Beatdown? Mill? Why not both?

While recent Deck Tech entries have explored tournament-proven archetypes, this week’s submission features an anti-meta rogue brew. Black Lantern builds have seen some success in the past, and their synergy with “beatdown/discarding” strategies definitely has a place in the current metagame. This list from Bryan M. is dubbed “Twincon” for its ability to push for VPs and Mill:

Characters:

• Batman – Reanimated x3
• Bane – Professional Criminal x3
• Reiner Braun – Reliable x2
• Supergirl – Kara Zor-El x2
• Green Arrow – Hand of Death x2
• Nekron – Death Entity x1
• Atrocitus – Atros x2

Events:

• Echolocation x3
• Knockout x1

Battle Cards: 

• 1 STR/INT (U86-BM) x2
• 1 Strength (C32-GL) x2
• 2 Strength (S31-AT) x3
• 2 Intelligence (C38-JL) x3
• 3 Intelligence (C46-BM) x3
• 4 Special (C51-BM) x2
• 5 Strength (C50-JL) x2
• 6 Strength (R136-JL) x2
• 6 INT/SP (U99-BM) x2

When a Mill deck can only win the game by decking the opponent, discarding cards from the opponent’s deck is an all or nothing affair. If the opponent has even a single card left in their deck and reaches 7 VP, then all of the discarding throughout the game was mostly meaningless. However, hybrid decks like this one are able to find additional value from milling. When threatening a VP victory, preemptively answering cards from your opponent’s deck becomes more relevant. Your opponent’s Battle Cards and Characters will become depleted and hinder their ability to defend – especially when followed up with effects like Echolocation, Reiner Braun, and Supergirl. The rest of the list pays respect to the value of effects that clear out your own Characters, while the Battle Cards emphasize pushing through more attacks.

Watch for your opponent to focus on either defense or milling, then capitalize by shifting gears to the appropriate win condition!

Other cards to consider:

• Hawkgirl: cuts off recursion after milling
• 2 Strength (C-33 GL): additional mill
• universal answers/spot removal (such as Power Players, 2 Special, or additional copies of Knockout)
• more hard to block/unblockable effects for Batman – Renanimated (such as Power Corrupts, or a Batman – Caped Crusader, 7 Intelligence (U99-JL), Combat Mastery package)

If you’d like tips for your deck (or simply want to see it featured on the blog), submit your list to OP@paniniamerica.net with “DECK TECH” in the subject line.