Heath's Double-Cross
ironcache 196
Lets talk about Heath's Curiosity Shoppe. This card is an oddity. A Frankenstein tutor; seems kinda random at a glance, but it can be controlled to a degree. Consider its inputs as axis:
- Axis 1: Suit
- Axis 2: Value
By loading our deck with cards that match those axis, we can get cards of interest where they intersect (or cross). For example, a deck with a lot of diamonds and a lot of 5s, can use Heath's to get 5 of diamonds with some reliability.
This deck uses this concept to try and get Heath's to dig up valuable cards on two intersection points:
- The early-game cross: Clubs + 10s = Putting The Pieces Together. With no given suit/value pairing at >3x (except PTPT itself), the deck will attempt to play it legal. HG for Henry early, play out Gambler's on brand. Hope to find The Extra Bet to support.
- The late-game cross: Clubs + 7s = Kidnappin' + Comin' Up Roses. The deck hopes to devolve closer to SF structure. As it's doing so, use straggling 7s to ensure you always have access to roses, and force fight.
Rest of the deck is simply supporting this. Howard for Heath's if you don't opening draw it. Considered Land Purchase + Howard, but too inconsistent out the door. Agent P can't defend Heath's, so we have Haint + Taiyari for stud. Randall and Jake Smiley for influence. Boxboy for overwhelming powerlevel card inclusion. /deck
| 7 comments |
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| Sep 17, 2021 Prodigy |
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Sep 17, 2021
ironcache
Thanks for the detailed delve on the deck. Property is Theft did follow Taiyari into the deck. Though, in earlier iterations, I was on 4s vs. 7s, and losing Rock Woofstone + Ying-Ssi Chieh T'ang in that transition made the ability "just" a Taiyari ability. That said, the outfit choice also serves the deck more than most other AN outfits. Card draw benefits the Heath engine, and the only other homes that would really do anything, are gracious gifts and base 108. Some argument to be made for either. I think I'd prefer work Jim Hexter and Ying-Ssi Chieh T'ang back into the deck though for the card advantage. I agree with your points about the structure. I've been toying with it in my head. One option would be to forgo the PTPT/Gambler side of it; do, say, 3-7 SF, with 16 7s, 14-15 5s, and 6-8 3s. Off value includes are the 4s and 6s clubs. Still 20 clubs (and more cards on the value axis, thanks to going 16/15 vs. 13/12). Very punchy structure, able to dig up roses, kidnappings, pistol whips (and more rarely, Sun). 5 has a bit of a toolbox of clubs: An Accidental Reunion can be used as anti-headline; Fiddle Game for income; Pistol Whip for shootout pressure; I'm Your Huckleberry for alt CR to roses. |
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Sep 17, 2021
ironcache
(Hoping I don't run the risk of losing my audience at the mention of forgoing PTPT.) |
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Sep 17, 2021
ironcache
I should also call out that, I went with AN in general, because starting Ol' Howard means giving up the 5th dude, and most factions can't swallow that too well. Boxboy lets me defend Heath's without being down a dude. I also wanted, ideally, 3 income, due to PTPT upkeep cost. Jacqueline and Aces worth consideration, but the cost is hard. Maybe Jacqueline in for Taiyari, with a swap to gracious gifts. |
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Sep 17, 2021
Prodigy
Yeah I think the AN faction is required with any Ol' Howard build, for the reason you stated, otherwise it's full jank status (not that that's necessarily a bad thing!) The alternate draw structure and getting rid of PTPTs/gamblers gun sounds like a more consistent way to go (but of course, less fun...) To make this current list work better, I'd actually highly suggest 108 Drunken Masters and starting Clementine Lepp. Gives a nice influence boost to allow you to build up, and gives you the option of making sure you can either use Heaths, or sit her on a deed with income, that a wise opponent would otherwise be sitting on, and therefore allowing you to play more dudes n deeds (or simply be able to afford 2-4 PTPTs) and sharpen up that draw structure. |
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Sep 18, 2021
ironcache
108 Drunken with Clem in for either Jake or Taiyari has merit. Would also allow Kung Fu ideas in the 3-7 SF variation (more draw odds on rabbit fu is always good). |
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Sep 25, 2021
Cadavaca
Lose your audience? You had me at "toolbox"! |
I played this deck today in the online event. ...always a sucker for any Putting The Pieces Together deck!
Going into it, I thought the draw structure was too weak, even for PTPT and The Gambler's Gun where you really want weak structures. But seeing only 21 clubs, and not many ways to make a lot of money, meant I figured it would be hard to afford putting off-values onto the table, and it would be a constant battle of guessing between trying for a flush vs trying for 2 pair or a legal full house.
Heath's Curiosity Shoppe, while I didn't have any good options the first couple of turns, ended up being quite awesome. The game we played was rather long, but I think I was able to grab a Comin' Up Roses into hand like 3 different times, which was very strong! It's a little awkward to use sometimes, but overall I really like it.
In the end, as I suspected, I had a mixture of really good shootout hands (either because of Comin' Up Roses or dumb luck), and really bad shootout hands. It's tough for this deck to get a lot of stud power, but in my game I was able to put out Longwei Fu which did help a bunch. Still, I think it needs a solid 2-3 stud plus a couple of draw to be anywhere near consistent.
Question: was the choice of Property Is Theft simply a byproduct of having Taiyari in the starting posse for an emergency stud?
Overall it was fun, and probably the best type of deck to really show off Heath's Curiosity Shoppe's power.