X-FORCE's Mission Leader (X-FORCE Leadership)

Cable is one of my favorite comic heroes and Leadership is my favorite aspect, so my first published deck was always going to be those two together. The whole deck revolves around Uncanny X-Force, so getting that out early is the key to the entire strategy. I typically play two player (either two handed solo or with a friend), so a lot of my considerations come with that player count in mind.

Allies: In order for Uncanny X-Force to work properly, we can really only include X-Force allies (Sorry Maria Hill). Fantomex has some amazing verstility and is a good target for Inspired since he can heal himself if we need to ever attack with him. Sunspot and X-23 are here for damage and fighting minions primarily. Marrow is great because of his lower cost. Deathlok is the powerhouse ally. Getting Inspired on him with UXF out means he thwarts for 4 which is insane for an ally! He is my pick for Call for Backup, and usually the target for Get Ready and Psychic Kicker.

Events: Pretty straightforward; ready up your allies and have them keep thwarting down side schemes. Not taking the consequential damage from the side schemes means you don't have to worry as much about over-using the allies.

PSS: Build Support is what I go for first in order to get Uncanny X-Force into play. I usually save Technovirus Purge for the third PSS when I can so that Mind Scan can easily clear it in one go. Specialized Training is a great card, especially in multiplayer, but it works best to help close out a game in my opinion since it tends to sit around for a while due to the 5/player threat. Establish Perimeter simply helps relieve some pressure when you need it and I like that it has a lower per player threat count, making it easier to finish off and power up Cable's events and Plasma Rifle.

Supports: X-Bunker is a great card selection/card draw card in the second half of the game. We can co get Psychic Kicker or Telekinetic Blast, or an ally if we need one. Uncanny X-Force literally turns the deck on. The amount of extra thwarting this card generates and the fact that it allows the allies to stick around for several extra turns is amazing. We can still use allies to attack or thwart the main, but a "free" 2-4 thwart every turn is exactly what the deck needs to push through all the PSS.

Upgrades: Advanced Suit and Inspired are great for any of our allies. The deck isn't really designed as a voltron deck, but these cards really help get a ton of mileage out of the allies. Having X-23 attack for 4 and defeat a minion, ready up, and heal her damage (by discarding) is hilarious and hits way above the cost curve! Leadership Skill is really there just to help make the math work for any situation. Mission Leader is a pretty obvious include when we have the PSS plus any encounter side schemes in play. It should be going off about every other turn, and because Cable is a Soldier in both forms, we can play it for 1 cost.

In Play: This deck definitely builds over the game. Cable's signature events and his plasma rifle are underpowered until you get 2-3 PSS in the victory display. Getting at least one ally into play in the first two turns is the main goal, then thwart down Build Support on turn 2 and hopefully play a second PSS shortly after that. I find that with the allies, Cable's defense (which I use some since he can ready after using Mind Scan on a side scheme), and 12 hit points, I can go several turns in hero form. Then flip down to use his 4 REC, X-Bunker, and Professor, and he is usually ready to rumble again. Cable can close out games surprisingly quickly as well; Telekinetic Blast hits for 11 with all of his PSS in the victory, and in multiplayer, if everyone else brought even one PSS (and you add in Forced Amnesia), that is 15 damage! Deathlok with Inspired and Psychic Kicker can hit for 8 as well. It's definitely possible in the final round to push out 25-30 damage.

I have been tuning this deck over the past few weeks so I hope everyone enjoys the review. I'm definitely open to comments/suggestions as well. Thanks in advance and cheers!