Watch Post Tickatus. Lookout! (Standard)

Last updated 3 years ago by
  • Casual
1

Behold the PowerOfCheez! This is my take on Tickatus Control.  I love to play Tickatus builds.  As long as your build keeps you in the game early, you have a chance in most matchups, and it is one of the few reliable decent tech cards against other control decks, especially those which rely too heavily on C'Thun, the Shattered

This deck has more than one win condition, and enough Discover effects (4 natural, sometimes more from Wandmaker and Venomous Scorpid) to add versatility along the way  and, sometimes, more win cons.  

 This list only runs 4 cards that corrupt Tickatus. I added Watch Posts in place of the more expensive cards to help the early game, where having more expensive cards was stifling it.  There is a trick to get more corruption triggers and it actually lets you cast Corrupt Tickatus (I call him Mr. T, for short) as early as turn 7 (or 6 with coin).  

The  simple trick to speed up Corrupt Tickatus and make other cards viable triggers:

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The simple trick to get more triggers to corrupt Tickatus uses Demonic Studies or (less frequently) Kanrethad Ebonlocke to reduce the cost of Tickatus, so you can corrupt it with cards that cost 6 (or less if demons get discounted twice). 

 

More rarely, you can discount it twice.  A single discount alone gives you 2 extra corrupt trigger card options (Claw Machines).  Two discounts gives you 4 total extra cards to corrupt it (adding in Shadow Hunter Vol'jin or Taelan Fordring).  In theory, you could get all three discounts stacked and then Corrupt it with any of the 4 mana cost cards, though I have never actually managed this.

 

You must resist the temptation to play what you discover, as Tickatus has to stay discounted until you play its trigger, usually the next turn.  The mana cheats mean Tickatus can potentially be played corrupt as early as turn 7 (or turn 6 with coin), which rarely happens in lists that do not run non-demon 6-cost minions.  The earlier the better when you are playing against decks that are looking for one key card (like Deck of Lunacy).

 Weird discount/corrupt interaction to avoid:

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Demonic Studies can also give you the actual trigger, of course.  There is a weird interaction to be aware of, though.  Because the demon you Discover will also be lowered in cost, you would think that you only have to choose one that has a natural cost one mana higher than Tickatus.  Unfortunately, this is not true. 

 

I am not sure if it is a glitch that needs a fix, or intended, but when you play a discounted demon, Tickatus can lose his discount BEFORE the discounted demon played reverts to full cost.  When it happens, Mr. T won't corrupt (when it checks, the costs match) unless the demon discovered was an 8 cost or higher. 

 

So if choosing a demon to trigger Corrupt, be sure it is at least an 8 cost to guarantee corruption.  I have not deciphered yet if this is always true or dependent on order cards were drawn (if Tickatus loses his discount first only when he was drawn before Demonic Studies or before its discover effect is played); if anyone knows, share in comments, please!


Card choices:

Watch Posts

A lot of folks talking about Watch Posts being overpowered auto-slots in many decks.  Following the discussion but holding off on whether they need a nerf and enjoying playing them as is while I can. 

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They are definitely 'soft' taunts' that smooth the early game for Warlock. Far Watch Post's mana increase to opponent's draws is also a nice effect to slow their development while it lasts, and time is part of what Tickatus control needs.  Mor'shan Watch Post is pretty good, too, though it can feel dead against Lunacy Mage and Token Druid. 

 

I run two of each, but consider the second Mor'shan Watch Post a tech slot… I may swap one of the Mor'shan Watch Posts to experiment with one more tech card.  But the card does add a 5/5 Lookout to the board when I get around to  playing Kargal Battlescar, even against minionless decks.


Claw Machine and Taelan Fordring

Both contribute to getting the cards needed to wreck your opponent's train before they run through their cards. The deck thinning effects of both these (and your hero power) are even more important if you have played Envoy Rustwix and triggered his Deathrattle.

