Just another GJ Xing (Stahleck 2023 5-3) 1.0

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• 1.0

Hi everyone, I've decided to publish this decklist even though I've missed the cut and probably it isn't T1 deck (and I'm not T1 player aswell :D), but I think that even nowadays it is good enough to have fun and put up a good fight against many opponents. Also - GJ Crossing is quite easy to pilot, so I think it's good deck for beginners to try.

The most important and probably unpopular choices during deckbuilding were:

• Pyke (BtB) as my restrict instead of Victarion Greyjoy (R) - actually, I've built the deck before the last restricted list update and played it with both cards. Even though Pyke is quite expensive and Crossing most often wants to run for power as soon as possible, I've felt that this deck is in fact hidden Fealty and needs some tricks for longer games, when I'm not able to outrush my opponent in 2-3 plots. (Small amount of) testing proved that Pyke most often gave me a lot of options and I didn't have a huge problem with marshalling it, so I've decided that I'll leave it and exchange big Vic for the smaller Victarion Greyjoy (LoCR) (who is ofc amazing card as well).
• Alannys Greyjoy (CoS) over Drowned God Fanatic (R) - while obviously Vince is a great card, he is more treated as an event and I really needed valid 4-5 cost characters for the curve. Also reliable draw and good synergy with At the Gates and Pyke (BtB) are good for the longer games and make this deck less straightforward.
• missing Asha Greyjoy (Km) was quite an easy choice since she is both "regular" restrict and also podded with Alannys and Vince. I've tried 1 copy of Asha Greyjoy (Core), but needed icons more.
• Euron Crow's Eye (Core) over Euron Crow's Eye (R) - I didn't find place for enough number of Raiders to justify smaller Euron and I've always thought that big one is actually one of top3 (if not the best) 7cost in the game.

I think the rest is self-explanatory. Several more maesters gave me precious intrigue icon and also made Outwit more reliable.

Tournament report:

R1 - Tomik ( Aloof) win

I've had The Seastone Chair from the very beginning and was able to kill his big guys, so he had to marshall his bombs to defend - and while he didn't draw any dupes, Valar Morghulis hit him very hard. Quite lucky game for me, even though I haven't found any economy in starting hand (before and after mulligan).

R2 - Andy ( Kraken) loss

I had quite the opposite start from previous game - draw 6 limiteds before 2nd turn and my opponent didn't have any... but he had duped Drogon (R) and Daenerys Targaryen (TFM) since the very beginning and also was able to trigger "The Bloody Cup" on my Euron Crow's Eye (Core) t1. Not much to do here afterwards and as I've predicted correctly, burn was very bad for me. I wasn't able to keep anyone on the table for long, everyone was dying very soon.

R3 - Vojta ( Alliance Dragon Free Companies) win

Interesting shadow deck with a lot of tricks, but my Pyke (BtB) saved me the game. I've had it in setup with Theon Greyjoy (TFoA) and Sea Tower against The Iron Bank (R), Second Sons and 2 cards in shadow. Vojta tried very aggresive approach with The First Snow of Winter T1, but I was able to remove his The Iron Bank (R) thanks to Pyke, marshall Euron Crow's Eye (Core) and bring Eager Deckhand during challenges. Vojta weren't able to marshall anything, so I've already gained upper hand and t2 he was forced to Valar Morghulis. Risen from the Sea saved Euron and even though he was later killed by Poisoned Coin, the tempo hit for Vojta by playing 2 resets early and also me stealing his Iron Bank was enough to secure the win for me.

R4 - SerCarter ( Prince Tarle) win

Very interesting game since we both had good start: I had Theon Greyjoy (TFoA) to bypass his buffed Drowned God characters, but he had his Prince on table t1 and quickly started to generate power on Tarle the Thrice-Drowned (TFM). I didn't expect A Pinch of Powder on my Victarion Greyjoy (LoCR) t2, but managed to marshall him again t3 and go first with A Clash of Kings. First challenge - unopposed military with Theon Greyjoy (TFoA), second challenge - unimportant intrigue with Advisor to the Crown and in 3rd challenge I went all-in with Balon Greyjoy (Core) and other characters for 27 STR. Tarle had already 2 Driftwood Cudgels and several characters in dead pile, so I wasn't able to bypass him with Balon, but after long calculations he missed 2 STR (one Iron Islands Fishmonger gave me this!) to defend and I've landed precisely on 15 power. If I would've still missed at least 1 power, he would surely finish me in retaliation. Funny enough, to survive this he was seriously considering killing his Tarle with two dupes and ~7 power just to redistribute these Cudgels and have more Balon-proof characters ;) Very close game, very nice opponent. What was also interesting, that I've been forced to play Nothing Burns Like The Cold t2 to remove his Iron Fleet Scout because he could have punped my Theon and I wouldn't get unopposed bonus.

