Welcome to the sixth installment of Two Guys, One Deck. The one in which Aaron and I build a Lannister Fealty deck. Also, it is the first time that we build a deck plots-first. Hopefully you find that process enlightening and as always, this is not the definitive way to build a deck, but one of many techniques you can use when deciding what to play.
Alex
Let’s try something different this time. People have been talking about it, but I’m not sure it’s been demonstrated much at all.
Aaron
What’s that?
Alex
Building the plot deck first and then going from there. This idea was mentioned in recent episodes of both Beyond the Wall and The White Book.
Aaron
Great. I’ve been wanting to make a deck that uses Wildfire Assault. Which to me means we should use Fealty.
Alex
Agreed. A Fealty deck has a smaller number of strong characters, so you are less likely to get into a situation where Wildfire Assault will kill one of your important characters. As opposed to a Banner deck that might have 4-6 strong or important characters. So if we want the most from Wildfire Assault, using Fealty makes sense, especially if we use a faction where the expensive characters are Loyal.
Aaron
Exactly. I think every Fealty can use Wildfire Assault, but Tyrell and Stark might not want to do so since they have some key cheap unique characters.
I like Wildfire Assault with Lannister Fealty because you can reliably empty an opponent’s hand. Combined with a partial board wipe you can get a large advantage.
Alex
So which Loyal cards make using Fealty worth using in Lannister? Tywin, who is the best character in the game. But the 5- and 6-cost are non-Loyal, which brings us to Cersei at 4-cost. Any Loyal events worth using?
Aaron
No, the loyal events are pretty bad. But what it really enables is the locations.
Alex
Oh yes, I forgot about those, but Lannisport and Casterly Rock are both loyal and probably a bit too expensive usually.
Aaron
Correct. I rarely use Casterly Rock or Lannisport because they are just a bit too costly, but Fealty changes that in a big way.
Alex
Yeah, Fealty makes a lot of sense for allowing the use of some loyal cards that otherwise seem over-costed. They are a bit pricey at 3 and 2 gold respectively. But they are practically a steal at 2 and 1.
Aaron
So let’s try Lannister Fealty with Wildfire Assault this week?
Alex
Yeah, I’m sold. Let’s stick to the plots first idea: Do we use A Game of Thrones to force opponent’s to initiate intrigue challenges? Giving us more chances for Lannisport, or Tyrion triggers, not necessarily for protection. With the Hound and Brothel Madame we don’t necessarily need it for that.
Aaron
I think it can be good, but it isn’t a must. It definitely could work, but we can probably find better plots to use.
We can probably go ahead and add Summons and A Noble Cause?
Alex
Yeah, we have to keep some of those staples in the plot deck since we have to pay for Tywin and possibly find him.
Let’s discuss A Noble Cause briefly. since we have Fealty, we only need a 6 gold plot in order to play Tywin, so we could potentially replace it with Calling the Banners which will give us more initiative control.
Aaron
I actually like both. I like to use Calling the Banners later in the game as a way to enable Ambush tricks and power up Tywin.
Alex
Well, if we use one Calling the Banners late, we could still use one earlier to play Tywin instead of A Noble Cause. So why not use two Calling the Banners and cut A Noble Cause?
Aaron
True, but won’t boards be too small with Wildfire Assault?
Alex
We only need three opposing characters to get enough gold for Calling the Banners to play Tywin. In that case it’s a 6-6-1-6 plot, it doesn’t have to give us 10 gold to be worth using.
Aaron
Okay, let’s go with two Calling the Banners, but I want Calm Over Westeros as an opener.
Alex
I think that’s fine, that gives us an opener and two money plots.
Aaron
Winds of Winter. Either right before Wildfire Assault (for intrigue claim) or right after (military claim).
Alex
I like it. Two claim is great and really pressures your opponent.
Aaron
So we have Calm Over Westeros, Wildfire Assault, two copies of Calling the Banners, The Winds of Winter, and Summons.
Alex
Other plots I want to mention (but likely do not make the deck) are Here to Serve for Pycelle (card draw is pretty good…) and Naval Superiority (after Tywin is in play this could be pretty devastating for our opponent and not bother us much at all).
