Crimson and Gold: Draft Report

It’s been a while, but I’m back to plug my streaming efforts, discuss the results of a recent draft tournament in the Atlanta area, and talk about the new FAQ 5.2 meta.

My Streaming Channel

I’ve recently set up a Twitch channel to stream my Thrones games from OCTGN. You can either watch them live or watch the archived broadcasts at any time. I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback so far, but I’m always open to more suggestions or requests to see certain decks. Getcha popcorn ready!

The Draft

On Saturday, August 2nd, our meta held a Thrones draft tournament at Raven’s Nest Games in Marietta, Georgia. If you’re nearby and interested in joining us for future tournaments, like our Facebook page. There were five participants, so the tournament would be a round-robin format. We ponied up entry fees for the Summer league kit (with those beautiful Castellan of the Rock promos), went over draft rules (deciding to allow Meraxes out-of-house), and got started. I’ll break down my draft picks and then the games.

Pack 1

1.1 Tyrion Lannister (shadows) over Above the Sorrows
1.2 Harry the Riverlands
1.3 Pyromancer’s Apprentice over Maester Wendamyr, Shadowblack Lane, Orphan of the Greenblood, Insidious Ways, Seat of Power
1.4 Cersei’s Attendant over Tyrion’s Host, Guard at Riverrun
1. 5 Enslaved over Distraction, Naval Escort
1. 6 Misinformation over Condemned
1.7 R’hllor’s Blessing over Dornish Hermitage
1.8 Orphan of the Greenblood over Seat of Power
1.9 Maester of Lemonwood
1.10 Rumors of War

With my first pick I was torn between a bomb character and a two claim plot, and I made a huge mistake. Tyrion was perfectly fine all day, but nothing stellar considering that I only finished with one other shadow card. He also locked me into House Lannister early. I should have gone with the neutral plot to remain uncommitted and able to adapt to subsequent packs.

I also regret the Pyromancer’s Apprentice pick in hindsight. It’s a fairly common card, so I could have grabbed one later, and at least half the time my opponent’s had gold left over so his ability was moot.

Pick seven was a disaster. To that point I had 5 Lannister cards and 1 Neutral card. I had to pick a second House between Baratheon and Martell. I chose Baratheon, and then immediately regretted it when the next three packs gave me solid Martell cards.

Pack 2

2.1 Knights of the Storm over Lightbringer, Damphair’s Drowned, Longship Iron Victory, Paper Shield
2.2 He Calls It Thinking over Shadowblack Lane, Silent Sisters
2.3 Starfall Cavalry over Cersei’s Attendant
2.4 Acolyte of the Flame over mediocre Stark/Targ cards
2.5 Daenarys Targaryen over Smuggler’s Cove, Misinformation
2.6 Lightbringer over Damphair’s Drowned, Die by the Sword, Tyrion’s Host
2.7 Randyll Tarly over mediocre Stark/Targ cards
2.8 Cersei’s Attendant over Shadowblack Lane
2.9 Riverrun Messenger
2.10 Blue-Lipped Warlock

I didn’t use Knights of the Storm in my deck, but at the time I thought I might still use Baratheon over Martell, and if not it was at least a decent pick just to keep him away from everyone else. Longship Iron Victory might have been better though.

I was happy to get He Calls it Thinking and Starfall Cavalry with my second and third picks. They cemented my choice to compliment Lannister with Martell, but otherwise this pack wasn’t very exciting.

Pack 3

3.1 Enslaved over House Messenger, Seat of Power
3.2 Insidious Ways over Iron Mines, Poisoned Knife
3.3 House Messenger over Silent Sisters, Misinformation
3.4 Bronn over Rumors of War, Misinformation, Poisoned Knife
3.5 Poisoned Knife over Acolyte of the Flame
3.6 House Messenger over Seat of Power
3.7 Iron Mines over Asha Greyjoy (war crest)
3.8 Oldtown Scholar over Misinformation
3.9 Rumors of War
3.10 Knights of the Realm (agenda)

A second copy of Enslaved got me off to a great start in this pack, and the five picks after it were all solid as well. With 3.7 I took and Iron Mines, figuring there would be a need to save from targeted kill like Robb Stark, but I never faced any all day.

