Always Surrender | Secret War Society

Submitted by Drew Wu on September 30, 2022 - 1:07pm

Dragons

Seven Masters

Classic

3-player

4-player

Multi-Faction

70 cards.

Foundation (11 cards)

3x Hacker

Hacker
Gun-Totin' Techie
Any time Hacker is in your hand when an opponent plays an Event that steals Power from you or that toasts any card other than itself, you may play Hacker at no cost in response :: Cancel that Event.

Fighting	Fighting: 2
Cost	Cost: 2
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Mark Tedin
Set	Year of the Dragon
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	hacker, gun, totin, techie
Keywords	Keywords: Foundation

5x Netherworld Trickster

Netherworld Trickster
Redeemed Thief
Cannot attack Characters. When this card is smoked by an opponent, you may steal 1 Power from that player.

Fighting	Fighting: 1
Cost	Cost: 1
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Erick Rabang
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	netherworld, trickster, redeemed, thief
Keywords	Keywords: Foundation

3x Wah-Shan Clan Warriors

Wah-Shan Clan Warriors
Martial Arts Students
Flavor: The Wah-Shan were the most numerous of the clans of the Seven Masters.
Fighting	Fighting: 1
Cost	Cost: 1
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Andrew Baker
Set	Seven Masters vs The Underworld
Rarity	Common
Designators	wah, shan, clan, warrior, martial, art, student
Keywords	Keywords: Foundation

Character (15 cards)

1x Angie Dao

Angie Dao
Netherworld Scientist
Unique. Immunity to Events. Once per turn when a Character you control is about to enter combat, you may play a Character or State from your hand at -1 cost.

Fighting	Fighting: 4
Cost	Requires: Cost: 3
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Ikaan Studios
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	angie, dao, netherworld, scientist
Keywords	Keywords: Unique

1x Bei Tairong

Bei Tairong
Lodge Traitor
Unique. Superleap. +1 damage to cards controlled by a player with in his or her pool.
Flavor: She couldn't take what the Lodge had become.
Fighting	Fighting: 4
Cost	Requires: Cost: 3
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Melissa Benson
Set	Red Wedding
Rarity	Rare
Designators	bei, tairong, lodge, traitor
Keywords	Keywords: Unique, Superleap

1x Ghost Wind

Ghost Wind
Master of the Liquid Sword
Unique. When you smoke an opponent's Character and Ghost Wind is not smoked at the same time, gain 1 Power. You cannot gain more than 2 Power per turn this way. May be played at no cost if an opponent controls 5 or more Characters.

Fighting	Fighting: 6
Cost	Requires: Cost: 4
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Chester Laquian
Set	Seven Masters vs The Underworld
Rarity	Rare
Designators	ghost, wind, master, liquid, sword
Keywords	Keywords: Unique

1x Gold Lion

Gold Lion
Master of the Wah-Shan Clan
Unique. Superleap against opponents who have Power in their pool. Once per turn, you may discard a card to heal X damage on him. X= the cost of the discarded card.

Fighting	Fighting: 8
Cost	Requires: Cost: 5
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Andrew Baker
Set	Seven Masters vs The Underworld
Rarity	Rare
Designators	gold, lion, master, wah, shan, clan
Keywords	Keywords: Unique

1x Ho Chen

Ho Chen
Master of the Flawless Strike
Unique. Superleap against opponents who have 3 or more cards in their hand. Once per turn, you may discard a card to do X damage to target Character about to enter combat with Ho Chen. X= the cost of the discarded card.

Fighting	Fighting: 7
Cost	Requires: Cost: 5
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Brian Rood
Set	Seven Masters vs The Underworld
Rarity	Rare
Designators	ho, chen, master, flawless, strike
Keywords	Keywords: Unique

1x Jade Willow

Jade Willow
Master of Unyielding Dragon Kung Fu
Unique. Guts. Superleap while damaged. When a Site you control is burned, you may either Reload this card or play it from your hand at no cost.

