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Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!
1
The Grand Melee - Melee Smuggling Staggs
Jun 28 2013 05:10 AM |
celric
in Game of Thrones
Small Council The Grand Melee celric
IntroductionHello everyone. I've enjoyed many of the posts on this site for a while now as a reader and commenter. However, I think the time has come for me to make my own play for the Iron Throne and start authoring articles.
I've always enjoyed the Melee game a great deal. Don't get me wrong... I hope GRRM finds a way to have Barristan duel Victarion in "The Winds of Winter" as much as anybody. Yet, it's match-ups like Dany v. Stannis v. Cersei v. Roose that keep readers coming back to the Song of Ice and Fire. You can't replicate that kind of scheming in Joust: the Melee game is where those struggles come to life.
Caveat: While my first 2 articles will feature similar themes to the melee decks Zeiler and Atkinson mentioned in 2Champs1Chump, the BaraSmuggler Deck examined in this article and the Maester Deck examined in the next article were both played at a Melee Party before their podcast (which Paladin can confirm).
Learning the Game in the Melee Environment
One of my favorite reason's to play melee is that it has helped me better understand what my cards really do. What do I mean by that? Well, if your playgroup is fairly small, it's easy to misinterpret a card and for everyone in that group to play it the wrong way.
This type of learning happened a recent game too: a Targ player played Seductive Promise (Core) after winning a power challenge against Martell. I was playing Baratheon, but he took my Fleet from Lys (RotK) with it. We didn't figure out that was illegal until after the game. He should have taken a Martell Character. Luckily, the Martell Player had Areo Hotah (PotS) in play and killed the fleet before he could use it, so there wasn't a major game swing.
Melee Deckbuilding Strategy In the Age of Rush
I've liked the idea of Black Sails since it was spoiled. Having some idea of what you might draw (through knowing the cards in the Hold) and having ~half your deck searchable seemed very strong.
A lot of Black Sails decks tend to grow well beyond the 60 card minimum. The advantage of that size is the ability to search a larger number of cards and pull the perfect one for the situation. The disadvantage is inconstant Setups. The Stark Black Sails I brought to the Seattle Regional had a pretty weak setup against the eventual champ: part of that lack of consistency was due to the deck's 72 card size.
My Stark deck was an Agro style that establishes board dominance and then "sails" to the win. Not a bad Joust strategy, but a terrible idea in Melee.
In Melee giving the appearance that you can win the game (usually by having the strongest board position) is the unforgivable sin. Within my meta, ending a turn with 12-14 power is a near death sentence if you're 3 or more power ahead of 2nd place.
To me if you're going to raise your score above 10 power, you need to go all the way to 15 or turn back in Melee. Otherwise, bide your time until you can deliver the full coup d'etat.
Here's the Baratheon Black Sails Deck I was using that night.
Total Cards (61)
House (1)
House Baratheon (Core) x1
Agenda (0)
Plot (7)
Melisandre's Scheme (RotK) x1
Above the Sorrows (VM) x1
Shores of Ny Sar (VM) x1
King's Landing Coup (AToTT) x1
Wildfire Assault (Core) x1
Naval Reinforcements (RotK) x1
Naval Superiority (TGF) x1
Character (35)
Old Red Priest (Core) x2
Shireen Baratheon (FtC) x1
Edric Storm (Core) x1
Lyseni Pirate (TCC) x3
Maester Pylos (KotStorm) x1
Marya Seaworth (KotStorm) x1
River Runner (TGF) x3
Selyse Baratheon (Core) x1
Shyra Errol (ODG) x1
Willas Tyrell (VM) x1
Brienne of Tarth (PotS) x1
Dale Seaworth (AToTT) x1
Khorane Sathmantes (TCC) x1
Margaery Tyrell (AToTT) x1
Renly Baratheon (TRS) x1
Salladhor Saan (TPoL) x1
Ser Cortnay Penrose (KotStorm) x1
The Laughing Storm (GotC) x1
Lady Olenna's Guard (RotK) x1
Melisandre (Core) x1
Robert Baratheon (Core) x1
Ser Davos Seaworth (TGF) x1
Stannis Baratheon (KotStorm) x1
Fleet from Lys (RotK) x3
Aurane Waters (TCC) x1
Summer Sea Corsair (RotK) x3
Location (16)
Narrow Sea (Core) x3
Shores of the Blackwater (AToTT) x1
Aegon's Garden (Core) x2
Black Betha (TGF) x2
Massey's Hook (ASoSilence) x1
Smuggler's Cove (KotStorm) x1
Stormlands Fiefdoms (Core) x2
Oakenshield Port (TPoL) x2
Great Hall (Core) x2
Attachment (2)
Accepted Destiny (KotStorm) x1
Milk of the Poppy (Core) x1
Event (8)
Bound by Blood (KotStorm) x1
Fiery Kiss (ODG) x1
Battle for the Shield Islands (TGF) x3
Nightmares (LoW) x1
Superior Claim (KotStorm) x2
Something you'll need to consider when deck building in the age of rush are effects that help you and/or hinder multiple opponents.
