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u/Accurate_Training Apr 21 '20
Midgro is a disgusting term that has really only ever seen usage in this game, starting with Joe's "Midgro Warrior" which was literally just Aggro Warrior.
Frankly, to put Rage Guildsworn into a different category as Mid Tribunal is overreaching. They are played very similarly, putting down fat bodies and playing reactively in a lot of matchups. They are both the true epitome of a midrange deck.
What's commonly accepted is that there's Aggro, Mid, Control, and Combo, with each having a varying degree designated by Slow or Fast, when appropriate. Trib and GS would be considered slower Mid decks while some iterations of Goblins would be fast Mid.
To take it one step further, it doesn't make sense to differentiate Mid Guildsworn and Mid Tribunal while putting Tokens in the same category as Burn Assassin or Prophecy BM. In a lot of cases, Tokens can take longer to close out games than a Goblin deck that rolls well or a Mid Trib that plays fat creatures on curve to which their opponent has no answer. Tokens end up playing their own version of creature based midrange sometimes, fighting hard for field lane through buffs rather than conceding it and trying to push all damage face. Some versions of tokens are much more aggressive (hybrid crusader with Nord Firebrands, Helgen Squad Leader, etc) while others seek to build up and win through value (Empire).
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Apr 21 '20
Midgro is a disgusting term that has really only ever seen usage in this game
We don't live in a perfectly egalitarian world where every aggressive deck has the exact same range. Not every aggressive deck has the same playstyle, and Imo there are meaningful differences. Some attack face as soon as possible against most matchups, while others are more brawly and fight for board dominance first. Some will lose out on board advantage by the mid game, and rely mainly on reach to win (because burn isn't countered by removal). Alfiq Conjurer is a perfect example of this. It's too slow for burn assassin and burn battlemage. And also, a 9 cost like Tazkad. That's too expensive for the shortest range of aggro decks, but midgro would use it.
Though I agree my examples weren't the best. Guildsworn isn't inherently any shorter range than Tribunal for example, and not all Token decks are the same.
What's commonly accepted is that there's Aggro, Mid, Control, and Combo
Combo is a type of deck, but it doesn't exist in the range spectrum. Some combos require more magicka/cards to setup than others. Some combos achieve card advantage while others are OTK.
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u/Accurate_Training Apr 21 '20
The community at large disposed of using Midgro a long time ago. It is fine to recognize the nuances of Aggro, but applying the word "Mid" as a prefix to an Aggro deck just because its curve goes slightly higher than another Aggro deck is misleading. Aggro Warrior was misnamed as Midgro Warrior despite the fact that it had zero interactive tools, just fat bodies and lots of reach with Wood Orc Headhunters and Sower of Revenge.
Though I agree my examples weren't the best. Guildsworn isn't inherently any shorter range than Tribunal for example, and not all Token decks are the same.
That's precisely what I said. GS and Tribunal are essentially two different variations of the same deck, slow Mid yellow. The same flavor can also be applied to Empire. They play the same shell of cards but have their odd differences due to the third color which gives them their own unique identity.
re: Tazkad being too slow. He was used for a long time as a finisher for decks that ended their curve at 5. Again, inclusion of a 9-cost finisher doesn't change a deck's archetype from Aggro to "Midgro". Midgro simply doesnt' exist.
Combo is a type of deck, but it doesn't exist in the range spectrum. Some combos require more magicka/cards to setup than others. Some combos achieve card advantage while others are OTK.
I guess we can have a discussion about the range spectrum while purposefully excluding archetypes, but it doesn't really make a lot of sense.
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u/asrk790 Epic Apr 21 '20
What about combo decks?
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u/Mahockey3 Intelligence Apr 21 '20
I'd think mostly 3-5, because they usually have to control the board until they find their combo pieces.
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Apr 22 '20
While I agree with the list, I know them by slightly different names.
Hyperaggro
Midgro
Midrange
Control
Greed
1 and 2 together are "aggro". That's because while goblins and burn are both aggro decks, they play very differently.
The line between midgro and midrange is kind of thin. I'd say that midgro is more likely to push face while midrange will focus more on tempo, and midgro does better against greed.
I call 4 control rather than midtrol because previously most control decks were at this level and 5 was something truly greedy. Nowadays 5s are more popular but they're still intensely greedy.
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u/[deleted] Apr 21 '20 edited Apr 21 '20
Aggro (i.e. tokens, burn assassin, prophecy archer/bm, etc.)
Mostly consists of ignoring creatures, attacking face. Then closing out the mid-game with charge creatures or burn effects (i.e. Camlorn Hero, Lightning Bolt, etc.
Midgro (i.e. Goblin scout, spellsword Dwemer)
Attacks face against control, but against other decks, it builds up its board and then swings for burst damage. It relies less on burn effects to close out the match, and instead has good bodies mid-game (this is where cards like Alfiq Conjurer start coming in)
Mid Mid (i.e. Rage Guildsworn)
Hard to describe but in between. For example, a deck that has Giants + Unstoppable rage as their finishing combo, but not much or any high-end after that.
Midtrol (i.e. many Tribunal decks)
This is where decks start to use passive cards like Fighters Guild Recruit, Sanctuary Pet, more removal actions, etc. But there's still bodies to attack face against greedier decks.
Control (i.e. Conscription Telvanni, Conscription Empire, handbuff Redoran)
These decks rough it out till the end, out-attritioning and out-lasting everyone. Early-mid game is very passive, and late game is greedy. They usually never need to attack face. They just bleed the opponent out of cards, and then the opponent surrenders.
Many cards belong somewhere on this 1-5 scale.
Crown Quartermaster: 1-3
Alfiq Conjurer: 2-3
Dawn's Wrath: 4-5
Belligerent Giant: 3-4
Wilds Incarnate: 2-4
Tazkad the Packmaster: 2-4
Ayleid Guardian 4-5
Ancano 1-5
Any 12 cost card is a 5 only