adsarf · 428
Deck concept
This is the last in my series of decks making the case that Brains Over Brawn is under-rated. Previous decks in this series are at https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/39137/brains-over-brawn-1.0, https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/39700/brains-over-brawn-1.0, and https://marvelcdb.com/decklist/view/38341/brains-over-brawn-1.0. Looking at the reviews here on MarvelCDB you'd think it was one of the worst cards in the game, but I think it is a good card in a specific niche.
That niche is heroes with native 3 THW and good access to readies. No-one has better readying than Captain America.
Card choices
To make Brains Over Brawn work, we need to maximise THW power, and that means Heroic Intuition and Surveillance Specialist. Those are standard in all these decks.
With powerful basic thwarting, then One Way or Another is a classic card to enable a faster build-up. Counterintelligence and Under Surveillance help with regular access to alter ego. In order to get the best of that high THW value, we actively want threat placed so there's little value in confusing the villain with this deck.
Ready access to alter ego lets us abuse the value of Steve's Apartment and Living Legend, which enables the deck to set up even faster. It also means that we can shed a lot of the damage that Captain America takes from villain and minion attacks. I've opted for a package of S.H.I.E.L.D. allies for this purpose, but you could pull them out and use Avengers instead if you prefer. Global Logistics has a couple of useful roles as it can set up Sky-Destroyer and also give more security when the villain is about to scheme.
Playing the deck
The aim with this deck is to flip almost constantly, playing allies supports and upgrades to thin the deck as we go. With Steve's Apartment and Living Legend, we already have the equivalent of an 8 card hand in alter ego, One Way or Another and Nick Fury just add to that. We'll soon be built out, and as the deck thins then Brains Over Brawn, Fearless Determination and Heroic Strike will come to hand more and more often. It isn't that rare to play two Fearless Determination in the same turn and get up to THW 6, which is pretty handy in solo. 6 damage from a 2-cost Brains Over Brawn is nothing to be sniffed at either.
How to lose with this deck
This is a Captain America deck. How are you planning to lose? Maybe play on Heroic 3 or something. In regular expert there's not much that can beat him.
Conclusion
This is the deck with everything - it sets up fast and can deal out a ton of thwarting and damage whilst comfortably controlling the game state. Of course Captain America could do that with three blank pieces of cardboard in his deck, so maybe for all that it's a good deck it's a weak case for Brains Over Brawn.