Unicorn

The Persistent Hooves of Otaka

Tight but flexible, this deck can take both the military path and the honor path to victory. The concept here is pretty self-explanatory. Designed for multi-player play, this deck can go the distance. Cards like the Master Smith and his distant Lion relative Ikoma Kaoku allow this deck to keep growing as the game chugs on into the wee hours of the night.

The zero-cost holdings provide a quick beginning so you can get the battle maidens into gear, allying with other players. You need to get to five Honor relatively quickly so that so that you can get the Historian into play.

Cards like Blocked Supply Lines and Entrapping Terrain keep your moderately defended provinces in the game while cards like Rallying Cry and Call to Arms rarely leave you undefended.

The Armor of Sun-Tao allows you to always have a Deadly Ground on hand as well as an "Entrapping Terrain" for those times that you need them.

Keep a steady accumulation of honor and do not jump too far ahead until you can supply yourself with an adequate defense. Remember: the best place is second place but do not get too comfortable there or your claim to the throne could be lost. This requires great concentration.

Unicorn: The Persistent Hooves of Otaku by James Nowak

Fate Deck

3 Block Supply Lines
2 Deadly Ground
2 Entrapping Terrain
3 Rallying Cry
3 Superior Tactics
2 Call to Arms
Egg of Pan Ku
3 Stand Against the Waves
2 Scout
Shiryo no Shinjo
Ancestral Sword of the Unicorn
Armor of the Earth
Armor of Sun Tao
2 Walking the Way
2 Fires from Within
2 Touch of Death
Ring of Earth

Dynasty Deck

3 Jade Works
2 Merchant Caravan
3 Small Farm
3 Stable
3 Diamond Mine
3 Sanctified Temple
2 Master Smith
2 Doji Plains
Naming the True Evil
Iris Festival
3 Otaku Kamoko
Otaku Kamoko (exp)
3 Shinjo Rojin
3 Iuchi Daiyu
3 Otaku Baiken
3 Ikoma Kaoku
3 Shinjo Yasomara

Crab

The Right Claw of the Crab

This deck is strictly a military monster and anything but little. The premise "Me big, you small, Me crush small You". Every personality in the deck has a force of at least five when entering play. The exception is Soshi Bantaro, who is there to defend all of your big bad boys from those spells that send them home.

Also note the use of Kyoso no Oni Using her Ranged 7 Attack. She can neutralize almost any incoming or defending units that can give your "boys" a run for their money.

Sneak Attack with Deadly Ground puts an end to the battle real quick as does Crushing Attack. Traversable Terrain and Superior Tactics can move your "boys" in and Confusion at Court keeps them there.

Finally, if an honorable deck is giving you "the business" with his annoying personalities then simply Kolat Instigator them.

Beware your current honor and stay aggressive but know when to hold back. Think ahead and pay attention to your opposition's force.

Crab by James Nowak

Fate Deck

3 Deadly Ground
3 Night Battle
3 Traversable Terrain
3 Oath of Fealty
3 Superior Tactics
3 Sneak Attacks
3 Evil Portents
3 Kolat Instigator
3 Confusion at Court
2 Crushing Attack
Ancestral Sword of the Crab
Egg of Pan Ku

Dynasty Deck

Inheritance
There is No Hope
Return of Fu Leng
The Darkest Day
Kuni Wastelands
3 Jade Works
3 Corrupted Iron Mines
3 Iron Mines
2 Small Farms
Merchant Caravan
Festering Pit of Fu Leng
2 Hida Yakamo (oni)
Hida Yakamo (exp. oni)
2 Kyoso no Oni
Soshi Bantaro
3 Ogre Bushi
3 Ogre Outlaw
Oni no Akuma
Kuni Yori (exp.)

