Digging Deeper: Storm

This is issue #3 of Digging Deeper, a series where I take a deep dive into some underappreciated cards, and try to unlock their full potential. This time, we are taking a look at the basic ally, Storm.

Even with the trait discount, Storm is still an expensive card with a niche effect. So when she was initially released in the Phoenix pack, she didn't see much play. However, some recent cards have given her new life, opening the door to other deckbuilding opportunities. We'll discuss these combos later, though. First, lets take a look at her strengths independently, without any external assistance.

Storm can get rid of a lot of extra threat with her ability, but she really just relocates it instead of truly clearing it from the board. It's similar to how I tidy up my house just before friends come over—by cramming everything into a closet or drawer. This can quickly avert a crisis for now, but eventually, you'll need to clean out that closet.

This ability to prioritize which threats to neutralize is actually quite useful. She can get the main scheme down to a reasonable level,  pushing 2 of that threat onto a side scheme you weren't clearing that turn anyway. If you can end the game in the next few turns, it might be worth just pushing that threat onto a harmful side scheme (something with an acceleration or amplify icon for example) and ignore it. This will let you not have to worry about threat and just focus on pushing damage.

Another general use for Storm could be to make sure there is the perfect amount of threat on each scheme to use your other cards most effectively. For example, stacking extra threat onto a scheme for one large single thwart. "I Am Groot", Outwit, Overwatch, and Crisis Averted are just a few cards that want a larger pile of threat on one scheme.

You might instead want to pull extra threat away from a scheme, to trigger "when you clear the last threat" or "when you defeat a scheme" abilities. Some cards like this to consider are Skilled Investigator, Clear the Area, Cable (hero), and Unleash the Nova Force.

A third scenario is if you want to even out how much threat is on each scheme, for board-wide threat clearing. This is useful for cards like Even the Odds and The Douglass.

Another weakness that this ally has, in addition to being expensive, is that she only has 3 hit points. In order to get the most out of her, you will want to be investing more resources into keeping her around longer. One option is to give her a training upgrade (mission training, Danger Room Training, Attack Training, and Protective Training) for bonus stats and hit points, and to use Game Time for extra activations and healing. X-Mansion is another great healing option.

Since Storm, X-Mansion, and Game Time are all basic cards, and there is a Training upgrade for each of the original 4 aspects, this is always something that you can consider when building around X-men allies. Especially in protection and aggression, which lacks thwarting options, she can be your main threat management tool.

Player Side Schemes

The introduction of Player Side Schemes in the NeXt Evolution Campaign box transformed Storm from a niche ally into an absolute thwarting machine. Player Side Schemes have zero negative consequences (besides Live Dangerously), so now you can stack threat onto them without ever needing to clear it off later. You can even play another one down to override and discard the one that was out, effectively removing all of the threat on it. So now, its as if Storm effectively just thwarts for 4 all the time.

The first deck that I recall using Storm this way was Jean and Ororo Skip Class to Sing Karaoke at the Moulin Roug by DR00. Phoenix is the perfect hero to pair with Storm. She is an X-men, has psionic access to Psychic Kicker, and has a team up card with Storm, Soul Sisters, which can heal her and let both characters ready. Soul Queens are here to slay by SDx is another great Phoenix and Storm deck worth mentioning here.

Currently there are 3 heroes in the game with signature player side schemes: Cable, Jubilee, and Silk. Cable can include side schemes from every aspect in his deck, so running Storm in his deck is always a great option. Jubilee is an interesting one because her signature side scheme, Shopping Spree, never goes to the victory display, and she can use her alter ego ability to find it from her deck and put it into play. Its also not usually high priority to clear it, so its a perfect place for Storm to unload threat onto. I made a Protection Jubilee deck that does just this, called Mutant Investors. I have not yet seen a Silk deck that uses Storm, so someone get on that! She isn't a mutant, which is unfortunate, but I think there's potential there.

New Justice Tech

With the Black Panther pack, we receive two more cards that synergize with Storm incredibly well: Manifold and Show of Empathy.

Manifold lets you find a player side scheme and add it to your hand. Of course, this is great as it lets us get a side scheme into play for Storm, or to get a second one in to replace one with too much threat on it.

Show of Empathy is now the best side scheme to use with Storm. Why? A few reasons. Being zero cost is always good, as you want a low investment scheme when its primary use is as a dumping ground for threat. Also, its effect triggers when you put enough threat onto a minion, NOT when you clear the last threat on the scheme. This means that it doesn't matter how much threat you add to it, that doesn't effect when you trigger its effect to Redeem a minion! And on top of that, by adding threat to it with Storm, you actually can take control of even stronger minions with more than 6 health!

I made a Phoenix deck that uses the concepts that I've been discussing here along with these new cards, and I'm releasing it alongside this article. I'll leave the decklist below if you want to check it out, and you can check it out here on MarvelCDB.

I hope that this gave some of you a new perspective on the Storm ally, and maybe sparks some new deck building ideas. I'd love to see her used in more unique and creative ways!