All Things Shagga - Ashemark

This week, Kennon has been a bit too busy prepping for a move after the delay caused by the awesomeness that was World Championship Weekend. In order to not disappoint our loyal readers here at All Things Shagga, frequent reader and fan Rehlow has stepped up with a bannerman article to keep the creative Shagga juices flowing. So, without further ado:

Hello All Things Shagga fans,

I met our regular ATS author, Kennon, at FFG Worlds this year. We were seated together for round three of Melee. I didn't even realize it during the game, since the event badges are first name and only the first letter of last name. I think I first figured it out after the round ended, but when he wore a 2 Champs 1 Chump t-shirt on Saturday I knew without a doubt. I asked if he ever took suggestions for ATS articles, since I came up with a crazy House of Dreams deck. After Worlds I sent him the deck list and he asked if I would write up an article, so here we are.

The Deck:

Deck Built with CardGameDB.com GoT Deckbuilder


Total Cards: (60)

House:
House Lannister

Agenda: (1)
1x House of Dreams (ARotD)

Plot: (7)
1x Rule by Decree (Core)
1x Take Them by Surprise (LoW)
1x The Art of Seduction (LotR)
1x The First Snow of Winter (ODG)
1x Breaking and Entering (LotR)
1x The Winds of Winter (TWoW)
1x Above the Sorrows (VM)

Character: (39)
3x Lannisport Councilor (RotO)
3x Lannisport Moneylender (LotR)
3x Lannisport Weaponsmith (Core)
3x Tommen Baratheon (SA)
1x Joffrey Baratheon (PotS)
3x Painted Dogs (IG)
3x Son of the Mist (ASoSilence)
1x Varys (SaS)
1x Crawn Son of Calor (LotR)
1x Ser Arys Oakheart (PotS)
3x Ser Amory's Poachers (LotR)
1x Tyrion Lannister (Core)
3x Greedy Councilor (ASitD)
1x Chella, Daughter of Cheyk (Core)
1x Cersei Lannister (LotR)
2x Ser Addam Marbrand (LotR)
3x The Burned Men (MotM)
3x Tywin Lannister (TK)

Attachment: (4)
3x Pyromancer's Cache (TWot5K)
1x Widow's Wail (LotR)

Event: (0)

Location: (17)
3x The Goldroad (Core)
3x The Searoad (KotStorm)
3x The Roseroad (KotStorm)
1x Street of Sisters (Core)
3x Sunset Sea (Core)
3x Golden Tooth Mines (Core)
1x Ashemark (TBG)


Key Concepts:

I came up with the deck while making a card substitution for my Tywin Win in Dominance Melee deck. The deck was playing Golden Tooth Vaults and I knew Ashemark was a better card, but didn't realize it was 3 times *per phase* until I actually had it in my hands (GTV is effectively 1 or 2 gold once per round due to kneeling it). That got me thinking, what could I do if I had Ashemark in play during setup. Clansmen less cards in hand theme and Lannister more gold than opponent theme instantly came to mind. Rule By Decree became the opening plot to "share" my card disadvantage with my opponent.

Golden Tooth Mines, Pyromancer's Cache, Widow's Wail, Tommen and Tyrion are all in there to make sure I get to the draw cap and fast. This deck looses all of its steam if it can't draw 4-5 cards per turn (including the 2 from draw phase). Also, the deck runs 39 characters because you are often top decking the entire game and need to see a steady flow of characters to keep the pressure on (and for after the inevitable Valar).

Tywin, The Burned Men, and Painted Dogs take advantage that you will end almost every Marshaling phase with zero or one cards in hand. Chella and First Snow of Winter are there to put cards back in your opponent's hand in case they also try to get to zero hand size to negate your character abilities. Son of the Mist can also capitalize on this, but he is there more for a win in Marshaling phase gimmick and fits well into the 2 cost slot.

Greedy Councilor and Crawn are Lannister recursion. Greedy Councilor effectively costs 1 gold (+1 from Ashemark, play for 2 gold from discard pile), but I like to save her for a post Valor turn to re-establish board presence or as a surprise attacker or blocker (her ability is Any Phase). I considered Dragonbone Dagger, Lost Captain, and Pentoshi Guildmaster, but since I never intended to put any of those into play they are only good for more Ashemark gold and ultimately didn't make the cut.

Ser Amory's Poachers and Ser Addam Marbrand take advantage of your gold superiority (and ability to get just a little more gold in any phase if you still have cards in hand). Marbrand enabling The Burned Men to hit twice and/or allowing Painted Dogs to attack (or defend) before using their ability was crazy good when it came together. Multiple chances to use Ser Amory's Poachers stealth and renown was always good too.

The rest of the deck is efficient characters (renown, discard effects, +gold crew) and I chose to run three claim two plots to offset the choice to run no events. I figured events would be hard to time with using Ashemark, but a few should probably find their way in a latter build.

How it Plays:

I recommend putting this deck together and playing a few games just to see how it comes together. It plays quite differently from a normal deck. You wouldn't think throwing your hand away to be a good idea, but it has a very strong board presence on turn 1. I will typically have 8-10 gold after counting gold in Marshaling and then end up with 1-3 more after using Ashemark during Marshaling. I played it on Sunday of Worlds in the Second Chance tournament. It actually pulled off a first turn win against an opponent running Treaty with the South after I was able to put 2 Ser Amory's Poachers and Ser Addam Marbrand in play on turn one (and he made a mistake of attacking when he shouldn't have and I blocked with both Poachers and claimed 2 power for renown - he forgot Marbrand is armies do not kneel to attack and defend). My other win was against Targ Song of Summer Burn, which I was really nervous about, but there are some high strength characters in there that make burn work hard. My two losses were both against Baratheon, one Knights and one HoD Huntress agenda. Both decks played heavily on recursion so first turn Rule by Decree did little to slow them down. They were close games that I might have pulled out a victory if I had more experience with the deck.

Next Steps:

I'd like to try the deck without House of Dreams and instead with 3 Ashemark and 3 Golden Tooth Vaults to see how often I draw one for setup. I kept some mediocre setups with this deck because they also contained card draw and was worried about a really poor setup after mulligan. The other idea I'd like to try out is to make room for a lot of shadow cards (most likely running HoD). Ashemark enables having gold at the start of Draw and Marshaling phases to pay for bring characters out of shadows and I think this deck could really capitalize on that advantage. Also, shadows characters are effectively capped at 2 cost as far as setup is concerned so that might improve setups with HoD.

Until next time keep it Shagga, the only decks that matter,

~Rehlow