Toturi's Army: The Tactical Eye of Toturi by David Surette

Fate Deck 3 Breach of Etiquette
3 Purity of Shinsei
3 Mantis Bushi
3 Heavy Infantry
Medium Infantry
Iaijutsu Duel
3 Focus
Ring of Void
Toturi's Fan
3 Rallying Cry
Superior Tactics
Walking the Way
Refugees
Confusion at Court
Stand Against the Waves

Dynasty Deck

3 Kamoto
3 Togashi Tokei
3 Morito Tokei
Toturi
Toku
Takuaan
Mikio
Hida Sukune (exp.)
3 Base Camp
3 Jade Works
3 Black Markets
2 Merchant Caravans
Iris Festival
Inheritance
Return of Fu Leng
Are You With Me
Desperate Measures

Yogo Junzo's Army

The Momentum of Evil

Cards like There Is No Hope (to prevent the Iris Festival) and Severed From the Emperor (to prevent the use of the Imperial Favor) are a must for Yogo Junzo's Army.

The Goblin Shaman and Kuni Yori channel Sympathetic Energies, to move plague tokens, and Walking the Way to get that Avoid Fate early in the game, or Deadly Ground to end the battle with no funny stuff for that last province).

Get a first--round personality into play - you have six - then next turn equip them with followers and send them out. Cripple your opponent early, and rarely sit by and pass. Save your Ambushes for those personalities that really cramp your style. Finally remember that you can Utterly Defeat an ogre or oni that bites the dust. Give this much thought.

Yogo Junzo's Army: The Momentum of Evil by David Surette

Fate Deck

3 Plague Zombies
2 Ogre Warriors
3 Ikiryo
Ring of Void
2 Sympathetic Energies
Walking the Way
3 Evil Portents
3 Ambush
2 Confusion at Court
Superior Tactics
Avoid Fate
3 Rallying Cry
2 Refugees
Block Supply Lines
Utter Defeat
Deadly Ground

Dynasty Deck

Inheritance
There is No Hope
Severed from the Emperor
Plains of Otosan Uchi
Kuni Wastelands
The Festering Pit of Fu Leng
Dark Oracle of Earth
Dark Oracle of Water
Merchant Caravan
3 Black Market
3 Corrupted Silver Mines
3 Corrupted Iron Mines
Goblin Shaman
Kuni Yori (exp.)
Shuten Doji
Oni no Akuma
Oni no Ogon (the zero cost one)
3 Ogre Outlaw
3 Moto Tsume
Moto Tsume (exp.)

Phoenix

In Defense of Honor

This deck runs for the 40 honor mark, and tries to avoid the onslaught of attacks that usually follow once you hit 40. The defensive system is a simple concept but a complicated undertaking The deck contains the possibility of having a total of nine provinces via Annexation, Chrysanthemum Festival and three Hidden Fortresses. The deck also attempts to make the provinces bigger by using Strength of the Earth and Castle of Water.

If Dashmar comes up early let him sit until the dynasty phase of the turn in which you hit forty honor. Protect against attacks on Dashmar's province by using Benevolent Protection of Shinsei. Using Tomo to move attackers to different provinces (like the Hidden Fortress) is another possibility of this deck.

Price of War is added to slow down the attrition race. Use the special ability on your Stronghold to ignore the cost.

Use Political Descent to prevent players from ganging up on you in your final round.

One of the key elements of this deck is to cycle through your fate deck by using the Ring of Void and the Imperial Favor. Get that Twist of Fate and be ready for Dashmar to show his scaled face in a province. These matters should be given great consideration.

Phoenix: In Defense of Honor by Rick Bligh

Fate Deck

3 Block Supply Lines
Egg of Pan Ku
3 Encircled Terrain
3 Political Dissent
Superior Tactics
Twist of Fate
2 Spirit Guide
3 Minor Shugenja
Ancestral Sword of Phoenix
Hammer of Earth
Ring of Earth
Ring of Void
3 Benevolent Protection of Shinsei
3 Castle of Water
Iron Citadel
3 Walking the Way

