Silver Thorn BT15 Build Laboratory
Hybrid - Stable 1
For the list of Silver Thorn card effects, click here
FVG:
- Silver Thorn Beast Tamer, Emil *1 (set in stone)
Triggers *16: (10 Crit/2 Draw/4 Heal)
- Dynamite Juggler (Critical) *2
- Poison Juggler (Critical) *4 (set in stone, unless playing none-crit variant)
- Silver Thorn Barking Dragon (Critical) *4 (set in stone, unless playing none-crit variant)
- Silver Thorn Marionette, Natasha (Draw) *2
- Silver Thorn Juggler, Nadia (Heal) *4 (set in stone)
Grade 1 *14:
- Silver Thorn Breathing Dragon *1
- Silver Thorn Assistant, Irina *1
- Silver Thorn Assistant, Zelma *4 (set in stone)
- Silver Thorn Beast Tamer, Ana *4 (set in stone)
- Silver Thorn Hypnos, Lydia *4 (set in stone)
Grade 2 *11:
- Silver Thorn Beast Tamer, Maricica *3 (set in stone)
- Silver Thorn Rising Dragon *4 (set in stone)
- Silver Thorn Upright Lion *4 (set in stone)
Grade 3 *8:
- Silver Thorn Dragon Empress, Venus Luquier *2
- Silver Thorn Dragon Queen, Luquier "Яeverse" *3
- Silver Thorn Dragon Tamer, Luquier *3
This is a hybrid build that utilizes both cross ride forms. It allows for resource play (Reverse), and fast recovery as well as explosive play (Venus + Luquier + Upright Lion).
The build is also hybrid in a sense that I try to balance a strong early game (Ana/Maricia/Zelma + Upright Lion/Rising Dragon) while still keeping a decent late game presence and maintain the ability to push for game (4 Upright Lion, 2 Venus + 3 Luquier). The proportion between Luquier Reverse and Luquier Venus can be adjusted based off play style, but you would never want to run more than 3 base Luquiers as 3 already gives you incredible consistency to soul charge or Zelma-cross ride into one.
Early game strength comes from Ana/Miricia/Zelma trio, as well as having access to 8 12k hitters early game (Upright Lion & Rising Dragon) and 10 crits (12 works too). Draw trigger reduces the chance for ECB to screw you up and is Zelma-compatible. Unlike typical ECB2 users, Venus usually needs 2/2 CB to be ECBs as opposed to typical 2/4, because the first 2 counter blasts usually go to Ana/Maricica, meaning Venus relies on your 3rd and 4th CB most of the time. And using this calculator, we know that at 8 none-Silver-Thorn cards in the deck, getting 2/2 of your damage to be ECB is just shy of 70%, meaning you will fail to have the ECB2 for your Venus ~3/10 of your games, which is actually pretty high. Juggle the numbers yourself based off what you think is worth the trade off. The reason Ana is maxed but Maricica is not is purely due to opportunity cost of Maricica. Silver Thorns doesn't have a strong final turn push otherwise without Eva, and Lion is absolutely needed besides Poison Juggler for a final push.
Late game strength diverge in 2 ways - Venus/Luquier for a big push with the help of Upright Lion, or geared for extended battle with Reverse that pressures with 21k columns (naturally with Reverse, or with help of Upright Lion and Zelma combo). With the help of Emil, if I have the momentum on my side, I can easily abuse Emil multiple times even with Reverse (call Emil as 10k booster behind a G3 or one of my 8 12k hitters and you'll still have a 21k+ column), and Venus naturally abuses Emil.
Irina adds consistency to getting Zelma or whatever combo piece you need, and Breathing serves as early game attacker (not backup attacker since you rarely run out of attackers). While I don't usually like to tech cards at 1 copy, I find having both at 1 works the best, because that's about as often as I actually need to use them; having either at 2 feels too much. They are the tech choices in this build.
Trigger lineup can be changed. Feel free to sub any amount of Dynamite Juggler into the Silver Thorn draw trigger and vice versa; the rest of the triggers are pretty much set in stone. There are merits in running the ST draw trigger, including but not limited to: 1.) checking it and drawing with it (lol obviously), 2.)It has Silver Thorn name so you can swap it out with Zelma, 3.) Adds additional consistency to Venus's EBC, and 4.) Irina can SC it.
