Okay so our next deck in the series still follows the same colors with Emerald and Ruby but is more of a fully customized deck than an upgraded theme deck. This deck seeks to be aggressive while also being unchallenged doing so!
Welcome to Evasive Aggro!
Now this is another sub $25 dollar deck as it sits but while I go over some choices, I will also go over some upgrades that can be made that will make this deck a little more productive and competitive.
First the 1 Costs:
So, our 1 cost cards follow most 1 cost cards in being there as decent ink targets and aggro control. With colors like Amber and Amethyst having very nice early aggro targets we like to make sure we can't fall behind too early. Shield of Virtue allows us to untap a creature after we use it to challenge or quest with a creature allowing us to keep control of certain field states or to accelerate out win conditions. Vicious betrayal combined with targets like Duke of Wesleton and Cruela De Vil allows us to maximize their potential to take out a large target since they will gain the +3 but it also is solid at just pumping a target for 2 and for if it's not needed it can also be inked so as to not be a dead draw in the mid game.
2 Costs:
So our 2 cost characters were chosen because they had a solid set of abilities and as usual are inkable targets when not needed. Cruella De Vil gives a decent stat line with a good ability that can set an opponent back a turn if they play loose and reckless. As well as being a villain for Vicious Betrayal allowing her to become a 4/3 she can become a nice trap for an overzealous opponent. Lefou is a really nice 2 drop for the purposes of our deck. A lot of our combos revolved around our 5 drop Mulan so being able to challenge with her and take out a target, play a Lefou to untap her, and then challenge another target can set up some huge questing turns where you can take 10+ lore in a single turn. Cut to the Chase follows that same of line of I can potentially drop a Mulan and give her rush so as to make a one hit combo to make a final push late game. Stolen Scimitar is an OK item that just gives is that ability to pump a creature by 1 damage each turn. Nothing special but it can make a difference.
2 Cost upgrades:
Flynn Rider is one of the best 2 drops in the game at the moment with both a 2 lore and an ability that forces your opponent to discard a card to challenge him. A lot of opponents will choose to waste a removal spell on him instead of challenging him so he also gives you a chance to draw out a kill spell that could have popped an evasive character.
Cards to remove: Your choice of Scimitars + any combination of Cruellas or Lefous or if you’re feeling less inclined with them then Scimitar + Betrayal.
3 Costs:
Peter Pan is the earliest Evasive character we can plan in our color combination. He is self-explanatory in his usage as our earliest unchangeable threat unless an opponent is also playing evasive creatures which is mostly nonexistent outside of a few here and there. Jasper also makes another appearance and is an Aggro controller. He is a solid budget option and has a nice stat line to go along with his ability to shut down a character from questing. He is perfect versus and target that can lore for large amounts but doesn’t actually have a large stat line. Mother Knows Best is a great control target as well. It allows you to set an opponent back a turn or open up your ability to push for the win later. Not all bounce targets will be free, but a lot of situations will. With it also being singable it will allow you to use a character that's 3 cost or higher to allow you to keep playing through certain citations. All around a very solid action for any Emerald deck.
3 Cost Upgrades: Cheshire Cat
Cheshire Cat is a very nice 3 drop that quests for 2 and if an opponent banishes it by challenge, then he takes his banisher with him. Always a solid card for Emerald and worth replacing cards to insert.
Cards to replace, I would choose Jasper just for this one as you care more about out questing your opponent than control most of the time but otherwise targets like Shield, Scimitar, Cruella, and Betrayal also work depending on your play style.
4 Costs:
Both of these choices speak for themselves.
Pongo is a solid 4 drop to begin with, but he is here for 3 reasons.
1: He is a curve 4 drop
2: He quests for 2
3: He has Evasive
Tinker Bell is basically in here for the exact same reasons but also gives the added bonus of giving a non-evasive target Evasive which allows something like your Mulan to hit a pesky target like Pascal for free lore buffs.
5 Costs:
Goofy is in here for the same reasons as every other Evasive character. He can only be challenged by Evasive units and keeps us on curve. Mulan is the star of our deck as she is what allows us to combo off for large lore turns. Any time she banishes a character in a challenge she makes all other characters you control lore for 1 more for that turn. Combine her with cards like Shield and Leflou and she can do this multiple times. Even better is the fact that even if she gets banished in one of those challenges her effect still resolves so she has the potential to give your characters 2+ lore for the turn. This can make for some majorly devastating turns that push you over the top. Dragon Fire is one of the best target removal cards in the game with the only cards not being able to get popped being Kuzco. It's a must have in every Ruby deck without question.
For this concept there are no upgrades at this slot. However, if you don’t care much about leaning heavily into Evasive you can always play Kuzco instead of Goofy.
6 costs:
Tigger is the last card for us to discuss that's in the deck today. He follows the same pattern of being an Evasive creature on curb. Combine this with him questing for 2 and being a 4/4 stat line and he is a solid choice.
6 Cost Upgrades: Genie – On the Job
One of the best 6 drops in the game with a very solid ability, Genie makes for a great upgrade. You lose 1 power over Tigger but you gain the ability to bounce a character that could be giving you problems or setting back your opponent a turn. While he isn't inkable like Tigger there are more than enough targets for inking that it's a non-issue. Genie or bust! Cards to replace: Tigger
Conclusion:
This deck finds a way to be competitive even when it shouldn’t be at its price point. It's cheap to build AND has the upgradeability to keep it competitive if you do choose to move on this route. All in all, I suggest this deck for anyone looking to play something outside the meta and fun or if you're just looking to build something to frustrate your friends this can most certainly do it!
That concludes Lorcana on a Budget for this week!
As always, Illumineers keep your inkwells full and see you next time!
Chris Howie
TopDeckTCG Disney Lorcana Writer Since September 2023
Disney Lorcana Singles can be found here: Disney Lorcana
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