Fighting	Fighting: 8
Cost	Requires: Cost: 5
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Luis De Castro
Set	Empire of Evil
Rarity	Rare
Designators	jade, willow, master, unyielding, dragon, kung, fu
Keywords	Keywords: Unique, Guts
Comments	Comments: Willow Palecek's 2007 World Championship card. Features Willow's likeness.

1x Jenny Zheng

Jenny Zheng
Martial Artist Hero
Unique. Superleap. Independent. Loyalty. When an opponent who is one Feng Shui Site away from victory declares an attack, unturn this card.

Fighting	Fighting: 9
Cost	Requires: Cost: 6
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Freddy Lopez, Jr.
Set	Reinforcements
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	jenny, zheng, martial, artist, hero
Keywords	Keywords: Unique, Superleap, Loyalty, Independent

1x Li Mao

Li Mao
Accidental Hero
Unique. When an opponent plays an Event, Li Mao gains +1 Fighting until he leaves play. Superleap while his Fighting is greater than 5.
Flavor: Some people were born for greatness, others just stumble into it.
Fighting	Fighting: 3
Cost	Requires: Cost: 3
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Matt Bober
Set	Seven Masters vs The Underworld
Rarity	Rare
Designators	li, mao, accidental, hero
Keywords	Keywords: Unique

1x Monsoon

Monsoon
Flying Swordsman
Unique. Superleap. May attack back-row Sites.
Flavor: You're lucky I happened to come by, or you'd be dead for sure!
Fighting	Fighting: 4
Cost	Requires: Cost: 3
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Matt Bober
Set	Seven Masters vs The Underworld
Rarity	Uncommon
Designators	monsoon, flying, sword, man
Keywords	Keywords: Unique, Superleap

1x Red Bat

Red Bat
Master of the Kunlun Clan
Unique. Independent. +1 Fighting for each Event in your smoked pile. May be played at no cost if any opponent has 8 or more Events in his or her smoked pile.

Fighting	Fighting: 4
Cost	Requires: Cost: 5
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Patrick McEvoy
Set	Seven Masters vs The Underworld
Rarity	Rare
Designators	red, bat, master, kunlun, clan
Keywords	Keywords: Unique, Independent

2x Remix Artist

Remix Artist
Hip-Hop Hacker
Turn, toast a card in your smoked pile, and choose an Event in your smoked pile :: Return the chosen Event to your hand.

Fighting	Fighting: 2
Cost	Requires: Cost: 2
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Lorraine Schleter
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	remix, artist, hip, hop, hacker

1x Sky Dragon

Sky Dragon
Master of the Invulnerable Stance
Unique. Takes no combat damage.
Flavor: He lives alone on a mountaintop, working each day to perfect his kung fu.
Fighting	Fighting: 8
Cost	Requires: Cost: 7
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Utakata
Set	Seven Masters vs The Underworld
Rarity	Rare
Designators	sky, dragon, master, invulnerable, stance
Keywords	Keywords: Unique

1x The Golden Gunman

The Golden Gunman
Magic Hero
Unique. Independent. The Golden Gunman is not a legal target for Events. If the Golden Gunman turns to attack, no other characters you control can turn to attack with him.

Fighting	Fighting: 8
Cost	Requires: Cost: 5
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Mark Poole
Set	Netherworld
Rarity	Rare
Designators	golden, gun, man, magic, hero
Keywords	Keywords: Unique, Independent

1x Ting Ting

Ting Ting
Martial Artist
Unique. Independent. +2 Fighting for each opponent who controls more Power-generating Sites than you. Opponents cannot take control of Ting Ting.

Fighting	Fighting: 6
Cost	Requires: Cost: 4
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Brian Snoddy
Set	10,000 Bullets
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	ting, martial, artist
Keywords	Keywords: Unique, Independent

Edge (4 cards)

1x Art of War

Art of War
Edge
Unique. Your hand size is increased by 2. When the player to your left declares an attack, you must predict whether the attack will be successful. If you are incorrect or fail to predict, the player to your left takes control of Art of War.

Cost	Cost: 0
Artist	Melissa Benson
Set	Flashpoint
Rarity	Uncommon
Designators	art, war
Keywords	Keywords: Unique
Errata	January 2001

1x Xin's Tome of Knowledge

Xin's Tome of Knowledge
Cult Edge
Unique. Turn this card and sacrifice a Character with a cost greater than the number of counters on this card :: Place a counter on this card and draw X cards. X = Twice the number of counters now on this card.

