Quintessentially Quirky – The Power of the Mind

Quintessentially Quirky

The Power of the Mind

by Gary Hewitt

 

Well, here we go again. Another dip in to the wacky side of VS deck building. This time I will be looking at the TCG staple theme of hand control.

 

Across the vast majority of the TCGs in circulation, the idea of card advantage is one step to winning. Now this is often gained through additional drawing capability, however in almost every game there is the darker side, making your opponent discard. If they have fewer cards in hand, they are less well equipped to deal with the threats you can muster.

 

Now this has been taken to extremes in VS history. Arkham Inmates have always dabbled in forcing discards upon your opponent, and it was this team theme that inspired a team-up that quickly got banned. As it was a costless plot twist it was simply too easy to combine with other cards in order to completely destroy your opponent’s hand. More recently, the new plot twist incarnation of the Infinity Gauntlet allows you to empty the opponent’s hand in their build phase, but only if you have 6 different characters in play.

 

In the DC Legion of Superheroes set, there was a team built around making your opponent discard. However, there were two limitations applied to prevent out-right abuse.

1) Limit discard effects to the combat step. If a player draws 2 cards and then has to discard one before he starts his build phase then he effectively has to either drop a resource or miss a recruit. So putting a wealth of discard effects in to the set meant that some control was needed.

2) Make it optional. Whilst there are some effects that force a discard in the set, these are often tied to breakthrough and therefore avoidable. All the other effects were optional there was just a nasty downside to not doing it.

 

It is therefore logical to look to this team as a core build to a deck built around discarding cards. However, there has been one other team that looked to control the opponent’s option. The X-men, and specifically the more “mental” mutation focused characters have had discard effects since Origins. Notably Professor X’s original 5 drop version was under-sized but had two powerful discard effects. The 3 drop Psylocke was also under-sized but again could damage the opponent’s hand with a successful attack. This theme continued was revisited in MUN with the various incarnations of Prof X affecting card draw and his legend stamped plot-twist creating card advantage with every use.

 

I would just like to take this opportunity to recognise that James Warner used a discard heavy deck in a recent golden age tournament, however, he chose to use an amalgamation of several teams, including Arkham Inmates, X-Men, Future Foes and any other cards that supported the theme. I am looking to build a more straightforward deck. This does not make it better or worse than James’ build, just different.

 

So I am going with Future Foes and X-men, lead by the legend that is Professor X. Therefore this is Golden Age Legend Legal.

 

Characters: 28

 

1 Drops: 5

6x The Blight

While the 1 Drop Prof X from MUN is tempting, I need to enable the team up and the two drop is better Professor is better. So the army card gets the nod. Plus if I do manage to get the effect off it will weaken the opponent’s deck.

 

2 Drops: 7

4x Professor X

The MVL Legends one has a decent defence and a great effect for maintaining field advantage. Combined with some of the Future Foes cards, notably Altered History, this should guarantee discards. In addition with 1 attack he is always available to be exhausted to his plot twist “Realm of the Mind”.

3x Saturn Queen.

A concealed 2 drop is good. Her effect can stall opponents and force more discards providing you can get the stun. But as this should not be an issue given the plot twist support, then she is a decent inclusion. Tarik the Mute was considered simply because of his size… but I actually want people to discard and he is a powerful dissuader if on the field. But feel free to swap him in)

 

3 Drops: 7

4x Time Trapper

If you want to penalise opponents and force discards then this card does the job. Search is prevalent in a lot of decks these days as consistent performance is king. This card penalises them for doing so. Plus his stats aren’t terrible.

3x Psylocke

While her attack is decidedly unimpressive, if you get the breakthrough then making an opponent discard a card works very well in this deck.

 

4 Drops: 0

I am looking to under-drop on turn 4 with a combination of characters to maintain field presence and hopefully force a discard or two.

 

5 Drops: 5

4x Professor X

While physically he is nothing to shout about, he is one of the few ways to affect an opponents hand during the build phase, if you have odds initiative and have reduced the opponent to a hand size of 0, then he will force the under-drop or missed recruit. He can then continue the assault on the hand if they still have cards to discard.

1x Computo

This card comes with decent stats and a thematic effect that continues to apply pressure to the opponent.

 

6 Drops: 2

1x Emma Frost

Another blast from the past, her weak defence can be mitigated through activation effects. The low stats are less of an issue if Prof X has done his job on turn 5.

1x Mordu

A Future Foes 6 drop that can prevent high cost characters from hitting the table by removing them from your opponent’s hand.

 

7 Drops: 1

1x Universo

A powerful card that can easily win the game if you have initiative, his extra stun effect is often enough to push through strong board advantage.

 

8 Drops: 1

2x Professor X

May as well finish with the best version of the good doctor, he has decent stats and can completely remove any remaining cards from the opponent’s hand which prevents any last gasp tricks. And if it looks like it is going to turn 9 then hold him back and boost him out for maximum impact.

 

Plot Twists: 32

4x Forbidden Loyalties

We need a team-up and this one can make a visible character that bit bigger, and therefore more effective.

4x Enemy of my Enemy

Still the best golden age character search card for a multi-team deck.

2x Fatal Five Hundred

Team stamped character search is better than no character search.

4x Fast-Ball Special

As I intend to go off-curve, this is still the best way to get stuns on initiative with X-men. Sure it is Pathetic Attemptable, but they really shouldn’t have many of them available with no cards in hand.

4x Altered History

Recovery Effects are great, and when they have minimal or no cost they are even better. The fact that you can recover Prof X 2 drop when teamed up is just awesome. Even if they do discard, then great J

4x Chain Lightning

So this is either -4 Def or -2 and a discard. I’ll take either or quite frankly.

4x Realm of the Mind

This is the new Professor X stamped plot twist and for a mere exhaust you force a discard and gain a card. Individually good effects, combined they are awesome.

2x Return of the Daemon’s Head

This card allows you to bring the hurt on your initiative or your opponent discards two cards. Again, I’ll take either.

4x Tempus Fugit

+1 Def is not much, but if it gets rid of a card then great. If they chose to hold on to their toys, then I’ll take the +3 Def instead. Later in the game this is great.

 

The deck is built towards a turn 5/6 Prof X when they have no cards in hand. Whatever your initiative you should recruit the Prof at that point in time. You want the game to go a bit longer where the card advantage should then turn in to real field advantage when even without Prof X forcing them back a resource, there is every chance they will still miss drops.

 

Trying to keep the field maintained, in order to use fastball specials to push through actual advantage is a hallmark of X-men play that seems to be supported by the Future Foes team.

 

This is entirely designed for a casual tournament, but could be surprisingly effective. Granted there are a lot of powerful draw effects out there in the golden-age arena, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from trying this out. Sometimes the opponent will just refuse to discard as the cards in hand are two valuable. That actually allows you to gain the benefits of some string plot twists, so even then you should still be doing ok.

 

One thing to bear in mind is that the biggest complaint against the Arkham Team Up deck was that it stopped the opponent playing. I have tried to build a deck that can achieve a similar game winning advantage without the sheer brutality that the original combo deck achieved. While I hope that people would recognise that it is a thematic and interesting deck, there will be some players that may not enjoy the fact that they have lost in this manner.

 

Anyway, on to the next idea for a deck…