Rethinking Competitive Baratheon: 2nd Place Meeple Madness 1.0

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After placing low in the top 8 (6th and 6th) in two previous store championships, I really want to explore more fully what makes a truly COMPETITIVE deck. I've messed around a little bit with decks I like playing, but have yet to try to build something whose job (above all else) is to win games. All of them. What this means is designing a deck focusing on predictability and consistency first, something that neglects big highs (and big lows) by aiming for a toolbox of elements for problem solving.

While various Baratheon decks have been present in the competitive meta (and experiencing some moderate, some high successes), I've often been left somewhat disappointed after playing the faction. I feel like my success has hinged too heavily on drawing the right cards in the right combinations, and the very high "highs" of the deck were frequently ruined by poor draws or disruption. I was struck with the lingering belief that I was "doing it wrong" in terms of deckbuilding, that my approach lacked versatility.

The feeling that there's a better, more versatile way to build around Baratheon, has been exacerbated by the release of the last 3 chapter packs. As a whole, the released cards (except for perhaps Moon Boy) have not fit cleanly or neatly into standard Baratheon builds. The faction is developing a growing pool of unplayed cards, resulting in the relative stagnation of Baratheon decks.

So, part of this project has resulted in a desire to explore a different way of approaching Baratheon, particularly in the context of the last 3 chapter packs. Namely, my build focus on versatility, a deck that adopts a kind of "toolbox" approach to dealing with dominant strategies within the meta at this time. Adaptation above all else is the key here, and I want the deck to be able to be successful regardless of which 20-30 cards of my deck I'm able to draw in a game.

The first part of the approach comes from outlining the problems with Baratheon:

    Problems Facing a Competitive Baratheon Build

-Intrigue Challenges

Melisandre and Selyse Baratheon are not enough. Baratheon suffers against the overwhelming power of Lannister or banner sun intrigue challenges. Losing too many intrigue challenge, particulalry in the context of Wardens of the West, is dangerous.

-Too Many Eggs in Too Few Baskets

The traditional perspective on Baratheon builds has focused heavily on "key" cards. The most glaring example of this is a devotion to the Melisandre/R'hllor kneeling module, but others include a dedicated Chamber of the Painted Table strategy, a more aggressive Robert Baratheon focus, or an attempt to use Stannis Baratheon to empower either Robert of Melisandre's powerful abilities. The problem with these more focused strategies rests in how susceptible they are to disruption, and how killing or Milk of the Poppy-ing even one key piece of the deck causes it to fall apart.

-Inconsistency

While this is almost a sub-category of problem 2, I really don't like the idea of building a deck heavily focused on combos and co-dependent synergies (as Baratheon builds have done). What I mean by this is that I want individual pieces of the deck to stand on their own, theoretically allowing me to win with any given set of cards in the deck, rather than very specific ones.

So, how do these problems inform my own approach?

                  Solutions

-Banner of the Lion

The most popular faction and one of the most popular banners, I'm turning to the lions for several reasons. The most obvious of these is an increased number of intrigue icons, in hopes of softening the blow against more intrigue-heavy decks as well as putting up a fight against intrigue-starved decks like Greyjoy. The implications of the added Lannister cards will ultimately range farther, which we'll get to later on.

-Throwing Out the Bathwater, Keeping the Baby

The most glaring aspect of the decklist is a lack of some of the Baratheon staples. Only 2 copies of Melisandre and no other R'hllor cards, replaced by a larger suite of diverse events than this type of deck tends to run. Again, this comes from my emphasis on consistency and focus, something I simply don't find the R'hllor cards add. I want to preserve the power and control of Baratheon while resisting co-dependent synergy.

                   Strategy

-Going First

Controlling initiative is absolutely critical. Going first will allow us to make the most not only out of Robert Baratheon, but as well as an avenue to abuse the deck's events and the warhammer. Going first also ensures that we'll be getting the most out of our Royal Entourage's, an undervalued card that can bulldoze through all of the mil/power weenie characters we'll see in other factions.

