Rogue

Listen carefully, Rogue. We win by controlling the villain phase. You will defend three or more times each round, take no damage as often as possible, and convert every attack into punishment and momentum. Do exactly this.

MULLIGAN — WHAT YOU HUNT FIRST 1) CORE ENGINE (DRAW & PUNISH)

• Unflappable — draw after a no-damage defense.
• Flow Like Water — ping when you play a Defense event.
• Electrostatic Armor — ping after you defend.
• Excelsior — after you defend, spend ⚡ to deal 2.

2) STAT FLOOR (MAKE “NO DAMAGE” REAL)

• Defensive Conditioning — +HP and +1 DEF.
• Armored Vest — +1 DEF.

3) ECONOMY (DEFEND ALL NIGHT)

• Nerves of Steel — pays for Defense events.
• Defensive Energy — when spent on a Defense event, draw 1.

4) EARLY COVER

• Desperate Defense — +2 DEF for the attack; if you take no damage, ready.
• “I Can Do This All Day” — declare as defender without exhausting.
• Jocasta — bank a Defense event from discard for later.

Keep at least: one engine piece + one stat piece + one economy/Defense card. Pitch early damage unless your engine is already in hand.

VILLAIN PHASE — HOW YOU TAKE THREE HITS AND STAY STANDING Attack #1 (usually on you)

• If the numbers favor zero damage: play Desperate Defense. You take 0, draw with Unflappable, and ready from DD.
• If boosts look spiky or you must remain upright: play “I Can Do This All Day.” You defend without exhausting.

Attack #2

• You are ready (from DD) or never exhausted (from ICDDAD). Defend again.
• If you did exhaust somewhere, trigger Indomitable after the defense to stand up.

Attack #3 (and beyond)

• Jocasta should already be holding a Defense event. Use it now.
• If Touched is on Magneto and Bulletproof Belle is in hand, blank the hit: prevent all damage and gain Tough. Your punish pieces still trigger.

PUNISH STACK — TURN EVERY SWING INTO DAMAGE

• Flow Like Water: +1 when you play the Defense card.
• Electrostatic Armor: +1 after you defend.
• Excelsior: +2 after you defend, if you pay ⚡.
• Cuts Both Ways: Retaliate 1 for the entire phase. Play it before the attacks start. Aim for 3–4+ damage on every enemy attack before counting Retaliate, multiplied across multiple defenses.

PLACEMENT OF “TOUCHED”

• Default to Magneto when you can follow with Bulletproof Belle. Deny the spike, gain Tough, stay ready for the next defense.
• Reposition as needed, then reset to Magneto for the next big window.

HERO PHASE — WIN VILLAIN PHASES FIRST

• Superpower Adaptation: fetch exactly what the board demands (Belle, Energy Transfer, Goin’ Rogue, Southern Cross).
• Energy Transfer: stabilize and/or ready so the next villain phase stays locked down.
• Spend actions on damage only after Unflappable and at least one punish piece are down.

ALLIES — TOOLS, NOT TROPHIES

• Jocasta: highest priority. Attach Desperate Defense or ICDDAD immediately; that stored event guarantees your third block.
• Iceman: slows minions on entry; buys time when the board clutters.
• Armor: arrives with Tough; script a safe soak when you need to hold cards.
• Gambit (ally): deploy for precise thwart or a clutch ping; cycle him when the job is done.

SYMBIOTE SUIT — TIMING

• Play it after Unflappable plus at least two punish pieces are established (Flow, Electrostatic, Excelsior) and ideally Nerves of Steel. The extra encounter is leverage only when your engine is live.

READING BOOSTS — PREEMPTIVE STRIKE DISCIPLINE

• Float 1–2 resources when you suspect high boost icons. Canceling them keeps the no-damage check intact (draw, ready, punish) and throws damage back. Prioritize Magneto’s attack unless the table calls you elsewhere.

COMMON MISTAKES — DO NOT REPEAT THEM

• Suit too early. A hazard without an engine is a liability.
• Spending Defensive Energy on anything but a Defense event. You’re giving up a draw.
• Leaving Jocasta empty. Her value is the banked Defense event—attach on entry.
• Playing Cuts Both Ways mid-phase. It lasts for the phase; turn it on before the first swing.

THREE-PLAYER TABLE TALK — STAY A STEP AHEAD

• Let Justice focus side schemes. Your “threat control” is denying damage and keeping everyone upright.
• Call your blocks before boost flips so teammates don’t burn cancels you don’t need.
• If the team provides global draw, mulligan greedier for Vest/Conditioning and Flow/Electrostatic.

Execute with precision. No wasted motions. Make Magneto’s turn advance your plan, not his.