Pack 4

4.1 Viper’s Bannermen over Game of Cyvasse, Rusted Sword
4.2 Oldtown Scholar over Ghost of High Heart, Maester of War
4.3 Flaming Pitch Tower over Watcher of the Nightfire
4.4 Orphan of the Greenblood over The Conclave
4.5 I’m You Writ Small over Dornish Hermitage, Marched to the Wall
4.6 Condemned over Rusted Sword
4.7 Maester of Lemonwood
4.8 Hellholt Engineer over Pyromancer’s Apprentice
4.9 The Conclave
4.10 Heart of the Stag

I couldn’t believe it when I saw The Viper’s Bannermen sitting there. For a second I worried about being able to afford it, but there was nothing else comparable in the pack so I had to take the risk that it might sit impotently in my hand for a turn or two.

Flaming-Pitch Tower was a steal with the third pick. It’s one of just a few repeatable and targeted kill cards in the draft pool. I gladly paid its gold penalty or reduced its cost with the Alliance agenda.

Then with 4.9 I somehow lucked into The Conclave which I had nearly taken five picks earlier. It was money all day, especially considering I had a couple other Maesters.

Pack 5

5.1 Robert Baratheon over Street of Steel, Shadowblack Lane, Cersei’s Attendant
5.2 Quentyn Martell over Bodyguard, Hand’s Judgment
5.3 Longship Black Wind over Tyrion’s Enforcers
5.4 Moneylender over House Messenger, Grand Maester Pycelle, Writ Small
5.5 To the Spears over Eddard Stark
5.6 Shadowblack Lane over Cersei’s Attendant
5.7 Maester of War over Much and More
5.8 Hellholt Engineer over Condemned
5.9 R’hllor’s Blessing
5.10 Quartheen Fanatic

I took Robert as a hate draft because double renown is so good in this format, but he actually made my deck. Then Longship Black Wind gave me more kill / unopposed power, but I was getting worried because I still didn’t have any plots to replace Feast of Famine. That finally changed with pick 5, when To the Spears dropped into my lap. All of my renown characters suddenly became much more valuable. Pick 5.7 gave me Maester of War, who has great synergy with the Conclave and Maester of Lemonwood.

Decklist

Total Cards: (40)

House:
House Lannister

Agenda:
Treaty

Plot: (5)
1x Holding the Trident (Core)
1x Wildfire Assault (Core)
1x To the Spears! (PotS)
1x Alliance (PotS)
1x Shores of Ny Sar (VM)

Character: (21)
2x Orphan of the Greenblood (PotS)
1x Lannisport Moneylender (LotR)
2x Cersei's Attendant (Core)
2x Oldtown Scholar (FtC)
2x House Messenger (PotS)
1x Maester of Lemonwood (BtW)
1x Hellholt Engineer (CbtC)
1x Maester of War (TWot5K)
1x Randyl Tarly (KotS)
1x Pyromancer's Apprentice (TBoBB)
1x Bronn (Core)
1x Quentyn Martell (TGF)
1x Tyrion Lannister (CoS)
1x Robert Baratheon (Core)
1x The Conclave (CbtC)
1x Starfall Cavalry (MotA)
1x The Viper's Bannermen (PotS)

Attachment: (3)
1x Poisoned Knife (ASoSilence)
2x Enslaved (THoBaW)

Event: (6)
1x Harry the Riverlands (FF)
1x I'm You Writ Small (Core)
1x Insidious Ways (Core)
1x Rumors of War (TBoBB)
1x Misinformation (TWH)
1x He Calls It Thinking (PotS)

Location: (10)
1x Shadowblack Lane (Core)
2x The Roseroad (KotStorm)
3x The Searoad (KotStorm)
1x Summer Sea (Core)
1x The Iron Mines (KotS)
1x Longship Black Wind (CbtC)
1x Flaming-Pitch Tower (TWot5K)

I ended up light on military icons, and I never found anything to replace Holding the Trident. I also never got my hands on a Fanatical Follower or Silent Sisters, but otherwise the result looked favorable with a nice mix of renown, soft control, and hard removal.

