Psylocke, Omniversal X-tra Dimensional Protector

This deck was designed for Psylocke so she can have a high survivability rate in campaigns expert mode. It is pretty reliable, whereas it has a few drawbacks. After a nice beginning, it can be slower, counting on the Professor X to allow you to change back in alter ego as often as possible so some ressources spent for a near standoff. Also Psylocke's signature cards and her abilities (ressources from her psi-weapons, her nice power against threats or attack with piercing) tend to use her as hero whereas her low card hand and her support need her in alter ego; she can also confuse more easily than stun! Against steady vilains, Cerebro and the Professor X plus Psionic Training / Upside the Head or only some of her cards (Flurry of Blades or Psionic Redirect either for one or 2 confuse) can suffice. Stalwart are rarer; and if in last stage, it's best to prepare and finish them very quickly. She also has some means to change back without spelling the end.

Do not expect to succed correctly against the dubious tryptic Collector 1, Nebula & Ronan in campaign expert modes; you will need many attempts. All other scenario are in her range. I've never played her in full heroic even if i did the setups including those options when offered.

Review:

*Blindfold: very useful; allows you to remove an annoying card, to prepare for what is coming (block or not, etc...); add chance to get a specific card in campaign (like Longshot) by placing it at the right timing when possible; as Psychic can come back with your Psi-Energy Control ability and Cerebro

*Captain Britain: her twin brother; neither X-Man or even X-Force (does not share trait for expert Age of Apocalypse); but a strong 3/3 when you miss some damage sometimes; can do up to 9 points (damage or thwart) without too much difficulty; very strong in Age of Apocalypse special missions, furthermore with Desperate Measures which give you a 4/4 who will always act

*Colossus: can come in play for 3 in alter ego mode (however you cannot add psi ressources which is limiting); has though; strong in some campaigns and when you cannot allow to lose allies; very limited in others with piercing (worst if that comes from a boost you did not expect); can also do up to 9 damage if not blocking except if retaliate, more with x-mansion if you heal him from time to time

*Dazzler: rarely played since she also costs 4; you will mostly use Xavier; but she can stay, do some damage and be here if Xavier was captured by an encounter card the time you get him back (if possible); she can still shine and Allison was a great addition in the Outback times; also she confronted most of the greatest villains in the Marvel Universe, way before Squirrel Girl; it's better to have her around

*Forge: great to get you Cerebro; later on used mainly as a ressource or to get your 2 other X cards (Bunker and Mansion); your only ally with a cost of 2 (plus a card to discard eventually) so he can add that litte damage point you need and block later on

*Professor X : the card you will play constantly sometimes even against stalwart opponents!; confuse opponent always needed; 3 thwart; if he cannot confuse he can stun a minion or even allow Colossus or someone else to finish a minion or end a scheme; block if possible, suffer indirect damage... Psionic... almost endless possibilities

*White Queen: another Psionic X-Men ally; can remove your disturbing Stun or Confuse; or a Though on an opponent (never done); main problem is that you will often still prefer Xavier; and that you have to change back to alter ego to get her with Cerebro if hero and then too late that turn to use your nice event cards; her little damage point is also not to forget

*i would have liked to include Marvel Girl (young loves) in this definitive version; but her ability has never been useful and she often finishes as a simple ressource which is a real loss; she still did well sometimes, when you have the upper hand before i replace her

*One Way or Another: very specific; can be incredibly great, allowing you to get some campaign cards to save allies Captured by Hydra / Abduction Protocols, heal the senator Medical Emergency and so on; some campaings offer a lot of side schemes you can choose from with some that you will easily defeat; others have very hard ones with dire consequences when you defeat them; still a great card to have to not have to rerun the encounter deck until you get the card you need; on par with all your thwart possiblities and Skilled Investigator

*Psychic Manipulation: i only use 1 exemplary since i favor various cards; also most of the times you won't have to use it (confuse...); can be used in alter ego mode but not if you are confused since it's a thwart and cannot be used with crisis icon; add more exemplaries if you are afraid of stalwart opponents but one with the 2 other limiting cards (Counterintelligence & Under Surveillance) should suffice; Psionic, so you can also have a chance to get it back or even assure before to reach the end of your deck and add another facedown encounter card

*Upside the Head: a card featuring Psylocke; not often used as you have to attack the villain (usually) that you want be confused before; with only one exemplary you will never stun a steady opponent; but has still some usefulness mostly when you must keep allies or you want to prevent the opponent to activate when you are in hero form; good to have one; and as a skill you can at worst discard it for a ressource with Training Regimen

*Build Support: great card: you will get either Cerebro or Helicarrier if you already played Cerebro; can easily be thwarted by yourself or Xavier; get you one card from Skilled Investigator; useful for X-Bunker

