Argenport Valkyries

Overview:
This deck is extremely versatile. It's a mix of tempo, mid-range, control, and can play aggressive when needed. I built this deck around Valkyrie Enforcer and Amilli, Cloudmarshal about 2 weeks ago when I started playing because they looked like the coolest cards to me. From bronze to Masters took about 140 games played with a 60% win rate. After tinkering around and fixing power draw near Gold II this Win rate increased to 65% over the last 70 games through diamond.

Strategy:
Early game units draw out enemy removal, if left alone they can snowball the mid/late game units. Try to play Icaria, Valkyrie Captain into her Ultimate on turn 3 setting up a turn 4 Tavrod, Auric Broker or Amilli, Cloudmarshal. Don't over commit to the board, each unit can gain card advantage on its own and force/bait the enemy's removal. Always try to have at least one unit on the board as a target for Vanquisher's Blade. Don't be afraid to Harsh Rule a few of your own units if you feel like you might lose board control or the enemy has over committed units or weapons leaving you with card advantage with an empty board. The main ways to end the game are Tavrod, Auric Broker buffed cards, Amilli, Cloudmarshal being free to attack (having a Corrupt in hand after playing him is key), or pulling Azindel's Gift / Martyr's Chain depending on enemy's deck/hand.

With that being said, here's the reasoning for each card in the deck, it's flexible and can be adjusted slightly to counter whatever you're having the most trouble with / facing the most often.

Units:

Battlefield Scavenger x4: This card has multiple benefits, if left alone it can snowball your already very solid units waiting to come out. If played late game it can bring back any of your Valkyries (lots of opponents quit after having Amilli pulled back out after struggling to get rid of it the first time). But mainly this is to draw out enemy removal, rather have this gone than your bigger mid game threats.

Icaria, Valkyrie Captain x4: One of my favourite cards. 99% of the time it will die immediately, but like Battlefield Scavenger , it draws instant removal that won't be played on our big mid range threats. If this does survive to turn 3 it thins the deck from power, gets you ahead on tempo, and the side benefit it buffs your in hand Valkyries, pushes you into a turn 4 buffed Amilli, Cloudmarshal or pushes your Valkyrie Enforcer out of range of 3 dmg removal spells.

Hidden Road Smuggler x4: Justice and Shadow merchants suck. This guy does not. Great for slowing down rushing decks with blocks or life steal of his own and pulling out a needed threat from the market. (Also important to have a body on board for Vanquisher's Blade)

Valkyrie Enforcer x2-4: The first card I enjoyed playing when I started playing Eternal a few weeks ago. The reason I wanted to build a Valkyrie deck. That being said, he has been a little lacklustre compared to my expectations (they were pretty high for him). I find him sitting in my hand often with no target for silence which feels weird, but he always find a way to make a positive impact on the game. Solid body vs aggro, usually silences a threat with snowballing potential and either draws removal or trades 1-1 with an aggro unit. Combo's really well late game vs bigger threats. Can silence aegis allowing a removal spell and getting a body on the board (again for the Vanquisher's Blade). Also silencing a Permafrost'd Vara's is always a nice surprise for enemys who have to trade 2-1 to remove it now.

Vara, Vengeance-Seeker x4: Probably the best card ever. There's hardly ever a bad time to play her. Removes annoying Aegis, can completely freeze aggro if they don't have removal and stall the game long enough for either a Harsh Rule or Amilli, Cloudmarshal to come down and gain board control. Just overall tough to deal with, often she trades 2 - 1 for card advantage. If she sticks on board a few hits to the face can end the game quickly.

Amilli, Cloudmarshal x3-4: Very fun card to play. Is a win condition if left alone. Can stall boards end game with scaling tokens to overwhelm the board. Like Vara, Vengeance-Seeker he can stop aggro decks and take over the game if they don't have an answer. Late game he's usually beefy enough to attack through most flying units and keep pumping out tokens to stall big enemy units without overwhelm.

Tavrod, Auric Broker x3-4: Very solid unit even without the weapon buff effect. Can be a game finisher if he draws a buffed weapon. Works very well with Vanquisher's Blade and that often times ends up winning a game pulling a 7/2 blade on whatever unit is on board and removing their big threats. The classic 9/1 Auric Runehammer can end games pretty quickly itself as well.

