Voltron Brienne - 2nd @Goblin Store Championship, Bologna ( 1.0

• Versiones
• 1.0

Hi everybody, this is the deck i brought to my local store champioship yesterday (http://thejoustingpavilion.com/tournaments/4503).

First of all i say thanks to everyone, starting from Federico La Rosa (from him the sparkle of this deck) and my group test going to my kind and patient opponents and the great organizers.

Something about me: I brought HyperViper before Annals to have fun, before it was competitive, and i brought Cersei to Italian National (was one of the two not qualified players because i had to concede an easy MU. Had to go to work ^^). I have large experience in Magic the Gathering and this helps a lot playing this kind of deck. But you are not here to read about me..

About the deck: the original idea was Tyrell Alliance (Lannister and Greyjoy) Lannisters are obviously for Taena Merryweather. Greyjoy is less obviously for Ahead of the Tide. Winning initiative on The Annals of Castle Black turn increases a lot the already high chances to win. Anyway i immediately suggested to remove the Alliance agenda and keep the banner of the Lion.

After some test (really succesfull, we lost some game online because we were not able to see Milk on Brienne of Tarth (HoT) on Throneteki or because we misclicked on "The Bear and the Maiden Fair") we started to think it could be viable without lannisters. So i tried some versions with "The Last of the Giants" and Jaqen H'ghar or High Septon.

At this point, Mag the Mighty was spoilered. That's what i was missing. The deck was in my hand.

Strategy

The deck "main path" is about flipping The Annals of Castle Black with a fatty discard pile, playing The Knight of Flowers (HoT), adding some random 0-cost events to end with To the Rose Banner!. When we have 20 golds we just have to play Brienne of Tarth (HoT) and equip her with anything needed.

The most interesting thing is that this is the most absurd combo. In order to win i really need to see () A LOT of cards. That's a list:

The Kingsroad (The Knight of Flowers (HoT) costs 4 and we will often start with 3 golds due to Pleasure Barge. Anyway this can be replaced by some "The Dornishman's Wife".

The Knight of Flowers (HoT)

at least 5 0-cost events (can be little less depending on the board, better if more)

"The Last of the Giants"

Mag the Mighty (Playing him with last of the giants in marshal phase is the best way for a guaranteed +11 "Lord Renly's Ride")

To the Rose Banner!

Brienne of Tarth (HoT)

Appointed

Knighted

Silver Hair Net

Lady Sansa's Rose (3x)

Superior Claim

"Lord Renly's Ride"

And obviously i'd never combo out without some The Hand's Judgment and Nightmares

Why am i showing this terrible list? That's to demonstrate the problem is not the combo, nor Brienne of Tarth (HoT). Any card game with 20 given cards and the money to play them generate broken interactions. The problem is all about how easy is for this deck to have all those cards available wheen needed.

At the end of this process we'll have Brienne of Tarth (HoT) with the knight trait, 3 challenge icons, stealth and a fre discount on all our events.

Most of the time when we win initiative we choose to go second to avoid attachments (only weak spot CerseiCombo did not have). Brienne can simply defend any given challenge, untap and gain 3 power. That's the first main difference with other combo decks. It can defend and win challenges against any rush deck.

3 Challenges with Brienne of Tarth (HoT) will end with 12 powers on hem (3 Brienne's triggers and 9 Lady Sansa's Rose). You have to add any UO challenge, Power Claim, Superior Claim, and eventually "The Dornishman's Wife" and Additional Pow challenge with Olenna's Machinations.

Deck Parts and Building Choices

Agenda

My first idea was to bring a no-agenda deck just to show how much this deck is incredible, but i run A Gift of Arbor Red and usually place powers on agenda. I'd prefer The House With the Red Door with The God's Eye, but was not released yet.

Characters

3 Oldtown Informer are just too good to not be played 3x. Even the List with Taena Merryweather runs them..

3 The Knight of Flowers (HoT) and 2 Brienne of Tarth (HoT) because we need to see Loras first. When we have The Knight of Flowers (HoT) on board we can just search all the deck for Brienne. As a Bonus, it's less probable to see Brienne Picked with spikes.

2 Mag the Mighty. The best way to know 1 "Lord Renly's Ride" will just win any challenge for you. Interesting tech about this card: when i meet Barring the Gates i win initiative, go first, win the challenge with Mag the Mighty and kill him with his own reaction.

2 Rattleshirt's Raiders are the answers against all the attachments that can bother us: Craven, [Milk of the Poppy],(/card/01035), Strangler etc.

1 Begging Brother is because one of the cards i am missing more is Treachery. The deck was setted against almost anything, and i didn't want to loose against a that somehow win initiative and activate Melisandre (Core)'s reaction before i am able to use nightmare. (And yes, this is how solid the deck is)

Attachments

Appointed, Knighted and Silver Hair Net are perfect 2x You can defend all the challenges (or attack, trigger all Lady Sansa's Rose and discount events.

Seal of the Hand is the second solution to everything left behind loosing Treachery. As a bonus can hallow more challenges under Fortified Position

Queen of the Seven Kingdoms I expected Your King Commands It to be heavy played. Whorts 1 slot.

Locations

1x Isle of Ravens does to much to not be included. Can help to get rid of this extra The Hand's Judgment, or can replace a missed card for an unlucky intrigue claim.

3x Pleasure Barge probably the best gain from Tyrell faction. Just draw 3, almost no cost. I'm in.

2x The Kingsroad Perfect economy, and i love that initiative bouns. (If a location with +2/3 initiative will be release i'll play The House With the Red Door with that.)

Events

i'll focus only on the less obvious

"A Rose of Gold" i close the game with more cards in my deck since i do not run Taena. 3 Free Roses when needed search for anything could still be missing. Look 9 keep 3. Anything else?