Claw Machine

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Claw Machine serves as removal, a potential corrupt trigger for Mr. T (when discounted) and replaces himself with something buffed, sometimes one of your other win conditions.  This is one of the best use cases I have experienced for Claw Machine to be in a list. 

 

As removal he is not quite as good as Siphon Soul, but because he mines your deck AND buffs what he replaces himself with, I feel it is usually superior.  Even if it only gets something small, that will now be more suitable mid to late game with the buff AND it thinned your deck to get you closer to win cons.


Taelan Fordring

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Taelan Fordring lends sticky defense then replaces itself with Y'Shaarj, the Defiler if you haven't drawn it, or (usually) either the new improved Baron Geddon or Kargal Battlescar

 

Another card that could be great in this slot is Headmaster Kel'Thuzad, but I currently feel the draw/thinning effect is more critical than a possible board swing.  I may change my mind on that later; share your thoughts on that in the comments, please.


Wandmaker

Here is the slate of 1 cost Warlock spells you will get and what they mean for the list:

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Altar of Fire: This is something of a whiff, though if played very late, especially if you have all your key cards or have exhausted your deck before the opponent, it can be salvageable.  Its best use?  Several other cards you may Discover or get off the other Wandmaker require that you discard your lowest cost card.  This is good fodder for that when needed, and may make one of those a more desirable choice than usual.

 

Demonic Studies: Probably the star of this list. No real description needed, it plays a key role with this build and more is better.

 

Felosophy: Another terrific card to pull, usually.  Requires you have a demon in hand to make the best use of it, but also needs little explanation.  One thing worth mentioning, I rarely feel like the Outcast bonus is necessarily worth rushing into using it, especially if I have two different demons and prefer to get a double of the more expensive one.  It just depends on the matchup which way I go on that.

 

Grimoire of Sacrifice:  Usually on of the less desirable pulls, because of its situational utility, however, it is a mild board sweeper AND can be used to force a Deathrattle.  Worst case, it can feed a card requiring a discard.

 

Mortal Coil:  Self-explanatory.  Situational, but removal and draw. 

 

Shadow Council: At first glance this may seem a whiff.  Don't be deceived.  You may have to hold it if you have key cards in your hand, but if you are holding cards that are not beneficial, especially if you have a number of them (like removal against a nearly minion-less deck) AND you need to alter the pace by becoming more aggressive, this can be a game changing way to shift gears.  If you do have to hold it, once your key cards are collected and played, it can be a nice way to rev up the late game.  With that in mind, having it can inform whether you play or hold cards where otherwise you might just go all in and play them out.

 

Unstable Felbolt: Its ok with an empty board to get that last lick in on a minion.  Situational.

 

Wicked Whispers:   Requires the discard of your lowest cost card to pump your board.  Situational and costly, of course.  If you got a whiff on an earlier Wandmaker or some similar costed card elsewhere, it may pair up with this.  Once in awhile, you might be in position to use this like a poor man's Savage Roar/Bloodlust.


Baron Geddon

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About Baron Geddon, I was looking at the slate of available minions which can corrupt Tickatus from their natural cost, and it just stood out as better than nearly all the other 7 mana options, at least the ones I own.  I like that it has a similar impact on the board state as Soulciologist Malicia, but a more persistent one, with a bigger body that Flamestrike can not take down by itself and that Freeze can neither fully stop nor lock your board up with (from playing more minions).


Kargal Battlescar

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Works in this deck.  He is basically in the slot others run Soulciologist Malicia.  Obvs Rush is nice, but 5/5 Lookouts are usually stickier and often a better recovery after a full board clear.

Good to trigger Corrupt reasonably early.  I rarely feel bad playing him with even just one Lookout being generated.


Would love to field any questions, hear your suggestions or comments.  Until next time, (in a James Earl Jones voiceover) "Aaaah, the PowerOfCheez"

 

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