No Fun Knucks

Inspired by rat_sass's Ixtun Knucklebones Control

Earlier attempts at Knucklebones post-Defiance were having issues with sites and recursion (Displays, big Vara, mirroring)
To address this, I switched from a counterspell-based strategy to a more proactive card denial tactic. The only units are 6 merchants, so opponents running removal will have dead cards in their hand, which Knucklebones draw will quickly exhaust.

Avigraft, Citywide Ban, and Rain of Frogs hit key cards, with Rain of Frogs being particularly effective after the opponent merchants. Rejection may be a little excessive at 3 but it's so satisfying to shut down key spells and it also protects your relics since creature-based relic removal is currently rare. Display of Honor also spoils reanimation attempts by transforming a high-value target at fast speed.

The early game is about stabilizing versus aggro - you need to get to turn 4-5 to start tossing out your card denial so it's important to mulligan for early removal. Defiance is very effective against the early pumpup or empower aggro units like Hojan. Torch is Torch.

Once you've stabilized, the next step is to gain card advantage with Cauldron Cookbook. The firebombs will be transformed once you play Knucklebones so be aggressive with activating Cookbook. Your removal/denial is typically card advantage in terms of value, so I've been able to win games even without drawing Cookbook and just getting into topdeck mode where the opponent draws Frogs and locked-down cards hit with Citywide Ban. Cookbook usually draws early relic hate, which spares your Knucklebones later on.

I try not to pull Knucklebones until I have 1) more than 8 power and 2) I have a negate spell such as Rejection or Kaleb's Choice in hand OR I have an aegis via Cobalt Waystone.

Your health will take a beating until Knucklebones comes out. However, I've won multiple games from playing Knucklebones with just 1-2HP left by sheer Knucklebones outvalue. Display of Honor plus Red Canyon Smuggler can get you 12 points of lifesteal in a pinch.

For the Market, the most commonly drawn card has been Kaleb's Choice for relic protection or removal. I'll get it before Knucklebones many times. Adjudicator's Gavel can be devastating versus some decks but I find that Avigraft, Citywide Ban, and Rain of Frogs typically ruins void-based strategies anyway. You might consider replacing it with more mass removal like End of the Story or maybe a versatile modal card like Eilyn's Choice. Bore is for multi-faction relics and those mass-relic decks that just fold after you destroy all their relics in one turn. This deck is a little vulnerable to armory so it's sometimes worth it to use Bore on just a Runehammer before it takes 3-4 turns swinging at you since you probably won't draw a unit. Burn Them All is your anti-site burn as well as extra removal. The Amplify is very helpful late game when you have 8+ power and you've short on removal. And then finally, Knucklebones - I think one in the market is sufficient because you have 6 smugglers to draw it and it's more vital to stabilize early on than have big dead cards in hand like Knucklebones.

The power base can probably be tuned further but you have 30 power sources plus Strategize for selection and Cauldron Cookbook for extra draw after turn 3. I usually will pull Justice first as you have 3 double Justice removal cards in Avigraft, Auric Runehammer, and Harsh Rule that are key to surviving versus aggro. Hailstorm is double Primal and so getting 2 Primals is probably the second priority. While Cauldron Cookbook requires 2 Fire, I rarely play Cookbook prior to stabilizing since it's negative tempo and you don't have the turns or power to play passively early on.