07/05/2008

Deck Deconstruction: Radioactive Man.dec

by Michael "Big Mike" Robinson

(Famed Team Wiscago member Michael Robinson, gives us insight on his lock deck's evolution)

Radioactive Man.dec

Characters
• 4 Green Goblin, Insanity Unleashed
• 1 Black Cat, Thrillseeker
• 4 Bullseye, Lester
• 4 Radioactive Man, Containment Suit
• 1 Sharon Carter, Agent 13
• 4 The Captain, Can't Remember His Real Name
• 4 Ultron, Ultron Prime
• 1 Holocaust, Nemesis
• 1 Martian Manhunter, Founding Member
• 1 Koriand'r <> Starfire, X'Hal's Fury
• 1 Darkseid, Dark God
• 1 The Beyonder, Inhuman
• 1 Death, The Second Force of the Universe

Plot Twists

• 4 Heroic Effort
• 4 Strategic Thinking
• 4 Mobilize
• 4 Underground Movement, team-up
• 3 Mystical Paralysis
• 3 Pathetic Attempt
• 3 Savage Beatdown
• 2 Call in a Favor
• 1 Superhuman Registration Act, team-up
• 1 Only Human

Location

• 4 Thunderbolts Mountain

Our Worlds deck started out as a Crime Lords toolbox deck that abused Red Skull and his ridiculous array of legend cards. Cards like [Radically Advanced], [Acts of Vengeance], and [Cosmic Cube]. The idea was pretty solid but had a terrible game against MKO in testing. We were guessing that MKO would be prevalent, about 15-25% of the field, after reading [Blade, Independent Contractor]. So, adjustments needed to be made. We needed a character we could stabilize games on turn 5, on or off-initiative and turn the tide of pretty much any game. Enter [Ultron, Ultron Prime], SEXY! This created an issue as Red Skull was the premiere 5-drop in the initial build, so we had to go to Red Skull on three and seven. Although guys in my team like Cheng and Ray love Red Skull 3-drop, I wasn't as big a fan of him in constructed. So, I went into the tank like I've been known to do, looking for alternative solutions because cards like [Only Human] and [From the Darkness]/Bat Got Your Tongue?] were annoying the hell out of me and making games go a turn to three turns longer then they should. I didn't want to toolbox in negation as it screws too many slots. The best way to COUNTER them (good lead in) was to not let them play them at all.

[Radioactive Man, Containment Suit]! Absurd. He locks most teams out as early as turn 3 and severely hurts aggro decks in testing. Decks like IG Concealed, World's Finest, Fantastic Four, and Hulk had little to no chance in testing. Now if you get something like that you have to run with it. So, my version of the deck switched totally to getting Radioactive Man off on three. He had in team support like [Green Goblin, Insanity Unleashed]. One of the deck MVPs is in [Bullseye, Lester] in conjuction with [Thunderbolts Mountain] allowing him to start chopping off 2-drops on turn three. So, the early game had totally switched from focusing on Red Skull to this ridic multi-team madness.

Consistency is needed or it's just a pile of cards. Well, MUN just happen to have some broken team-ups in [Underground Movement] and [Superhuman Registration Act]. Both are great in their own right, but [Ungerground Movement] really allows Ultron to be that brickwall that you need him to be. The ability to move guys over to the hidden area once they enter combat was like it was meant for this type of deck. A perfect fit. [The Captain] was the original 4-drop in the deck and remained in my version for the card draw and the ability to abuse [Mystical Paralysis]. [Martain Manhunter, Founding Member] was a no-brainer as they can't stun Ultron, so let's eliminate breakthrough as well. Also, any chance I have to play [Holocaust] and tutor for him means he's getting played as he is completely nuts. In hindsight, we should have played [Human Torch, Herald] from the Galactus giant-sized set as he eliminates effects that target my characters or myself. That may have won me the [Sniper Shot] game. Brian and I were talking about that afterwards.

Lastly, the controversial Koriand'r/Darkseid combo that's not really a combo. I see I was the only one who saw this interaction and thought it was legit. Like I said in a thread on realms, it was a honest mistake, no one lost to me because of this so no harm, no foul. That said I cut Endgame thinking it worked. So you got the finished product. All of my teammates were sold on the deck and didn't run it. We had 3 actually run it. Two were slightly different as Angel ran [Power Dampeners] and [Skreeeeeee!] because he didn't have all the cards and almost Top 8'd losing his last match to Niles Rowland. Two others teammates ran the original Crime Lords Toolbox deck. One made Day Two. And one guy ran World's Finest because of a lack of cards. He didn't Day Two.

The funniest moment of the day: I believe I was playing Christopher Buelow (if it's not you I apologize) in Day Two and before the match he makes a comment about being unlucky to play me because when he does I beat him. I just laugh it off. So, we're playing a tight match and it comes down my 7-drop Red Skull against his Abomination with 4 counters. Making his backend 15 vs my 14 atk. Everyone I have is teamed up and have the Avengers affiliation. So I go for it and play [Atlantis Attacks]. Drum roll.............top in a five FTW! Hotness! Low moment of the event, I'm playing Jason Hager. Now I'm not bragging here but if you ask him he can or should tell you I was completely in control of our game. Then, turn 6 rolls around and I don't know what he's playing as I don't follow people around during these events to see what they're playing if i don't know them like that so I don't know what the hell he's got but I knew about the deck as Mike Jiles had built something similar and posted on our boards but I blew it off. 9-cost plot twist against Radio? Yeah right. So with him being at like 19 and me being able to swing direct for game with Radio already at like 9, I had two [Savage Beatdown] and still had Bullseye ready to swing. I made the big mistake of swinging Radio in for lethal, response, he does this, and this, and this, and this, and this, and [Gamma Bomb]. I lose as now he can do it every turn there after to [Imperiex]. I totally punted the game to him. I think their build had 7-drop Thing but I don't know if he had it as he couldn't search all game. Oh well, shit happens. I love the fact that Wiscago is getting a rep for off the wall jank. This is two years in a row. Let's keep it going.