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I’ll show you MINE if you show me yours
Posted by
darknoj
,
14 June 2012
·
1,094 views
Darknoj Game of Thrones LCG Rochester NY Regional 2012 Deck Tempo Blog AGoT
For those of you who have been faithfully following my blog, you will know that I have been expounding on the virtues of different deck types – “The Right Tool for the Job” presented a toolbox deck, while “The Naked Deck” (Episodes I through III) offered an examination of an agro deck.
Today we will continue this exploration by examining a “Tempo” deck. While a control deck is concerned with controlling an opponent’s ability to execute, tempo decks are concerned with the control of an opponent’s pace – or their ability to execute when they want to. The deck we will be looking at is a Greyjoy Maester build with heavy tempo and moderate control theme; it is called: “MINE”.
As a tempo deck “MINE” actively attacks the opponent’s ability to advance their game plan. It throws off the frequency and pacing of its opponents through the use of plots like Fear of Winter (BtW). Another example of a card in the deck that changes the pace of the game is King Balon's Host (TWot5K) that can disrupt decks that focus on keywords like most rush or wildlings decks.
“MINE” further controls pace by playing military threats early and pairing them with a claim two plot. This limits your opponent’s options, since it forces them to deal with the threats or loose board presence.
This is a good illustration of “tempo” in that you are removing your opponent’s ability to choose, thereby thwarting their game plan. This will slow down an opponent’s deck and open up vulnerabilities. “MINE” has a number of these low cost threats that can help establish early presence like: Island Refugee (RoW), Carrion Bird (ASoS) and of course the Distinguished Boatswain (TftRK), with his great cost to strength ratio.
These threats also serve to establish a constant pressure on its opponent. This pressure is enhanced with Wintertime Marauders (ACoS) and Seductive Promise (Core) which increase pressure through power challenges. They also provide the deck with some control elements.
The addition of some basic trait manipulation in the Copper Link (GotC) paired with Horn of Dragons (ASoSilence) adds further control and an additional threat to your opponent. This control is of course also where “MINE” gets its name from.
Having established such character threats, they now require protection through saves and cancels. Greyjoy has access to some of the best saves in the game. For “MINE” the following saves and cancels were chosen:
Iron Mines: This card can save any character, not just those affiliated with House Greyjoy. It also helps with the number of cards you can lay down in setup.
Risen From The Sea: This card was chosen over better saves (such as Iron Cliffs) in response to the current meta and the expectation that we will see a lot more Targ decks The +1 strength this event provides can help save a character VS burn like Flame Kissed, Magister Illyrio and Incinerate.
Maester Wendamyr: Repeatable save in a Maester character that can be used twice if Maester Kerwin is in play, what’s not to love?
Finger Dance: Can cancel any event no matter if influence is used or not and the fact that the deck is filled with “iron born” characters to pay its cost.
Alannys Greyjoy: One of the, if not the best repeatable cancel in the game. There is room for her in all my Greyjoy decks.
Maester Kerwin: Though this maester has to die to cancel an effect and he can only stop those targeting a single Greyjoy character, he is still useful. He also allows Wendamyr to save and then stand himself so that he can save a second time.
Maester Murenmure: Allows an addition cancel during the marshalling phase which can be useful. It is surprising how many times someone will forget about Murenmure’s cancel ability and use some chain or key land during marshalling. He is also an all star vs Martell draw effects.
The final tactic in the tempo tool belt is disruption through discard or cancel. Both forms of disruption are capable of stunting your opponent's growth and are useful for controlling their pace.
Cancel: works by stopping critical events from resolving. If you have obtained an advantage your opponent will have to try to regain control. In order to do this, many decks really on events; by stopping these events you can maintain control and ultimately win the game.
Discard: can be thought of as a proactive cancel and character control depending on what is discarded. Having an intrigue presence in order to reduce your opponent’s hand is key and plots like Rule by Decree (Core) can limit your opponent’s options to a point where they cannot retake control of the game. “MINE” sports some heavy hitting intrigue characters to keep attacking your opponent’s hand. Examples include The Conclave (CbtC) and a few smaller unique maesters, who can be pumped with Dragon Horn into monsters.
Tempo decks need to establish pressure fast and early in the game otherwise they will quickly falter. To mitigate this risk, most successful Tempo decks include a recovery plan to reset the board so they can re-establish pressure. A favourite card for this reset is of course Valar Morghulis (Core) and is in fact the one this deck runs. However, Wild Fire Assault or Westors Bleeds also makes appearances in many tempo deck, the later only in those with heavy influence.
