Five Biolith Fields Occupied

[Tzeeke]

I've unlocked all of the challenge based trophies except for the three "5 Biolith Fields Occupied" ones and I'm really struggling.
Obviously I can defeat these decks quite easily under normal circumstances, but when it comes to occupying, defeating and defending certain squares I don't seem to be able to do this.
I'm currently using a lizard based fire deck with biolith element where necessay.
My main tactic for the win (and all previous wins) is summoning creatures which reduce summoning cost for following cards of the same element, combined with the lizard commander (and subsequent lizard creatures) to produce a positive mana generation regardless of what I summon.
While this would result in an easy regular win I'm struggling because the 5 biolith fields are so spread out and so favouring certain summonig fields often results in myself either not summoning at all or summoning in an incorrect field.
Has anyone done these trophies and if so, do you have any suggestions as to a different combo of cards to use or any tactics in general?

[intvgene]

I pass the first few rounds as the biolith deck can't really cast much when the summoning lock is on.. then I take a few of the corner fields or cast 109 Seer Vizak's Calamity to change all the fields. What I think you need to remember is to hold the biolith fields (or the ones that will become biolith) first as even if the computer kills your creature, you will still be able to retake the space. Also, the Biolith Stinger is a good card because you can trade places with a computer opponent who is on a biolith field.

Anyway, hope this helps.. let me know if you get the gold trophy and what you had to do to get it.. I'm still waiting to see how you get it.

[heimdal213]

For those that have tried this challange the biggest challange is flipping the 4 biolith fields if you don't have the luxury of any fieldquaking creatures, you can only use fissures of golthie 3 times. For the biolith challenge set 1 you can coax the COMP to flip the fields for you by placing scionar fire god in the lower left corner. The comp will either use a biolith groundbreaker or seer visak's calamity, then it's just holding the fields. For set 2 YOU need to use one of the two cards above as the comp decks have no way of flipping the fields. Set 3 the comp has some cards that can flip the board for you. Use sciondar on the top middle fire field, this should couse the comp to use drunken demolition. Use fissure of golthie on the remaining three.

[Rayne]

To make your life easy, you really need Seek Vizar's Calamity.

5 mana, fieldquake all fields, even with this card I'm really, really struggling...

First off is the cost of the card is huge....the big problem is, do you use it at the start of the duel (when the opponent generally doesn't summon) or save it for later?

The opponent will always have more mana than you, its very, very hard to occupy the biolith fields without your creatures dying, if you don't flip the fields and wait, you gain elemental boosts, but using the card ends your turn, which means you'll lose all elemental boosts with 4 creatures and...shit >< how on earth can you do this?

Even worse is when the behemoth groundbreaker, or the other similar one comes into play and ruins all your hard work

[Tzeeke]

Just thought I'd post an update. I've actually managed to defeat the biolith set 1 deck whilst controlling 5 biolith fields. Thanks for all of the advice its really helped.
I got Seer Vizak's Calamity out as fast as possible so that it didn't have an adverse effect on my endgame. The Behemoth Terrorformer's (which I had completely overlooked) had a huge impact on the game and managed to sway it in my favour. I also only used mainly biolith cards as they have decent hit point values for their summoning costs and so could defend the biolith squares with a certain degree of ease.
Anyway, 45 turns in I won, had te computer in check 15 times in total but he kept pushing back. I managed to muster enough mana to summon Ouroboros Dragon and it was all over from there.
Thanks again for the tips. One down... two to go.

[Tzeeke]

Figured I'd put this in a new post to keep things clear. I've now unlocked all trophies except the gold and platinum and have figured out a really easy way to occupy 5 biolith fields.

1) Take first turn
2) Cast Parmetic Holy Feast followed by a card you will not play during the game (I used Flame Novice)
3) Cast Seer Vizak's Calamity as soon as possible
4) Cast Imperial Biolith Guard followed by another as soon as possible on Biolith squares. These will act as your mana generators to make up for the mana lost on Seer Vizak's Calamity, plus they make for cheap defenders.
5) Follow this up by casting a Flailmonger onto a Biolith field (technically now only costing 1 mana with 4 health)

After this, if the opponent has you in check it would be advisable to cast a Taurus Monolith to take him down to size (now at only 3 mana).
If the opponent has any Biolith fields occupied use a Behemoth Terrorformer (now at only 2 mana)

As you can see this technique relys on the Imperial Biolith Guard set up (which is really easy to implement even after Seer Vizak's Calamity) so that everything you cast generates you 2 mana meaning that you can cast almost anything when you want provided that it is on Biolith fields (this is why I left the Terrorformers until last).
Obviously this technique isn't that strict in the end game, but that is perfect because you have such a strong set up at first that you can play in a very versatile manner.

Maybe I got lucky tonight but i just got all three trophies in a row with no losses in between by using this method.

Best of luck to everyone trying to get this, its a real pain in the ass (I spent about three hours with no success the night prior) but once you get a solid playing pattern down its really quite easy.

Now on with the 100 wins grind to the platinum...

