John’s Double Muzzle

John Calveit has always made me play NG Spies in a different way than Emyhr. Whereas Emhyr feels like a mad dash for tempo, Calveit seems much more about reacting to the changing board. This deck embodies that. With two muzzles, frequent pulls of your opponents cards, and a use of Ceallach for more than another Emissary pull, this deck offers far more control to a deck which already had enough of that.

Bronze: Your standard Nilfgaardian spy focused cards. Not much room for optional cards, you could drop a medic for a Nauzicaa Brigade for the 7 point removal option. Both ways have their value. 

Silver: Vanhemar for the valuable weather clear and damage options. He is your only choice for weather clear though.

Cantarella for obvious reasons. Perfect play after winning round 1 against an opponent with carry-over. 

Joachim De Wett for the tempo. Triggers your Enforcers and Brigades and boosts the unit it pulls by 10. Great card good short 3rd round value, though you need to always be aware of your card count and what remains in your deck. This deck thins very effectively.

Iris for 25 points

Ceallach for the options. I get surprising good use out of Assassins with Ceallach in this deck, it offers so much to the control aspect. 

TREASON. lol, never thought I’d play this card. Tag a bronze with less than 10 value and pull it to your side. Also works oh so sweetly as an anti-muzzle. Who expects treason? 

Golds: Cahir gives you another pick of your top three cards, reacting to a changing board, and letting you know your next two card pulls. Very valuable.

Menno for Menno sniping. Yet another removal option. 

Vilgefortz as, once again, a removal option. Best played in the later rounds when your opponent has played most of their good bronzes. Can also be used to pull the next top card off your deck if you need this option. You can know what it’ll pull by playing Cahir or Calveit before Vilgefortz. 

Muzzle because it’s meta.

Round One: Mulligan any duplicate bronze cards in your hand, fish for your silver and gold cards, as you’ll pull bronzes with spies. Opening plays are typically Brigades or Emissary into Brigades is preferred as it is then Alzur’s Thunder-proof. Build your tempo and go all in for this round, you always want to win Round One. Take your opponents valuable cards, disrupt their board synergy with a Ceallach Assassin, place your spies inbetween Crewman in Northern Realms decks. Optimal play to end round 1 is Iris’ massive boost, and I typically only use one Cahir or Calveit in a long first round. 

Round Two: If you won R1 then play Cantarella if she’s in your hand and don’t choose bronzes go for silvers or golds. Playing her forces your opponent to play despite having carryover. You can then choose to pass to even card count/get card advantage, or you can bleed them and possibly 2-0 them. 

Round Three: If all went well in the previous rounds, you should have a strong portion of your engine left to play. I always want at least 2 medics in round 3 so I can choose to revive an opponents card or pull Assassins or Emissaries. Joachim, Menno, Vilgefortz, all are good final blows. 

Double muzzle… hahahahahaha ha it feels so good

Side note: Rainfarn is a good alternative gold to ensure you have access to either Iris or any spy should you get a poor opening hand. If you’re having trouble, Rainfarn could offer what is missing. Also, ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR CARD COUNT 

nothing is worse than a dead emissary draw