Table of Contents
Warmest welcome from Metrix, Citizen. We’ve gathered here today to discuss everyone’s favourite Steamtek genius, Dash.
Within and below, we will be going over the mechanics, my first impressions, the deck list, how to play as/against it, some suggestions for upgrades, and other cards to consider for the Dash Armoury Deck.
So hand me that screwdriver and them pliers and let's get to tinkering! 🔧
product::flesh-and-blood-tcg-armory-deck-dash
Dash Mechanics
Boost
From the Comprehensive Rules, page 75:
8.3.9. Boost is an additional-cost play-static ability that means “As an additional cost to play this, you banish the top card of your deck. If you do, if it’s a Mechanologist card, this gets Go Again.”
8.3.9a. If a player pays the additional cost to play a card with Boost, the player is considered to have boosted, even if the banished card is not a Mechanologist card.
8.3.9b. A player cannot boost if they cannot pay the additional cost of banishing the top card of their deck.
Boost is an interesting mechanic. It’s very much a double-edged sword. Banishing cards shortens your deck and, in long drawn-out games, this is bad. But it can also give you an explosive turn, especially with [[Dash I/O]]’s abilities to look at the top card of the deck at any time, and once per turn, play Mechanologist Item cards from the top of the deck at instant speed.
Boost also allows you to get rid of cards you don’t need, so you can drop just the item you need, right when you need it. There are also cards that have bonus effects for having boosted or being boosted away, such as [[Sprocket Rocket]], [[Hyper Driver]], and [[T-Bone]].
Crank
From the Comprehensive Rules, page 78:
8.3.29. Crack is a static ability that means “As this enters the arena, you may remove a steam counter from it. If you do, gain an action point.”
8.3.29a. If a player removes a steam counter using crack, they are considered to have cranked, and the card is considered cracked.
Crank solves the issue that most, if not all, Item cards have in FaB: no Go Again! Trading Steam Counters for Action Points is almost always a great trade-off. Tactical Cracking (no fart jokes please) using Dash’s Hero ability is a key strategy to prolong your turns and pull off your big combos.
Initial Thoughts
I didn’t think much of the Mechanologist Heroes when I was first introduced to Flesh and Blood. As I explored the world of Rathe and played more of the characters, they quickly fell behind all others (except Guardians) on my list of Hero types I enjoy playing.
That said, I largely enjoyed playing with and against Dash when I was playtesting this deck. Out of the box, it’s a solid list, but I think it promises more than it delivers. To my eyes, the deck tries to do too many things at once. It does all of them reasonably well, but none of them quite well enough.
Personally, I think upgrades are required for this deck to be anything more than a casual option.
Deck List
Arena Cards
- [[Dash I/O]]
- [[Symbiosis Shot]]
- [[Heavy Industry Surveillance]] - Head
- [[Heavy Industry Power Plant]] - Chest
- [[Heavy Industry Ram Stop]] - Arms
- [[Heavy Industry Gear Shift]] - Legs
Pitch 1 (Red)
- [[Backup Protocol: RED]] x3
- [[Boom Grenade (Red)]] x3
- [[Convection Amplifier]] x1
- [[Data Link (Red)]] x3
- [[Dissolving Shield]] x3
- [[Dive Through Data]] x3
- [[Fast and Furious]] (Rainbow Foil) x1
- [[Fast and Furious]] x2
- [[Maximum Velocity]] x2
- [[Throttle]] x3
- [[Zero to Sixty (Red)]] x3
- [[Zipper Hit (Red)]] x3
Pitch 2 (Yellow)
- [[Boom Grenade (Yellow)]] x3
- [[Zero to Sixty (Yellow)]] x3
- [[Zipper Hit (Yellow)]] x3
Pitch 3 (Blue)
- [[Backup Protocol: BLU]] x3
- [[Cerebellum Processor]] (Rainbow Foil) x1
- [[Cerebellum Processor]] x2
- [[Data Link (Blue)]] x3
- [[Expedite (Blue)]] x3
- [[Steam Canister]] x3
- [[Zero to Sixty (Blue)]] x3
- [[Zipper Hit (Blue)]] x3
Playing As Dash
Never underestimate the power of being able to look at the top card of your deck. Check it constantly. Whenever you draw new cards—check. When you Boost away a card—check. Being able to play Item cards from the top of your draw pile is nuts; it’s basically your sixth playable card if you have something in your Arsenal.