Attachments:

Vanquisher's Blade x2-4: Great combo card in this deck. Adds another target to be pulled from Tavrod, Auric Broker's effect. Can be placed on a Battlefield Scavenger to snowball warcy effects or shut down aggro when they have no removal in hand. This card is the main reason to fight for board control and try to always have 1 unit on board. Can be frustrating to be holding these in hand without a unit to play it on when the enemy spams removal / board clears. (Most likely the first card I would reduce to 2 if I'm trying to make room for something else)

Avigraft x2: OP removal card. If enemy has no attachment removal it can shut down entire game plans, merchant lockouts, or big threats etc. Hardly ever an issue where you need to play it on a flying unit because this deck usually controls the air with its own stronger units.

Auric Runehammer x2: Very strong removal card has a good chance of trading 2 - 1, gets rid of all the annoying 4 health units with Aegis or Rizahn, Greatbow Master. With the Tavrod, Auric Broker it can end the game.

Spells:

Seek Power x2: Just to smooth out power draw, our only 1 cost card so it's great to get in the opening hand on turn 1. Lots of our cards need two or three faction requirements, this just makes the deck more consistent. Not fully needed, could be replaced with another unit or card that does a similar task.

Annihilate x2: Cheap removal. Only play two of these because lots of cards are multi faction and it can be annoying to have this in hand and not being able to use it. Swap for other removal if you feel like it. ( Defiance or Vanquish are good options)

Corrupt x2: This card was a late addition to the deck, I've been getting more and more frustrated with opponents just having tons of removal in hand while I drop back to back to back big single targets who only need 1 swing to change the state of the game and this secures that and has the potential for some hilarious tempo swings. (Also this stops harsh rule, not sure why, maybe someone can explain that one?)

Vara's Favor x2: Smooth out power draw, remove aegis, kill Hojan, Crownbreaker, help finish off early game unit trades, the extra 1 health doesn't hurt. Could be cut for something else, kind of a throw in tech card that has fit well and feels oddly missed when not in the deck.

Slay x4: It slays. Just the most straight forward unit removal. Doesn't matter what stats the unit has, only counter is instant aegis. Slightly more expensive, but this deck uses the 3 power slot for Icaria, Valkyrie Captain's Ultimate or mostly tech units which usually aren't played early game or if they do get played they typically trade better than Slay.

Harsh Rule x2: Board clear. Stabilise vs Aggro, punish enemy's who over commit to the board. Very strong card, can be swapped into the market if you have board control and are pushing tempo.

Power: Pretty straight forward

Justice Sigil x6
Emerald Waystone x4
Shadow Sigil x7
Argenport Banner x4
Seat of Vengeance x4

***Crest Of Vengeance***: Currently testing the deck with 4 of these (replacing two of each sigil). The reasons I didn't use them originally is I put one of these in the black market, and this deck does well on tempo and getting big units out on curve through the mid game is important and a depleted sigil can set you back a turn really punishing you. I will update eventually when I decide if the scout + double faction bonus is worth the depleted power.

Market:

Unwavering Exorcist: Anti Avigraft.

Rhysta, Acantha's Herald: Testing this one out, I did have Crest Of Vengeance in its place but it could be a better, slightly slower replacement giving a unit on board (Vanquisher's Blade target), power draw, or just to as a target for removal.

End of the Story: For when you haven't drawn Harsh Rule vs aggro or need to set a clear for Aegis units.

Azindel's Gift: Has won me quiet a few games. If you're far behind on cards or your enemy is siphoning through their deck with 8-9 cards in hand waiting for a combo. Playing this on curve (or ahead on power) can shut lots of decks down without attachment removal in main deck since after the first turn it locks out merchants. Our deck is usually very solid when games stall mid/late and each player is drawing 1 card at a time. Most of our early game cards have secondary functions late game and can draw more cards or buff themselves and thin the deck.

Martyr's Chain The definitive end game card. with even a single unit on board this scales insane and turns drawing a sigil late game into a free kill. Very very strong late game card that finishes lots of my games.


End:
I would love to have some feedback and let me know how you enjoy the deck! Swap out a few things and play around with it to see if there are any improvements you found.