Infinity Guantlet vs Image Inducer?

[metaphist]

As far as keeping a star character alive for those useful specials, what would you guys prefer?

Use Infinity Gauntlet to bring them back when a key special arises?

Or, use Image Inducer to redirect hits for as long as possible?

I prefer attack specials rather than defensive, and I like to keep the deck light, so I'm using no avoids at the moment but have these two artifacts at my disposal...

[gameplan.exe]

That's a tough call. On the one hand, the Image Inducer does help with the here and now. But, it's also not a OPD, so it only lasts a single battle. While putting the Infinity Gauntlet on some one who is a little tougher to kill (either your max-8, or some one for whom you would put in a few avoids, or some one with a good Inherent Ability so it will stay in play for you longer), this method might provide a better long-term result.

The other issue with the Image Inducer (along with being only 1 battle), is that you might burn through a bunch of cards and then still lose the character you were trying to protect, in the next battle anyway.

I'd say, between the two methods, the Infinity Gauntlet is better (for these purposes).

I've always considered the Image Inducer to be at its best use, re-directing attacks when you want a specific character attacked (maybe the other 2 FL have Teammate Avoids, or the character has a BS-coded Special in play, etc.), as opposed to when you simply don't want a different character attacked.

Know what I mean?

[metaphist]

Ah yes, I had overlooked the fact that Image Inducer was 1 battle only. That certainly makes the Inf. Gauntlet more attractive.

[gameplan.exe]

Yeah, I only recently realized it was a non-OPD. That, combined with the fact that you can't play it defensively, certainly takes it's usefulness down a few pegs.

[BigBadHarve]

Yeah, I only recently realized it was a non-OPD. That, combined with the fact that you can't play it defensively, certainly takes it's usefulness down a few pegs.

I used to feel the same about the inducer.... but it has given me the game on more occasions that I can count. In the very least it has saved my butt often.

The infinity Gauntlet isn't something I use much though.

A friend of mine uses the Cosmic Control rod in a deck with Bishop and The Dark Phoenix Saga. He keeps recycling the reshuffle event so that he doesn't get boned with the constant redrawing of 6 cards. His win ratio with that team isn't high, but he loves it when it works.

-BBH

[metaphist]

Yeah, I only recently realized it was a non-OPD. That, combined with the fact that you can't play it defensively, certainly takes it's usefulness down a few pegs.

I used to feel the same about the inducer.... but it has given me the game on more occasions that I can count. In the very least it has saved my butt often.

The infinity Gauntlet isn't something I use much though.

I'm leaning away from Gauntlet a bit after redesigning the deck it was in. I realized it was more of a crutch than a pivotal part of the deck anyway, though I do like the card and want to see if something neat can be done with it.

As for Inducer, do you typically throw more than one in there when you use it, BBH?

[metaphist]

Ok, just stumbled upon a killer app for Image Inducer possibly. Today I played The Hand's "Kirigi" (may continue to fight until end of battle if KO'd) with Image Inducer on him already. It never came to this, but I realized I could possibly Image Induce everything onto him even after his KO, since he remains in battle. I wondered if it would be legal - Is there a meta rule against a technically KO'd character still receiving attacks due to a special? I wouldn't think so, since remaining in battle implies attacking, which would imply other activities of being in play.

I always called Kirigi "zombie mode", and now that would fit more than ever :p

[bamf!]

You could do that as far as I am aware, but you will giving too much venture points to your opponent. However, given a specific situation you can use this trick to win by KO, assuming your opponent doesn't win by completing all his missions in that same battle.

[Onslaught]

A much more efficient way to do that would be to use Phoenix. It scales nicely too, as I've seen it used both as a moderate subtheme (just gravy on top of an otherwise "normal" deck) and as an entire archetype (include a ton of copies of Image Inducer for some sort of bet 7 strategy).

[metaphist]

I'll have to look into that, but I'm also thinking of a particular Onslaught special that might work with this....

[BigBadHarve]

I concur with Onslaught - Phoenix seems to have been built for this exact strategy.

Using Onslaught's Citadel as a site, you have two chances to wipe out the venture - Holocaust and Onslaught.

A best laid plans or Viking Pyre will enable you set up the hand to do it.

Let us know how testing goes! 

-BBH