Top Phoenix SC Kotei

Hey guys, I was the top phoenix at the Columbia Kotei. Thought I would share my deck. This was my first Kotei and I would have been fine with just a
winning record but to score top of clan was more than I could have
asked for. The event was great, and it was awesome meeting a ton of new
l5r players.
I dropped out of the game right after Path as most
of my group stopped playing but we picked up after Empire was released
so I was pretty behind on a lot of cards like OAS, RSB, DF, Claw &
Shell, and what not. I also expected there to be a ton of Crane,
Scorpion, and Breeder. I decided to play my Enlightenment deck as it has
a great match up for those decks and I had all the cards for the deck
and most of all it was a deck I always had a blast playing!
I
thought I would be a special flower by playing enlightenment but it
turns out there were 5 or 6! I ended up going 4-3 and I know at least
one or two other phoenix players did and I mainly one by Strength of
schedule ( or time of matches, not sure).

The Deck

City of Tears
Border keep
Bamboo Harvester

Dynasty:40
Shiba's Guidance

Wisdom Gained
A Tranquil Mind
Festival of Founding
Imperial Ambassadorship

2x Mountainous region

Isawa Ochai
Asako Bairei
Isawa Mitsuko
Isawa Mizuhiko exp
Isawa Kumai exp
3x Isawa Mizuhiko
3x Isawa Kumai
3x Isawa Takashi
3x Isawa Yutako
3x Agasha Ueda

3x Silver mines
3x War Encampment
3x Wooden Barricade
1x Public Record
1x Traveling Peddler
1x Expendable Resources
1x Counting House

Fate:40
Ring of Void
Ring of Air
Ring of Water
Ring of Earth
Ring of Fire

3x Seeking the Path
3x One with the World
3x Flow of the Elements

3x Master the Body
3x Song of the World
3x Stare in to the Void
3x Changing Paths
3x Knowledge from Within

3x Cowed by Wisdom
3x Deception Revealed
3x Hamstrung
2x Subversive Influence

So
Like I said mainly the same. On Dynasty, I dropped a Mountainous Region
as I hated flipping 2 in some matches so wanted less, thought it never
really mattered in any of my games. The Imperial ambassador ship was
okay though I could see changing it for a lost soul but I preferred the
actual card draw (though I also didn't have a lost soul). A tranquil
mind is so-so, so could be changed. The personalities were all great. I
wouldn't have minded a Rich coffer or 2 instead of all 3 wooden
barricades. Fate wise it was all good. I'm not a big fan of stare into
the void. The only huge change was subversive influence as I did not
want to be blown out by crossing or census. Looking at running at least one or two walking the way also.

Onto the report. I was on like an hour of sleep so reports are not overtly detailed.

Round 1: Darryl playing Crab Bezerkers 0-1
So
my deck is not that great against big military and it figures I get one
round 1. My draw is not that great and He gets out a Yaheiko early and
some Oyo seidos which is important because he stops me from favor
cycling. He mainly blew me out with getting all 3 impossible forces,
killing guys with spells and eliminating guys during the open phase. I
got four of the rings except earth out which by the time I could was at
the last province and outnumbered. Darryl got top crab so I didn't feel
so bad about this later.

Round 2: Jeri playing Unicorn 1-1
Yay!
Driving 1 and half hours to play someone in my local play group. Jeri
was playing Unicorn that was like a semi breeder. I accelerated a couple
rings while she built up. I swung in too drop my few last rings. She
defended and I was able to play my rings and kill her army to drop earth
for the win.

Round 3: Jack playing Dragon Enlightenment 2-1
I
know sitting down that Jacks playing enlightenment and he knows I am.
This game was a blur of dropping rings and what not. I felt the only
mistake was naming Water when I meant name earth but I still got my
rings out mainly because Jack forgot to get void of a walking the way
and couldn't draw into it. This match is all about the luck.

Round 4: Jeremy (I think) playing Mantis Thunder bay 2-2
This
game was a perfect example of just not getting the cards. I had
everything to get the draw engine going but I get the ring I need for it
too late. Hes able to run over me. He ended up getting 3rd overall so
once again was not sad about this later in the day.

Round 5: Spookylectric playing Crane Embassy 2-1
I
was worried about playing against crane but new my deck had a great
match up. He had a bit of a slow start and kinda mixed between dropping
me low but my buying guys at full kept me at 6 or more and gaining
honor. I managed to build a large army (thank you double takashi)! I
swing in at his least province at his last province when he crosses 40.
Hes only got a card in hand and Noritoshi the only guy on the table with
a battle action. I try to get fire in for my last ring but for the
second time he thwarts me but I still get in their via military.

Round 6: Shaggy playing Breeder 4-2
This
guy is a well known guy who shows up for the kotei every year but thats
about it so was given a breeder deck to play. I was once again worried
but knew my deck could handle breeder. He gets the Udo and Inisi out
soon which is bad but Im able to get guys out and accelerate rings. I'm
down to a province after his last attacks and hes only got two udos and a
susumu unbowed. All I need is water, fire and earth. I decided to swing
in. I flow in Susumu. He brings in 3 undead and we go back in forth on
actions after Ive dropped water and fire leaving only earth. We have
epic actions but after a last minute use of ring of fire I'm able to
swing the battle in my favor. This game was super luck based as at the
last battle I drew lots of cards before and during and never saw fire so
said screw it and did the Master duel and luckily got fire in my
dueling pool. Was an intense game.

