radiskull said:

Yeah Hand's Judgment single handedly (pun intended) won the game for my opponent. I would have had a Westeros Bleeds path to victory....

Wow...cannot be cancelled. Right on the card. Not reading = losing.

Ah, well. Not the worst mistake I made over the weekend (that last shot was).

Anyone happen to have pics of the house cards? They looked pretty neat from the small image on the official announcement, but it'd be cool to see them closer.

imrahil327 said:

I'll post them at cardgamedb.com tonight if no one else has by then, and update you here when I do. I'm WolfgangSenff there as well.

WolfgangSenff said:

your WolfgangSenff everywhere

jack merridew said:

Not so! Not in Germany, I'm not. In Germany, he is the Foreign Peace Minister for lower Saxony, I believe.

I had a great time at the event. Was nice to see some familiar faces from GenCon and Iowa tournaments earlier this year, as well as meet a few new ones. The community for this game continues to impress me.

We closed down the bar both Friday and Saturday night. Which in retrospect seemed like a better idea on Saturday than on Friday.

Thanks to everyone for a lot of good games during both the Melee and the Joust. And congrats to everyone who placed well.

I placed 4th in Joust with my Stark "Fake Maesters" deck (named so for having only a single Link). The idea for the deck is pretty simple. Play the nasty Stark characters, draw lots of events with Maester Luwin, then use them to kill the other player's dudes. The two Lannister kneel decks I played gave me heaps of trouble (I lost both games to them).

Here's the deck, if anyone is interested.

House: Stark
Agenda: The Maester's Path

Plots:
Valar Morghulis
Assault on King's Landing
At the Gates
The Power of Arms x2
The Minstrel's Muse
Retaliation

Characters (24):
Bolton Refugee x3
Carrion Bird
Syrio Forel
Meera Reed
Ser Jorah Mormont
Guard at Riverrun
Maester Vyman
Maester Aemon (Core)
Catelyn Stark (LoW)
Brienne of Tarth (PotS)
Maester Luwin x3
Riders of the Red Fork x3
Randyl Tarly
Jory Cassel
Northern Infantry
Northern Cavalry Flank x3

Events (16):
Die by the Sword x3
Routing the Charge x3
To Be a Wolf x3
Bound by Duty x2
Distinct Mastery
The Hand's Judgement x2
Condemned by the Council
The Price of War

Attachments (7):
Frozen Solid x3
Pyromancer's Cache x3
Tin Link

Locations (13):
Great Keep x3
The Roseroad
The Searoad
Lord Eddard's Chambers
Narrow Sea x3
Street of Sisters
Street of Steel
River Row
Frozen Outpost

Papa

Would love to see some more decks. Especially some Targaryens anyone tried the new Selmy?

The Stark deck is very nice and full of tricks! Where it's possible to see all the top8 deck lists?

radiskull said:

Pettirouge said:

Papa Khann said:

Cool Deck! And I note you say "Dudes" - is this simply a colloquialism or is this coming from an ex-Doomtown player...?

I am indeed an ex-Doomtown player.

Some friends and I still play every once in a while with some pre-constructed decks I threw together.

Papa

I thought I'd post my results/thoughts here, even though I mostly scrubbed out. There's a very good reason that I scrubbed out, which I'll elaborate on shortly. I'm going to focus on the joust more than the melee, because I feel that the joust is the more important metagame, but will write briefly about the melee as well.

In the melee, I took a fairly standard Martell anti-challenge deck. This included the new kneel 3 influence to discard a participating character dude, who didn't really come in handy most of the time. I ended up winning the first table against three cool players, including the eventual joust winner. A class act by the name of Ryan was making me laugh the whole time by referring to her gold as "dollars". "I get 5 dollars." Good times.

At the second table, I was less lucky. Will, a localish (more local than I am, less than others, I think ) player ended up kind of dominating. Once he punched through a few challenges, his renown Bara characters were able to just secure him the win. An epic move on the last turn for him was to pull the title that I supported, because then I couldn't attack him, and I had ways of getting rid of about 3 of his power, which would have prolonged the game, at least. I believe I ended up in last this game, despite it being relatively close between the other 3 of us, which is to say none of us had a ton of power.

At the final table for me for the night, I played against HoyaLawya, Nickler, and someone else who I forget. I ended up inadvertently making some really stupid plays, and forgot at the end that I could redirect a challenge with my title, which secured HoyaLawya a big win. I think no one had more than 2 power other than him, and I only had 1 power, so I ended up scrubbing out the melee tournament as well. Not very fun, especially not for Nickler, to whom I must apologize again for the stupid play early on (I blanked one of his characters before Hoya's turn, rather than before *my* turn, which is what I'd intended. My thinking was that I didn't want to lose the card to intrigue, and I only had a couple cards in hand. Turns out I just killed his board position, making him an easy target for Hoya, who took the win the turn after).

