Dragon Hammer (Deck Guide)

Life's not always about being flashy. Retiring from his life in showbiz to settle down with his old flame Molly, Dexter has learnt to speak softly and carry a big stick.

Core Concept

By using the Cyclopean Hammer, Dexter Drake frees up an arcane slot to use for Close the Circle, which he plays for 3 charges. Along with Leo De Luca, this gives him up to 6 actions each round, giving him plenty of chances to crush some skulls, as well as the flexibility to do any check with his tremendous .

Of course being a Mystic, Dexter remains equally good at picking up clues with the Rite of Seeking, and recharges his Close the Circle and Rite with Winds of Power.

You can do also all sorts of flashy plays with swapping assets in and out with Showmanship. This is not that deck. This is a deck that showcases Dexter's strength in combining Mystic action compression with Rogue surplus actions and economy.

Card Choices

David Renfield provides Dexter with the majority of his economy as well as some soak and a +1 boost while he lasts. When the doom threshold draws near, actionlessly swap him out for another asset while triggering Protecting the Anirniq to draw 3 cards actionlessly. Pray that you'll draw Winds of Power while doing so.

Leo De Luca gives you 4 actions. You'll pay for him with Easy Mark, Renfield, and Faustian Bargain.

We take the chance to fill our extra arcane slot with Close the Circle. This makes Dexter extremely apt at handling arbitrary scenario tests and treacheries like Locked Doors, or just evasion. Arcane Studies lets him boost his skill even further on those tests, stacking with the Rosary. It also allows him to easily oversucceed with the Hammer.

Rite of Seeking provides another target for Winds of Power and is efficiently recharged with it.

We take In the Thick of It for Charon's Obol and 2x Arcane Research for XP; this deck can get quite expensive. You're quite resilient even when starting with 4 trauma, since unlike a normal mystic you don't have to worry about spell backlash.

Piloting Tips

Keeping any resource generation in your opening hand, mulligan for Molly, Leo, the Hammer, or Rite of Seeking, in roughly that order. Molly can cherry pick any individual asset in your deck as they all have unique traits: Weapon, Ritual, Spell, Charm, Patron, Criminal, and Talent respectively.

You can get a six-action turns when you use the last charge on Close the Circle, swap it out for a new Close the Circle, and use the new Close the Circle when you have Leo de Luca out.

Winds of Power allows you to bank actions when you want to use Rite of Seeking as your last action.

Upgrade Sequence

Start with Shrivelling over the hammer, Calling in Favors over Protecting the Anirniq, and Uncage the Soul over Easy Mark. You also won't have Winds of Power and Arcane Studies, fill the slots with some combination of Quick Thinking, "Watch this!", Lone Wolf, and Scroll of Secrets to your liking.

Start with the Hammers and Easy Mark, picking up a Charisma. Then get Close the Circle, Arcane Studies and Winds of Power in the order of your choice.

Earmark Rite of Seeking, Ward of Protection, and Deny Existence for your upgrades with Arcane Research.

Further Upgrades

There's the straightfoward choice of Guts (2) and Seal of the Elder Sign over Promise of Power, as well as Leo De Luca (1).

False Covenant doesn't hurt, and Observed is always an good pick. Put any excess XP towards Key of Ys over a Rosary.