All Things Shagga: Queen of Shadows

Ah, here we are again! Are you all ready for the nitty gritty of Shagga deck design? This week I have an oldie, but a goodie for readers. This week we tackle a deck that I’ve taken to calling “The Queen of Shadows.” The name sounds like some sweet Tarot card or something doesn’t it? Or maybe an awesome Batman, Inc. character? Well read on to see how it relates to A Game of Thrones.

This week, we’re turning back time to the release of the King’s Landing Edition of chapter packs where a certain gem named The Queen of Thorns (TftRK) was printed. Now, to set the scene a little for those that don’t recall, King’s Landing Edition introduced the Shadows mechanic to the game. This is an extra hidden knowledge zone where cards with the appropriate crest are placed face down, and then revealed for a certain cost, hopefully to great and surprising impact.

So why was the The Queen of Thorns (TftRK) printed at the same time this powerful mechanic was introduced? For one thing, she has the Shadows Crest herself. For another, her ability triggers to claim power every time a card comes out of shadows. Every. Single. Phase.

Now, if you’re at all like me, your brain starts spinning and trying to find ways to bring a card out of Shadows each and every phase so that you can claim as much power as possible, as quickly as possible. One way to do so, of course, is just to keep drawing and playing more Shadows cards so that you can bring them out legitimately. While this is viable, it really doesn’t quite hit the combo-riffic hopes that a true Shagga is looking for.

Enter a neat little interaction first brought to my attention by Greg Atkinson (Dobbler). First, you may have noticed that the majority of Shadows cards have an additional gold cost required to bring them out of shadows, so a key aspect of doing so repeatedly is making certain that it costs nothing to do so. Provided it is Winter, Stark’s Hidden Chambers (CoS) gives an across the board discount on bringing cards out of Shadows. While it does have a significant drawback in returning itself to hand if it is Summer, Hidden Chambers (CoS) does also come with some built in protection from Frozen Solid (LoW) and other popular location control attachments with its No Attachments keyword.

Once it’s possible to bring all our Shadows cards out for free, we need a card that can come out of Shadows repeatedly. While there are several to choose from, there’s only one that doesn’t require any sort of outside action to return itself to shadows. Sister of Truth (KotStorm) makes it almost utterly failsafe (barring He Calls It Thinking (PotS)).With the pieces all in place, let’s outline how this works. First, you need it to be Winter with a Hidden Chambers (CoS) in play (remember, you’re using the House Baratheon (Core) though). Next, you need the The Queen of Thorns (TftRK) and Sister of Truth (KotStorm)Sister of Truth in Shadows. Now the fun begins. In the Draw Phase (so that your opponent can’t use Valar Morghulis (Core) or the like to kill your The Queen of Thorns (TftRK)) bring the The Queen of Thorns (TftRK) out of Shadows and trigger her ability in response to herself to claim one power. Then at the start of Marshalling, bring the Sister of Truth (KotStorm)out of Shadows and return her to Shadows with her own ability, and trigger the Queen of Thorns in response for another power. Lather, rinse, and repeat through Challenges, Dominance, Taxation, and the next Plot phase. If all goes well, you’ve just claimed 6 power without your opponent having any way to stop you. Hopefully, you’ve gotten enough power previously that 6 wins the game for you. If not, keep the The Queen of Thorns (TftRK) alive as you continue the rotation through another round, at which point you’re almost assured to win.

Of course, with He Calls It Thinking (PotS) in the environment, it’s difficult to count on always being able to trigger the Sister’s Response. As a backup plan, we’re playing a host of other cards that return themselves to Shadows so that they can be brought out again. They’re all good on their own, if not as efficient in the combo as the Sister of Truth (KotStorm) in the combo. Still, Arya Stark (CoS) Syrio Forel (TftRK) Meera Reed (TftH) Venomous Blade (TBoBB) are all cards that have a home in this deck.

In the meantime, there are two final pieces to wrap this deck up with. First is a means to slow the game down until you are able to set up the pieces of the combo. Catelyn Stark (AToT) completely denies intrigue challenges to your opponents long as it is Winter. Lineage and Legacy (KotStorm) and Loyalty Money Can Buy (QoD) serve as plot based ways to disrupt your opponents’ ability to effectively challenge. Margaery Tyrell (TftRK) and Meera Reed (TftH) blank problem cards and renown characters to ensure your opponent doesn't get a leg up on you. Venomous Blade (TBoBB) and Wildfire Assault (Core) help stem the tide of incoming weenie characters. Last but not least, Guardian Wolf (TIoR) and Varys (SaS) provide a bit of spot removal.

The second piece of wrap up to the deck is a real back up plan if everything else goes haywire. Or conversely, it makes a really nice distraction in order to clear some of the heat off of the main combo pieces. Knight of Flowers (SaS) always draws ire due to his ability to power out a fast win. With all the Shadows cards, Littlefinger (SaS) is another non-kneeling powerhouse who is actually likely to cost a bare minimum in gold. Finally, Tyrion Lannister (CoS) gains one of a variety of keywords each time a card comes out of Shadows and synergizes with Kingdom of Shadows to push through powergrabbing victories as well.

So this week, when we put it all together we get:

Queen of Shadows


Total Cards (60)

House (1)
House Baratheon (Core) x1

Agenda (1)
City of Shadows (CoS) x1

Plot (7)
City of Lies (CoS) x1
Building Season (Core) x1
Lineage and Legacy (KotStorm) x1
Loyalty Money Can Buy (QoD) x1
Wildfire Assault (Core) x1
A Time for Ravens (ACoS) x1
Alliance (PotS) x1

Character (31)
Arya Stark (CoS) x1
Guardian Wolf (TIoR) x2
Meera Reed (TftH) x1
Qyburn (SaS) x1
Shadowcat (KotS) x2
Silent Sisters (KotS) x2
Sister of Truth (KotStorm) x3
Syrio Forel (TftRK) x2
The Queen of Thorns (TftRK) x3
Tyrion Lannister (CoS) x1
Varys (SaS) x1
Catelyn Stark (AToT) x1
Littlefinger (SaS) x1
Margaery Tyrell (TftRK) x1
Septa Mordane (AToT) x1
Carrion Bird (ASoS) x3
Herald of the Stag (SB) x2
Shireen Baratheon (FtC) x1
Joffrey Baratheon (PotS) x1
Renly Baratheon (KotStorm) x1

Location (22)
Alchemist's Guild Hall (TBoBB) x1
King's Landing (SaS) x2
The Black Cells (TftRK) x3
Hidden Chambers (CoS) x3
Kingdom of Shadows (KotS) x3
Aegon's Garden (Core) x3
Flea Bottom (TGM) x1
King Robert's Chambers (Core) x1
River Row (QoD) x1
Narrow Sea (Core) x2
Street of Sisters (Core) x1
Shadowblack Lane (Core) x1

Attachment (7)
Venomous Blade (TBoBB) x2
Bodyguard (Core) x2
White Raven (TWoW) x3

Event (0)