The joust was slightly less infuriating, although I made some stupid mistakes there. My *biggest* mistake was taking a completely untested deck that I'd thrown together the morning of the joust, cards having been provided by Nate, who I stayed with and is a stand-up guy all around. I had my Stark Knights and search deck, but I was thinking that Martell Maesters were going to be big enough, and that I didn't have quite enough cards in the deck to beat them, that I panicked and made the last minute switcheroo. I switched to Greyjoy Winter, which turned out to be not so good of a move - Martell Summer, Stark Knights, Lanni hyperkneel, or anything else would have been considerably better. . .mostly because I had tested those decks far more exhaustively in the run up to the tournament. I did not test GJ Winter at all because I was thinking that it didn't stand a chance against the Copper and Tin Link combo. Anyway, on to the games.

First game I played against a guy lovingly nicknamed But R Bumps - I don't seem to recall his actual name, which is strange. My memory of several people seems to have faded already, which is really rare for me, but oh well. This game featured my completely untested deck vs a deck similar to Bloodycelt's Bara/Martell nobles deck, except I believe he ran it as Martell/Bara. Everything clicked for me this game, especially the discarding of the majority of his characters from hand with either Alannys or the Winter agenda. I was able to lock him down around turn 3, and proceeded to just win challenges until I won the game. I intentionally overplayed characters, hoping that at some point he'd Valar, because he had no influence out, and I had Seasick in hand. I won before he could Valar, though (he would have saved at least Fat Bob, not sure if he could have saved Arianne). I go to 1-0, and was pleasantly surprised at how well my deck had worked. His deck mostly crapped out on him, too, which was fortunate enough for me. We played again afterward, and, much like Bloodycelt's deck, he won on turn 2 without my deck even having the remotest chance of winning.

Game two was against Jesse Marionna, or maybe Marriona. He is a hilarious dude who I joked around a lot with, and it was a very interesting game. It all came down to us fighting each other down to 1 character apiece, but then him being able to draw characters and me not being able to find any. He played a Stark deck, I think agendaless, and it was pretty tight. He was able to get lots of renown off of Robb + To Be a Wolf, which he got all 3 of very quickly. I saw almost no characters for the rest of the game, and he was able to just win it easily, and I gave him no challenge whatsoever. 1-1. Hating my deck choice about now.

I wanted to collect my thoughts before game three, so I went and got something to eat, something sugary so I could not pass out before dinner. In the game, I went against the infamous Katie of Staton fame, and my deck just kind of clicked for me again. She played a dark horse deck (I'd call it) using brotherhood. I was able to choke her most of the game, but not literally, and she had a very difficult time getting anyone out. It took her until perhaps turn 3 or 4 to get out Beric, and by then I had enough characters and power to just consistently steal power off of him. I was also able to pull out my anti-maester tech, using Refurbished Hulk to play Meereenese Brothel with an Ancient Mariner, which I used to remove her Taste for Blood, and potentially her Flaming Sword at one point - I forget if she had that out or not. In any case, this was an uphill battle for her the whole game. 2-1. Okay, it worked again. I also finally got to choke a girl.

Game four was a difficult game for me. I played against Rings. He played Lanni Maesters, and it was a fairly solid Lanni build. I ended up successfully using Seasick, I think twice, in this game, although according to the Carrion Raven card, I did so illegally at one point. Rings got off to an okay start, while I got a crap hand that had a Meereenese Brothel and I believe a Refurbished Hulk in it, but for the second game of the day, I ended up without enough characters, and no real way to draw into them. It stayed Winter most of the game, which was the only thing preventing him from winning on turn 3 or so, but he was able to knock out my characters on turn 4, discarding my Naval Escorts, and put the nail in the coffin. Well-played, Matt - because you won, I did not buy you any alcohol. Remember that for future tournaments. (Although you could have had some of my pizza at the cube draft if you wanted to). 2-2. About where I expected to be, but still not very happy.

Game five is a total blur for me. What I *do* know is that I lost, in what may or may not have been an exciting game. Most likely I got shafted on characters again, and whoever I played with whatever deck they played was able to win because of it. 2-3. Dang. Was hoping for above-middle-of-the-pack, but mostly just scrubbed out.

Overall, I had quite a fun time, despite the shoddy decks. I got to play a crazy fun game with Nate called Ascension. It's like Dominion, only considerably more interactive and cleaner, in the sense that the way it plays seems to have been thought out more (for example, the points don't go into your deck, although several cards are worth points - they just have a function, unlike the majority of the point cards in Dominion). I also got to play some chess with Nate, which was fun, and unexpected - partly because it was like 1:30 AM when we started, the morning of the joust.

