QUOTE (volleyballgy @ November 04, 2007 10:49 pm)
I guess I just disagree about the 2 different paths to victory -- I think the strong attacks of the red deck, along with the highest health in the game, support what I'll call the "death by attrition" PtV. And, really, ATE really does support that PtV as well in that it makes an opponent stay away from Vader unless he has enough defense to play one for every attack of Vader's, thus prolonging the Duel and giving Vader a chance to draw more DD. Then, by the time the opponent does close in, he's about half dead already from the DD and Vader's attacks don't need to cause as much damage. The problem comes against opponents who can't be damaged by those basic attacks (Obi, Mace) or those who can finish Vader off the first time he attacks (Maul). ATE isn't a PtV for me... it's an intimidation factor that makes the opponent stay away from Vader unless they can defend everything. Though I think DSD would be better as an A4, they also support this PtV by (in theory) giving him that extra boost of life to stay alive long enough the one extra turn he might otherwise have died.

20HP just isn't that much at the end of the day. When you're dealing with power attacks in a range of 6-8 , it's only going to take an opponent 3-4 attacks against Vader to win (unless he gets lucky and has both his 1/4 and 2/3, then it will take one or two more attack). So, if the opponent moves in and gets the first two attacks, what's Vader going to do to stop it? Attack twice before the opponent attacks two more times for the win?

With only a 1/4 and a 2/3 the only chance Vader has at winning through an "attrition" path, is if has 10 cards, all the following: 5/1 x4, 4/1, 4/2 x2, DSD x2, 1/4 (or 2/3, or both). It would take you most of the game to draw up to that...and anyone who knows anything about Vader's deck will just move in and attack, attack, attack. Once you've taken Vader down to less than 10HP, his only choice to run and draw.

I think the idealized path you're talking about is one of the two I already mentioned, and ATE helps set that up. But, it's still poorly supported and never works. Even against your Bobas and Jangos....their movement and ranged attacks makes it impossible for Vader to stay adjacent or defend himself. Vader's only chance is against Luke and the Emperor, and that's mainly because both of them are low on attacks and HP (and in Luke's case, defense too). On a lucky draw he *maybe* has a chance against Yoda. Otherwise, he's toast against everyone else. I just don't think a war of attrition path works in this deck. I agree it's trying to be there, but it doesn't work.

Darth Trumpetus...trumpeter of fury.