Post BMR worst card discussion

[SavageJack]

Hi there. Long-time lurker, first time poster.
Now that all the expansions are out I have started making decks out of my collection so I can convert some of my friends over to DTR. I am in love with the deckbuilding system, and the card values help make sure that even sub-par cards are still useful as filler. However with almost 600 cards there are some serious stinkers and I wanted to ask which cards you find to be the bottom of the barrel.
Here are the ones I have had the biggest trouble slotting into a deck:
3 – Auction
Let’s just get this one out of the way first. Not only does it take a spot that could be used for SIYE or TSJR, but it is also impossible to get any use out of. You have to own AND control a deed, and your opponent has to have dudes at that deed, and then you get some GR. This card is so bad I almost want to find some house rules that make it useable, but even that sounds like a pipe dream.
A – Lady Luck
I can almost see how this card would be useful, especially if you are using the present decks, however I just can’t bring myself to use it. There are some really good actions at A and The Killer Bunnies Casino has basically the same effect as this card as a saloon. If I find myself consistently reaching sundown with 2 or more cards in my hand it is a problem with my economy or my available dudes, not something that this card will help with.
2 – Trespassin’
Unless my opponent is running a bounty hunting deck I don’t think I would ever go home from this card. On the other hand, when I am making a bounty deck I usually have better ways of making my opponents wanted. Maybe this card has some synergy with Auction, make a deed private AND give out some bounty… sounds like a solid plan.
6 – Horse Wranglin’
Normally I wouldn’t include this, it feels like a product of its time, but Maggie Harris and Calling The Cavalry both exist. I have never had a reason to include this card.
9 – Prayer
Maybe it’s that Miracles never took off. Maybe it’s that I would rather run Framed for my blessed bounty deck, or maybe I just never learned to use this one correctly. I really hope this is a hidden gem so I can learn to use it, but I can’t see that happening.
4 – Ballot Counter
Maybe there is a winning deck you can make by combining IWYK with this card, but for the life of me I haven’t found it.
J – Blight Serum
Every time I think “maybe I could use this to deter people from coming over” I remember that it aces itself after use. The best idea I had was to give this to my Mad Scientists and have them use it when a dude gets to their deed so that others couldn’t follow for the shootout. Is that what I should do?

I really would love to know which cards the community finds tough to slot into their decks. Also feel free to tell a relative newbie if I am using my selections wrong, finding out useless cards are pretty good is basically like getting a new card.

[davido4015]

Lady Luck - on value for DMH - easily played and cycles itself and other good cards back.

[Harlath]

Grand first time post!

Fun idea for a thread, will see if I can think of anything to add. Might also be interesting to see if there are are ways these could have been tweaked to keep the theme but upgrade them a little.

I’ll second David and note that there are a few successful decks that have made good use of lady luck’s cycling ability, including a few old tournament winners.

You can search dtdb.co for decks using a particular card - Lady Luck still shows up a reasonable amount (albeit most of the decks marked as successful in tournaments are a little older).

I agree on Horse Wranglin’ - it used to see a bit of play, but lost out heavily from Maggie Harris (better search) and the awesome power of Calling the Cavalry. Perhaps useful outside Morgan if there had been a horse combo deck we never got to see?

Prayer - does indeed seem pretty weak. I suppose it’s harder to catch weak cards in playtest, as your attention is probably focused on overpowered cards.

Auction - at least it’s on value with other strong cards, there’s enough competition on 3! If we exclude Lady Luck and Trespassin’ (both present in a number of competitive decks, particularly the former in initial sets, the latter less so but in a few winners), then 1 dud card in the base set isn’t bad.

Ballot counter - some successful tournament decks make good use of this - very powerful in the turn you go to time. I’ll confess I regard this as a bug rather than a feature, but it can be effective.

Blight Serum - one of the Edinburgh players went 6-0 all the way to the final of a large sheriff event playing a condition deck that MIGHT have featured Blight Serum, can’t remember. Sadly his deck isn’t on dtdb yet. Whether or not he used it, I can see a place for this in a deck with nasty conditions, phantasm etc. Subtle, but can create very frustrating board states.

