A Cask of Alester, 3-3 at Feast For Crows 1.0

• Versions
• 1.0

I've run this list or something close to it in my last 3 tournaments, making the cut at Kubla Cup, missing on SoS at Starpike, and going 3-3 yesterday at Feast. The earlier version ran Smilin' Bob for extra board control, alongside a couple of his estranged children that could be tutored with frequent MVP Delena, providing additional draw and bodies. I swapped them out for the more diverse Salladhor/Nightsong/Obella module here, which while not necessarily making the deck more competitive, has made it even more fun to play, as they all add to the amount of tricks and synergies in this tool box.

The overall game plan is straightforward- deny your opponents power challenges and dominance. The doubled Valar can wreck opponents that aren't prepared for it, and even when they are, the large array of mostly non-terminal negative attachments help you keep the game in check against larger boards or more impactful characters. Big Selyse does a lot of work here too, and being able to recur her with the Orphans will win games all by itself.

The shiniest toy is Murder Mel, enabled by Desert Raiders and Consolidation of Power. Opponents will skip renown if they don't have a way to prevent her trigger, so she often functions as a stall piece.

The Infiltrators can be cheeky. You'll want to trigger their ability anytime you have the opportunity, as in the worst case scenario they'll immediately die to one of your resets. Sometimes, you'll be able to load power onto them with Raiders/Consolidation/Cask of Ale and then steal it with your Fiefdoms. This can make for big unexpected power swings.

And of course, there's the engine from Alex Black's old cancer lancer deck, providing additional stall, and power steal from the Table/Chair. The Lancers will even sometimes draw you cards from Alester, which is a nice bonus. Humorously, they'll also draw your opponent cards if they happen to be playing Alester as well.