Kingly Politico
DISCLAIMER:
Before getting into role, let me explain. If you have a highly competitive playgroup, this deck is nothing for you. However, if you like having fun and like playing funny rounds, this deck may be something for you.
This Deck is meant to be fun, you will probably not win all the time. Most likely you will win rarely, if ever. But you can use this to your advantage...
Now, let us have a look at this deck!
So, you want to be the king?
Being the King is a very stressful endeavour. You have to orchestrate all your subordinates. Say who will attack whom and who may do what. And then, at the height of times, before you can realise it, someone tries to take your crown. Most likely by killing you. Those fools.
Well, to be a king, you'll have to pull the political strings. All of them. Manipulate you minions to do your bidding, while playing creatures to help you with that. Let them battle it out, you have more important stuff to do, like destroying the vicious Pizza that was ordered for the group and is unattended, while everyone tries to kill everyone else.
As any good king, you stay in the back and let the other players fight it out. The target is, that you have the most live, the most creatures and the most crowns on your table, by helping your opponents destroying each other.
Elections
Hold elections with some of the multitude of election cards. "Council's Dilemma", "Tempting Offering" and "Will of the Council" are the relevant mechanics here.
The Magister of Worth is an potential board wipe, or a really hard board flood.
If you are running low on steam, you might use Custodi Squire in combination with your persuasive nature or Triumphant Reckoning, to build your empire back up.
What are the creatures for? Why did you mention so little here?
Other creatures in your deck are used for different techniques. We will se those later. So, let us have a look at the real magic here:
To bond with you subordinates, use cards like Minds Aglow, Rites of Flourishing and Tempt with Discovery to get everybody good stuff. Even though, you get just a little bit more.
If your subordinates around the table are not up to your par, you can always wip out the Capital Punishment or Tyrant's Choice. Buuuut, be careful with this one. It most likely will cause your minions to focus there hate on you. Expropriate is another such a solution. You will either get more turns or permanents from the opponents.
To make sure which of the subordinates are good and which can improve themselves, let them now with a Virtus's Maneuver or a Pir's Whim. But do not just pull those strings. Argue with the foes, try to let them become friends and explain why one is a foe.
But, if the others are not up to your par, well, rig 'em. Put in more votes with your Ballot Broker or Brago's Representative. If those few extra votes don't cut it for you, push everyone into your way by providing the nothing more than the Illusion of Choice.
The Grudge Keeper will be an incentive for your opponents to vote as you did. And if not, well, he gives them hell. I mean, it is not like you did the damage to them, they did it themself. It could have been prevented..
Carrot and Stick, your Creatures.
Your creatures are really there, to get your opponents to kill each other, whilst letting your army grow.
First of, we must discourage your subordinates from attacking you. Utilise the Windborn Muse and a well placed Propaganda for that. You will wonder how good a well placed Propaganda works.
Now, let your army grow. How do you do that without drawing hate on yourself? Creatures like Kwain, Itinerant Meddler are creatures that your opponent don't want to see dead. They help them! And the good and loyal fighter Obeka, Brute Chronologist might help your opponents (or yourself of course) out of a very sticky situation. They'll have to end their turn, but this is a little price to pay for keeping their creature or life.
If not all of your subordinates are on your side, but some, you can utilise Pramikon, Sky Rampart, which changes to direction of attack, only allowing the ones which are loyal towards you to attack you, which they won't do obviously. And you can use Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist or Mangara, the Diplomat to directly impact the creatures coming towards you. If you need a little bit more of subtle tactic to lay an emphasis on your opponents to kill each other instead of you, you can call Gahiji, Honored One onto the battlefield.
Keep in mind, that strong creatures like Kaervek the Merciless help you to kill other creatures or players, the draw hate towards you! So play them as late as possible. A more subtle way would be to let Gor Muldrak, Amphinologist give your opponents salamanders, which cannot hurt you. He is a true wizard with those beasts..
To lay an even stronger emphasis on your opponents to kill each other instead of you, bring the monarch mechanic into the game using (for example) Court of Bounty, Queen Marchesa or (even better) Jared Carthalion, True Heir. Why is Jared better? As the true king you obviously know that the title of the monarch is nothing in comparison to the crown of the king. Let them battle for this little title and enjoy the light of your royal heir.
And The Royal Scions can also help you grow your empire.
I want to curse my opponents
Of course. I get that. It is the strongest emphasis to attack this person. But this person will not really like this. If you curse everybody, all will not like you. And if you focus on one person, you'll have a really powerful enemy.
Keep in mind, that your opponents are most likely stronger then you. So play it smart, not strong.
But of course, you can put all of those into your deck if you want.
So, TL;DR?
As long as possible, try to give your opponents the carrot. Do not give them the stick for as long as possible. Build up your creatures, which help you opponents to divert from your growing army. Give your subordinates the tools and carrots, whilst preparing the biggest stick they have ever seen.
Whenever a card is directly damaging towards your opponents. Explain your decision, make it heard. To those things as late as possible.
And of course: Play the king at the table. Play a character. This might even divert attention from you this way ;)
Meta
This Deck in it's current form is quite expensive. It utilises a very strong card base, which are expensive. If you want to bring this deck down in cost, you should have a look at the manabase.
