Cantrip Comet Chaos (1st at Pandemonium SC - Cambridge, MA)

This deck was lifted from internet_potato's Body Parts and Things That Go On Body Parts with a few changes made, which I'll summarize here.

• -2 Blueberry!™ Diesel
• +1 Diesel
• +1 Build Script

While I appreciate Blueberry, paying 4 influence for it instead of playing the full 3 Diesel weighed heavy on my conscience. In practice, I found that I rarely wanted a card a little bit later (at the bottom of the deck), instead of either drawing it now or discarding it to hand-size and leaving it until post-Levy.

• -1 Insight
• +1 Knifed

4 Insights seemed like plenty for a game (though I'm less certain on this now), since this deck can do a perfectly fine job contesting remotes through the midgame. After freeing the influence from Blueberry, I wanted either a Stargate (to aggressively trash useful cards and potentially enable Top Hat steals) or something that helped me maintain remote pressure later in the game. Combined with the Pelangi, Knifed seemed like a good fit for the job. It is a tad awkward when you don't have Laamb and have to Pelangi convert + Engolo convert + break, but generally it feels worth it given the powerful Comet engine.

• -1 Na'Not'K
• +1 Pelangi

I took the advice from the linked report, and dropped the excess breaker for a card that enabled better midgame running and served as a strong econ card in combination with Spec Work (save 2c for 2 changes, then sell). This card felt great all day.

• -1 Brain Cage
• -1 Symmetrical Visage
• +1 Misdirection
• +1 Utopia Shard

I never felt like I needed the hand size in my testing games, and babyface felt slightly too slow to pay off. I again followed the advice in the report, and added a Utopia Shard for HQ pressure/combo damage. In addition to the Pelangi, I wanted to add another cheap installable that I could throw down whenever and turn on Spec Work more consistently, and Misdirection fit the bill.

After playing, it's possible that I wanted another SOT for more Knifing/backups of other events. I didn't really miss any of the cards I cut (though the 3rd insight could have mattered, and some matchups might have used Brain Cage). I really appreciated having additional Spec Work food, as always being able to play it felt great, and it easily chains into more events.

Match Report

Round 1 - Win vs Alan on NEXT Design

I set up quickly, and begin rushing through my deck while pressuring remotes. A Utopia Shard, some remote pressure, and Insight seal the game.

Round 2 - Loss vs Jamie on Mirrormorph

After a mulligan and 5 digs and still no Comet, I slowly start building up pressure. Utopia Shard kills an Ikawah, but the steal Archives run is blocked by Lakshmi revealing Ikawah in HQ. I'm not able to steal the HQ Ikawah before they draw back up and reice the Knifed HQ, and their scored Efficiency Committee propels them well past me while I continue working towards Comet (all 3 in the bottom 5 of my deck). I'm able to steal a Committee, but Cold Site Server + Ikawah forces me to roll the dice on an R+D access, and my mostly blind Top Hat run misses the 1 in 3.

Round 3 - Win vs Matt on NEH

I set up more quickly this time, but not before my oppponent got rich off of a Daily Quest. I kill it, then challenge a double advanced card, finding to my surprise that this one is a Degree Mill. I shuffle in Comet and Laamb, leaving a Misdirection to recover from a potential HHN, then settle in for the long game, building my board back up before kicking back and waiting for Insight to show me a 3 pointer I can FTE for the game.

Round 4 - Win vs Jeff on Mti

I have a decently fast start - Jeff is able to score out a Future Perfect, but with me forcing a Batty and Border Control use. I then Knifed the remaining Rototurret on the remote, and begin pressuring HQ after noticing signs of flooding. During this time, I'm getting extremely rich, as between Comet and Beth I'm taking 6 clicks a turn. I score 2 SSLs while doing this, Knifing two ice off of it in the process, and then Utopia Shard and run for the winning Nisei in Archives.

Corp Match Report

Since my corp deck was a straight copy of ajar's Rude Deck Wins Again, I'll go ahead and Comet a second tournament report here:

Round 1 - Win vs Alan on Reina

Alan pressures my econ early with Reina and Hijacked Router, but I'm able to Hostile Takeover back in, and HHN+HPT when they go too low.

Round 2 - Win vs Jamie on Az

I draw a ton of kill cards and money (which is actually just fine), and am able to convert a run into a Reversed HHN kill through Flip Switch and Citadel Sanctuary after they only clear 2 tags.

Round 3 - Win vs Matt on Wu

An early Film Critic terrifies me, but I keep my cool and score out behind a huge stack of illicit ice while using Reversed HHNs to pressure their money and force a Misdirection search.

Round 4 - Win vs Jeff on Stabby Maxx

Jeff plays this well, drawing hard for money while I score an agenda. Unfortunately, Jeff was not playing around Snare (likely correctly), and ran R+D last click with 4 in hand, dying to the Snare hit into Consulting Visit + High-Profile Target.