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Michael Pittman
VS Limited – “Swimming in the Deep End” – Part 2
Michael Pittman
August 13, 2006
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In Part 1, I wrote a bit about “depth” – a concept that often gets talked about in relation to Vs limited and drafting, in particular.

I defined depth as “quantity plus quality”. A deep team should be able to support more than two drafters (in an eight-person draft) to a reasonable degree and if you get a good run on that team, you should be able to reasonably expect to have one of the strongest decks on the table.

In this article I'll turn my attention to the Shadowpact affiliation.

BE WARNED … I have had a distinct lack of success drafting Shadowpact and that may colour some of the opinions that will follow. It may be that the cards available to the team simply do not suit my play style, but at this point I would rather be in any team other than Crisis than in Shadowpact (yeah, I know that means I'm including Secret Six … and yes, I know that I'm being hysterical).

Shadowpact – “Will You Kill Me or Shall I?”

ONE-DROPS

As I said in Part 1, one-drops are not particularly important in the usual limited, curve-oriented deck and usually only find a home in off-curve decks.

Unlike JSA, there seem to be very few reasons to run Shadowpact weenies, although the Nightmaster one-drop meets the basic swarm criteria.

If you do, however, you'll have four to choose from – three commons (Detective Chimp, Bobo T. Chimpanzee; Nightmaster, Jim Rook; and Nightshade, Eve Eden) and one uncommon (Madam Xanadu).

Detective Chimp, Bobo T. Chimpanzee – While concealed is a nice feature of a swarm-oriented one-drop, 1 ATK is not. Bobo is more a constructed (and even combo) geared card and would only find a home in a swarm deck gone wrong, in my opinion. His effect offers little that Thanagar or Rann couldn't provide easier and better.

Nightmast, Jim Rook – Jim has the requisite 2 ATK we want for a fighting weenie and with an alternate recruit cost, he's got almost everything. The only thing he doesn't have is much support from the other members of his team for the rush strategy.

Nightshade, Eve Eden – Eve is a bit of a mix between Chimp and Nightmaster above. Concealed and range are good, but her stats are wanting. The three endurance cost to give her the 2 ATK we want is a bit too steep, in my opinion.

Madam Xanadu – If you have completely monopolised Shadowpact and have a number of bomb Magic plot twists, then you MIGHT consider playing her. Otherwise she's a constructed card only.

Besides the fact that the Shadowpact characters don't seem to have much to offer a swarming strategy (although Magical Conduit – a Shadowpact plot twist – would be gladly welcomed), the relevance of the team's one-drops is going to be very low.

It is possible that a fairly aggressive, more curve-oriented Shadowpact strategy could be viable, for which Nightmaster could be a consideration.

I score the Shadowpact one-drops a lowly 1.5/5 for depth, largely due to the question of relevance. Every bit of that 1.5 is owed to Nightmaster.

Ranking them in order of power …

  1. Nightmaster, Jim Rook
  2. Daylight
  3. The Rest

TWO-DROPS

Given that two-drops are very important, this will be a big indicator of Shadowpacts' hopes and dreams in Vs limited.

Like JSA, Shadowpact have four characters at this slot – two common (Blue Devil, Dan Cassidy; and Manitou Dawn) and two uncommon (Blackbriar Thorn; and Ragman, Patchmonger).

Blue Devil, Dan Cassidy – I look at Dan's 4 ATK and range and can't help but like him. The endurance cost of bringing him into play can almost be looked at as an investment, since it'll pay a two endurance profit when he exits stage right. It's hard to fault him.

Manitou Dawn – Has an above curve 3 DEF and an endurance gain ability … so she must be a stally character, right? Unfortunately she doesn't gain you endurance at all – she merely mitigates the endurance loss of all of the Magic plot twists that Shadowpact have at their disposal. As such, she might be a necessary evil. In the end, I don't really want to play 2/3's that don't even have range or flight.

