The Outcast Dead (Decklist & Chill NW/KoW choke deck) 1.0

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The Decklist & Chill /Kings of Winter choke deck.

DISCLAIMER: Let me start by saying that, having played with this a lot, I've come to the conclusion that this doesn't quite have all the pieces it needs to be top tier/truly competitive yet. Still top of the list of problems is NW's lack of strong POW icon characters, and being able to win quickly. Basically - it's missing some yet to be released pieces. Valar Morghulis will be going into this deck as soon as it drops, and Thoren Smallwood will help as well. There is also an interesting looking alternate build with Wildlings that will soon be viable, but we need Lions of Casterly Rock to drop first.

Having said the above, this deck is very fun to play. My preferred tactic is encouraging them to over extend their board, then hitting them with Varys and winning through choking them out/building back up faster.

Plots:

You will ideally be opening with Wraiths in Their Midst to hit the reserve on their first plot. Great if you can bait out their Marched to the Wall. Building Orders is another potential opener, especially if you don't have the White Tree. Also handy for fetching Craven and Milk of the Poppy. Try not to play Winter Festival until plot 2 or 3, as people like to open with Summer plots. The Long Winter and Famine go some of the way to speeding the game up (though Famine will get subbed for Valar Morghulis when it comes). Snowed Under is the plot you want when you're ready to play Varys. It has good gold and it's effect means that you stand a good chance of being able to grab the initiative to make sure you go second.

Key Players:

White Tree & A Meager Contribution - Your gold choke cards. The White Tree is the linchpin of the deck. Along with Varys, it is the card that will win you the game. Mulligan aggressively for it, and if not then use Building Orders to find it. On those rare games you don't see it till late, you better hope you're drawing up into Meagre. Get it on your board ASAP and beware of .

Varys - All day every day. You want them to build up faster then you. You want them to empty their hand. This is basically the card that wins you the game. Use him often, and don't let him get killed/milked or you're fucked. Going 2nd makes it much harder for your opponent to stop him, so try play him on those turns.

Craven - It stops the nasty big guys and makes them useless defenders that can be stealthed by Ghost.

Milk of the Poppy - for when Craven isn't optimal, i.e. Tyrion/Nymeria/Tywin.

Ghost - this guy and Craven were a match made in heaven. The reaction basically opens up UO challenges.

Benjen Stark - The best character NW currently has. Makes you stealth immune, can be claimed for power and not die, and has that all important power icon that NW so decidedly lack.

Northern Rookery, The Iron Throne & Samwell Tarly - In an ideal world you'd have one of these on the board by turn 1, especially if you're opening wraiths, as your agenda chokes your own reserve as well. Sam is weak to Grey Wind, so make sure Maester Aemon's about in matchups.

Halder - Don't be deceived, this guy is pure fire. Note how his Action does not have a limit? You can boost STR by as many locations/attachments as you have, and that includes Craven. Str boosts of 3-4 a turn are not uncommon. The best target for practice blade as well.

The Hand's Judgment - Basically, you need this. It stops all the cards that ruin your day - specifically Nightmares and Treachery, which Benjen absolutely hates. I stopped running THJ in my decks for quite a while, but in a choke/denial deck it is absolutely invaluable and worth taking every single time.

That's it for now. As new Chapter Packs come out I'll be checking back to this deck and updating it, as I feel that one day it could become very strong indeed.