The Mormont Sparrow Marriage Pact! 3-3 German Nationals 1.0

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Decided to post this as it’s something a bit different, playing cards such as White Harbor as a red door location. The purpose of this is to get around the main focus of the deck - The High Sparrow.

In a meta full of card draw, voltrons, shadow etc, I have always thought that the High Sparrow is a good counter. Mixing in cards to assist with this, like Passing the Black Gate helps the econ.

I Am No One May seem an odd choice for restricted, but it helps to find the bits you need, including the sparrow as well as giving stealth which is really strong.

Other key parts are -

Exchange of Information - it’s not draw. Political Disaster - hurting the opponents options A City Besieged - usually to kneel econ that isn’t gold such as Great Hall etc. Last Hearth Scouts / No Surprises - shutting down shadows is good. Marriage Pact - stopping voltrons or annoying characters is essential.

Report -

vs Plamen, Bara Red Door (Blackwater Bay) - Loss

In theory my deck should win this because if my plan works, the high sparrow stops the entire draw mechanic of his deck, however not seeing the high sparrow all game meant he always had a full hand and all my characters were permanently knelt. I think they saw all 3 Hunting Accident by plot 2...

vs Ilja, Stark Assualt - win

This was a really fun close game, that was a thinking game the whole time - me having an early Last Hearth Scout was good, but them having Tower of the Hand (BtRK) on setup kinda nerfed it a bit. Lots of intricate playing here, and I was lucky to win on time, 9-8. Ilja was kind enough to offer me the full win before the end.

vs Domse, Targ Conclave - loss.

I made two key errors in this game, 1 fatal and 1 coin flip. The coin flip error was guessing what Targ Conclave is trying to do.....the options I was concerting are - burn, or Bribery / Mercenary Contract. I went with the former and stuck to my usual White Harbor red door, when in fact I should have gone for The Iron Throne (LMHR) as he was playing the bribery one. if I had used the NopeThrone, I could have said no to Mercenary Contract every round.

The 2nd error was no playing out the Hugh Sparrow when I should have; this was followed up by my opponent marshalling Braavos and getting 4+ gold a round.

With mass econ, and stealing my characters all the time, I couldn’t get a foot hold.

vs Derek, Greyjoy Crossing

An early Marriage Pact on Balon Greyjoy (Core) slowed Derek down quite a lot. Even with an early valar I was able to keep pressuring for the win. Also, having 2 marriage pact on the final round to result in 0 power icons was good for me....I did feel bad though.

vs Mats, Greyjoy Stag

an early voltron Renly Baratheon (FotS) was kinda annoying, as well as Khorane Sathmantes doing a lot of work, but it did seem that Mats was drawing poorly early on with no econ on the back board, and only warships. This lead to an early You Win Or You Die, and resulting in renly putting Victarion Greyjoy (MoD) into play in marshalling and Euron Crow's Eye (Core) into play in standing.....I followed this up with a Valar Dohaeris to keep the pressure. Further drawing of Marriage Pact meant unopposed challenges for the win.

vs Nerius, Targ Qohor

I’ve played Nerius a few times now, against his Targ Qohor and I’ve still never beaten it. This game was going very well, but just isn’t enough. it’s rather baffling that the faction that is prone to most voltrons, has the best counter to stopping voltrons in Shadow of the East.

To put into context, Nerius drew badly, I had high sparrow turn 1 to stop his Meereen and Dragon Gate....the issue is now I have to defend every challenge so High Sparrow doesn’t get milked....which I do for 2 rounds. I also have played both my No Surprises to stop any shenanigans....but by plot 3, he’s found his bits to win a challenge milk sparrow and his draw engine is on. He’s used Shadow of the East to remove marriage pact off his 15 strength Aegon Targaryen who now has Dragon Skull on...I just concede at 5-4 power. My only hope is to get another marriage pact and hope he doesn’t get another Shadow of the East. White Harbor requires me to win a challenge to get any cards and I can’t do that, so I called it.

All in all, generally happy. When it works, it’s pretty good.

Thanks to all for running the tournament and my opponents who were all excellent.

Thanks Paul G