Ours is the Fury - Maestering the Storm, Part 1

Some long months ago I promised to move onto discussing running Maesters out of Baratheon. That was before the hurricane labelled as "FAQ 4.0" hit the meta, and especially Maesters, by storm. However, as Tourney results have recently shown (from Stark and Targaryen Maesters winning large Tourneys, to Baratheon and Greyjoy also making Top 4's) the folk of the Citadel are extremely hard to put down. While they might not be one step ahead of everybody else anymore, they are definitely still in the running. Knowledge always finds a way to spread.

Thus, with having field-tested my theories at the Finnish Regionals with Baratheon Maesters (3rd in a field of 17), I think it's finally time to move to discussing them in some real detail. We'll start off our discussion this week by looking at the basic elements of building a Maester deck in Baratheon, and move on to more specific deckbuilds in the next installment.

Joining the Citadel

The pool of available Maesters for Baratheon is pretty decent, even when compared to other Houses. The in-House options are:

• Maester Cressen (Core)
• Maester Lomys (CbtC)
• Maester Pylos (KotStorm)

Of those three, Lomys is clearly the most important one, since he's above the 2g threshold, and thus cannot be hit via The First Snow of Winter (ODG) or Enslaved (THoBaW). Honestly, when you start building a Baratheon Maester, it's best to expect to be running 3x of Lomys every time, since that's what you'll end up doing after some playtesting. The two other Maesters will also usually do an appearance in the deck, in order to have enough people who can discern a tome from a doorstopper, while brining some nice utility effects to the board.

Neutral Maester characters you will usually be looking at include:

• Oldtown Scholar (FtC) - Useful if you're running "kneel a Maester to..." effects.
• Oldtown Advisor (GotC) - In case you want more 3g bodies, and feel that events may be an issue. Also brings a Learned crest to the table, something the in-House cards don't have.
• Archmaester Marwyn (MotA) - For control builds, especially with City plots, he can really fill an important role.
• Archmaester Ebrose (CbtC) - A good closer for Maester builds.
• Maester Aemon (Core) - Usually a 1x in every deck, but you shouldn't rely on him too much in certain matchups due to The First Snow of Winter (ODG) and Enslaved (THoBaW).

Now, if you want to run Outwit (TIoR), you'll need to dip quite heavily into either the neutral (or even OOH) cardpools, since Baratheon Maesters just aren't as Learned as their equivalents in other Houses. Action (hands-on experience) over Theory (reading stuff) has always been the Baratheon way! However, it's not at all necessary to actually run Outwit, and Baratheon can easily find other ways of both keeping Maesters alive, and helping them rise time and time again.

Personally I found that trying to force the Learned for Outwit just wasn't really worth the effort, and ended up looking for alternative methods. More on that later.

Maestering the Basics

What makes a Maester deck in the curent meta? Well, if you look at some of the most successful decks, you'll notice a common trend. Most of the good Maester builds (with one exception, but more on that later) have been running a large variety of ways to extend the mileage from Chain attachments via stand-effects. Be it Meereenese Fighting Pit (ARotD) or Follower of the Many-Faced God (CD), Maesters are the one theme that really loves stand.

So, how does Baratheon the House that used to be the undisputed King of stand effects, fare in this competition? Well, as would be expected, we're pretty well off. The important cards here are Marya Seaworth (KotStorm) and King Robert's Hammer (TBoBB). While Marya is an auto-include in any Baratheon deck, she really shines in Maesters. The Hammer on the other hand, together with Steel Link (TIoR), forms one of the most beautiful combo-loops for standing your Maester every phase. Easy draw-capping, near-infinite attachment recursion and possibly a huge pile of gold? Yes, please.

When running the Hammer it's prudent to include some anti-Season/anti-attachment tech, which naturally comes for Maester decks in the form of Ill Tidings (IG). Further attachment control can be acquired by utilizing Copper Link (GotC) together with Maester Cressen (Core).

A third, efficient, way of standing your Maesters was taught to me as a lesson (painfully) by the winner of the Finnish Regionals (Joni Ollinkangas, running a Stark Maester deck) - Kingsguard Squire (PotS) and Copper Link (GotC). Having several weenies capable of standing your chain-laden Maester is just brutal.

Other ways to obtain the stand are at least to run Massey's Hook (ASoSilence) and Maester Pylos (KotStorm) with the same Steel Link (TIoR) or Stormlands Bastard (TIoR) with Obey the King (KotStorm). If for some reason you want to run Seasons, a weaker alternative for the Hammer can also be found in High Ground (QoD) via Copper Link.

Your first Link

Remember those vague comments earlier on about talking about things later? Well, here we go. There's one House that runs Maesters without much stand, Greyjoy. Now why do Maesters work for the Krakens? Resilience in the form of saves and cancels. Even Targ Maesters tend to drink from this pool from time to time through recursion in the form of To Be a Dragon (SB). Now, here's a game, that Baratheon can also play at. (For a pre-FAQ look at Baratheon Resilience options, see here)

Instead of trying to catch your opponent's Valar, it's better to push for our inherent ability for Resilience. What's best, with Lomys, we already have one good card for pushing it. Add in some ways of generating power for Lomys himself (Stormlands Bastard (TIoR), Heart of the Stag (KotStorm)), and we have a brilliant way of pushing offensive Valar Morghulis (Core) and Wildfire Assault (Core) (remember that you don't have to choose the 'Cannot be killed' character) resets. This approach also loves running Citadel Law (MotA) (via stand on Lomys or a Oldtown Scholar (FtC)), since you can do all of this in a pre-plot action, followed by a high-gold or claim plot to follow through... while still having your important cards protected by Lomys through your opponent's plot.

It's best to support Lomys with some more resilience options, to ensure that you can maintain a consistent Maester presence. As usual, Fiery Kiss (ODG) is just phenominal here, as is the Asshai Initiate (KotStorm) + Melisandre's Scheme (RotK) combo, which further also supports your draw with recursion. Prosperity and Plenty (Core) can be good if you're afraid for the safety of your
Bronze Link (FtC) due to prevalent attachment or character removal. One other card also slots in without a second - Lightbringer (Core).

Forging the Chain

Something that Baratheon can do nicely with Maesters is attachment-based control, aided by Bronze Link (FtC), which is further protected through Prosperity and Plenty (Core). If you're feeling like it, you can even recur and ambush your control attachments in during challenges via Pale Steel Link (FtC).

Good targets to consider for control attachments:

• Milk of the Poppy (Core) - Beric Dondarrion (IG) bothering you? Here's an answer.
• Demon's Dance (ACoS) - Recurred and combined with Crown of Azor Ahai (KotStorm) this can be used for one of those mythical "Demon's Dance" decks, which tend to "make the bad men go away". Note however, that there's a strong anti-synergy between Demon's Dance and the Hammer, so you'll have to look for alternative stand engines (or run less stand altogether).
• Motley (Core) - Cersei Lannister (LotR) or The Red Viper (PotS) bothering you? It's good to also remember that duplicates give the character a Response:, thus making the saves from them character abilities...
• Greyscale (tHoBaW) - Baratheon Burn was a joke. Then this came along, and suddenly the joke started killing people.
• Bastard (LotR) - Expecting to face other Maesters or attachment-laden Stannis Baratheon (VM)? Here, have one of these, it's on the House.

​Next time? A look at some specific directions for taking your Staggy Maester in.

Also don't forget we are always looking for people interested in writing bannerman articles for Baratheon. So if you are interested in supporting the House of the Stag just PM Darksbane and let him know you are interested.