Because Tempo decks generally slow down the game it is important for them to have card draw. “MINE” has several sources of draw such as Valyrian Steel Link (HtS) , Longship Iron Victory (KotS) (that you may get two uses out of with Steel Link) and Samwell Tarly (TRS).
(This article had been spiced with 100% pure Loshad – Loshad, you know you waaaaaaaant it!)
MINE Exposed
The link to the full deck with pictures: http://www.cardgamed...-regional-r1142
House (1)
House Greyjoy (Core) x1
Agenda (1)
The Maester's Path (GotC) x1
Character (30)
Alannys Greyjoy (ODG) x2
Asha Greyjoy (WLL) x1
Distinguished Boatswain (TftRK) x3
Island Refugee (RoW) x3
Maester Murenmure (CbtC) x1
Maester Wendamyr (KotS) x2
Newly Made Lord (TftH) x2
Wintertime Marauders (ACoS) x3
The Conclave (CbtC) x3
Carrion Bird (ASoS) x2
Samwell Tarly (TRS) x1
Baelor Blacktyde (TIoR) x1
Mance Rayder (TWoW) x1
Balon Greyjoy (KotS) x1
Maester Kerwin (VM) x1
King Balon's Host (TWot5K) x2
Theon Greyjoy (WLL) x1
Location (14)
Longship Iron Victory (KotS) x3
The Iron Mines (KotS) x3
Gatehouse (KotS) x3
Flea Bottom (TGM) x1
River Row (QoD) x1
Street of Sisters (Core) x1
Sunset Sea (KotS) x2
Event (7)
Seductive Promise (Core) x2
Finger Dance (WLL) x3
Risen from the Sea (KotS) x2
Attachment (9)
Apprentice Collar (GotC) x1
Tin Link (CbtC) x1
Valyrian Steel Link (HtS) x1
Gold Link (TIoR) x1
Steel Link (TIoR) x1
Copper Link (GotC) x1
White Raven (TWoW) x1
Horn of Dragons (ASoSilence) x2
Plot (7)
At the Gates (GotC) x1
Valar Morghulis (Core) x1
Rule by Decree (Core) x1
The Power of Arms (Core) x1
A Time for Ravens (ACoS) x1
Fear of Winter (BtW) x1
Retaliation! (ASoSilence) x1
Today we will continue this exploration by examining a “Tempo” deck. While a control deck is concerned with controlling an opponent’s ability to execute, tempo decks are concerned with the control of an opponent’s pace – or their ability to execute when they want to. The deck we will be looking at is a Greyjoy Maester build with heavy tempo and moderate control theme; it is called: “MINE”.
As a tempo deck “MINE” actively attacks the opponent’s ability to advance their game plan. It throws off the frequency and pacing of its opponents through the use of plots like Fear of Winter (BtW). Another example of a card in the deck that changes the pace of the game is King Balon's Host (TWot5K) that can disrupt decks that focus on keywords like most rush or wildlings decks.
“MINE” further controls pace by playing military threats early and pairing them with a claim two plot. This limits your opponent’s options, since it forces them to deal with the threats or loose board presence.
This is a good illustration of “tempo” in that you are removing your opponent’s ability to choose, thereby thwarting their game plan. This will slow down an opponent’s deck and open up vulnerabilities. “MINE” has a number of these low cost threats that can help establish early presence like: Island Refugee (RoW), Carrion Bird (ASoS) and of course the Distinguished Boatswain (TftRK), with his great cost to strength ratio.
These threats also serve to establish a constant pressure on its opponent. This pressure is enhanced with Wintertime Marauders (ACoS) and Seductive Promise (Core) which increase pressure through power challenges. They also provide the deck with some control elements.
The addition of some basic trait manipulation in the Copper Link (GotC) paired with Horn of Dragons (ASoSilence) adds further control and an additional threat to your opponent. This control is of course also where “MINE” gets its name from.
Having established such character threats, they now require protection through saves and cancels. Greyjoy has access to some of the best saves in the game. For “MINE” the following saves and cancels were chosen:
Iron Mines: This card can save any character, not just those affiliated with House Greyjoy. It also helps with the number of cards you can lay down in setup.
Risen From The Sea: This card was chosen over better saves (such as Iron Cliffs) in response to the current meta and the expectation that we will see a lot more Targ decks The +1 strength this event provides can help save a character VS burn like Flame Kissed, Magister Illyrio and Incinerate.