Dynasty Deck

Trading Grounds
3 Agasha Koishi
Dashmar
3 Isawa Tadaka
3 Isawa Tomo
3 Isawa Uona
Kitsu Toju
3 Toku
Mountain Pass
Chrysanthemum Festival
Inheritance
Strength of the Earth
Price of War
3 A Hidden Fortress
3 Dance Troupe
Diamond Mine
Go Master
3 Jade Works
2 School of Wizardry
3 Sliver Mine
3 Small Farm
3 Trading Ground
3 Agasha Koishi
Dashmar
3 Isawa Tadaka
3 Isawa Tomo
3 Isawa Uona
Kitsu Toju
3 Toku
Mountain Pass

Crane

The Iron Crane

This is a Crane that takes a secure stance at the edge of the playing table and slowly gains honor. When others begin attacking, it comes to life. This deck neutralizes attacks and then, when the opponents defenses are lowered, it goes in to do some damage, claiming the honor from those victorious battles.

The military strength is in the fate deck. The Mantis Bushi neutralize big personalities while Iaijutsu Duels reduce opposing numbers. When things look bleak, whip out To Do What We Must. Losing one unit is better than losing them all. Attaching Shiryo no Doli to any Crane is perfectly fine but do it quickly. Get those Shouts voiced and the battle will be yours. Use the Imperial Gift to fetch your Imperial Standard or the Ancestral Sword of the Crane.

For those final honor gains turn to Kitsu Toju and His Most Favored. This requires great thought.

Crane: The Iron Crane by David Surette

Fate Deck

3 Mantis Bushi
Doji House Cuard
Shiryo no Doji
Ring of Void
The Imperial Standard
Ancestral Sword of the Crane
His Most Favored
Avoid Fate
Superior Tactics
Refugees
3 Iaijutsu Duel
3 Focus
3 To Do What We Must
3 The First Shout
3 The Second Shout
3 The Third Shout

Dynasty Deck

Inheritance
Peasant Revolt
Iris Festival
Imperial Gift
Evil Feeds Upon Itself
3 Market Places
3 Port
3 Jade Works
2 Merchant Caravan
3 Doji Yosai
3 Kakita Shijin
3 Kitsu Toju
Doji Reju
Earth Dragon
3 Daidoji Uji
Daidoli Uji (exp.)

Unicorn

Six Degrees of Otaku Baiken

With this deck you want to go second and get A Gift of Honor in your opening hand. You will be sure to gain the three honor against almost everyone. Bring your personalities out for full price if you can; you'll want that honor.

Spread followers and items around. This will lessen the effect of Occult Murders. Save His Most Favored until this event passes.

Attack as soon as you can. When you make those attacks use Sneak Attack, Scouts and Isha to play Deadly Ground, Night Battles and Crushing Attack. When you have the numerical advantage or have a good amount of followers in play, use Narrow Ground to stick it to big personalities. Meditate on these thoughts.

Unicorn: Six Degrees of Otaku Baiken by J.L. Robert

Fate Deck

3 Gift of Honor
3 Test of Courage
3 Crushing Attack
3 Deadly Ground
His Most Favored
3 Narrow Ground
3 Night Battle
3 One Koku
3 Rallying Cry
Ring of the Void
3 Sneak Attack
3 Superior Tactics
3 Heavy Cavalry
3 Scout
Shinjo House Guard
Shiryo no Shinjo
Ancestral Armor of the Unicorn
Ancestral Standard of the Unicorn
Ancestral Sword of the Unicorn
3 Personal Standard

Dynasty Deck

Corruption of the Harmonies
Doom of the Dark Lord
Imperial Gift
Inheritance
Iris Festival
Occult Murders
3 Jade Works
Master Smith
3 Merchant Caravan
3 Sanctified Temple
3 Stables
Shinjo Riding Stables
3 Otaku Baiken
3 Otaku Kamoko
Otaku Kamoko (exp.)
Otaku Kamoko (exp. 2)
3 Shinjo Rojin
3 Shinjo Sanetama
Isha (exp.)
2 Jade Dragon

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