Blackbriar Thorn – You'd think I'd have a soft spot for Thorny since I personally previewed him ahead of the DCR Sneaks … but, just as I wrote in that article, I don't find him particularly exciting. If you have a Magic plot twist that you are happy to play early in the game, Blackbriar becomes a respectable 3/3. I've had opponents get him up to 5/5, which can be annoying to fight against, but it seems like the investment (including that of the endurance you've lost playing the Magic twists) isn't really worth the return.

Ragman, Patchmonger – This guy, on the other hand, is 3/3 right out of the box and he has the potential to grow too. This makes him the pick of the bunch, in my opinion.

In the end, I'd only be keen to play two of Shadowpacts' two-drops, which is not particularly good in terms of depth, but that said Manitou Dawn and Blackbriar Thorn are not unplayable.

I'd give them 3/5 and rank them …

  1. Ragman, Patchmonger
  2. Blue Devil, Dan Cassidy
  3. Blackbriar Thorn (just barely ahead of …)
  4. Manitou Dawn

THREE-DROPS

Shadowpact have one fewer three-drops to choose from than JSA, with three commons (Ibis; Rose Psychic; and Zatanna, Magical Manipulator) and one rare (Detective Chimp, Shoeless Gumshoe). Straight away that impacts on their depth compared to the “Golden Age” (the comic era, not Vs constructed format) hero team.

Ibis – This turban-wearing Egyptian prince marks the beginning of where you start to get some benefits for losing all of that endurance. Ibis should almost always be 6/5 with flight, which makes him one of the best three-drops in DCR limited. His value goes down slightly if your deck teams up and has fewer Shadowpact cards.

Rose Psychic – I was initially very excited by Rose, as I saw the three endurance profit of her effect as a way to help overcome the endurance loss Shadowpact cards dish to their controller. The problem was that I could rarely attack with her, without the real likelihood of going six endurance backwards for the turn. The only time I've had a good run with her is against an opponent who had a lot of concealed Checkmate guys. My assessment would surely be different if she didn't come with a very fragile 3 DEF.

Zatanna, Magical Manipulator – There's nothing especially wrong with a 4/5 with range, but it isn't that great either. I've never used her to draw a card and I don't know how many other people have either. So if her stats and range are all we have to go on, it's a worry that JSA's Huntress was ranked fourth out of five with 5/4 and range for her team.

Detective Chimp, Shoeless Gumshoe – This Chimp has reasonable 5/4 stats, but no other benefits in terms of combat. He is, however, a pseudo plot twist that searches for characters. His value goes up dramatically because of the latter.

So, the Shadowpact three-drops are a mixed bunch, with only Ibis the real stand-out. It's possible that I'm being too harsh on Rose Psychic, but I have had plenty of experience playing her and little of it has been good.

I'd give them 3/5 and rank them …

  1. Ibis
  2. Detective Chimp, Shoeless Gumshoe (practically equal with …)
  3. Zatanna, Magical Manipulator
  4. Rose Psychic

FOUR-DROPS

Shadowpact have four four-drop – three common (Dr Occult; Nightshade, Shadow Siren; and Witchfire) and one rare (June Moon <> Enchantress, Good Witch), which is again, one less than JSA.

The difference here is that pretty much all of these characters are playable.

Dr Occult – Depending on how heavily you are into Shadowpact and their endurance-costed effects, the Doc will often be a 9/9 four-drop (although he might not get that boost until a turn or two later). Anyway, it seems better than paying 15 endurance to get more or less the same thing with Conjuration (although imagine playing both – and the Fate Artifacts while we're wishing and dreaming – to possibly get a 13/13 on turn three). A lack of flight or range is disappointing, but otherwise it's hard to criticise

Nightshade, Shadow Siren – We have seen with the better Shadowpact drops on turns two and three that a more aggressive strategy is quite possible with this team. This makes Nightshade an almost perfect four-drop for the team. Concealed – Optional, 8/6 stats and the ability to move big blockers into the hidden area all make her a pretty tidy package. I'd prefer flight over range (I swear that I've seen her fly in the latest Shadowpact comics that I have been reading … UDE has gypped us), since the range doesn't really do much if you recruit her into the hidden area.

Witchfire – With 8/6 stats, flight, range and a way to get back some of that endurance you've burnt through, Witchfire is a very acceptable character, in my opinion. Not necessarily as good as some of the others, but highly playable.

