Duelyst Forums

[Card Discussion] Neutral - Replicant

#1

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Type: Minion

Rarity: Common

Set: Immortal Vanguard
Cost: 2

Stats: 2/2
Text: Opening Gambit: Draw another Replicant from your deck.

DISCUSSION

A few questions to start the discussion:

  1. What were your original expectations about the card? Is it better or worse than what you expected?
  2. Can you share a deck where the card is working fine? Can you comment on failed experiments with the card?
  3. Do you think the power level of the card is fine? How would you buff / nerf the card if you wanted to change it?

You don’t have to talk about these questions specifically, which are just supposed to be a starting point for the discussion. Feel free to discuss the cards lore, art, and fun interactions along with competitive viability in this topic. Also, feel free to propose changes to the format and/or criticize it, so that I can fine-tune it to make it more appealing to you.

3 Likes
#2

when i saw it: meh
when i used it: SO F###### GOOD.

2 Likes
#3

Replicant is second best robot

1 Like
#4

So good, I cram into so many decks.

1 Like
#5

Honestly I knew this card was gunna be good from the start. Like it’s good early for a 2/2 body. Midgame you can just spam them if you have excess mana and it’s the same for late game. On top of that it’s like “draw a card” in a way.

1 Like
#6

I’m gonna go a different direction and say I really don’t like the card. Sure, it provides early body and refreshes itself to keep your hand full, sure you have a lot of synergies in the late game that you can use cough cough swarm brome but for me it doesn’t seem too good. The main reason is that it doesn’t push pressure, since it is a pretty small body and does nothing to threaten the board. Sure you can buff it, but the most useful thing I’ve accomplished with it was to get out a 11/11 project omega turn 3 (that got BoAed next turn). It feels mainly like a convenience card for me, for when you really have nothing else to play and the other guy also has nothing on the board. I normally replace it just cause it doesn’t impact the board state at all, and honestly if I really wanted card draw, there are many other options available.

3 Likes
#7

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now we know who to blame for the OP vangaurd cards that got nerfed eventually

2 Likes
#8

I liked the card right away:

And I’ve become even more staunch in that opinion as time has gone on. It’s a wonderful design and a very strong card for the decks that need it.

The card works well in several decks but my personal favorite is the Brometheus/Warlord/Surge Swarm deck like this one:

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I started running Auroara and Glaives again and they made this card work even better. Just wonderful.

I think the card is exactly right just where it’s at. I wouldn’t change it at all.

#9

I think the real advantage is not putting pressure, but rather making your deck thinner without creating card disadvantage. It is really about hand and deck management rather than board control

1 Like
#10

Hmmm, I see your point, probably because I like having the board under full control, and the best way for me would be to play threats that require a response, even in the smallest way, which is why I like ragnora, but we digress.

I just normally don’t find a use for it when it is in my hand, so I just keep wondering why I put it in my deck when there is possibly another two drop that could take up that spot with a greater impact on the game.

I do see how it helps thin out the deck, but to be frank I don’t feel in control anymore, rather praying for good draws and knowing I won’t draw a 2/2. Probably feel that way cus of my reactive play style.

#11

WAT?

On topic though, looks like I’m the only person who overestimated it. I though it would be a good choice for swarm Lilithe decks, but really I prefer playing 3 1/1 bodies for 3 mana to playing 3 2/2 bodies for 6. Don’t tell me I’m doing it wrong though, I understand deck thinning, hand preseving and versatility of the card, but in dedicated hyperswarm I consider it slow and weak. I know, @deathsadvocate doesn’t agree on this point, but that’s how it feels for me. I could be a strange person, I don’t even use Desolator in every Abyss deck.

It’s OK in mech-rush-abomination and slower swarm Lilithe decks and really good in swarm Lyo. I completely agree with @thematsjo on the last point.

Speaking about powerlevel, I can say it’s completely fair, no buffs or nerfs needed. We don’t see it in every deck, even not in every swarm deck - but it’s used reasonably often. So there’s always a personal choice to include it or not. I guess it makes it ideally balanced, @unreason should approve :slight_smile:

3 Likes
#12
  • What were your original expectations about the card? Is it better or worse than what you expected?

My original expectations was this was just a card for swarm decks.I think underestimated the card,I have been experimenting with draw/card advantage in duelyst of late and I was using the card wrong at first.This card is with aegis barrier and first wish as one of the best cantrips in the game.

  • Can you share a deck where the card is working fine? Can you comment on failed experiments with the card?

I don’t have deck i want to share but any Vanar, Abyss, Magmar deck.Where you play a solid minion like Young silthar/crystal cloaker/crystal arbiter/warpup and can follow up on same turn with a replicant is usually a good play.These factions have iffy draw/cantrips.So it is pretty strong play two get two minions on the board and replace into something in your deck.Later you can push two out on the board out and thin your deck. With another source or two of good draw you can consistently go through your deck find things you find need.

Fail experiment is swam magmar where i try to play Mandrake early as early as possible and put huge project Omega in play. I have to revisit concept now that i have a little better understanding of card draw.

  • Do you think the power level of the card is fine? How would you buff / nerf the card if you wanted to change it?

The power level of the card is fine it is stronger in thing that can buff multiple minions like Lyonar,Kara or Vet but it is perfect fine just about anything you want early draw in.Card is fine a smartly made card.

#13

I like the design of the card, though I am not a fan of the card in my decks. It does not pull its weight. I need more from my two-drops than just getting another copy of a mediocre card when I play it. I can see decks where it is fine in, like a very aggressive deck with mirkblood devourer or lady locke to pump up the 2/2 body to a 3/3. Asides from that, I wouldn’t really run it.

#14

You rang?

Having a reputation makes me feel special. I can feel my ego inflating.

Yeah, replicants are cool. They can easily fit into a lot of decks, if you get one late you can spit out two 2/2’s for four and cycle the last one, any deck that really wants to find a few specific cards loves these guys, they look cool, they’re pretty much perfectly balanced and their card design is great. And they’re really cool for a seismoid starhorn mech deck.

Does anyone run those? Shame if not.

Alright, stream of consciousness over.

#15

ironically, i never got around to making one.

Replicant is pretty nice. Sometimes though, I can’t help but wonder if zOr is better.

#16

No, zors aren’t better. The whole battle pet thing is a huge downside, believe me. Plus, opening gambit is significantly better than dying wish. Lightbenders and especially EMP’s are pretty common.

#17

…right… battlepet… i remember why i don’t like it now.

PS:woah, would people really drop a lightbender against an RNG 2-1 battlepet? I’ve never seen how people react to z0r cause I’ve never used one myself.

#18

I mean that lightbenders and EMP’s are both common and can hit multiple targets, so it’s not uncommon for people to twofer or threefer you with those things.

EMP’s really need to be nerfed, 6/8 for eight would be fair I think? 9/9 for seven, nuts. I run three EMP’s in almost every deck I make, they’re too good to skip.

1 Like
#19

I support you here, but…

Off topic!

1 Like
#20

Off topic indeed, oops.

So back on topic, replicants could be stuffed into almost any deck and still work decently well. Not always an ideal choice, but never a terrible one, like how you can stick healing mystics or primus fists into anything.

Which I guess is just a wordy way of saying it’s a good turn-one play.

1 Like