Total Recall- PDX Regional 5th Place/1st Seed Gagarin

Myriad 233

total recall

I am not sure if it was the seven hour drive, the fresh Nor Cal air or that I like to play jank, but yes I am the Nor Cal player who took Gagarin to regionals. Big thanks to CJFM and the Gagarin thread on stimhack for getting me the inspiration for this deck, the mighty total recall combo.

The deck itself is still rough and needs optimization, but I think this combo is strong enough to easily establish an archetype.

What is the total recall combo you ask?

Do you like being able to reliably make 5-12 credits, from zero credits, for two clicks every turn? Than this just might be the deck for you!

Here is how the combo works. Use City hall to search for virtual tour. Rez tour. Find Recall and trash tour. Then use the third click to do whatever else.

Each Stock exchange adds +2 credits to the combo and each Encryption adds +1.

The best part is, you can do this combo while you are setting up your board state, drawing potentially two more alliance cards out to install, while you are making tons of cash.

This deck did very well on the day against anyone who was not playing Whizzard, which was most of my opponents. It leans heavily on tour guide, but if Weyland gets better ICE or if I could find a slightly better collection of assets, the deck could probably also do better.

Possible Changes

Right off the bat, you will need to drop the following cards. - 3 NAPD, - 2 IT Department (it only really did something once, and even then didn't get a lock) - 2 Hedge Fund - 1 Crisium

You need the third jackson. From there, I would go back up to x3 Encryption and find anything for the third slot.

I also feel like the ice curve could be a little better. Probably trading curtain wall out for hadrians is a good idea.

Finally, Heritage Comittee would be a good include I feel, even at 2 influence.

Just remember, MCH is the beating heart of this deck and museums are its veins. Mulligan for the MCH and may the odds be ever in your favor.

11 comments
12 May 2016 roninbodhisattva

What's the exact set of changes you would make based on that above paragraph?

12 May 2016 Jai

Keep on keeping the faith, fellow Gagarin player! Don't let the haters saying this is just a worse IG get you down!

In all seriousness though, great job on the result. We've already discussed at length the pros and cons of the build on Stimhack forums, so I won't go into that here. Some points though:

I've gone back to 1 TS 1 EBC. TS is better overall I feel, but but sometimes you just really need that asset now now NOW, and EBC also helps that extra teensy bit with the econ.

I took hedges out early on and never looked back. Hedge on T1 means you can't duck siphon, and in general I find that a single Temple helps you rez most of what you need early on.

2 Ash is critical I feel; can't afford to not see it. I'd sooner play 1 NAPD 2 Ash than the other way round.

If you're going corptown, maybe consider New Construction over Oaktown? Just a thought.

12 May 2016 sruman

How did you find the Jeeves model bioroids? Other than some free clicks they do not seem to be that utilized in this deck.

12 May 2016 bubbathegoat

If you can find the influence, playing with 2x Salem's Hospitality with Indian Union Stock Exchange and Mumbad City Hall can be a great way to interrupt the runner's game.

I try to call for an econ card or archetype card (e.g. Sure Gamble, Blackmail) mostly to reveal their hand, and then follow up with a second Salem to trash important cards or breakers out of their hand. It works very well with Kala Ghoda Real TV, which is also a cheap influence spend.

I had tried to build a Gagarin kill deck, but I found it very difficult to assemble the kill. I think I will look towards a glacier build similar to what yo have here.

12 May 2016 Myriad

@sruman Jeeves allows you to play never advance. Without Jeeves you cannot score your 4 to advance cards from 0 counters.

Simply because I am not playing an operations based deck, doesn't mean I won't have triggers for him. Those extra clicks really add up. Especially if you add Heritage to the deck.

The bluff is pretty real, and is actually probably the best part of this deck. Any face down card could be an agenda that you will be able to score out next turn. If the runner trashes Jeeves, I usually have the second one on the table anyway, so they spent a click and 6+ credits to get rid of the card. It also just speeds up your set up with MCH.

Jeeves makes the deck, I wouldn't leave home without him.

I use Jeeves almost every turn in my deck. Its not a fast advance deck, but jeeves does speed this deck up even more once your city hall sticks.

12 May 2016 bubbathegoat

To add to what @Myriad said in response to @sruman's question, Jeeves triggers anytime you use Mumbad City Hall 3 times. If you install Mumbad Virtual Tour, trash it with Product Recall, and then install a Mumba Temple all using Mumbad City Hall, then you get the extra click.

Also fun is getting an extra click while advancing Oaktown Renovation, which allows you to over-advance for an extra 2c.

12 May 2016 CJFM

Gagarin doing work! Love this build @Myriad. I'm still working on refining the deck, will keep you posted on any changes!

13 May 2016 gandrasch

Oaktown Grid for 3 extra creds and HB non alliance count :)

13 May 2016 Myriad

@gandraschYou certainly could run that. But I think you might struggle to satisfy the alliance requirement if you run Oaktown as well.

Although increasing trash costs on your city hall server by 3+protocols isn't insignificant.

I am not sure. Influence is so tight already. Try it out and let me know how it is. I think Toybox is probably better in the same slot, but I need to test it more.

13 May 2016 Saan

Oaktown Grid is almost never worth it because it only increases trash costs in that server. That's not worth 2 influence per card, especially considering all the other good HB cards you could import instead.

Other than some free clicks

Free clicks are really good O.o So many people see Jeeves as a FA tool, and while they can work that way, it's still really powerful to have a card that allows you to gain a fourth clicks as a corp. As Myriad said, scoring a 4/2 from 0 advancements is fantastic, and getting an Atlas counter from an unadvanced position is equally juicy. There's a lot of times where I want to, say, use City Hall 3 times. Now I get an extra click. If I want to just install something and click for 2 credits because I'm low, I can instead click for 3 credits and install. Jeeves is a gift that keeps on giving.

20 May 2016 clercqie

That total recall wombo-combo is absolutely ridiculous. Not sure if it's in a good way yet...