All Things Shagga - GJ Super Discard

Here we are again, loyal readers, with All Things Shagga on this lovely Wednesday (or Mittwoch, for the more Germanically inclined). This week, we’re turning our eyes back to the Viking like forces of the Iron Isles, though this time without any of that pesky Treaty business. No, this time around, we explore an idea that was sparked by a fairly recent chapter pack review on my podcast, 2C1C. Incidentally, Jallek Tully actually messaged me to say that he was working on a new Shagga deck which happens to fit nearly the same description of this one that I was working on that at the same time. What can I say? Great minds must think alike. And of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Alexander Hynes who helped me trim the bloated mass of cards that I had down to a Maester acceptable 60.

The Cards:

Trebuchet- I know, I said this was a Greyjoy deck, and the first thing I mentioned is Lannister. Crazy, isn't it? This was the card that started it all. During our chapter pack review, we pondered what in the world you might do with such colossal strength boosts aside from pretty much just straight up winning whatever challenge you wanted. Well, thankfully a certain Greyjoy event provided an answer. Conveniently, GJ is also able to play Trebuchet on the cheap thanks to Refurbished Hulk nicely knocking out the out of house penalty.

We Take Westeros!- If ever there was a card to take advantage of colossal strength boosts, this is it. We Take Westeros! thrives on boosts like that of Trebuchet that affect a large number of characters at once. With the right pumps and a large enough character base, We Take Westeros! can help you mill for 30+ cards in one swing. That won’t always end a game outright, but once your opponent has already had Setup, and then drawn for a couple turns, there won’t be much left for you to mop up. Bonus points then if you can either play WTW! for a large enough number to blow them out in one turn, or at least follow up with a second copy of the event on the next turn.

Naval Escort- This was the mass pump of choice for Greyjoy decks in general and We Take Westeros! decks in particular. Since we’re really looking to max out our pump capabilities and are already playing at least a few Warships (Refurbished Hulk) it just makes sense to make our chances of going critical as redundant as possible.

The Maester’s Path- Ok, now this is probably where it really starts to look weird, eh? Although the inclusion of Naval Escort and Trebuchet makes our pump as redundant as we can reasonably make it, there isn't really another good replacement for We Take Westeros!, which means that we’re looking for one of the three copies of this very specific card in our deck. By lowering our starting deck size with TMP as well as building the deck as best we can toward setup, we’re able to pretty drastically increase our odds of having a WTW! in hand within the first couple turns.

Thoughts On Play-

Unless you've got a really sweet draw and you’re pretty sure you can knock out their deck in one fell swoop, don’t tip your hand too early. This is a very consistent deck. But the WTW! plan is very fragile. One might even call it consistently fragile. When I tested this, I had the pieces in hand and in play to discard well over thirty cards from their deck during the first challenge phase the first three games that I played with it! Unfortunately, my opponent also dashed my hopes and dreams all three games. Game One he lead with Shadows and Spiders into Valar Morghulis which kept me from challenging and then wiped my character base. Game Two, he knocked out my Naval Escort during his first marshalling via Newly Made Lord. GameThree, he knocked out my Trebuchet during his first marshalling via Salladhor Saan. So what did I learn from this experience? Make sure that your opponent doesn't know what you’re playing!

Of course, that isn't going to be something that you can do all of the time, but it does turn out that the deck can play reasonably well as a little bit of an off kilter Greyjoy Maester deck. You’re lacking a little of the punch that they often pack (like Horn of Dragons to go with that Copper Link) much of the utility of those flexible chains is still there at your disposal. Also, the deck is jam packed with Greyjoy’s most cost efficient (gold to STR, that is) characters in order to up our setup and provide the most strength possible for We Take Westeros! It does turn out, however, that this gives you a pretty solid character base for a “legit” game as well, though you’ll find yourself sorely lacking in the intrigue department. Still, with these tools, it’s certainly possible to slow roll your way into the mid game and then knock your opponent’s feet right out from under them by taking away the rest of the options in their deck.

With We Take Westeros! as the main star of the gameplan, make sure you pay special attention to protecting it. We really had to make some concessions in the cancel department to get the deck size brought down to 60, but Euron Crow’s Eye should ensure that your opponent can’t even think about cancelling We Take Westeros! once you’ve got him to commit to the challenge. Oldtown Scholar also makes for a reasonable plan to make certain that your sole event connects when it really needs to. Also, be on the lookout for Baratheon. I've heard tell that this Melisandre’s Schemes plot might be seeing a little bit of play, and if you’re not careful, We Take Westeros! might just load up their discard pile and give them exactly what they want. Thankfully, Forgotten Plans is a great way to shut this down if you can time it right.

The rest of our plots hit a variety of points from allowing us to find and protect our Maesters to giving a variety of ways for our deck to mop up whatever the opponent had on the board or in hand once we’ve knocked out their deck. Also, don't worry too much about the chains if you are able to get WTW! going. Once the opponent doesn't have any deck, even Targaryen will be hard pressed to take out those Maesters while you're in mop up phase.

GJ Super Discard

Total Cards: (60)

House:
House Greyjoy


Agenda: (1)
1x The Maester's Path (GotC)

Plot: (7)
1x Rule by Decree (Core)
1x Outwit (TIoR)
1x At the Gates (GotC)
1x Valar Morghulis (Core)
1x Wildfire Assault (Core)
1x Marched to the Wall (LoW)
1x Forgotten Plans (KotStorm)

Character: (26)
3x Iron Fleet Raiders (MotA)
2x Island Smuggler (MotM)
1x Maester Wendamyr (KotS)
2x Mercenaries from Pyke (TWH)
2x Motley Crewman (IG)
1x The Reader (TGF)
1x Maester Kerwin (VM)
1x Maester Murenmure (CbtC)
2x Oldtown Advisor (GotC)
2x Oldtown Scholar (FtC)
3x Ambitious Oarsman (RoR)
3x Distinguished Boatswain (TftRK)
1x Fishwhiskers (CtB)
2x Euron Crow's Eye (ASoSilence)

Attachment: (9)
3x Apprentice Collar (GotC)
1x Black Iron Link (MotA)
1x Brass Link (HtS)
1x Copper Link (GotC)
1x Gold Link (TIoR)
1x Lead Link (CbtC)
1x Valyrian Steel Link (HtS)

Event: (3)
3x We Take Westeros! (DB)

Location: (22)
3x Naval Escort (ASitD)
3x Sunset Sea (Core)
3x The Iron Mines (KotS)
3x Trebuchet (TBG)
1x River Blockade (RoR)
3x Captured Cog (AHM)
1x Longship Iron Victory (KotS)
2x Refurbished Hulk (OSaS)
1x Aeron's Chambers (KotS)
1x Street of Sisters (Core)
1x Street of Steel (Core)