Just to clarify from the Rules Reference: "A player may play or put into play allies beyond their ally limit. However, if a player ever controls a number of allies greater than their ally limit in play, they must immediately choose and discard from play ally cards they control until they have a number of allies in play equal to their ally limit. This occurs before abilities that resolve upon entering play." Basically, I feel "Last Stand" allows you to give up a chump block for a big attack. I usually value the chump block more, so I've never used the card. "Bait & Switch" could be an interesting card for Nightcrawler or Drax, but generally I don't like encouraging the Villain to attack me (although I have been warming up to "Taunt" lately). 😉 Enjoyed the video.
I built a blue Nightcrawler deck with triple Last Stand the other day that's built to recycle Daytripper and use up allies in general, since he doesn't need them to block. The game had an epic ending where I drew all three Last Stands, and Triage (of all things) dealt the villain a lethal 10 damage blow.
Last Stand works well with Sneak Attack and Goliath; I use it when needed, and when you need it the 0 cost makes it worth it as you can play it even with only this card in hand. Bait and Switch is useful with Drax, Collossus, and Black Panther, who have strategies that can block or use the villain's attack to their advantage.
I forgot about Last Stand. It would have been good in my Leadership decks against Project Wideawake (with Villain Sentinel) since one generally wants to avoid blocking with allies. This makes me want to design a deck around using Last Stand. A deck with 3 of these would allow one to deal 9 extra damage each pass through the deck (for 3 effective resources altogether). If I have plenty of allies, this should be quite viable.
I have used bait and switch a lot with hulk, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and a few other characters that can deal with the attacks or like extra activations. As you pointed out, it's a solo thing, but that's my usual manner of play so bias. It's a nice card to have going solo
No to both. Last Stand is good (in that 1ER for 3 damage is fantastic) in theory but never seems to be worth adding with other options. Plus is it worth losing the chump block?
Last Stand works great with Goliath. Goliath would get a +7 attack boost and he gets discarded at the end of the phase with his ability. If you want to discard him sooner with this you can. Bait and Switch works well in a Stunlock deck. Some characters in protection just don't have a great way to remove threat. This is a good choice. Too bad it is from the main scheme only.
I've never ran last stand. Even decks where I consider it I just run out of deck space before it's ever a maybe I can include last stand now. I feel bait amd switch would have to go on a hero who benefits from getting attacked, like Drax or Spider-Man. And now with the amazing Come Get Me Bub, it's pretty reasonable to take a ton of attacks, especially as Drax. However, now Taunt is a thing, and I don't really see running this over taunt, unless maybe making an ally swarm deck in protection.
Thoughts on each card: Last Stand: Of historical interest, as it was among the earlier cards to disincentivize chump blocking and encourage alternate uses of allies. I think we are perhaps a support card or two away from crystallizing the, to pull from MTG, aristocrat (sacrifice) archetype, especially in light of recent revealed cards from the Magneto pack. I agree with you that, over time, 3 damage has become less impactful, due to a trend towards chunkier minions. Conversely, I think its stock may have been recently elevated somewhat, especially in the AoA expansion. This is because chump blocking is discouraged by the Infinites encounter set and by overkill from En Sabah Nur, for example. Bait and Switch: Lord knows I have tried to make this card work, but in the end it has yet ever be worth it. As you noted, the issue I have most is with its main-scheme restriction. For one, burst thwarts are typically more effective on side schemes, as they often present some imminent or ongoing threat that the main typically does not. Secondly, in light of the increased prevalence of side schemes, this card has become relatively less useful. If I want to thwart main scheme, I still rely on Hard to Ignore in most of my protection builds.
Last Stand was good in decks which often hit the ally limit - but deck space is so tight in 2024. It's gone from something I used to play every so often to something I just never play. Bait and Switch... Eugh. There are a couple of characters I like it on in combination with Taunt, where the deck is built to get extra benefits for attacks e.g. Peter Parker. But like Last Stand, it's 2024 with a million great cards. I'd rather just run Taunt and other good stuff most of the time. And on most heroes, neither.
Last stand I'm sure has never seen the outsides of storage due to me being stuck as the Thwart guy. Bait and Switch is one of those cards that is great in solo but I don't feel it's as good in multiplayer.
Just to clarify from the Rules Reference: "A player may play or put into play allies beyond their ally limit. However, if a player ever controls a number of allies greater than their ally limit in play, they must immediately choose and discard from play ally cards they control until they have a number of allies in play equal to their ally limit. This occurs before abilities that resolve upon entering play."
