Magik: Queen of Games

Let's face it... anyone playing Magik is already cheating. Being able to see the top card (let alone being able to use it at a discount!) is one heck of an advantage. The ability is overpowered on it's own, but tied with the gimmicky Meta Games alongside absurdly high cost cards from the 'Pool it quickly .

Magik As stated before Magik's innate hero ability, letting us know exactly what card is on top, is incredible. Th Magik's base deck has some great synergy with this with respect to events, but it gets ridiculous when you account for Magik's Crown, Mystical Armor, and Soulsword providing insane keywords (retaliate, steady, pierce) alongside the potential stat boost. Whatever aspect you would decide to run, Magik can easily hold her own.

To top all this off, she has great flexibility and survivability. Colossus is a great value for what essentially is an attach interrupt, while her stats and cheap events provide a "Jack-of-all-trades" approach to the board. Though her 10 health is on the low end for heroes, you will rarely find a need to flip and recover, especially with this build.

TOP CARD STRATEGY The overall goal is to get the upgrades and supports on the board as quickly as possible, to the point where we can use them to benefit. then allowing us to decide whether that card should be played at a discount, drawn, swapped, exploited, or thrown out for damage. Here's how this works:

• PLAY: As stated before Magik's ability to play the top card at a one cost discount is ridiculous. Pair this with Helicarrier, The X-Jet, or (if desperate) Bloodgem and suddenly the majority of cards you would want to play in the first place become free. When it benefits us, Stepping Disc allows us to grab any upgrades or supports that were sent to the discard.

• DRAW: Avengers Mansion is ours if we feel greedy. However, we get our own personal Avengers Mansion via Rock, Paper, Scissors, easily knowing what card in our hand will work. We can also burn the deck a bit with Spiritual Meditation and Scrying when necessary.

• SWAP: Once Limbo comes out, we can ensure the right card is on top of the deck for use. Don't forget that this can also be used during the Villain Phase to take advantage of Soul Strike's effect. Stepping Disc and Scrying are great options as well.

• EXPLOIT: As stated at the start, Magik's base deck utilizes the top card as a trigger for bonus effects on her equipment and events. However, our added allies Cosmo and Legion also benefit from knowing the top card, allowing us flexibility on the board.

• BOOM: Here's where we get ludicrous damage, with the only cost being our health. When we can get 'Pool Inspection, #Da Bomb, or Break Time are on top it's time to activate #WAR for an easy 6 damage wherever we would like, particularly with a pesky high health minion or Nemesis.

Overall, the goal is to ensure that top card is being used to your benefit, regardless as to how that's happening.

UTILITY CARDS + ALTERNATIVES

• The Sorcerer Supreme is a must for anyone with the mystic trait. +1 to hand size with no negatives? Yes please!

• Helicarrier + The X-Jet + Bloodgem + Avengers Mansion may seem like overkill, but they play a major role in speeding up the game, keeping cards in hand, and potentially helping fellow players. Also, both The X-Jet and Bloodgem work with Blackout and Tic-Tac-Toe, especially since the deck is lean on resources.

• Stepford Cuckoos is a great way to control the encounter deck. If someone else is running it in their deck, Negasonic Teenage Warhead or Cutupper are also solid alternatives.

• Healing Factor is our reason for not having Down Time or Endurance. This plus Tic-Tac-Toe are your means of healing and alleviate the toll Bloodgem can take with repeated use. Basic Spell also fits in this category, though more likely than note you'll be using it to thwart or attack.

• Git Gud is probably the least necessary card in the deck, but I personally love the safety net it provides for not just me, but anyone else in our group. ALTERNATIVES: Stick-To-Itiveness would be my personal choice. Though theres not a lot of resources in the deck, both The X-Jet and Bloodgem can be used to activate it. I have also been tempted to replace it with Symbiote Suit for the all round boost, and with the belief that she could easily handle the added encounter card.

• Energy, Genius, Strength vs. Self-Preservation, Self Control, and Self Confidence. A friend and I have been debating this one for a bit. Personally, I like the flat two resources vs the 1-3 these alternatives provide. Taking damage is alright with her. However, I would caution this is a "one or the other" situation as 3 resource cards is definitely enough. More often than not you'll find yourself with TOO MANY resources, rarely to few.