Aaron
I dislike Here to Serve with only one target for it, especially one so weak to Plaza of Punishment.
I love the idea of Naval Superiority, but it would need to replace Winds of Winter and I’d rather have the two claim.
Alex
I agree with those statements. Wardens of the West for the last plot then?
Aaron
We also need Confiscation I think.
Alex
Yeah, I want both Wardens of the West and Confiscation. We also don’t have Marched to the Wall.
Aaron
Without Varys in the deck (which we probably won’t use), I can live without Marched to the Wall.
Alex
With Fealty we likely don’t have space for Rattleshirt’s Raiders (not many anyway) and there’s no other attachment control for Lannister. So I think Confiscation has to be our last plot. But I really want Wardens of the West in this.
Aaron
Yeah, we need Wardens of the West. Should we cut the second Calling the Banners or Calm Over Westeros?
Alex
Probably the second Calling the Banners, I’d still like to have Calm Over Westeros as an opener and not have to use a sub-optimal Calling the Banners or Wardens of the West turn 1. We can save our single Calling the Banners for a turn when we need to play Tywin or Jaime, much like a Varys deck saves Calling to pay for him.
Aaron
So the plot deck is Calm Over Westeros, Calling the Banners, Wardens of the West, Confiscation, Wildfire Assault, Summons, and The Winds of Winter.
Shall we move on to our 15 neutral cards now? I think there are 9 we must have.
Alex
Three copies each of The Roseroad and The Kingsroad.
Aaron
And three copies of Put to the Sword.
Alex
Probably one or two copies of Syrio to go with those then.
Aaron
Put to the Sword with Jaime and Tywin is so easy to trigger. And with Syrio it makes it even easier.
Alex
So two copies of Syrio, gives us 11 neutrals. Hand’s Judgment?
Aaron
Let’s say three for now, they are necessary.
Alex
One more neutral spot. Have one in mind?
Aaron
Not really. Iron Throne? Tears of Lys? Rattleshirt’s Raiders?
Alex
Without a banner faction, we may need characters. I’m inclined to one Rattleshirt’s Raiders. But Seal of the Hand is another option to consider later on if needed.
Aaron
That makes sense and the extra attachment control won’t hurt.
Alex
On to Lannister characters or do you want to go somewhere else first?
Aaron
I think we should just fill out the rest and then see what space we have left for characters.
Alex
Sounds good to me. Two copies of Widow’s Wail?
Aaron
Yeah, it’s good on setup and against burn.
Locations?
Alex
Two copies of Lannisport and two of Casterly Rock?
Aaron
Let’s start with talking about Cersei’s Wheelhouse, that will inform a few other decisions. Do we have the initiative to use two of those?
Alex
We have decent initiative values, but no plot beats Marched to the Wall, A Clash of Kings, or Sneak Attack. With a Cersei’s Wheelhouse in play we are then unable to beat a Wildfire Assault or Naval Superiority.
Aaron
True, so maybe just one Cersei’s Wheelhouse?
Alex
Yeah.
Aaron
Three copies of Western Fiefdom, obviously.
And back to the first question, let’s do two Casterly Rock and three Lannisport for now.
Alex
Okay, sounds good.
Aaron
Events, three and three?
Alex
Treachery and Things I Do For Love?
Aaron
Yes.
Alex
Things I Do For Love has anti-synergy with Fealty, which won’t always matter, but might on some turns.
Aaron
True, maybe just two copies then?
Alex
I’d feel better about that. This leaves us with 29 spots left for a total of 32 characters.
Aaron
Which is too few, I’d be more comfortable with 34 characters.
Alex
We could cut Things I Do For Love completely and get those last two spots for characters.
Aaron
Let’s worry about the cuts later, we don’t have much removal so we may need Things I Do For Love.
Alex
Okay. So Tywin, Jaime, and Tyrion all three copies?
Aaron
Of course.
Alex
Cersei? Two or three?
Aaron
Just two I think. She’s one we’d kill for Wildfire Assault, so we don’t want dead draws.
Alex
No Gold Cloaks for now, maybe if we need bodies. On to 3-cost characters. Brothel Madame?
