Meta Check – Cork

Meta Check – Cork

Cork City Centre

The first of two Kotei this weekend is in Cork, Ireland. This is always a fun event that is popular with the European players due to the great social life.


You can see the event on Lotus Pavilion here https://thelotuspavilion.com/tournaments/3381

The recent changes to the restricted list have really shaken up the environment. In this event, Scorpion are the least represented clan behind even Lion and Unicorn. The removal of Against the Waves from the restricted list clearly has pushed Phoenix up to a top tier position. It’s interesting to note that this shift is purely due to the restricted list and nothing else.

Looking at splashes:

  • Crab continue the trend of having primarily Unicorn which was played by 9 out of the 13 players.
  • Crane had a great spread with the top two most popular Dragon and Scorpion at 4 each.
  • Dragon heavily the Crab splash with 6 of the 10.
  • Lion favored Crane, with 6, but the top Lion player was playing Scorpion.
  • Phoenix primarily splashed Dragon at 9 but Crane also had a decent appearance with 5.
  • Scorpion focused on Crane with 4.
  • Unicorn were predomintently Phoenix splash with a total of 9.

At the end of the day, 10 players in total made the 51 points cut.

Although Phoenix managed to get the most players qualified, it was actually Dragon with the best qualification rate with 30 of players who entered making day 2.


Win Rates

Some fun stuff in the win rates, obviously everything needs to be taken with a grain of salt and there are many factors that we intuit from straight win rates.

  • Crab are very weak to Scorpion, Lion, and Dragon.
  • Crane are weak to Dragon.
  • Dragon have no weakness.
  • Lion are weak to Crane.
  • Phoenix have no weakness but have worse matchups that Dragon.
  • Scorpion are looking weak to Lion, Dragon, and Crane.
  • Unicorn despite the recent optimism are looking pretty weak across the board.

At the end of day 1 we have 10 players going into the next day. We’ll see those players in the single elim rounds tomorrow. There are also 7 new Hatamoto.

  • Jose Luis Saenz – Phoenix
  • Julien Fradin – Dragon
  • Thomas Fullard – Crane
  • Dimitris Melissinos – Scorpion
  • Marios Bounakis – Lion
  • G Papadakis – Unicorn
  • Daniel Barker – Crab

We also have a second day of events which can be found here. It had 72 players, which is a healthy number. As players dropped out of the top cut they would have joined with some byes. This was only for koku and fun, so final standings are less important than actual games.

Obviously fewer games played in the second day than the first. Scorpion and Unicorn completely dodged each other ending up glitching parts of my charts!


Day 2 bracket can be found here.

At the end of day two the winner of the Cork Kotei is Jose Luis Saenz. The second place player Javier Querol also made Hatamoto for Dragon.

A champion has been crowned at the Cork Kotei! A big congratulations to Jose Luis Saenz for taking the Phoenix clan all…

Posted by FFG Organized Play Europe on Sunday, January 27, 2019

Jose's winning Phoenix deck
https://www.bushibuilder.com/l5r/deck/?deck=0772bdf1-2252-11e9-8419-020c407d2d9d

Kyuden Isawa
Seeker of Air

Fertile Fields Manicured Garden Upholding Authority Meditations on the Tao Kuroi Mori

3 Embrace the Void (Tears of Amaterasu)
2 Fine Katana (Core Set)
3 Ornate Fan (Core Set)
3 Cloud the Mind (Core Set)
3 Ethereal Dreamer (All and Nothing)
3 Shrine Maiden (For Honor and Glory)
3 Solemn Scholar (Core Set)
2 Tattooed Wanderer (Core Set)
3 Feral Ningyo (Tainted Lands)
1 Assassination (Core Set)
2 Banzai! (Core Set)
3 Court Games (Core Set)
3 Let Go (Core Set)
3 Supernatural Storm (Core Set)
3 Against the Waves (Core Set)
3 Clarity of Purpose (Disciples of the Void)
1 Karmic Twist (Disciples of the Void)
2 Display of Power (Core Set)
1 Consumed by Five Fires (Fate Has No Secrets)