Round 7: Chris stevenson (sorry forgot the name) playing lion GHR 4-3
I
knew this match would be tough but I knew my deck could pull through.
This match is a perfect example of making mistakes. I made a few large
mistakes that came back to haunt me and I attribute to my loss ( not to
say he didnt play great, as he did). He gets a kasei and the experienced
akodo from POTD who straightens and I have a kumai, takashi and his
yojimbos. He swings and I defend. I make him burn through some cards and
I do the same as I know I can draw quicker than him. He wipes my army
but I save the province. I recover quickly and get a draw engine going
and had fire out due to that last battle. My mistake is when I try to
get tricking pulling people with flow of the elements on a mizuhiko
basic and a barei and end up losing more guys. I should have just let
earth drop and then I could have dropped water later but was trying to
to do it early. Im able to drop void with two provinces left but am left
with only 3 cards in hand (one of which was earth) and need earth. He
swings at both provinces and I cant defend to get earth out. I made
major mistakes in not snagging a province unopposed and for saving my
actions for battle and dropping void during the battle for win along
with water.

So I ended 4-3 and think I could have been 5-2. I
seriously doubt I would have made cut at 5-2 do to strength of schedule. I had a great time and like I said was
extremely happy to make top of clan at my first kotei!

If you guys have any questions or comments let me know. Thanks!

Congrats on your first kotei going well. How did Hamstrung and Deceptions Revealed work for you? Seeking the Path? If Fire was a big concern for you I would advise importing Mirumoto Haru and replacing the above cards with more battle strategies. Also swapping out the second region to put you at 14 holdings would help out even if the holding is famous bazaar. Just some ideas to think about.

Deception revealed and hamstrung are both useful and important parts of enlightenment deck for their reactions to anything/ring use. They help get other rings in play with their pure functionality. Earth will always be hard as you literally have to take a province or win a battle. Because of this most major military decks will hold back against you and build up. Ambush can also work here as well to get either earth or fire into play, focus value sucks though :/ forcing the opponent to have the cards needed to deal with it, or just lose outright.

Other than that, congratz on a great showing. Similar to my unicorn variant, I just don't have knowledge within to help in getting to the cards I need :/

If its limited card pool then it makes sense otherwise I'd look at cards like superior mobility (comboe'd with Cowed by Wisdom) and Unstoppable power for force reduction and taking an additional action.

Kakita Hideo wrote:If its limited card pool then it makes sense otherwise I'd look at cards like superior mobility (comboe'd with Cowed by Wisdom) and Unstoppable power for force reduction and taking an additional action.

Superior has poor focus values, unstoppable as well. Wouldn't use either of them because of that.

Moto Damasko wrote:

Kakita Hideo wrote:If its limited card pool then it makes sense otherwise I'd look at cards like superior mobility (comboe'd with Cowed by Wisdom) and Unstoppable power for force reduction and taking an additional action.

Superior has poor focus values, unstoppable as well. Wouldn't use either of them because of that.

Shouldn't be an issue if Haru is subbed in

Kakita Hideo wrote:If its limited card pool then it makes sense otherwise I'd look at cards like superior mobility (comboe'd with Cowed by Wisdom) and Unstoppable power for force reduction and taking an additional action.

Your not looking to win traditional battles. You usually drop earth via a cav sleaze or you have your 8 dudes pull him via flow of the elements and duel him for fire there for bowing him. Its a crazy deck, that enlightens very differently then other enlightenment decks. If you get a chance Id recommend throwing it together and giving it a whirl.

TheRonin wrote:

Kakita Hideo wrote:If its limited card pool then it makes sense otherwise I'd look at cards like superior mobility (comboe'd with Cowed by Wisdom) and Unstoppable power for force reduction and taking an additional action.

Your not looking to win traditional battles. You usually drop earth via a cav sleaze or you have your 8 dudes pull him via flow of the elements and duel him for fire there for bowing him. Its a crazy deck, that enlightens very differently then other enlightenment decks. If you get a chance Id recommend throwing it together and giving it a whirl.

Nice, yeah I used the flow of the elements as well, I might also be interested in using balance in water as I dislike flow for it's 1 gold cost (If it was free it would have been perfect).

Well the big advantages flow has in my deck is that 1. Its a 4 focus value (like the rest of the deck) 2. It gives you more force as you complete your victory condition 3. Im playing COT so I can attach it via my strong hold so it doesnt get blown up and it counts as 2 battle actions for water.

Though I can see why it wouldnt be so great out of Unicorn enlightment

TheRonin wrote:Im playing COT so I can attach it via my strong hold so it doesnt get blown up and it counts as 2 battle actions for water.

Does CoT count as a battle action from CoT? The SH reads as a passive trait, so wouldn't the battle attach be the normal rulebook attachment (modified by the passive SH trait to be usable in Battle, of course) and thus not a battle action from a card with a different title than 3 others for Ring of Water's text?

I assume it does as it reads that you may attach as a battle action. Ive been known to be wrong though.

I just looked it up- it's the rulebook effect, after all, so it won't count for RoW.
http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=73791&p=966463&hilit=city+of+tears+ring+of+water#p966463