Multi-Support: Advent of a Unique Strategy

The more thought that's put into building a deck around Twilight Sparkle, Friendship is Magic, the more overwhelming it becomes!

Your imagination is the limit. There's very little places you can't go with this new Mane Character.
I think the best plan is to come up with a few synergies (3-4) and slap them together.






What makes deck building difficult around Twilight Sparkle, Friendship is Magic is her potential changes depending on how many player-game you're playing.

The best synergy I've come up with (although it's not limited to Twilight Sparkle, Friendship is Magic) is the Sunny Smiles/Nightmare Moon combo. However, getting your hands on 3 Nightmare Moons can prove difficult if not impossible.

While experimenting with decks around Twilight Sparkle, Friendship is Magic, my son and I realized a unique attribute she has: Multi-support. Having Twilight Sparkle, Friendship is Magic at a problem with Big Mac, Biggest Brother (with Supportive 2) and Twilight Velvet, Proud Mom (Supportive 2) both can trigger.(And in a multi-player game you could have more!).

No other MC has this potential.




If you could make Twilight Sparkle, Friendship is Magic 3 colours (in a 3-player game) - say Purple, Orange, and Blue - she could be teamed up with Big Mac, Biggest Brother (with Supportive 2 - Orange), Twilight Velvet, Proud Mom (Supportive 2 - Purple), and Rainbow Blaze, Dashing Mentor (Supportive 2- Blue), attaining an additional +6 bonus in power (or a total of power of 17 !)




This is my no means the limit. There are 16 Friends with Supportive keyword, and of any and all colours.
Just imagine what potential Twilight Sparkle, Friendship is Magic has in a 4-5 player game...!

More Sneak Peaks!

Ms. Harshwhinny, Officious Official
With this new Friend is introduced the new keyword Teamwork
in this case, any/all other earth ponies would all attain the same ability (namely once you confront this card's problem, you may exhaust this card and pay 1 AT to move an opposing character at this card's problem home.).

This could prove significant with orange earth ponies with stubborn (ie Apple Cobbler, Headstrong) simply because being exhausted doesn't effect them.

Also, its ability to move both Friends and Mane Characters home,

Shining Armor, Crystal Prince

Maud Pie, Like a Rock

Brutal Synergy!

To begin with this devastating combo, you'll need to have both Sunny Smiles, Iconic Friend (up to 3 is possible!) as well as Minuette, Clocked Up (again up to 3), out in play, preferably at your opponent's problem, and preferably with Bonus Points of 3.

Then play (face-down) a troublemaker, Nightmare Moon.
The following round, Nightmare Moon is revealed (turned face-up) and then the devastation begins!

First, all players discard their hands and draw 3 cards.
(In a multiplayer game this effect is even more devastating), but Sunny Smiles, Iconic Friend powers up +1 per card an opponent discards.
It's difficult to guess at how many cards your opponent(s) will have in their hand because the set up (getting 1-3 Sunny Smiles and 1-3 Minutettes out into play won't be early on in the game, not to mention what may happen in a multiplayer game). But for the sake of keeping things simple let's assume your opponent discards 4 cards. (But let's not forget or write off the possibility of your opponent having their maximum of 8 cards in their hand = +8! It is entirely possible for Sunny Smiles to power up to 11-power!)

Sunny Smiles, Iconic Friend powers up to +4 (giving her a total power for the remainder of the turn of 7). If this isn't enough to defeat the Problem, you can trigger another troublemaker phase by retiring a Minuette, Clocked Up, forcing your opponent to discard another card, powering up Sunny Smiles another +1.

You are still in your Troublemaker Phase. Immediately confront Nightmare Moon, defeat her and gain +3 points.
Then play through the Main Phase (building up Friends if needed - don't forget Sunny Smiles is still at 8 power!).

Then confront your opponent's problem, score 1 point (if you're the first, score it's bonus points (if planned right another 3), and then possibly, a Problem Faceoff - don't forget, Sunny Smiles is still at 8-power - (hopefully) win Problem Faceoff, score another 3 points.

If timed right and played right, this combo could score - if 1 turn - from 4 to 10 points! (That's approximately 25% - 67% of the game).

...ouch!...