Maester Wendamyr: Repeatable save in a Maester character that can be used twice if Maester Kerwin is in play, what’s not to love?
Finger Dance: Can cancel any event no matter if influence is used or not and the fact that the deck is filled with “iron born” characters to pay its cost.
Alannys Greyjoy: One of the, if not the best repeatable cancel in the game. There is room for her in all my Greyjoy decks.
Maester Kerwin: Though this maester has to die to cancel an effect and he can only stop those targeting a single Greyjoy character, he is still useful. He also allows Wendamyr to save and then stand himself so that he can save a second time.
Maester Murenmure: Allows an addition cancel during the marshalling phase which can be useful. It is surprising how many times someone will forget about Murenmure’s cancel ability and use some chain or key land during marshalling. He is also an all star vs Martell draw effects.
The final tactic in the tempo tool belt is disruption through discard or cancel. Both forms of disruption are capable of stunting your opponent's growth and are useful for controlling their pace.
Cancel: works by stopping critical events from resolving. If you have obtained an advantage your opponent will have to try to regain control. In order to do this, many decks really on events; by stopping these events you can maintain control and ultimately win the game.
Discard: can be thought of as a proactive cancel and character control depending on what is discarded. Having an intrigue presence in order to reduce your opponent’s hand is key and plots like Rule by Decree (Core) can limit your opponent’s options to a point where they cannot retake control of the game. “MINE” sports some heavy hitting intrigue characters to keep attacking your opponent’s hand. Examples include The Conclave (CbtC) and a few smaller unique maesters, who can be pumped with Dragon Horn into monsters.
Tempo decks need to establish pressure fast and early in the game otherwise they will quickly falter. To mitigate this risk, most successful Tempo decks include a recovery plan to reset the board so they can re-establish pressure. A favourite card for this reset is of course Valar Morghulis (Core) and is in fact the one this deck runs. However, Wild Fire Assault or Westors Bleeds also makes appearances in many tempo deck, the later only in those with heavy influence.
Because Tempo decks generally slow down the game it is important for them to have card draw. “MINE” has several sources of draw such as Valyrian Steel Link (HtS) , Longship Iron Victory (KotS) (that you may get two uses out of with Steel Link) and Samwell Tarly (TRS).
(This article had been spiced with 100% pure Loshad – Loshad, you know you waaaaaaaant it!)
MINE Exposed
The link to the full deck with pictures: http://www.cardgamed...-regional-r1142
House (1)
House Greyjoy (Core) x1
Agenda (1)
The Maester's Path (GotC) x1
Character (30)
Alannys Greyjoy (ODG) x2
Asha Greyjoy (WLL) x1
Distinguished Boatswain (TftRK) x3
Island Refugee (RoW) x3
Maester Murenmure (CbtC) x1
Maester Wendamyr (KotS) x2
Newly Made Lord (TftH) x2
Wintertime Marauders (ACoS) x3
The Conclave (CbtC) x3
Carrion Bird (ASoS) x2
Samwell Tarly (TRS) x1
Baelor Blacktyde (TIoR) x1
Mance Rayder (TWoW) x1
Balon Greyjoy (KotS) x1
Maester Kerwin (VM) x1
King Balon's Host (TWot5K) x2
Theon Greyjoy (WLL) x1
Location (14)
Longship Iron Victory (KotS) x3
The Iron Mines (KotS) x3
Gatehouse (KotS) x3
Flea Bottom (TGM) x1
River Row (QoD) x1
Street of Sisters (Core) x1
Sunset Sea (KotS) x2
Event (7)
Seductive Promise (Core) x2
Finger Dance (WLL) x3
Risen from the Sea (KotS) x2
Attachment (9)
Apprentice Collar (GotC) x1
Tin Link (CbtC) x1
Valyrian Steel Link (HtS) x1
Gold Link (TIoR) x1
Steel Link (TIoR) x1
Copper Link (GotC) x1
White Raven (TWoW) x1
Horn of Dragons (ASoSilence) x2
Plot (7)
At the Gates (GotC) x1
Valar Morghulis (Core) x1
Rule by Decree (Core) x1
The Power of Arms (Core) x1
A Time for Ravens (ACoS) x1
Fear of Winter (BtW) x1
Retaliation! (ASoSilence) x1
I've spent a little time noodling a Greyjoy/Martell combination thus far but haven't gotten it down to a reasonable deck size to test yet. Not having seen the decklist yet, it seems you've come as close here as I've seen anyone do. I like the concept.