Tacoma Regionals 2nd Place PPK

thrazznos 479

This deck is the horrific mutated child of a Prepaid Kate deck made into a Prepaid Hayley deck, then back into a Prepaid Kate deck. This is the reason for the Daily Casts. Truthfully, however, I felt like the deck needed money, and this was my first reaction. Quality Time would probably be better, as I didn't actually Levy once in the whole tournament.

I don't love this deck, but I feel like Prepaid Kate is both versatile and fast enough to allow me to win.

The big shocker in here is Study Guide. I really didn't enjoy Cyber Cypher in a meta so heavy on Code Gates, and Crick really just threw it over the edge for me as now every server has a strong code gate to deal with. I tried a lockpick version, but I felt like it was too slow. Stimhack is a proven good card in Kate for lots of other reasons (primarily Atman), so I took the Plunge and I was pretty happy with the results. Here are a few of my thoughts:

  • Study Guide actually costs less than Gordian, so for ice like Quandary, I can save my parasites.
  • If I do need a big code gate breaker later on, I can hulk it out with Stimhack. You have to be very careful about facechecking while it is low, because a surprise influential code gate can be pretty mean.STill, if you lose it while its weak, its not a problem.
  • If you get your datasucker going early, you dont NEED to boost the study guide much, unless you encounter Lotus Field.
  • Lotus Field, costs 9 to break with Study Guide the first time. Stimhack gives 9c, such value!
  • Yes, it is a juicy target for destroyers. Yes, I lost it in a game to an Ichi, and I was sad. Just gotta man up and stimhack it back out!

I really just got sick of paying 4(3) for Gordian, then paying 3 to break Lotus Field over and over. Getting Study Guide online early allows me to play aggressive, which is what I feel wins games. I felt like the meta was moving heavily towards code gates, so I took the necessary measures to make sure I was prepared. Who needs a brain anyway?

I didn't lose a single game in the whole tournament. I feel like part of that was luck, and partly just bringing the right tools for the meta. I encountered way more butchershop than I was expecting, but in one of those games I got plascrete VERY early, and in the other, my opponent got agenda flooded pretty early and couldn't get his kill tools quickly enough. I was a little surprised because I feel the meta is a bit corp favored at the moment, but perhaps I am wrong. Thanks for reading!

6 comments
23 Jun 2015 bluebird503

Study Guide! Did you consider anything solid in that last influence spot? Day Job, Datasucker, Utopia Shard, etc? I've been wanting 19+ influence worth of cards in my Kate decks so curious to see you give up an influence there.

You played well, X-0 with Study Guide Kate is sweet. Was fun playing with you, congrats yet again.

23 Jun 2015 thrazznos

I am a huge fan of Utopia shard, especially with dirty laundry. Honestly, the Stimhacks replaced Lockpick + Imp, and that dropped me 1 influence that I was too stressed to consider replacing. After giving it some thought, I would probably do Utopia, it fulfills a role similar to imp, and powerful surprise right now with how safe crick makes archives.

It was great playing with you @bluebird503, the level of competition at the regional pushed me well beyond my own expected capabilities. Maybe someday I can earn a rematch :D

24 Jun 2015 CJFM

Gratz on the finish @thrazznos!

29 Jun 2015 CrushU

I'm curious, did you consider Comet instead of Astrolabe, with how many Events you're running...?

29 Jun 2015 thrazznos

I am a big fan of Comet, but Astrolabe was my choice in this deck for 2 reasons.

    1. In the NEH matchup, speed is everything. If you can get it out early, and it gives them small pause to their remote creation, it is doing work.
    1. Comet is slightly more expensive, so I have to time when I play it.
    1. If I was going to be cometing my events, I would want to be powerdrawing. I would take ProCon over Visage, which is another problem in that it can be pretty expensive to drop down in some of the faster matchups.

I have a prepaid Hayley deck that uses both ProCon and Comet, and it is super awesome, but sometimes it just is a bit too slow vs the NBN matchups, so I left it at home.

29 Jun 2015 thrazznos

I did consider Comet, but Astrolabe was my choice in this deck for 2 reasons.

  • In the NEH matchup, speed is everything. If you can get it out early, and it gives them small pause to their remote creation, it is doing work.
  • Comet is slightly more expensive, so I have to time when I play it.
  • If I was going to be cometing my events, I would want to be powerdrawing. I would take ProCon over Visage, which is another problem in that it can be pretty expensive to drop down in some of the faster matchups.

I have a prepaid Hayley deck that uses both ProCon and Comet, and it is super awesome, but sometimes it just is a bit too slow vs the NBN matchups, so I left it at home.