Silence is Violence 1.0

• Versions
• 1.0

This is the deck I (mostly) played for the Summer 2020 online Champions of Westeros League (top 16 - top Tyrell). It's a deck I've been working on for a long time (made the cut at Kubla with a different version), so I'm publishing mostly to motivate me to build something new.

Normally I'm a Greyjoy player, but they aren't in as good a place right now as attrition and aggro rule. This attrition deck I find super fun and flexible. It can out rush most other attrition (oldtown is good passive power), and can swarm if needed. But the normal game plan is just straight attrition, which it does well.

Some highlights of the deck:

• Hard mulligan for econ: The weakness of the deck is inconsistent econ. You really need the Arbor or Redwyne Straits out by T1.
• 2x palace of sorrows: What really makes the deck do what it wants. The high initiative usually lets you choose whether you go first (for your Ramsay) or second (for your Ward or HFK). Good for when you are swarming chuds, and positive for burn or builders matches. It's a popular plot in a lot of other decks, so you can use their own copy of it against your opponent as well.
• Septons/Oldtown: the engine of the deck. lots of draw. econ for your events.
• Time of plenty: The no brainer open 99% of the time. No need to worry about naval or riddle on your open, the draw helps ensure you can find and play out the arbor or redwyne.
• Lay Waste: is a 2x right now, and I've found it very useful. A lot of attrition or stall decks rely on big backboards for long games. I use this to discard dupes ahead of a PD, or after a PD to take care of a key location they saved. It makes your PDs a lot more effective. And I can usually count of having gold in the dom phase thanks to the septons.
• PD: I think all Tyrell needs to be running it. Harrenhall and kingsroads don't stay on the board long, and my other 3 locations are unique, so it rarely hurts me. Can also be used to get a froso/seized off your oldtown.
• False banner: The septons are the only in house character I have, and they don't stay on the board for the whole challenges phase, which helps with Alysane and tempo with She-bear.

Swiss:

Rd 1 - W vs. Tybalt (Martell KotHH)

I was in control and this one went quickly. Lay waste on dorne and passive power with oldtown helped the rush.

Rd 2 - L vs. Philip Kelly (Targ Assault)

Probably the hardest punt I've ever punted. TFW you marshall HFK and you have to sac him due to Dragonpit #FML. With all my weenies it can be a tough matchup, but the deck can use palace of sorrows to avoid burn, and PD to attack backboard and econ... alas.

Rd 3 - W vs. Storm Humbert (Martell Qohor)

I actually played Stark Fealty against Storm because I feel like I've played this deck against him, and as a changeup for the rest of the field for this one. Unfortunately, Storm's deck really crapped out on him as he didn't see any attachments for a couple turns (except when he played out Secret Pact on Robb when I had Skagos out).

Rd 4 - L vs. Peter Shuck (Bara HRD Black Cells)

This was one of the best matches I've ever played of AGoT. I was able to lay waste to his iron throne before he got the table out, and once he did I was able to win or push dom most turns thanks to gold from the septon and PD hitting his econ. It was close with both of us up around 12-13 power for a couple turns with neither of us able to close. A turn I was trying to close, I had a septon out pushing for a power challenge, and peter had no gold for tricks. But he got out a red keep gaoler to block the power challenge. The gaoler had 2 power on it, and I was able to ward it next turn for a 4 power swing, but with the board that was out there and Peter playing flawlessly with the black cells I had to kill the gaoler in order to defend other challenges to prevent Peter from winning. In the end, Peter had the Starry Sept and black cells, and was able to control power challenges enough to win the game on like plot 9. An amazing game where we both played great. I had one misplay where I poked a power challenge on my VM turn instead of intrigue with a septon and let him jump something in to get a starry sept trigger on defense, but not sure it would have affected the outcome of this one.

Rd 5 - W vs. Cristian Ascencio (Stark Crossing)

Another close, fun match. Cristian was able to push up to 14 power before I flipped into palace of sorrows to HFK a character with a bunch of renown. This deck can definitely be a problem if the bear island scouts, she bear, and summer are doing their thing.

Rd 6 - W vs. Marcel Arias (Targ Conclave)

I don't remember much of this one, except I know I had both Arbor and Redwyne Straits out early, which can really let this deck roll and snowball. The Ward/Ramsay/IBWHID/HFK line can be really nasty. I won this one pretty easily.

Top 32 - W vs. Paul Geddes (Stark HRD White Harbor)

Paul went wide early. And I had the HFK/IBWHID/Ramsay T1 and got out 2 Bolton Flayers to really cut his board down. T2 last of the giants Lysa, power challenge, intimidate, remove his HRD location was GG.

Top 16 - L vs. Peter Shuck (Bara HRD Black Cells)

The rematch! Not ashamed to admit I made some changes for this matchup: put in expose duplicity for marched, and a froso for a HJ; it wasn't good enough! Again, another super fun game that really makes me love this game. I had Arbor and Redwyne straits out on T1, so I knew I had a strong setup. Peter started super fast and got out to a big lead (10-2ish around T3/T4). But some key plays helped me stay in it:

• LotG Varys into play for an UO intrigue then IBWHID back to hand to win dom and prevent a table trigger.
• Next round a pinch came down on Varys (black cells trigger) then pushed into a str 7 intrigue challenge. I triggered my septon to pay to bring bolton flayer out of shadows to stop the pinch. Varys'd away ghost of high heart and mel that round.
• Got septon/oldtown going. I had a dupe of oldtown in hand, and I triggered oldown off the septon in challenges, then guessed and hit again in standing. Flipped into PD and discarded my oldtown and replayed it to get a bonus power.
• PD'd a large backboard on Peter's side, he kept gates of the moon and starry sept (with 1 power). I was able to froso the sept on the PD turn.
• Snuck in a surprise IBWHID on Jaquen to tie dom (and prevent a painted table trigger).
• My only mistake was not immediately triggering oldtown before I lost a challenge on Peter's LSF turn. I took the card (which I knew was a septon), and then triggered, guessed, and whiffed. That would cost me because....

I clawed my way back and I thought I had control of the game, getting to a 14-10 lead after dom. Peter had no characters, not much econ, a small hand, but a card in shadows and the table/chair, so I felt good. I could have guessed on Oldtown to try for the win, but I opted to wait and try to win with septon before any challenges the next round (perhaps on tilt or snakebit from my previous misplay and oldtown whiff). It was a mistake. Peter drew into a 2nd sparrows, played both sparrows out to take two power, and get out enough power icons to prevent me from closing. With his sparrows (putting power on his froso'd sept), dom, table, he totally turned the tables and had it locked.

Anyways, I stacked my deck to try and beat Peter, and it didn't matter because he played perfectly!