Secondarily, my restricted card choice Superior Claim (KotStorm) could supply the surprise power gain to fuel a win-in-one-big-turn strategy.
Finally, while 5 initiative isn't super high, winning initiative gives you so much leverage in the Melee game as we'll see in...
An Epic Moment in Melee History
In this game I came into the final turn with 11 cards in hand. One of those cards was Battle for Shield Islands (which I'd pulled from the hold last turn). I had 6 power on my house and 1 on Stannis. Stark Siege had 8 power on his house. Targ TLV also had 7 power.
I had Naval Superiority, Naval Reinforcements, and Above the Sorrows to choose from. I chose Above the Sorrow and won initiative! I chose to go third and was lucky enough to grab the King Regent (which I'd hoped would be available) and played Battle for Shield Islands.
After getting two cards from draw and 1 from the River effect, I came into Marshalling with 13 in hand, but only 6 left in my deck!!! I knew i needed to win this turn or I could easily run out of cards if someone played Valar next turn. How could I do that without seeming a threat?
To fly under the radar, I played Salador Saan and the baby vigilant smuggler without blowing up anyone's location. Instead I marshaled Massey's Hook when I had no stealth. When I let a power challenge come through unopposed, you could feel the relief from the other players. They should have expected more with my 2 claim and an epic battle out.
When it came to my challenges only Stannis and the smuggler were left standing. I had 5 power on my house and 1 on Stannis. The smuggler used Naval support in Stannis's power challenge. That was unopposed so now I was at 10 (8 on the house 2 on Stannis) and the Stark player did not have any standing Power icon characters. I took Superior Claim from the hold and crossed my fingers. Targ won dominance and we were on to the epic phase.
I lost a military challenge and had to kill Saan. This had little effect, but made my board position look weaker. No one attacked me for power so I swung away at Stark.
The Martell player sensed that something terribly bad was about to happen and began wishing he'd made an Intrigue epic challenge instead of Military. Having nothing in his hand that would help, he attempted to use Mycella to steal my King Regent title.
Fortunately for me, the FAQ decided that Mycella's ability is not usable in the middle of a challenge. You were close Martell, but one player action window too late. No one was able to stand the Stark player's Robb and I won unopposed.
Now at 13 and having won by 5 with the bonus from the King Regent, I dropped Superior Claim on the table. Luckily, no one could cancel it and I went to 15 power. The victory was even sweeter when the Targ Player revealed that although he also had no power icon characters standing, he was holding True Power so I would have lost the challenge against him.
This deck may have just survived running out of draw cards, being title blocked, and being challenge controlled by the skin of its teeth (or perhaps it was the lucky bones I had in a pouch around my neck), but Stannis's Smuggler allies have a knack for helping House Baratheon defy the odds in...
A Game of Thrones.
- bigfomlof, scantrell24, Paladin and 4 others like this
20 Comments
Great article and eagerly awaiting the next.
1) I find your lack of dupes disturbing. I know you are trying to thin down your deck, but with multiple military challengers coming your way, it is problematic keeping your good characters going. Bodyguard (Core) would help a lot since you are Bara and have a lot of lords and ladies.
2) In bigger Melee's you will see a lot of Greyjoy and you will see House of Dreams (ARotD) Corpse Lake (TBC) since a lot of mill shenanigans hit all players. I saw at least 2 HOD Corpse Lakes at the Days of Ice and Fire melee and the final table was loaded with Krakens. A regular Greyjoy deck can put a hurt on your 30 card deck; a dedicated mill will deck you. So in melee you have to be more cautious with black sails. At least that is what I have observed.
3) Paper Shield (QoD) is SOO GOOD in melee. It can rain on other people's parades and will stop people from raining on yours. You will probable see a lot of Superior Claim (KotStorm) or Make an Example (PotS) being used to close out games. Paper Shield can cancel them and keep people from canceling your stuff.
That being said, I really am glad someone took up the Grand Melee articles again. Most of the people in our meta is pretty jaded towards Melee but there are a few of us that still really enjoy the format - myself among them.
As a typical Martel player, I love what Myrcella can do to a game but I understand the struggle of trying to determine when it is best to use her. I have faced against her as well, so I can really appreciate your comment of "You were close Martel, but one player action window too late"!
