Grappler Starter Tips? [Purist]

[TDude]

I've won on purist with the first four starter decks and multiple times with draft, but I cannot figure out a decent way to play the Grappler starter deck (with all of the throws). I frequently have turns in which I don't have a move card AND enemies are multiple spaces away but still attacking me, or my throw cards cannot be used because of the spacing of obstacles around. I've seen others complain about heavies, but really I struggle more in just the very narrow use of several of the cards. Heck, the deck even struggles with momentum costs!

Any tips on how to approach this better? I'm sure some people must love this deck, but I don't get it.

[fri_freeman]

Grappler work a bit different than other decks, that's true. Other than the general tips (keep your deck lean etc etc) and the usual grappler specific tips, I guess from what you said the other tip I can give is focus on getting more movement and getting rid of cards first rather than getting more utility or attack cards. It's true that the deck lack movement at first. Get rid of quick block and counter throw ASAP and get either movement card (shift, slip) or attack move card (front kick, heavy strike), and only after you have those you can get other cards. Also, you can afford to be a bit more aggressive with this deck since the starter enhancement heal you at every turn. Don't upgrade ponder early, it's only useful after you have extra momentum. Upgrade either swap and grapple to get better momentum, or roll throw, depending on your preference (I prefer upgradding roll throw first but it depends on your preference).

[Spawnling]

Originally posted by fri_freeman:

[...]

Pretty much sums it up. I just did a Purist Grappler run and picking up a step after the first fight helepd early game.
Removing Quick Block, Counter Grapple and later Headsmash was also needed.
I added some more movement, damage (combo finisher+), a bit utility (e.g. Throat Punch+, big block) and of course some front kicks.

[x_equals_speed]

Remove a card every gym, add new cards to your deck extremely rarely, not more than 1 or 2 per act.

Counter Throw and Quick block are the first two cards to go. Head Smash is probably next. After that Dash and Headbutt depending on whether you've managed to find move or damage as the card you added this act.

Change how you do positioning. With a lot of other decks you want to keep fights by the edges for ring outs and wall push bonus damage. With this one you need space for suplex and roll throw.

Speaking of which once you've got rid of the trash suplex and roll throw aren't bad options.

Shoulder throw is a beast, doing decent damage, moving you out of the space being attacked, downing an enemy and doing a fair amount of damage all in one card. It's a contender for an upgrade if you've got money to remove and upgrade (but if you can afford only one go for the removal)

Enemies standing too far away to throw is a pain. I found jump kick viable in this despite it generally being too limited.

Seriously, don't add many cards though, if this deck needs anything it's more consistency. Maybe just take the upgraded cards for the minibosses and even then not if they're bad options.

[Twelvefield]

Man, I like Counter Throw. Unlike the other Throws, the bad guy stays down for the next turn, kind of like how Stun Dart used to before it got its wings clipped by the dev. I would build my deck around that card, lots of other counters, Ground Punch - no, wait, Spiked Stamp!, maybe some decent block... if its wasn't Purist. You can gamble and try to build a counter deck around the Grappler deck. If you succeed, you cover yourself with glory. Probably, though, it will fail. You need smart movement cards.

The dumb movement cards are Step, Dash, and so on that do just one thing. The smart movement cards do two things, like adding Dodge or even Block. Some are only half-way smart, with the pre-requisite that you absolutely must move before you get the second attribute: not much help if you are boxed in.

In Purist, though, you need movement almost no matter the cost. Even craptastic Step can help, at least in the early game, and hopefully you can ditch it later. But you also have to keep your deck lean and balanced between movement and attack. If your Grappler deck goes too heavy one way or another, you will get boxed in. If any deck will teach you card finesse, it's Grappler.

Have fun with it, though. There aren't so many cards that let you move the pawns at will around the chessboard, so having most of them in one deck is a blast!

[x_equals_speed]

It's gotta be easier to add Counter Throw to the counter attack deck, than to throw away all of the grapple deck except one card and add in the rest of the counter attacks around it.

[Twelvefield]

That's the gamble, isn't it?

[TDude]

Well, I've had some decent runs, but I mostly just find the deck not that *fun* to play. Just a preference I guess.

I wish there was just a single gap-closer card. Like "Tackle" but instead of 1 range, it was 1-2 range and didn't move the target back one. Just move 1 space and throw the target. Would be really helpful to have a 2 range throw.

I also wish that Ponder was changed to Redraw in the Grappler deck, because Ponder is only useful in decks with lots of momentum to take advantage of having more cards, but Redraw helps find the right card for the situation.