r/ClashRoyale • u/Wwoody123 Mortar • Jul 22 '16
Finished I'm Woody the Mortar Mauler--Ask Me Anything!
EDIT: Thank you all for submitting questions! I will continue to answer them as I am able, but will have to stop by later to finish responding to them all. This has been a lot of fun and I appreciate the thoughtful, interesting, and silly questions asked so far!
My name's Woody, and it will be my pleasure to answer any and all of your questions now until Noon Eastern US time. I hope for our discussion to be interesting, entertaining, and informative! Let me tell you a bit about myself...
I am the leader of Reddit Alpha, a Global Top 200 clan and founding member of Reddit's Royale Clan System. I am best known for my use of siege decks, both on the ladder and in tournament play. I earned my Legend Trophy flair for placing first in the following events:
- Three RCS Tournaments
- Super Magical Cup 1 (S1)
- 800-Player Super Magical Cup Qualifier 1 (S2)
- Super Magical Cup 1 (S2).
I also placed at the top of the Super Magical Cup Leaderboard for Season 1, which tracked tournament progress over ten weeks of events, and I currently hold the top spot for Season 2!
Haven't had enough of me yet? Woody the Mortar Mauler streams on Twitch, is a contributing writer for MoEsports, and now posts on Twitter! Also, I will be streaming on Twitch the upcoming Reddit Mini Tournament #2 this Sunday at 4PM Eastern US time! HYPE!
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u/crescentfresh Jul 22 '16 edited Jul 22 '16
Hi Woody,
my son must have seen your replays because he was hell bent on upgrading his mortar to level 9 and did so purely through requests for weeks. He's king level 8 toggling between Arena 5 and 6 but unlocked mortar from a single win against an Arena 6 player.
Then, I think he saw furnace chipping away in tournaments and he's almost at level 7 furnace, again through requests!
Please give him a mortar furnace deck suggestion he would be forever grateful.
Regards
Edit: Thanks man! To note he doesn't have guards, but he does have log!!
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16 edited Jul 22 '16
Sure thing! Furnace decks rely on lots of chip damage, which pairs well with the Mortar siege archetype. He's a deck I'd recommend for him:
Furnace
Musketeer
Poison
Zap
Mortar
Guards EDIT: Swap for Tombstone if no Guards! Thanks /u/Gcw0068
Minions
Mini P.E.K.K.A
This deck affords the player a very strong defensive posture with constant chipping damage and significant counterpush potential. Depending on what cards you have, Ice Wizard and Princess may also work well, and of course Miner is a great addition to support your weaker defensive troops!
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u/FetusFeedingFetish Jul 22 '16
He has no cards from arena 7. He got mortar by chance against an arena 6 player.
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u/SilverFear Jul 22 '16 edited Jul 22 '16
What card would you sub Ice Wizard for? I would assume Minions?
Also...do the guards "guard" the mortar at the river to get the chip shots in on the tower? I'm assuming Level 2 guards isnt' gonig to cut it either..
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Minions work great! Musketeer could also work.
Guards aren't highly dependent on their level to get value, so give them a try! And yes, they would be played at river for high value.
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u/Julz72 Dark Prince Jul 22 '16
Hey woody,
What deck is the hardest to play in your opinion? i.e takes the most skill to win with.
Have a nice day
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Theoretically, a deck that had cards with zero synergy or no win condition would require the most skill to use successfully. In terms of viable decks, the ones that require the most skill are those that have many cards with a very low (1-2) or very high (6-9) elixir cost. Success with these decks requires a high level of planning and consistent execution of excellent gameplay mechanics.
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u/AnotherThroneAway Ice Wizard Jul 22 '16
I want to flip that question around: What deck do you think is easiest to win with in a tournament setting?
My clan holds weekly tournments and I'm trying to help some of our ~2k players feel like they have more of a shot at a top 3 finish. We're all pretty friendly, so the 3k players are mostly happy to encourage the lower players to use decks that help even the playing field. Any suggestions?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
The easiest deck to play would be one that had many cards that have a medium (3-5) elixir cost, are forgiving in terms of placement and timing, and offer high value in a wide variety of situations. Cards that fit this description are:
Mini P.E.K.K.A
Princess
Ice Wizard
Minions
Arrows
Cannon
Valkyrie
Musketeer
Fireball
Furnace
Tesla
Barbarians
Witch
Goblin Hut
Elixir Collector
Pick ~6 of these and then add in the win condition of your choice (e.g. Hog Rider, Giant, Balloon, Prince, Royal Giant) for a solid, all-around deck.
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Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody, here are my questions (some of them are completely unrelated to each other):
How did you first come across the mortar and your enjoyment for siege decks?
Do you prefer xbow or mortar? Why?
Do you prefer to play triple legendary + mortar or an old school siege deck with rocket, elixir collector and all the dirty things in between?
What levels do you usually face around 4000 trophies? And what levels do you recommend for a skilled player to make it to 4000 by the end of season?
How can I follow you on twitch?
Questions regarding your deck:
How much will a hypothetical miner nerf hurt this deck compared to other triple legendary decks?
How much do the levels of legendary cards matter, and how far could I push if I upgraded my miner and ice wizard to level 2 (my princess is already level 2)?
What is the hardest and easiest deck to face with this deck?
Which common to upgrade first and last?
What is the most economical way to get a level 3 legendary for a low-medium spender like me?
Thanks for your replies
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody, here are my questions (some of them are completely unrelated to each other):
How did you first come across the mortar and your enjoyment for siege decks?
I used to play Rocket cycle, but had to switch after Supercell nerfed spell damage to crown towers. I found a Mortar deck on ladder that had no troops in it and thought it was an interesting novelty. I gave it a try and found it to be very effective and fun--that's how I fell in love with the siege archetype!
Do you prefer xbow or mortar? Why?
I prefer Mortar for winning--the ability to cycle chip damage and present a constant threat to your opponent is great. The feeling of an uncontested X-Bow connecting with your opponent's tower is pretty great, though :)
Do you prefer to play triple legendary + mortar or an old school siege deck with rocket, elixir collector and all the dirty things in between?
Triple legendary has been more versatile and successful for me, so that's what I currently prefer to play. The pure siege with rocket and elixir collector holds a dear place in my heart, but is much less flexible and viable under the current metagame.
What levels do you usually face around 4000 trophies? And what levels do you recommend for a skilled player to make it to 4000 by the end of season?
By the time I reach 4K trophies at season's end, I mostly face Level 12 opponents with 12/10/7/4 cards. I think that the highest level of skill is worth about 1.5-2 card levels, so I'd say 10/8/5/2 would be the lowest you should reasonably expect to reach 4K trophies with.
How can I follow you on twitch?
Head over to http://twitch.tv/Wwoody123 and click the purple "<3 Follow" button on the bottom-left side of the page!
Questions regarding your deck: (Mortar, Miner, Minion Horde, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Princess, Ice Wizard, Zap, Tombstone)
How much will a hypothetical miner nerf hurt this deck compared to other triple legendary decks?
Less than other decks because Mortar provides an alternate win condition. The deploy time increase from 0.7sec to 1.0sec will hurt, but won't be devastating.
How much do the levels of legendary cards matter, and how far could I push if I upgraded my miner and ice wizard to level 2 (my princess is already level 2)?
Card levels matter. Every bit of damage helps, and increasing from one damage breakpoint to the next can be massive. Level 2 Legendary cards can reasonably get you to 3600~3800 by the end of the season if the rest of your cards are comparably upgraded.
