Is a might-as-well Agenda a good thing?

By ScottieATF, in 1. AGoT General Discussion

So I'm making a Greyjoy Unopposed deck for an upcoming melee. Now it's got some rather nice attachments in it that I'd like to keep around. The decks done and it has no Agenda. No Agenda really fits. I have no Knights, no Summer/Winter, no Brotherhood, no Kingsgaurd, no etc. It has a whopping 2 Maesters in the whole deck.

So is there any reason to not just add the Maester's Path with a Apprentice Collar and Bronze Link?

Nearly every deck has a Maester or two, and at the very least you get a free STR buff on one character with the Apprentice Collar.

Is it a good thing to have an Agenda that can be added to any deck as a complete after thought, with absolutely no downside?

Based on recent discussions, there'll be some people who'd say "go for it." I'm not convinced, though, because with only two maesters and even with the apprentice collar, it's just too conceivable that you get stuck with a chain on your agenda and nowhere to put. Sure, it's probably not likely to happen, but if it does, it is devastating. You'll need to weigh that against whatever benefit you're hoping to get out of this for a deck that (presumably) already runs well.

Check out this thread for previous discussion. There has been plenty of discussion, and I was surprised to see it stop where it did. I will be curious to see what errata we see in the FAQ update before GenCon... which would be great to have sooner, rather than later.

Saturnine said:

Based on recent discussions, there'll be some people who'd say "go for it." I'm not convinced, though, because with only two maesters and even with the apprentice collar, it's just too conceivable that you get stuck with a chain on your agenda and nowhere to put. Sure, it's probably not likely to happen, but if it does, it is devastating. You'll need to weigh that against whatever benefit you're hoping to get out of this for a deck that (presumably) already runs well.

Forgetting the Bronze Link, there is no reason to not just add the Maester's Path + Apprentice Collar to any Agenda-less deck.

It's a free +1 STR buff, and I see no way you could win a game without winning any challenges.

ScottieATF said:

Saturnine said:

Based on recent discussions, there'll be some people who'd say "go for it." I'm not convinced, though, because with only two maesters and even with the apprentice collar, it's just too conceivable that you get stuck with a chain on your agenda and nowhere to put. Sure, it's probably not likely to happen, but if it does, it is devastating. You'll need to weigh that against whatever benefit you're hoping to get out of this for a deck that (presumably) already runs well.

Forgetting the Bronze Link, there is no reason to not just add the Maester's Path + Apprentice Collar to any Agenda-less deck.

It's a free +1 STR buff, and I see no way you could win a game without winning any challenges.

I think Saturnine's contention is that the character with the 'Collar may not still be in play you win a second challenge. (I'm assuming you're playing CS Wendamyr, and that's pretty difficulty to remove without Threat from the North) And unless you're running Summoning Season or At the Gates already, having to swap in a plot to get a "printed" Maester may be less than ideal.

I tend to agree with you... I'm not terribly happy that there's no good reason not too... other than Northern Cavalry Flank.

For your deck - it is a good thing. You are marginally more efficient and the risk is minimal. For the environment as a whole - it depends on your taste. Many of us just aren't comfortable with an Agenda heavy envrionment, at least aestehtically.

As Luke said, I was talking about the case with two collars. With just the Apprentice Collar, there's no real downside except for feeling a little silly.

Of course, the added link is only because I'm usually opening with At the Gates to Wendymyer and I can maybe get some benefit from the link.

It just really is a bit silly that if you have no Agenda, you really should be playing the Maester's Path with one collar, as it can only benefit you.

ScottieATF said:

It just really is a bit silly that if you have no Agenda, you really should be playing the Maester's Path with one collar, as it can only benefit you.

Incoming weakest argument in the world alert:

Er, Northern Cavalry Flank? Potentially facing that in a very small number of games is kind of a drawback, right?

No? Ahh well, back to the drawing board we go...

Furthermore, £5 on a future FAQ making Maester's Path read " and, by the way, you have to run a minimum of 3/4/5/6 chains on this if you play it " or words to those effect.

I think there should be more cards in the environment you are only allowed to play when you don't have an agenda or that gain an ability when you don't have one. Right now there is only the Red Viper. And yes I mean the version that never sees play happy.gif

There were some nice cards in A House of Talons and in Five Kings. I think they could see a straight reprint.