Targ / KotHH Burn Deck (7th place after swiss (2-2 with one modified win); 1st overall)

This is my first post outside of my original post that allowed me to meet Adam (Shiek) and Kevin (ktom).

House Targaryen

Agenda
Knights of the Hollow Hill

Plots
Regroup
Retaliation!
Threat from the North
Loyalty Money Can Buy
Search and Detain
Take Them by Surprise
Valar Morghulis

Characters (26)
Horseback Archers x2
Pyat Pree x1
Lyanna Stark x1
Dragon Thief x3
Maester Aemon (ACoS) x1
Green Hatchling (TWH) x1
Jhogo (OSaS )x2
Refugee of the Plains x3
White Hatchling (AKitN) x1
Viserys Targaryen (Core) x1
Brown Ben Plumm x1
Daenerys Targaryen (GotC) x1
Street Waif x3
Ser Jorah Mormont (KotS) x1
Shadow Parasite x2
Ser Barristan Selmy (ODG) x1
Craster x1

Events (8)
The Hatchlings' Feast x3
Favorable Ground x2
Forever Burning x3

Locations (19)
Meereenese Brothel x2
Mereen Tourney Grounds x2
Summer Sea x3
Eastern Fiefdoms x3
The Red Keep x2
Bay of Ice x3
Lady Daenerys's Chambers x3
Rhaenys's Hill x1

Attachments (8)
Pyromancer's Cache x3
Flame-Kissed x3
Unburnt x2

The Deck:

At the last 2 Chicago Regionals and at the last Iowa Regional I have built Targ burn decks, so running a Targ deck was pretty much going to happen, but Brian (goshdarnstud) was smack talking Targ, so I did not really have much of a choice. I think I have the burn basics down, so this deck was heavily based on those. Since everything up to On Dangerous Grounds was legal, I had to try out all the new Targ Burn: Lyanna Stark, Meeren Tourney Grounds, Shadow Parasites, and the new Ser Barristan Selmy. I tried to make this Agenda less, but the KotHH first turn 2 influence guaranteed was simply to hard to pass up. The risk of not having the early influence could be crippling, plus the extra gold makes pyromancer’s cache more playable, and Bay of Ice card draw more reliable.

It had been awhile since I had played a Targ burn and it took me a few rounds to get used to it, but once I did I can see how the new cards I added definitely makes Targ burn more potent, with Lyanna Stark and Mereen Tourney Grounds being the new staple cards for all burn decks.
I added Search and Detain to see what all the fuss was about. As it turns out, it is an excellent plot for dealing with those characters that just cannot be burned.

In future versions I might try to work in Killer of the Wounded, but the resources can be surprisingly tight early and getting them out could be tough. I also might swap out Favorable Ground for Litany of Fire, Unburnt for Paper Shield, and add in the Black Hatchling for more cheap unique characters.

Report:

Swiss Rounds:

Round 1

Opponent Mike (Shenanigans) Stark/ Siege of Wintherfell; Restricted Card: Fear of Winter

First turn Fear of Winter and Epic battle, and I only can play one card with no board setup. This was pretty much how the game went for me, as my deck never really got going. I did manage to stretch the game out to six plots, and with a little better play on my part could have gotten to turn seven and forced Mike to valar his board advantage. Though it would not have mattered as he had a large power lead and I was unlikely to catch up before time was called. Mike won 15-1

0-1-0

Round 2

Opponent Kevin (not ktom) Targ/ Maester’s Path; Restricted Card: Narrow Escape

Kevin is a new player to AGoT. He has caught on to the game pretty quickly and was playing a very well constructed Targ Maester deck. This being a Targ on Targ match I knew this was probably going to go to time. I was not disappointed in length. Kevin was able to get a small lead. I used Meereenese Brothel to knock off chain attachments and strength reduction to keep the game close. When last round was called I was behind on power 10-6, but I managed to swing the power to 10-9 (2 claim unopposed power, renown, dominance) for the modified win.

1-1-0 (1 modified win)

Round 3

Opponent Ben (not sure of board name) Bara / Stewards; Restricted Card ????

Ben was playing a unconventional deck for a Tourney and I have to respect anyone who goes outside the normal competitive deck builds. Unfortuantly this deck revolved around one location: The Wall (Bara ver.) for his deck to work. First turn I used Favorable Ground to discard the wall. Then Ben used summoning season to find another The Wall and played it again. Next turn I used Search and Detain to return The Wall to his hand, and it was not seen again. I burned out the few characters he was able to play, and Ben never recovered.