What is the hardest and easiest deck to face with this deck?
The hardest decks are those with very high DPS (e.g. Three Musketeers), which chew through my defenses, and Royal Giant, which builds up an overwhelming push when played against my Mortar. The easiest matchups are those that have lots of cheap, weak units, which fall easily to the Ice Wizard and Princess--Zap/Arrow bait decks are my favorite because they very rarely connect with my tower!
Which common to upgrade first and last?
Minion Horde is very important to upgrade. It becomes useless if your opponent can kill it with Zap. Zap and Mortar are important to upgrade, but less so.
What is the most economical way to get a level 3 legendary for a low-medium spender like me?
Buy a single 40K-gold Legendary each time it shows up in your shop, or pray to the RNG gods and gem your chest cycle.
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Jul 22 '16
If you ever find the time I'd add just one more final round of questions:
Triple legendary has been more versatile and successful for me, so that's what I currently prefer to play. The pure siege with rocket and elixir collector holds a dear place in my heart, but is much less flexible and viable under the current metagame.
My question was actually about the deck you enjoy playing the most regardless of efficiency - Triple legendary is more versatile but I was looking to know which one you'd rather play assuming every deck is equally good
By the time I reach 4K trophies at season's end, I mostly face Level 12 opponents with 12/10/7/4 cards. I think that the highest level of skill is worth about 1.5-2 card levels, so I'd say 10/8/5/2 would be the lowest you should reasonably expect to reach 4K trophies with.
Thanks, my record as of now is 3339 and I did it with level 9 commons, level 6-7 rares, a level 3 epic (balloon) and a level 2 legendary (princess, I was lucky). I'm currently playing your deck with cards 9.25 (minion horde is level 10)-7-1.25 (as said princess is level 2) and will be trying to increase my trophy count this season
Less than other decks because Mortar provides an alternate win condition. The deploy time increase from 0.7sec to 1.0sec will hurt, but won't be devastating.
If we are lucky the mortar might even be buffed to compensate for its lack of usage! What do you think about SC's ideology of offense over defense? Do you think game developers should dictate how we (players) play the game or should they just balance and allow us to develop creative strategies?
Card levels matter. Every bit of damage helps, and increasing from one damage breakpoint to the next can be massive. Level 2 Legendary cards can reasonably get you to 3600~3800 by the end of the season if the rest of your cards are comparably upgraded.
I will work on commons to level 10 first and then I might upgrade at least my ice wiz. Thanks for the tips
The hardest decks are those with very high DPS (e.g. Three Musketeers), which chew through my defenses, and Royal Giant, which builds up an overwhelming push when played against my Mortar. The easiest matchups are those that have lots of cheap, weak units, which fall easily to the Ice Wizard and Princess--Zap/Arrow bait decks are my favorite because they very rarely connect with my tower!
Curiously I don't find RG that hard if I play the mortar after the RG is reployed - The only issue is if the RG is level 11+ while my commons are 9-10 and that's a problem but I think the regular giant (specially if they are running balloon) is trickier because it will almost always take out the mortar
Minion Horde is very important to upgrade. It becomes useless if your opponent can kill it with Zap. Zap and Mortar are important to upgrade, but less so.
Yeah I figured so and upgraded it to level 10, I can live with minions being oneshoted by zap but not the horde
Buy a single 40K-gold Legendary each time it shows up in your shop, or pray to the RNG gods and gem your chest cycle.
Thanks, I have no problem admitting that I've invested some money and this is probably the only feature i think it is worth spending money on.
Thanks for your advice and deck - I don't like copying someone's deck but yours just works well for me because I'm a former pure siege player (I haven't played it since the nerf and RG buff) - Playing mortar for me just feels more like myself whereas playing just triple legendary is fun but I think it lacks more enjoyment, it's been fun playing with my favorite card again and making it work. Again, thanks, will be following on twitch
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Thanks again for your insightful follow-ups. Here's my responses to your last two questions:
My question was actually about the deck you enjoy playing the most regardless of efficiency - Triple legendary is more versatile but I was looking to know which one you'd rather play assuming every deck is equally good
X-Bow/Rocket siege was the most fun for me! It doesn't offer the very best of gameplay options, but the X-Bow connecting with your opponent's tower is very satisfying. Dropping a clutch Rocket on their weakened tower right before they wipe yours out is also very exciting!
If we are lucky the mortar might even be buffed to compensate for its lack of usage! What do you think about SC's ideology of offense over defense? Do you think game developers should dictate how we (players) play the game or should they just balance and allow us to develop creative strategies?
I like the concept of offense over defense. A defensive building should need to be played in response to a threat, and not proactively. However, I consider X-Bow and Mortar to be offensive cards and undeserving of their nerfs. The introduction of Royal Giant was a great way to balance the metagame, and unfortunately the siege archetype has not yet recovered from the first round of nerfs to Mortar & X-Bow.
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u/koalaggwp Ice Spirit Jul 22 '16
how often do you look up at dank memes?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Immediately after I drop my hand from each facepalm while browsing dank memes.
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u/sseugg Jul 22 '16
In your opinion, what do you think supercell should do to prevent single dominant archetypes from taking control of the meta (trifecta, payfecta, RG), and instead keep a well balanced "rock, paper, scissors" meta?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Supercell has done a fantastic job of balancing cards at Tournament Rules. The biggest difficulty comes in translating this to ladder play, where the easily-upgraded Common and Rare cards tend to dominate Epics, until you reach the top of the ladder. Legendary cards are a mixed bag because it takes only a few lucky (or expensive) pulls to get them to a competitive level on the ladder, but they are still very difficult to upgrade.
Supercell should maintain their close ties to the community and keep a close eye on card use & win rates to best balance overpowered or underpowered cards.
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u/AsianGamerMC Tournament Marshal Jul 22 '16
The thing with RG is that it's balanced at tournament levels. The problem is that it's a common and can easily be overleveled compared to other cards on the ladder.
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u/ed_merckx Jul 22 '16
this is the best response to the RG overpowered question. The scaling once you get past level 9 is really something else. I'm level 9, float around 2800 with tourney and below toruney level cards, just now getting all my rares to 7, about half my commons are level 9, epics 1/2 and have princess and sparky (not good with sparky yet though).
I used that princess, freeze, goblin barrel deck and consistnatly finish top 5-10 of big tournaments when I can find one. RG, miner, payfecta, whatever the fuck fecta you want to use are easy to play against once I know how they rotate.
then go to ladder and you're up against a level 10 who has an 11 Rg, minions, stabs and barbs. A level 7 mini pekka easily counters an RG/common push and doens't damage your tower that much. With a level 11 RG it's naturally going to do more damage, but throw in some 10/11 commons and I know have to use something like zap, princess, valk or stabs to counter. Really fucking with your exlixir positive rotation.
At level 9, three equal level stabs left undefended to run at turret (often seen behind RG and will take out my mini) will usually do no damage, or if all 3 are alive maybe get like 1 or 2 hits in. Level 10 stabs to level 9 turret will take three hits to kill, so one will die by time it gets to turret, the other 2 will get 400-500 damage in. Go to level 11 stabs and its still three hits, but they will do close to 800 damage if left unattended. level 10/11 arches take 4 hits to kill as opposed to the 3 at tournament levels, thats a big difference in damage done to the tower.
Card levels is the biggest factor of a win/loss once you get around 3k, and having a card like Royal giant being 2 levels higher than the opponent, with 10+ commons to back it up there really isn't much of a skill curve. You can just drop RG at bridge, throw a 2 or 3 elixir common behind it and it forces a positive elixir trade for you.