My Martell/Quentyn deck for melee has been really strong but I've been toying with a Clanni deck lately with TLV that uses building season to make a deal and get The Inn at the Crossroads (LotR) so I can start getting crazy income. Double Bluff (LotR) and Make an Example (PotS) do a lot of work in that deck. Still tweeking it, it is not nearly as reliable as the Martel deck.
Beknirvana, great points.
1) For much of my AGoT life, two of my friends and I split every pack 3 ways so we all had 1 copy of the cards. Later we agreed to consolidate and loan cards to each other to build higher caliber decks. However, even after I had dupes available, I hated drawing dead cards and rarely played with dupes. I felt justified in this philosophy when I saw that Bruno's House of Pain World Championship Deck ran 0 dupes of unique characters.
Philosophy aside, I recognize that dupes are very powerful. In fact, although I didn't mention it in my game recap, Stannis WAS duped via Black Betha (TGF).
2) The Greyjoy Mill strategy against this deck has 3 phases.
- Deck Me
- Valar Me
- Drink My Milkshake
Yet, as this deck was able to grab 9 power in a turn without making an Intrigue challenge, I take some solace in thinking they will have to deck me in a hurry. Even more relevant, their House of Dreams location is not immune to Battle for the Shield Islands (TGF), so I can grab Corpse Lake and/or Deepwood Motte (AToTT) for myself.3) Paper Shield and a 3rd Superior Claim were heavily considered as additions to this deck. In melee, I took a guess that my meta wouldn't play a lot of cancel or control. I didn't see (but was expecting to see) someone bust out the new prayers. Since Paper Shield wouldn't stop a prayer (if they paid influence) I cut it. I just guessed correctly.
However, with the search of Black Sails, your suggestion to complete the holy trinity of panic cards (Milk of the Poppy, Nightmares, and Paper Shield) makes perfect sense.
4) I have to ask, is your user name a combination of the musical artists Beck and Nirvana?
All that said, grabbing superior claim before an epic phase is a great idea.
Thanks again.
Dang, that's a round loss I could have avoided...
Yea, the FAQ says you can't cancel an agenda's effect, but things that stop you from being able to trigger them in the first place is allowed.
Interesting. Love Fire & Blood, btw.
The words "Instead of normal claim" would make me agree with you, but the word "may" in the following phrase makes me think you could chose normal claim or take-control-of-location claim.
After some time scouring the forums, the tide seems to be ebbing against these swashbuckling stags.
I as much as I hate how this information slows this deck's rush, OKTarg's interpretation is correct per ktom.
If it had been "...may... instead of normal claim," then we may have had an option (barring FAQ or other rules clarification).
All that said, I've never been unhappy with grabbing a location. Worst case scenario you get a gold producer and swing momentum by 2 gold per turn.
Ah the legacy of picking your internet handle when you are 12 and sticking with it 15 years. Yeah, its a combination of Beck and Nirvana. Oddly, I still like both of them but for much different reasons than I when I picked this handle.
1) I don't have much experience with Black Betha (TGF), but that could make up the difference for dups.
My primary deck is Bara noble rush, so it is all about the dupes and saves in that.
2) Yeah, Battle for the Shield Islands (TGF) will stop corpse lake. But still, if you get decked in melee, the game becomes who can pound on the sad boy the fastest. That is always a fear for me.
Also- for the battle of shield island. Renown characters can still claim power for renown. I ran into a Bara Black Sails deck with Robert Baratheon (Core) and a bunch of standing mechanics. He dropped 2 shield islands and man, he drank my milkshake with that Bob. He drank it up. He outrushed my rush deck.
Also, since the epic battle is another phase, you could in theory drop 2 Make an Example (PotS)/Superior Claim (KotStorm) in a turn. Being able to close out fast is very helpful.
Just as a footnote, I am glad to see so many people cheering melee as a format. There are people in my meta who poo-poo it. But it is a part of the game, and understanding that is critical to the game.
BECK
Although slightly off topic, the reason I asked is that my friends and I met Beck in the Chicago Art Museum during the Sea Change tour. We talked some about Joy Division, but then we started telling him about our favorite internet site, Homestar Runner, which he'd never heard of. A few weeks later, he was talking about StrongBad emails on his blog.
When I saw the SOO GOOD link and your alias, I thought there was a chance that you might enjoy knowing about this strange connection. Small world, huh?
DECK CHANGES
Since now I know I can't make multiple Power Claim challenges via BftSI, a little more renown and stand effects do sound like a good way to round out the deck.
The "May" in the Battle for Shield Islands is there so if they don't have a location to steal you can still initiate a challenge against them.
I would think it was in there so you have the option of NOT taking one of their locations. What if you have Burned and Pillaged (FtC) on all of their current locations? The "may" gives you the option of not taking a location, but the claim is still replaced by this effect - so if you don't steal a location it doesn't go back to regular claim.
That too likely factored in.