-Robert Baratheon/Jaime/The Hound+King Robert's Warhammer

Let's call this part of the deck "The Muscle." After we've won initiative, it's time for our strong characters (with the help of the hammer) to clean house. The threat of up to an entire field of characters knelt and helpless should keep our opponents scared enough to commit potentially dangerous attackers as defenders. That the hammer can go on Lannister characters as well makes this strategy more versatile than it appears. Ser Jaime Lannister's ability to remain standing during military challenges allows him to support Robert of the Hound, helping us trigger either the hammer of Robert's intimidate more easily.

-The Imp's Gambit

Tyrion Lannister is a critical piece of the puzzle. The gold we'll be getting from intrigue challenge can be used to replay The Hound as a defender, play any of the controlling events like In the Name of Your King!, Ours is the Fury, or Treachery, or be saved to win dominance and trigger Chamber of the Painted Table after we've knelt a significant part of our opponent's forces. Tyrion can also function as a stealth-ready, sneakier target for King Robert's Warhammer, in case our opponent is using Tywin, Randyll, or Euron to successfully defend power or military challenges.

-Stand-less Stannis

I believe Stannis Baratheon to be one of the most grossly undervalued and underplayed cards in the entire competitive scene. In meta that focuses so heavily on a multitude of weak, setup ready characters as well as specific and reliable combos between characters, Stannis shuts down so many popular archetypes and basic strategies of play. What tends to steer players away from Stannis is the potential threat he poses to his own controller's field. Because Baratheon decks are attempting to adhere to the same kind of character wisdom as other decks, they frequently fail to choose and use characters in such a way that they can only augment the power of Stannis. The key examples of characters like this in our deck are Ser Jaime Lannister, who gets to make standing military challenge every turn, The Hound, who can bounce back to our hands after a challenge without staying knelt, and Brothel Madame, whose ability remains potent in the earliest rounds of the game regardless of whether or not she is standing. While it's difficult (and near unbelievable for some) to relate how inconsequential Stannis is to our own characters in this deck, you'll see in the play how excited you'll be to get Stannis out WHENEVER you draw him.

-Red-Headed Bait

Melisandre's inclusion is almost a red herring. While some of this mindset comes from my background with Netrunner, the degree to which Melisandre is able to paint a target on the back of her own head is miraculous. She becomes the number one target for milk and other disruption, protecting some more valuable targets (like Tyrion) while spooking my opponent. After all, I'm a Jinteki player.

                  Potential Problems

-Tutoring

While I hope that The Red Keep will solve these problems, I'm a little worried about running out of cards and running out of steam. The lack of any character tutors in either my plots or my deck makes me nervous, but the inclusion of Support of the People helps me get my Red Keep out and start drawing cards early in the game.

-Disruption

I still feel a little worried about my susceptibility to disruption, milk and Tears of Lys in particular.

       A (Messy) Tournament Report!

Apologies for my inconsistencies! I got excited later in the day, and wrote less detailed description of later games.

Game 1: Daniel, Lanni/Rose

Played Daniel with his lanni/rose deck. I setup brothel Madame, kings road, lanni sport merchant, and a royal entourage. He set up 2 garden caretakers, a kings road, a hedge knight, and an arbor knight. Didn't draw any other economy cards than these for the rest of the game. Was able to play Tyrion and Jaime in the first few turn with a strong calling the banners, then dominated the field with brothel madam and a turn 2 naval superiority. I was able to play the hound, and hoped to use him and Tyrion to win some challenges, but lost him to a tears of lys. After this, The game started getting more dicey as Daniel added Margery, Randyll, and Tyrion, but I was able to maintain control by going first, filthy accusations, and playing both my consolidation of powers and both of my milk of the poppies. Never got the red keep or a support of the people, but used moon boy to increase my draw. On turn 5 Daniel played Tywin against my first clash of kings, and had his strongest turn of the game defending challenges and taking advantage of my weak board. I followed up with a noble cause on turn 6 after drawing Robert Baratheon, bringing us to a very intense turn 7. I played my final clash of kings, and made a big power challenge with Robert that brought me to 13. With his Tywin left, Daniel attempted a high strength military challenge to pull off a put to the sword on my high-renown Jaime. I played an ours is the fury, defending with Robert to win the challenge, dominance, and the game. (With only minutes left in the round to spare!)