Round 1 vs Ahmed [Lanni / Bara]

I setup Randyll Tarly, Maester of Lemonwood, Orphan of the Greenblood, Summer Sea, and Searoad against Ahmed’s House Dayne Knight, Watcher of the Nightfire, and Searoad.

On turn one I opened with Shores of Ny Sar and Enslaved one of his chuds. On turn 2 I chose Wildfire so I could subsequently flood the board and not worry about being forced to kill my own characters. Then I played House Messenger, found another Enslaved, and stole another character. Ahmed’s Enemy Informers kept Randyl Tarly knelt both turns so far, so challenges featured lots of 1 and 2 strength dudes. On turn 3 I chose Alliance and played Robert, who won a challenge to get his first 2 power. On turn 4 I revealed To the Spears!, marshalled Starfall Cavalry, and reached exactly 20 power with dominance.

1-0

Round 2 vs Michael [Targ / Bara]

I setup Hellholt Engineer, Searoad, and a card in shadows against Michael’s Watcher of the Nightfire and Knight of the Rainwood.

On the first turn he ambushed in a Dragon Thief to successfully defend my challenge, which stung a little bit, and he pulled He Calls It Thinking for intrigue claim. Things turned around on turn 2 when I marshalled The Viper’s Bannermen. Over the next few turns more big hitters followed in the likes of Robert, Starfall Cavalry, Longship Black Wind, and Flaming-Pitch Tower. I eventually wore down his defenses and won on turn 6.

2-0

Round 3 vs Mark [Stark only]

I setup Bronn, Iron Mines and Searoad against Mark’s Oldtown Scholar, Knigth of the Tumblestone, Guard at Riverrun, Narrow Sea, and Searoad.

I got off to an extremely slow start thanks to his Search and Detain bouncing Bronn on the first turn. That plot is ridiculous in this format because none of the starter plots can match its initiative. It took me several turns to claw back into the game, but then I made a horrible mistake and won a challenge 7-4 when I could have easily won 8-4 instead and triggered my Flame-Pitch Tower. To make matters worse he turned around and pulled The Viper’s Bannermen out of my hand for intrigue claim. The other 3 cards in my hand at the time were relatively useless. A Lethal Counterattack killed multiple characters at some point, then on turn 6 he bounced my Conclave with S&D and reached exactly 15 power.

2-1

Round 4 vs Pacer [Martell/Greyjoy]

If I lose this game, Pacer wins the tournament at 4-0. If I win, then there’s a three-way tie for first and I have a chance of getting the playmat.

On turn 1 Pacer opened with At the Gates for Maester Myles, who I quickly Enslaved. However, he also had both Dagmer Cleftjaw and Longship Iron Victory on the table, and their combination of deadly, draw, and winning dominance made my life difficult for the entire game. I soon found out that Pacer drafted the copy of Above the Sorrows that I passed on with my first pick, as well as another two-claim plot, Retaliation. Challenges mattered more than usual in this game, and unfortunately I made another stupid mistake when I forgot about the gained intrigue icon on Damphair’s Drowned (a card that I play all the time in Constructed). I managed to drag things out for a while until Pacer equipped Ser Arthur Dayne with a Poisoned Knife and obliterated my board. He earned a well-deserved victory around turn 6.

2-2

My final results were disappointing, but I had a blast playing with some great guys. FFG did a stellar job designing the draft packs, and I can’t wait to try it again.

FAQ 5.2 and the New Meta

Lannister is in a holding pattern until Wheels Within Wheels drops in a few weeks. When it does, I expect Lanni Maesters might wreak havoc for a short while. In the meantime, decks like No Agenda, Tunnels, and Power Behind the Throne will have to suffice – although, if the Battle of Blackwater Bay results are repeated, we might be better served exploring fresh ideas like City of Shadows or Dark Wings, Dark Words.

Overall I’m glad to see the combo-enablers gone, Rivers gone, and a few borderline-broken deck types toned down. I think this new meta should foster a lot of creativity, and if you don’t believe me look no further than “jank” like Targaryen Heir to the Iron Throne winning Canadian Nationals. Thanks for reading!