Berserker

That's a deck that I have been playing lately with very good results. The trick with this is learning when to react with the box, and when to redirect something to one of the other bodies. Retribution can go in, but I never missed it. Also Recruitment Officer, but I went with HIDojo, due to the actions that check for force and the fact that I am obliged to run the new Hida Hebi.


Halls of the Forgotten
BK,BH

3 Hida Hebi
3 Hida Yamadera
3 Hida Mimori
3 Hiruma Nikaru
3 Hida Bushotsu
1 Hida Rikyu
1 Hida Kisada
1 Kaiu Iemasa
1 Hida Fubatsu
1 (Jin Kuen)

3 Shrine to Heavens
3 Heavy Infantry Dojo
3 Iron Mine
2 Peddler
1 Stolen Merchandise
3 Colonial Harbor

1 Ryoshun's Guidance
1 Hida's Guidance
1 Blessings of the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang
1 Benten's Guidance

3 Intimidation
3 Immovable Object
3 Sundering Strike
2 Spirit of the Berserker
2 Height of Courage
3 Gold and Steel
2 Brawl
2 Fortitude
2 Broken Alliance
2 Reckless Rush
3 Yojimbo's Duty
2 Duty of the Crab

2 Nakanu Technique
3 Ashigaru Recruits
1 Blade of Champions
2 Village Guardians
1 Ring of Water
1 Fires of War
1 Creating Order
1 A Game of Dice

Comments and ideas are appreciated.

This looks really interesting. I may try to put it together on Egg or with proxies to play around some.

I don't see alter history or rumors travel x3. I don't see how this can beat honor. IMHO unless you already have incredibly good game against honor, you should be running 3x rumors travel if nothing else. It still gives you a move-in action if you need it, and it will buy you 1-2 turns against the current strongest decks IMHO.

Of course, I have no idea how your local meta (or the overall meta for that matter) will be like, but it's food for thought.

there are 3 types of honor that I have tested against. Kitsu, Phoenix and Crane courtiers, pilote
d by very good players. I never had any trouble beating honor with this. If you try the list and still have issues then I guess that instead of Alter history and Rumors, you should add a third Height and a pack of Effortless,since most successful honor runners are based around cheap spells and/or Skipping the puddle stuff.

I can see what he has here. Lots o big force, the reckless rush is solid with big dudes, it's basically a poor man's version of serpents deception. I know others have said it but I kinda wish gift armor showed up in here... big dudes, with unkillable attachment protection makes them double the toughness. I know most crab are raving about their new "stronghold for the arc" card, but I think the berserker one is solid, it's a reusable "delay" negation, which imo is awesome.

Gift armor is going in and out. Latest test shows that it can take the place of Recruits, since the times I used it to protect 2 people is rare.

After the latest playtesting session. The list rocked.

Halls of the Forgotten
BK,BH

3 Hida Hebi
3 Hida Yamadera
3 Hida Mimori
3 Hiruma Nikaru
3 Hida Bushotsu
1 Hida Rikyu
1 Hida Kisada
1 Kaiu Iemasa
1 Hida Fubatsu
1 Yasuki Jin Kuen

3 Shrine to Heavens
3 Heavy Infantry Dojo
3 Iron Mine
2 Peddler
1 Stolen Merchandise
3 Colonial Harbor

1 Ryoshun's Guidance
1 Hida's Guidance
1 Blessings of the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang
1 Benten's Guidance

3 Intimidation
3 Immovable Object
3 Sundering Strike
2 Spirit of the Berserker
2 Height of Courage
3 Gold and Steel
2 Brawl
2 Fortitude
2 Broken Alliance
2 Reckless Rush
3 Yojimbo's Duty
2 Duty of the Crab

3 Nakanu Technique (+1)
3 Sasumata (-3 Ashigaru Recruits)
1 Blade of Champions
2 Village Guardians
1 Ring of Water
1 Fires of War
1 Creating Order
1 A Game of Dice

Ashigaru Recruits went out, because their value was not completely exploited by the list. Recruits is an amazing attachment for decks that are able to get two personalities on the second turn consistently. This isn't such a deck. Their slots were given to Gift Armor initially with good results, but then I followed a friend's advice to try Sasumata, which was cheaper (6 holdings can buy it alone), made any Berserker a PCF unit, and made Mimori and Hida Guidance nastier. I gave them a shot in 3 games and they were amazing. So they took the place of Gift Armors (and Recruits).

Also I added a 3rd Nakanu Technique, because it's that good. What I need to test now, is 3 Effortless Counterattacks when I find the slots. Probably it's time for Reckless Rush to bite the dust.

The deck is a fine example of solid simplicity. It can battle around any military and it can threaten provinces every turn. Intimidation is amazing and I have used it to do amazing battles (move defenders around, get a defender out of the way, start new battles, break their armies when they attack in multiple provinces). Of course, what needs practice and very good meta-feeling, is when to use the stronghold. If you master this part, then the deck is actually playing itself. Big force, 1 unit per province, negation box, and lots of redirect (poor Hebi) makes it very easy for your opponent to screw up on the action timing.

Just the fact that you will get to chance to play Nikaru's action regardless of what the opponent throws you in the first action, makes it scary. It's really a very easy going deck, fit for tournament play (strong but not too puzzling, allowing you to play fast games and put the pressure on your opponent) and it can steal some wins from games that it shouldn't win.

Although I prefer my Carpenter Castle, I have to admit that the Berserkers get the job done, in a much more easier, efficient and robust way.