Combo Highlander Drake - The Underworld True Magick Deck

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Wolf · 74

This is an advanced, experimental, combo-focused, highlander Dexter Drake deck, which focuses on abusing True Magick (5) in various ways to fight, gather clues, or even better - do both as a flex. This deck uses Underworld Support so it is built as a highlander deck (only one copy of every card), as various tutors like the lovely Molly Maxwell and powerful Backpack (2) can be used to quickly find combo pieces in this thinner deck.

In my opinion it is also a very good deck for beginers to see what's possible in AH:LCG, as well as learn to pilot a complex deck. It uses many different expansions, and Molly Maxwell, his Replacement Unique Card is very much needed and the core of the idea. It has a few fun cards to not be so dull, like Ethereal Slip, but you could easily exchange those if needed. This deck's goal is NOT to be the strongest in the galaxy, as I don't like overpowered stuff (this is also a reason this deck isn't using In the Thick of It, nor Charon's Obol (1), but you can freely use them as they are insanely strong cards. I also think that if it wasn't a highlander deck and only used the most optimized cards, it could easily be the same or even better, but Underworld Support is a very fun card and I love a challenge of making a different, but still strong and consistent deck.

Dexter is an incredibly fun investigator and one of my favorites. He uses his ability to quickly and cheaply replace other Assets with new ones, which gives him incredible adaptability and diverse ways to play him. This is just one of the ways, and I personally really enjoy it, as it is very dependable and can be played in most campaigns unchanged. This deck focuses on using Dexter's ability to play many powerful Spell Assets and do lots of work on the board. In the first scenario it will be just fine, but when you earn a few upgrades, it will quickly turn into a monster which uses True Magick (5) along a few other cards to abuse many powerful spells every turn.

Dexter Drake has an effect which is very powerful, and should be used as many times as possible. This deck isn't made to do that and throw away cards all the time, but you should consistently cycle Spells when you use their charges. After you get True Magick (5), you should always keep in on the board (and a powerful spell in your hand), but use the other Arcane slot to play another Spell and when you use up its charges, still exchange it with Dexter for more charges. For fighting small enemies you should use Sword Cane, and if you would want to investigate frequently just put in one Sixth Sense (depends entirely on your team and the strength of your clue-getters).

Highlander decks use only one copy of every card, but with this deck you won't care, as most of the stronger cards, which means spells, you can only have one copy of, and still use them frequently with the main card of the deck: True Magick (5). It allows you to use ANY spell in your hand for free, usually once per turn, as long as Magick has a charge, which refills every turn. There are however, many ways to cheat that and use more spells, or different spells, every turn. Mainly with cards such as Twila Katherine Price (3), or Enchanted Bow (2), which doesn't really use charges. You have many ways to replay spells or get more charges too, and if you find yourself needing more, upgrade into those (listed below under Economy and draw).

This is just the core and some Upgrades are listed under Side Deck (NOT ALL, for better readability), but can be done in many other flavors. I also change out cards from campaign to campaign and experiment, to see which ones I like the most. As I said, I usually don't like taking In the Thick of It if it's not needed for the deck to work, but it is VERY viable, and if you want to be overpowered you can also take Charon's Obol (1) with it (note that it is unique).

Investigator roles:

This version is pretty balanced and optimized for a FLEX investigator role, which means it can both investigate and fight effectively, with multiple viable options to drive it even here (as said, not all are listed under Side Deck to better focus for newer players - so do it, experiment yourself!).

To focus on COMBAT, get Brand of Cthugha (1) early instead of Rite of Seeking, you can also take it with In the Thick of It if you want. Note that Brand of Cthugha (1) should be used alongside True Magick (5), but not with it from the hand, as Magick only has one charge per turn, while Brand needs more to really be effective. You should also upgrade to Brand of Cthugha (4) later. Ineffable Truth is also a viable way to do some damage while evading, and If needed even Armageddon or other combat spells can be used instead for additional charges. Take Storm of Spirits too.

