In this article series, Aaron and I will be building a deck together and providing you with the fruits of our labor (along with some discussion; mostly our discussion). This week we will be building a Targaryen Banner of the Lion deck; code name: Double Dragon.
Alex
Before we get to building this deck, let’s talk about the deck itself.
Aaron
I think there are two ways to do it. All aggro and kill with Jaime and Drogo or leave those guys out and focus on the Tyrion/Illyrio/Daenarys interactions.
I think we should try all in on Jaime and Drogo.
Alex
That sounds fun. Double Dragon it is. So we’ll start with three of each and no Daenarys in the deck.
Shall we proceed with the orderly card type sequence of last time?
Aaron
Characters first, let’s go in order of cost.
Alex
I think all 6 reducer characters and at least two copies of Viserys.
Aaron
Agreed. All dragons x3 and two copies of Jorah as our base.
Alex
Yep, if we want to use Dracarys (and we do!) then all dragons x3 are necessary since we aren’t using Daenarys. I usually use Jorah x3, but I think that The Tickler could take the place of the third copy in this deck since we are likely to include two or three copies of Treachery as well.
Aaron
Absolutely. I’d also like to use Things I Do For Love if possible. Can we afford to have Tyrion in the deck? And Joffrey?
Alex
Let’s keep going in order and see if we have space. I am likely to want three copies of Tyrion though, but let’s continue with the 2 cost characters first.
Aaron
I prefer not to use Burned Men, but have two copies of Braided Warrior.
Alex
Why is that?
Aaron
Since the focus of the deck is on the military challenge, a 2 gold for 3 STR military icon is very efficient. Burned Men have surprise, but with cards like Put to the Sword the amount of STR we have matters even more.
Alex
Okay, so we have 8 1-cost characters and now Jorah x2, Viserion x3, The Tickler, and Braided Warrior x2. Any other 2-cost characters to consider?
Lannisport Moneylender?
Aaron
I could be sold on one or two, but I’d have to be sold.
Alex
Let’s skip them for now and come back if we think we need the economy. They are slow and don’t have the icon we want anyway.
Aaron
Fair. 3-cost characters: 3x Dragons, 2x The Hound?
Alex
Three of Drogon and Rhaegal, two copies of The Hound and one Joffrey.
Aaron
I want to talk about Joffrey for a second here.
Alex
Sure. You suggested one copy earlier because he enables Things I Do For Love. Also, his ability works well in a kill-focused deck like this one.
Aaron
Exactly. He enables two events (also Treachery) and he could be a solid power gain engine if we can kill Lords and Ladies.
Alex
I would consider two copies, especially if we use Widow’s Wail in the deck.
Aaron
Let’s do it.
Alex
Okay, so two copies of Joff.
Aaron
4-cost characters now. I love the Unsullied, but I don’t think they fit here. I’d like two copies of Tyrion and 1 Illyrio to bring us to 35 characters.
Or do we want 3 Tyrion and no Illyrio? I feel like we could be vulnerable to Wildfire Assault and having more dupes would help.
Alex
Agreed. I had similar thoughts about a single copy of Illyrio, I would prefer three copies of Tyrion. Higher chance of enabling Treachery and Things I Do For Love.
Aaron
Okay, let’s cut Illyrio.
Alex
Ready for locations?
Aaron
Yes. 3 of each neutral economy location. 3 Illyrio’s Estate?
Alex
Not sure about the 3 Illyrio’s Estate. What’s our faction balance like so far?
Aaron
21 of 35 Targaryen.
Alex
Also, The Hound is going to be one that is replayed, so we can get some good value from a Western Fiefdom. Maybe 2 and 2? Or possibly 2 Targaryen and 1 Lannister reducer?
Aaron
2 and 2 works for me. 10 Limited cards seems fine if we don’t want to be choked.
How many Plaza of Punishment? I like 2.
Alex
Two copies sounds good to me.
Aaron
Events?
Alex
I think that we have a few to consider: Put to the Sword, Put to the Torch, Dracarys, Treachery, and Things I Do For Love.
Aaron
No Put to the Torch.
Alex
Still not needed?
Aaron
It’s good for certain matchups, Baratheon and Night’s Watch especially.
But I don’t want too many events and this deck is aggro and killing, so let’s just do that.
Alex
Okay, sounds good. We’ll just focus on events that help accomplish that goal.
So three of each for 12 events?
Aaron
Looks good to me, that brings us to 59 cards. Attachments?
Alex
I really like Widow’s Wail in the deck. I’d like to fit two copies if possible.
Aaron
I also like Bodyguard x3. Tears of Lys is going to be a problem.
Alex
True, but as usual: would Little Bird help against that more than Bodyguard? Works better in setup and protects Khal Drogo from Tears of Lys.
Aaron
I don’t think so, Drogo is the only one that doesn’t have the intrigue icon already. Both are conditions so there isn’t any extra protection there.