3 Adept of the Waves (Core Set)
3 Asako Tsuki (Meditations on the Ephemeral)
3 Miya Mystic (Core Set)
1 Shiba Tetsu (Disciples of the Void)
1 Asako Maezawa (Underhand of the Emperor)
1 Isawa Atsuko (Core Set)
3 Kudaka (Breath of the Kami)
2 Master of Gisei Toshi (Fate Has No Secrets)
3 Prodigy of the Waves (Into the Forbidden City)
1 Isawa Kaede (Tears of Amaterasu)
3 Isawa Tadaka (Disciples of the Void)
2 Favorable Ground (Core Set)
3 Forgotten Library (Core Set)
3 Imperial Storehouse (Core Set)
1 Kanjo District (Meditations on the Ephemeral)
1 The Imperial Palace (The Chrysanthemum Throne)

Javier's second place Dragon deck
https://www.bushibuilder.com/l5r/deck/?deck=ac040dda-226f-11e9-8419-020c407d2d9d&public=y

Mountain’s Anvil Castle (Core Set)
Seeker of Void (Core Set)

Pilgrimage (Core Set)
Restoration of Balance (Core Set)
Sacred Sanctuary (Breath of the Kami)
Shameful Display (Core Set)
Upholding Authority (Tainted Lands)

3 Doomed Shugenja (Core Set)
3 Togashi Initiate (Core Set)
3 Togashi Mendicant (Meditations on the Ephemeral)
3 Agasha Swordsmith (Core Set)
3 Miya Mystic (Core Set)
3 Kitsuki Investigator (Core Set)
3 Mirumoto Raitsugu (Core Set)
3 Master Alchemist (The Fires Within)
3 Agasha Sumiko (The Chrysanthemum Throne)
3 Togashi Mitsu (All and Nothing)
3 Togashi Yokuni (Core Set)
3 Favorable Ground (Core Set)
3 Imperial Storehouse (Core Set)
1 The Imperial Palace (The Chrysanthemum Throne)

3 Fine Katana (Core Set)
2 Ornate Fan (Core Set)
3 Seal of the Dragon (Meditations on the Ephemeral)
3 Cloud the Mind (Core Set)
3 Finger of Jade (Tears of Amaterasu)
1 Jade Masterpiece (Tears of Amaterasu)
3 Reprieve (Core Set)
3 Ancient Master (Breath of the Kami)
3 Tattooed Wanderer (Core Set)
2 Banzai! (Core Set)
1 Censure (Into the Forbidden City)
3 Court Games (Core Set)
3 Hurricane Punch (Breath of the Kami)
3 Let Go (Core Set)
3 Void Fist (All and Nothing)
2 The Mountain Does Not Fall (Core Set)

Gunnar's 3rd place Dragon deck
https://www.bushibuilder.com/l5r/deck/?deck=b9df79ad-0134-11e9-8419-020c407d2d9d&public=y

Mountain’s Anvil Castle (Core Set)
Seeker of Void (Core Set)

Manicured Garden (Core Set)
Pilgrimage (Core Set)
Restoration of Balance (Core Set)
Shameful Display (Core Set)
Upholding Authority (Tainted Lands)

3 Togashi Initiate (Core Set)
3 Doomed Shugenja (Core Set)
2 Togashi Mendicant (Meditations on the Ephemeral)
2 Agasha Swordsmith (Core Set)
3 Miya Mystic (Core Set)
2 Niten Adept (Core Set)
3 Kitsuki Investigator (Core Set)
1 Kitsuki Shomon (Underhand of the Emperor)
3 Mirumoto Raitsugu (Core Set)
2 Volcanic Troll (The Ebb and Flow)
1 Kitsuki Yaruma (Tears of Amaterasu)
2 Kudaka (Breath of the Kami)
2 Master Alchemist (The Fires Within)
1 Agasha Sumiko (The Chrysanthemum Throne)
2 Togashi Yokuni (Core Set)
3 Favorable Ground (Core Set)
3 Imperial Storehouse (Core Set)
2 Secluded Temple (Core Set)
1 The Imperial Palace (The Chrysanthemum Throne)

2 Fine Katana (Core Set)
2 Ornate Fan (Core Set)
1 Ancestral Daishō (Core Set)
3 Cloud the Mind (Core Set)
1 Kitsuki’s Method (Core Set)
2 Steward of Law (Core Set)
3 Tattooed Wanderer (Core Set)
2 Political Rival (Core Set)
2 Togashi Kazue (Core Set)
2 Assassination (Core Set)
2 Banzai! (Core Set)
2 Censure (Into the Forbidden City)
2 Court Games (Core Set)
3 For Shame! (Core Set)
3 Let Go (Core Set)
1 Admit Defeat (Core Set)
2 Indomitable Will (Core Set)
3 Mirumoto’s Fury (Core Set)
1 Noble Sacrifice (Core Set)
2 Outwit (Core Set)
1 Peasant’s Advice (Underhand of the Emperor)

