Post by Kakita Kikuchiyo on Feb 11, 2013 2:53:57 GMT -5
I noticed that another member inquired about a Crane Scout deck for Bushi format and here’s my take. Scouts aren’t what I usually reach for in standard play, but in Bushi they’re a whole lot of fun.This deck is pretty standard as far as mid-game military scouts are concerned. It should be pointed out that this deck can blitz, but is not a dedicated blitz deck. I’ll get into the deck and touch on some of my choices afterwards.
Hidden Falls Dojo
Border Keep
Bamboo Harvesters
Dynasty: 40
Doji’s Guidance (xp) x1 (Whatever could this be doing in a military deck?! More on that later)
Times of Strife x1
Formal Apology x1
Low Market x2
Daidoji Ebizo x3
Daidoji Tametaka x3
Daidoji Masafuni x3
Daidoji Narizane x3
Shikaro x3
Qalyar x3
Keppo x3
The Daidoji Marketplace x1
Sheltered Port x3
Marketplace x3
Second City Port x3
Archery Range x2
Akodo’s Grave x2 (Could be Incense Mill depending on your local environment)
Fate: 40
The Courtesy of the Crane x3
Disrupting Communication x3
Advance Warning x3
Back to the Front x3
Incapacitated x3
Reckless Rush x3
Burn the Towers x3
Torch’s Flame Flickers x3
Sniping x2
Interference x2
Sankaku-Yari x3
Tsuruchi Daikyu x3
Village Raiders x3
Ring of Fire x1
Ring of Water x1
Ring of the Void x1 (This could be Ring of Earth, I bounce between the two)
Dynasty-wise you may wonder why I included Doji’s Guidance. It is there to recycle The Courtesy of the Crane and Interference and that’s all. Formal Apology is there because with Keppo and Village Raiders you notice the honor loss start eating away at your family honor. For some strange reason Crane scouts have higher honor requirements than most Lion scouts with a lower starting honor…weird. Oh, and it also serves as Dishonor meta just in case you run into that quirky Bushi dishonor deck that catches you by surprise (Lookin’ at you Okami). I went for the Market/Port scheme, because why not? Greed is good, and this deck needs money.
Fate-wise things are fairly standard. Big attachments are the name of the game. The deck eats through your hand which is why Courtesy of the Crane and Ring of the Void are in there. You might raise an eyebrow to Incapacitated being included, but I have to say I am never disappointed when I see it. Crane Scouts don’t like to be opposed (Looking at the synergy of their printed actions you’ll notice more of a toolbox rather than a semblance of coherence), it’s unperformed, and it can be used to bail your own guys out when on the defensive. In many ways it’s like Sundering Strike’s red-headed little brother of questionable parentage. I chose Torch’s Flame Flickers over Surrounded! for two reasons; firstly because scouts like to bow themselves for actions and secondly because I don’t have the crutch of all the straighten tech like Serenity in Air, etc. It also does wonders against Hidden Defenses (if you’re blitzing, but that will end shortly in TA) and Dragon’s Breath Castle (which can be hell to play against sometimes). Interference is there for some of the rougher match-ups, which I will get into next.
Military match-ups are fairly good so long as you go first. Dishonor can be good so long as you don’t go willy-nilly with Keppo and Village Raiders. I haven’t seen any problems with honor, except possibly Kitsune, but I haven’t played against that deck in the Bushi Format. Decks that give this one fits are Phoenix Wizards, but truthfully without Skipping the Puddle and their big spells it gets easier. Kyuden Hida XP decks will eat your tempo with token followers. Berserkers can also be troublesome at times. Interference helps with all of these match ups so hopefully you see them quick, fast, and in a hurry.
If you made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read through my deck list and thoughts, please feel free to critique, ask questions, or offer advice. I’m hoping that a few pairs of fresh eyes can see something I didn’t. Thanks for stopping by, good luck, and have fun!