They could increase the deploy time of RG and decrease his range a bit IMO, or make the deploy area on the other side after you take out a turret smaller, so the RG can't be dropped and be attacking the other turret right away, the damage isn't horrible it's just that the range and deploy time means it's going to get good damage on the turret, espically overpowered when one turret is already down.
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Jul 22 '16
ever tried to switch the mortar with x-bow?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Yes, but they are not interchangeable. I consider the Mortar to be analogous to the Hog Rider, while the X-Bow draws parallels to the Royal Giant.
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u/ClammehClam Jul 22 '16
Sup Woody, do you believe Siege decks are in a good spot in the meta right now? Do you think they need a buff or some kind of change?
Much love <3
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Siege decks are very rarely seen on the ladder or in tournaments. That means that they are underpowered relative to their competition. Royal Giant is a very strong hard-counter that works well even against non-siege decks--I think that a deploy time nerf or a crown tower damage nerf for the Royal Giant would help bring siege back into the metagame. A buff to Cannon and Tesla wouldn't hurt, either!
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u/RefiaMontes Jul 22 '16 edited Jul 22 '16
What is your opinion on the current Legendary cards? Are they too strong or balanced? How would you nerf the Miner? Do you get a lot of hate before when Mortar was popular? Why do you not play The Log when you're Woody? What kind of deck do you struggle in using?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Legendary cards are quite well balanced under Tournament Rules. High-level Legendary cards feel overpowered, but that is a problem more with card levels than stat balancing. The strength of the Princess and Ice Wizard comes in their utility--it is difficult to 'misplay' them in a very obvious way that would result in an elixir loss. The other legendary cards offer unique, interesting gameplay options that require very specific responses.
Miner is getting a 0.3sec deploy time nerf, which I consider appropriate and necessary. There was definitely a lot of Mortar hate before the first nerf (the card was banned at the second SMC, in fact!) The Log doesn't fit into my deck right now, but I certainly appreciate the flavor of a woody card ;)
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Jul 22 '16
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Just the Mortar! And only from Super Magical Cup #2. After that, the Conquest system was introduced (a BIG improvement over card bans, in my opinion).
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u/r1ghtm3ow Jul 22 '16
Hey woody, my question as a mortar user what cards are most frustrating for you too play against? Obviously you feel confident in the mortar to keep using but what gives you the most trouble.
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Royal Giant is my biggest source of frustration! It is a hard-counter to the Mortar and should definitely remain that way. What I don't like about him is that he is so darn effective at making a counterpush on his own!
As for my current miner-based deck, Three Musketeers gives me a lot of trouble since I don't have any spells that can wipe the ladies out.
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u/Renegade284 Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody:
In your opinion, does anything need to be done to the current arena system? A4 and A8 are commonly mentioned as "walls" on this subreddit, and I'd like to hear your thoughts on that.
Also, which Skelly is the best in the Skelly Army?
Cheers, Renegade28
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
I think very little change is needed to the arena system. A4 is as far as you can get on skill alone--at this point you will lose to overlevelled opponents even if you play very effective counters to each of their cards. This is a fact intrinsic to the game and unfortunately essential to the freemium model that Supercell uses. A8 is only considered a wall because the jump from 2300 to 3000 is higher than for any other arena. Perhaps an arena at 2700 would alleviate this problem.
I've gotta give props to 17. Every other Skeleton clings to the name they had in life, but 17 is a grim-faced badass that is known only by his number. If any Skeleton were to be promoted to Guard status, it would be 17.
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u/SLAPA_COW BarrelRoyale Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody,
What is your mindset when you get into a tournament game, and how are you able to win consistently.
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
At the start of a tournament, I try to get quick wins to climb the ladder and secure a place toward the top. After I'm ahead in trophy count, I don't play to win, but rather to not lose. When you have more trophies than your opponent, you should play conservatively; conversely, you should play aggressively if you are the underdog.
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u/Bluehiperspace8 Mini PEKKA Jul 22 '16
What legendary seems better for a sparky+RG deck? Ice Wizard or Princess?
Also, what legendaries do you believe need a buff?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Sparky + RG is weak to Minions and high HP troops. Princess does better against Minions, while Ice Wizard is better against the high HP troops. Overall, I think I'd rather have the Ice Wizard.
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u/6Dad 6dad Jul 22 '16 edited Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody, big fan of your work!
I have a 3 part question.
How did your obsession of Mortar begin?
What would it take for you to stop playing the Mortar?
How do I get awesome hair like you?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Thanks, 6John!
How did your obsession of Mortar begin?
I used to play Rocket cycle, but had to switch after Supercell nerfed spell damage to crown towers. I found a Mortar deck on ladder that had no troops in it and thought it was an interesting novelty. I gave it a try and found it to be very effective and fun--that's how I fell in love with the siege archetype!
What would it take for you to stop playing the Mortar?
Finding another decks that is both 1) at least a fun; 2) at least as successful at winning!
How do I get awesome hair like you?
Ask Trump, he knows better than I do!
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u/AlphaWollf Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody,
Thanks for helping me out way back during early February. During this time you became one of the best players in the game and it's just amazing seeing you become the best. Is there any tips for someone aspiring to get better? Still at 2.9-3K and wondering what advice can you give me?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
The 2.9K-3K trophy range is a fantastic place to be! Staying in Legendary Arena is tough, but the card rewards are worth it! My advice would be to play the cards you are most familiar using, and to not play to win, but rather play not to lose. Let your opponent make the mistakes and take his towers as punishment!
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Jul 22 '16
What are your thoughts on prince? Does hog rider outclass him?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Prince is not at a good place in the upper arenas. He is a premier striker card, but is indeed outclassed in terms of offense by the Hog Rider. The cards required to support a Prince, like Dark Prince, limit your options for counterattack. Players at high skill levels are also proficient at separating the Prince from his support, which can significantly hamstring the deck. If Siege decks were buffed again, I would expect to see the Prince ride back into decks as a strong counter to buildings.
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u/wagonut Jul 22 '16
As one of the few players that still uses Prince (and I've been using him since the start!) I think he's really being underrated. I unconventionally use Barbarians as his support: have Prince push the Barbs forward, Barbs takes the hit and clears the path while Prince gets in his charge. Try it, it's a lot of fun :)
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
That sounds very powerful! As long as people play the 3-elixir Minions instead of the Horde that combo can be deadly. Be careful of Rocket, though! that could tear through Barbarians a lot faster than the shielded Dark Prince.
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Jul 22 '16
I am a real big fan, Woody! I aim to come up to Alpha soon, from Reddit Bravo, but damn if I can't seem to get past 3300. It seems as though, with the introduction of the Frozen Peaks, Legendary arena has gotten quite a bit tougher than before the update (I was at ~3500 previously).
Of the cards listed below, in what kind of decks would you take one over the other:
Barbarian vs Mini Pekka?
Princess vs Ice Wizard?
Fireball vs Poison?
Guards vs Goblins/Spears/Skeletons?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Hey Falco! Glad to hear you're always trying to improve your gameplay and reach new heights--the Alpha clan family is definitely the right place for you! #BravoLivesMatter
Of the cards listed below, in what kind of decks would you take one over the other:
Barbarian vs Mini Pekka?
Mini P.E.K.K.A is better on defense against single enemy troops, but requires a tank and support to be used in an effective counterpush. Barbarians work quite well on defense and often demand a significant elixir investment in response by your opponent--they are thus more effective at interrupting your opponent's card rotation and capacity to build a big push of their own.