Basically, I feel "Last Stand" allows you to give up a chump block for a big attack. I usually value the chump block more, so I've never used the card. "Bait & Switch" could be an interesting card for Nightcrawler or Drax, but generally I don't like encouraging the Villain to attack me (although I have been warming up to "Taunt" lately). 😉 Enjoyed the video.
Thank you for clarifying!
I built a blue Nightcrawler deck with triple Last Stand the other day that's built to recycle Daytripper and use up allies in general, since he doesn't need them to block. The game had an epic ending where I drew all three Last Stands, and Triage (of all things) dealt the villain a lethal 10 damage blow.
I might try Last Stand in a Cyclops deck with it being a tactic card. Grabbing it for free with his alter-ego ability might be interesting.
Sadly, his alter ego ability only lets you grab tactic upgrades. But his thwart would let you grab it.
@@drsmoothmoves thanks, I completely didn't even look to see if it was and upgrade or not!
Last Stand is awesome for Star Lord Rush deck. It also works well in Ghost Spider to trigger her hero ability.
Last Stand works well with Sneak Attack and Goliath; I use it when needed, and when you need it the 0 cost makes it worth it as you can play it even with only this card in hand. Bait and Switch is useful with Drax, Collossus, and Black Panther, who have strategies that can block or use the villain's attack to their advantage.
I forgot about Last Stand. It would have been good in my Leadership decks against Project Wideawake (with Villain Sentinel) since one generally wants to avoid blocking with allies. This makes me want to design a deck around using Last Stand. A deck with 3 of these would allow one to deal 9 extra damage each pass through the deck (for 3 effective resources altogether). If I have plenty of allies, this should be quite viable.
I have used bait and switch a lot with hulk, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and a few other characters that can deal with the attacks or like extra activations. As you pointed out, it's a solo thing, but that's my usual manner of play so bias. It's a nice card to have going solo
Last Stand can be run in Sneak Attack/Ally Ready decks.
Bait & Switch never.
No to both. Last Stand is good (in that 1ER for 3 damage is fantastic) in theory but never seems to be worth adding with other options. Plus is it worth losing the chump block?
Last Stand works great with Goliath. Goliath would get a +7 attack boost and he gets discarded at the end of the phase with his ability. If you want to discard him sooner with this you can.
Bait and Switch works well in a Stunlock deck. Some characters in protection just don't have a great way to remove threat. This is a good choice. Too bad it is from the main scheme only.
I had a fun time with Goliath, command team, last stand; but I've never used Bait and switch.
I've never ran last stand. Even decks where I consider it I just run out of deck space before it's ever a maybe I can include last stand now.
I feel bait amd switch would have to go on a hero who benefits from getting attacked, like Drax or Spider-Man. And now with the amazing Come Get Me Bub, it's pretty reasonable to take a ton of attacks, especially as Drax. However, now Taunt is a thing, and I don't really see running this over taunt, unless maybe making an ally swarm deck in protection.
Thoughts on each card:
Last Stand: Of historical interest, as it was among the earlier cards to disincentivize chump blocking and encourage alternate uses of allies. I think we are perhaps a support card or two away from crystallizing the, to pull from MTG, aristocrat (sacrifice) archetype, especially in light of recent revealed cards from the Magneto pack. I agree with you that, over time, 3 damage has become less impactful, due to a trend towards chunkier minions. Conversely, I think its stock may have been recently elevated somewhat, especially in the AoA expansion. This is because chump blocking is discouraged by the Infinites encounter set and by overkill from En Sabah Nur, for example.
Bait and Switch: Lord knows I have tried to make this card work, but in the end it has yet ever be worth it. As you noted, the issue I have most is with its main-scheme restriction. For one, burst thwarts are typically more effective on side schemes, as they often present some imminent or ongoing threat that the main typically does not. Secondly, in light of the increased prevalence of side schemes, this card has become relatively less useful. If I want to thwart main scheme, I still rely on Hard to Ignore in most of my protection builds.
Last Stand was good in decks which often hit the ally limit - but deck space is so tight in 2024. It's gone from something I used to play every so often to something I just never play.
Bait and Switch... Eugh. There are a couple of characters I like it on in combination with Taunt, where the deck is built to get extra benefits for attacks e.g. Peter Parker. But like Last Stand, it's 2024 with a million great cards. I'd rather just run Taunt and other good stuff most of the time. And on most heroes, neither.
I used to play Bait and Switch on the early days too, but we have better ways to clear it (and also better thw ally like prof X).
Loved the video. Thanks, d20!
Last stand I'm sure has never seen the outsides of storage due to me being stuck as the Thwart guy. Bait and Switch is one of those cards that is great in solo but I don't feel it's as good in multiplayer.
Nope to both
I tried but not really, i prefer not