Feel The Kneel: 3-0 in DC GNK 5/28/17 1.0

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So...This is what happens when a Shagga player has an identity crisis the week before a tournament. I decided to go to this two days before hand when prior plans fell through.

I had messed with a bunch of decks online for the last month, not really loving any of the jank I had tried, and knowing there were a few top decks I had to be able to stop. Last night I make a decision. I am going to play Lannister. I hate Lannister. I never play them. They bore me. But I'm going to DC. There will be top players there. I need something competitive so I don't get my ass handed to me all day. I balk at the idea. I sleep on the idea. I build the deck I had in mind this morning and take it with me to the store. I still don't love it. I'm listening to The White Book review of the Guarding the Realm pack (thanks for the shout out guys) and I get to the review of Lord Renly's Ride and again am reminded how much I love this card for surprise kneel. I get to the store. Seth, Pat, and Aaron of the DC Meta aren't playing and I don't see Bryn from my meta signed up either (he showed up last minute). So...wait...I don't need to be hyper competitive today?

If you are still reading this far I built this deck in 15 minutes before the tournament started based on concepts I had been testing online for the last month. I flat out made a few "mistakes" forgetting Ser Davos completely and putting in Time of Plenty rather than Close Call (which haunted me a few times on the day). This is what happens when you can't make up your goddamn mind on what to play and iron throne won't load on your phone to look at your latest test list (and the list on here was BADLY out of date to my last changes).

Why did I get hooked on testing different ways to work Bara recently? Well, I won a Bara House card from top 8 at Starpike so I had to use it, right? (I know...so fucking Shagga it just hurts) So everyone plays Bara Dom. Boring. Been there, done that. Why not use kneel just for straight up challenge control and push big renown? Go back to core Stannis to keep the board locked up long term. Bring in a banner that adds kneel and also adds characters that stand back up. Do a few things unexpected, like run Valar out of Bara since Selmy can save someone if you keep him knelt with Stannis and there are enough 3x and saves in the build you can keep what you really need most of the time. Slap in attachments and events to push the theme like Seal of the Hand and Ours is the Fury that have gone out of style so they almost are a surprise to see now.

So how did it do. It was officially a 3 round event. It went 3-0 so tied for first. We played a "winner's game" 4th round afterwards but I will not be discussing that game out of courtesy to my friend. I lost it, but 2nd place still is not half bad for the "preparation" that this deck received from me.

Round 1: Ted: Targ Crossing Ted is a nice guy and I ran into him at the last SC I played at. His deck completely misfired though. He started with Drogo and a chud. He got some econ. I started with Mel a Roseroad and Shireen. He Crowns Mel turn 1. Shit. Now I can't play Seen in Flames which I had in hand to take his dracs...not that he had things to kneel for them out or in hand but I didn't know that. I manage to draw a great hall and it lets me get out both Stannis and Selmy after playing Pentoshi. I pop a Renly's Ride to kneel Drogo turn 1. I used Filthy and drop and Ours is the Fury to block with Selmy on an int challenge turn 2 (he got Dani out then) and make it so he cannot attack with Drogo that turn either since I would just stuff it for more renown. I drop Even Handed turn 3 to drop Dani. Along the way I get Lightbringer on Stannis and start piling up renown and claim for power. I enter turn 4 with 10 power. He only has Dani and Drogo left alive after my mil claims. Neither have dupes or guards. He can't valar as Stannis is guarded. He can't blood of the dragon as Shireen would die and kneel him. I flip Clash of Kings to go first. I play Randy and a Crown of Roses on him. I multi attack for 5 renown and claim. GG.

Round 2: Sorry I forgot your name: Greyjoy/Lion Another fun game and it got tense as so many of my bigs died and I really, really, was regretting not having Close Call this game. He gets out a great board to start with Theon duped, Gregor, the Reader, and a chud on turn 1. He also runs out a Seastone Chair and a iron mine. I started with Stannis unprotected, Shireen, and a Roseroad. I have to play Mel before I get a dupe or guard for her to keep Stannis out of the chair and kneel out Theon. I even handed Gregor. He claims Theon's dupe instead of his chud for mil claim...then he decides to Valar turn 2 to get rid of Mel and Stannis. He saves Theon with the mine, I kneel him with Shireen. We rebuild...he does so better than me as I have Randall and some small stuff but he gets Euron and a host of supporting characters and is rolling me on Challenges. I play my Valar turn 4. I have econ galore with a few Great Halls, roseroads and a port. I had Red Keep so I had a pretty full hand. I rebuilt with Selmy and Bob. A surprise Ours is the Fury let me swing an extra power on a challenge he though I couldn't block and then also got me dom for the win. I sweat bullets that game as that is NOT how this deck is supposed to work...but it won.

Round 3: Jordan Davis: Stark Fealty I know Jordan. I know this deck. I knew he would not be running a reset. I played such a wide board all game with this knowledge. He gets Eddy, Rob Stark, Sansa, Luwin, Bran and tons of chuds. I got Stannis and Mel. I kneel with Mel, I kneel with Filthy, I kneel with Renly's Ride, I kneel with Even Handed...he is locked down hard for 3 turns and I build a huge lead with lightbringer and Fiery Followers doing great work for me. I never do a mil challenge once all game. He milks Stannis. It all stands. I play the Cressen I was holding back all game to remove that...and I play Bob. Even with Winterfell Castle he cannot win a challenge even kneeling out his entire board due to Bob's bonuses. I start applying the kneel again with Bob since I went second and force blocks from him to prevent UO with the fiery. Drop Clash. Drop Selmy. Drop a disputed claim on Mel. I win one challenge its game on Renown...we already did the math and know he can't stop me. Game. THAT is how this is supposed to play.

Unofficial Final Game: Loss: Once of these days I'll beat you Bryn. Bad draws. Drew 2 rose roads on the final turn to just complete the total crap I got all game.

What a fun day with a fun deck...and so much Bara Swag. Got my full set of Bara Tokens now (thank you Bryn for a not so meager contribution to this) and traded for 3x of Stannis. It has also been pointed out to me I have now played Bara or Stag banner in ever tournament I have played. They aren't really my favorite house...I just like playing control decks and Martell doesn't have the right pieces for what I want right now...some day?

The new Merling King save will go in this immediately when it comes out. Probably will dump a few events for it or a bodyguard as its save even would protect from Burn (returning to hand rather than checking against kill again). The deck should have Davos...not sure who goes out right now though. The deck should have Close Call, probably over Time of Plenty as it trades 1 gold and 1 init for the character save (and one less card for your opponent vs. your draw being conditional.) This said...can I play this again at Regionals...probably not. These tricks aren't surprises any more so I need new ones. Back into the jank tank for me!