[Rayne]

Sweet man, thanks

What are the set and rarity of the cards you used? I have a few, but there's some there I've never seen before

[Tzeeke]

I'm not entirely sure cos I've bought a lot of decks and they've been mixed and matched but I think the main purchase would be the biolith set 1 deck... I think any of the set 2 decks have the rest of the cards needed to complete the combo (you may need to buy a couple in order to accumulate enough of the same cards) but don't quote me on that.
Just google around to research the decks, none of the cards can be too difficult to obtain because I've obtained all of them through buying standard decks. Alternatively have a look on the card trading sites cos they should quote the cards at a very cheap price with them being so easy to obtain.

Off memory;
Seer Vizak's Calamity is in the Biolith set 1 deck
The Terrorformers are in the set 2 decks but I think you only get 1 per deck (you may need two or three but by the end I only needed 1)
As for the Imperial Biolith Guard i think they both also come with the set 1 biolith deck but I'm not too sure.
Think the Flailmongers also come with the set 2 decks and are kind of optional anyway cos everything gets so cheap in the end game
and Parmetic Holy Feast is really common

Obviously check out whatever I've said before you buy the decks (if you prefer to rather than using a card trading site) and remeber this isn't a set in stone technique, you still need to have some skill regarding placing cards in the right place at the right time otherwise you might be wasting your money (no offence but I don't know how good you are tactically at the game).

[ArcaneJMS]

The key is indeed Seer Vizak's Calamity. However, your opponent has this card in his deck and if you wait long enough he will cast it for you. If you don't have this card yourself, play defensively and build mana until he casts this spell. It will cost him 5 mana, giving you a big advantage. Try to occupy the 4 corners and the center tile at all times with any creature, that way he will be forced to summon creatures on the other tiles which will open up the other corners for you to occupy. Keep in mind when calamity goes off that any HP field bonus you have on those fields will go away.

If you haven't purchased any cards this challenge is going to be very difficult, but it is literally impossible unless the computer casts Seer Vizak's Calamity.

[FilliamHMuffman]

It took me close to 10 tries to occupy the 5 Biolith fields for the Set 1 Biolith deck and I never saw the comp play Seer Vizak's Calamity, even when I didn't use mine until well into the game. You may have some luck baiting the comp into using it by playing Fire creatures on Field 2 and Wood creatures on Field 8, but the comp wasn't using it in my games.

Incidentally, I was able to do the challenge in one or two tries against the Set 2 and Set 3 Biolith decks. The Set 1 Biolith deck is by far the toughest.

You almost have to have either a Seer Vizak's Calamity or Juno's Admonition to do these trophies. Some of the other cards I used and why were:

Biolith Stinger - This creature swaps positions with any creature it attacks, meaning if the comp is occupying a Biolith field, you can play Biolith Stinger on a non-Biolith field and take control of a Biolith field. I own two of these and ran both in the deck. I would have used three if I had one.

Behemoth Terrorformer - This card works like Biolith Stinger, except instead of moving itself and the creature it attacks, it moves the fields they're on instead. I ran two of these also.

Imperial Biolith Guard - I ran two of these. Not only do they do decent damage, while they're on the board, you get 1 mana every time you summon to a Biolith field. These guys will generate a ton of mana for you during this challenge.

Ouroboros Dragon - This is a great card for this challenge for several reasons. It can attack one or two fields ahead. A lot of times, you can't summon adjacent to enemy creatures for this challenge, so you need a lot of creatures that can hit non-adjacent fields. Second, it can take a beating from just about everything the comp can throw at it, with the exception of its own Ouroboros Dragon for the Set 1 deck. Third, it can rip to shreds tough critters like the comp's Ouroboros Dragon or heavily protected Morning Star Warriors. And lastly, it prevents any fields from being exchanged or quaked while on a Biolith field, neutering those pesky Behemoths the comp uses. Just beware that the dragon renders your own Behemoth Terrorformers useless as well.

Blinding Skies - With 5 Biolith fields on the board, for 3 discards (this card + two creatures) you can wipe out four of the comp's creatures for 0 mana at will.

Just note if you're going to use it, you will probably want to consider adding some draw card power to your deck or run the risk of being forced to play with a near empty hand. This is compounded by the fact the Set 1 Biolith deck has a strong discard component with Leapfrog Bandits and Samurai Nagirashu.

Workmak, Biolith Heir - Workmak can hit any creature from anywhere on the board, which is extremely useful when you're so restricted on where you can summon to. And on average, Wormak will be doing around 4-5 magic damage for 2 mana - enough to one-shot almost every Biolith creature. Wormak is tough to keep alive, but will generate a lot of mana if you can keep it out there a few turns.

Novogus Catapult - With 4 HP, they can take a few hits without field bonus, and they do 2 damage 2 fields ahead of them for 1 mana. Also, they give back an extra mana when destroyed for each earth field on the board (usually one in this case).

Green Lycanthrope - With 2.5 HP on average (1 HP 50% of the time and 4 HP 50% of the time) these are the hardiest one-mana creatures in the game. The Set 1 Biolith Bombers will eat them alive, though.

Skeleton Archer - With 2 HP and Resurrection, another durable one-mana creature. And can attack two fields ahead.

Battle Master - Hits hard, has a very wide attack pattern, can take a hit or two, and will cripple enemies it leaves on the board by raising their activation cost. The comp is usually forced to sacrifice 1-2 of its creatures just to soften the Battle Master up, since it will destroy just about anything with its counterattacks.