R5 - Emils ( Lion) win

Third Tyrell, but very different from previous ones - this time I've met knights with some small Shadow addition. This game proved that in close matchups a little bit of control is crucial - I've actually NEVER triggered Crossing in this game... in 8 plots (!). I had to Valar early since he would generate tons of power due to his Ser Jaime Lannister (LoCR) and then lacked icons - only Maester Murenmure, who had constantly cancelled his Oldtown Undercity. On the other hand, Emils lacked icon a little bit and also was forced to play from topdeck, so it was very tense. I've managed to survive A Tourney for the King playing A Clash of Kings, making him the first player and opposing both military and intrigue challenges (he couldn't have pushed the power). T7 he had to played Valar Dohaeris against my Outwit and since he chose himself to be the first player and it hit him a little bit more than me, I didn't cancel it. T8 we both lacked 2-3 points to win, so again I've replayed A Clash of Kings into A Tourney for the King, but this time I went first and was able to make a huge power challenge even though he blocked my potentially unopposed Theon military with Ser Boros Blount. Once again - very tense, close game against great opponent (also, he have made it into the cut in the end).

R6 - Lukas ( Aloof) win

We both didn't find any economy in our starting hands, but at least I've played At the Gates and draw some more economy later with Bran the Builder. On the other hand, Lukas struggled with money and even though t3 he finally marshalled Great Hall (R), I've quickly destroyed it with We Do Not Sow. He still had a lot of big guys on the table - Qhorin Halfhand, Jon Snow (WotW), Samwell Tarly (BtB) - but less power icons than needed. He correctly predicted my Valar Morghulis and played Outwit, but with Samwell knelt I've still made some unopposed challenges to get more power. Between Pyke (BtB) removing his Steward at the Wall and having to kill Old Forest Hunters as claimsoaks, Lukas was really unable to survive my attacks. I've felt a little bad since it was really unlucky draw for him - so while the game wasn't very one-sided, it wasn't that close as well.

R7 - Werner ( Conclave) loss

Ok, so at this point I've made 5-1 and needed only 1 win to get into the cut... and was paired with 6-0 Werner deck, which made 6-0 by this time and in the end made 2nd place on the whole tournament. Very hard matchup for me since my small characters were vulnerable to mass burn by his Drogon (DotE) played in setup. On the other hand I had The Seastone Chair and he really was worried about that, but he marshalled Archmaester Marwyn t1 and gained access to Healing Expertise under the Conclave. In return he attacked with Drogon, played The Field of Fire, Put to the Sword on my duped Balon Greyjoy (Core) and absolutely destroyed my board. T2 Valar was countered by Maester Kerwin coming from Here to Serve and even though Marwyn died, Drogon - accompanied by Rhaegal (DotE) soon - destroyed me pretty fast. Very interesting deck (and of course perfectly played by Werner), that you may check here.

R8 - TeoOo ( Xing) loss

Quick Xing vs Xing game for the cut where I would have maybe my chances if he didn't start with Cersei Lannister (LoCR) - but he did and duped her t1 alongside with Ser Gregor Clegane (TKP), whom I was unable to bypass since I didn't marshall either Theon Greyjoy (TFoA) or any stealth. I've tried to go first and intimitade Cersei with Victarion Greyjoy (LoCR), but he got Nightmares. Also, when TeoOo had only 1 card in hand, it happened to be Treachery that cancelled my Maiden's Bane. I've Outwitted first Heads on Spikes and discarded/played most of my characters to avoid second Heads as much as possible and indeed it missed, but still his deck was faster. In the end he made it to the top4 and lost against the champion -Lennart, so I'm not that sad that I have lost against just a better player.