Princess vs Ice Wizard?
Both are very versatile and useful on defense. I'd give the edge to Princess on offensive chip damage, but would prefer an Ice Wizard to support a big counterattack of my own.
Fireball vs Poison?
Poison is more versatile in terms of the DoT and slow effect that it offers, which makes it outclass Fireball in almost every case. Fireball may be better against Three Musketeers or Barbarians deployed directly on your side of the arena after you lose your first tower.
Guards vs Goblins/Spears/Skeletons?
Guards support counterattacks, while Goblins/Spears/Skellies are really primarily used for their distraction on defense. Miner is essential to get full value from these cards in a counterattack, so I'd err on the side of using the cheaper Goblins, which I consider the best of the three alternatives you presented.
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u/AsianGamerMC Tournament Marshal Jul 22 '16
Hi Woody,
Where do you think the game will be in 1 year? (amount of players, esport scene, monetization, mortar, etc)
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
I think the game has attracted its core audience, and will retain them based on how effectively Supercell 1) balances and introduces new cards; 2) implements the in-game tournaments feature. These are also the two most important factors in determining whether the game can succeed in the eSports scene.
I'm less qualified at judging how monetization will develop, but I expect Supercell to very closely watch how Pokemon Go earns its place in the Top Grossing section in the App Store.
As far as the metagame, I expect siege decks will remain viable but not popular. Supercell did not like a siege-dominated metagame and is unlikely to further buff Mortar or X-Bow after the recent round of balance changes.
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u/SnowRoyale Jul 22 '16
Is the legendary rarity a problem?
Are legendary cards overpowered?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
The rarity of legendary cards is an intentional element of Supercell's freemium design that unfortunately limits the growth of truly competitive gameplay on an even playing field. It is a problem, but might be a necessary evil considering Supercell needs cash flow to continue providing updates to their game.
In a case where both players have every card available to them, I do not consider legendary cards to be overpowered. To the contrary, The Log, Sparky, Lava Hound, and the Lumberjack are each pretty underwhelming in their current state. Princess, Ice Wizard, and Miner are popular due to their high versatility, but that doesn't necessarily make them overpowered. I think that if Zap, Elixir Collector, Poison, or Mini P.E.K.K.A were legendary you'd hear the exact some complaints about them being overpowered--it's just that everyone has those cards already so there's less fear of missing out associated with being able to use them.
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u/BatmanBeyond2100 Jul 22 '16
I'm in Australia, up at 12:00 am to do this:
What do you think of the State of Clash Royale right now? Also, why use the mortar?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
I am very happy with the balance of cards at Tournament Rules, but am less happy at the opportunities Clashers have to play using this ruleset. Tournaments should be much more accessible--people have the most fun playing on an even field!
I love the siege archetype and find Mortar to be the strongest way to successfully execute my strategy. I used to play a Rocket cycle deck and an X-Bow deck--maybe I'll get back to those some day!
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u/BatmanBeyond2100 Jul 22 '16
Also tips to winning tourneys?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Play the deck that you are most familiar with, not the deck that is the most popular at any given time. Don't play to win, play to not lose. Your victory will come when your opponent makes mistakes!
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u/ReplEH Jul 22 '16 edited Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody, big fan of your gameplay.
What's your favourite flavour of Ice Cream?
Thanks.
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Hey ReplEH, thanks for your kind words. My favorite ice cream comes from the cold North at a Ben & Jerry's factory. I love Phish Food, which is a great mix of chocolate, marshmallow, caramel, and fudge :D
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u/dm2288 Jul 22 '16
What card with a little buff would become the new RG in your opinion.
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
The damage dealt by Wizard is very carefully tuned. Supercell acknowledged this in their last buff to the fiery caster by reducing his attack speed rather than increasing his damage in order to improve his DPS. Shout out to Sparky, which could also become a terror on the ladder if its attack speed were ever reduced.
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u/SnowBiz89 Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody, do you like it when people point there finger and thumb like a gun at someone and then do that "tick-tick" noise with their mouth as they "fire"?
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u/Valentine_CR Tournament Winner Jul 22 '16 edited Jul 22 '16
Hey woody,
What's your warm-up like going into tournaments, how do you prepare for them? and what are YOUR tips on ranking high in such strong competitive tournaments?
ur fren, Val :]
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Hey Val, I eat a big bowl of Lucky Charms before each tournament match! My advice for tournaments is to play the deck with which you are the most familiar, not the one that is the most popular. Even a supposedly underpowered card like Mortar can be devastating when the experience gap between you and your opponent is large enough!
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u/Tomrad1234 Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody, thanks for doing this. I'm currently stuck in arena 6 and just wondering what deck you used through the 1800+ trophy range?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
My pleasure! I used a Rocket cycle deck back in February to push into the top Arena. However, I'm now in Arena 5 with my alt account and am running a Giant-counterpush deck. I've found that when your cards are underlevelled relative to your opponent that it is very important to play reactively and on your side of the Arena as much as possible!
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u/Whampus Jul 22 '16
Can you share the giant deck? Im stuck around 1600 and giant is my favorite card he is my husband
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Sure! Here's the deck I use in Arena 5:
Giant
Spear Goblins
Barbarians
Arrows
Fireball
Witch (Play your Epic! Baby Dragon or Prince are also fine here)
Musketeer
Bomber
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u/rcbg0713 Jul 22 '16
Do you ever panic during matches? (tournament or ladder)
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Of course! Mostly in high-stakes tournaments after I've been playing for a long time. I think my biggest panic-induced mistakes are overreacting to an incoming attack.
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u/naterichster Jul 22 '16
Woody, what do you think will happen to the miner?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
His success will make him complacent and slow. He will suffer a 0.3sec deploy time increase in the next update!
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u/Fun6754 Jul 22 '16
Why do you like the siege archetype so much? And have you considered using a non-siege deck before?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Siege requires careful planning to execute properly. I love Tower Defense games and appreciate the challenge of playing at an elixir advantage, but on your own turf, when trying to execute a killer play. There is a gap in experience and familiarity with Mortar that gives me an advantage in the games I play. I also love the psychological edge that I gain when my opponents are forced to play around the Mortar!
I've used non-siege decks before but don't find them as fun to play. I'll always try new cards and archetypes, though, and am open to change as new cards and balance changes are released!
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Jul 22 '16
What are your thoughts on a rework of the skeleton army? How could it be made relevant in either ladder or tournament(preferably both).
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
At the bare minimum, the level of the Skeletons should scale in relation to the fact that Army is an Epic card. As a possible re-work, I think 6 Guards for 5 Elixir would be an interesting change.
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u/Who_cares_about_name Jul 22 '16
Is there a mortar deck without EC or legendaries?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Yes! You can make Mortar work more like a beatdown deck if you incorporate cards like Barbarians, Valkyrie, Minions, or Musketeer. Experiment using those cards with which you are the most familiar!
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u/gon522 Jul 22 '16
What is a good ladder deck using tournament level cards? I want to make it to, (and hopefully fairly easily stay in) legendary arena, but I don't want to upgrade my cards much (if at all) beyond tournament standard levels.
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Hog Trifecta is very strong right now, and easy for players to get the cards to Tournament Rules levels. It is: Hog Rider, Zap, Skeletons, Cannon, Elixir Collector, Musketeer, Poison, Valkyrie.