June Moon <> Enchantress, Good Witch – The good witch has potential, although in my experience she often doesn't get online quick enough. Often you don't drop below 25 endurance until the end of the combat phase on turn four and on turn five many curve decks don't have a three drop on board for her to target. She's obviously good against Mr Terrific or other troublesome three-drops (she can force The Calculator, Evil Oracle's hand at very least), who you'd rather not be around affecting the late game. While she's potentially the least desirable of the Shadowpast four-drops in limited, I'd still happily play her.

I'd give Shadowpact 3.5/5 in terms of four-drop depth, ranking them …

  1. Nightshade, Shadow Siren (barely ahead of …)
  2. Dr Occult (barely ahead of …)
  3. Witchfire
  4. June Moon <> Enchantress, Good Witch

FIVE-DROPS

Keeping up the standard of four characters, Shadowpact have two commons (Blue Devil, Big Blue; and Ragman, Redeemer of Souls), one uncommon (Black Alice) and one rare (Nightmaster, Demon Slayer).

Blue Devil, Big Blue – Like the two-drop, I was pretty keen on Big Blue from the outset. The five-drop, however, has not been as good in practice as in theory. Stats of 10/10 plus range are undeniably good, but whereas Dan Cassidy almost always provides you a two endurance profit, sometimes Big Blue hangs around a little too long and you lose before you get that eight endurance back, since the game checks endurance before you'll be able to KO him naturally and gain that endurance. In my experience, Big Blue is a bit of a trap.

Ragman, Redeemer – Very similar in theme to the Rags two-drop, this guy boasts an above-curve 10 ATK, but unlike Patchmonger he has a below-curve 8 DEF … which is fine if you are keen to use his good vengeance effect. He's a bit like Villains United's well-respected Black Adam, Teth-Adam, but the benefit of his effect is a bit less immediate and the lack of flight and range drops him a peg as well. Very playable, but maybe not as good as he first appears.

Black Alice – I have to confess that I haven't played with Black Alice yet, but she is more or less the same kind of character as Big Barda was in Man of Steel. BB was very effective, so it's reasonable to expect that Alice would be a good character too. Using her effectively might take a little extra skill, though, as Big Barda's team – the New Gods – didn't actively try to kill its user the way Shadowpact does.

Nightmaster, Demon Slayer – Hmmmm … 15 endurance for what basically equates to a free four-drop on turn five, or 20 endurance for a free five-drop that turn. That doesn't actually sound that good to me. I wouldn't even really consider it unless Dr Occult was the four drop (with five-drop stats) that I was getting for “free”. About a third or more of your starting endurance is a high cost to pay for this benefit, in my opinion. He is a 9/9 that can gain endurance every turn you under-drop from turn six, so it's not like he is completely unplayable.

All of the Shadowpact five-drops are playable, but most of them are dual-edged swords that can blow up in your face. Beware the traps!

I'd give them 2/5 and rank them …

  1. Ragman, Redeemer of Souls (just ahead of …)
  2. Black Alice
  3. Blue Devil, Big Blue (only barely ahead of …)
  4. Nightmaster, Demon Slayer

SIX-DROPS

Two common six-drops (Dr Fate, Hector Hall; and Zatanna, Showstopper) and one rare (June Moon <> Enchantress, Bad Witch) mean they have one less six-cost character to choose from – even if it is only a rare – than the JSA.

Dr Fate, Hector Hall – Heck here is a smack-on-curve 12/12 six-drop with flight and range to boot. Concealed – Optional gives you a bit of flexibility. If you are lucky enough to have a couple of Fate Artifacts and Dr Fate's Tower, then you have pretty big bonus that turn. The quality of this guy is pretty contextual, since he can be awesome or only just playable depending on the other cards you have.

Zatanna, Showstopper – The big Z is pretty decent with her 12/13 stats and range. The above-curve DEF in the best part, of course. If you haven't spent all of your endurance away prior to turn six, her effect can generate card advantage that could easily tip the scales in your favour. For this last reason, she's almost better in a deck where Shadowpact is your secondary team.

