3rd Place w/Elementalist at Assorted Animals Tournament Grounds!

Sorcery: Contested Realm · by Jeremy Murray · May 18, 2026

On May 16, 2026, I finished in third place in a field of 45 players at the inaugural Assorted Animals Tournament Grounds event in Montreal. I piloted my {Elementalist} deck called TurboRedneck 8.2.

[fire][air]{Elementalist} — Third Place

DECKLIST_START

Auras (4)

4 {Hamlet's Ablaze!} [3][fire][fire]

Artifacts (6)

3 {Torshammar Trinket} [1]
3 {Toolbox} [2]

Minions (38)

3 {Colicky Dragonettes} [3][fire][fire]
3 {Headless Haunt} [3][air][air]
1 {Morgana le Fay} [3][fire][fire][fire]
2 {Mazuj Ifrit} [3][fire][fire]
3 {Phase Assassin} [3][air][air]
3 {Quarrelsome Kobolds} [3][fire]
3 {Redcap Powries} [3][fire][fire]
4 {Screamer} [3][air][air]
3 {Slumbering Giantess} [3][earth]
2 {Sturmgeist} [3][air][air]
2 {Avenging Angel} [4][air][air]
3 {Gyre Hippogriffs} [4][air][air]
3 {Saracen Raiders} [4][fire][fire]
1 {Rebecks} [5][fire][fire]
1 {Sir Pellinore} [6][fire][fire][air][air]
1 {Highland Clansmen} [7][air]

Magics (12)

3 {Cast into Exile} [2][air][air]
2 {Grapple Shot} [3][air]
2 {Infiltrate} [4][fire]
2 {Betrayal} [5][fire][fire][fire]
3 {Whirling Blades} [5][air][air]

Collection (10)

1 {Zap!} [1][air]
1 {Dispel} [2][air]
2 {Lightning Bolt} [2][air]
1 {Magic Missiles} [2][air]
1 {Boil} [3][fire][fire]
1 {Bury} [3][earth]
1 {Drown} [3][water]
1 {Incinerate} [5][fire]
1 {Highland Clansmen} [7][air]

DECKLIST_END

Deck Concept

The combination of {Elementalist} with the {Lone Tower}, {Dark Tower}. and {Gothic Tower} provides an opportunity to play the most efficiently costed minions on turn two. Casting high-value stat-line minions on curve is a sound strategy. My {Elementalist} build pushes that game plan as early and aggressively as possible.

Mulligans

Ideally, for spells, mulligan for a hand of three minions that cost three mana. The deck contains 27 [3]-cost minions. It’s fine to have one [4]-cost minion if you have a desert and two different towers as opening sites.

For sites, two deserts and one tower are fine. If you open {Slumbering Giantess}, ensure they're castable on turn two with a desert to play on turn three to wake them up.

Disruption

Most of the spells in this build are dual-purpose in that they may be played offensively or defensively. {Grapple Shot} and {Whirling Blades} may be used as minion removal, extra Avatar damage, or Death's Door solutions.

{Infiltrate} and {Betrayal} often provide a favorable two-for-one trade or deal additional damage in a tempo race; dealing extra damage to my opponent and moving their minions out of blocking range is usually my primary choice. This build aims to close games fast.

{Cast into Exile} is my only clean removal spell in the Spellbook. It's inexpensive and versatile against most minions. In my local meta, players often like to use cards like {Mix Aer}, or {Carionette}s to accelerate {The Doom of Dilmun}. {Cast into Exile} is an inexpensive, effective answer that also handles other sticky minions like {Hounds of Ondaros} or {Seirawan Hydra}.

It’s important to include a versatile removal spell for those huge threats. I don't want {Cast into Exile} in my opening hand. Rather, it’s a backup plan in a moment of need.

Key Points

{Hamlet's Ablaze!} may be kept in the opening hand if you have two other [3]-cost aggressive minions like {Slumbering Giantess}, {Redcap Powries}, or {Headless Haunt}. A turn two {Hamlet's Ablaze!} on an opposing forward site, then replaced rubble for a big [3]-cost minion on turn three can be absolutely devastating.

{Whirling Blades} with {Headless Haunt} is often effective.

{Sir Pellinore} is often a three-for-one, killing the various Lords and drawing a card, or coming in for [five] damage against an opposing site.

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Featured image: {Elementalist} by Elvira Shakirova