Enter the Matrix

Enter the Matrix

Nebula never felt quite right. She could pull off some nice turns by activating multiple Techniques, but sometimes she'd have those almost empty turns that could even cost her the game.

Eventually, my mind opened (like when Neo enters the Matrix).

I wasn't yet Ready for a Fight.

Now Nebula finally feels complete, and let me tell you, she's not only fun to play but also very powerful. If you ask Expert Ronan, Expert Venom Goblin, Expert Nebula (and others), they'll tell you the story of how their PTSD started.

The core idea

Nebula's alter ego ability lets her draw two cards (once) after she plays a Technique, so I wanted to use this as many times as possible. Ready for a Fight lets her do exactly that. The three copies of Practiced Plan make this very consistent.

When the villain activates, you swap to Hero, and when it's your turn again, you activate the Techniques you played. After that, you can swap to Alter Ego again, play a new Technique, draw two cards, and so on.

Once you have Hidden Base in play, you'll feel like a beast.

General strategy

Your core setup includes Hidden Base and Nebula's Ship (which helps you play Ready for a Fight). If you can add Avengers Mansion, Crew Quarters, and Endurance , you've got everything you need.

You have to play thoughtfully, but in general you want to end your turn in Alter Ego with Practiced Plan and Ready for a Fight in play. Use your stun and confuse sources (Mockingbird, Professor X, Evasive Maneuvering) wisely, combining them with clever activations of Hidden Base or Unyielding Persistence.

Other cards that make a difference are Gambit and Wide Stance, which let you control the encounter deck.

If things go bad, you can gain some extra health from Endurance and Crew Quarters. These cards can be beneficial while you are still looking for Hidden Base.

The power of grey

There are only three green cards in this deck, so it felt natural to include The Power in All of Us. It helps you play Avengers Mansion, your valuable allies, and Multitalented. This suboptimal card is still mandatory because you can't rely only on Wide Stance when facing Venom Goblin.

The hardest villains

Venom Goblin

Take your time before defeating Stage II, because when Stage III is revealed you'll have to face several encounter cards. Be very aware of threats on the main schemes, because minions with the Patrol keyword will block your Cutthroat Ambition.

Nebula

This mirror match is technically forbidden by the rules, but come on. Be aware of the swingy nature of your "clone" and always spend resources to remove Evasion tokens. Be sure to have your key cards out before moving to Stage III, because you don't want to lose them while removing her Techniques. Never feel too confident, because she will make a comeback eventually. Keep calm and stick to the plan.

Ronan

Remove his Universal Weapon as soon as possible, so that you can stun and confuse him. If possible, use Wide Stance to discard that card or Fanaticism. Save the Milano for Kree Command Ship, avoiding losses from Dark Designs or other highly dangerous cards. If he has Fanaticism, block with an ally while you're Tough.

Customization

Since the core idea consists of Ready for a Fight, Hidden Base, and three copies of Practiced Plan, you have plenty of room for your personal take on this deck. You might want to remove Rocket Raccoon and Groot because you can play them only in Hero form, or maybe you think you don't need the extra resources. My advice is to keep Gambit, Mockingbird, Professor X, and Nick Fury (and also Multitalented, as mentioned earlier). Anyway, this deck won five out of five games, so you can keep it as it is and expect to win.

Conclusion

I'm happy to play Nebula in a way that finally feels like she's meant to be played. She draws cards consistently, and you can see her gimmick in action all the time. She can also make good use of Combat Ready or set up turns with five or six Techniques in play, which feels awesome.

I can't guarantee that using this deck you'll defeat Ronan or Venom Goblin on Expert on your first try like I did, but I'm sure this is a powerful deck, and I can promise you'll have a lot of fun.