Crab beserkers - ATL kotei deck

Yo its darrell here and this is my first post so I figured I would put up my ATL kotei deck. I noticed there wasn't a list for zerkers on the forums yet so...here it is.

Stronghold - SPC

Family Keep x3
Iron mine x3
Oyo Seido x3
Traveling Peddler x2
Expendable Resources
Tsi Mokotsu x3

Hida's Guidance

Alter History
Crossing the forbidden sea
Celestial Disfavor

Ancestral Temple

Hida Kuon
Hida Benjiro
Hida Yaheiko
Hiruma Aki exp
Tamago
Hida Shikoujin x3
Hida Yiu x2
Hida Akeno x3
Hida Ikarukani x3
Hida Kagura x2
Hida Shimonai x2

Burn the village x2
Scouting Far afield x2
The Height of Courage x2
Super Mobility x3
Only actions speak x3
Heedless Assault x2
Fall Back x2
Impossible Force x3
Route x2
The Thriving Light
Inexorable Defeat x2
Justly earned victory x3
Immovable Object x2
Outer walls x3
Ruthless Advance x2

Heavenly Tetsubo of the crab
Awakened Blade
Armor of the Ryu
Talisman of Meido

Ring of water
Ring of Void

This list reflects the changes I have made to the deck since the kotei. I took out Fearless Defence and kami unleashed for Super mob. and unmovoable object. I have found that the prior cards although being good cards, hurt the deck overall beacause I had to bow myself more than I wanted to. The new cards have 2 abilities and honestly I think the versiatility makes the deck even more resiliant. I also took out final duty now that I tend not to be out forced. With the increase of the use of outer walls and the cost of pride, I found it quite frustrating to bow my guy, atempt to range a guy then have it nullified, talk about tempo loss..

This build varies from the main zerkers you see on the internetz because, although I like control, which the other variant is, I like big sweaty dudes that just smash. All kidding aside I feel the "control" cards don't do a good enough job for me. Paid off, Bayushi Tsubaki, and Stuble Sting just do not do it for me. Better players than myself have done well with the control variant, but this is what works for me.

I know you had resounding success with this at Atlanta dude, so I don't doubt its validity. That being said, in the last few months Dishonor has surged in both power level and Kotei attendance. The reason I shied away from the berserker build while brainstorming a crab deck for NM was because of berserkers lack of seppuku + low personal honor.

Any thoughts on how to counter that? Or do you try to beat them over the head before they get set up?

-edit- Also, I cannot WAIT to use your personality (Hida Fujita) in my commander deck at gencon.

fixed?

The key to beating dishonor, is set up. In both matches so far against crane dishonor and scorpion the trick is to know when to attack. Ill talk about the scorpion match first.

In the scorpion match the key is to get set up first with gold and dudes then go all in. Literally for the first 3 maybe 4 turns i buy as much gold as possible. The reason for this is once the clock starts you need to buy all 4 proviences every dynasty phase. Against the scorpion deck there are only 2 or 3 personalities that make you lose honor in the limited phase so you want to save your impossible forces for them. The clock starts when you attack. Assume they have a bomb in their hand and exspect to lose a fair amount of honor. Watch out for ambush also, some people still play it. Fish for oyo saido, it isnt the greatest card to have, but the extra honor always helps. When it comes to seppeku, akeno seems to be one of the first targets if kuon or benjiro isnt on the board. luckily all those named can seppeku, do not be afraid to throw them under the bus. This match is by no means easy but it is winable.

The crane match up gives a bit more breathing room to play. The rule about set up applies here as well, the key here though is you NEED to win the first battle. If you kill their army, and take the provience, the game is practically yours. After the initial setup, start sending everyone to the same provience. The Key here is you NEED to bleed thier hand dry of cards. The deck runs a lot of open abilities and there are several actions such as shadow court that make you lose honor, just plow through them and make them waste their hand. As long as you send enough guys to the provience and constantly threaten it, you will make them use cards. The crane deck has liitle card draw, and if they dont see it, the game is over. Save Impossible force for the chick that makes you both lose honor each turn and for the chick that uses the favor without pressence. The guy that allows you to discard the favor and make a person gain or lose 2 honor is a good target as well.

In my opinion, besekers have 2 things going for them that help against these decks. They have no personal honor and no honor requirements. Cards like taxing the scum, which both decks play, buy them time and besides the honor lose, are completly useless. Having no personal honor means you dont lose honor when guys die, to me, I would rather buy a guy on the cheap always and never lose honor when he dies, rather then having to juggle buying guys for full and then most likly lose that honor when they die. Dishonor decks need to have that form of control, denying them that goes a long way.

pop quiz hot shot, when kuon has a tetsubo but also docked himself 3 force can one play cost of pride on him?

this guy thinks so apparently (points to self)

Kuon is training wheels for your deck.

So much win xD, I just see Darrell riding down the sidewalk, the sidewalk is made up of other clan's provinces, with two kuon's holding wheels on either side of his bike.

Only 2 kuons? son I roll with 20 kuons. That the only personality I need.