June Moon <> Enchantress, Bad Witch – Bad is not terrible in this instance, although she's probably not as good as the Good Witch. On curve stats and flight and range mean she's easily playable. The attack step restriction on her power is the most unexciting part, although if it goes to turn seven, and if you have odd initiative, and possibly (not essential) if your endurance is just right … then she might even win you the game. That's a lot of “if's”, though.

All of these guys are playable, even if they aren't game-breaking (except maybe under specific conditions).

I'd score them 2.5/5 and rank them …

  1. Zatanna
  2. Dr Fate, Hector Hall
  3. June Moon <> Enchantress, Bad Witch

SEVEN-DROPS

Again Shadowpact have one fewer characters than JSA at this recruitment level, which is no real biggie, since that's as good as it gets for any of the other teams. Only one common (The Phantom Stranger, Fallen Angel) and one rare (Shazam), though, puts quite a premium on The Phantom Stranger.

Arguably, though, a Shadowpact deck should maybe have the game won or lost prior to this turn already. The endurance loss costs certainly don't work to give the team a stalling bent.

The Phantom Stranger, Fallen Angel – Unlike the JSA Stranger he can't be both a trick and a character, as his effect removes him from the game. With converse stats of his JSA doppelganger (17/14), Stranger is very offensively geared. Pray you have the odd initiatives.

Shazam – Despite Captain Marvel's version (see below), Shazam is Shadowpact's champion character, with the ability to bring your opponent as low as you have made yourself with all of your magical shenanigans. His 15/16 stats and range make him a little ineffective in combat, since he won't be able to naturally stun a lot of other 16 DEF seven-drops and you may not be able to play plot twists (if you used his champion power). That, in addition to his rarity, hurt him pretty badly in terms of his contribution to his team's depth.

I'd score them 1.5/5 in terms of depth and rank them …

  1. The Phantom Stranger, Fallen Angel
  2. Shazam

EIGHT-DROP

As I wrote in Part 1, eight-drops rarely make it into play in limited so most players don't even bother putting them in their decks. All of the eight-drops in DCR are rare, so the question of depth is pretty moot.

Captain Marvel, Champion of Magic – The Big Red Cheese comes with a massive 22 ATK, even if his DEF is a bit lower than ideal at 18. Loyalty may be a hassle if your upper curve/team ups don't deliver the required Shadowpact guy at this stage. Frankly, I think recruiting this guy in a deck that is primarily Shadowpact is beyond a pipe dream and his text may as well be completely blank.

Again, I won't give a solitary rare eight-drop a score based on depth.

CONCLUSION

Shadowpact have a number of powerful characters and if you can get a good run and don't have to compete too much for them, then you could potentially assemble a good deck. In terms of depth, though, Shadowpact is a fair way behind the other team we've looked at so far – the JSA (scoring 17 out of 35, compared to the JSA's 20.5).

While Shadowpact and JSA have the same number of common and rare characters, the former has four fewer uncommons, which may have a big impact on how many drafters it could potentially support. Also, discounting the rares, I'd only be happy to play about 10 of the 20 characters available to Shadowpact.

Shadowpact have 12 non-character cards and, to be fair, the potential power of these as a whole is a lot higher than those of the JSA. Five of them – Abjuration, Chimp Detective Agency, Magical Conduit, Mystical Binding and The Conclave are all definitely playable, in my opinion, with three others – Conjuration, Divination and Stepping Between Worlds being worthy of strong consideration depending on the other cards in your deck. The most part of that is that only three of those eight cards are common, with only two more being uncommon. Access to those non-character cards, therefore, might not be particularly good.

It seems to me that Shadowpact's non-character cards are arguably the best reason to draft the team and you might enjoy some success with the team if they are not over-drafted.

That's it for Part 2 … next time I'll assess the very popular Checkmate affiliation. Are they as deep in terms of Vs limited as some people think?

Final, standard disclaimer – I'm not trying to set myself up as an expert. Opposing opinions are very welcome … you may even be helping me to improve my drafting by expressing them.

Good luck and good gaming.

*BAMF*

Michael Pittman

 

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