Thanks to everyone who played - it was good to meet all of you. I had a great time, especially in the draft. The other Kyle, Kyle 2.0, was hilarious in his whomping of me, and Chad was great too. The only person who played shifty in the draft was Maester LUke, probably because I was winning when the game was officially called, and he still pushed through challenges and threw all my cards on the floor. Or maybe that last part didn't happen. It's all hazy to me, because I had enough beer to kill a grown zebra.

Hope to see you at Black Friday! Over and/or out.

Joe,

I played you in Round 1 (I played Martell Sand Snakes) and was very impressed with your deck. I would love to see your decklist if at all possible.

Kevin T.

WolfgangSenff said:

Great to finally meet you, and even get a game in. We have been 'friends' on Facebook for some time, so glad the 'title' now matches.

I didn't know you were playing Ascension! Dang, I would have played, I have the whole dang thing.

Also annoyed that I had a fellow Doomtown player there, and I didn't know or bring a deck. Next time!

Rings,

We'll definitely have to slap some leather next time. ; )

Papa

My tourney report will have to wait until Friday at the earliest... too much homework that I can't afford to procrastinate from. So my non-note-reinforced memory may have some strangely skewed data. Suffice it to say, an amazing event of much fun times.

And seriously, next time I think Joe Senser's needs to start catering to us a little more. Not that the service wasn't great.

Papa Khann said:

holy inuendo batman. l0l

i didn't quite make top 8 coming in at 9th place, but here's my deck list. it is just a variation on my top 4 iowa regional (and bottom 4 missouri regional) greyjoy/maester/trait manipulation deck.

House (1)
House Greyjoy (Core) x1

Agenda (1)
The Maester's Path (GotC) x1

Character (30)
Alannys Greyjoy (RoW) x1
Carrion Bird (ASoS) x3
Distinguished Boatswain (TftRK) x2
Island Refugee (RoW) x3
Maester Aemon (Core) x1
Mance Rayder (TWoW) x1
Theon Greyjoy (KotS) x1
Wintertime Marauders (ACoS) x3
Asha Greyjoy (KotS) x1
Samwell Tarly (TRS) x1
Archmaester Marwyn (MotA) x1
Baelor Blacktyde (TIoR) x1
Cragorn (ASoSilence) x1
Euron Crow's Eye (ASoSilence) x1
Maester Wendamyr (KotS) x2
Maester Murenmure (CbtC) x2
Newly Made Lord (TftH) x2
Island Smuggler (MotM) x1
Gylbert Farwynd (GotC) x1
Varys (SaS) x1

Location (13)
Aeron's Chambers (KotS) x1
Gatehouse (KotS) x3
Longship Iron Victory (KotS) x1
River Blockade (RoR) x1
Shadowblack Lane (Core) x1
Street of Sisters (Core) x1
Street of Steel (LoW) x1
The Citadel of Oldtown (GotC) x1
The Iron Mines (KotS) x3

Event (6)
Paper Shield (QoD) x3
Beware of the Sphinx (GotC) x3

Attachment (16)
Apprentice Collar (GotC) x1
Copper Link (GotC) x3
Horn of Dragons (ASoSilence) x2
White Raven (TWoW) x3
Pale Steel Link (FtC) x1
Bronze Link (FtC) x1
Burned and Pillaged (FtC) x3
Valyrian Steel Link (HtS) x1
Tin Link (CbtC) x1

Plot (7)
A Time for Ravens (ACoS) x1
At the Gates (GotC) x1
The Winds of Winter (TWoW) x1
Valar Morghulis (Core) x1
Retaliation! (ASoSilence) x1
Marched to the Wall (LoW) x1
Summoning Season (Core) x1

Round 1 vs. Chad Jamnik playing Lannister kneel.

it was a tough round for each of us. we both had some pregame jitters that were plaguing us and some play mistakes were made. Chad ended up on the winning end of this one keeping my maesters knelt to keep the chains from doing anything worth while in the phase that would benefit me most. kudos to chad for winning the joust with lannister kneel in a field of good competitors.

0-1

Round 2 vs. Kyle Vancil playing Targ repeatable Balarion the black.

getting paired up round 2 sucks, but poor kyle was way out of luck to face my deck. first turn was march dany to the wall and playing the winter raven. second turn was horn of dragons. he scooped round 3 after a turn of horn of dragons.

1-1

Round 3 vs. Josh Staton playing Bara rush.

paired up again! winter choke and copper link + horn of dragons turn 2 stopped josh dead in his tracks. he also didn't get a good start off the flop with 2 cards. he scooped turn 2.

