June Deck Doctor: Highlander Spotlight

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This month we’re dipping our toes into the Highlander format. The Highlander deck is a deck that consists of only one copy of each card in your deck so no playsets of Mass Blessing or Exhaustion and it frees up space to add more cards to your toolkit but also makes playing your Exhaustion or Mass Blessing at the right time infinitely more important in winning your match. Some consider the restriction a hinderance but others see it as the ultimate test and way of deck building. And by others, I mean one guy. The infamous Highlander himself, Richard Carter AKA Kerebrus from the Temple of Lore days.

I reached out to Richard a few weeks ago to get a peak under the hood of the Highlander machine that is his brain. When I asked about it he made sure to emphasize that most people are going to have to look up some of these cards in his decks. Each of these deck lists lived in his head and not in a digital format until I requested some lists. These are just a few of the decks that he sent over and I wanted to showcase some of the highlights this month from the obvious (we’re starting with Kerebrus after all) to the absolute madness (you’ll see at the end.) Let’s have a look at what we’re working with.

ride on and let’s see what the dark horsemen have in store

Of course, we were going to lead off with Kerebrus himself. A fighter looking to lead his armies from the front, he’s backed by a mostly good aligned army to get the most from his static text while he gets to work on the opposing army.

Starting Army: 6

  • Kerebrus

  • Bosun Blacknose

  • The Biting West Wind

  • Deidra Price

  • Meri-es-anch

  • Anselm Beaucourt

 Characters: 20

  • Squire Orban

  • Tyren ruskin

  • Amoudasi’s Wrath

  • War Wagon

  • Ikzi

  • Judge Dacaus

  • Krost

  • Ghost Bog

  • Judge Aeacus

  • Mingan

  • Jacob Windrider

  • Kess

  • Ta’anar Tol’son

  • Lady Ersane

  • Validan

  • Lady Tornhawk

  • Jackals of Mourn

  • Rica O’Shea

  • R’Veeka

  • Paymaster Corr

 Items: 18

  • War Horse

  • Griffon of Misear

  • The Dark Horse

  • Chariot

  • Engraved Plate

  • Scale Mail

  • Common Blade

  • Havat-lahn Stance

  • Xantin’s Ward

  • Troas’ Pawn

  • Elven Chainmail

  • Symbol of Kerebrus (duh)

  • Poultice Sack

  • Bruntor’s Helm

  • Wyvern Gem

  • Aspis

  • Healing Potion

  • Blessed Bangle

 Actions: 9

  • I Have Your Back

  • Exhaustion

  • Leveled!

  • Sabotage

  • Chosen

  • Sudden Reversal

  • Divine Guidance

  • Holy Might

  • Mass Blessing

This next one is, appropriately titled, THE MADNESS. Highlander Rreg’jen. Towards the end of the Temple of Lore days, Rreg’jen kind of became this kind of meme Warlord. Rich had issued a bounty on himself that if you could beat him in a DL challenge with Rreg’jen you got a bunch of extra stuff. I’m not saying you’ll win against a Dragon Lord with this one, or that you’ll even win a match, but it was made for the love of the game and memes.

maybe you’ll draw a card. or maybe you’ll just play with starting armies this game.

THE MADNESS

Starting Army: 6

  • Rreg’jen

  • Mangonel

  • Temb’w’bam

  • Lorik

  • Urg

  • Gunda

 Characters: 19

  • Ac’vuk

  • SanUris

  • Bithkrid

  • Vaxon

  • Rress

  • Wheeled Pikes

  • Durga

  • Wyvern’s talon

  • Calf KarTal

  • Hrak

  • Timmuk

  • Sphlyrix

  • Gush

  • Muddflek

  • Sceth’s Spears

  • Hellbringer’s Quill

  • Ballista Crew

  • Kish

  • Catapult Crew

 Items: 8

  • Black Moss

  • Destroyer’s Armor

  • Pilferer’s Gloves

  • Symbol of Kerebrus

  • Gaudy Hat

  • Diversion

  • Giant Toad

  • Wyvernstring Bow

 Actions: 17

  • Steal Fate

  • Incentives

  • Outmatched

  • Dreadnaught

  • Prince Among Thieves

  • Leveled!

  • Eternal Champion

  • Nothing to Lose

  • Meet at the Inn

  • Forced March

  • Flank Them

  • Throw

  • I Have Your Back

  • Exhaustion

  • Blind Vengeance

  • Thrust

  • Take Advantage

Maybe you’re looking for something with a more classic Warlord style feel. Maybe that something is ravenous undead hoard marching forward to the front rank to feast on the souls of the living (assuming you aren’t facing off against another undead hoard.) Rustiq Umbala has you covered.

has anyone seen my brother? I just wanna talk to him.