There’s also Seal of the Hand.
Alex
Yes, Seal is always good, but we have no space for all of this. Personally, I think we can cut at least one Things I Do For Love since that is likely to be the hardest event to trigger and is usually more expensive than Dracarys.
Aaron
I use Things I Do For Love almost exclusively on the 1-cost claim soak characters. If we run only two copies we can cut the second Joffrey for some more space in the deck as well. That seems right.
If we also cut Widow’s Wail, we can use 2 Little Bird and 2 Bodyguard?
Alex
The +2 STR and ambush are really valuable. It can give surprise wins and help get us to win by 5 or more STR for Put to the Sword. Widow’s Wail is really good in this deck.
1 Joff, 2 Things I Do For Love, and the 4 attachments (2 Little Bird, 2 Bodyguard). That puts us at 61 cards.
I’m still upset about missing Widow’s Wail. Do we really need Little Bird and Bodyguard?
Aaron
I think we need that extra bit of protection, without Drogo we aren’t really all in on kill.
Ready for blasphemy? Let’s cut 1 Treachery for Widow’s Wail.
Alex
That works for me.
Aaron
But Treachery is better than Widow’s Wail against Greyjoy and Baratheon. By a lot. Thoughts?
Alex
Well, Widow’s Wail could potentially win a challenge against an attacking Balon, which Treachery wouldn’t help with.
Our kill effects should be able to handle Melisandre, so Treachery wouldn’t be as necessary. Besides, The Hound helps us play around kneeling effects. Widow’s Wail also helps add the STR needed to push through a Put to the Sword in any matchup.
Aaron
On to plots and given what we’ve just built I think we can only afford to use one plot with less than 4 gold and it needs to be Counting Coppers.
If we don’t see cards, our kill won’t matter.
Alex
Maybe two copies of A Noble Cause as well, it gives us a lot of econ and we are building heavily around several Lords.
Aaron
Probably, but let’s start with one. Calm Over Westeros is also good for protecting a bad setup.
Alex
Marched to the Wall for sure.
Aaron
For sure. With all that kill we may be able to leave them with only 1 good character left.
Confiscation is needed, even with Viserys in the deck.
Alex
Summons?
Aaron
Yeah.
Alex
Taxation? 10 Limited cards means we could use the effect, if not the stats are good. But a second Noble Cause is probably better.
Heads on Spikes could also make sense with Things I Do For Love. But there are likely better plots to use.
Aaron
Second Marched to the Wall or A Noble Cause?
Alex
Marched to the Wall could potentially backfire on us if they happen in conjunction with or near an opposing Wildfire Assault.
I would definitely do two Marched to the Walls if we had three copies of Viserys and Jorah.
I think we might need the economy provided by two copies of A Noble Cause.
Aaron
I like initiative though, which is another advantage of Marched to the Wall.
Alex
I think that is okay, we have two main kill events: Dracarys and Put to the Sword. Dracarys is best when going second and Put to the Sword is best when going first. Winning initiative so that you can choose which is great, but I don’t think the deck needs to be one or the other, it can play flexibly.
I’m not sure winning initiative is worth the 3 gold lost compared to A Noble Cause.
Aaron
Probably not. Let’s try two Noble Cause and see how the economy feels.
Thanks for reading another installment of Two Guys, One Deck. You can find the deck list posted below or on ThronesDB.
Two Guys, One Deck: Targaryen Banner of the Lion (#3)
Plots
2x A Noble Cause (Core Set)
1x Calm Over Westeros (Core Set)
1x Confiscation (Core Set)
1x Counting Coppers (Core Set)
1x Marched to the Wall (Core Set)
1x Summons (Core Set)
Characters
1x Joffrey Baratheon (Core Set)
3x Ser Jaime Lannister (Core Set)
1x The Tickler (Core Set)
3x Tyrion Lannister (Core Set)
3x Lannisport Merchant (Core Set)
3x Drogon (Core Set)
3x Khal Drogo (Core Set)
3x Rhaegal (Core Set)
2x Ser Jorah Mormont (Core Set)
3x Viserion (Core Set)
2x Viserys Targaryen (Core Set)
2x Braided Warrior (Core Set)
3x Targaryen Loyalist (Core Set)
2x The Hound (Taking the Black)
Locations
3x The Kingsroad (Core Set)
3x The Roseroad (Core Set)
2x Western Fiefdom (Core Set)
2x Plaza of Punishment (Core Set)
2x Illyrio’s Estate (Core Set)
Attachments
2x Bodyguard (Core Set)
2x Little Bird (Core Set)
1x Widow’s Wail (Core Set)
Events
3x Put to the Sword (Core Set)
2x The Things I Do For Love (Core Set)
2x Treachery (Core Set)
3x Dracarys! (Core Set)