2-1

Round 4 vs. Matthew from my meta playing Martell summer.

paired up a third time! this was a battle of seasons and i started the game with more weapons than matt (two white ravens after setup in hand). matt had me go first so i made it winter and hit him with a burned and pillaged discarding his gilly. his marshaling was make it summer and a character. pale steel link first challenge phase to bring the winter raven back in and the game was and uphill battle for matt after that. he was able to get the red viper out around turn 6, but at that point i had board control and won the next turn.

3-1

Round 5 vs. Rick Rienhart playing Stark "FML I DON"T WANT TO PLAY AGAINST THIS" toolbox.

Rick and i play against each other a lot. every week he brings this stark deck and every week he beats my face in with it. i wanted to play any of the other 3-1's, but i get to face off against this. (sigh) well, i have beat it before with my greyjoy deck, so i hoped this was one of those 1 in 10 games that i got my pieces in place before he had a chance to screw me to the wall with murder and location nuking. i knew if i won this game i was in the top eight and if i lost (getting paired up 3 rounds and losing to the 5-0 chad) i had a good enough strength of schedule to make it in as long as there was one 3-2 in the top eight). well the game went worse than i expected. i rolled the dice first turn and set up maester murenmure with a copper link and a horn of dragons. as long as rick didn't have die by the sword i would be fine... well he did and i wasn't. the rest of the game was rick playing solitare and me begging for mercy. **** you rick... and i love you.

3-2

so i ended as the highest of the 3-2 seeds but with a 5-0 and seven 4-1's, i didn't make the cut. i feel pretty good about meta-sota representing though. 3 of us in the top 10 is pretty good.

Great review Nick-ler. It would be interested in other reviews from the players of the tourney. All these reviews help all the new players -like me- a lot to understant the game and how it works in top tier level.

You mentioned the game against your friend rick who played a stark deck. Since i am trying (with no great success) to built a decent (with no maesters) stark deck can you tell us how this deck was working? Was a maester? Siege? Winter? Something else? What was about?

Thank you!

Yusaku said:

Yusaku, the "Rick" in this case is Papa Khann who posted his deck at the top of this page (3 IIRC?). Please ask as many questions as you need to... we're all here to help. Well, most of us, anyway.

I'm kind of intrigue about that famous "Cube Draft" that everyone talks about in the forums, looks a lot like the chinese game from how i met your mother (season 2 i think...in atlantic city) xD.

Can i find the rules for that anywhere?.....It seems a fun game that mixes cards with drinking and my meta (3 guys in Chile xS) is in need of something fun like that and is not like we can go to a tournament in the states or europe.

choco said:

Well, Erick has his own cube specific rules, which actually were not as bad as I thought (I usually really don't like adding rules, but these were well-thought-out and easy to remember). He also gives out fairly standard draft packs (from CCG pre-rotation) for income and the such. He also alters cards to make them more playable, and has elevated quite a few cards to crazy-bomb-WTF status. Lastly, his cube is not highlander (1 of any card) like mine is. It is like aGoT on steriods to be sure.

Mine is different in that there are no rule chances, and no erratta to the cards. I only give out 5 plots per player (no draft packs), but they are very strong plots (there are the other top 25 plots or so in the game in the cube as well). I put 1X of any copy of the top 620 cards in the game in my cube, evenly distributed by house (except Martell, who gets slightly less). Lastly mine has no LCG cards other than restricted/banned ones. I feel we play the current cards plenty.

I would say creating one like mine is more easy, as Erick has been tweaking his for months it sounded like. Mine just grabbed all the best cards, and then sorted them by house to create an even distribution of characters/locations/house-specific events/attachments by house. I also tried to put in enough events that they are a big part of the game which is tough at 1X each. The other benefit of going this way, is that since there were no draft packs (other than plots, which I sleeve, unlike the regular cards, so easy to sort) is that there is no sorting after the games are over. I would not have wanted to be in Erick's shoes trying to take apart 10 decks at 2am after drinking. When mine is done you just put the cards back in the box/cube.

Again, not saying mine is better, just easier to put together and clean up after. I had a blast doing both this weekend. ~and I was undefeated in both, so there.

My plots were:

Summons

Buildilng Orders

Wildfire

Winter Storm

Alliance

You could go with 5-7 plots, your choice. Some used only 5, some used 6 or 7. And you can pick two houses to make an alliance (20 power of course) and use house-only cards from either. Erick gave a benefit to using only one house, and that was pretty cool, but again I am trying not to change many rules to make it very easy for new or older players.

KLT said:

It'll show up soon. Monday by the latest.