What I'm about to share with you is the T2 deck that took 1st in T2 2-player at Iowa States and then again at the North Central Regional tournament. The competition consisted of former National Champions. People with last names like Alstad, Voigt, Dennison and Stewart who are far above average in art of T2 play. I'm sharing this with you now because there are a number of State and Regional tournaments coming up and I'd like for others to be able to enjoy the deck (and their opponent's to be pummeled by it). I've only played maybe a dozen total games with this deck, but in at least a quarter of those, in the late game I had a huge territory set up and my opponent had basically no territory. Games can be pretty one sided.
Deck Size 100
28 Nuetral Cards
2 Siegeworks
2 Razor
3 Darius' Decree
1 Lampstand of the Sanctuary
2 Magic Charms
2 Nazareth
2 Lost Soul (can't be prevented)
2 Lost Soul (female only)
2 Lost Soul (hopper)
2 Lost Soul (N.T. only)
2 Lost Soul (pigs)
2 Lost Soul (revealer)
2 Lost Soul (shame)
2 Lost Soul (wanderer)
36 Good Cards
1 Angel of the Lord
1 Grapes of Wrath
1 Guardian Of Your Souls
1 New Jerusalem
1 Son of God
1 Obadiah's Caves
1 The Tabernacle
1 Wall of Protection
1 Ezekiel
1 Daniel
2 Isaiah
1 Michael
3 Angel of His Presence
2 Seraph with a Live Coal
4 Seraph
2 Live Coal
2 Isaiah's Call
2 Wheel Within a Wheel
2 Two Bears
4 Striking Herod
2 Protection of Jerusalem
36 Evil Cards
1 Burial
1 Christian Martyr
1 Destruction of Nehushtan
1 Falling Away
1 Mayhem
2 Covenant with Death
1 Damsel with Spirit of Divination
1 King Manasseh
1 Astrologers
2 Egyptian Magicians
3 Assyrian Siege Army
4 Assyrian Archer
4 Assyrian Survivor
2 Invoking Terror
3 Two Thousand Horses
4 Forgotten History
4 Death of Unrighteous
The offense
The deck is basic enough that an average T2 player can pilot it well. The idea is to attack with an angel banded to a "called" Isaiah each turn and draw a bunch of cards. Protection of Jerusalem serves to discard the opponent's defense to clear the way. It works exponentially if they are also playing Assyrians. The deck draws enough cards each battle that you can usually come up with another block after discarding your only Assyrian via Seraph with a Live Coal to set off PoJ. Once it gets rolling it's pretty difficult for the opponent to keep up. You often draw 6-7 per turn and need to discard the recurable Isaiah enhancements at the end of your turn. If you get to the point that you don't want to draw anymore you can use the Daniel+Michael band instead. The good enhancements don't get used very often. Occasionally a Striking Herod will get played. Razor is amazing on both offense and defense. I have yet to play a Two Bears. I'm starting to wonder if they could come out.
The defense
The defense is also pretty simple to use. Assyrians are there for easy blocks via Horses+Forgotten History, the Lost Soul shuffle with Death of Unrighteous and of course as fodder to pick off the opposing defense with PoJ. Since this deck typically out draws the opponent you can afford to trade Evil Characters 1 for 1. Isaiah will recur a Razor or Siegeworks for you each turn if you need a defensive battle winner. The Magicians are mostly there to wreak havoc on the opposing offense via Magic Charms and Invoking Terror.
What would you change if anything?
I actually meant to change the "Pigs" Lost Soul after Iowa States but forgot. The deck would be better off with the "FBTN" Lost Soul or the "Punisher" Lost Soul. As I mentioned above, the Two Bears could probably go. Early on I tried using covenants to help against capture but I found that I always want to have either Darius' Decree or Covenant with Death active. I'm not sure at this point what I'd replace the Two Bears with, but I bet I would regret taking them out if I faced Panic Demons.
How will the new cards impact this deck?
With the release of the new cards I don't believe this deck will take much of a hit. Surely Kidron Valley may make the Magic Charms and Covenant with Deaths less effective. Darius' Decree will help fill the CwD gap while you patiently wait to use a Siege Army or Razor on the Valley. I don't plan to be at Nationals this year, but I expect this deck could win if piloted by a good player.
