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4
Pacta Arcana - The Neverending Party
Mar 21 2014 05:05 AM |
Danigral
in Call of Cthulhu
Call of Cthulhu Pacta Arcana Danigral
Welcome to the seventeenth edition of Pacta Arcana, in which we will explore the depths of deckbuilding with multiple factions in the Call of Cthulhu LCG. In each article of this series we will be looking at combining two factions (sometimes more) together to form a cohesive deck around a particular theme, combo, or strategy. This time around, we’ll take a look at the pomp and circumstance of Unending Festivities. Are you up for a party?Hastur
and Syndicate 
It seems that Mrs. O’Bannion has taken to the arts, in addition to being a generous benefactor of the Arkham Asylum. A bit too generous perhaps. So curious minds want to know what she's hiding, and that gala she's hosting is the perfect time to do it. All of your characters just arrived, and immediately are tied up in hobnobbing and schmoozing. They have to make the rounds, have a few drinks, put on the pretense of enjoying themselves. Only after making the obligatory pleasantries are they free to do what they really came to do: descend the stairs to the depths of Mrs. O'Bannion's manse that you heard whispers about at the local pub...you know, the staircase with the 'Do Not Enter' sign on it. But how to get past the bouncer?
While there are several directions to take the basic concept of Unending Festivities - exhausting an opponent’s characters while you set up your dastardly plan - this article will focus on the version that features a wonderfully obnoxious staircase, crazy artsy-fartsies from the latest musical adaptation of The Yellow Sign, and most devilish cheap shots that the local mob uses to keep good men down.
What do I get out of this deal?
Hastur’s suite of cards in this deck is very similar to the Hastur/MU deck that ravaged regionals last year, with the exception of the now-restricted Infernal Obsession, Stygian Eye, and Marcus Jamburg. Now that Denizens of the Underworld is released, Jeff Harson joins the ranks of lunatics, and we have some great exhausting events to recur should anyone not fall down the stairs the first time. With Naomi, there is even a way to recur these events and ready her at the same time, ensuring that you have multiple defenders as well. This is primarily a tempo deck in the sense that you want to control just enough threats, but a rush deck in the sense that you’ll be trying to get unopposed, arcane, and often investigation at your stories.
The Deck:
Character
Dangerous Inmate (SfW) x3
Deranged Diva (WoP) x3
Jeff Harson (DotU) x2
The Marked (TbtA) x2
Ol' Lazy Eyes (CoC) x2
Isaac Miles (DotU) x2
Performance Artist (Core) x3
Tragic Celebrity (CoC) x2
Naomi O'Bannion (DotU) x2
Melisande LeBeau (DotU) x2
Tattooed Thug (TC) x2
Black Dog (WoP) x2
Support
The Cavern of Flame (ItDoN) x2
The Seventy Steps (IMoD) x3
The Enchanted Wood (IMoD) x1
Arkham Asylum (Core) x2
Gun Runner's Club (SoM) x2
Guardian Pillar (SftSK) x1
Event
Pay Tribute (DotU) x2
On the Lam (DotU) x3
Hamu XX 15:14 (SoK) x3
Immurement (DotU) x2
Conspiracy
Unending Festivities (TiV) x2
Thoughts on Gameplay:
- It is perhaps critical that you have in your starting hand a copy of The Seventy Steps, and one of either Unending Festivities or Ol’ Lazy Eyes. You want to go first and play 70 Steps last so that you have 1-2 ready characters and 70 steps active for your opponent.
- In the event you don’t get the perfect start, use your exhaust events and do everything you can to keep your opponent from that first story. If you ever want 70 steps to work, you have to pull out all the stops early. The ways to recur cards later (Hamu XX and Naomi) will help get you back in the game after burning brightly the first few turns.
- You want to resource probably 2-2-1, and only go up to 3 when you need to play Naomi to reuse some tactics, or for Guardian Pillar, or in rare situations for LeBeau if there are supports to get rid of that are really messing you up.
- You have tools in here to work against monsters with a lot of terror. The Marked and The Enchanted Wood will open the board up to the wily Diva and Inmate, while simultaneously protecting your characters from terror. If you are playing against monster factions, consider building up to 3 resources first to be able to play The Marked.
- The Black Dog is just simply great if you can soft-control your opponent’s board, leaving them with very few characters ready. When your unwitting opponent tries to send that lone ready character to the story, the Black Dog will jump out and bite him. There’s no rest for the weary.
- Once you get 2 Hamus, you can chain-recur them with a couple of lunatics to replay On the Lam over and over again.
- Isaac Miles is the only Syndicate and/or Hastur character with both arcane and investigation, and he also helps to deal with a couple of things in a Yithian deck. A perfect fit for this deck.
- This deck's weakness is Ancient Ones. There really isn't a good way in here to deal with them, so you just have to hope that you can out rush an opponent getting AOs out, which is generally slower strategy. You could add in Seventh House on the Left for this, but it's still slow and not a perfect answer.
A few honorable mentions that you may consider using in place of the amazing Dreamlands supports until FFG graces us with the reprints:
- Intimidate x2-3 - more exhausting at a cheap price.
- Stygian Eye x2 - to control the guys with terror.
- Amaranth x1 - it doesn’t matter if she’s exhausted to go to conspiracies.
- Sarnath x1 - a bit expensive for the effect, but could be good.
- San Servolo x2 - a cheap way to get more bang for your buck with lunatics.
- The Seventh House on the Left x1-2 - an expensive support, but one of the only ways to deal with Ancient Ones for Syndicate.
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Danigral started hoarding Call of Cthulhu the same time as A Game of Thrones, back in 2010. While he’s played AGoT more competitively, he’s harbored a secret love for CoC and has played it casually and competitively for almost 3 years. Initially drawn into the game through a fascination with Lovecraft’s mythos, he fell in love with the innovative mechanics and engaging gameplay CoC offers. And he wants to convert you. Cthulhu Fhtagn!
- Jhaelen, 1161, HomerJ and 2 others like this
7 Comments
Given the importance of the Arcane struggle here, Master of the Myths is worth a look.
Ah, I see what you mean. Normally when I put 70 Steps into a deck I'm aiming to rush and get the first story quickly and THEN put the card in play. However, if you are going to put 70 Steps into play without winning a story first (and you have little to no Investigation in that list) then that makes sense because Black Dog arrive committed.
Other characters that come in committed include Dirk Sharpe and Tommy Malloy (both Criminals too), however they stay in play which means they could be exhausted next turn while the Black Dog can keep going to stories so long as you can pay for him. Downside of the Black dog is that your opponent can double up characters to avoid him, but this will be difficult when most of your guys are exhausted
Yeah, in this deck I want to put 70 steps in play turn 1 because it really slows your opponent down. I go first, put down a couple characters and 70 steps, and my opponent will have no ready characters and I will have at least 1-2 on my turn for stories. Since I have a lot of control, it's more important for me to make sure I am getting the bigger global control effects like 70 steps and Festivities in play asap to keep my opponent from getting the first story.