"Picking Up the Mantle" | Secret War Society

Submitted by Jason Ketcham on September 22, 2022 - 7:53pm

Eaters of the Lotus

Modern

3-player

4-player

Mono-Faction

Competitive

51 cards.

Foundation (10 cards)

5x Imp

Imp
Demon Minion
Flavor: As Xin Ji Yang consolidated her power, it wouldn't be long before the demons turned against their eunuch oppressors.
Fighting	Fighting: 1
Cost	Cost: 1
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Chenthuooran Hanblaroonan
Set	Combat in Kowloon
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	imp, demon, minion
Keywords	Keywords: Foundation

5x Stone Gargoyle

Stone Gargoyle
Guardian Demon
Toughness: 1 while not attacking. Cannot turn to change location.
Flavor: Grim of mien. Fixed of purpose.
Fighting	Fighting: 1
Cost	Cost: 1
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Mario Teodosio
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	stone, gargoyle, guardian, demon
Keywords	Keywords: Toughness, Foundation

Character (10 cards)

1x Evil Twin

Evil Twin
Sinister Sibling
Uncopyable. When Evil Twin enters play, it copies the printed Fighting, rules text and restrictions of another Character in play. Evil Twin's title becomes "Evil Twin of (Character's title)" and its subtitle becomes "Sinister Sibling of (Character's subtitle)."

Fighting	Fighting: *
Cost	Requires: Cost: 3
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Kaja Foglio
Set	Reloaded
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	evil, twin, sinister, sibling
Keywords	Keywords: Uncopyable

3x Exorcist

Exorcist
Evil Priest
Turn this card and sacrifice a Demon, Ghost, Spirit or Undead Character :: Gain X Power. X = the printed cost of the sacrificed Character.
Flavor: They will happily rid you of your nuisance.
Fighting	Fighting: 2
Cost	Requires: Cost: 2
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Jason Ballard
Set	Revelations
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	exorcist, evil, priest

1x Hand of Darkness

Hand of Darkness
Petal of the Black Lotus
Assassinate. Lethal against Unique Characters.
Flavor: They are the most dedicated of Ming I's servants.
Fighting	Fighting: 1
Cost	Requires: Cost: 1
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Eren Arlik
Set	Revelations
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	hand, darkness, petal, black, lotus
Keywords	Keywords: Assassinate

1x Harati

Harati
Mother of Demons
Unique. All your Characters at this location gain Regenerate and the designator Demon.
Flavor: Invincibility will make you wish you were dead.
Fighting	Fighting: 9
Cost	Requires: Cost: 5
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Freddy Lopez, Jr.
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	harati, mother, demon
Keywords	Keywords: Unique

1x Reggie Mortis

Reggie Mortis
Punk Necromancer
Unique. Independent Turn and maintain and target a character in any smoked pile :: Return target to play under your control with no rules text and the designator Undead. (When this effect is cancelled, put target in its owner's smoked pile.)

Fighting	Fighting: 3
Cost	Requires: Cost: 3
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Mario Teodosio
Set	Combat in Kowloon
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	reggie, mortis, punk, necromancer
Keywords	Keywords: Unique
Comments	Comments: Features the likeness of long-time player David Kratz.

3x The Mantle

The Mantle
Fire Demon
Unique. Regenerate. When damage is inflicted on this card, inflict an equal amount of non-combat damage on each other Character at this location.

Fighting	Fighting: 11
Cost	Requires: Cost: 6
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Freddy Lopez, Jr.
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	mantle, fire, demon
Keywords	Keywords: Unique, Regenerate

Edge (3 cards)

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 Empire of Evil

Empire of Evil
Edge
Limited. You may play Sites at -1 cost.
Flavor: Corruption spreads mainly by making it so easy.
Cost	Requires: Cost: 1
Artist	Ikaan Studios
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	empire, evil
Keywords	Keywords: Limited

1x Insidious Plan

Insidious Plan
Edge
Limited. Put a counter on this card at the end of your turn. Sacrifice this card :: Gain X Power or draw X cards. X= the number of counters on this card.

