Deck Name: Taka's Tricks
Format: 40/40 Extended Jade
Date of Construction: Jan. 1999

Stronghold: The Great Wall of Kaiu

Dynasty (43) 3 Iron Mine 3 Jade Works 2 Merchant Caravans 3 Sanctified Temple 3 Hawks & Falcons 3 Fantastic Gardens 1 Master Painter 3 Unscalable Walls 3 Garrison 1 Bronze Gong of the Hantei 3 Crossroads 3 Kuni Utagu 3 Yasuki Taka The Hidden Emporer Emporer's Peace Wisdom Gained Imperial Ambassadorship Architects of the Wall Peasant Revolt Occult Murders Festival of the River of Stars Proposal of Peace

Fate (40) Ring of Earth Ring of the Void 1 Ancestral Sword of the Crab 1 Ancestral Sword of the Crane 3 Touch of Death 3 An Exhibition 1 His Most Favored 3 Unrequited Love 3 Breach of Etiquette 3 Evil Portents 3 Test of Honor 3 Entrapping Terrain 3 Flooded Pass 1 Encircled Terrain 2 Flattery 3 Refugees 3 Block Supply Lines 2 Avoid Fate

Strategy:

This is the deck that I used to win the Storming of Morikage tournament at the Knight's Quest in Gardner, MA. The deck went undefeated, scoring honor victories against a number of decks including 3 games against Crane and 4 against Unicorn.

The deck defends tenaciously, as is reflected in the choice of events and the fate deck. Not to be underestimated are the fortifications; Unscalable Walls propelled my province strength over the attacker's ability to destroy several times, and Garrison is absolutely invaluable - the best card in the deck. Bronze Gong helped out many times, nullifying substantial portions of the opponent's force or simply providing a target to divert their military forces.

Needless to say, with so much military defense, the deck would seem to have a "blind spot" in opposing honor decks. Not so. Breach of Etiquette not only stalls Uniporn, Crane, and Lion early on, it also helps get a runaway Honor-whore under control. Unrequited Love helps for this task, as well as bowing potential attackers. Two clan swords, one of which is from the deck's major honor running opponent, help generate significant honor swings along with His Most Favored. Just grab the Imperial favor so you can prevent the loss if the Emporer's Most Favored Crab dies accidently.

The victory of the deck is generated through its honor producing holdings. 3 which produce 1 honor, 6 which produce 2, and one which produces 3. Combine these with Yasuki Taka and an Exhibition and you start gaining upwards of 10-12 honor a turn. Just stay defensive and you'll honor out in no time.

Avoid Fate is for Kisada's Funeral, primarily; Wisdom Gained will net you a ring to further help get around that most threatening of events. The deck appears to play on automatic, but it really does take some skill and cunning...and it's the best shot Crab has in Extended Jade at the moment (January 1999), having been utterly deprived of military back-up in the Hidden Emporer expansion. Well, good luck!

This page created and maintained by Hida John.
War Fortress graphic by Robert Barr, aka DarkIsawa.

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