Hooru Anti-Gauntlet

I'm back with another gauntlet grinder!

So since the last time the gauntlet reset, I've really been struggling to find a consistent list to farm gold with. There are some really strong AI decks now. I try playing time based deck, I get murdered by feln control decks, or sometimes even out-timed by the upgraded AI Praxis Sentinel decks (I think there are 2 or maybe even 3 of them playing Heart of the Vault, and Great-Kiln Titan), try to play an aggro deck to go under, lose to the time decks (again praxis is brutal). Try to slow it down and play more controlling lists, get run over by bandit queens and champion of furies.

But I think I've finally settled on the best list that's consistently and efficiently getting to 6-1 or 7-0's. (I mean, ideally 7-0, but double damage boss on the draw, it's so hard to beat that.)

So what makes this deck so special? Well, let's examine the things that every gauntlet deck should do:

1. Be efficient
You don't want to play temporal control for and hour in gauntlet only to lose in round 6, you want to be cracking those chests asap
2. Cheat
Play cards that confuse the AI and make them make terrible plays.(example: Cirso, the Great Glutton, Dawnwalker, etc)
3. Go over them
Flying, overwhelm, unblockable. The board often just gets super clogged up, to maximize efficiency, you want to go around.
4. Versatile Removal
Be able to handle any threat, silence effects are premium
5. Create 2-for-1's
Recurring threats, instant speed pump spells and removal, getting 2-for-1's ensures a quick path to victory, and the AI always just walks right into them

So this list meets all of the above qualifications. Let's break down how we go about doing that.

1. Our curve stops at 4, you almost never lose to power screw when your deck is all 1's 2's and 3's. Develop a board quickly, and since we have so many flyers, the games usually end really fast. Sometimes we have to just sit and wait and protect our life total, but when the time is right, you will just win in 1 big swing that they can't do anything to stop.

2. This deck has a lot of tools for cheating gauntlet. Stormtamer Operative literally just makes the AI throw their cards in the garbage. Also, one of the reasons I'm not playing Hojan, Crownbreaker is because when Operative and Hojan are out, the AI prioritizes hojan, so their torches, piercing shots, etc. are still live. With this list almost everything has 3+ health, so the AI just just throws Torches and Extracts in the bin all day long.

Next we have Hooru Pacifier. There are multiple matchups where keeping this guy on the table will single-handedly shut down the entire deck. It's prevents us from being able to run any of the really good weapons Hooru has access to, but in my experience it's totally worth it.

Another card that the AI doesn't understand is Avigraft. It doesn't come up super often, but I have had the AI play dark return to bring back a card that was killed by graft. Pure value.

Finally we have Dusk Raider. The AI still cannot calculate the damage from the 2nd attack of berserk, and will predictably misblock into dying from lethal damage. Unseen Commando can also have a similar effect, the AI only calculates the damage you are capable of dishing out based on the stats of your units on board, they will misattack and leave themselves open to lethal.

3. Hooru fliers certainly is good at going over the opponent. Almost mono fliers, coupled with Removal spells and Valkyrie Enforcers to get rid of opposing fliers, always have a clear shot at the win. If you are playing against "rule the skies" make sure to preemptively grab Crystallize out of the market, then just wait til you have a OTK lined up and GG.

4. Permafrost, Vanquish, Valkyrie Enforcer, Avigraft, a few pump spells, the tools you'll need to deal with any threat. Crystallize to break board stalls. Only 2 Avigraft because you don't want to get stuck with it in hand when the opponent has fliers you need to deal with, yes you can silence and graft, but you don't always have enforcer, and it's clunky to setup. That being said, the card is still insanely good.

5. Finest Hour and Reinvigorate (Crownwatch Standard as well) are super efficient at creating 2-for-1s, as well as just saving your guys from removal/breaking stuns. Don't want too many of this effect because you need units for them to do anything. Valkyrie Enforcer Creates 2-for-1's almost everytime, a lot of units are just straight up dead or effectively dead from this effect. And finally Jennev Merchant into Mirror Image, not reaallly a 2-for-1, but keeps you a steady stream of gas so you never flood. Image is fantastic in this deck, copying Shelterwings, Enforcers, units with berserk, and honestly, most of the time just copying Unseen Commando making it impossible to race you. I could see running 3, but it's the card I just always want to see.

So that's it. You want some easy and quick wins in gauntlet, this is the deck. Any questions, I will be happy to answer. Happy farming!

Win Log:
7 - 0 win vs Sudden Death on the play
6 - 1 loss vs Sudden Death on the draw
7 - 0 win vs Defender of the Spire
6 - 1 loss vs Sudden Death on the draw again
7 - 0 win vs Sudden Death on the play again (yep 4/5 times, same boss)
7 - 0 win vs Company of Exiles
5 - 1 loss vs the high council (drew 9 power, zero merchants, zero Valk Enforcer, AI drew triple Xenan Obelisk)
6-1 loss vs Sudden Death, on the play, but power screwed
7 - 0 win vs Sudden Death, yes again, sudden death, unbelievable