I've been thinking about this since World's Finest came out, and have finally built it for testing.

Characters: 32
4 Lady Blackhawk
4 Huntress
4 Dark Lantern
4 Dark Firestorm
3 Catwoman
1 Barbara Gordon <> Oracle
4 Dark Martian
2 Vixen
4 Savant
1 Dark Superboy
1 Dark Champion

Plot Twists: 24
4 Joining the Darkseid
4 Flying Kick
4 Crackshot
4 Dark Fury
3 Mobilize
3 Created From Hate
2 Titans of Tomorrow

Locations: 4
4 Furnace of Apokolips


Changes so far
-1 Mobilize
-4 Bat Signal
-4 Big Leagues
-1 Batman

+3 Created From Hate
+2 Titans of Tomorrow
+4 Crackshot
+1 Dark Champion

As you can see, this is an early build. The thing that I like about this deck is that usually Team-Ups are a burden in short curve decks, but Joining the Darkseid is ridiculous (especially in multiples) as a constant ATK pump. My biggest problem with the deck are the search options. There was a decent amount to choose from between Mobilize, Bat Signal, Created From Hate, and (to a lesser extent) Titans of Tomorrow. I am thinking about taking out the Bat Signals so I do not need to worry about teaming up with GK in certain situations, but the drawback of Created From Hate scares me in some instances.

Problems aside, the idea behind the deck along with the team-up is very solid. So far, I have only tested it against Kree/IH and was very encouraged with the results. With odds, I was able to finish off Kree pretty consistently on 5 (as long as they didn't have 2 or 3 Poker Nights :angry:). The drawing engine along with Cassandra to finish things off is a force to be reckoned with.

Let me know what you think, thanks!

-Omega

Ok so you just gave me a new deck to work on... I'm totally on board with this one.. lets get to work..

bat signals def need to go they only turn 3 babs if you hit huntress on to with your only GK characters being babs and huntress its really a stretch in using it.

Bat Signal searches out Cassandra and Batman as well, which is mainly why I use it. Either way I am thinking of trying out Created From Hate in their place.

GKSFdude- I'm glad you like the idea. Let me know how you think it should be changed.

-Omega

why no dark champion? i think thats what its called. the +2 to characters that came into play. i don thave too much experience with the deck but it seems good if you have evens

I assume you mean Furnace of Apokolips?

I think I'd run created from hate over batsignal but I'd definately put in a copy of dark champion at 6 too.

If you think you can reliably mobilize then maybe you should be running Big Leagues over crackshot/Kick?

Odd I just started putting together this exact deck last night. I've considered making mine silver though in time for City Champs but I'm not too sold on it's power level so I'd like to see how this develops.

I also definitely suggest replacing bat signal, it's a solid card and all but as a concealed deck you need to think about what you're trying to do with the deck, presumably this is just substitute concealed beats so can you really live with giving up those slots to something that makes you exhaust a character and also to be really used effectively requires one of the team ups and for you to have hit a gotham knights character already?

Honestly I would say Titans of Tomorrow is a definite 4 of in this deck, but this is not a replacement for bat signal, I would say that should be Created from Hate, sure the cost can potentially be high but would you rather miss a drop? As for Mobilize I love the card but I dunno how well it would do in this deck missing your team up could hurt and you do have the potential to play a character to get one team affiliation on the field and then sub out for a different affiliation after you play mobilize but this is something to play test and find out, if it's not working for you or you find you don't really even need it to hit your curve replace it with attack pumps.

Also I'm not sold on Barbara Gordon she's solid for a card every turn but if you're trying to do a lot of substituting is she really going to be on the field multiple turns? and more importantly if she is, are those extra cards worth the fact that you're 3 drop is horribly undersized in a beats deck?
I would think that subbing dark firestorm for himself on many turns would be sufficient but that's just me.

As for Cassandra Cain I'm not sold on her over Savant personally, so I'd toss her. Batman seems out of place, he is a nice techy drop but if you don't have batsignal he's unsearchable now so a darkseid drop or birds of prey is probably a better replacement now, as the only concealed drop other than 6-drop Dark Superboy who would replace the 5, is Dinah Laurel and Dark Champion we're sort of stuck with them.

So here's the deck after I'm done. Can't necessarily say this is any better but that's for you to decide.

