Ok, Ok. So I have been fidling with Hellfire/Checkmate ALL day. I was at work, and all I did was run ideas through my head. Here is what I've come up with for the time being:

4 Connie Webb
4 Sage, Tersa
4 Ahmed Samsarra
3 Tarot
4 Adrian Chase, Street Justice
3 Empath
2 Maxwell Lord, Black King
2 Shinobi Shaw
1 Magneto, Black Lord
1 Donald Pierce
2 Sebastian Shaw

4 Nightmare Scenario
4 Power and Wealth
2 Threat Neutralized
2 System Failure
1 Join the Club!
1 Check and Mate!
1 Power Play
1 Absolute Domination

4 Safehouse Team-Up
4 Brother I Satelite
3 Rook Control
1 Brother Eye
1 The Hellfire Club
1 Shaw Industries


Ok, this is ALSO a rough build, I think some of the Hellfire helps Checkmates weak points (Weak Late Game). Rook Control allows for some shenanigans with Shaw late game. There are a couple of 1 of plot twists that I can pull because of Power and Wealth. Need Power Play? Need Check and Mate! ? Need Absolute Dominance? It lets you get away with having those as 1 of.

All the unique locations are 1 of as well for a very good reason, Ahmed. He IS your 3 drop, period. He keeps things running smoothly. He finds your pump(Brother Eye/Shaw Industries), Character Search(Brother I Satelite), Team-Up (Safehouse), as well as your movers (Rook Control/The Hellfire Club).

You have 2 GOOD options on turn 6. If you don't need the Check and Mate! you can just drop your 6 as usual. However you can also use it, then have Shinobi AND Maxwell out on turn 6, and they are both beefy 10's as is. Most opponents won't have an alternate 5, so they simple replace, underdrop, or do nothing. Check and Mate is THE move against FoX on 6 since that is their kill turn.

Then you have the great position of having Shaw on 7, and while your opponent might have a 7 too, they won't have a 6, and likely only 1 5, while you'll have 2 5's that are dam near 6's, and your big, bad 7. You swing with Shaw in the visible. Use 1 Rook Control to bring him Hidden, KO 2 guys whom already attacked. Use a 2nd Rook Control and bring him visible again so he gets Shaw Industries again for his second attack. GG.

So, thoughts? Suggestions?

I only have one comment - if you're going to team up Checkmate and Hellfire, the team name HAS to be "Chess Club" (like in high school)

There's no other option hahaha

Great idea. I have been pondering this team up too while at work as well. My build differs from yours in a few regards. Below is the build I would like to try and we can compare notes. I am assuming that this is going to be a silver age build. This is really rough also.

Characters (33 total)

1 drops: Hellfire Initiate x3; Mikado and Mosha x2

2 drops: Sage Tessa x4; Fredrich Von Roehm x4

3 drops: Ahmed Samsarra x4; Mastermind x3

4 drops: Adrian Chase x4; Amanda Waller x2

5 Drops: Roy Harper x3; Shinobi Shaw x2

6 Drops: Magneto, BL x1; Donald Peirce x1

Locations (13)

Checkmate Safe House (team up) x4
Brother I Satellite x3
Rook Control x3
Shaw Industries x2
Slaughter Swamp x1

Plot Twists (14)

Enemy of my Enemy x2
Army of one x4
Threat Neutralized x 3
Power and Wealth x2
Absolute Domination x1
Traitor to the Cause x2

Basically it is along the same lines as yours with some different character choices. I completely agree that Ahmed Samsarra is the key to this deck running smoothly. I put two of the shaw industries in there because I am afraid that there will be a lot of location hate running around. This at least gives me an out if something happens to my first one.

I like Maxwell Lord, but I am not sure how good he is going to be in the deck. I am also a huge fan of Roy (I am probably in the minority here), but him in combo with Shaw industries will allow him to stun a 6 with a little help. You throw in Magneto and you could totally nerf an attack.

The hardest part (and the part that probably could use the most work) is the Locations and Plot twists. There are so many options its hard to focus it down, especially with a Location themed group like this.

Anyways..enough of my rambling. Let me know what you think.

Here is my reasoning on Maxwell. If all goes well, on 5 you play either Max or Shinobi on 5. Then Check and Mate! for 6, and drop the other. You now have 2 BIG 5's, and they likely have only 1 5 dependant on weather they have alternate 5's, or if they underdrop.
My main thing with max, is that he can put holes in an opponent's reinforcment plans, so that when Sebastian comes through it's for biblical damage both times.
My other thing, is I have found getting the team-up going FAST is key to victory. Also, unless you are gonna run Ahmed AND Max, then I don't think you need that many Threat Neutralized.
Just thoughts all of these. I also took out a Rook Control for 1 Hellfire Club, simply because it is occasionally difficult to have just 1 character visiible with Max, because he dosn't have concealed, and getting Shaw Industries going is important to making him a 12/12.

I like it alot...... dumb idea but fate's artifacts(not playing magic)on the lecherous 5 drop make for a evil man(not Hitler,Stalin...VP maybe), +4/+4 no target and gets 1/1 counter scary each turn... i don't really like cards like nightmare seems a little much just for +2/+2 pump... no shaw, odd join the club if you happen to be running more hidden monkeys...pierce blows better with magnus on six, if you manage to have enough fodder he's evil, power play on turn seven gets hopefully two stuns out shaw sac him to magneto stun #3......then again it's sounding more like hellfire now isn't it..... i'm sure i didn't help you any but if i did i'm truly sorry for filling your head with such stuffing............................................................................................ .................................................................................................... .................................................................................................... ................................