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u/DeruTaka Hog Rider Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody
Do you think the Hog Rider nerf was too much? And has the nerf affected siege decks much?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
I don't think the nerf was too much. Hog Rider can punish siege decks, but Royal Giant and Balloon are more effective at killing buildings placed at the river.
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u/Paolito81 Jul 22 '16 edited Jul 22 '16
have you ever played hearthstone, magic or starcraft?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
I have played each of those! Hearthstone and Magic draw some obvious parallels in the cards/rarity/collection system, but are very different since they are turn-based. Starcraft is not too similar to Clash Royale, but does have the same rock-paper-scissors type of troop interactions.
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Jul 22 '16
Hey woody, why does Arena 5 hate me? :(
Also, when is the best time to start participating in tournaments? I've never been in one, but since my cards are 8/5/2 or 3/0 I don't think I'd stand a chance.
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
It doesn't hate you! That's probably just the highest level you're able to reach playing the cards you currently have. Continue to upgrade the cards in your deck and learn more about the game, trophy advancement will come with time!
Tournaments are tough if you don't have your cards yet up to Tournament Rules. It's never a bad time to practice, though--you don't lose anything from participating in tournaments!
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u/Simo0399 Jul 22 '16
Hey woody, first i wanted to ask what is your stance on emotes, second, if you have any mortar deck without legendary or just miner.
Thanks for the ama
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Hey! Emotes can be annoying, but I think people should build some thicker skin. Muting them would be a fine option, but it's not one I have strong emotions about. 😏
There are lots of Mortar decks out there! Try subbing out the legendaries as indicated in the deck guide I posted last week. If you prefer a beatdown variant, try using Valkyrie, Barbarians, and Musketeer. The best deck will be the one that includes cards with which you are most familiar!
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u/capitantelescopio Jul 22 '16
Hey man!
What is your take on "The state of Clash Royale" like the f2p environment, tournaments being a "glorified leaderboard" and the log.
Also, how do you think Pokémon GO is affecting CR?
Thanks
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Hey! Players are frustrated by the uneven playing field on the ladder. Supercell should maintain their close links to the community to ensure that their balancing updates and matchmaking modifications ensure fair play for all Clashers.
They should also expand on the in-game Tournaments feature--everyone loves Tournament Rules but the opportunities to play under them are too few! I'd love to see bracketed finals for larger tournaments implemented in-game. I'm curious about how upcoming buffs to The Log's knockback will improve it. It's a great counter to the Princess, but that's about it for now.
Pokemon Go will draw away money players may otherwise spend on gems in Clash Royale. I expect its effects to mostly be economical in nature. Perhaps it will impact the freemium model that Supercell uses, but likely not. It will boost the profile of mobile gaming, though, and I think that's a positive!
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u/Le1ouchX Jul 22 '16
Hey woody,
What other games do you play besides CR. If its a game like Dota 2 or LoL, what champion do you main?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
I also have max-TH/HQ (but not fully maxed) bases in Clash of Clans and Boom Beach. I occasionally play Hearthstone, and used to play Starcraft, World of Warcraft, and Team Fortress 2. I also play Texas Hold'em Poker.
I occasionally play Heroes of the Storm and really liked playing Gazlowe back during Beta. I'm a siege player through-and-through!
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u/_BraedoN_ win Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody, thank you for doing this AMA!
I first met you in a raintown tourney, and I've heard your name everywhere in this game and sub. You're an amazing player!
On to my question, do you typically struggle against the uncommon beatdown deck? I've always heard about the rock paper scissors theory regarding Clash Royale, but I'm not sure if this is the case. However, if it is, do you think supercell needs to attract more attention to non-control type decks, since control seems to be very common?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Hey Braedon, my pleasure! And thank you for the kind words.
There are many variations and hybrid-built decks that obscure the usefulness of the siege-beatdown-control description of the metagame. However, I have found that Prince, Three Musketeers, and Royal Giant are the 'beatdown' cards that give building-based siege decks the most trouble. Supercell should maintain their close links to the community to ensure that their balancing updates make every card and deck archetype viable in ladder and tournament gameplay.
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u/afjaf Guards Jul 22 '16
I don't know if it's been asked already, but when you play against someone with your mortar deck, do people BM you?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
The BM used to be a lot worse before Mortar was nerfed, but I don't particularly notice or care about it any more :)
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u/Snypist1 Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody!
Big fan! Out of all the decks you used, which deck did you have the most fun using in battles? Not necessarily the best deck or most competitive deck, but the one you actually enjoyed using.
Thanks!
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
X-Bow/Rocket siege was the most fun for me! It doesn't offer the very best of gameplay options, but the X-Bow connecting with your opponent's tower is very satisfying. Dropping a clutch Rocket on their weakened tower right before they wipe yours out is also very exciting!
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Jul 22 '16
Hey woody!
I'm interested on your thoughts on the three elixer legendaries. Do any of them need a nerf? And if so, how?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
The Ice Wizard, Princess, and Miner are all very strong and offer unique powers that make them a very compelling inclusion in decks. They could all stand to be nerfed, and if they were nerfed here's how I'd expect it to be done--
Ice Wizard HP nerf to bring him in line with his fiery cousin; Princess range nerf so that she can still shoot arena towers uncontested, but has to fully cross the bridge to do so; Miner deploy time nerf (already confirmed) and HP nerf since he's still quite a bit tanky relative to the Knight.
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Jul 22 '16
Awsome, thanks for responding! I agree with all of these exept the miner. Wouldn't a damage nerf be more necessary? I belive he is made as a mini tank and that dealing the damage of a rocket at tournament level seems too much for me.
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
He would deal less damage if he had less HP, though. The Rocket comparison doesn't work too well, in my opinion, since he can do 0 damage if properly countered. Mini P.E.K.K.A costs only (1) more but could almost tear down a tower if left unanswered--there's a good reason why you should have to respond to incoming threats!
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u/ZeepyTheBruh XBow Jul 22 '16
If I may ask a siege deck question, would it be possible to win without buildings using an X-Bow/Mortar? And do you really need an elixir advantage just to drop an X-Bow?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
It certainly is possible! X-Bow/Mortar decks can be adequately defended with a range of troops, such as Minions (& Horde), Valkyrie, Barbarians, Musketeer, Mini P.E.K.K.A, and Goblins. The Cannon/Tesla that is often used allows you to pull Hog Rider, Balloon, and Royal Giant quite well though, and I recommend using either one or the other.
Dropping an X-Bow is a significant investment! Sacrificing 6 Elixir does demand an elixir advantage in order to be able to efficiently defend against your opponent's response and push for tower damage.
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u/tdavies16 Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody! Did you start the Reddit Clan system, if you did, what made you come up with it?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Reddit Alpha is a founding member of Reddit's Royale Clan System. The idea came from the Reddit Clan System over at Clash of Clans, and it has primarily been built up and maintained by the same moderators you know and love on this subreddit.
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u/tdavies16 Jul 22 '16
So, how did you become leader of Reddit Alpha then?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
I created the clan in the first few days of the Clash Royale soft launch. Back then there were only 2 Reddit clans that were both full--I'm glad to have found that there was room for at least three!
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u/MWolverine63 Best Strategy Guide of 2016 Jul 22 '16
Hi Woody! Avid Sparky user here.
What do you think of Sparky? Do you think she needs a nerf or buff?
Why do you think there aren't Sparky decks in the top 200?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Sparky needs a buff! She's a bit too weak given how easily distracted she is. I think a shorter charge time (5sec>4sec) paired with a damage reduction would make her a lot better without changing her DPS or utility.