Dropping an Item from the top of your draw pile at instant speed is a key way to prolong your combos and land the big hit. In this deck, that big hit is [[Maximum Velocity]]. You cannot play this card unless you’ve Boosted three times this turn. Succeed, and you can slap your opponent with a 10{p} hit! Then use [[Backup Protocol: RED]] and do it all again!
Remember that Dash’s ability can be used on your opponent’s turn—that’s essential. Playing a [[Dissolving Shield]] on a turn when they’re prodding you with several small attacks helps you keep not only life points, but also cards in hand. Likewise, plopping down a [[Cerebellum Processor]] on their turn gives you a 0-cost “draw a card” action on yours. Just make sure you stack an Item on top of your draw pile to cheat in and Crank for more action points—or you’ll have a really short turn.
The biggest downside to Dash is that Item cards have no defense value. If you draw a hand full of Items and your opponent combos off, you’re… well… a bit screwed!
Playing Against Dash
Facing Dash can be very frustrating. When her player draws the right cards, her combos can feel never-ending and hit really hard. The previously mentioned [[Maximum Velocity]] combo, for example, can swing for 20+ damage with the right setup.
To combat her effectively, you’ll want cards that banish from the draw pile or destroy Items in the arena. Cards like [[Art of Desire: Body]], [[Art of Desire: Soul]], [[Art of Desire: Mind]], and [[Leave No Witnesses]] help banish cards from your opponent’s deck or Arsenal. Meanwhile, cards like [[Smashing Good Time]] and, possibly my favourite named card to date, [[Argh... Smash!]], can remove those pesky Items she plays.
Beyond that, your best bet is to hit hard and hit often! If you can force Dash to block and deplete her hand, she’ll struggle to pull off those bigger combat chains. And if she’s ever left holding just Item cards, you can push through major damage.
Upgrades
IN: Maximum Velocity
fab::[[Maximum Velocity]]
[[Maximum Velocity]] is your big hitter, and adding another copy helps you set up big hitting turns more consistently.
Yes, it’s a little costly at 2{r}, but considering it slaps for 10{p}, that cost is easy to ignore. Its additional condition—needing to have boosted three times in a turn before playing it—is also quite achievable. There are plenty of cards in this deck that let you Boost into it.
OUT: Convection Amplifier
fab::[[Convection Amplifier]]
[[Convection Amplifier]] is cut because, while giving a few attacks Dominate can be good, it’s unlikely you’ll consistently have it in the arena when you need it. In the long run, it doesn’t provide enough value compared to the impact of an extra copy of [[Maximum Velocity]].
IN: Teklo Core
fab::[[Teklo Core]]
The [[Teklo Core]] is your enabler. When this is in the arena, at the beginning of your Action Phase, you can remove a Steam Counter and gain 2 resources.
These free resources let you play more cards before you have to pitch anything—possibly enabling a combo turn or giving you the extra push to close out a game.
OUT: Steam Canister (Blue)
fab::[[Steam Canister|Blue]]
[[Steam Canister (Blue)]] is cut because it’s simply too slow. Adding Steam Counters to items is good in theory, but you’re limited to only Items with Crank, and only once a turn—plus, you have to put the Canister on the bottom of your deck after use. It doesn’t keep up with the pace that [[Teklo Core]] enables.
IN: Spark of Genius
fab::[[Spark of Genius]]
[[Spark of Genius]] is your tool to dig out exactly the Item you need, when you need it. In MTG parlance, it’s basically a Tutor card. You search your deck for a card with X cost or less and put it into the arena.
The X cost is equal to the XX cost paid when you play it. The resources must be paid evenly, meaning both X’s must be the same. This makes it flexible and a powerful consistency engine.
OUT: Zipper Hit (Yellow)
fab::[[Zipper Hit|Yellow]]
[[Zipper Hit (Yellow)]] is out because, while it’s a solid card at 1 cost, with 5 STR, 3 DEF, and Boost, there are simply cheaper, more efficient options that do much the same job. Compared to the consistency that [[Spark of Genius]] offers, it just doesn’t make the cut.
IN: T-Bone (Red)
fab::[[T-Bone|Red]]
[[T-Bone (Red)]] is a powerful inclusion because, if you control a Boosted card, it forces your opponent to defend using their Equipment. This is brilliant, as many Heroes’ best combos rely on specific equipment pieces—removing one can be a huge setback.
On top of that, [[T-Bone (Red)]] has the Boost keyword itself, meaning it can actually fulfill its own ability trigger. That’s huge value.
OUT: Data Link (Blue)
fab::[[Data Link|Blue]]
[[Data Link (Blue)]] is cut because the only reasonable thing it offers is an Opt 1 on attack. Since Dash can already look at the top card of her deck at any time, this ability is redundant. The rest of the card is fairly generic and doesn’t contribute enough compared to the impact of [[T-Bone (Blue)]].