*Specialized Training: less useful than Build Support; also need more thwart (albeit a Mental Detection can do the trick or you and Blindfold); first i was using it to get 1 more thwart or attack; now i use it constantly for the life bonus Front Line Specialist and to get cards when hurt; even if i still block whenever possible with an ally against the villain, it is also very strong against minor minions with 1 or 2 attack and no awful special; with Endurance you can get to 17 HP, which let you see the life differently and assure you to be always at 10+ when the scenario finishes for the campaign register; as a side scheme with no hindrance, can also stay around for a while if needed and serve in the eventuality of a Masterplan draw, so you do not get a bad side scheme; and useful for X-Bunker

*Avengers Mission: you will almost always prefer to get a better turn than to play it even in first hand (you can even discard it for mulligan); but later on you will get enough ressources sometimes to play it and then it will speed up your game; can allow you to finish the last stage of the villain very quickly with all your other cards and give you an advantage you will never lose

*Cerebro: what to say? the most important card; can get you the X-(Wo)Man of your choice; most often the Professor; or a ressource sometimes if you have the allies you want; or get Forge who will get you X-Mansion and so on... Get it in play as soon as possible; keep it and discard another support / upgrade if you have to and are forced

*Helicarrier: as the Mansion, a mostly end game card unless you get it with Build Support [pay one ressource, play Build, thwart it, get a card with Skilled Investigator, search for Helicarrier and a free reduction for next card, nice beginning of a turn]; one less ressource than Avengers Mansion will often get it faster; main drawback is that an action and not a ressource itself and that has some importance when you want to counter (like with Telepathc Suggestion or Psionic Redirect), you cannot also pay for ressource

*X-Bunker: a mid-game card usually; shines more on some scenario (with more side schemes in victory display but they are rare); usually you will get it after X-Mansion, when you have at least one Player Side Scheme in victory and that Forge gives it to you

*X-Mansion: not a card you will play quickly but will get your life back or the one of your allies; very strong in mutant campaigns in which you can heal Jubilee / Mutants at the Mall , the Morlocks Morlock, Hope Summers and many new allies; as a mutant work on you (alter ego action when you are a mutant); only Angel & Captain Britain cannot be healed in your decK

*Counterintelligence: very useful so the main scheme never go beyond the first step most often; Under Surveillance is usually better but the 2 in conjunction give you an incredible relief; also is a skill (so can be searched with Training Regimen) and eventually reused more easily; as an Interrupt you decide when to do and if too much threat is added you can keep for the next step of the main shceme since it was not attached to it; also prevent the threat to be added so it can be used even with crisis icon (in no way you remove threat); useable in alter ego and hero form! Unvaluable in Mutant Genesis campaign: in "Project Wideawake", heroic setup forces you to place 3 cards under Operation Zero Tolerance (hope neither Cerebro or the Prof or that one); Night of the Sentinels has no upper threat (so Under Surveillance unuseful) but as soon as you reach 5 you add a card to Zero Tolerance then lose; so you will have to rely on Confuse, Psychic Manipulation and Counterintelligence to avoid a bad turn which should not be too hard

*Skilled Investigator: a skill that Training Regimen will get you; probably instantly reimbursed with all the side schemes in campaign mode; will get you some free cards later on; main card to discard when you get Caught Off Guard or a similar encounter card, you should recover it when you will have to reshuffle your deck and play it for free again if you lost it

*Under Surveillance: incredibly great card that is still more influential with your other cards: Counterintelligence, Psychic Manipulation & Telepathic Suggestion; in many scenario you will forbid the villain to ever advance its scheme other than by specific conditions; attached, so you will lose it if the scheme advances; you will eventually be able to play it later when your deck thines and you reshuffle to the new step; for the main schemes which never discard, must be stronger (like Magog Melee in the Mojo-seum; i think that when you decide to watch it it never disappears even if reset, your team stays in place)

Campaign notes!

*Against Rhino or Ultron, confuse + Under Surveillance / Counterintelligence will be your keys to victory; Ultron could even stay forever in his Crimson Cowl guise; "Weapons Training" is probably the card i use the less, but retaliate against the drones (while they have only 1hp) is very potent

*Galaxy's Most Wanted: do not attempt in expert; 3 of the 5 scenarios are too dificult; The Collector 1 killed me once turn 1 (never lost like that), Nebula or Ronan can often play 10+ cards first turn with multiple effects affecting you and paralyzing you; if expert and lose against Ronan you are supposed to have also lost the campaign... Against Ronan, i only won when changing Kree Supremacy as standard instead expert face, and removing campaign effects on the side scheme Pincer Maneuver (5 threat instead 8) and canceling the "You Stand Accused!" encounter card, considering i botched the previous scenario not getting the stone

*The Hood: played it with the Standard II and Expert II; that adds Steady to the Villain and make a fade scenario more painful (even if minions have variety); play it as expert, or normal, and avoid those cards; i advice to not add them either elsewhere

*Sinister Motives: after the Hood and the gruesome GMM, it was very nice to play with some proper difficulties and various envrionments; I could add an Aspect card which was M (Monet St. Croix); she was a great addition

*I mostly played the Mutant campaigns and offered some guidance in the cards description; for the other campaigns / scenario packs, i do not remember anything valuable even if i finished all of them

I hope you will have fun and will lead Psylocke to victory; whether with this deck or one you will cherish