The Stage

Picture this: Scarlet Witch has acquired the Darkhold, captured Chthon, and tore the very fabric of the universe. ...or Wanda's been 'Pool-ized, whatever makes your headcanon happy.

It'd probably look a little like this.

Marvel's Scarlet Witch #3 2024, Artist: Russell Dauterman

Marvel's Scarlet Witch #1 2023, Demonized Variant, Artist: Takashi Okazaki

Mechanically, Scarlet Witch runs best with turbo draw so that you can Hex Bolt every time, all the time. But with all the Chthonic power, you'd think she would be able to outlast anything, right?

In fact, Scarlet Witch has always been unpredictably strong through Hex Bolt and Molecular Decay with a little help from Scarlet Witch's Crest and Scarlet Witch's own power, Chaos Control. I had hoped decks built around Global Logistics and Heimdall would be the way, but both require far more setup.

How could it be easier?

Enter the 'Pool Aspect.

The Cast

The goal is to be dropping Hex Bolts and Molecular Decays as early and often as power, turbo drawing through everything else to get there. All the while nearly never returning to Alter-Ego. Because Healing Factor.

Support this with The Sorcerer Supreme, Scarlet Witch's Crest, and Quincarrier, and Chthon will be your friend.

Key Pieces: Chaos

As with any Scarlet Witch deck, the funnest and most effective things to do are Hex Bolt and Molecular Decay. This is no different. You want all of these early and often.

The Combo: Control

What's most important is that you sling as many strong spells per turn. Turn 1, Self Confidence, Self Control, and Self Preservation are usually all 3ER.

Mid-game they're usually 2ER. Usually. Perfect fodder for Hex Bolt.

This means they'll often functionally operate like Chaos Magic, without the encounter deck ticking down.

And since our bread and butter is boost icons, we need that Scarlet Witch's Crest.

To keep them running, we need to keep ourselves healthy. Critical piece 1: Healing Factor.

The Support: Life

2-card Molecular Decays can lead to turns with 2 Molecular Decay. But that's only possible if Scarlet Witch is healthy. So we need to stay healthy.

Healing Factor helps with Scarlet Witch's defense or random acts of chaos. Magic Shield is the best line of defense behind the Healing Factor.

Basic Spell and First Aid are additional supports, with Basic Spell having some flexibility.

Tic-Tac-Toe is good for those times when you don't need that 5th card. Not to mention this card is stellar in multiplayer and wonderful to keep your strong allies going, in this case Gambit, Quicksilver, and Hope Summers. Git Gud is a nice safety net to come back from the dead.

The Options: Advantage

Easiest draw is Spiritual Meditation.

Our most important setup upgrade to get 1 more card while in hero form is The Sorcerer Supreme. Though I doubt our chaotic choices should earn her such a title.

Plot Convenience is a sneaky card advantage option, where you can sneak a Self Confidence, Self Control, or Self Preservation until your life ticks back to 6 or 10. It also slims out the deck by up to 4 so you can keep churning.

Soft card advantage cards are also:

• Hope Summers - Grab a Hex Bolt or Healing Factor or even Warp Reality - maybe you haven't used Chaos Magic yet?
• Ironheart - Cantrip ally
• Nick Fury - Draw 3
• Quincarrier - 1 resource is 1 resource you don't need to draw

The Plot

Turn 1

Goals:

1. Healing Factor
2. The Sorcerer Supreme
3. Scarlet Witch's Crest

Any of these help:

• Self Confidence
• Self Control
• Self Preservation
• Chaos Magic

Spiritual Meditation is a perfectly fine card because it can replace another less useful card from the mulligan.

And bonus points if you can afford and pull Nick Fury or Hope Summers. Nick Fury for more options, and Hope Summers for consistency.

In lieu of your goals, dropping any ally for some time, or coming out swinging with Hex Bolt and Molecular Decay are great. Or hunker down with Magic Shield.

Turns 2-5

Aim to drop a Hex Bolt or Molecular Decay per turn plus any of the 3 original goals.

Drop a Magic Shield every so often to keep your health in an acceptable range as you slowly tick up from Healing Factor.

Now we can add 2 other goals:

• Quincarrier
• Plot Convenience

Because we may get a 1ER 'Pool Resource, dropping that into Plot Convenience until you get healed up again is better than wasting it.

During this time it's great to spin out Gambit or Quicksilver for some attack or thwart support. However Gambit can double for a strong scout for a same turn Molecular Decay or Hex Bolt.

Somewhere in here Tic-Tac-Toe may pop up and it's very powerful to support Gambit or Quicksilver, or even to nudge Scarlet Witch's life back to full.

Turns 6+

Recover as the villain makes you, but otherwise sling spells until the villain is out. Heal as you need.

Generally, I found the cards in the following priority:

1. One of the key upgrades if lost
2. Hex Bolt
3. Molecular Decay
4. Gambit
5. Tic-Tac-Toe, or healing characters to keep the machine running
6. Basic Spell for whatever use it makes most sense for
7. First Aid if allies need healing
8. Ally or Magic Shield if you're going to take a hit
9. Git Gud if you're concerned the villain's going to overrun you

The Twist

With all that Chthonic power, something has to go wrong, right? How about tearing the fabric of the multiverse and allowing Dreadpool on through?