Aaron
Yeah, but only two copies. The abilities don’t stack and I don’t want too many.
Alex
Two copies of Pycell, Joffrey, and the Hound?
Aaron
Two of Pycelle since draw equals win, but only one Joff for now.
Let’s do three Hound since he can dodge Wildfire Assault and with three we don’t need to fear intrigue claim.
Alex
Looks good, three copies of Burned Men most likely. Any Queen’s Assassins?
Aaron
At least two, good for setup and amazing post-Wildfire Assault.
Alex
Let’s do all three. Then we can place one in setup without reservation.
Aaron
One copy of The Tickler and the three Merhcants?
Alex
Yep. That puts us at 60 cards.
Aaron
I have one more spot! One Gold Cloaks for me.
We’re going to miss Tears of Lys.
Alex
We could cut Rattleshirt’s Raiders for a single copy. Maybe even also cut a Put to the Sword and use two of each.
Aaron
How about we cut Rattleshirt’s Raiders and one Roseroad for two copies of Tears of Lys.
Alex
We can add a Moneylender to make up the Limited gold production spot and get more characters too.
Aaron
Yeah, let’s cut down Lannisport and Casterly Rock to two and one and replace with two characters.
Alex
One Moneylender and one Gold Cloaks?
Aaron
Yeah.
Alex
Here’s another thought: If we add Tears of Lys, do we still need the two Things I Do For Love? Then we could keep Lannisport and Casterly rock at three and two respectively.
Aaron
Ah screw it. Let’s go ahead and cut Things I Do For Love instead of the locations.
So cutting the two Things I Do For Love to be replaced with two characters. Are you okay with a Moneylender and Gold Cloaks?
Alex
Moneylender, yes. Gold Cloaks, maybe not. We could also use a third Brothel Madame or a second Joffrey in that spot. With Syrio and Widow’s Wail (on Joff) the military icon can still be present. The third Madame could be good because people will really work to deal with them, so drawing into a third could be hilarious.
Aaron
She’s weak to burn.
Alex
But isn’t it great for us if they use their burn on her instead of something else? Besides, with Unsullied and Daenerys, Gold Cloaks is nearly as weak to Plaza as she is.
Aaron
Sure, third Brothel Madame works for me.
How’s the icon spread?
Alex
Solid. Look at those charts.
Aaron
Nice!
The completed Lannister Fealty deck list can be found at ThronesDB (with charts!) or you can view the list below. This was built over a week ago and probably needs to have a better plan for Greyjoy, but two Widow’s Wail and three Treachery can be useful against them. Don’t forget that Treachery can cancel location abilities.
Two Guys, One Deck: Lannister Fealty (#6)
Plots
1x Calling the Banners (Core Set)
1x Calm Over Westeros (Core Set)
1x Confiscation (Core Set)
1x Summons (Core Set)
1x The Winds of Winter (Core Set)
1x Wildfire Assault (Core Set)
1x Wardens of the West (The Road to Winterfell)
Characters
2x Cersei Lannister (Core Set)
2x Grand Maester Pycelle (Core Set)
1x Joffrey Baratheon (Core Set)
3x Ser Jaime Lannister (Core Set)
1x The Tickler (Core Set)
3x Tyrion Lannister (Core Set)
3x Tywin Lannister (Core Set)
3x Burned Men (Core Set)
1x Lannisport Moneylender (Core Set)
3x Lannisport Merchant (Core Set)
3x The Queen’s Assassin (Core Set)
3x The Hound (Taking the Black)
3x Brothel Madame (The Road to Winterfell)
2x Syrio Forel (The Road to Winterfell)
Locations
3x The Kingsroad (Core Set)
2x The Roseroad (Core Set)
2x Casterly Rock (Core Set)
3x Lannisport (Core Set)
3x Western Fiefdom (Core Set)
1x Cersei’s Wheelhouse (Taking the Black)
Attachment
2x Widow’s Wail (Core Set)
Events
3x Put to the Sword (Core Set)
2x Tears of Lys (Core Set)
3x The Hand’s Judgment (Core Set)
3x Treachery (Core Set)