Top 4 Phoenix - Aethusium
Kyuden Isawa
Seeker of Air

Rally to the Cause
Manicured Garden
Fertile Fields
Shameful Display
Upholding Authority

2 Adept of the Waves
2 Asako Azunami
3 Asako Tsuki
3 Ethereal Dreamer
3 Favorable Ground
3 Forgotten Library
3 Isawa Tadaka
3 Isawa Uona
1 Kanjo District
2 Master of Gisei Toshi
3 Miya Mystic
2 Naive Student
3 Prodigy of the Waves
3 Shiba Yojimbo
3 Solemn Scholar
1 The Imperial Palace

3 Against the Waves
1 Benten’s Touch
2 Censure
2 Clarity of Purpose
3 Cloud the Mind
1 Consumed by 5 Fires
3 Court Games
2 Display of Power
3 Embrace the Void
3 Feral Ningyo
2 Fine Katana
3 Hurricane Punch
1 Karmic Twist
3 Let Go
2 Ornate Fan
3 Shrine Maiden
3 Supernatural Storm

Top Unicorn - G Papadakis
Hisu Mori Toride
Keeper of Fire

Ancestral Lands
Shameful Display
Endless Plains
Manicured Gardens
Feast or Famine

1 The Imperial Palace
3 Favorable Ground
3 Windswept Yurt
3 Shiotome Encampment
3 Keeper Initiate
3 Battle Maiden Recruit
3 Moto Youth
3 Child of the Plains
3 Aggressive Moto
3 Border Rider
3 Iuchi Shahai
3 Moto Nergui
3 Master of the Swift Waves
3 Utaku Tetsuko

3 Fine Katana
1 Assassination
3 Banzai!
3 Censure
1 A Legion of One
3 Ready for Battle
2 Unleash the Djinn
3 Captive Audience
3 Iuchi Wayfinder
3 Force of the River
2 Heroic Resolve
2 Spyglass
3 Strength in Numbers
3 Invocation of Ash
2 Talisman of the Sun
3 Cavalry Reserves

Top Lion - Marios Bounakis
https://fiveringsdb.com/decks/6ebc6733-23dd-11e9-8b65-4257dfc1c04d/view

Yōjin no Shiro
Support of the Scorpion

Fertile Fields Air
Upholding Authority Earth
Meditations on the Tao Fire
Shameful Display Void
The Art of War Water

Dynasty Deck (40)
Character (33)
3x Akodo Toturi
1x Deathseeker
2x Honored General
3x Ikoma Ikehata
3x Ikoma Prodigy
2x Ikoma Ujiaki
1x Implacable Magistrate
3x Kitsu Spiritcaller
3x Lion’s Pride Brawler
3x Matsu Berserker
1x Matsu Seventh Legion
3x Miya Mystic
3x Tactician’s Apprentice
2x Tireless Sōdan Senzo
Holding (7)
3x Favorable Ground
3x Imperial Storehouse
1x The Imperial Palace

Conflict Deck (41)
Event (26)
2x A Legion of One
1x Assassination
2x Banzai!
2x Calling in Favors ////
2x Censure
3x Charge!
2x Court Games
3x For Shame!
1x Good Omen
2x Make an Opening ////
2x Maze of Illusion ////
3x Ready for Battle
1x Way of the Lion
Attachment (8)
2x Cloud the Mind
1x Court Mask /
2x Finger of Jade
3x Ornate Fan
Character (7)
2x Ageless Crone
2x Bayushi Collector //
2x Goblin Sneak
1x Yogo Kikuyo //


If you have any comments or feedback please post them in the comments section below. Check us out on the Imperial Advisor website, podcast, and YouTube channel for more discussion about the L5R LCG.

4 Replies to “Meta Check – Cork”

  1. This is the place where I have to get something of my chest:
    This was by far the most well organised event in the most beautiful location with the most awesome players I have ever been to for any game. Like by kaiu wall long.

    Big thanks to everyone I played with (having a tight fun loss against a London crane, getting chocolate out of my first loss against dragon and getting tips to spend the second day around cork (Ring of Kerry <3) from Bazleebub for the ireland experience – to just mention the losses) if there is a 2020 kotei I will def. be there. How can one not?

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