# Common Decks

By Tomasi Akimeta, Jr.
June 3, 1997

I recently made a series of Commoner/ Uncommoner Decks that were just for fun purposes, but then found that they increasingly got better, and constantly won more 2 to 3P games other friend's Tournament 2P to 3P decks, and in 4 P games, they've come up in a 5/10 record. I'm confident that, with enough skill and patience, a smart player will be able to win tournaments with these decks. After winning at a more constant basis than usual with this basic design, I thought that I should dedicate this year into making Commoner Decks that could win Tournaments (many, many thanks to Brad Solberg for his insiration! Yeah, yeah, I owe you :). My goal for most of the decks that I want to post is to keep the Number_of_Rares under 2 to 4 rares per deck, that way those who don't have many rares can trade to get these cards and make the decks that have proven themselves around my circle (and my play circle is very
competent, thank you). They're going to be represented in a series of modules, so that those with a limited supply can make at least one of the decks and feel confident enough about them that they can play the modules pretty far.

## Attack on the Arcanotower

4 Cave Network
3 Proving Ground
2 Ring of Gates
1 Whirlpool of Blood
4 Golden Comback
2 Kiii-YAAAH!
3 Hacker
3 Stunt Men
2 Coffee-Stained Cop
2 Netherworld Vet
1 Golden Gunman (can replace using any Uncommon 6 to 7 Fighting score Dragon Hitter; is now currently running with 1 Ting Ting)
Card Total: 27

## Notes:

This is a series that first started earlier as a Hand and Dragon RigDis deck called "No Guts, No Glory", but then later evolved into a more
compitent module design that can be changed around with 3 different factions for more variety and more overall fun.

## No Guts, No Glory (Main Deck, 1st Module)

#### Hand Variant

4 Rigorous Discipline
4 Iron and Silk
4 Violet Meditation
2 Wing of the Crane (or Return to the Center)
2 Wind on the Mountain (same as above)
3 Instrument of the Hand
3 Shaolin Monk
2 Red Monk
1 Shan Tsu (can be replaced using any 6 or 8 Fighting score Hand hitter,
like Cop on Vacation or a Shaolin Master)
Card Total: 25

## Notes:

A pretty fast mover, if you let the opponents attack first. I tried to use this basic strategy with all of the modules. It's pretty set
offensively and defensively, thanks to Rigorous Discipline. RigDis is what surrounds this module. You could RigDis Shih giving him Ting
Ting's abilities, or Ting Ting the Netherworld Vet's, or Stunt Man the Coffee-Stained Cop's, or your opponent's heavy hitter the Wandering
Monks'... get the drift? And you can safely block most enemy hitters thanks to Iron and Silk.

## Silent But Deadly (2nd Module)

#### Ascended Variant

2 Claw of the Dragon
4 Operation Killdeer
2 Bull Market (if you don't have any of these, and then add in 1 Mole
Network and 1 Bite of the Jellyfish)
2 Shadowy Mentor
2 Mole Network
2 Subterfuge
1 Realpolitik
1 Bite of the Jellyfish
3 Student of the Shark
3 Liquidators
3 Just a Rat
1 Sam Mallory (or White Ninja Promo Card; or Phillipe Benoit; can be replaced with Fist of the Bear or Might of the Elephant)
Possible Replacements: Remove 2 Cave Network and insert 2 The Hanging Coffins
Card Total: 25

## Notes:

This one's not a very friendly tune, since it's balanced, thanks to the
OpKil's. I like to use the Just a Rat as the main offensive line, if
they can stay out long enough. If you can, try and get yourself 2
Hanging Coffin. Adding some Tactics in with Stealth would really help.
And the 2 Claw of the Dragon? Imagine a damaged Sam Mallory with Claw
of the Dragon on him! GAAAAAAAH!

## No Retreat, No Surrender (3rd Module)

#### Monarch Variant

4 Netherworld Return
4 Brain Fire
3 Mark of Fire
1 Avenging Thunder
4 Fire Warriors
3 Ice Tiger
5 Fire Martyr
1 Lord Shi (can be replaced with Thunder Champion)
Possible Replacements: If your having Weenie troubles, replace 2
Netherworld Return with +2 Mark of Fire
Card Total: 25

## Notes:

This variant needs more testing, since I've only tested it about 6 times last night. It went 3 and 4 in 2P, and 1/1 in 4P. The plan with this
variant is to get out as many Fire Martyrs as you can and ATTACK! The reason why there's a lot of Netherworld Return in this module is
because your opponent is most likely to have a series of 1 or 2 Fighting characters in the smoked pile early in the game, and when you play a NR,
your most likely to pull out a 2 or a 3, which is more useful than a 1 or a 2. Plus, you have a large ammount of cheap hitters (Fire Martyr,
Coffee-Stained Cop, Netherworld Vet) that can take advantage of this. That's a risk I'm willing to take.
The Dragon's can hang back and chill out on defense, but if you're well enough ahead, go buckwild and DESTROY!!!!

## The Widow Maker

4 Cave Network
3 City Park
2 Curio Shop
1 The Hanging Coffins (can be replaced with 1 Proving Grounds)

5 Portal Jockey
5 Plasma Trooper
2 Resistance Squad
2 Test Subjects
4 BuroMil Ninja
4 Dallas Rocket

5 Monkeywrenching
4 In Your Face Again
4 Buro Godhammer
3 Napalm Surprise

Card Total: 48

## Notes:

This deck was made with the mind of utilizing the Jammers notion of being extremely annoying, and the Architects favorite ability, Ambush.

This 2 to 3P deck is extremely annoying when played right (I should know, my buddy helped me tune it, and he's a master at making annoyance
decks), even decks with rares. It's built with the intent to let the opponent make the first move (or mistake, however you care to see it :).

Try and draw a Cave Network, City Park or a Curio Shop, and a 2 or 3 Fighting Foundation Character your first turn. Set out whatever site
you have.

Let your opponent go. They'll probably put out a 1 cost character and attempt to reveal what site you have. If it's a Cave Network, put out
your 2 or 3 cost character and let the damage go through; if it's a City Park or Curio Shop, no sweat then.

Your turn. If you've got another 3 costing character that can be put out, do so. If not, turtle (or sit and guard your site) for a bit and
set out another site. Then build up a good Power base to open up a fresh can of Whoop Ass, and then give your opponent a "no frills, all
expenses paid trip to Loser-ville".

Basically, this thing can defend itself pretty well against most attacks during your first and second turns. Once you get going, burn for power
to get enough of your characters out, and then get rid of your opponents characters to keep you in the lead. Use Monkeywrenching with your
Ninjas to clear the way for your Napalm Surprise and your other characters.

If your losing big time, use In Your Face Again to bring you temporary hitters out of the woodwork for both blocking and attacking muscle, and
Napalm Surprise to help clear the way for your boys to get something out before going back to the morgue.

Widow Maker's weakness is against denial decks (Hand and Lotus). I should try to insert some Arcanotechnicians, but that would probably
negate the In Your Face Again. I'll keep you posted on how the Widow Maker does.

Hope you find this deck design as much fun as I do. I also found that you can mix the other variants in with each other, making a possible
NINE decks! (I dunno how effective they'll be, but still!) Enjoy, and Take Care!

Last modified: September 18, 1997.