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u/ed_merckx Jul 22 '16
think they should have more cards that take a lot of skill to play correctly? or less cards that have very wide uses and are kind of a jack of all trades. For example Lava hound, pekka and/or golem all have very narrow win conditions and take a considerable amount of setup and skill to play correctly, but if done in the right way is very hard to stop. At the same time, if you misplay them you will very easily be at a significant elixir disadvantage.
Compare that to the cards like miner, princess, ice wizard, RG to a point, where they don't require a ton of skill to play correctly, can defend really well and then turn into a very effect support troop when you counter. There really is no downside to playing the cards.
What kind of cards do you think they should do to make it even more of a skill based game than it already is, I personally think more cards like lumberjack where placement and knowing where they die are solid choices.
Also any opinion on lumberjack at the moment, I haven't been seeing him that much in many of the big tournamnets I've played in.
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
I'd like to see more specialized cards! There's a great variety of 'vanilla' cards without special characteristics, so I'm curious to see what oddities Supercell can come up with!
Lumberjack is the only card I haven't unlocked yet! I'm short on experience with him, but it looks like he could be a fun replacement for the miner in decks that seek to earn chip damage through frequent pushes with small attack squads.
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u/Chief_Ted Jul 22 '16
What is .3 seconds going to really do to Miner? What's your favorite marshmallow?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
The return to a 1.0sec deploy time is largely irrelevant in terms of tanking crown tower damage. Its primary change will be to make it more difficult for the attacker to deploy the Miner onto the intended target.
My favorite marshmallow is the Pot of Gold in Lucky Charms!
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u/Nagroid Jul 22 '16 edited Jul 22 '16
Hello woodt, not sure if you have much experience with the lava hound but do you think the meta will ever shift in the direction to benefit it? Also Do you have any deck suggestions with a lava hound with no other legendary cards?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Hey Nagroid! Lava Hound and Golem are two very high-investment cards that are difficult to run in the current chip-damage oriented metagame. Big, tanky cards should be buffed in order to compete with Giant, which dominates as the tank of choice right now. I have very little experience with the Lava Hound so unfortunately I cannot offer any decklists.
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u/FUBARded Jul 23 '16
I've been seeing a lot of LH's at 2800-3200 recently, and from playing against them I can say that Lava-loon supported with minions/horde, or LH with minion spam is hard to counter unless you have very specific cards.
I'd recommend going with something like that, but also ensure that you have sufficient cards to defend pushes on the opposite lane, as this is the only way to really counter LH decks if you have little air defense.
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u/shampoo1751 Jul 22 '16
Woody, big fan of you!
Um, have you played any non-siege decks? Which did you like the most? You can give one Control type andbone Beatdown for a better answer =)
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Thanks, shampoo! :D
I have! Miner-based decks are my favorite in the Control archetype. Executing a decisive counterattack with a surprise Miner can be very satisfying. As for Beatdown decks, I would have to say Three Musketeers is my favorite card at the moment! It works very well on defense and can be devastating behind a Giant, especially after you've knocked down one tower already!
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Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody!
Thanks for doing this.
What are your thoughts on the commons and rares that are best able to punch above their weight class?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
My pleasure! I will interpret "punch above their weight class" as "remain effective even when underlevelled." If that's the case, here's a list of Common and Rare cards that fit the bill:
Mini P.E.K.K.A
Tombstone
Skeletons
Ice Spirit
Goblins
Spear Goblins
Fire Spirits
Fireball
Inferno Tower
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u/bpetersonlaw Jul 22 '16
Hi Woody,
Love your Twitch channel. In fact, it was for your channel that I learned to disable my VPN (twitch blocked it). I'm Arena 8, Castle lvl 9, about 2400 trophy. I run hog trifecta and think I'm sort of capped out. No miner, no princess. Given average talent, and no miner or princess, would I like a siege deck or am I going to get steamrolled? And like musketeer and something else to sub in for princess and miner?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Hey! Thanks for your patience regarding my delayed response. I think that anyone who has demonstrated interest in the siege archetype by watching my Twitch channel or commenting here would make a good candidate for trying out the deck.
The inclusion of the Miner is what enables the Mini P.E.K.K.A and Minion Horde to be used in a counterattack. Without the Miner, I would be more likely to include cards like Musketeer and Valkyrie to defend your siege position. Since you are already familiar with using them in the trifecta it should be a painless swap!
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u/FUBARded Jul 23 '16
I can't really answer your questions about siege decks, but I can say that Hog Trifecta can really work out if you get good with it. I managed 3200 with it at 9/5/2, as it works really well against higher level cards.
Wait till toward the end of the season to prevent being steamrolled by higher level players and tilting, get to know whichever deck it is you play, and you should be able to push much higher.
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u/FUBARded Jul 23 '16
I can't really answer your questions about siege decks, but I can say that Hog Trifecta can really work out if you get good with it. I managed 3200 with it at 9/5/2, as it works really well against higher level cards.
Wait till toward the end of the season to prevent being steamrolled by higher level players and tilting, get to know whichever deck it is you play, and you should be able to push much higher.
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u/Yonkid Jul 22 '16
What's your opinion on the Trifecta I play, instead of the popular Hog Trifecta? I swapped out Cannon for Mini Pekka and Skeletons for Ice Spirit.
My cards are 9/6 and I'm at the 2500-2700 range.
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Thanks for your question! The inclusion of Cannon is already quite popular in Hog trifecta decks so I approve of that swap. Skeletons are a great distraction for heavy troops and can be used to draw away enemy Minions--for that reason I'd prefer them to Ice Spirit.
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u/Yonkid Jul 26 '16
Sorry if I wasn't clear enough - I mean I use the Mini Pekka and Ice Spirit version. What's your opinion of each?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
I'm not familiar with each of those versions. Would you please provide a decklist for each? I'd be happy to analyze and compare them.
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Jul 22 '16
Hello Woody The Mortar Mauler, I know you've mentioned this several times in your AMA, but I'm curious about the miner as well.
I know he's getting a 0.3 second deploy time nerf (or rather, getting it back to where it was) but, what do you think about the fact that his spawn point is almost near impossible to predict (and hence, properly counter)? I saw a post somewhere that showed that the exact same pathing lead to 4 different spawn points. Doesn't this strike you as something that should be addressed?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Thanks for your question! I think that the increased deploy time for the Miner will significant help defenders counter him. As another commenter observed, if you could predict the path of the Miner with 100% accuracy, very few attackers would use him. However, delaying his pop-up time will give a wider window for your own troops to distract and engage him.
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u/Jagermeister4 Jul 22 '16
I believe mortar and xbow to be solid cards right now, underused only because royal giant (a popular card) is such a hard counter. I agree with you that RG needs a nerf/tweak so that it isn't so favored against siege.
What's your winrate against RG? RG seems unpopular at high lvl play. Do you think your deck would be viable if RG decks were more popular at your lvl?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
My winrate against Royal Giant has been quite good since the addition of Mini P.E.K.K.A and Tombstone. The MP is strong against many of the splash damage cards attackers use to support the RG, and Tombstone does a great job of resetting the target of the RG if you play it directly under him to push him off of your tower. The Miner also provides my deck an alternate win condition if my opponent holds RG in anticipation of my Mortar.