Melee at Bitterbridge i was really unsure about this card. I had the fear it was a winmore. Can win the challenge you need to win against any MU, even the most angry builder deck. As a bonus it grants 2 power: UnOpposed and Renown. Won a really hard game with that.

Olenna's Machinations is here for troublesome games. Sometimes 3 challenges are not enough (For the Watch!)

Game Report Coming Soon

Here we have the real report of my tournament. I'll just focus on interesting situations; when i talk about an easy game is not disrespect for my opponent: he just did not have any instrument to try an interaction with me. I think it has to be noted how the metagame was. Most of the players already faced Federico's deck and many knew we would bring it to the tournament and got prepared. It was not a friendly meta of unaware opponents. All my opponents were really kind and patient

Round 1 Zanardi Alessandro - NW - The Brotherhood Without Banners Easy Game

Round 2 Boniello Francesco - NW - Banner of the Wolf Easy Game. He had Forgotten plans but missed Annals turn.

Round 3 Manfredini Luca - Night's watch castamere Easy Game. Played really conservative to avoid any possible event. He had none. Bonus: i ordered my 3 plots before game started. I just revealed them without looking or changing order.

Round 4 Duranti Antonio - Targaryen – The Lord of the Crossing
He was ready to win the game on turn 2. sadly i was too.

Round 5 Betta - NW - "The Rains of Castamere" Same deck of round 3, but i had an interesting choice on turn 3. I knew her Fortified Position would appear this turn. Two options at this point: I could try to combo out with The Annals of Castle Black, but i saw 0 pleasure barge and could draw badly. I could go for Valar Morghulis. I'd kill Jon Snow (WotN), Qhorin Halfhand and some pieces, and Maester Aemon (Core) would be blanked (bit skinned so he was going to survive. But what if i miss Fortified position? I was near to loose the game. My opponent could rely on The Wall and 3 UO's, the Wall and dominance would led her to win. So i go for the third path: I reveal The Annals of Castle Black just to unlock one of my Nightmares (had 0 in hand to deal with Wall). My opponent reveals what I thought: Fortified Position. I use one "The Bear and the Maiden Fair" to handle the draws, 1 Nightmares, maybe 1 or 2 "A Rose of Gold". Enough to go safe next turn and win.

Round 6 Simone Natalini - Greyjoy - "The Rains of Castamere" Simone is inside our test group, so he perfectly new the deck. I could try to push him out of top8 but a refreshing turn was more worthy. Concede.

Top8

Giusti Giacomo - Targaryen - The Lord of the Crossing Turn 1 Heads on Spikes. Target missed (i had a 7 event hand) but great rush with powers. I smell a turn 2 Winter Festival and reveal my Time of Plenty. I defend enough challenge to leave him to 13 powers. In dominance phase i use a Dornishman and Last of the Giants. Sadly i find out i have more characters than i would like to. 3rd plot Heads on Spikes. Here is the only moment in my tournament i got a real risk to loose the game. Target was missed, and easy win from now on. I even see 2 Dracarys! on top of his deck and let him draw all.

top4 Natalini Simone - Greyjoy - "The Rains of Castamere" First 2 plots brought him to 13 powers. I was able to place Nightmares both turns on Great Kraken to avid extra powers. Turn 3 was the problem. I reveal The Annals of Castle Black and Simone reveals Weapons at the Door. Fuck. We were all sure the deck could not win against this plot. I try to go on. My opponent (forst player) ends his marshal with a great board: Great Kraken , Raiding Longship , Balon Greyjoy (CtA) , Asha Greyjoy (Core) , Wildling Scout (2x!) , Newly-Made Lord and Salt Wife (this was a real problem. Since simone was the first player he could use it on Brienne of Tarth (HoT) before i got the chance to use my Nightmares. At this point i felt so overwhelmed i started focusing on steps. First of all playing The Knight of Flowers (HoT), then search for Begging Brother all the deck. I was able to find him and sac Loras for a total of more than 23 gold. At this point i play Brienne of Tarth (HoT) and The Knight of Flowers (HoT) as well as Begging Brother with bestow 3. Mag the Mighty was in the right place. At this point my math was already done so i started with some trashtalking, like screaming "Yellow!!" for no resons (we are friends). Challenge Phase Simone does not take actions and i use 2 gold to play Nightmares on both Great Kraken and Raiding Longship (could not sustain 2 stealth characters). Play an Oldtown Informer. Simone tries a mil challenge with Asha stalthing Loras. I defendwith Brienne and "Lord Renly's Ride" win the challenge. First power, untap and i draw. Time for my challenge: pow challenge, Salt Wife defends, Superior Claim and pow claim bring me to 5 powers. kneel Balon Greyjoy (CtA). mil challenge with The Knight of Flowers (HoT), UO, Lady Sansa's Rose and renown. 10 powers. A "Lord Renly's Ride" on Loras kneel the Newly-Made Lord Olenna's Machinations for second pow challenge, UO, Pow claim and Brienne. 13 Powers. Brienne kneels one of the 2 Wildling Scout Int challenge with Begging Brother (unrelevant, but he was really big at this point, receiving 2 +3 from Brienne of Tarth (GoH). Simone defends with his last scout, and Melee at Bitterbridge gives me 2 powers (UO and Renown). 15 Powers, 16 with dominance. Honestly my most interesting game this day, one of the best i had with this game. Most reactions were "how did you do that?!" Now you know.

Final (coming soon) - Federico la Rosa - Tyrell - Banner of the Lion There will be some suspance for this. It's 4 a.m. here and i'm pretty tired. You'll read about that after our comments to the video. Thanks to everyone reading until this point.