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Strategy Articles
Beginner Deck: DS9
by Lucas Thompson, Ambassador
21st February 2020
"Welcome to Deep Space Nine." Stationed at the mouth of the wormhole, this Bajoran and Federation facility is busting with all sorts of activity. While most Star Trek decks may focus on just one affiliation, Deep Space Nine decks celebrate diversity. Some decks focus on different species, but this deck is centered around personnel of different affiliations.
Three key cards emphasize this commitment to affiliation diversity. Common Cause and Common Purpose are both used give you more resources (either card draws or counters to spend on cards) based on the number of different affiliations on your personnel in play. Similarly, Common Enemy is used during mission attempts to enhance your personnel, drawing from the varied experiences of their comrades. Both Sisko and Kira provide an advantage to other personnel present when they are supported by their allied affiliations.
The dilemma pile, while largely identical to other beginner dilemma piles, contains one dilemma that is specific to this deck. Abrasive Allies can be used to stop key personnel in your opponent's mission attempts, if they aren't as committed to diversity as you are (which is unlikely except against Terok Nor decks). Try using it before a dilemma like Rogue Borg Ambush in order to stop a personnel who has Intelligence (a rare skill) or even just to stop personnel who are required to complete the mission.
Once you're comfortable with this deck, you might want to personalize it. It is based on the deck that Michael Van Breemen used to win the World Championships in 2016. You may take inspiration from that deck list, or consider these cards.
Diversity Promotion
- Like Michael's deck, you may wish to simply add copies of Common Cause and Common Purpose until you reach the three copy limit. You'll increase the likelihood of drawing those cards early in the game, and will likely make the deck play even faster. Additional copies of T'Rul, Elim Garak, or Martok can increase the likelihood of having a large number of different affiliations out early.
Back to School
- Promenade School gives you a bonus for using Federation personnel of different species - 5 points per shot. You can spend those points on cards like At What Cost? to increase your resource advantage even further. Also, personnel like Enrique Muniz will give you extra draws each time you play a Deep Space Nine personnel whose species you don't have in play - it might be time to add personnel like Melora Pazlar to increase your species diversity and earn those extra points.
Take Control
- Deep Space Nine decks have access to some of the best cards for controlling the state of the game. Holding Cell in particular shuts down strategies that rely on interrupts or specific personnel. It can be supplemented by Medical Teams and the U.S.S. Sao Paolo (which mitigate killing strategies) or the U.S.S. Defiant, Patrolling Warship (which can protect you from a battling opponent).
General Use Cards
- Some cards can just go in any deck - and often do because they're so useful. You have plenty of ways to get extra resources in your deck, but an extra counter per turn from Surprise Party wouldn't go amiss. And once you've played a few games, you'll see how the reboot from Unexpected Difficulties can be game-changing. Alvera Tree Ritual is subtler - you basically play it for free, and not only does it protect you from any dilemma pile manipulation, but it can also be used offensively. If you keep track of which dilemmas you don't use, you can proactively use the Ritual to shuffle your dilemma pile at opportune times.
Discuss this article in this thread.
This deck is currently eligible for the following family or families of achievements:
- Deep Space Nine Player
- Unbroken I
- No Crutches I
- How About a New Mission, Admiral? I
- No Crutches II
- Strange Bedfellows Release
- Common Cause
- Good Casting: Hertzler (Martok)
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