Yes. I admit it. I can be a posting flake.
Well that aint no lie.
Yeah yeah, can we move on now?
Sure. it's either this or late-night cable anyways.
Good... I think.
So for deck clinic numero uno, I didn't exactly have a request or contribution from the masses. But i DO have a sort of pet project i've been working on. I thought a good starting point for you guys interested in having me rework your pet decks into veritable monsters.
Before I begin, however, a quick disclaimer. I won't be able to process every single request. Also, if a submitted build meets a particular level of competitiveness, I may forego using it in favor of a build in need of a bit more attention. Also, a list mailed to me with no details doesn't help me stick to any particular theme you may want to keep. So please, the more you tell me, the better I can meet the kind of build you will want to play.
Geez shut up already and lets get started.
Oh yeah, to help illustrate my thought processes and explanations, I add an "inside voice" for some dialogue in italics.
Wonderful. now they are ALL going to know about us.
Yeah... So anyway, My pet project these days has been focusing on unique card interactions and applying them into specific formats like BYOT/random punks... essentially we want to make a specialized deck to give our builds some sort of a format edge. Hopefully, you get the idea.
You mean "our" project.
Yeah, that's what i meant. So anyways, lately I've been swooning about alpha flight. My original take on them was a nextwave hybrid that looks something like this:
Characters:
4 Aurora
4 Aaron Stack
4 Julia Carpenter <> Arachne
4 Elsa Bloodstone
4 John Walker <> US Agent
2 The Captain
2 Sasquatch
2 Tabitha Smith
2 Weapon Omega
1 Monica Rambeau
2 Beta Ray Bill
Plot Twists:
2 Alpha Flight Reborn
3 Savage Beatdown
4 Flying Kick
4 Heroic Effort
4 Mobilize
4 Straight to the Grave
2 Pathetic Attempt
2 Omega Flight
4 Forbidden Loyalties
Wait a sec, this build looks just fine.
Sure, mindless beatface doesn't suck, but where's the Pinache? The style points? Where's the "cool factor"? I mean Nextwave is cool, but in this build they bring nothing notable to the table. Nothing in this build really has the ability to deal with any non-combat shenanigans with the exception of PA.
...ok... so, um, what would make this a "cool" deck?
Well first, I am looking for some sort of synergy we can bring to the table. I mean it's sort of a given alpha flight needs a team-up, but the question becomes, "Who else can benefit from Alpha Flight's strengths?"
Hmmmm... they love plot twists, they can grab from the KO pile, and they can get multiple uses and triggered effects from a single PT activation.
OK, a decent enough breakdown, so what other teams share any of these strengths?
Oh i know this! Let's see... almost every team loves plot twists, but both Underworld and Secret Society have some strong KO pile interactions. Also the aquaman legend builds can dig into the KO pile too.
Oh! feels like we're getting warmer there mini-me-voice-dude-thing. Underworld has a few options, but they dont hit me with any shocking revelations, The aquaman legend approach seems to tickle me, but with access to Black Manta, the secret society approach may build itself. I mean options like a potential triple beatdown on turn 5 on your atacking John Walker, from a single card seems pretty hard to pass up. and the bonus effect on the straight to the graves seal the deal for me.
Alright, so lets see a list already you long-winded shmuck!
Alpha Society
Characters: (29)
1 Charaxes, Moth monster
3 Aurora, Jeanne-Marie Beubier
4 Dr. Sivana
3 Floronic Man, Jason Woodrue
3 Julia Carpenter <> Arachne, Omega Flight
4 John Walker <> US Agent, Omega Flight
1 Gorilla Grodd, Grodd Awful
1 Fatality, Okaaran Warrior
3 Black Manta, Underwater Marauder
1 Sasquatch, Walter Langkowski - Omega Flight
1 Weapon Omega, Michael Pointer - Omega Flight
1 Mr. Freeze, Cold Blooded
1 Beta Ray Bill, Simon Walters - Omega Flight
1 Doomsday, Engine of Destruction
1 Darkseid, Dark God
Plot Twists: (24)
2 Alpha Flight Reborn
2 Mobilize
4 Straight to the Grave
2 Only Human
4 Path of Destruction
2 Heroic Effort
1 Agility
1 Endgame
4 Forbidden Loyalties, Team-up
2 Omega Flight, Team-up
Locations: (7)
4 Remote Facility, Non-Unique
3 Construction site
Yay! a list! sooo.... what does it do?
Alright lets look into the low drops first, we ignore the 1's completely to standardize our curve options and leave room for those delicious delicious plot twists and combo pieces. Our ideal start is actually Dr. Sivana, but if there's a rush coming at us, Aurora is a solid play.
Moving on, Flouronic Man has solid stats, and his effect can end games if he can stay in play long enough. Julia Carpenter is rocking a great effect facing down a swarm, but don't jump the gun on her effect just because you can. I typically use her to take care of a problematic hidden character ready to pounce.
*coughwolverinethreedropcough*
On four we absolutely, positively want John Walker. (insert Texas Ranger joke here) but we have some fallback options depending on our matchup or how the game is going. However a 4 drop walker leading into a 5 drop manta will start the hilarity. Up to this point any STTG's we've seen should have been also tossing path of destructions into the KO pile, giving us a signifigant pump that we can continue to recur. Or adversely allowing some Heroic Effort spam to get him nice and large for lategame.
I thought you said you wanted some super cool combo? All i see so far is making John Walker big 101.
Well the question here is: HOW big can we get him? Or how big can we get ANYTHING for that matter. Some better versed veteran players already see the interaction.
Essentially, Construction Site + Path of destruction.
OK you are going to have to explain this one sparky.
Alright check this out. At some point let's set a Path of Destruction in the resource row. For this quick example, we'll assume there are no other Paths in the ko pile. We attack with, say, sasquatch. On the legal attack we play path for +2 atk and an additional +2 for each path in the ko pile. normally played from the hand, or row this would be a simple +2 pump. however, if we chain Construction site to the activation, all of the sudden when the chain resolves our path of destruction effect will resolve, checking the ko pile for paths, finding one, and granting a very solid +4 pump.
So basically, by using the chain, we can stretch the pump!
Exactly! now lets say there are 3 in the ko pile with one rowed. the same interaction grants a +10 pump! then we can use black manta/flouronic man/alpha flight reborn to grab it back and do it again the next turn! or in a pinch just ream a whole lot of pain into a poor opposing player's face.
Ok, I admit, that's pretty cool.
I thought so. Anyway, moving on, we have some nice options on turn 6, and turn 7 gives us either a monstrous 19/19 (doomsday easily is no problem to overcome his effect with charaxes) or a combo-licious Beta Ray Bill trigger. (admittedly our focus to combat tricks limits his ability to stun on or up curve but a free stun is still a free stun!)
Should we face a lategame showdown, sneaking in the fun Darkseid win condition 8 drop and his "look! I win!" Endgame finish.
Of course, I always reccommend any players investigate other tech options, so cards like Pathetic Attempt, Omnipotence, Unnatural selection or alternate drops can easily find a home in this build. (for example running chemos and Poison Ivy threes could easily replace our Construction Sites and our Flouronics. It all depends on personal taste.)
So go on! try it out! and feel free to post problematic decks either in the linked thread, in the reply box, or feel free to email some of your own fixer-uppers to:
onyxweaponvs@hotmail.com
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