Cost	Cost: 0
Artist	Ikaan Studios
Set	Queens Gambit
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	xin, tome, knowledge, cult
Keywords	Keywords: Unique
Errata	October 2014

1x Pony Express

Pony Express
Edge
Limited. When an opponent discards a card, you may choose a Character that this card has not chosen this turn :: That Character gains +1 Fighting until it leaves play.

Cost	Requires: Cost: 1
Artist	Scott Reeves
Set	Shurikens and Six-Guns
Rarity	Uncommon
Designators	pony, express
Keywords	Keywords: Limited

1x Turf War

Turf War
Edge
Limited. Characters you control gain Toughness: 1 for each card in your Burned for Victory pile.
Flavor: "We bought our place here with grit and bone."
Cost	Requires: Cost: 1
Artist	Rodolpho Langhi
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	turf, war
Keywords	Keywords: Limited

Event (23 cards)

5x Kunlun Clan Assault

Kunlun Clan Assault
Event
Inflict 3 damage, divided any way you choose, on target Characters and/or Sites.
Flavor: The Kunlun were legendary for their prowess in battle.
Cost	Cost: 2
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Chris Watkins
Set	Seven Masters vs The Underworld
Rarity	Common
Designators	kunlun, clan, assault
Keywords	Keywords: Foundation

1x Secret Pact

Secret Pact
Event
One-Shot. Play during your Main Shot. You must have at least two resources each from two different factions in your pool to play this card. Draw four cards, gain 2 Power, or return a card from your smoked pile to your hand.

Cost	Cost: 0
Artist	Brian Rood
Set	Red Wedding
Rarity	Uncommon
Designators	secret, pact
Keywords	Keywords: One-Shot

2x Solar Flare

Solar Flare
Event
If you have you may inflict 4 damage on target Character. If you have you may heal 4 damage from target card. If you have you may reveal and/or turn up to 4 target Sites.

Cost	Cost: 1
Artist	Chris Quilliams
Set	Critical Shift
Rarity	Common
Designators	solar, flare

1x "Is That All You Got?"

"Is That All You Got?"
Event
Choose a Character in your smoked pile with a printed numerical Fighting of 5 or less :: Return that Character to play.
Flavor: "My turn."
Cost	Requires: Cost: 1
Artist	Melissa Benson
Set	Reloaded
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	is, that, all, you, got

1x Discerning Fire

Discerning Fire
Event
Target X cards that share a designator other than Netherworld and are not Power-generating Sites :: Smoke all targets. X must be greater than one.
Flavor: With practice, you can hit a bee in a hive of hornets.
Cost	Requires: Cost: X
Artist	Brian Snoddy
Set	Combat in Kowloon
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	discerning, fire

1x Double Feature

Double Feature
Event
Choose any 2 Characters from smoked piles :: Return the chosen characters to play under their owner's control. Reduce the cost of this card by 1 for each returned Character you do not own.
Flavor: "So we meet again, this time outside the ring."
Cost	Requires: Cost: 3
Artist	Erick Rabang
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	double, feature

2x Final Brawl

Final Brawl
Event
Inflict 2 non-combat damage on all Characters.
Flavor: Hamlet, Oedipus, Dirty Harry - the classic stories always end in blood.
Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	Richard Kane Ferguson
Set	Combat in Kowloon
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	final, brawl

1x Golden Comeback

Golden Comeback
Event
Choose a Character in your smoked pile :: Return that Character to play.
Flavor: It'll take more than nine slugs in the chest to put me down when there are still creeps like you in the world!
Cost	Requires: Cost: 2
Artist	NeNe Thomas
Set	Action Pack #1
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	golden, comeback

4x Never Surrender

Never Surrender
Event
Limited. Play when an opponent burns a Site you control :: Put this card into your burned-for-victory pile. Gain 3 Power if that opponent is now as close or closer to victory than you.
Flavor: The chi flows forth to reward the oppressed.
Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	Stephen Snyder
Set	Combat in Kowloon
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	never, surrender
Keywords	Keywords: Limited

1x Pocket Demon

Pocket Demon
Event
Play at the start of your turn and target an opponent :: Generate X Power. X = the number of Power-generating Sites controlled by the target plus the number of cards in their burned-for-victory pile, minus the number of cards in your burned-for-victory pile. No other card you control or play generates Power during this Establishing Shot.

Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	Ron Spencer
Set	Combat in Kowloon
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	pocket, demon

2x Spirit in a Bottle

Spirit in a Bottle
Event
Play at the start of your turn. Generate 2 Power if an opponent controls more Characters than you. Other Events you play during this Establishing Shot generate no Power.
Flavor: This vintage is not for the faint of heart.
Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	Freddy Lopez, Jr.
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	spirit, bottle
Errata	July 2020

2x Violet Meditation

Violet Meditation
Event
Play at the start of your turn and target an opponent :: Generate X Power. X = the number of Edges plus the number of Power-generating Sites controlled by the target, minus the number of cards in your burned-for-victory pile. No other card you control of play generates Power during this Establishing Shot.

Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	Douglas Shuler
Set	Combat in Kowloon
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	violet, meditation

Feng Shui Site (14 cards)

3x Ancestral River Home

Ancestral River Home
Feng Shui Site
When an opponent reduces this card's Body to 0, play a card from your hand at no cost and regardless of type if that opponent is now closer to victory than you.

Body	Body: 7
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Ikaan Studios
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	ancestral, river, home

2x Ancestral Sanctuary

Ancestral Sanctuary
Netherworld Feng Shui Site
Limited. If one of your feng shui sites is seized or burned, you may immediately play this site face up at no cost. Gain 5 Power if an opponent forces you to discard Ancestral Sanctuary.

Body	Body: 4
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Margaret Organ-Kean
Set	Netherworld
Rarity	Uncommon
Designators	ancestral, sanctuary, netherworld
Keywords	Keywords: Limited

3x City Park

City Park
Feng Shui Site
Heal City Park at the end of the turn it is revealed. When a Site you control is burned, you may play City Park face up at no cost if you have not played a Site this turn.
Flavor: No, I don't know how they built it so quickly.
Body	Body: 8
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Douglas Shuler
Set	Combat in Kowloon
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	city, park

5x Hydroponic Garden

Hydroponic Garden
Martian Feng Shui Site
When an opponent seizes or burns this card, gain 1 Power and you may play a Feng Shui Site face-up at no cost.
Flavor: The terraforming process requires careful management of chi flow.
Body	Body: 7
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Cynthia Cummens
Set	Critical Shift
Rarity	Common
Designators	hydroponic, garden, martian
Errata	January 2009

1x Kinoshita House

Kinoshita House
Feng Shui Site
Unique. Turn and target an attacking Character :: Target attacker unturns and ceases attacking.
Flavor: The sublime meditation cottage of the great ninja leader Kinoshita retains the essence of his spirit.
Body	Body: 4
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Kumi Yamashita
Set	Standard/Limited
Rarity	Rare
Designators	kinoshita, house
Keywords	Keywords: Unique
Errata	June 2002

Site (3 cards)

3x Grease Shack

Grease Shack
Site
Turn and target a Character :: Until the end of the turn, target gains Guts, or Toughness: 1 if target already has Guts.
Flavor: "Now she'll make you think you can fly."
Body	Body: 6
Power	Power: 1
Cost	Cost: 2
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Freddy Lopez, Jr.
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	grease, shack
Keywords	Keywords: Foundation

This deck expects for its FSS to be attacked and burned, allowing Never Surrender and City Park to be played. After attaining a significant amount of power, play any of the heavy hitters to try and take sites. Use Golden Comeback and ISTAYG to continue to press on.

I played this deck at the KublaCon 2022 Final Brawl Classic tournament and it didn't place very well because in tournament scoring Never Surrender, an arguably OP card, only counts for 2 points. Time will probably be reached causing points to be totalled. In a competitive no-time-limit environment I expect this deck to do much better.