Cost	Requires: Cost: 1
Artist	Allan Bednar
Set	Reloaded
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	insidious, plan
Keywords	Keywords: Limited

Event (15 cards)

4x Death of 1,000 Cuts

Death of 1,000 Cuts
Event
Limited. Crisis: 0. Target a Character :: Smoke target.
Flavor: For when lingchi is just too slow.
Cost	Requires: Cost: 2
Artist	Ed Cox
Set	Revelations
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	death, 1000, cut
Keywords	Keywords: Limited, Crisis

1x Hail of Skulls

Hail of Skulls
Event
Limited. Target a location :: Inflict one non-combat damage on all Sites and Characters at target. Any Character smoked by this card returns to play under your control. At the end of the turn, return these Characters to their owner's smoked pile.

Cost	Requires: Cost: 1
Artist	Ikaan Studios
Set	Revelations
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	hail, skull
Keywords	Keywords: Limited

3x Larcenous Mist

Larcenous Mist
Event
Target a Character. Until the end of the turn, cancel target and all States on target. (Including States played later this turn.)
Flavor: The mists rob you of both sight and self.
Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	NeNe Thomas
Set	Back for Seconds
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	larcenous, mist
Errata	August 2021

4x 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

1x Sorcerous Return

Sorcerous Return
Event
Choose a Character in any smoked pile :: Return the chosen Character to play under your control. Toast that Character at the end of the turn.
Flavor: "Welcome back."
Cost	Requires: Cost: 2
Artist	Polina Smirnova
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	sorcerous, return

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

State (3 cards)

3x Six Demon Bag

Six Demon Bag
State
Schtick. Play on a Character. If subject would receive enough damage to smoke it, sacrifice this card :: Reduce that damage to 0.
Flavor: They say it contains the elemental demons of wood, water, wind, fire, metal, and earth.
Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	I Made Marthana Yusa
Set	Queens Gambit
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	six, demon, bag
Keywords	Keywords: Schtick

Feng Shui Site (10 cards)

2x Bustling Metro Station

Bustling Metro Station
Feng Shui Site
When this site is revealed, you may choose an Event targeting a card you control :: Cancel the chosen event.
Flavor: "It's amazing what you can miss when the crowds get big enough."
Body	Body: 8
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Fabian Cobos
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	bustling, metro, station

4x Proving Ground

Proving Ground
Feng Shui Site
When Proving Ground is revealed, immediately turn it for no effect. If Proving Ground is face-up, turn :: Play a Character at -2 cost.
Flavor: So you think you're tough, eh? Let's see how tough you really are.
Body	Body: 6
Power	Power: 0
Artist	John T. Snyder
Set	Combat in Kowloon
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	proving, ground

1x Sea Turtle Cove

Sea Turtle Cove
Beach Feng Shui Site
Unique. Turn and maintain and target a Character you control :: Target gains Immunity to opponents’ Events.
Flavor: They were here long before humans, and they'll long outlast us.
Body	Body: 6
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Matteo Ascente
Set	Year of the Goat
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	sea, turtle, cove, beach
Keywords	Keywords: Unique

1x The Hidden Grotto

The Hidden Grotto
Feng Shui Site
Unique. When this card is revealed, you may play a Character at -X cost. X = the number of Feng Shui Sites you control, including this one.
Flavor: Some things weren't meant to be found.
Body	Body: 4
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Angelmarthy Studio
Set	Knight's Passage
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	hidden, grotto
Keywords	Keywords: Unique

2x Haunted Tomb

Haunted Tomb
Feng Shui Site
When a Character you control is smoked, this card gains +1 Body until it leaves play. When a Unique Character is smoked, turn :: Gain 1 Power and this card gains -1 Body until it leaves play.

Body	Body: 6
Power	Power: 1
Cost	Requires:
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Larry Wilson
Set	Revelations
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	haunted, tomb

Original creator:

Jason Ketcham

The amount of power this deck cranks out is lunacy. And you're going to need it to bring back The Mantle over and over and over again for the board to stay consistently wiped as you walk a clear path to site taking victory. Aside from the power funding there's loads of tricks you can pull to keep a Mantle always on the table. Sorcerous Return him unexpectedly to kill a ton of Characters then Sac. him for 6 power and play another one. Or just Reggie him and get a vanilla giant stick. Or Evil Twin him and attack one at a time. Once you're sitting on 10 power per turn(which is very common once this deck starts to crank) you have the most threatening setup. Larcenous Mist and Six Demon bag prevent Characters from giving you problems that do specific things counteractive to yours. It's easy to mess up with the Mantle if you're not being careful. So it may take a bit of practice to consistently use this deck optimally.