[dragon] Personal Gen Con Report - Enlightenment Works!

[Eric Jacobson]

Nope.  No news about official everything, just thought I'd give some
impressions and report on my experience at my first ever Gen Con.

Really had fun demo-ing a few things, and will do more of this next year.
Added some crucial cards to my playset.  Got a few cards signed (Kagetora
xp, Wayan xp2, and the Ancestral Sword! (which I added a 2nd copy of to my
collection).  My friends and I had a blast! And I learned to play Warlord
(Nothrog, so I can be EVIL for once!).

The tournaments were of course, very cool.  Considering the # of people
present and the # of events being run simultaneously, I've got mad props for
the TO's.  Could have been more organized, but I'm not going to criticize
knowing that it would have been had it been the only event they were
running.  Really enjoyed meeting people at the con, too.  Look forward to
such future events.

On Thursday's 2nd qualifier, I played Tattooed Military out of Iron Mountain
w/ Sezaru.  I had some success, going 3-4, but wasn't satisfied with the hit
and miss nature.  With the larger people, it tended to screw me either on
gold or enough early people.  If I made it to mid or late game, though, it
seriously rocked.  Had a tough time with synergy.  My friend, Marcus, the
Crab Clan Monk, enlightened on me in about the 5th round or so due to a slow
start for me and the inability to put any real force on the table.

On Friday's 2nd qualifier, I played Dragon Enlightenment out of Shiro
Mirumoto w/ Sezaru.  I was pretty well satisfied with my deck.  I think we
will be able to do some cool things with enlightenment over the next year.
However, in discussions with the Crab Clan Monk and Jeff Alexander, it was
pretty well our impression that enlightenment will remain a strong challenge
and certainly not a "top-tier" deck style/victory condition.  This deck was
built in the morning and never playtested.

That said, my first round I faced an at-least tainted Scorpion Military
Deck.  He hosed my Ring of Fire twice.  First time, on an Art where I had
double-chi, he Poison Weaponed to have us tie.  Then I completely forgot
about the martyr.  Grrrr.  He won the game after a final battle at my
campsite where I had to draw to get the Test of Might I needed and wound up
w/ 3 kihos I was unable to play to get Ring of Void out of my hand.  4 rings
in play...not yet enlightened enough.

The second round I faced a Dragon dueller.  I never stood a chance.  I did
get Air and Fire in play, I believe, but a bad start coupled with his PK and
he was at 40 in a snap.  I wished him luck and began to question my sanity.
Again.  : (

The third round I faced a Shadowlands player (I think??).  I can't remember
details here.  I got 4 rings into play and just missed getting Fire with
Test of Might in my hand with no Chasing to get someone with low chi big
enough to win.  4 Rings.  Close but not glowing cigar.  : (

The fourth round I faced a Secret Clubhouse of the Woolly Maggot.  (0 PS 0
GP 0 FH  Your provinces hold 2 cards.  You start with 1 province.) Don't
ask.  Instead of crushing him quickly by buying a first turn Takeji, I
figure this is my first chance to enlighten.  After hosing Fire by having no
3 chi people he can buy in at neg honor, he hoses my rings with New Years
Festival (3 rings).  I honor run like a mad-monk and win.  : (

The fifth round I faced a Unicorn player out of Utaku Palaces.  Actually, my
opponent didn't show, so I played this guy whose opponent also didn't show.
We both have decent starts.  I figure out he's primarily an honor runner
when he buys out ranged attack people and followers and sits there.  I'm
bringing out people really quickly and get the ring of Fire in play very
early (3rd or 4th turn).  I put Torrential Rain in play.  He decided to
attack.  I assign all of my units at the Campsite.  He assigns 7 force at 2
different provinces.  One of the armies has Horsebowmen on both units.  He
resolves this battle first.  I Superior Tactics Chieko with Torrential in.
He shoots her with Horsebowmen.  I Flee the Darkness with Takeji.  Then I
Torrential and slap down Earth.  With no force boosters in hand (bad pull?)
he misses getting the next province due to the benefit.  With his army now
bowed out.  I slap down the Drum of Water and attack.  He defends.  I
Sneak-Deadly and play Water.  At this point, I'm at 39 honor and
intentionally stop honor-running.  Next turn I walk for a Walk, then Walk
for the Ring of Air.  I have Void, Air, and Purity of Spirit in my hand.  I
attack with everyone I can, including 2 Shaitungs.  He defends? and plays
Entrapping.  Shaitung plays Purity (does it even matter who?) and I play Air
and Void.  ENLIGHTENMENT!

The sixth round I faced a Phoenix player out of Asako Towers.  He goes first
and gets Imperial Gift and all money first.  Then shugenja and more money.
Then Tsukune and more shugenja.  Then the Sword (IG) and Shiba House Guard.
Game, set, match.  I didn't even get a ring into play as I didn't see Earth
or Walking or Aid.  : (

The seventh round I faced a Crane player out of Kosaten Shiro - Untainted.
I dropped Fire early with Art and Double Chi.  This helped me to run ahead
of him and use the favor to draw cards.  A bad early start, combined with my
production of many peeps discourages him attacking.  I ambush, sneaky-deadly
one of his 2 force peeps with a 3 force peep with the Drum of Water to play
water.  On the next turn I Walk for a Walk, then Walk for an Aid, then Aid
(and play Air from my hand) for the Ring of Earth.  With Void in my hand and
sitting at 39 honor, I feel pretty secure.  He attacks.  I Test of might a
guy with Satsu, who has the Sword. He duels down one of my guys.  I slap
down Deadly.  With all his units there, I think the 3 Giunikos and Satsu
with the Sword are enough, let alone all the other cards I have.  I play
Earth.  I play Void.  ENLIGHTENMENT!

All in all, I had much more fun this time with no better results.  And with
the cards in Broken Blades I know I can make an Enlightenment deck that
consistently wins against other tournament caliber decks.  It needs more
personality control though to be effective.

Here it is, suggestions are of course welcome:

Dragon Enlightenment v 1.0

Shiro Mirumoto  -  Sezaru  (w/ Yokuni xp2 on the backside)

Trading Grounds x3
Gold Mine x3
Jade Works x3
Hiruma Dojo x3
Sanctified Temples x3  (high HR on some peeps)
Shinmaki Monastery x3
Ki-Rin's Shrine (coming out)

T. Chieko x3
T. Chosai x3
H. Takeji x3
Giuniko x3
H. Tadao x2
T. Shaitung x3
H. Esai xp
T. Satsu
H. Wayan xp2
T. Hoshi xp2

Campsite x2
Alliance (for monk)
Welcome Home (honor denial and favor control)
Imperial Gift (above and to get crutches)

Fate:  42
Rings: Air, Earth, Fire, Void, and Water  (Duh.)
Aid of the Grand Master x3
Walking the Way x3
Kokoro x2
Enlightenment

I. Art x2
Double Chi x2
Test of Might x2
Chasing Osano-Wo x2

Torrential Rain x2
Armor of Osano-Wo x2

Drum of Water
Ambush x2
Sneak Attack
Deadly Ground x3
Superior Tactics x3

Celestial Sword of the Dragon
The Thunder's Clap
Purity of Spirit x2
Flee the Darkness x2

As I said before there are more possibilities with Broken Blades.  Those not
withstanding, I may rework the gold scheme for more speed, and take out the
Flees (gasp!).  Shrug.

Hitomi Jaek
Dragon Clan Laughseeker * Shugenja * Monk * Tattooed

"Enlightenment comes not to the faint hearted.
    Nor at all if you believe some bushi."