizards because you pack 3 x Counterspell, but I don't think that is enough, and it makes even more vulnerable against melee teams.

Also, if you want to go "completely against the trend", you need to drop those Short Perplexing Rays because they are one of the top-3 trendiest cards atm.

 

At the current rate I'm at least 2-3 months play time away from high MP ranks so I'll reconsider then

As for enemy warriors hitting me in the back - I'm not too worried about it. I'm not playing triple Wizards. This is a War/War/Wiz team - my guy has two strong bodyguards.

Worst case is that enemies who focus on chasing my Wizard give me room to chase down their squishies. I've won a few matches where I've killed the enemy cleric and wizard while the warrior was distracted by my Wizard. If I have SPR and a block card, I stand a chance. I expect my Wiz to take 1-2 hits, he's not supposed to finish the fight at full hp.

Yeah, the best use for the zaps is drawing blocks / checking for armor. Force Bolt is underrated if you consider that you can also push your own team. Weak cards may not win games but there is always a use for them.
I might look through my stuff, maybe I find some items with drawbacks that won't completely screw me over.

I like using Counterspell against clerics to snipe enemy healing and buffs. Unless you fight triple warrior or you've killed the non-warriors already, you'll always have a target for counterspell. Range 8 also makes it easier to use. As a bonus, it also works as a Missile Block in a pinch. I really like that card, maybe I'll add a fourth somewhere.

Hey, I'm contrarian, not stupid

 

Ok. Although I don't think having warriors as bodyguards is a viable strategy unless you plan on balling up in the corner. There are so many ways to go around those warriors that wizards are most of the time pretty much left on their own. At least that's what my experience has been, and I've played 100+ MP matches with a step-attacking "Mage Hunter" warrior.

Sure. Every card has its use at some point, but that doesn't necessarily mean you should use that card in your deck.

I think that Force Bolt is underrated for a reason: it pretty much sucks most of the time. It's great in some situations but almost useless in others. I try to look for more consistency, as in cards that perform well in many different situations. Force Bolt is definitely not that card. It's much better to make some bigger changes and go for WoW instead. You get double the amount of targets, triple the amount of movement, and you get to move them in any direction.

 

Yeah, I die pretty horribly against 3xdwarf control
Problem is you can't outdraw 3 control wiz with winds of war.

I do like ironwood staff. Next idea. mass frenzy/imp nim priest. step war. smoke wizard