All Things Shagga - Holy Laughing Storm

Welcome back again, dear readers! This time, we turn our attentions to the freshly un-restricted Laughing Storm. Before getting too far into this article, I do want to clarify for some folks that I’m going to stick with the build that I’ve got experience playing at this point, which leads toward the Holy crest, but that some kind readers have been good enough to keep me abreast of the potential punishment available to the Maester centric builds. Dobbler played a variation on this build at the Tulsa, OK Regional event over the weekend, so I’ll be looking to get more feedback and thoughts from him, so be on the lookout for a double dose of TLS- next time with Maesters!

Why the Holy angle, you might ask? We’ll get to that in a moment. To begin with, you must first understand the engine that powers our deck. The Laughing Storm (GotC) keeps cards from being discarded from your hand for any reason at all as long as he’s standing. Now that he’s no longer on the Restricted list, he can be utilized alongside Val (RotO) to allow is to trigger her during Any Phase we like, with no regard for whether or not we can actually play the cards. In fact, by and large, I would advocate triggering her in the Plot phase prior to plots being revealed in order to minimize the chances that you lose Val to Valar Morghulis before you’re able to utilize her to a significant amount. As well, using her during the Plot phase minimizes the chances that you’ll hit on cards that can actually be played at that moment, which means that they will stay in your hand where you can choose the most opportune time to play them, rather than flipping a character during Marshalling and being forced to play it, or a variety of other times that her ability may dictate your play.

Now, in order to maximize The Laughing Storm’s impact on the game, we need to be on the lookout for more cards that utilize discard as a potential downside. For instance, Threat From the East (QoD) combines neatly with The Laughing Storm to keep the effect from being symmetrical and punishing your opponent with the random discard. As well, Rule By Decree (Core) lets you hit a draw heavy Martell or Lannister deck that may be ahead of you in card count during the early turns of the game without fear of accidently hitting your own hand with it in the late game. Seal of the Crown (APS) can be brutal against other draw heavy decks as well by punishing them for any draw cards in their own deck, while TLS allows you to carry on with impunity. It even makes Threat From the East even more punishing with an extra discard at the end. For R’hllor (RotO) is a House Baratheon only event that also forces players down to four cards in hand and punishes opponents for drawing cards- something you’re conveniently forcing them to do with Seal of the Crown, but then you follow up by not discarding due to The Laughing Storm. Ser Preston Greenfield (KotStorm) attaches a similar ability to a character body, while Ghost of High Heart (WLL) eliminates potent cards from the opponent’s hand and combines with Seal of the Crown by making your opponent discard immediately after Ghost of High Heart makes them draw, effectively negating the mitigating factor of the Ghost.

For R’hllor offers an option in costs in 3 influence or 1 Holy character. Knowing that Baratheon also has a variety of solid characters with the Holy crest, this pushed the deck in that direction. First up, however, I looked at Confession (KotS). It’s an extremely powerful event to take key cards from an opponent’s hand similarly to Ghost of High Heart, and after something like For R’hllor, it’s even easier to pick off what’s most important to your opponent and really increase the size differential. Likewise, Altar of Fire (RoR) strips out the remaining cards from an opponent’s hand and utilizes Holy characters, but best of all- it’s repeatable! Zealot of the Light (BtW) offers a Holy crest for our effects and an ability of its own that can trash opponents’ hands, as well as bringing a reasonable body to the table. The other Holy characters are largely just a variety of cheaper options to round out the cost curve of the deck and the requirements to have several Holy characters available.

The rest of the deck is devoted largely to backup plans and options. Of course, The Laughing Storm must be standing for its ability to work, so we run a full 3 each of Marya Seaworth (KotStorm) and King Robert's Hammer (TBoBB) which both allow us flexible, Any Phase standing options for The Laughing Storm. Of course, with that standing, Salladhor Saan (KotStorm) can be a brutal backup plan to wipe out opposing locations that may be trouble like Ghaston Grey (FtC). Of course, if The Laughing Storm is killed, a large portion of the deck’s efficiency goes down the drain, so we’ve included See who is Stronger (KotStorm) as a means of returning him or other Knights to play.

