Dexter Drake Signs His Way Down The Rabbit Hole (Deck Guide)

While I didn't derive this from any list in particular, there was a comment on the MB discord about sign Magick Dexter being very good, which led to this build after DtRH came out.

The purpose of this build is to mold Dexter into a Juggernaut that can pick up clues, kill monsters and still have actions to move around the board.

Core Engine The core engine of the deck is Sign Magick (3), Arcane Initiate (3), Alchemical Transmutation (2), wither and sixth sense. The idea is to get both Sign Magick's down and use them to abuse your chargeless spells when you trigger your charged ones (or vice versa in the case of Rite of Seeking.) Combined with using Dexter's ability to change out your spent spells, and he speeds along rather nicely.

It is worth noting, that if you have sign magick out twice, you can go back to the first spell as the third spell. (Wither, Sign Magick->Shrivelling, 2nd Sign Magick->The original Wither)

Molly exists to tutor the Sign Magick's (Ritual or Talent) up out of the deck. She can also be used to fish for Holy Rosary (charm), Leather Jacket (armor), Arcane Initiate (sorcerer), Renfield (patron) or Armageddon (cursed). Remember that she can only draw assets, so she can't tutor events, skills or weaknesses. The latter is relevant if you choose to upgrade into Geas (Pact). The relatively high Ally density plus calling in favors helps us dig for Molly.

As with most spell based mystics, Dexter pairs best with someone that can hit the ground running to take the early game pressure off of him, while he draws and plays cards. He isn't slow to come online, but tends to build momentum steadily during an adventure.

First Adventure Strategy During the first adventure, sign magick is not a particularly good card, and thus alchemical transmutation is not the value added that it will be later. Renfield is thus your ideal money maker for the first scenario. Mulligan for Renfield and useful spells and play as a pretty standard spell based mystic. You aren't going to radically shift the balance of the scenario, but Dexter is plenty good in scenario 1 just using his ability to change out assets in play and spells to test with his 5 .

Subsequent Strategy Hard mulligan for Molly and Sign Magick if you do not draw any. If you draw at least one, consider keeping Alchemical Transmutation, Sixth Sense, Wither and Arcane Initiate (especially if upgraded). Mulligan everything else.

Upgrade Path So, I learned since I published the deck, that instead of running the two pretty worthless sign magick (0)s we could include 2 other cards at lvl 0, your choice, and then purchase Adaptable after scenario 1 for two exp and use it to swap in the Sign Magick's prior to upgrade. This could potentially let you swap out the Holy Rosary for St. Huberts key and swap in something for the delves later on.

Your first 4 experience go straight into two copies of Sign Magick (3) and then I would upgrade both the Alchemical Transmutations (one for free with AR). After the second scenario I would upgrade both Arcane Initiates. Be careful with your upgrades after this, as your first spell upgrade will be discounted by 3 exp, making some upgrades wasteful. If you want to get cheecky. You get THICC to add some of the dual class spells (Blur, Brand, Divination) to your base deck for later upgrade. If you get spoiled for exp, adding them later for 2 exp and then upgrading immediately to the 4 exp version with DtRH+AR is not a bad deal. More spoiled for exp options involve charisma and replacing Renfield with Olive for more reliable triggers on wither and sixth sense. Twila seems unnecessary, as you just replace spent spells. Leo De Luca and Haste could be a super powerful.

Spell Suite This particular spell suite was chosen to augment a Dedicated Guardian and Seeker on a Dunwich Campaign. You can obviously replace these spells with any spells that have a full upgrade path. Obfuscation could be particularly spicy in 2p as Dexter will have less support and it gives him another card to target with his ability. Mentioned in upgrade, but you could get THICC to put in the some of the dual class spells (Blur, Brand, Divination) to your base deck for later upgrade. I did not see the value in the increased trauma.

Pure Flex Spots I would consider all of the Events and Skills to be pure flex slots. These were picked for a run through the low exp and high ancient evils environs of Dunwich.

Leather Coat vs Robe of Endless Night. This Dexter has not needed the discount from Robe so far, Coat is fast, can soak for one damage, then be transformed into some other part of Dexter's rig.

Holy Rosary vs St. Hubert's key.
Dexter is rich, but the two extra money on Key gets you the +1 which is pretty useless, and the sanity healing, which is probably not needed. I would certainly swap to key if I had chosen to get THICC.