Characters: 32
4 Lady Blackhawk
4 Huntress
4 Dark Lantern
4 Dark Firestorm
1 Dark Thanagarian
2 Catwoman
1 Barbara Gordon <> Oracle
3 Dark Martian
3 Vixen
3 Savant
1 Dark Superboy (5)
1 Dinah Laurel
1 Dark Champion

Plot Twists: 24
4 Joining the Darkseid
4 Mobilize
4 Created From Hate
4 Flying Kick
4 Crackshot
4 Titans of Tomorrow

Locations: 4
4 Furnace of Apokolips

the 5 drop is dark super boy the 6 drop is dark kryptonian I think you might want to put a 7 and an 8 in the deck. Just curving up to six is a bit dangerous and is going to leave you wanting more. I would go with kara zor el her vengeance is pretty decent I think that created for hate could be a dangerous tutor to play w/o the support of the face down theme of DE. its kinda like a Melissa gold

Thanks everyone, and yeah it is FURNACE of Apokolips lol my bad.

I have tested the deck more, and I do agree that there is actually too much search. Darkseid characters are the backbone of this deck, so I will cater to them more and cut Bat Signals. I did use Big Leagues at first, but I was trying to use less cards that required a Team-Up and cut it in favor of Crackshot. I really do not think that Savant is the best 5 drop option for this deck though. Cassandra proves quite useful with all the card draw and does not stun back, I on average have at least 3 characters I do not need making her a 12/12. Batman is very nice in a lot of match-ups, but I am planning on cutting him without Bat Signal. Barbara is still very good imo, I usually just draw a card with her and sub her out for Firestorm (making it like I play 8 of him). Sometimes her low stats come into play, but the pumps and Huntress' high attack makes up for it usually.

The deck is updated, thanks for the suggestions!

With pretty much all concealed beats decks I would say if you haven't won by 6 you really aren't going to win so why not go out in a blaze of under drop glory :p


Well I know the reference isn't perfect but Melissa Gold saw plenty of play in Squadron decks. Her drawback can hurt but really not all that much if you know how to use it, letting your opponent flip down a gift wrapped is a pain but sometimes that's the price you pay.

Beyond this if you are still worried about the Created From Hates giving your opponent too much back you can always try putting in some Darkseid resource disruption. In a substitute deck Unravel Reality can be quite the card, resource disruption and burn all in one card. Even a copy or two of Mad Harriet could get the job done. You would just need to find the slots.

Well taking the lists thus far.. here's what I plan on testing Saturday..

Characters: 32
4 Lady Blackhawk
4 Dark Lantern
4 Huntress
4 Dark Firestorm
4 Barbara Gordon <> Oracle -or- Catwoman
3 Dark Martian
3 Vixen
1 Dark Superboy
3 Cassandra Cain <> Batgirl
2 Dark Champion

Plot Twists: 23
4 Joining the Darkseid
4 Created From Hate
3 Titans of Tomorrow
4 Flying Kick
4 Crackshot
4 Unravel Reality

Locations: 6
3 Furnace of Apokolips
3 Soul World

Total: 61

I like playing 61 cards..

Any way I'll let you guys know how everything goes.. Still debating on whether to Catwoman or Babs.. also need to see how good Unravel Reality is.. I don't own any Mobilize, though I'm workin on that, I really like Created from Hate.. One other thing would be whether or not to play 2 different 6 drops of not.. and if so which ones..

The correct answer is 3 Catwoman 1 babs btw; Babs seems great till you really start playing with her; then she "sucks hardcore"; she essentially asks you to sacrifice your 3-drop for an extra card a turn, a bad thing in an aggro deck. Still, as a 1-of she can be handy vs control matchups for a turn or 2.

I am going to start testing running all Catwoman and Savant in place of Barbara and Cassandra just to see if it's easier to win with that. Cassandra is a beast in some games, but the next game she will be mediocre. Also, please make sure you fill me in on how your build works GKSFdude. Thanks again.

Any body have an idea of how this would perform in silver?

Adding Enemy would do wonders I would imagine. Although I can't really think of anything off the top of my head that would also be added... Potentially replace the team ups with some hellfire clubs and the Thule location that gives hidden +1 attack maybe so everyone gets the attack boost constantly instead of the characters that came into play this turn? But then you're forgoing the teaming up part, not that it is necessarily a problem but just a thought.

I found that the lack of early stun backs, means that you will lose to the Quicker Syndicate/Inhumans/Legion swarm decks which will kill on on turn 5 .