Game Over

Introduction:

I have been a fan of Creation builds for a long time. I was the first player I believe to start running a Creation build in Type 1 which is why Joe Schaefer who is the first player to pioneer Creation builds period specifically in Type 2 reached out to me when he found the LAFS combo and he and I worked on it together. He later invited the Chamber brothers into that process. I ended up placing 5th at Nats 2021 with the LAFS combo deck I ran.

I originally built the shell of this deck the summer after the LAFS Creation combo build bit the dust. This was summer 2021 if I recall correctly. Instead of turn 1 LAFS I found a way to get turn 1 Impartial Judgment within the Creation band. Then rotation hit and I set the build aside. Back in February 2024 I dusted the build off for Type 1 Classic and made it work in a world with the Reserve rule and 1 TCE which was not easy. I sent the build to John Hendrix who I let run it at the TJC Memorial Tournament in 2024.

Fast forward to now and with Type 1 Unlimited becoming a thing I picked the build up again and refined it for the current meta. I do not believe a Creation combo deck though is the best deck in Type 1 Unlimited because these are glass cannon builds. If they don't combo they really struggle to win games. They are fragile. Boy are they fun though and piloting them provides a rush of adrenaline to be sure.

Explanation:

This deck build is set up to power out Hidden Treasures and Moses, the Servant turn 1 who tutors for Creation of the World turn 1 to play Creation of the World pre-block to set up a turn 1 Impartial Judgement of 6-7 while also drawing a maximum of 11 cards. I am not aware of any Creation Combo deck as consistent as this build.

This deck build is remarkably consistent. There are 14 ways to Moses the Servant turn 1 (Moses himself, Pharaoh’s Daughter herself to Moses, Darkness LS to Pharaoh’s Daughter to Moses, Dread LS to Pharaogh’s Daughter to Moses, 5 ways to Dread LS (Awake LS, Hunter LS, Terah Star, Nahor Star, and Lost Child Found Star), Damascus to Pharaoh’s Daughter to Moses, Crowd’s Choice to Moses the Servant, Worldly Wisdom to Crowd’s Choice to Moses the Servant, Galileans LS to Worldly Wisdom to Crowd’s Choice to Moses, and Escape LS to Galileans to WW to CC to Moses).

There are 11 ways to Hidden Treasures turn 1 (Hidden Treasures itself, Delivered to Hidden Treasures, Offering Your Son to Hidden Treasures, Worldly Wisdom to Hidden Treasures, Crowd’s Choice to Delivered to Hidden Treasures, Galileans LS to Worldly Wisdom to Hidden Treasures, and 5 ways to Galileans LS (Awake LS, Escape LS, Terah Star, Nahor Star, and Lost Child Found Star).

The goal when playing Creation of the World pre-block off Hidden Treasures after Moses has tutored for it turn 1 is to play Impartial Judgement pre-block off Awesome Things on meek Noah for 6 or possibly 7 all tutored for via the Creation band while also drawing a maximum of 11 cards off the Creation band. To achieve this Adam the Exile will search for David, HAG. Joseph the Dreamer will search for Seven Cows. Jared the Beholder will band to David, HAG after the entire creation band has completed who will search for Awesome Things or IJ. Jacob (FooF) will play Seven Cows to search for Awesome Things or IJ. To draw 10-11 cards: Isaac will draw 2, Eliezer will draw 3, Papa Abe (there are plenty of patties) will convert to meek to draw 3, and Enosh will draw at least 2 off of meek Jared and Noah and possibly 3 if I don't need to use Adam. To get a boosted Impartial Judgement of 6 or 7: Abe, Jared, Terah, Nahor, David, and Noah will all be meek. Often I can afford Adam being meek as well or if I have to Mahalalel.

One key thing to note is if one of the heroes that needs to be banded in with Creation of the World to combo happens to be drawn in the opening 8 then you can tutor for Dread LS via one of the many "Play a Lost Soul" abilities to exchange that hero with Pharaoh's Daughter from deck. Eliezer also helps if a needed Patriarch is drawn and Adam helps if a needed Antedeulluvian is drawn since they can band.