Starting Army: 6

  • Rustiq Umbala

  • Spectre of Madness

  • Skeletal Archer

  • Rotale Dythanus

  • Javvyn

  • Soulless Scavenger

 Characters: 19

  • Kapix

  • Manifested Spirit

  • Calix Guard

  • Revsheth

  • Zephiros

  • Corinth’s Refuse

  • Ashling

  • Brack Ghast

  • Atheris

  • Dythanus’ Slaves

  • Bone Fiend

  • Hungry Dead

  • Moldering Cur

  • Ayaaba Waverunner

  • Pravian

  • Undead Sahuagin

  • Nothiel Elestra

  • Flesh-Feeder

  • Achilleus

 Items: 13

  • Riding Horse

  • Healing Potion

  • Nothrog Daggers

  • Xiathe’s Touch*

  • Xienar’s Guard*

  • Xantin’s Ward*

  • Troas’ Pawn* (built pre mrp, could be replaced)

  • Poultice Sack

  • Bascarite Mark

  • Camel

  • Dythanus Mantle

  • Chirurgery Kit

  • Altar of Flesh

 Actions: 12

  • Magic Missiles

  • Unfeeling Flesh

  • Contagion

  • Ball Lightning

  • Kor’s Patience

  • Rush to Battle

  • Shallow Graves

  • Final Power

  • Fiery Bolts

  • Elemental Bolt

  • Life Tap

  • Mass Blessing

We’ve hit classic Highlander. We’ve hit MADNESS Highlander. We’ve hit cavalry Highlander. Now we’re going to hit the Rainbow Coalition Highlander. For many years now, people have tried and failed to unlock the hidden potential of Vronish Kez and his Legion of Doom. It turns out they’ve just never built him in the right format!

has anyone seen my daughter? I just want to talk to her.

Starting Army: 6

  • Vronish Kez and his rainbow coalition

  • Son of the Clouds

  • Baqbou Umbala

  • Lilika Zane

  • Haden Rhys

  • Jiyacin Fret

 Chracters: 20

  • The Temple of Lore

  • D’nath

  • Yeg-Igryll’s Altar

  • Magheline

  • Stanchion

  • Amends

  • War Wagon

  • Tacus Fylde

  • Nisroch

  • Knight of Falun

  • Kallus

  • Bludgeon

  • Carmag Hammerfall

  • Envoy Soraya

  • Ygrassyne

  • Cairn Rowan

  • Rafkin

  • Sir Pelimere

  • Roona

  • Enki

Items: 17

  • Riding Horse

  • Symbol of Kerebrus

  • Boots of Speed

  • Blackruby Dagger

  • Blowgun

  • Amulet of Waking

  • Shade Lion

  • Norn’s Stinger

  • Camel

  • Cloudracer

  • Black Steel Dagger

  • Gloves of the Fang

  • The Martyr’s Helm

  • Armor of Blending

  • Face Kit

  • Medical Kit

  • Scorpion Stance

Actions: 9

  • Alert

  • Steady Aim

  • Courage from Faith

  • Purify

  • Guild Taxes

  • Uninvited

  • Whirlwind Attack

  • Exotic Training

  • Cobbler’s Lane

And our last deck is something tried and true but slightly new! As in one of the new 20th anniversary Warlords released from AEG. This Carter’s take on Lady Bhaine where he puts her to work as soon as she can get to the front to put the hurt on your opponent.

Starting Army: 6

  • Bhaine of Misearis

  • Bosun Blacknose

  • The Biting West Wind

  • Regret’s Shadow

  • Brine Fiend

  • Stygian Wraith

 Chracters: 4

  • The Temple of Lore

  • The Haunted

  • Minor Dragonkin

  • Gilbert Basc

 Items: 20

  • Greaves

  • Symbol of Kerebrus

  • Wyvern Gem

  • Black Sun Shield

  • Griffon of Misear

  • Havat-lahn Stance

  • Bruntor’s Helm

  • Soul Stealer

  • The Dark Horse

  • Sword of the Storm

  • Hand Crossbow

  • Ancient Scimitar

  • Kringle’s Sleigh

  • Fists of Kor

  • Nokhtkruger

  • Panthera

  • Chariot

  • Thundering Bracers

  • Verdatha Mount

  • Ablung’s Plate

 Actions: 20

  • Inspiring Strike

  • Outmatched

  • Quick Strength

  • Quick Shielding

  • Bellicose

  • Bloodthirsty

  • Faith in Steel

  • Out of Breath

  • Call Verdatha

  • Crunchy Peasants

  • Close Combat

  • Contest They Title

  • Massacre

  • No Prisoners

  • Paying the Price

  • Well Laid Trap

  • Heart of the Warrior

  • Bear’s Soul

  • Obiliterate

  • Holy Ground

And that’s a wrap! I want to thank Richard Carter for providing these and several other deck lists to highlight the Highlander format this month! Each of these are fair game to use in this month’s tournament if you feel so inclined! But you have to submit your desk list today in order to get into the tournament! If you are curious what was not showcased here, feel free to DM me on Discord and I’ll share some more of the thunder with you!