We Do Not Bow (3 Core version) 1.0

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• 1.0

I runned this deck on the recent SC in Mexico City. I went 4-0 with it, which should have granted me the first place as it was the only undefeated deck, but due to some unfortunate events I got a loss for a second warnings kicking me out of the top 2 and the playmate (which in turn allowed for the judge that gave me the warnings to get into the top 2 in my place). I'm pretty happy about how the deck turned out and performed, so I want to publish it so everyone can help me improve it (No King's Pace and No Middle Ground were allowed as they haven't been released here yet).

This was the first tounrament were 3 Cores were allowed in my local meta, so in orther to switch from my 2 Core version to this 3 Core one, I met some friends for playtesting the day before. After that, I decided that my deck was not giving me good set ups and was too restricted by the plot's economy, often having the characters in hand but no gold to play them. So to ammend that I cut Euron Crow's Eye completelly, all the 3 cost characters and Confinement to increase the number of 5 cost dupes, the number of 1-2 cost characters (to make up for the lack of 3 costers and allow me to have cheap chuds) and the number of 0 cost locations and events (basically I put more 0 cost economy cards and added Superior Claim). I also changed the plots since I needed a strong opener and some second 5 gold plot. I put in Calm Over Westeros and Sneak Attack for the 5 gold, replacing Confiscation and A Clash of Kings. And since it had striked me that I was opening with Filthy Accusations too often because I wanted the 4 gold instead of the kneeling effect. Heads on Spikes seemed to achieve that same gold amount with the chance to discard something useful from the start (and also speed up my deck if lucky). It turned out to be the best desition ever.

This is a small report of how it went. We were 9 players so we ended up doing a 4 round Swiss tournament.

Round one: Stark Banner of the Rose First turn I opened with Heads on Spike and hit his Randyll Tarly, giving me a huge advantadge as he was the character I feared the most. Despite that, he was able to marshal The Knight of Flowers and Margaery Tyrell early on, so he was able to keep a strong board presence. I allowed him to control the initiative during the first 3 rounds (I knew he also had high initiative plots that could outpower my Rise of the Kraken) so I could play more defensivelly and build a board. It was a risky move on my part, because Lady Sansa's Rose was able to create some huge power swings. Once I was able to have Balon, Nym and Asha out, I used Rise of the Kraken to finish it. We ended up at 15-11

Round 2: Targaryen Banner of the Lion I also opened this game with Heads and hit a The Hand's Judgement, which was good as it was the card that could prevent my Risen from the Sea to avoid death by fire. I had a strong set up, with the Seastone Chair and Asha out early on, which allowed me to kill her Jamie and Khal back to back. Once I did that, the game was almost over. We ended up 15-4.

Round 3: Lannisters Banner of the Sun (the tournament's winner, and the match that I lost for warning accumulation) Opened with Heads which hit his Tyrion Lannister which I guess screwed his plans for the game. He had flipped A Game of Thrones thinking it would allow him to avoid challanges completelly, but I had The Reader in hand ready to marshal (I had set up a Roseroad for the fifth gold). He was able to win me the needed INT challange unopposed despise him having Cersei out and I got to draw Nym. He used Cersei next to which lucky for me didn't hit anything important (A Kraken's Grasp and Arianne). On second round I was able to play Nym and the Seastone Chair which allowed me to control the board from now on. I killed Cersei on that round, leaving him with a board of 2 costers. After that, it was easy for me to target his hand with uo INT challanges by the Reader and control the board state with the Seastone Chair. I have to mention that he was unlucky and didn't draw any high character to oppose me, while I was able to recruit Asha round 3. We ended up 15-3 in a Rise of the Kraken turn four.

Round 4: Greyoy Fealty This was porbably the easiest match up of the day since my opponent had a pretty bad luck with his draw. He countered my (failed) Heads with a Naval, which I had no answer too. I knew it was comming, but since I had set economy cards (Roseroad on set up and Sea Tower on marshalling) I was not so worried. For my surprise, he didn't recruit anyone but ships so the board was his Theon and a chud against my Theon and 2 chuds (was able to recruit a 2 cost character that turn). His MIL went uo and used a We Do Not Sow to destroy my Seastone Chair. I had a Risen in hand which I used to save Theon and it turned out that it was all I needed. From now on, he was not able to bypass him with his ships which allowed me to defend against his sneak attack turn. On turn 3 he runned out of characters to play while I was able to play an Arianne into Nym. That gave me enough board advantadge to finish him on 4th turn with another Rise of the Kraken. Final result was 15-0.