Turn 2 and later: On turn 2 the goal is to use Concealed Riches to snag at a minimum Rebekah (RR2), Simeon, Amos, TFS, and Bless the Nations. If I can get Abe's Descendant as well that is nice. I play TFS to hit their hand and then enter battle with Jacob if I can tell this will be enough and play Bless the Nations pre-block with Jacob to draw withe Eliezer/Isaac/Enosh and to hit their hand with Rebekah, shuffle an EC in their territory with Amos, and then hit their hand/territory with Simeon. Quite strong. I can also wait to play a banding enhancement till post-block and do the same thing except shuffle away their EC in battle with Amos CBI.

Another option turn 2 and later is to recur Impartial Judgement through Scribe or Abe’s Descendant (Di). I like to grab Abe’s Descendant off Concealed Riches and if possible I save my Crowd’s Choice so I can recur IJ and tutor for it same turn. Then I enter battle with lone Noah and play IJ pre-block off Hidden Treasures.

Lost Child Found is important not only for its star ability but also for bouncing Noah to get rid of the 9 good brigades if necessary and to also get Papa Abe and Jared back to draw more as well as search to Reserve with Jared for whatever I could not get with the Concealed Riches play. Also LCF gives resiliency against hand protect forts and negate neutral heroes.

The defense is set up to allow for Worldly Wisdom to be played turn 1. I have 4 characters that Worldly Wisdom can be played on and Damascus/Darkness LS provide two additional ways to those characters meaning I am fairly likely to have a character to play Worldly Wisdom on. I run all NT black evil cards to maximize the potential of being able to exchange one off Galileans LS for Worldly Wisdom. The defense is a liner abuse defense with a twist. I almost always aim to block with Scribe to recur IJ, TFS, Bless the Nations/Gathered together, or Unsuccessful and then band to The Chief Priests or HPA or Supercilious Scribes or Annas the Elder. I then can use Supercilious Scribes to tutor for Unsuccessful or Mourn and Weep to block. Annas the Elder allows me to reset the 2 Liner. Additionally I should not how quickly I can get 2 Liner into play via Awake, Hunter, and the 3 star abilities in this deck that play a lost soul from a deck. Falling Away naturally can be good with 2 Liner as well. Abandonment provides a solid block and lastly Arrest in Gethsemane can be used to go to the opponent's deck to get rid of Son of God, The Second Coming, or even Guardian of Your Souls. This defense is minimal but does just enough I feel to get the job done.

This deck is the very definition of a glass cannon but boy is it fun to play and if you go first it is likely to be “Game Over” hence the name. However, I did lose two games in the Redemption Grand Prix Classic version going first so the title could be off a bit.

If I do go second and the opponent gets set up real well I can pivot to tutoring for A New Beginning with Moses, the Servant and seeking to reset the board to make it as if I am the one going first. This is a key way to try and get back in the game.

Maybe board:

Cards I have considered include the following-

Jacob’s Rods, Seth, the Appointed, Leah, the Fertile, Abel, Covet LS, Wanderer LS, The Long Day, Oath of Purity, Fire Foxes, Aimless LS, Burial, Seize Him!, Plot to Kill, High Places, Just a Hireling, Alexander of Troas, PotA, Valiant Moabites, Shuffler LS, Darkness, Pride of Simon, High Priest’s Plot, Faith of Samuel, Rebekah the Bride, Abe’s Descendant (LoC), Go Away (Reserve), Perez, Melchizedek, Bread Giver, Simeon, the Vengeful, Sarah, the Adorned, Eber, the Unwilling, Hopper LS, I Am Sustainer, Jacob’s Ladder, Amazing Faith, The Manger, Zebulun (FooF), Abram’s Army, Surveying Spirit (Reserve), Harvest Time, AotW, Benjamin, the Young, Ephraim, Egypt, Wilderness of Sinai, The Priests of Zeus, Outsiders (B/G), Solomon’s Dream, Angel of the Lord, Mayhem, CotK, Three Nails, Malakh, Abe (CoW), Visions of Iddo the Seer, Hezron, Tenants Kill the Son, Wages, “I Am” Has Sent Mem Amos (PoC), Judah the Leader, Naphtali, Rachel the Favored, Arpachshad, Lamech, Rest Seeker (as another way to David), Serug, Moths, Scattered Sheep, Storehouse, Out of Their Hands, Baruch the Scribe. New Covenant (Isaiah)