Swift Retribution

Justice
Event

Attack.

Cost: 1.
Resource:

Hero Action (attack): The villain schemes. Deal 4 damage to the villain.

"Return what you've taken and I'll let you go. This time. But next time, you won't be so lucky. And I won't be so kind." — Moon Knight
Scarlet Witch #14.
Swift Retribution
Reviews

I'm really excited for cards like Swift Retribution and Toe to Toe. Any card that allows you to force the enemy into activating in some way is a card that opens up potential viability for a myriad of other cards/builds in the game.

I judge cards pretty harshly and by a set standard that many will likely not agree with. Unfortunately, I don't like Swift Retribution. At all. This card is just numerically awful in comparison to other deck-building options.

Numerics

  • Recap - I like calculating values at: 2 Damage per 1 Resource. 1 Thwart/Threat per 1 Resource.
  • Effective Card Cost = 2.
  • Results: 4 damage dealt to villain. 1 - 6+ threat added to Main Scheme.
  • Summary: 4 damage means we need to spend 2 resources for a solid value card; however, adding Threat to the main scheme essentially acts as an opportunity cost. That's threat that we will very likely need to remove at some point. If 1 threat = 1 resource, then this can almost be interpreted as a 3 - 8+ cost card.
    • Under that conclusion, the target damage for this card needs to be: 6 - 16 damage.
    • Some people value non-hero cards more liberally, but even then, the value is very rough.

Conclusion

Numerically, this card is very disadvantageous. From a solo-player's perspective, it's the absolute worst possible card you could run as you may single-handedly lose the game from it. Multiplayer, it becomes more manageable, but I have a hard time believing that you couldn't find something else to take this slot in your deck.

The more interesting aspect of this card comes from forcing the villain to scheme while you're in your Hero-form and while it's the player's turn. This allows Hero Responses/Interrupts to trigger where otherwise they couldn't. Although I can't think of any card off the top of my head that would care. I'm sure, in the future, there will be some options that might motivate you to include this card such as a Hero ability that triggers when the villain schemes.

Also worth noting, hitting only the villain for damage is a drawback. It's not a massive deal, but it's still one to remember.

RolandWright · 2980
It's a tough card to get behind for sure. 4 damage, even for just 1 resource, and only to a specified target is comparatively pathetic, especially with the high opportunity cost of advancing the villain's win condition. You really need something like Counterintelligence or Great Responsibility to mitigate the threat placement, but no matter how you slice the cake, you're always getting a burnt piece. — SP_Rocks · 13
As of a little over three years later, the only thing that comes to mind is Black Widow's "Attacrobatics" — Tensuun · 27