@Bojangles,
1
Cool. You can run him "on value" or "off value" (Ks) as you like. Maybe put a way to "tutor" him into play. I call dudes like this Clean-Up Hitters (to use a baseball analogy) because your starting posse's job is to load the bases, then let Adler step up (if needed) to hit that homerun. Freedom!
2
I am hearing Basic Shooter. Cool. And see that you have already leapt to the next question: "What tricks can I use to come out on top of Shootouts?" to which you answer Recursion and Swarm. Why don't you name 2-3 cards that you'd like to use . The obvious choice is Soul Cage here (which, in step 4, probably means choosing Qs). What else?
3
As you don't seem too keen on skills, as you guess, so I recommend you get rid of them. That blows the next step wide open.
4
Two-Value Full House structure (aka "Skittles")! Ok. I think Qs (because Soul Cage, also awesome Fearmonger dudes) should be your first value. Look back at step 2. Did you choose any Action cards that you want to use? If so, and if that Action card is worthy of running 4 copies, that might be your second value.
I recommend running as close to 16x16 as possible (that's four of each suit of your two values, Qs and the other one). The rest of your cards should ideally be ones that "leave" the deck: Goods, Deeds, Dudes, and Actions that ace themselves. This will allow you to win early lowball (loose structure) but have your structure "tighten" over time. Most of these will probably be cost-effective Dudes (Abominations) per your description.
Final consideration: Skittles Structure is powerful yet fragile because of all the "loose" cards (not in your structure). The main solution that shores up this weakness is developing and maintaining high stud and high draw for shootouts. This allows you to draw a mass of cards, discard through the non-structure cards, and redraw into your Full House, Four of a Kind, and Five of a Kind. You can achieve this by choosing effects that increase bullets, negate/remove bullet penalties, move dudes into shootouts, or, by simply piling down on a key location and always fighting with all your dudes (ex. Townsquare).
@davido4015 had an Oddities of Nature deck that camped Townsquare then used Rope and Ride to bring his enemies to him. I have always thought that was a cool dirty trick.
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Once we have step 1-4, I can help again with step 5 (arguably the hardest step, because you more often than not have to cut cards you "just like" because they hold your Essential Strategy back. This is always my struggle...)
Cheers!
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@Doomdog Thanks! I prefer case-by-case. I met a Rob at Gencon '19 and we talked doing a video but that fell through - so that's a tentative maybe?...