Kupi
Mar 16, 2004, 06:31 PM
I'm not sure if anyone's even having trouble with the Arkz mission where you have to fight Saligun's "Link" deck in Dolor Odor. In any case, I've devised a strategy that will all but assure victory and prove why Deck Loop really throws off the balance of the game.
For monsters, throw in as many Hildebears and Vulmers as you can (no Vulmer variants, just the base kind). Add to that several two-cost or less monster types... Boomas and Evil Sharks will do, but Rappies and Mothmants will let you set two Vulmers later on if you use them instead, since they both cost only one ATK point.
For your character, pick a Ranger, either Rio, Ohgun, or K.C.. Lura is useless for this strategy, though honestly, you're not going to be using your Arkz for combat much in the first place.
Actions should be close-range and up your AP as much as possible. Defensive cards should consist of, probably, Guard and Reduction, with as many Companions as you can spare.
Assists should definitely include Dice +1s and Dice Fevers, if you have them. Requiem might help as well.
Now, the strategy itself. Ever notice how you can't move onto a warp if someone's already standing on it? That's the crux of this deck. With tiny monsters that you have almost total freedom to set, you can put up a "shield" on both teleporters (setting them directly on top of the warp won't teleport them), effectively denying Saligun any ability to hit your Arkz. And since you'll have a lot of them in your deck, you're pretty sure to get those shields out within the first few turns (and you'll have to; if Saligun gets near you with a Link up, you're podunked). You see, on the larger area of the map, there is a single square where you can set a four-cost monster like a Hildebear. With two two- or one-costers guarding the path and Deck Loop returning your monsters, you can put the same Hildebears up as many times as you have to. I pick Hildebears and Vulmers because both of them have Guard Demolisher, which you'll need to get past the DB's Shield's 17 HP and Heal ability (when linked). The Companions will destroy any DB's Saber Saligun tries to do over 4 damage with. Yes, it's a sacrifice play, but you'll at least knock another HP off her life bar, which is about the only way to damage her with this strategy.
Keep in mind that this is not a "rapid-win" deck. Playing a variant on it (in which I used Ohgun himself as a blocker thanks to some fancy maneuvering and the fact that it was my first time in the mission and I was improvising), it took me over 45 minutes to whittle Saligun down. You can use a Ranger to force her to defend herself and open up to a stronger attack if you work it right (I think, I'm not sure how much empty space separates the areas in Dolor Odor), but odds are your only workable method of attack will be the Hildebear or Vulmer. Also, this strategy is quite likely to get you an E rank. However, once you've got two people on the warps, you're invincible, as Saligun has nothing that will bridge the gap. And just think... if you didn't have Deck Loop, this stall strategy wouldn't work at all.
For monsters, throw in as many Hildebears and Vulmers as you can (no Vulmer variants, just the base kind). Add to that several two-cost or less monster types... Boomas and Evil Sharks will do, but Rappies and Mothmants will let you set two Vulmers later on if you use them instead, since they both cost only one ATK point.
For your character, pick a Ranger, either Rio, Ohgun, or K.C.. Lura is useless for this strategy, though honestly, you're not going to be using your Arkz for combat much in the first place.
Actions should be close-range and up your AP as much as possible. Defensive cards should consist of, probably, Guard and Reduction, with as many Companions as you can spare.
Assists should definitely include Dice +1s and Dice Fevers, if you have them. Requiem might help as well.
Now, the strategy itself. Ever notice how you can't move onto a warp if someone's already standing on it? That's the crux of this deck. With tiny monsters that you have almost total freedom to set, you can put up a "shield" on both teleporters (setting them directly on top of the warp won't teleport them), effectively denying Saligun any ability to hit your Arkz. And since you'll have a lot of them in your deck, you're pretty sure to get those shields out within the first few turns (and you'll have to; if Saligun gets near you with a Link up, you're podunked). You see, on the larger area of the map, there is a single square where you can set a four-cost monster like a Hildebear. With two two- or one-costers guarding the path and Deck Loop returning your monsters, you can put the same Hildebears up as many times as you have to. I pick Hildebears and Vulmers because both of them have Guard Demolisher, which you'll need to get past the DB's Shield's 17 HP and Heal ability (when linked). The Companions will destroy any DB's Saber Saligun tries to do over 4 damage with. Yes, it's a sacrifice play, but you'll at least knock another HP off her life bar, which is about the only way to damage her with this strategy.
Keep in mind that this is not a "rapid-win" deck. Playing a variant on it (in which I used Ohgun himself as a blocker thanks to some fancy maneuvering and the fact that it was my first time in the mission and I was improvising), it took me over 45 minutes to whittle Saligun down. You can use a Ranger to force her to defend herself and open up to a stronger attack if you work it right (I think, I'm not sure how much empty space separates the areas in Dolor Odor), but odds are your only workable method of attack will be the Hildebear or Vulmer. Also, this strategy is quite likely to get you an E rank. However, once you've got two people on the warps, you're invincible, as Saligun has nothing that will bridge the gap. And just think... if you didn't have Deck Loop, this stall strategy wouldn't work at all.