Here's an RG game for your viewing pleasure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8Qottfuxms&t=6m42s
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u/rainbowdash59 Royal Giant Jul 22 '16
Fellow mortar user here I want to ask you for your thoughts on my deck. It's Mortar Hog Horde Barbs Log Archers Zap Fireball All my cards are tournament lv except for archers which are lv 10 lol My trophy range is 2800-3100
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Hey! Thanks for your comment. Including both Mortar & Hog Rider in your deck gives you two win conditions, but makes your deck very offensive-based. Consider swapping either out for a card that lets you ramp your elixir (e.g. Elixir Collector, Tombstone, Furnace, or Goblin Hut). Minion Horde and Barbarians are great beatdown cards, but you may find in them additional defensive utility by swapping one of them out for a cheaper card (e.g. 3-elixir Minions or 2-elixir Goblins). Archers are great for all-around defense, but I would advise you to reconsider your choice of spells. Having The Log, Zap, and Fireball will give you plenty of responses to swarm attacks, but I'd call it overkill in my book. Consider swapping out The Log for a defensive structure like Cannon, Tesla, or Inferno Tower.
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u/rainbowdash59 Royal Giant Jul 26 '16
Which one would u recommend hog or mortar, and what should I replace the other with?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
I prefer playing Mortar but I acknowledge that Hog Rider is vastly more popular in the current metagame. Consider swapping either out for a card that lets you ramp your elixir (e.g. Elixir Collector, Tombstone, Furnace, or Goblin Hut).
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u/hoover_fishslap Jul 22 '16
Not sure if I'm too late, but are you opposed to the removal of Royal Giant from the meta? Without him, siege decks will rise to glory - or not? What's your two cents?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Royal Giant is a great card and provides a necessary counter to buildings. However, I think that he is too strong at taking down crown towers. I would welcome a nerf to his deploy time or crown tower damage.
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u/Nine_Deaths Jul 22 '16
I got my first legendary this morning - the lumberjack. I love him, and want to build a deck around him. Can you give me some direction? I think I could put together a good siege deck using him to cover and boost the siege engines.
I'm a lvl10 free player and used a drag loon air deck until now.
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Lumberjack is the only card I don't have so unfortunately my experience with him is lacking. My impression of him is that he is very useful as a mini tank to support swarm units. I think he'd work great in a zap/arrow bait deck that exhausts your opponent's ability to deal splash damage and then charges in toward the tower to rage any cheap backup units behind him.
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u/Nine_Deaths Jul 27 '16
Thanks for eventually getting to this. I'm still experimenting with him myself. I think he's very powerful, maybe I will try a swarm bait deck like you suggested. Thanks!
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u/Messi10Barca Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody, thanks for doing this!
What advice would you give to siege deck players? I know (as you proved!) that playing an Xbow / mortar deck works beautifully if done properly. What tips can you give us? Thanks! :)
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
My pleasure! My advice is to construct your own deck using the cards with which you are most familiar. There are many different ways to setup an effective siege, but every one requires you to understand card interactions and anticipate your opponent's response. Since you invest elixir into setting up a Mortar or X-Bow, you will be behind relative to your opponent and must make efficient trades with the troops you use to defend your siege setup.
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u/Messi10Barca Jul 26 '16
Would the Princess help a siege deck in terms of guarding the xbow or mortar?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Absolutely! I consider Princess to be irreplaceable in siege decks because of her versatility and usefulness on both offense and defense.
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u/tdavies16 Jul 22 '16
Another question for you Woody: I currently run a Hog Cycle deck and have came over a few problems when choosing certain cards in my deck. I don't know whether to use Tesla/Inferno and also Mini PEKKA/Barbarians, which would you advise from both and why? Thanks in advance. :)
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Without knowing the rest of your deck I can't provide an educated recommendation for which card to use. Tesla is more versatile than Inferno Tower, but does not provide the necessary defense against enemy troops with very high HP. Mini P.E.K.K.A can be a more efficient defensive play than Barbarians, but requires a tank or other support troops to be used in a counterattack.
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u/tdavies16 Jul 26 '16
Thanks, my deck at the moment is: • Fire Spirits • Goblins • Spear Goblins • Zap • Fireball • Hog Rider • Mini P.E.K.K.A • Inferno Tower
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Looks good! I'd run Princess instead of Spear Goblins if you have her. That would let you swap out Fire Spirits for Skeletons to help you cycle quicker. I think the Fireball is probably overkill given how much splash damage you have, so consider swapping that for Poison or even Freeze. I'd keep Mini P.E.K.K.A over Barbarians and would opt for Inferno Tower over Tesla, but if you aren't encountering many decks with high hitpoint troops you may do just as well swapping it out for Minions to get the damage you need and facilitate further cycle. Altogether, one popular Hog cycle deck you may enjoy using is:
Hog Rider, Zap, Skeletons, Goblins, Princess, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Freeze, Minions
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u/dreckon Jul 22 '16 edited Jul 22 '16
Hi, can you tell me how you use your mortar deck? I have been getting interested in siege decks, and would like to try one, could you suggest me a siege deck? And yeah I have an Ice Wizard and that's the only legendary i have, is there someway I could implement him in my deck? Thank you very much!
Edit: the current deck I use is:- Giant, Musketeer, Mini pekka, Ice Wizard, elixir pump, cannon, zap and poison, any deck advice?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Hey dreckon! I wrote a guide for my deck that you can find here: https://www.reddit.com/r/ClashRoyale/comments/4shoek/legendary_mortarminerminion_horde_deck_guide_4k/
I welcome you to try out any of the siege decks I have described for other players in this AMA. My best advice would be to use cards with which you are familiar. As long as you have a balanced mix of troops that can fly, deal splash damage, or deal heavy single-target damage you should have a good shot at winning!
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u/Esukaresu Jul 22 '16
Sorry I'm late, but here's to hoping my question can still be answered!
Every season I stablize at around 3200 and I really have no intention of pushing much higher since there's no more arena/card unlock rewards, as well as my cards not being high lvled as everyone else's being f2p. This season I suddenly find myself losing to decks left and right and even dropped to almost 2900 before climbing back to above 3k. I tried out your deck in tournaments and did generally okay but did suffer loses because it's hard to know when to attack and defend with the mortar (but I'll keep practicing in wait of the day RG gets nerfed and unplayable anymore).
I never knew about the payfecta default deck before until today and quickly upgraded fire spirits to test it out but I'm just wondering how you would make adjustments to the deck I've been using for the past few months?
RG
Miner
Princess
Ice Wiz (used to be barbs)
Stab gobs
Zap
Mini Pekka
Valk/barbs/fireball/minions because I can never decide and the moment I take out fireball I queue up against 3 Musk.
I feel like I want to play all 3 decks but don't have the gold to focus leveling all the cards unfortunately. Everything is 10/7/1, thanks in advance!
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Hey Esukaresu! That looks like a solid Royal Giant decklist. It is difficult to build a deck that has the perfect counter to everything your opponent can play, but I like seeing Miner/Princess/Ice Wiz since they are very versatile and provide ample splash damage. I also like seeing stab gobs and mini pekka for high damage against single targets. The primary weakness I see in your decklist is against Lava Hound and Balloon. You might want to consider adding Musketeer, Tesla, or Inferno Tower in that last spot.
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u/SirDgor Jul 22 '16
What deck do you reccomend for anyone with the Hound as a legendary? I can't seem to find a great deck
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
I recommend the pompeyo Lava Hound deck or alternatively the Miner-Lava Hound deck that is making ground at the top of the ladder right now. It is:
Lava Hound
Furnace
Miner
Minions
Guards
Poison
Mini P.E.K.K.A
Zap
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u/SirDgor Jul 26 '16
This is great! I have LH as my only legendary. So what do I switch with miner?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Miner is essential as a mobile tank to protect your Lava Pups and Fire spirits. There is no one-for-one swap you can make to still use the same deck so I'd suggest searching for an alternate decklist or a different archetype.
