Shadowfist Deck: Netherworld Return by Tim Linden

Home > Decks > Decks: Netherworld Return (Origins 2004 Faction War tournament finalist)
[posted 11 Jul 2004]

Originally posted to the Shadowfist Forum on Yahoogroups on 7 Jul 2004 by Tim Linden. Republished with permission. If you're a member of the group, you can read the original in the archive.

Tim Linden made it to the finals of the Origins 2004 Faction War multiplayer tournament with this deck.

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Netherworld Return
by Tim Linden (36 cards)

   3 Queen of the Ice Pagoda (Ltd/Std. Ed.)
   2 King of the Thunder Pagoda (Ltd/Std. Ed.)
   2 King of the Fire Pagoda
   1 Queen of the Darkness Pagoda (should be two, but up till recently I only had two)

   4 Netherworld Return (should probably be 5, but it was cut down by one
                         - did not need the full five usually. 4 player 
                         probably does need it though.)

   4 Brain Fire
   1 Discerning Fire
   1 Earth Wind and Fire
   1 Avenging Fire

   2 Fire Sled
   1 Contract of the Fox
   1 Fortune of the Turtle

   1 Ice Totem
   1 Legacy
   1 Blanket of Darkness

   3 Grizzly Pass
   1 Disco
   1 Gambling House
   1 Golden Mile
   1 Sacred Heart Hospital
   1 Temple of the Angry Spirits
   1 Cataract Gorge

   1 Secret Headquarters

The deck is rather simple - play FSS turn 1 and 2, hopefully a Grizzly Pass or TotAS and a extra powergen FSS, wait for 6 power on turn 3 or 4, play Ice Queen, or Thunder King, attack and BFP your first site, play second Monarch next turn, go nuts. Use toys as needed. You should not really need to discard much at all with a small enough deck, and don't really need to once you start going.

The deck can be easily slowed down on the first attack, but other than imprison, a Netherworld return brings back the Queen to start up again. Everyone you play is Big. And with the healing / Neth. Ret. the deck can steamroller opponents and win very quickly, especially in 3 player. 4 player requires more buildup and punch through, but the few toys help, especially if the Fire King is around to shuffle the annoying fire events/states back in. I have had all four Monarchs out one game, and the three opponents just could not stop them or keep them dead long enough to recover. Of course, it really helps the deck when you look like you have either no foundations (poor me!) or are trying the Cave network trick, only to slap down a big hitter. It can frequently be just too late then.

The deck needs some tuning, especially with Brain Fire not actually being that useful an event anymore, (esp. in our area) and given some of the newer cards. The Queen of the Darkness Pagoda definitely needs multiples in the deck, as she also punches through lots of the trick stoppage that got me in the faction war finals. Oh, look Iron and Silk. But you hurt me, poor dear..Poof! And the silly count the title spirit gets the same problem. Too bad I kept Neth. Ret. The Ice queen, and not the Darkness one. (all Julian's fault, I let him draw the random choice. He did warn me though.)

The deck was initially made as a fun idea, after one of our group (Troy I believe) did the opening this deck does one game as it just happened to work out for him that day. Since the deck has done so well when I have played it, it stayed a competitive deck that I play occasionally. Of course, almost every time I bring out a small deck, our group looks at me and says "That's not that silly Monarchs only deck is it? Get him!" : )

Tim.

[writeup by Tim Linden]

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