Ishimaru Sand Wall
Okay chat, Ishimaru is literally a brick wall. It has Defender and Carapace 1, and I can discard a card as a Response to untap it and block a SECOND time. Add Fortifying Concoction and Thornbloom Melon under Goro Graveloth and fast decks run right out of steam.
Deck
Game plan
Early turns
Treetop Scout grabs Kale, Ishimaru or Wrong Step. I block early with Sloth Scarecrow and Lone Journeyman and keep 2 IKZ open for Wrong Step.
Middle turns
On turn 5 I drop Ishimaru. It blocks their first swing, then I pitch a spare card to untap it and eat the second swing too, taking 1 less damage each time.
Closing
Fortifying Concoction draws a card and gives Goro Graveloth Carapace 1 until my next turn. Then Stone Masked Ancient, Sandcoil Python, Rock Sloth and Mo close it out.
Mulligan
I keep Treetop Scout or Kale with Wrong Step or Thornbloom Melon. Send back hands full of 5-drops and giants.
Key cards
0/4 Defender with Carapace 1. Discard 1 as a Response once a turn to untap it and block all over again. Huge aura.
Main or Response: draw 1 and give my leader Carapace 1 until my next turn, turning 1-damage pings into 0.
1 IKZ to heal 2, even as a Response mid-combat when burn spells are flying.
Searches my top 5 for any Obsidian card: Ishimaru, Kale, Wrong Step, Koyama Farm Plowman, Rock Sloth or Stone Masked Ancient.
Destroys a 2-health or smaller attacker at Response speed.
Tips
- Ishimaru has 0 attack! Don't tap it on your turn like an NPC — leave it untapped to guard.
- Hold one extra card in hand so Ishimaru always has fuel to untap on their turn.
- Goro Graveloth's +1 health is Main phase only, so use it before trading on your turn.
- Tap Stone Masked Ancient as it enters the Garden to switch Taunt on right away.