Scheming on the Sands - Martell Aggro

Scheming on the Sands – Martell Aggro

"Daemon, my spear!" Ser Daemon tossed it to him, and the Red Viper snatched it from the air.

When building a Martell deck, or when you sit across from a Martell deck, most of the time I am expecting a heavy control style deck, after all Martell can play control better than most right? If you played Martell before the latest FAQ that was most certainly the case, but now with all these very quick rush/aggro decks that are on the rise what are Martell players to do? Well like the old saying goes, if you can't beat them join them. Now one deck I have always struggled against when playing Martell control was a heavy aggro board wipe Stark deck, I needed Westeros Bleeds (Core) to have a chance. Another common deck we are starting to see is a rush/aggro style deck out of Lannister that controls the game by eliminating an opponent’s hand. Now what I am proposing is trying to build a deck that combines these two aspects. When I start to look at Martell’s characters I can see a high strength in intrigue icons as well as being able to form high military strength. So without further ado let’s take a quick look at deck sample working on.

Deck Built with CardGameDB.com GoT Deckbuilder

Martell Aggro

House (1)
House Martell (Core) x1

Agenda (0)

Plot (7)
Breaking and Entering (LotR) x1
Negotiations at the Great Sept (TPoL) x1
The Power of Arms (Core) x1
Twist of Fate (APS) x1
Valar Morghulis (Core) x1
To the Spears! (PotS) x1
Marched to the Wall (LoW) x1

Character (33)
Areo Hotah (PotS) x1
Host of the Boneway (AToTT) x3
Old Bill Bone (ARotD) x1
Randyl Tarly (KotS) x1
The Red Viper (APS) x3
The Windblown (AHM) x1
Arianne Martell (PotS) x2
Carrion Bird (TWoW) x2
Dornish Paramour (TTotH) x2
Ellaria Sand (PotS) x1
Lost Spearman (MotM) x3
Ser Archibald Yronwood (CD) x2
Ser Arys Oakheart (PotS) x1
Ser Gerris Drinkwater (CD) x2
Syrio Forel (TftRK) x1
Quentyn Martell (VD) x3
Lady Nym's Guard (RotK) x2
Pike Phalanx (QoD) x2

Location (14)
Lord Doran's Chambers (PotS) x1
Lost Oasis (AToT) x2
River Row (QoD) x1
Shadowblack Lane (Core) x1
Street of Silk (LotR) x1
Street of Sisters (Core) x1
Street of Steel (Core) x1
Summer Sea (Core) x3
Water Garden (PotS) x3

Event (10)
Die by the Sword (LoW) x3
Rumors of War (TBoBB) x2
The Price of War (KotS) x3
Dissension (QoD) x2

Attachment (3)
Venomous Blade (TBoBB) x3


Now this is an early deck build and I'm open to suggestions from the readers. Like many aggro decks, using 2 claim plots is important in eliminating more of the opponent’s hand, while also killing more than just claim soak during MIL challenges. With the last few chapter packs FFG has given Martell more War crest characters which has made it more feasible to use War Crest events . Using The Price of War (KotS) to destroy locations (one of Martell’s biggest weaknesses) and also using Die by the Sword (LoW) to do some direct kill we can give Martell some real stopping power. Also with Venomous Blade and Dissension even more characters can be eliminated. Marched to the Wall is a very important plot to get around Power of Blood. Once you have eliminated the remaining character’s on your opponents side of the board it allows you to hit a powerful character such as Stannis or Cersie. Quentyn Martell (VD) isn't essential to the deck but doesn't hurt when get a chance to draw more cards, and he gives ability to hit your opponent hard even if you're the second player.


So, the basic idea is to keep characters off your opponent’s board while also hitting his/her hand. Won’t kill the board as well as Stark, or discard cards like Lannister, however, can do a solid job of combining the two ideas. Now I have honestly not tested this deck more than two games with this being finals week for school, but now that school is done I am very intrigued to see if this deck strategy out of Martell is effective, so if you have any suggestions please leave them in the comments below.

Hope you enjoyed looking at building a Martell deck in a different way than the Norm.