[SavageJack]

Thanks for the insight for Lady Luck, I guess card cycling is more powerful in games where you can’t just reset the board after some bad luck. Ballot counter winning at time feels a lot like some grade A shenanigains. When our friendly games last more than an hour we just drink to determine the winner.

I was also wondering if there are any Deeds and Dudes that are “meh”. Obviously you need them if they are on value, but which dudes/deeds are just filler for you guys, regardless of outfit?
For me it has to be Howard Aswell, I know he can be used in deed-lite decks, but he always feels like the Jank King of Gomorra.

[Harlath]

It won’t win any prizes for originality, but I’m afraid Ebeneezer Springfield can only aspire to be “meh”! No influence and blessed 0 for 4GR! 1 Influence might have made him playable.

Howard Aswell shows up in a few SG Den of Thieves decks as he’s a cheap grifter that’s on value for many of them.

[Doomdog]

Harold Aimslee is massively overpriced for what he does, and has to boot to use his ability so can’t even invent the gadget he fetches on the same turn.

Ivor Hawley has been outclassed by his Experienced version, whereas original Sloane, Lillian and Sheriff Dave still offer something useful and different - albeit expensive to get in to play- to their Experienced counterparts (& Experienced Abram).

If only Ebenezer had an influene or Blessed 1!

There are a few dudes that only really serve as filler, but they’re still useful in some way. I think the worst culprits for dudes are Law Dogs and Morgan - both factions feature more than the average number of dudes who are just a bit too expensive for what they bring to the table.

While not every deed will have an ability or trait relevant to every deck, I don’t think any of them are outright “meh”.

As for the original post;

Lady Luck isn’t a card I’d want to run 4 of, but it can be useful in ways already mentioned.

I’ve built a deck that used Trespassin’ - bounty tricks out of a non-Law Dog home. It becomes a bit of a niche jank card once you expand a bit beyond the core set though.

Horse Wranglin’ was okay at its time of release, but I agree that it’s now struggling for space.

Prayer is another one I’ve built a deck around, going for a ‘Cruise Missiles’ with Miracles approach. Overall though it isn’t a great card and isn’t going to see play outside of fun jank decks. Miracle Hearts Straight Flush anyone?

Ballot Counter is okay, but you really need economy and a combo that relies on influence for it to be worth it.

Blight Serum is another card with niche use that needs to be in the right deck. As a self-acing Jack, it could be find a place in a DMH deck.

Auction is still the easiest 3 of clubs to play. As long as there’s a deed in play you’ll never find it clogging up your hand. But yeah, it’s kinda rubbish.

[crx3800]

In no way am I saying auction is good, but it can be hilarious right before Wylie Jenks shows up.

[jayjester]

Aswell was curiously bad when printed, but now with a core ranch, doomsday supply, Auto-Gatling, and showboating, I’ve made a
deedless deck that has unlimited potential income and control points.

Auction has only ever worked once for me in a rediculous self milling straight flush deck that required 5 easy to play noon actions.

My agrivation is over how bad ‘For Such a Time As This’

[Antaiseito]

Interesting thread
I got the same problem with the mentioned blessed cards - Last night i was contemplating (again) if there’s any way to make Prayer valuable. Feels like a 2card combo with not a lot of power that you have to activate again for every new noon…
Maybe if it were more versatile or lasted longer it would be too strong in a non-law dogs deck with a whole Sloane gang or circus praying?
@Doomdog - I was also thinking about a Miracle Hearts Straight Flush deck but never got around to really build it ^^

Yeah Ebenezer Springfield feels just missing 1 inf or 1-2 blessed or even just being a Deputy for the Crusaders…

Can For such a time as this be used to tutor Erin Knight so you don’t have to start her (she does cost a bit) and she doesn’t endagner the pull structure for too long maybe? … but how do you pass that town square fight when you still need that key dude…

At least BMT got a Deputy+Stud+INF Miracle tutor, something i’ve been wishing for for a long time, still need to try him out

[jayjester]

To get your gears turning, here are a couple decks I made with the father

Father and Child (a showboating deck Deckbuilder · DoomtownDB (slightly edited, took out deeds since they usually just got taken before I was confident to contest.)

and Miracle of Stud Bullets · DoomtownDB Miracle of Stud Bullets. A deck that sees studs in the 12+ range.