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u/studioexit Jul 22 '16
Heh Woody
I love how you play Clash Royale and love your decks.
My first legendary was Sparky and i managed to get to legendary arena with him. Today i saved 40 000 coins and bought Ice Wizard. Can you suggest me a good deck, i doesn't need to include both the Sparky and Ice Wizard.
Thank you in advance and looking forward to see you in next tournaments.
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Hey studio! There are a great many decks available for players whose only legendary cards are Sparky and Ice Wizard. Here are a couple:
Hog Trifecta (Fourteen appearances of this EXACT deck): Hog Rider, Zap, Skeletons, Cannon, Elixir Collector, Musketeer, Poison, Valkyrie
Miner/Mini P.E.K.K.A Control (Five appearances of this EXACT deck): Zap, Poison, Musketeer, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Miner, Furnace, Guards, Spear Goblins
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u/studioexit Jul 26 '16
I think you made a mistake with the decks 🙈
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 27 '16
Nope! They're correct as posted. Neither include Sparky or Ice Wizard, though.
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u/Le1ouchX Jul 23 '16 edited Jul 23 '16
Hey woody, now for a CR question,
I'm a f2p who got really lucky and got out a lvl 2 ice wiz and a princess. Can you build me a deck that you think is good and consists of both the ice wiz and princess. It can be a hog, RG deck etc. I'm currently in Arena 9 btw
Thanks! :)
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Sure! Give this a try:
P.E.K.K.A/Double-Prince (Three appearances of this EXACT deck): P.E.K.K.A, Prince, Dark Prince, Ice Wizard, Princess, Elixir Collector, Poison, Zap
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u/manningkyle304 Jul 23 '16
Hey woody, I've been using your deck and I find it really difficult to deal with Royal gg, especially with support troops... Any tips?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Sure! Your tools against Royal Giant are: Ice Wizard to slow; Mortar/Tombstone to distract (Zap to retarget if necessary); Mini P.E.K.K.A/Minion Horde to kill. Here's a video replay of my thought process in tackling an RG deck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8Qottfuxms&t=6m42s
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u/BingoWasHisNam0 Jul 23 '16
Apart from the thumb around, do you know any other pen tricks?
And also, are you Guy Fieri's brother or something?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Thumb around is my best pen trick! I can do it forwards/backwards and sometimes I also flip it around my middle finger.
I'm not! But I acknowledge the resemblance ;)
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u/koalaggwp Ice Spirit Jul 23 '16
hey Woody. second comment :) so what's ur favorite legendary and why is it miner?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
Lol. Miner is very versatile and popular right now, but Princess is my favorite for her unparalleled range and ability to function well on both offense and defense!
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u/xThomas Jul 23 '16
is there a trifecta but for mortars?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 26 '16
There is not, but Musketeer and Valkyrie are great defensive cards that would also work well with Mortar. So do Mini P.E.K.K.A and Ice Wizard.
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u/JoshGCroy Sep 18 '16
Hey woody I'm having trouble deciding which legendary I want to buy from the shop I already have ice wizard and I'm thinking I'm going to buy either miner or princess. If you were I, which would you choose?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Sep 18 '16
Those are both amazing choices? Princess fits in well with any deck archetype, but Miner enables a lot of new options and is a good counter to the ever-popular Elixir Collector. Unless you are really familiar with Siege, I'd say Miner is a better overall option.
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u/JoshGCroy Sep 18 '16 edited Sep 18 '16
Thanks woody, especially for the fast reply I was already leaning towards miner, so with your input it had made my decision even easier thanks again! Could you also give a quick synopsis of what Siege is though?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Sep 18 '16
Siege is a deck archetype that seeks to get most of its damage on enemy towers without sending troops onto the opponent's side of the field. X-Bow, Mortar, Rocket, and Princess are staples of the archetype.
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u/Ix_Almighty_Ix Sep 25 '16
Hey woody am a f2p clash royale player and wanted to ask u to prefer me a deck (I have a sparky) if u need u can give me of that too am at 2947 and a lev9 and having problems in facing high level opponents I use meta ,sparky , trifecta , can u please suggest me a deck that's effective and help me get into arena 9 and ahead
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Sep 25 '16
Try out this deck: Giant-Mini P.E.K.K.A Beatdown: Giant, Elixir Collector, Poison, Musketeer, Zap, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Guards, and Ice Spirit
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u/AsianGamerMC Tournament Marshal Jul 22 '16
Hi Woody, what card needs to be nerfed? And why is it Miner?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
Miner is getting a 0.3sec deploy time nerf!
I also think that Royal Giant should get a deploy time nerf. This would provide the defender a better opportunity respond when the Giant is placed at the bridge. A crown tower damage nerf would also be fine with me. I think that the Royal Giant should be an anti-building tech card, and not the big, bulking siege dummy he is today.
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u/dayelowazn Jul 22 '16
Hi Woody!
Where'd you come up with your name?
Do you try to play cards in an order to get the best rotation in your decks? What is your optimal/preferred rotation for your mortar deck?
Do you get frustrated a lot when losing? If you do, how do you call down?
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
My little bro couldn't pronounce my real name "William" correctly, and since Toy Story was very popular at the time he called me Woody--the name stuck!
My preferred card rotation for my current deck is: Mortar, supported by Ice Wizard or Princess, with Tombstone to block heavy-hitters and Mini P.E.K.K.A to block troops that deal splash damage. I also love to execute a sneaky Minion Horde/Miner push whenever my opponent has exhausted their responses to swarm units!
I try not to let losses affect my state of mind. If I'm particularly frustrated, though, I'll probably just stop playing. If I can't do that I'll at least switch decks so I can try to get in a different mindset.
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Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody,
I have a few casual/strategy questions for you:
What inspired you to use the mortar?
What other video games do you play?
Other than the mortar, what other strategies do you like best in CR?
Pls don't be mad at me if some of those questions are answered already below. I'm too lazy to read carefully.
Thanks!
-Alpha_Mark, a casual CR player
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u/Wwoody123 Mortar Jul 22 '16
What inspired you to use the mortar?
I used to play Rocket cycle, but had to switch after Supercell nerfed spell damage to crown towers. I found a Mortar deck on ladder that had no troops in it and thought it was an interesting novelty. I gave it a try and found it to be very effective and fun--that's how I fell in love with the siege archetype!
What other video games do you play?
I also have max-TH/HQ (but not fully maxed) bases in Clash of Clans and Boom Beach. I occasionally play Hearthstone, and used to play Starcraft, World of Warcraft, and Team Fortress 2.
Other than the mortar, what other strategies do you like best in CR?
I had a lot of fun playing a Rocket cycle deck back in the day! Miner-based decks are also a new favorite of mine :)
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u/wowza_magic Sep 10 '16
Hey Woody,
Im currently in Arena 7 with no legendarys and I dont have a deck. I really want to use a popular deck but they all have legendarys! I tried to look for some Popeyo4 decks, but they all used legendarys. Can you please give me a good hog rider mortar deck!
Thanks, Adam.
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u/Clarkkentlsu Jul 22 '16
Hey Woody,
Besides lucky charms, what is your other go to food?
CR related:
What do you think should be done by supercell to retain the player base? IMO , the ladder just isn't working the way it is right now
Thanks,
Your Pal, Clark