Now, the downside of this strategy is you would need, probably 3 Nightmare Moons in your deck to make this functional.... and even 1 Nightmare Moon can be difficult to find (being Ultra-rare) or extremely expensive. :(

Aggro Deck Attempt #1: Juggernaut

Juggernaut Deck!




This is a first attempt to build a MLP CCG deck that is 100% Aggro. (I don't believe it is possible).
It is based upon Maud Pie as the mane character (as she herself is a Juggernaut).
Also attempted to be build into this deck are other potential Juggernauts, including Cherry Jubilee (to have resource after resource played upon her) as Bags Valet, Luggage Lackey, to have numerous Home based resources exhausted to repeatedly power him up.
Coco Pommel is here with her +4 power (7 total) pumped ability.
Full Steam (he's 4 power), and rounding is off is Hayseed Turnip Truck (with he flip an additional card in faceoffs) and, Night Watch with this same ability.

Mane Character:
Maud Pie

Friends:
Full Steam, Smoke Stacked x1
Bags Valet, Luggage Lackey x3

Resources (to play at Home). All of these home-played resources are to help boost Bags Valet
The Ponyville Express x3
Private Party x2
Vittles Stand x3

Cherry Jubilee, Queen of the Hill x3

Resources (to play on a friend). All of these resources are to help boost Cherry Jubilee
Chic Beret x2
Marvelous Chapeau x2
Combat Hat x2
Hard Hat x2
Apple Cider x3

Cloudy Quartz, Concerned Mother x2
Night Watch, Vigilant Patrol x1
Hayseed Turnip Truck, "A" for Effort x2

Coco Pommel, Fashion Apprentice x2
Roseluck, Fainthearted Filly x3

Other Resources/Events:
Too Much Pie x2
Rock Solid Fashion x3

This deck cannot have any troublemakers in it (as mentioned in Aggro, Combo, Control in MLP CCG?)

Problems:
Applebucking Day x1
A Stitch in Time x2
Who is Gabby Gums? x2
Timber! x2
Social Obligations x1
Threat Against Canterlot x1
Raze This Barn x1


Overall this deck has a fairly good Draw Curve

so should play well on faceoffs (averaging a draw of 4).





However, it's main problem is its distribution of card types; having no Troublemakers and the vast majority of cards being Resources.

Pegasus Peacemakers Deck

This deck's main focus is on confronting and defeating Troublemakers.
It can also function well at faceoffs in general.
Ultimately it is built to be Turbo Trouble! vs. deck.

Mane Character
Rainbow Dash, Hanging Out

Pink 
Friends
Flitter, Ribbon Wielder x3

Berry Dreams, Pom-Pom Pony x2

Lucky Star, Charming Cheerer x2

Events
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot! x2

Resources
Rubber Chicken x3

Funny Glasses x1

Blue
Friends

Scoottaloo, Fan Club Founder x3
Scootaloo (especially more than one) in play with Rainbow Dash can be formidable.
When we consider that whenever Rainbow Dash moves, Scootaloo (or potentially all 3 Scootaloos!) will all move with her for free, bringing (on the following turn) their combined total power to 12!











Dr. Hooves, Just in Time x3

Jetstream, All Heart x3

Pegasus Royal Guard, Elite Sentry x3

Spike, Baby Dragon x2

Events
Nice Moves, Kid! x2
Biff! Pow! x3

Fears Must be Faced x3

The Hard Way x2

Ten. Seconds. Flat. x1-3 (yet to be released in Celestial Solstice Deluxe Set)

Spread Your Wings x3

Problems
Cheering Up a Friend x2
Storming the Villain's Lair x2
Looking for Trouble x2
Not Enough Pinkie Pies x2
Bottom of the Well x1
It's a Twister! x1

Sneak Peak at Crystal Games

Sneak peak a some new Crystal Games series cards.
The new Maud Pie, Like a Rock could prove to be devastating!

You could easily add 3 to a Maud Pie (MC) deck.
With the powered up MC Maud Pie, Rockin', you could easily meet these new cards' requirements (4 apples). It would only be a matter of action tokens.

With the Juggernaut Maud Pie, Rockin' and up to 3 Maud Pie, Like a Rock in play, it'd be quite the task to stop her!

Since the Rock 'n Rave release we've speculated that Maud Pie, Rockin' might very well be broken, or in need of some sort of errata... but clearly this isn't the case.

Maud Pie, Like a Rock? Look out!!