Game 2: Josh, Greyjoy/sun

Played against Josh and his Greyjoy/sun deck. After a very considered mulligan (which ended up being the right call) I setup Tyrion, the hound, and a rose road to his lannisport shipwright, nymeria, and sea tower. Decided on a turn 1 naval superiority which was matched by his (scary) marched to the wall, which I lost the hound to and gave him initiative. I played a dragon stone port and a royal entourage, saving 1 gold for a lucky treachery. He played an ironn fleet scout and a sea stone chair (oh no!) but I treacheried nymeria. Turn 2 I decided to noble cause, playing my Robert after watching him play Edric Dwayne, and bastard daughter. I play in the name of the King, and he folds.

Game 3: Chris (Tyrell crossing)

I have a crazy 5 gold setup, bringing in the hound, lannisport merchant, dragon stone faithful, the kings road, and moon boy. I have a big play when I use treachery to cancel hobor, and control the board with Tyrion and Robert before eventually winning without any power on Chris's house card

Game 4: Shayne (Greyjoy fealty, Round 1)

The first of 2 very negative losses against the same opponent playing the same deck. I try to pull off a turn 1 naval superiority and fail to his sneak attack, which he uses as a 2 claim intrigue making me lose a Jaime and a melisandre. He follows this up with a heads on spikes, killing Robert. I struggle to keep up, but the weight of a ton of stealth, the great kraken, raiding longship, and 3 superior claims in a row cause me to lose quickly. I make a few mistakes that I attribute to stress, missing a support of the people to grab a painted tables and a few other small issues.

Game 5: Targ Lion

For the first time all day, I see stannis and play him turn 1. He gets milked, then the tickler discards a stannis off the top of my deck on the first turn and I lose him. I quickly come back with all 3 of my treacheries, and Tyrion, Jaime, and the red keep result in another game in which my opponent ends with no power on their house card.

Game 6: Shayne (Greyjoy Fealty, round 2)

Because he knows my deck at this point, he abuses that knowledge with a turn 1 naval to my noble cause. I have no economy in play, and play none of the cards in my very powerful hand. I draw 1 kings road and a lannisport merchant but no other economy for the rest of the game. Still, I manage to barely hold on. I keep pace with in the name of your king twice In a row, but I'm not able to play my stannis, Tyrion, or Robert the whole game. I survive with weenies, Jaime, and melisandre until losing on the last plot to a heads in spikes.FInal Record: 4-2, second place.

          Conclusion

So, I came in second place! While I don't think I've built what is necessarily a "tier one" deck, it's powerful all the same. The deck has proved it can exert an incredible amount of control over a lot of popular archetypes, as well as demonstrated its ability to work without adopting a "key card" mentality.

          Observations

-While Stannis was really important in play testing, I barely saw him all day. I think he's still amazing and very powerful in the deck, but I also proved I can win without him. No combo play here!

-Greyjoy fealty is, in general, a rough matchup. While I can do well against popular Lannister and other archetypical builds, Greyjoy fealty's speed and aggression can push past me by the time it takes me to setup my board in the first 2 rounds. I believe Stannis to be critical in winning these games, but I'm also willing to acknowledge that Greyjoy likely has a slight edge against this deck in general due to its speed and disruption.

-I rarely triggered my naval superiority. While the one game I played against Josh saw me hitting a powerful Naval against his marched to the wall, I struggled to get absolutely right the times at which my opponent would be playing their economy plots. I was also destroyed by a naval in my final game, making me think about dropping naval from my deck altogether in favor of higher gold stall plot, like Calm Over Westeros.

-This is a deck to play if you enjoy saying no. The deck can shut down a ton of power-hungry players and archetypes, exerting significance dominance over the board state to push to victory.