[INWO-list] DotW 87: Xists

[martin laerkes]

Hi all,
the new DotW can be seen here, or read below.
http://home.worldonline.dk/nyskes/dotw.htm

Sadly, as always, it was done by me.
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Xists
Deck of the Week #87
Engineered by Martin Lærkes

We are the Xists.
Everything our emissary "Bob" has told you is true. The end times, X-day, is 
coming soon, and earth will be destroyed, by the wrath of Jehovah 1 and the 
yacatisma. On X-day, we will swoop down from the sky in our flying saucers, 
to meet the chosen on the secret saucer landing strip. They shall save the 
subgenii. And they shall punish everyone else.

The Deck
Illuminati: Shangri-La
Moonbase
MWOWM
Nutrition Nazis
Orbit One
Overman Philo Drummond
Reverend Ivan Stang
Saucer Landing Strip
Silicon Valley
Stonehenge
www.subgenius.com
Xists
Power Satellite x2
Sacred Stencil
Warehouse 23
13013
Alien Abduction x2
The Auditor from Hell x2
Back to the Salt Mines x2
Cold Fusion
Deasil Engine
Devival
Goal: Brag of the SubGenius x2
Head Launching
Hidden Influence
Mothers' March
Murphy's Law
Near Miss
NWO: World Hunger x2
NWO: Peace in Our Time
NWO: Don't Forget to Smash the State x2
Power Grab
Privileged Attack
Savings & Loan Scam
SMWNMTK
Supernova
Tape Runs Out...
Yacatisma

The Plan
This is the fifth and final deck in the series featuring the goals from the 
SubGenius expansion - and it is space themed. This dek attempts to do 
something clever with Brag of the SubGenius. The goal is good for weird 
decks (but those might as well use Hail Eris), personality decks and church 
decks. Interestingly, it is also good for alignmentless deck.
Alignmentless decks are hard to get to work properly, but the theory is 
this: With no alignments your power structure won't be easy to attack. It 
won't be easy to defend either, but this can be improved on with global 
power, as well as either Shangri-La and Discordian Society. You will have 
limited power, so NWOs should be used to reduce everyone else's power too. 
As an added bonus, alignmentless decks are not immune to a lot of rather 
nasty plots and victory preventers.

Opening Game
Lead with Orbit One. If this bounces, you will lose your plot advantage, and 
possibly the game - but never the less your back up should either be Xists 
(for their power), or the Www in a desperate attempt to get Orbit One first.
Leading with Orbit One, your first objective is to ATO a science puppet to 
generate extra plot draws, and to get some protection out for Orbit One. 
Sacred Stencil is your best bet, but a Power Satellite is also a good. If 
you have Nutrition Nazis on your opening hand, use it to create that first 
science puppet. Doing this on your first turn will prevent Nutrition Nazis 
from being cancelled, and there is no reason to be secret about it. If you 
can have a Nazied Xists as your first puppet, go for it.
If your opponents start whining about Blinded by Science, point out that 
that goal now requires 30 science power - and that your science groups are 
all low power. You can even truthfully tell them
that you're not using the goal.

Midgame
Be gutsy and add a second science puppet to Orbit One ASAP. You'll be 
getting lots of plot draws this way, so don't be stingy with your plots. Use 
them up before they block up your hand. Make deals, or bother the hell out 
of someone - just make sure it is someone weak who can't retaliate easily. 
Anything that isn't a defensive card should be played sooner rather than 
later. As for defense, protecting Orbit One is your number one priority - 
never forget that. Back to the Salt Mines is brilliant for defending your 
many places.
Also, remember to bring out a SubGenius group, or maybe even two. With no 
alignments and good global power they will hardly look out of place.

End Game
If your defense holds, you should be progressing steadily towards your goal, 
and hopefully your plot disruption will prevent your rivals from beating you 
to it. On your final turn you should definately ATO a SubGenius group. If 
your many plot draws bags you an Alien Abduction or the Privileged Attack, 
get another SubGenius group for another big step towards the win. If you 
have it, the Moonbase may be a good hiding place for your personalities on 
your final turn - but not before. Remember that moving a Power Satellite to 
the Saucer Landing Strip will make it count towards your goal.
Simple, perhaps, but quite efficient. If all goes well, your rivals won't be 
able to prevent you from catching that saucer.

Potential Problems
If things start to hit the fan, your plot control and good global power 
should help you in deals. A shared victory is definitely better than no 
victory.
Getting an alignment tacked on a key group is a problem - and Backlash won't 
be able to remove it. Do your best to avoid such a situation. The Orbital 
Mind Control Lasers can really give you a bad day - but fortunately you 
won't be the only one hating them, and you do have a Deasil Engine to help 
you get rid of them.
If a rival brings out Science Alarmists your game will suffer. You'll have 
to rely on your non-science groups, while you wait for NWO: World Hunger to 
disconnect their special ability. Naturally, you should be on the lookout 
for any opportunity to blow them up - saving you the long wait.

Variants and Substitutions
There are other crazy ways to set up an alignmentless deck. Knock yourself 
out! Big Prawn can be a key card, because it removes an alignment and 
doubles power. A power 8 alignmentless China might be a good starting point. 
Secret Master also removes alignments for lots more possibilities. A Björne 
deck comes to mind. Remember, Björne doesn't have to be media, as long as 
his puppets are. Finally a deck that leads with Drug Companies can quickly 
blank out a few big groups, for a handful of huge alignmentless groups. Once 
the Drug Companies have prepared the way, they can always be traded for 
something else with You'd Pay to Know What You Really Think.
There are lots of possibilities, just waiting to be explored.
Have fun.

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