I'm trying to build a Control Mage deck with Big Spell Mage characteristics without Dragon's Fury. My problem is that I would like to cut 2 card draws in and can't decide which is better. Acolyte of Pain or Arcane Intellect?
The first one gives you a little board at the beginning and you can trade it into small tokens. Moreover you have an option to ping it. If I choose the spell it would guarantee 2 cards immediately, but sometimes the deck can't afford to play it against aggro.
I feel that Acolyte is better, but I'm curious what are your thoughts. :)
You need to read the name of your deck and then think very carefully about Arcane Intellect, really really slowly buddy, don't you see a problem there?
The reason I'm coming up with this is the amount of aggro Paladins I face. It would be a "techish" card against them. Currently I don't have a better idea to make my early game more consistent but still let me draw some cards. My chances are not that bad, but still...
@Mackie264: I believe it's a valid question without Dragon's Fury and the problems I described above. Or I misunderstood you.
Run Arcane Int. You’re guaranteed two cards. Acolyte at 1 attack - who cares? Acolyte could get silenced, or cleared in one turn and then you spent 3 for 1 or possibly no cards.
Lastly spending 2 to draw 1 card is just silly. And also consider it’s damaged now too. So it could get executed, healed by a priest and that gives your opponent a card if Northshire is on the board
Not all mages that run arcane intellect also run acolytes, but all mages that run acolyte also run arcane intellect (because those are draw heavy combo decks). The only exception is where arcane intellect has negative synergy with the deck in Dragon's fury. Arcane intellect is the strictly more powerful draw card
I feel that Elise the Trailblazer is maybe an overkill. Without her the deck would allow me to take a Primordial Glyph in. Also Dragoncaller Alanna can be too much, but I feel that I need an extra threat. That's why I say it's not a classic Control build.
Hey,
I'm trying to build a Control Mage deck with Big Spell Mage characteristics without Dragon's Fury. My problem is that I would like to cut 2 card draws in and can't decide which is better. Acolyte of Pain or Arcane Intellect?
The first one gives you a little board at the beginning and you can trade it into small tokens. Moreover you have an option to ping it. If I choose the spell it would guarantee 2 cards immediately, but sometimes the deck can't afford to play it against aggro.
I feel that Acolyte is better, but I'm curious what are your thoughts. :)
You need to read the name of your deck and then think very carefully about Arcane Intellect, really really slowly buddy, don't you see a problem there?
That's true, thanks for the response.
The reason I'm coming up with this is the amount of aggro Paladins I face. It would be a "techish" card against them. Currently I don't have a better idea to make my early game more consistent but still let me draw some cards. My chances are not that bad, but still...
@Mackie264: I believe it's a valid question without Dragon's Fury and the problems I described above. Or I misunderstood you.
Run Arcane Int. You’re guaranteed two cards. Acolyte at 1 attack - who cares? Acolyte could get silenced, or cleared in one turn and then you spent 3 for 1 or possibly no cards.
Lastly spending 2 to draw 1 card is just silly. And also consider it’s damaged now too. So it could get executed, healed by a priest and that gives your opponent a card if Northshire is on the board
Not all mages that run arcane intellect also run acolytes, but all mages that run acolyte also run arcane intellect (because those are draw heavy combo decks). The only exception is where arcane intellect has negative synergy with the deck in Dragon's fury. Arcane intellect is the strictly more powerful draw card
Legend with : S65 Freeze Mage, S57 Maly Gonk Druid, S57 "Okay" Shaman, S53 Boom-zooka Hunter, S53 Maly Tog Druid, S52 Wild Tog Druid ft.Blingtron, S50 Quest Rogue, S49 Dead Man's Warrior, S41 Wild Clown Fiesta Druid, S41 Hadronox Jade Druid, S40 Wild OTK Dragon Druid, S35 SMOrc Shaman, S33 Jade Druid, S22 Control Priest, S19 Control Priest
Do you run Raven Familiar? 1 or 2? What spells are you running (because #of cheap spells matters)?
If you don't have Raven Familiars, use AI. Also throw in Glyphs of course.
Currently this is the build, doing quite good at Rank 5-4.
# 2x (1) Arcane Artificer
# 1x (2) Bloodmage Thalnos
# 2x (2) Doomsayer
# 2x (2) Plated Beetle
# 1x (2) Pyros
# 2x (3) Arcane Intellect
# 2x (3) Stonehill Defender
# 2x (3) Voodoo Doll
# 1x (3) Zola the Gorgon
# 2x (4) Polymorph
# 1x (5) Elise the Trailblazer
# 2x (6) Blizzard
# 1x (6) Meteor
# 1x (7) Baron Geddon
# 2x (7) Flamestrike
# 1x (8) Sindragosa
# 1x (8) The Lich King
# 1x (9) Dragoncaller Alanna
# 1x (9) Frost Lich Jaina
# 2x (12) Mountain Giant
I feel that Elise the Trailblazer is maybe an overkill. Without her the deck would allow me to take a Primordial Glyph in. Also Dragoncaller Alanna can be too much, but I feel that I need an extra threat. That's why I say it's not a classic Control build.
Zola the Gorgon is questionable too, but I really like its value against control (Mountain Giant, Elise the Trailblazer, Frozen Champion, Stonehill Defender, Pyros...). I mean, its very flexible.
Anyway, you can see my deck above, I'm open to any suggestions. :) Thanks for the help!
edit: Not the Naxxramas' Frozen Champion, but Sindragosa's.