That's how I envision Crisis of Infinite Deadpools coming into play. Though you can also picture the Scarlet Deadpool Witch as yours.

In perfect Scarlet Witch style, this deck effectively incorporates 2 sets of nemeses because of the 'Pool aspect. It's both amazing, occasionally awful, and tons of fun.

The Review

I've generally play in Standard, campaign mode for progression fun or with random "What If?" combos to see how it plays. It's gone up against Klaw solo for testing and the NeXt Evolution campaign for multiplayer.

I really enjoyed the original turbo draw deck, and it inspired me to see if it could be done with even more magic. And the Healing Factor with the 'Pool resource package (Self Confidence, Self Control, and Self Preservation) really clinched this design for me thematically.

Wanda Maximoff becomes a spell slinging mage, a handy cleric, and a surprise summoner in this build because she basically has 4 Chaos Magic cards if you keep your health up.

I play on standard for the most part, so t may not be the most efficient and powerful deck, but it is the most fun I've had with Scarlet Witch in Marvel Champions though. While I love Deadpool, I headcanon the healing and resources from 'Pool as being peak spell slinging Wanda.

What about thwarting?

Chaos will provide, my good friend. Hex Bolt is a great source. As are the allies and Scarlet Witch herself.

But it is chaotic and random, be warned.

How has it tested?

Solo standard Klaw, and a multiplayer of NeXt Evolution campaign on Standard. Never broke a sweat.

I take that back. Stryfe swung multiple times in a single turn. Scarlet Witch's Chaos Control, Warp Reality Scarlet Witch's Crest, and Magic Shield are key, as are allies for chump blockers. And if you play cleric for a turn or two in multiplayer, your partner is much more interested in keeping your defense up to reap the rewards.

What about (insert card here)?

I tried a few things out earlier on they just weren't working for my theme. Maybe they work for yours?

• Bloodgem - Simply didn't need it. I'd rather sling spells than ramp this card in.
• 'Pool allies - Very potent. Honestly didn't fit with the theme, but it'd work amazingly. This deck does it way better
• "I Got This" - This was in the deck but I found myself doing anything else OR there not being enough symbols to do it. Very good card, just didn't work with the momentum this deck provides.
• Distraction - Honestly this is great and could be better than Git Gud and Tic-Tac-Toe. But I found most minions melted to Hex Bolt and Molecular Decay to where Distraction would risk the main scheme more than the loss of the minion.
• Helicarrier & Avengers Mansion - Both excellent. The whole point of 'Pool is to get moving faster, and each of these take up 0.5-2 turns depending on draws. 'Pool plays things a bit more risky in terms of cards and this deck still does fine.
• Blackout - As a partner to Tic-Tac-Toe, this card seems fantastic. However this deck suffers from low punch resources, so this seemed more risky to add. I may take that opinion back later.

I thought Agatha Harkness would show up with Card Advantage?

Unfortunately Agatha Harkness is a trap in this deck. Turn 1 she's useful for the extra card and as a potential target to Caught Off Guard. But because you shouldn't be in alter-ego unless you lose Healing Factor, she just doesn't make much sense most of the time.

A few of these options seem weak. What gives?

You're right! This is, in my own headcanon, the thematic darkhold-powered Scarlet Witch I could think of which emphasizes some defense in between the bouts of beatdown.

Maybe you like the bones but want to switch some things out? Here's where I'd start:

• First Aid - Healing isn't winning, I know. You could swap with other events, or Endurance for a greater buffer, or with some more allies, or some 'Pool cards. I preferred First Aid to keep healthy for the 'Pool resource package is number 1.
• Git Gud - This removes cards out of the deck and provides a buffer for super strong hits. For when Stryfe decides to swing in for 6-10 damage, twice, is when you'll realize this card is key.
• Plan B - This deck ends turns with 1-2 cards which are fallout from the turbo draw which Tic-Tac-Toe works nicely with. Plan B is there to give 1 more option and stick around even after Tic-Tac-Toe pops.

But if you want to start with this deck's bones, that's a few cards to flip.

How does it do in multiplayer?

Very well. You can pivot roles very easily and take a strong support healer if needed.

• Attack Mode: Molecular Decay, Hex Bolt, Basic Spell
• Thwart Mode: Hex Bolt, Basic Spell, Chaos Magic / 'Pool resource package into allies
• Heal Mode: Tic-Tac-Toe + Quincarrier, First Aid, Basic Spell, Healing Factor
• Defense Mode: Magic Shield, Hex Bolt, Warp Reality, Git Gud

Any blaring weaknesses?

Of course. But most of them are double edged swords.

Early Villain/quests tend to be weaker Molecular Decay, stronger Hex Bolt targets, but later ones tend to have more boost icons leading to explosive Molecular Decays and more supportive Hex Bolts.

Any boost icon symbols can really muck with Hex Bolt, but can quickly overpower Molecular Decay. Each boost symbol is effectively +2 damage from Molecular Decay.

If Shadow of the Past pops up and you're mid-game, take advantage of The Next Evolution before popping it so you can persist.

Stryfe's powers take advantage of late game Event saturation turning attacks into 6-7 base ATK.

Any encounter cards which require punch resources can be tough, which is why Quincarrier is so critical. Any encounter cards which require multiple punch resources are more easily taken down by the Self Confidence, Self Control, and Self Preservation cards.