The Monk and the Scorpion

Once in a monastery two monks walked about doing their morning duties. As they passed a small bowl, filled with rain, they saw a scorpion was drowning in the water. One monk reached in to save the creature. As soon as his fingers touched the panicking Scorpion, it stung him and the monk dropped the Scorpion back into the water. The monk sighed, and reached back in. This time he got his grip a little firmer, but still dropped the Scorpion when he was stung. He kept reaching in, as his friend looked on in confusion. After dozens of attempts, the other monk spoke up saying “Brother, why do you keep trying to save that scorpion? It stings you every time you come near it” the monk paused before reaching in again. As another sting bit into his hand, he smiled “Because it is his nature to sting, and my nature to save. Don’t forget brother, soon either I’ll stop feeling the pain of the sting and he will be saved, or he will stop being afraid and be saved.’ Compassion cannot be stopped so easily.’

A retelling of an old story from the L5R world. Translated into Vs, though, we find ourselves in a strange place. The infinates/breeding pens+Stark Armory is a given. I’ve been at work for a while, so forgive me if this has been brought up, but by teaming up SHIELD and Horsemen, we have Nick Fury dropping an infinates for free, which get pumped up and then blown up to make Iron man leap past curve considerations. Between Stark Armory and the Infinates/Breeding Pens you have Iron Man jumping by AT LEAST +3/+3 a turn. That means that he’ll come in at 10/10 on 4, go 13/13, 16/16, etc. etc.

It’s a simple engine, but effective. To add to the pain, you have Finishing Move, as performed by whatever backup support guy you have behind Tony, and you have Abyss to clear out the guys you can’t handle by yourself. A few Heroic Efforts and you have a deck with a turn 6 kill goal.

Nick Fury raises an army because that’s his nature. The Infinates are sacrificed because it’s their nature. Compassion still wins, as the deck should end your opponent’s suffering in short time.