To focus on GETTING CLUES, get Sixth Sense instead of Azure Flame or Shrivelling, and take Read the Signs instead of Spectral Razor. You can also take Ethereal Form and Drawn to the Flame. Divination (1) and it's upgrade Divination (4) are also a perfect card for this deck, and are again good to use alongside True Magick (5), but not with it from the hand (like Brand of Cthugha (1)).

Cursed is also a very viable and strong option with Armageddon and Eye of Chaos, or at least False Covenant if friends are playing Cursed, so that you're more resistant to it. Another very strong card to take along is Ríastrad and even Priest of Two Faiths (1).

Combo upgrade path:

  1. True Magick (5) > Scroll of Secrets (Molly Tome)
  2. Backpack (2) > Backpack
  3. Twila Katherine Price (3) > Spectral Razor (Molly Artist, Dreamer)
  4. Charisma (3)
  5. Sign Magick (3) > Quick Thinking (Molly Ritual)

Most campaigns I would first focus on upgrading my deck to do the combo. But in reality, it is just True Magick (5) and Backpack (2) you need, then you can go in any way. If you want to, Twila Katherine Price (3) is a very nice Ally to add, just so you can use more charges on True Magick (5). The adding of charges does work, as True Magick (5) changes into a Spell trait for a time you're using it, and turns out Twila Katherine Price (3) has enough time to add another charge to it per turn. So go wild. You would also want a Charisma (3) with it, so it becomes a bit more expensive, but still nothing special.

A very strong choice of Spell to use with True Magick (5) is Enchanted Bow (2), which doesn't need to spend charges to attack, but the attack is strong (it just requires your True Magick (5) to exhaust, but don't worry, you can still use it for other spells which don't require you to exhaust).

To end the combo, you can also use Sign Magick (3) to instantly use another spell for free, every time you use one spell (or True Magick (5)). To craft in full, this combo is quite advanced, but I think that with a highlander deck and not using some broken cards, Dexter is a perfect investigator to pull it off.

Spell upgrade path: Of course you would also want to upgrade your spells along the way, so here is my usual upgrade path.

Spells:

  • Strong choice - Enchanted Bow (2) > Spectral Razor (Molly Blessed, Ranged)
  • Upgrade spells as needed (cheap 1st buy because AR - Ward of Protection (2))
  • if needed - Brand of Cthugha (1) / Brand of Cthugha (4)
  • Optional - Blur (1) > Mists of R'lyeh

    Economy: Firstly, this is a highlander deck, which means it uses only one copy of every card. In exchange it needs 5 cards less for the whole deck, which means that finding rare combo pieces you can realistically only play one of, is much much simpler. This deck uses a strong economy and draw engine from the start (with Molly Maxwell, Backpack and many economy cards), but even that can be upgraded if you find yourself falling behind. I use both of these options, sometimes both at once. Black Market (2) is great for its speed and because you can even share your goodies with friends, while Word of Command (2) is useful if you find yourself searching for a particular Spell all the time, you go for a fun combo, or you just like one spell more and want it in every game. Uncage the Soul (3) is a perfect card to use if you find yourself throwing away too many spells with Dexter's ability, as it can also play a Spell from the DISCARD pile.

In the later parts of the campaign you can also decide to put in Prophetic (3), which helps you with paying for Spells, while also boosting your skill with them. Another fun option I frequently choose is to go for The Red Clock (2), which gives you a very strong card that just gives you lots of everything. It's also much easier to find, since your deck is thinner and has lots of draw and tutor effects. You can use just the The Red Clock (2), or take Relic Hunter (3) to use it along Lucky Cigarette Case.

Economy and draw:

HINT: One way of adding charges to True Magick (5) is with Winds of Power (2). This gives you more options, or a crazy turn of many different spells all out of your Magick.

At the end I left a few useful "unique card codes" for Molly Maxwell, which work perfectly for the deck as made, but you should always check new cards so you know which ones you can always pull out with her 100% of the time.

Molly Maxwell unique card codes / traits that work 100% of the time:

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