Skil-lily Chen, Fastest Sword Master (Guide 3/22/32/48xp)

Concept :

Play all your assets in 4 actions then move on with your life !

This is a fast-paced deck that revolves around your 2 Disciplines. Thanks to Discipline (Quiescence of Thought) we draw 5 cards very frequently and then commit our entire hand of skills every 1 to 3 turns !
Thanks to Discipline (Balance of Body) we use our multiple Fight actions to nuke 1 big enemy (or multiple small ones) in a storm of hits (and skill tests ^^'). We don't need any other Discipline because we are so skilled already !

I wanted to build with and around the Butterfly Swords (5), obviously the Cyclopean Hammer is ALWAYS better but that is way less fun :)

Versions 3 xp / 22 xp / 32 xp :

If you were to start a campaign with the 3xp version, keep in mind that you won't necessarily get the same deck as those 22 or 32 versions. Choices had to be made for them that I wouldn't do if I knew the deck could get some more xp later ;)

3 xp : https://arkhamdb.com/deck/view/3079063
22 xp : https://arkhamdb.com/deck/view/2839229
32 xp : 22xp +1 Butterfly Swords, +1 Combat Training, +1 Bandolier, -2 Enchanted Blade, -1 skill of your choice.

What it does :

Encounter deck management : 3/5 (3 + stat boosts + tanking)
Enemy management : 5/5
Clues : 2/5 (3 + stat boosts)
Economy : 3/5 (few but enough for a Skills deck)
Tanking : 4/5 (Girish)

• For ressources you've got Ever Vigilant, Stand Together (3), Forbidden Knowledge and Voice of Ra. That's not much but you don't need much and you will see those cards multiple times !
  Don't add Emergency Cache to this deck because it doesn't have any icon to commit to your tests !!!
  Note that Forbidden Knowledge is barely necessary and can easily be replaced by something else if you feel that you have enough resources (I playtested the deck without it at first and it was okay most of the times ;) )
• For cards, you've got Glory, Stand Together (3), Overpower and, mainly, your Discipline (Quiescence of Thought). You should draw your deck at least once every game, sometimes 3 times, so manage your horror accordingly.
• For moving you've got Safeguard (2) to follow your friends or Mists of R'lyeh at the beginning.
• For tanking you've got Girish Kadakia, Combat Training (3). Also Holy Rosary and Fearless at the beginning.
• For fighting you've got Butterfly Swords (5) + Enchant Weapon, Brand of Cthugha (1 or 4), Spectral Razor, Sweeping Kick and the burst of actions from your Discipline (Balance of Body).
• For clueing you've got...well... 3 and a bunch of skills, or Ever Vigilant once you cycle through it again.
• To succeed your tests you've got stat boosts (Bandolier (2), 2xCombat Training (3)), Girish Kadakia and Enchant Weapon once per turn, Butterfly Swords (5) or events that add your or to your test and a LOT of Skills !
• For xp you've got Delve Too Deep during the first 2-4 scenarios). It might be dangerous though as, with no skill icons, you'll want to use it DURING the scenario to get it out of your hand...

How to play this deck :

• Put Ever Vigilant, Prepared for the Worst and Sweeping Kick under Stick to the Plan.
• Mulligan hard for your non-fast Assets, especially Girish and a weapon !
• With Stick to the Plan, play Ever Vigilant and 3 assets. If you don't have a weapon and/or 3 assets, use Prepared for the Worst instead and delay your Ever Vigilant to next turn.
• Get rid of your starting hand as fast as possible by playing events and commiting skills.
• That will either give you cards (Overpower, Daring, Glory, Prepared for the Worst) or give you the opportunity to use the on Discipline (Quiescence of Thought) and, thus, draw.
• Then you should be able to draw more consistently and find your other assets.
• Do not hesitate to commit your events in order to 'Unbroke' your Discipline (Quiescence of Thought) faster.
• Later you can keep 1-2 cards in hand before using your drawing Discipline (mainly Fight events so you have something to use during your other Discipline power !).

With every asset in play, you could do :
Action 1 : Butterfly Swords with 8 then 11 for 1+1 damage.
Action 2 : Butterfly Swords (exhausted) + Enchant Weapon with 11 then 11 for 2+2 (or 1+3) damage.
Action 3 : Use on Discipline (Balance of Body)
Action 3-a : Butterfly Swords (exhausted) with 8 then 11 for 1+2 damage.
Action 3-b : Brand of Cthugha with 8 for 3 damage.
Action 3-c : Sweeping Kick with 11 for 2 damage and an evasion.

And that's without including the +2 from Girish and the skills. With 2 Vicious Blow (2), that's a total of 18 damage in one big turn.

What it could do (variants) :

Investigate more ?

You could Flex a little more by adding Sixth Sense and Investigate arcane spells at the beginning. But be aware that this deck should have a lot of Fight actions available for its Discipline (Balance of Body) power so it won't flex for long once you get xp ! ;)

Tank more ?

Talisman of Protection is an arcane slot for the Dragon Pole, before you get Girish Kadakia. But he is your first upgrade anyway so I didn't include those Talismans.

What to upgrade first :

Early game (17 xp) :
1x Girish Kadakia ••••
2x Butterfly Swords ••••• •••••
1x Brand of Cthugha •
2x Sweeping Kick • •
1x Discipline ()

Middle game (17 xp) :
1x Stick to the Plan ••• •••
1x Safeguard ••
2x Combat Training ••• •••
1x Enchant Weapon •••

Late game (9 xp) :
1-2x Defensive Stance • •
2x Vicious Blow •• ••
1x Brand of Cthugha (•)•••

Hope you enjoy this deck as I did :)