We’re almost at the halfway point of the current Disney Lorcana season, which is the point when you would expect things to start getting a little stale. It’s been six weeks since the local game store launch of Rise of the Floodborn, sealed product is getting a little harder to find, and the meta is largely settled. If you’re playing weekly at your LGS, online using Pixelborn, or at any other local events, you’re probably getting a little sick of seeing the same decks over and over again.
Ruby/Amethyst Control and Amber/Steel Steelsong continue to dominate from last season thanks to new tools like the Merlin and Madam Mim bounce package helping to give Control a newer bounce subtheme, while decks that answer the meta like Amber/Amethyst hyper aggro and Emerald/Steel discard have found a place as well.
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Ruby/Sapphire Pawpsicle Control still has its fans, while Amber/Ruby Mufasa Roulette has gained a lot of popularity over the last few weeks. There’s also the Ward and Resist-focused Sapphire/Steel deck and the other discard deck that combines Amber and Emerald. I see these decks all the time on Pixelborn and at my store, but there’s one deck that hasn’t broken into the mainstream, and it’s one that I think has a lot of potential.
I’ve been playing Amethyst/Steel exclusively for the last few weeks and I’m seeing a ton of success with it. It surprises me that this one isn’t popular yet, considering how much both Amethyst and Steel carry the other decks they’re in. I’m not saying I invented this archetype, and it has shown up here and there in some Top 8 finisher lists, but overall I think Amethyst/Steel is the least discussed and most powerful deck in the format.
Before we go any further, here’s my list, sorted by cost:
| Captain Hook, Forceful Duelist (1x) | Tiana, Diligent Waitress (x4) | Prince Eric, Dashing and Brave (x3) | Madam Mim, Snake (x4) | Tinker Bell, Tiny Tactician (x3) |
| Madam Mim, Fox (x4) | Maleficent, Sorceress (x3) | Benja, Guardian of the Dragon Gem (x2) | Friends on the Other Side (x3) | Smash (x4) |
| Strength of a Raging Fire (x3) | Merlin, Goat (x4) | Merlin, Rabbit (x4) | Beast, Tragic Hero (x4) | Grab Your Sword (x4) |
| Tinker Bell, Giant Fairy (x4) | Yzma, Scary Beyond All Reason (x3) | Elsa, Spirit of Winter (x3) |
I went undefeated at a Trove tournament last week and have done well with it my last few weeks at my LGS, so I feel strongly about its potential. This midrange deck combines the aggressive board control and utility of the bounce package with the incredible removal tools in Steel to take control of the game early, keep a healthy hand size, and out-value the opponent turn after turn. I’ve refined this deck over the last month and I feel confident in the choices here, so let me tell you a little bit about what this deck does best.
With Madam Mim, Snake on turn two and/or Madam Mim, Fox on turn three, you have an easy time taking control of the board early in most matchups. Smash is the perfect answer to a lot of the meta cards you’ll encounter, including Minnie Mouse, Stylish Surfer; Arthur, Wizard’s Apprentice; Mufasa, Betrayed Leader; and Doc, Leader of the Seven Dwarfs. Despite the introduction of Resist, Tinker Bell, Giant Fairy feels as strong as ever, and you can get extra value out of shifting her in and letting her Sing Grab Your Sword.
You’ve got plenty of card draw thanks to Friends of the Other Side, Merlin, Rabbit; Yzma, Scary Beyond all Reason; Maleficent, Sorceress; and Beast, Tragic Hero, which will help you find your removal tools and keep pressure on the board. When it’s time to step on the gas and end the game, chaining together a pair of Elsa, Spirit of Winters usually does the trick.
These are the core card you’ll want to build around.
There’s a lot of other cards I’ve tried in this deck with varying success, but they’re options you should still consider. The Sorcerer’s Spellbook is a great tool for closing out games when you’ve played aggressively and you just need a little more lore to cross the finish line. With 14 Floodborn cards, it’s also worth considering Blue Fairy, Rewarding Good Deeds for even more card draw and a little evasive pressure.
Some people prefer Let the Storm Rage On over Smash for the draw and singability, but I find Smash just has too many good targets in the meta right now to cut. There’s also Chief Bogo, another character with good Floodborn synergy and, when paired with Giant Fairy, is essentially a free Grab Your Sword. You might also consider adding Ursula, Power Hungry, which is another big bomb that can help finish up games quickly.
This deck can struggle with removal against big targets like Cinderella, Stouthearted. Yzma is the only hard removal card, but keep in mind this will give the opponent two cards.
The only downside, unfortunately, is that it’s a fairly expensive deck to build. Beast, Tragic Hero is $40 and trending higher, while the Elsas and Tinker Bells will cost you about $10 a piece. Luckily, those are all cards that will almost certainly hold value going forward and find their way into meta decks in future expansions as well.
This deck has a fairly even match-up against Ruby/Amethyst control if you focus on playing aggressively, and is a great answer to other Steel decks like Steelsong and Emerald/Steel Control. If you’re looking for something a little off-meta that can still compete, this might be the deck for you.