Marie Lambeau singing Rook'n'Roll

Solo Version, Hard Mode

version 0.9 (first text draft, rewriting in process)

This is a level 0 solo deck for Marie Lambeau. The purpose of this deck is to achieve a 7 7 1 3 status using the 7 willpower to manage ennemies through spells while the 7 intellect is here to get the clues.

This deck went multiple times through Night of the Zealot, Return to Night of the Zealot and through the Dunwich Legacy campaign. So far I won all of these campaigns with this deck without a single trauma.

This deck doesn't focus on Marie Lambeau special ability as it is likely difficult to manage it with succes. It's more considered like a bonus.

3 / 4, Intro

(Mulligan)

As a starter, the Mulligan focuses on getting those cards in this order:

1 Mr. "Rook"

and

2 St. Hubert's Key

and

3 Shrivelling or Wither

and

4 Hawk-Eye Folding Camera

Obviously Mr. "Rook" is the conductor of this deck. He sets a fast tempo to achieve the final form of the Marie ( 7 7 1 3). You must play him first. His first task is to get the correct Key.

Once you get to 5 5 1 3 with the St. Hubert's Key, be prepared to manage your firsts encounters with a spell asset. Shrivelling is the best choice in my humble opinion, but you can have Wither, Spectral Razor, Storm of Spirits or even Mists of R'lyeh depending of your luck and/or scenario.

Next step is to prepare the Hawk-Eye Folding Cameras for the greater picture.

Chorus

(Core piloting)

.S.

Use Mr. "Rook" to get your hands on the two cameras

Use Unexpected Courage to get your first clues

Use Prophesy to get more clues

Once your location is clean

Place one clue on the Hawk-Eye Folding Camera

Get 1 Willpower

Use Enraptured to get more clues and to refresh Mr. "Rook"

Use Moonlight Ritual (icons) to get more clues

Use Read the Signs to get difficult clues

Once your location is clean

Place one clue on Hawk-Eye Folding Camera

Get 1 Intellect

.S. (Dal Segno)

This is the desired path to achieve your goal. Of course with Mr. "Rook" you will get your weaknesses quickly. You know what it is so get prepared to welcome it. My first basic weakness was Paranoia, so I always used Mr. "Rook" at the end of my turn when all my resources were correctly spent or just when I spent my last resource. The same goes for Amnesia.

I also got Hypochondria/Psychosis. I tried to avoid using Mr. "Rook" when in combat. In the end it is not more difficult than managing Baron Samedi. In these cases I used Mr. "Rook" as my damage soaker. Maybe you can swap a copy of Emergency Cache for a Calling in Favors to heal Mr. "Rook". I, personnally, didn't need that.

I fact I tried three versions of this deck in its final forms: this one, one with Calling in Favors and one with Hallowed Mirror. The fact is that I almost never used the mirror or never the phone call.

Verse 1

(Resources)

All your spells can be payed with Uncage the Soul
As your deck is full of spells
Uncage the Soul will do it well
All your deck is not that expensive
That an Emergency Cache cannot cover
The full price for its extensive powers

This is it, I use Uncage the Soul for paying my spells. Sometimes I had enough resources to keep Uncage the Soul for its two Willpower icons.

Emergency Cache is very useful sometimes but it can be discussed. You can swap one copy for another sidecard. Talking about splash cards you can choose to double or even triple your gains by playing Scrounge for Supplies.

I tried David Renfield, but after some games the Doom management was so a mess. I could never rely on it. See below

Verse 2

(Doom)

Doom looms

Be careful

Doom is full

Song of Soul

After multiple tries I decided not to include Marie's special ability as a core mechanic in this deck. It is more like a bonus for the upgraded version.

Why?

Because you need to make place for cards dedicated to that specific task like Moonlight Ritual or Sacrifice or Calling in Favors. That's so many cards for one single bonus action. No way.

Because all of these cards take one action to play. So what's the point of having a bonus action? You must at least pay this action off on two rounds to have a benefit.

Because a single doom token you can't manage can cancel a entire round. It means loosing at least three actions for Marie. It cannot be taken lightly.

So my final approach for this deck is using the Blood Pact/Moolight Ritual combo. Indeed you can fully control the moment you decide to use this. And Moonlight Ritual has a cost of 0 and some useful icons.

• Either you are one doom away from the threshold and you can make up to 4 / tests with +3
• Or you have the Mystifying Song ready for the next round and you can make up to 4 / tests with +3
• Or you have the Moonlight Ritual in your hand and a greater Doom Thershold on the counter. You can focus on important skill tests.
  
  

You need at least two rounds free before the threshold to gain a small benefit. 3 rounds free is already a better move. Plan carefully. Almost all events/assets are spells, so you can have a wide toolkit at your disposal for the bonus action.

Normal sequence

• 2 rounds
• 6 actions
  

Doom controlled sequence

• 2 rounds
• 6 actions + 2 spells
• -1 action + card cost
  
  

As Baron Samedi enters play, I use doom this way. Threshold is 5 or more token away. I put 1 doom/round. Otherwise he stays at the ally slot. To avoid damage I use Deny Existence. I try to be efficient by killing ennemies just as they appear with Shrivelling or Storm of Spirits. Finally Mr. "Rook" is my shield.

With 6 Health, I feared multiple death. I tried to play with Calling in Favors, Hallowed Mirror. I even tried the Trench Coat. But I was wrong: Deny Existence and Mr. "Rook" made it possible.

Encore

(Upgrade)

There are two main objectives for upgrading

1 Blood Pact
2 Charisma

Then more options are available

• Robes of Endless Night! :) (Jaqueline Starter Deck)
• Suggestion
• Storm of Spirit
• Shrivelling

To be continued