Introduction
The history of Ikaru is smeared with blood. Its blossoms torn and scattered to the winds. A house wiped from the memory of Mysteria. But we are the Crimson Haze. And we remember.
We all started our Flesh and Blood journey with Ira, Crimson Haze. Though she is known for her starter deck, Ira conquered many fans in Blitz and Commoner, and eventually reached Living Legend status. For a long time, her fans couldn't enjoy her game style in any format.
Nonetheless, Flesh and Blood's 5th Anniversary fortunately and surprisingly brought us her adult version. So, let's take a closer look at this value queen and see how she plays out in the "adult" format!
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Ira and Value
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Ira has one of the simplest abilities in the game: she buffs your second attack each turn by +1. This might seem weak compared to other well-rounded abilities like Kayo, Armed and Dangerous's or Prism, Awakener of Sol's, but, in this case, less is more.
To fully understand her potential, I highly recommend that, first, you learn what value is in Flesh and Blood. Once you do, you'll see that she essentially gives you more value each turn.
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Let's take Harmonized Kodachi as an example. For two resources (considering you're using two of them), you'll deal two damage with other ninjas, but three with Ira. Your opponent will have to work harder to block this attack with their equipment, and you'll also deal more damage to their life.
But Kodachi isn't the only powerful play with Ira. With a single blue card, you can set up Kodachi → Command and Conquer (1) with 7 power. This attack, besides incredibly inconvenient to block, is also more powerful, so it is a bigger threat overall.
This was already annoying with 20 life. In the "adult" format, she is even more annoying and just as efficient.
The Deck
The list we'll use today was played by Mariano Lemus at the Osaka World Championship, more precisely at the Calling - he got to top 8 with it. It represents Ira's midrange-value style really well.
Before we head into the list itself, please note that Ira uses what we call a Good Stuff strategy: this means the cards in her lists don't have great synergies with one another, they're simply great on their own.
For instance, Dishonor (3) was famously used in Katsu, the Wanderer lists to "disable" opponents. Depending on the enemy hero, this can end the game on the spot, so you can expect Ira to do the same, right?
No.
Firstly, Bonds of Ancestry (1) is banned in this format (so you can't use its combo at all), and Ira's list doesn't use the combo abilities on other cards either. Other blue cards, like Crane Dance (3) and Fluster Fist (3), also have combo, but we can't really use it. So, why are they in this list?
Blue
In this list, what most blue cards do is irrelevant. We only really need them to have three things: they need to cost 0, block 3, and have the keyword "combo".
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Our blue cards need to cost zero because of our main weapon, Harmonized Kodachi, as that's how we'll give it go again. They need to be blue so we can pay for our other cards, and they need to block for 3 because that way we'll be well-protected if we have many of them in hand. However, Combo is important because of one card: Flic Flak (1).
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Thanks to our blue cards with Combo, Flic Flak (1) is a powerful tool against go wide decks like Aurora, Zen, or Dash I/O, as it lets you use two cards to block for 9 (4 + 5), which is a great defense.
The only blue card in this list that doesn't have Combo, besides Flic Flak (3), is Warmonger's Diplomacy (3), but this action definitely earned a spot. It simply locks down many decks that lean on playing attacks and non-attack actions on the same turn, like Azalea or Dash I/O. And, the most important part of all: it never affects you negatively because this deck is mostly attack actions.
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Defensive Kit
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We already talked about Flic Flak (1), but that's not our only defensive option. Sink Below (1) and Fate Foreseen (1) fit this strategy like a glove because they're the best defense reactions in the game.
Oasis Respite (1) will also be a defensive option for decks that deal arcane damage, as it is great against multiple cards with dangerous effects, like Destructive Aethertide or Aether Wildfire (1).
Offensive Kit
We also need aggressive cards to make the most out of Ira's buff, and make enemy blocks harder.
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Red Ninja cards are the best "generically good" cards in the game. Some of them have Combo, but we don't really care about that.
Red Bittering Thorns (1) is one of the best Ninja cards around because it naturally has go again and virtually represents 5 damage. It also creates a break point. Its effect will make it even harder for your opponent to block your next attack.
The other red cards are just like our blue cards with Combo, but you might actually end up using some of their Combos. As Hundred Winds (1) and Spinning Wheel Kick (1) interact with cards that have the same name as them, you'll activate their Combos when you play several copies of them on the same turn, but this won't happen often. In general, these red Ninja cards are in this deck because they have great stats, particularly with Ira's ability.
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In any case, Ira truly shines not because of her Ninja cards, but because of her generic cards. Thanks to her ability, we can create break points with our best generic cards and the best on-hit effects, like the iconic "Command and Conquer (1) for 7" strategy.
As a result, attacks like Command and Conquer (1), The Weakest Link, Give and Take (1), and Censor (1) go really well with this hero. They are great both when you want to be aggressive (when you play your entire hand) and when you want to be more efficient (when you block a little bit and use two cards in your turn).
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And, lastly, Razor Reflex (1) is an excellent way to finish matches. It might seem a bit nonsensical considering what Ira's deck wants to do, but it often buffs a dagger, or even gives go again to one of your attacks.
Equipment
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Without a question, Harmonized Kodachi is the strongest weapon for Ira thanks to her ability, as you can play "Kodachi for two". If your opponent doesn't have a lot of life, they'll be incredibly vulnerable because your daggers will tax many cards in their hand.
Furthermore, we can use Zephyr Needle when we're sure our opponent doesn't have any defense reactions, like Dash I/O, and this way make sure they'll never break.
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Mask of Momentum is a staple for Ninja, and is even more relevant in this list. As Kodachi will most likely deal damage, and with several attacks creating break points, hitting your opponent three times will be easy. This version in particular will use the extra card you get from this play in the arsenal, but more aggressive versions could simply try to deal even more damage.
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For Ira, the Arms slot is a bit weak, so we'll use Breaking Scales to surprise opponents by giving more power to an attack with Combo (like Mauling Qi (1)) and block 1. However, as this equipment piece is more flexible, we'll also use Vambrace of Determination against Enigma and Prism and Nullrune Gloves against Wizard's arcane damage.
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The classic Fyendal's Spring Tunic is in this list because you can use this extra resource really well. With it, we can play 1-cost cards or afford heavier cards, and Nullrune Robe will protect us even more against arcane damage.
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While Tide Flippers is this deck's main Arcane Barrier 1 (essential against Runeblades), Breeze Rider Boots can help you set up aggressive turns with multiple cards with Combo in hand - even the weakest blue cards.
Tips
When you play Ira, the most important thing you must keep in mind is value. I wrote an article about how value works in Flesh and Blood if you'd like more details about this important mechanic, but here are a few key details to remember:
- Because this deck plays many blue cards, don't try to keep four cards in your hand at all times. Try to block whenever you can, and, in the worst-case scenario, play Kodachi/Kodachi on your turn;
- Flic Flak (1) is one of the best cards in this deck against aggressive decks, considering your Combo cards block for 3 (or 5 in total with this defense reaction), so use it wisely;
- Prioritize using your hero's ability to create break points. Values like 4, 5, and 7 will be incredibly difficult to block;
- Cards like Give and Take (1) and Bittering Thorns (1) are excellent if you want to be aggressive and dominate the match. You can also use cards like Looking for a Scrap (1) and Scar for a Scar (1).
Final Words
Ira is one of the most beloved heroes in the game, as well as one of the most iconic. She might not do as much as newer heroes, but she shows how value works in Flesh and Blood, and we have all seen how this concept can bring you far in competitive settings.
What do you think of this hero? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.
Thank you for reading, and see you next time!
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