The general plan with this deck is to have a whole bunch of options available and take a route to victory based on the role your opponent takes in the match. If they are extremely aggressive, this deck can be defensive. If they are defensive, the deck can take an aggro route. It has a strong icon spread, lots of tricks, some renown/alternate power gain, kill effects, and a bit of a permission suite in Bran, Treachery, and the singleton Hand's Judgement. On to some of the odd choices and the reasoning behind them.
Syrio's Training: it's a weird, 61st card one-of that I may end up cutting. However, it's been extremely useful in getting surprise military off of Sansa (occasionally with Lady and Ice), Catelyn, Tyrion (with stealth!) and Littlefinger. I've even put it on Robb to make him immune to Seastone Chair. It's not the best, but it's really useful in the oddest situations, and thus I haven't cut it.
2x Filthy Accusations: One of these was originally a Marched to the Wall, but what I found is that Marched only solidified me being ahead when I was already ahead. Filthy was bringing me back from behind or solidifying leads, so I am using the more versatile plot. The deck thrives on versatility, and Filthy is one of the best plots hands down.
3x Bran: Dracarys! exists, as does Put to the Sword. Both are annoying and really powerful, and having a chump who prevents them is key versus Targ and to a lesser extent Greyjoy. Also preventing Risen From the Sea vs Greyjoy is clutch, and there are a bunch of other events running around like Confinement, Tears of Lys, and Winter Is Coming that you just want to cancel all the time. The 1x Summer is literally in the deck to act as a 4th Bran. He's that good.
1x Put to the Sword, 2x Tears of Lys, 2x Ice, 3x Milk of the Poppy: The removal suite is varied. Ice is in over Put to the Sword, because I've had trouble winning by 5 or more and because it can save a character from Seastone Chair and can pump Robb over other military characters. Tears is a nice compliment to the intrigue suite I have, and Milk is just damn good and fills so many gaps it's not even funny.
MVPs:
Lady: So good. So strong. Sansa participating in 2 challenges a turn is really strong, and the strength pump and added attachment vs Seastone chair is clutch.
Grey Wind: I eat so many of my Tumblestone Knights and Winterfell Stewards to stand my posse with Robb that it's not even funny. Also murdering Handmaidens, Lannisport Moneylenders, Viserion, and other 1 and 2 drop chumps (or your opponent's Sansa) is so useful. The extra military and Intimidate is also really useful.
Treachery/Bran/The Hand's Judgement: permisson is lovely. Taking care of Dracarys! is amazing and really hurts Targ, and Treachery takes care of Plaza of Punishment and makes Seastone Chair activations hurt.
Possible changes:
I might want to switch Calling the Banners into The Winds of Winter in my plot deck. I find myself wanting a 2 claim a lot, and I can't always have Winter is Coming. I also don't always need the extra gold. Sometimes though, having a second econ plot when I am not drawing econ cards is really clutch.
Maybe cut Syrio's Training. It's done a lot in several games I've played, but it's janky and I know it.
2 Comments
Interesting deck, well done. I am just curious if with 3x Bran Stark you you finding that you still need the 1X The Hand's Judgement? I might go for a 3rd Treachery instead. But thanks for sharing!
I definitely think a 3rd Treachery is going in here somewhere, but probably at the cost of the Syrio's Training. 3x Bran and 1x Judgement is the right number to make sure I have an answer for my opponent's events, and sometimes Bran ends up dead to something and I still need a Dracarys! out. Plus it's a surprise counter for Risen from the Sea, which can put a Greyjoy deck on crazy amounts of tilt very quickly.