2-1-0 (1 modified win)

Round 4

Opponent: Josh (Staton) Bara / no agenda; Restricted Card: Fury of the Stag

Josh was running a Bara Asshai Rush deck. This was a bad match up for me. Josh was able to play Shadow Enchantress early with a few cards is shadows, essentially shutting down my burn potential. I valared early, but then Josh dropped Melisandre (Core) and Fat Bob (Double Renown). I was hitting the draw cap every turn with Bay of Ice and Pyromancer’s Caches, but unable to draw into any Hatchlings Feast, Forever Burning, or Flame Kissed. Needless to say, no burn is not a good place be when Fat Bob is racking up the power.

2-2-0 (1 modified win)

The TO decided to do a Top 8, and I made the cut at #7

Elimination Rounds:

Round 5

Opponent: #2 Luke (Master_LUke) Martel/ Kings of Summer; Restricted Card: Venomous Blade

When we started Luke said that my deck was his worst match up. After my previous 4 rounds I just thought he was being nice before he used his Martell deck to crush me. As it turned out Luke was right, this deck was a bad match up for him. Luke started out strong with Myrcella and Arianne in play and bouncing my characters back to hand. I flame kissed Myrcella and valared Arianne the first turn Luke did not use Ghaston Grey to return her to hand. After that I slowly took over control of the game. He still had Edric to bounce my characters, but I had a resource advantage, so it was less expensive for me to replay my characters. After Luke used his valar turn 7, I immediately flooded the board with characters I had been saving in my hand giving me board advantage and eventually the win.

3-2-0 (1 modified win)

Round 6

Rematch with Josh

After my previous game against Josh I did not have high hopes. Unfortunately Josh did not draw a Shadow Enchantress (or at least did not play one) and I actually drew a reasonable amount of burn. Josh managed to get to 14 power before I used Threat from the North and a bouncing Forever Burning to clear his board. At that point I had far to many characters in play for Josh to stop me and it was on the final table.

4-2-0 (1 modified win)

Round 7 (Final)

Opponent: Brian (bbleers) Lanni / No Agenda; Restricted Card: Pyromancher’s Cache

At this point no matter what happened Illinois had successfully won bragging rights and the coveted Wolf Hat. Brian got off to a good start with Cersei, Enemy Informers, and Joffery’s Guard early. After that though Brian he did not seem to draw many more characters. I drew Rhaenys’s Hill early, so I valar to get Joffery’s Guard into his dead pile. The following turn I played Retialation and used Joffery’s Guard to kneel Brian’s characters for 3 unopposed 2 claim challenges. The following turn I used Regroup to get Rhaenys’s Hill back in hand and proceed to have 3 more unopposed 2 claim challenges to win the game. I will admit my deck definitely gave me the right cards at the right time in this game.

Final Record 5-2-0 (1 Modified Win)

Overall it was a fun day with great players, and really that's what this game is all about.

Great report Tony! Always a pleasure to hang out and play against you. Even though my deck was a tough matchup for you, you fought it out well. Keep the Da Wolf crown safe until next year!

An entertaining report. Thanks for sharing. Good to see an underdog (lower seed) win a tournament. Shows as long as you make the cut, you have a shot.

Congrats on the Win Tony! Its always good seeing you! Although I must say, its getting decreasingly fun having to play you.

tofubones said:

One of my favorite things about AGOT and our little community can be summed up from this quote from a friend: "I got destroyed but it was still fun."

It was a great time, and as I mentioned to Caol on our way up to the tournament, Flame Kissed is my deck's least favorite card out there... even more than Stark Blank-iness. I can generally get my Control online fast enough to combat Rush (although my couple of casual "consolation" games against Mr. Shenanigans Hantsch proved just how badly I struggle with SoW), but targeted kill on my Nobles frankly blows. Even my super-secret tech running Core Set Benjen doesn't work well when I had him on my mulligan-flop and he doesn't get to do me much good.

I'm thankful he wasn't running Aegon's Hill, Targ's other way to hit my Achilles' Heel, but it's definitely making me reconsider running Power of Bloods, Retreats, Paper Shields or even, perhaps, King's Pavilion (and more targetted removal for the LDC... although that won't help against Agenda-Griff, but at least he doesn't work with KotHH).

Congrats on a game well played, Tony and on taking the whole thing, it's like I'm a Bears fan who's sad that the Packers didn't get to repeat, if only to make the losses hurt less. :/

Maester_LUke said:

Luke, it was my games against you that helped convince me that it's ok FFG didn't do anything to Ghaston Grey in the latest FAQ. Location hate (for me, Frozen Solid and Fleeing to the Wall) was enough to keep GG in check, although keeping up the pressure with NCF and the epic events helped too. If it makes you feel better, I had a pretty **** bad matchup after the cut myself (as you've previously mentioned) and even though I matched up well against Tony, he still took me to six plots (further than anyone except Gerry.)