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Vara KeeloPod

Throne Deck By
imestr8
WSG (We Stream Games)

+3

Cost Curve

Type

Faction

Information

The Basic premise of this deck is to generate huge card advantage. Truly one of the most successful even handed golem deck, as it is able to play all 4 pretty much every game. My first attempt at the deck centered around Svetya as the big payoff, with a heavy focus on aegis to keep the chain going. The deck proved great against control, but a little bit too slow and gimmicky feeling. The board seemed to shrink significantly as creatures were upgraded. Switching to Vara as the payoff made the deck truly bloom into something else entirely. There's likely a lot of room for improvement on the specific numbers, and the removal suite that best suites the current metagame. I could see needing to switch to a more Svetya centric build if graveyard hate becomes very popular. One of the early mistakes that I had with the deck is including creatures that would sometimes not have targets when sacrificed to Keelo. (for example: I was Using Geomar, the Steel Tempest in the Svetya version. I couldn't play a land and attack for lifegain, then sac to Keelo, since that would lead to a 7 drop.)

Some key interactions:
Every creature sacrifices to keelo to grab another creature. Most of the creatures you are sacrificing result in a +2 casting cost gain for a creature. You should lean heavily into over sacrificing, so that you maximize Vara.
Keelo + Paladin/Ripknife -> 4 drop
Keelo + 4 drop -> Karvet (most of the time, due to how well it interacts with Vara and Keelo)
Keelo + sac either the exalted 1/1 to get Golem and net 0 board power loss, or Karvet to get Vara -> Karvet + 1 more creature
When you get to this step, Since Vara will try to play the creature on a full board, and allow you to sacrifice another unit, you can use exalted to pump an attacker by 5-7 power that turn.
Keelo + golem -> Keelo. And sometimes even follow that with sacing the second Keelo for Golem
It is very very easy for this deck to play out all its Golems.

It is possible that there should be a couple of slots dedicated to increasing the reweave payoff, as it feels like there is room to abuse the card a little more. The deck has a ton of interactions and choices to make, and in some cases advantage you get is incremental. This makes the deck a bit difficult to play and get the most out of it. I'd recommend taking it through the Gauntlet a few times to get the hang of what decisions to make, since it would save you a lot of thinking time.

Details

Shiftstone Cost
Does not include campaign cost
42,900

Premium Cost
230,400

Influence Requirements
3 3 2 3

Power Sources
9 11 16 16 6

Power Calculator
Shiftstoned Icon View Deck on Shiftstoned

Deck Rarities
10 31 18 12

Card Types
29 0 20 0 26

Contains Cards From Campaigns
Dead Reckoning [Set1003]
Into Shadow [Set1004]
Whispers of the Throne [Set1085]

Archetype
Combo Midrange

Updated
April 13, 2020

Added
April 3, 2020

Views
1,959

Eternal Version
Whispers of the Throne

BBCode For Comments

Deck URL

Revisions (Since last major patch) April 13, 2020


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Comments

OneAntic Eternal Version: 1.51.4
I had the idea just today of Keeloing a Karvet into Vara, so I checked on warcry to see if someone else had similar ideas I could work from. Stumbled across your list and played it for a bit... Beats the absolute crap out of any unit-based midrange deck, but I ran into a Talir/Kairos combo deck and there was literally nothing I could do. One copy of Damara, Deft Saboteur would singlehandedly swing that matchup from nearly un-winnable to nearly un-loseable. Overall, very sweet build and i think keelo allows us to shore up a lot of our bad matchups by making 1-of hate cards easy to find.
imestr8 Eternal Version: 1.51.4
I have updated the list above with the most recent changes I have made to the deck. It has definitely shifted as the meta-game has. I have reversed course in some previous changes and embraced others more. The game against combo is very bad indeed. I can see replacing the Ripknife with a Damara, but it still feels like it may be a little bit slow anyway. Needing 7 mana for a play+activate turn. That being said, I appreciate the feedback
Giglfritz Eternal Version: 1.51.3
Think there is reason to run blightmoth for early game removal? Overall, fun deck and is getting me results
imestr8 Eternal Version: 1.51.3
Yeah, I definitely think it is worth considering as a one of. I never felt that I needed it, but then I got wrecked in the keelo mirror a few times by it, when it ate all the Karvet soldiers. A single slot seems like a low enough burden to fit it in, I'm testing a version with it now, though I have a 2 year old, so I have limited time.
The drawback is that only it's clone works with Keelo and that it is not a rockstar in all matchups.
Giglfritz Eternal Version: 1.51.3
I agree, I think only one maybe 2 copies. Only thing is needing that early removal in a unit can be a game changer. I’ve been testing your list with 2 copies and I’m 18-4 currently on Throne. The value it brings out weighs the negatives for Keelo.
imestr8 Eternal Version: 1.51.3
I'll take your recommendation and try more of them. I'm also replacing the Avigraft with Feln Ritual. Makes a lot of sense in a Vara deck.
Giglfritz Edited Eternal Version: 1.51.3
Yeah, for sure agree with fell ritual in this deck, only issue is avigraft has so many good targets to completely stop decks cold, especially if you hit their “engine” cards. I’ll test it with no avigrafts and see but I feel like it might end up back in the deck at some point only for it’s pure power and ability to mess up opposing strategies.

Also, I took out 1 Karvet (I know, whole purpose of the deck) and added a snowcrush animist. I felt there was need for 1 more 8 cost and it’s ability to wreck the opposing board gives so much advantage and time. Plus, it get revived by Vara too.
imestr8 Eternal Version: 1.51.4
I have adopted these changes as well as upping the blightmoth count to the full 4. Updated the list to the latest
IvoryVortex Eternal Version: 1.51.3
I try this deck and... Milos break golem coz put a 1 cost spell in your deck. Almost all power enters depleted so dont alow you to keep fast. You dont have a mass removal to get even... And almost all agro defeat me for the low speed of the deck . Keto is kind of a magnet for evey removal of the game. The deck is fun but i dont find it consistent
imestr8 Eternal Version: 1.51.3
Milos and Royal Decree both mess up Golem. The deck is a bit more resilient against aggro, with no Golem, then it is against control and other decks that run decree. So I'd say decree is likely a bigger problem than Milos. Sometimes you are also lucky and the firebomb comes sooner than later. That being said, you should likely leave up one of the 9 2cost removal spells on the secon turn again agressive decks.

I agree about the Number of undepleated power needs a bit of work. It's more important to keep hands with undepleated second power than to have golem or keelo. I'm testing out a version with Common Cause, since there is a loose dragon theme.
No mass removal has worked out fine, since the board is completely clogged and full of lifesteal. Keep Keelo in your hand, unless you are planning to use it as removal magnet on purpose, since you also have last chance there for this reason. You only need to activate Keelo twice, most of the time. You can also use keelo to immidiately get a second Keelo, which helps a lot in certain matchups.

Also want to play around with Azindel in this version.

I find that most of the times I lose with the deck it is my fault. And I could have still made better choices on how to play out the game.