You may also noticed several varied sources of search. These work together to make certain that we can easily assemble most any of the engine pieces or backup plans needed on the fly. Muster (Core) for instance, can search out the Laughing Storm or Preston Greenfield for card advantage, Ser Axell Florent (WLL) for a Holy crest, or Knight of Flowers (SaS) as a finisher for the game. Likewise, Herald of the Stag can search up many of these pieces (and then work beautifully with Val if you haven’t yet reached your draw cap) but also allow us to get Robert Baratheon (TTotH) to finish, Maester Cressen to take care of negative attachments, Marya Seaworth to stand, or Salladhor Saan to knock out locations. At the Gates (GotC) ensures that we can get the influence needed for See Who is Stronger or the alternate costs of Confession and For R’hllor through Advisor to the Crown, or of course Maester Cressen (Core).

Playing the Deck:

The card advantage generated by this deck in the mid to late game becomes absurd and increasingly easy to capitalize on, but be on the lookout for fast decks. Power grab decks like Baratheon Rush or Stark Siege of Winterfell can sometimes get to an insurmountable power lead before you’re able to fully assemble your engine. Power Behind the Throne is a deceptive matchup. While you’re largely immune to the effects of their intrigue challenges, you do still need to watch out for Terminal Schemes (LotR) directed at TLS, so be on the lookout. Also, they can gain power deceptively fast with Cersei, so against any of these archetypes, be sure to take any opportunity you can to defend or otherwise slow their power grab until you can maximize your card advantage.

Against more control oriented builds, your card advantage will be superior, and you’ll generally have time to get your pieces in place. One of the large draws to most control decks is the ability to draw the game out in order to make their own draw effects count more, but with the arsenal at your disposal, you turn the majority of their long game cards into detriments at worst and blanks at best for them, so I’d say that you’re largely favored in this match. Heavy kill decks like Targaryen Burn or Stark Knights w/ Bear Island could be issues, but See Who Is Stronger gives you a valuable out against them, and if the game goes long enough, Pyre of the False Gods (KotStorm) almost ensures that you’ll always be able to keep returning The Laughing Storm to play.

Here’s the deck:

TLS- Holy

House (1)
House Baratheon (Core) x1

Agenda (0)


Plot (7)
At the Gates (GotC) x1
Rule by Decree (Core) x1
Many Powers Long Asleep (RoR) x1
Retaliation! (ASoSilence) x1
Wildfire Assault (Core) x1
Loyalty Money Can Buy (QoD) x1
Threat from the East (QoD) x1

Character (31)
Melisandre (RoR) x1
Ser Preston Greenfield (KotStorm) x1
Ser Axell Florent (WLL) x1
Ghost of High Heart (WLL) x1
Robert Baratheon (TTotH) x1
Knight of Flowers (SaS) x1
Shireen Baratheon (FtC) x1
The Laughing Storm (GotC) x3
Val (RotO) x3
Marya Seaworth (KotStorm) x3
Salladhor Saan (KotStorm) x2
Maester Cressen (Core) x2
Acolyte of the Flame (TWH) x3
Zealot of the Light (BtW) x2
Vanguard Lancer (KotStorm) x3
Herald of the Stag (SB) x2
Advisor to the Crown (QoD) x1

Location (17)
Narrow Sea (Core) x3
King Robert's Hammer (TBoBB) x3
The Red Keep (TftRK) x2
Altar of Fire (RoR) x2
Flea Bottom (TGM) x1
King Robert's Chambers (Core) x2
Street of Steel (LoW) x1
Shadowblack Lane (Core) x1
Street of Sisters (Core) x1
Pyre of the False Gods (KotStorm) x1

Event (9)
Confession (KotS) x3
See who is Stronger (KotStorm) x3
For R'hllor (RotO) x2
Muster (Core) x1

Attachment (3)
Seal of the Crown (APS) x3