Hot Abomination Desires: 3rd place Texas Ranger Outlaw Event

published Apr 20, 2016 | | |
Card draw simulator
Odds: 0% – 0% – 0% – 0% more
Derived from
None. Self-made deck here.
Inspiration for
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kashan 31

This is a deck I've been working on since I realized how good Hot Lead Flyin'was and how well abominations fit into the value structure of 108. It was nice to see it perform well at the Texas outlaw event, taking the eventual winner and fellow OKC playgroup member SirLargeness to a game 3 in the top 4. Overall I think this deck is very strong, having an advantage against almost any deck in the field save perhaps the Sloan HLF deck which is close to a coin flip, depending mostly on how many Hot Lead Flyin' and Sun in Yer Eyes are drawn.

I start with most of my high upkeep late game characters so that I can avoid drawing them in my opening hand and then Rico into an appropriate start based on what I've drawn and what I see that my opponent is playing.

Against slide I Rico into Xiaodan Li, Randall, Hiram Capatch, Asakichi Cooke, and Jake Smiley. The key to this matchup is to choke their income by putting Hiram Capatch in town square and putting dudes on every income producing deed they play, and to get Allie Hensman out as fast as possible.

Against most aggro decks I try to Rico into a cheap enough posse that I can play all the cards in my opening hand. Sometimes this means a starting lineup with Shizeng Lu, Jake Smiley, Xiaodan Li, Willa Mae MacGowan, and one of the 3 cost dudes, which gives me 7 starting ghost rock and no upkeep. I will usually try to rico into He Fang provided I have either an abomination or a deed in my starting hand. He Fang is very strong in this deck as he's a high value for Hot Lead Flyin', has influence, and can use his ability most turns thanks to the number of abominations and Hired Guns in the deck.

5 comments
Apr 20, 2016 SirLargeness

what have been the biggest advantages going from Benjamin Washington to Rico Rodegain as your starting grifter? whats your average starting rock that you're comfortable with, post-Rico?

Apr 20, 2016 kashan

I can't speak highly enough of how much versatility Rico Rodegain gives you compared to any other grifter. The ability to choose 4 characters that you'll never draw in your opening hand, the influence, the fact that he's a queen for Hot Lead Flyin', and the ability to see your opponent's hand and build your plan of attack around it are all huge, but the biggest advantage is probably the ability to form your starting posse around your opening hand. I've had a game where I naturally drew He Fang, The Brute, and Yunxu Jiang (who was in my deck at the time) in my opening hand and I was able to Start my super cheap lineup and get up to 9 dudes turn 1.

Apr 20, 2016 kashan

I should also mention that you can sometimes use Rico Rodegain to match your opponent's starting ghost rock, turning on your box turn 1. This is a marginal advantage and sometimes not worth it, but sometimes it's a strong play

Apr 20, 2016 dibat

If you could name any actual advantages, what does this build have to offer when compared to the winning Den deck? Any unique qualities outside of the Outfits?

Apr 21, 2016 kashan

The largest advantage is probably the ability the box's ability to give pseudo stud under some circumstances and the ability of He Fang to allow you to push of dudes even in a weak economic start