Fire and Blood - For Old Time's Sake

Hello there again intrepid readers! It's been far to long since a Targ article has graced our dear front page, and though I'm not sorry to have retired, it is great to get back in the saddle once more to bloviate and pontificate about things that I have little to no knowledge of. Here ahead of worlds, I thought it would be fun to do a quick "stock report" style look at certain favorite Targaryen cards to see if you should be adding the card to your decks, cutting the card from your decks, or "holding" to see what the market holds. These decisions will be based on my views of the meta and of course your mileage may vary or triple your money back. So, without further ado, let's look at those cards whose stock is rising:

STOCK RISING

DAARIO NAHARIS

I love this guy. He has the only "Knight hate" effect in the game, which means you can hit characters opponents thought might be safe otherwise. The downside on him is strong, since if your opponent doesn't play a Knight or a Traitor he sits in your hand. This has meant that he has generally been cut from most Targ decks outside those that use trait manipulation. But this is a new day--the era of the Kingsguard! I expect more than half of decks at worlds to at least splash a Kingsguard or three, so Daario will have more friends to discard and more opponents' lives to ruin! A tricon with melee isn't to be sneezed at either. Consider adding Daario to most of your Targ decks for worlds.

SORROWFUL MAN

Since I expect Shadows to be stronger than in the past (in terms of representation if not actual strength), why not take a look at this guy to zap cards who hop out during the challenge phase. In the past, he's been a great option to kill Bannermen or Maesters put into play with their respective plots, but a heavier Shadow presence means that he will have a wider use. Can you imagine popping Meera during challenges? Oh wow I am getting excited just thinking about it....or the new Jaime? Amazing.....and a deadly on the power icon never hurt anyone either!

AEGON'S HILL

So you probably already have this in your decks. If you don't, just add it. Please. And if you get it on setup, keep the hand. Why did they take it off of the restricted list? I have no idea, but let's make hay while the sun shines.

AMBUSH FROM THE PLAINS/TO BE A DRAGON

The free recursion cards are probably already options for Targ players, but I've really been impressed with King's Landing Coup and the types of openings that can be done with that card. We don't lack for great 3-cost options or come-into-play effects (like Daario!) so grabbing whatever type of card you need when you need it can be so critical. I feel like the meta has shifted towards higher initiative plots anyway, and if you are leaning that direction why not take advantage with Ambush.

I even feel like there is something there with Street Waifs, Arys Oakheart, and the standing tech in Targ to make a sort of poor man's house of pain. You'll really miss the Lances, but don't overlook what options we still have!

MAGISTER ILLYRIO

I love this guy! He's the nemesis of the Carrion Bird! I also think with the hopping in and out of shadows that many decks will be doing that your opponents will be giving you a free Illyrio trigger or two every turn. And maybe this is going too far, but if they replace old Arys with the new one, we might not see as much Ally hate running around (though certainly a shadowy deck will pack Varys!)

STOCK FALLING

THE DRAGONPIT

Man, I love this card. It's so good. But now more than ever before (or perhaps since the KL cycle was new) there is more of a risk that you'll end up with fewer shadows cards than your opponent. Paying 3 gold for nothing isn't so good. Yeah, the effect is amazing, but do you really want to risk a Tunnels or Bara Shadows or even a deck randomly splashing Kingsguard turning off your whole lynchpin? I don't, so I wouldn't play Dragonpit right now.

DRAGON DECKS

Too bad. Perhaps the only thing I liked about the TLV meta was the fighting chance they gave Dragons. As it is, the game has shifted back away from Ubercharacters and these guys remain too expensive and too difficult to draw properly to be a successful tournament archetype. I'd love to be proved wrong, but I don't think I am. Now in melee, perhaps it is a different story.....

SPLASHING SUMMER

How many Song of Ice decks will be at worlds? Answer: nobody has a clue. And that's why I'd stay away from summer without the agenda. It seems that most of Targ's summer-based cards REQUIRE summer to even work (think Field of Fire, Summer Encampment, etc.) rather than just getting better if it is summer (like Dragon Knight). Risking a loss of efficiency in a card is one thing, but risking a suite of dead cards entirely another. If you want summer, play the agenda. If you don't want the agenda, play another deck.

STOCK HOLDING

THE MAESTER'S PATH

I have no idea where Maesters are. They are so hard to pilot against a Winter deck featuring Meera, but the meta is so open that I'm not sure. I think the toolbox nature and minimal auto-loss matchups for Maesters makes it a great choice, but the proliferation of Nightmares makes it a bit risky as well.

I think Rusted-style maesters are in play still since I haven't seen tons of Ghaston Grey lately, but a more general burn maesters or control maesters with things like trait manipulation might work as well. I just don't know; what was once the hotness has not been forgotten. Can it make a comeback?

RALLY CRY

It was the best of plots; it was the worst of plots. I go around and around on it, finally deciding that it is my 8th choice for a variety of plot decks. Great against House of Dreams (but who runs that anymore) and solid against a lot of other things such as the Red Viper or a variety of annoying locations, you'll never be sad to pack Rally Cry. Unless, that is you actually have more command than your opponent....in which case you won't want this at all. How can you even really know?

FULL ON BURN DECKS

Burn is strong. Burn is to be feared. Yes, I agree. But also there are some things that are hard to burn. Like armies. And the Viper. There is recursion from the prayers, etc. No longer can Targ fill dead piles with impunity; there are answers even after the fact now. Can you really trust burn to carry you through the whole field? Especially when it is one of the top decks that people tech against? I just do not know. Why not try it out and let me know how it goes?

So I hope you enjoyed this quick analysis of some Targaryen cards heading into worlds. We'll keep trying to make Fire and Blood a more regular thing! Thanks, as always, for reading!