[PlayingBothEnds] Paratroopers All Day

Submitted by Drew Wu on January 21, 2024 - 2:23pm

Ascended

Classic

3-player

4-player

Mono-Faction

Competitive

50 cards.

Foundation (12 cards)

3x Facilitator

Facilitator
Netherworld Mediator
Your hand size is increased by 1. Once per turn, you may choose a resource you have in your pool :: Play a card ignoring one of the chosen resource conditions. You may generate this effect while this card is in your smoked pile.

Fighting	Fighting: 2
Cost	Cost: 2
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Secret War Society
Set	A Better Tomorrow
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	facilitator, netherworld, mediator
Keywords	Keywords: Foundation

5x Old Buzzard

Old Buzzard
Sworn Survivor
Sentinel. When an effect generated by an opponent returns a card to play, you may return this card to play.
Flavor: "Bring out yer dead!"
Fighting	Fighting: 2
Cost	Cost: 2
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Secret War Society
Set	A Better Tomorrow
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	old, buzzard, sworn, survivor
Keywords	Keywords: Foundation, Sentinel

3x Student of the Shark

Student of the Shark
Pledged Hood
Inflicts +1 damage on damaged characters and damaged sites.

Fighting	Fighting: 2
Cost	Cost: 2
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Drew Tucker
Set	Flashpoint
Rarity	Common
Designators	student, shark, pledged, hood
Keywords	Keywords: Foundation

1x The Pledged

The Pledged
Loyal Initiates
Flavor: At the lowest levels, the Order of the Wheel is like the Kiwanis Club. Go a little higher up, and the Colt 1911s come out.
Fighting	Fighting: 1
Cost	Cost: 1
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Ron Rousselle
Set	Standard/Limited
Rarity	Very Common
Designators	pledged, loyal, initiate
Keywords	Keywords: Foundation

Character (13 cards)

1x Adrienne Hart

Adrienne Hart
Pledged Martial Artist
Unique. No states may be played on Adrienne.
Flavor: She plunges into battle to forget her forbidden love for the Unspoken Name.
Fighting	Fighting: 8
Cost	Requires: Cost: 4
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Ken Meyer Jr.
Set	Standard/Limited
Rarity	Rare
Designators	adrienne, hart, pledged, martial, artist
Keywords	Keywords: Unique

2x Aquila

Aquila
Reascended Eagle
Unique. Superleap. Once per turn, when another Character is smoked at this location, pay power equal to half that Character's cost (rounded up) :: Return that Character to play under your control.

Fighting	Fighting: 8
Cost	Requires: Cost: 5
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Val Tarroza
Set	A Better Tomorrow
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	aquila, reascended, eagle
Keywords	Keywords: Unique, Superleap
Comments	Comments: Features the likeness of long-time Shadowfist player Benedict Sharrock-Harris.

4x Cut-Out

Cut-Out
Enclave Recruiter
Turn :: Play a Character at -1 cost.
Flavor: They blend right in, up to the moment they are convincing you to take up their cause.
Fighting	Fighting: 2
Cost	Requires: Cost: 2
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Secret War Society
Set	A Better Tomorrow
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	cut, out, enclave, recruiter

1x Katerina Sa

Katerina Sa
Enclave Mentor
Unique. Stealth. When this card enters play, you may target a Character with a cost of 3 or less :: Take control of target while this card is in play.
Flavor: "No obligation. Just think of it as a favor for an old friend."
Fighting	Fighting: 6
Cost	Requires: Cost: 5
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Secret War Society
Set	A Better Tomorrow
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	katerina, sa, enclave, mentor
Keywords	Keywords: Unique, Stealth

4x Paratroopers

Paratroopers
Enclave Soldiers
This card cannot be intercepted during the turn it enters play. When you play an Edge, you may Reload this card.

Fighting	Fighting: 4
Cost	Requires: Cost: 3
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Secret War Society
Set	A Better Tomorrow
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	paratrooper, enclave, soldier

1x Swiss Banker

Swiss Banker
Pledged Financier
Turn for 1 Power. Swiss Banker is smoked if you have no Power in your pool.

Fighting	Fighting: 1
Cost	Requires: Cost: 2
Provides	Provides:
Artist	L. A. Williams
Set	Standard/Limited
Rarity	Common
Designators	swiss, banker, pledged, financier

Edge (1 card)

1x Soul of the Dragon

Soul of the Dragon
Triumvirate Edge
Limited. If you reduce a feng shui site's Body to 1 in an attack, you may burn that feng shui site for victory.

Cost	Requires: Cost: 1
Artist	Daniel Gelon
Set	Netherworld
Rarity	Common
Designators	soul, dragon, triumvirate
Keywords	Keywords: Limited

Event (9 cards)

1x Bite of the Jellyfish

Bite of the Jellyfish
Event
Play when a Feng Shui Site is burned. Steal all the Power of the player who burned that Site. (This includes any Power gained by burning for Power.)

Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	Brian Snoddy
Set	Standard/Limited
Rarity	Uncommon
Designators	bite, jellyfish
Errata	April 2014

1x Bull Market

Bull Market
Event
Limited. Every player gains 5 Power.
Flavor: When the Unspoken Name sneezes, the Dow Jones index says, "Gesundheit."
Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	Phil Foglio
Set	Standard/Limited
Rarity	Rare
Designators	bull, market
Keywords	Keywords: Limited
Errata	June 2002

1x Inside Job

Inside Job
Event
Look at an opponent's hand and choose a card which cannot be played in response to this card :: You may play that card at no cost, ignoring resource conditions, and regardless of type.
Flavor: Working 9 to 5:30.
Cost	Requires: Cost: 3
Artist	Secret War Society
Set	A Better Tomorrow
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	inside, job

1x Mole Network

Mole Network
Event
Play during your Main Shot. Target an opponent who has completed at least one turn :: Steal 1 Power from target opponent.

Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	Mike Kimble
Set	Standard/Limited
Rarity	Common
Designators	mole, network
Errata	January 2001

2x Operation Killdeer

Operation Killdeer
Event
Target character inflicts no damage this turn.

Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	Ron Rousselle
Set	Standard/Limited
Rarity	Common
Designators	operation, killdeer

1x Violet Meditation

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

Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	Douglas Shuler
Set	Netherworld
Rarity	Very Common
Designators	violet, meditation
Errata	March 2014

2x Wing of the Crane

Wing of the Crane
Event
Target a Character :: Smoke Target. Return target to play under its owner's control at the end of the next player's turn if it is still in the smoked pile.

Cost	Requires: Cost: 1
Artist	Matt Wilson
Set	Flashpoint
Rarity	Uncommon
Designators	wing, crane
Errata	February 2014

State (3 cards)

1x Brain-Tape

Brain-Tape
State
Play during any Main Shot in response to a Character leaving play. Subject Character copies the rules text of the Character that left play.
Flavor: "Downloading…Decoding…Capture complete."
Cost	Requires: Cost: 0
Artist	Secret War Society
Set	A Better Tomorrow
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	brain, tape

2x Contract of the Fox

Contract of the Fox
State
Play on any character. Turn Contract of the Fox to unturn subject character.
Flavor: The fox symbolizes swiftness, the unexpected, and reckless bravado.
Cost	Requires: Cost: 2
Artist	Mike Raabe
Set	Standard/Limited
Rarity	Uncommon
Designators	contract, fox

Feng Shui Site (10 cards)

2x Abandoned Old Shop

Abandoned Old Shop
Feng Shui Site
Immediately place a counter on this card when it is revealed. Remove a counter and target a non-Site card you own :: Return target to its owner's hand.

Body	Body: 10
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Secret War Society
Set	A Better Tomorrow
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	abandoned, old, shop

1x 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

2x Beached Supertanker

Beached Supertanker
Feng Shui Site
-X Body. At the start of your turn, put a counter on this card. X = the number of these counters on this card. When this Site is seized, remove all of these counters on this card.
Flavor: Not all solutions need to be permanent.
Body	Body: 16
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Secret War Society
Set	A Better Tomorrow
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	beached, super, tanker

1x 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.

Body	Body: 8
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Douglas Shuler
Set	Flashpoint
Rarity	Common
Designators	city, park
Errata	January 2001

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

1x Walled Enclave

Walled Enclave
Feng Shui Site
Limited. Turn when an opponent plays a card with a printed cost of 0 :: Gain 1 Power.
Flavor: The Ascended have cut themselves off and closely guard what remains of their wealth.
Body	Body: 7
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Secret War Society
Set	A Better Tomorrow
Rarity	Fixed
Designators	walled, enclave
Keywords	Keywords: Limited

2x Whirlpool of Blood

Whirlpool of Blood
Netherworld Feng Shui Site
Turn to cancel an effect generated by the turning of a feng shui site.
Flavor: When the pirates pushed us in, we found out it wasn't real blood. But by that point being grossed out was the least of our worries.
Body	Body: 5
Power	Power: 1
Artist	Randy Gallegos
Set	Netherworld
Rarity	Very Common
Designators	whirlpool, blood, netherworld

Site (2 cards)

1x Family Estate

Family Estate
Site
Turn to play a Pledged character at -1 cost. Family Estate takes 2 points of damage whenever a Lodge character is smoked.

Body	Body: 5
Power	Power: 1
Cost	Cost: 2
Provides	Provides:
Artist	Andi Rusu
Set	Standard/Limited
Rarity	Common
Designators	family, estate
Keywords	Keywords: Foundation

1x Secret Headquarters

Secret Headquarters
Site
Limited. All sites you control take 2 points of damage if Secret Headquarters is smoked.
Flavor: If we told you about it, it wouldn't be a secret, would it?
Body	Body: 10
Power	Power: 2
Cost	Cost: 3
Artist	Mike Trapp
Set	Standard/Limited
Rarity	Rare
Designators	secret, headquarters
Keywords	Keywords: Limited

This deck made it to the finals of the 2024 Playing Both Ends online tournament. It relies on Paratrooper throughout the mid and end game, with support cards that allow multiple attacks, to take FSS. There are some nice tricks with Aquila.