IN: T-Bone (Blue)
fab::[[T-Bone|Blue]]
[[T-Bone (Blue)]] earns its spot for the same reason as the red copy: it forces Equipment blocks and helps dismantle those pesky combo pieces many Heroes rely on. Even in blue, it provides both utility and disruption that fits Dash’s game plan perfectly.
OUT: Zero to Sixty (Blue)
fab::[[Zero to Sixty|Blue]]
[[Zero to Sixty (Blue)]] is cut because, while it’s comparable to [[Zipper Hit]], the blue version just isn’t impactful enough. At 0 cost it looks efficient, but with only 2{p} it doesn’t pressure opponents meaningfully. Compared to the disruptive value of [[T-Bone (Blue)]], it falls short.
IN: Bios Update (Red)
fab::[[Bios Update|Red]]
[[Bios Update (Red)]] is a pretty special buff Action card. It buffs your next Boosted attack by +3{p}. Even better, if you banish a Mechanologist Item with your next Boost, you can put that Item directly into the arena.
That’s a neatly packaged value engine that keeps the pressure on and advances your board at the same time.
OUT: Dive Through Data (Red)
fab::[[Dive Through Data|Red]]
[[Dive Through Data (Red)]] is cut because it’s just another redundant Opt card with a fairly generic stat block: 1{r}, 4{p} , and 3{d}. Its only saving grace is that it has Boost, but compared to the utility and value you get from [[Bios Update (Red)]], there’s no contest.
Other Cards to Consider
Pulsewave Harpoon (Red)
fab::[[Pulsewave Harpoon|Red]]
If Boosting is the aim of the game, then why not add a card that directly scales with the number of times you’ve boosted in a turn? [[Pulsewave Harpoon (Red)]] is exactly that card.
When you attack with it, your opponent must reveal X cards from hand, where X equals the number of times you’ve boosted this turn. You then choose one of those revealed cards with a defense value equal to or less than your boost count and add it to the Chain-Link as a defending card.
This is asset denial at its finest. Even if the attack gets blocked, you’ve stripped your opponent’s best card from their hand. That’s a win in itself.
Heist
fab::[[Heist]]
This beauty, on hit, lets you put a Banished Item with a 0{r} or 1{r} cost directly into the arena. Yes, it has to hit to trigger the effect, but if you can drop this mid-combo, your opponent will be far more worried about what cards you still have in hand or Arsenal than a previously banished Item.
Pulling out something like [[Teklo Core]] or [[Dissolving Shield]] from the banishment zone can either help you close out a game or give you the extra defense to survive another turn and push for the win.
Twin Drive
fab::[[Twin Drive]]
If Boosting is what you’re after, look no further than [[Twin Drive]]. At 2{r} cost, it’s fairly resource heavy, but with 5{p} and 3{d}, it’s already a decent card.
Oh—did I forget to mention you can Boost twice? Yes, twice!! Keep in mind that you can check the top card of your deck at any time, so you can look between the two triggers to decide if the next card is worth banishing.
It also builds your Boost count for other payoffs like [[Pulsewave Harpoon (Red)]] and [[Maximum Velocity]].
Teklo Pounder
fab::[[Teklo Pounder]]
[[Teklo Pounder]] lets you pay Steam Counters to give your Boosted attacks an extra +2{p}. At 2{r} cost it can feel a little clunky, but it definitely helps push through the attacks you really want to land—like the previously mentioned [[Heist]].
Sadly, it falls outside Dash’s hero ability limit, so there’s no playing it at instant speed during your opponent’s end step. You’ll need to “cold cast” it in advance of when you need it. But if you play it too early, you risk sacrificing it before it’s been of much help.
Final Thoughts
Normally, having science and machines in a fantasy setting would usually make me turn away, but after diving into the lore behind Dash and the city of Metrix, it just… fits. And honestly? I like this deck.
It’s a wild, jury-rigged, yet somehow thoughtful plan of a deck—which perfectly matches Dash’s character. She loves tinkering with things, and there’s plenty of opportunity to tinker with this list to make it more efficient and effective.
Straight out of the box, it’s casual enough to pop down at a game night and have a total blast with. Sure, it may take a few games to figure out the key strategy, but once you get it, it’s relatively easy to pull off. There’s heaps of potential for this deck to evolve into a whole new machine, depending on your playstyle. Add in some [[Hyper Driver]]s to generate free resources when you Boost, or swap in more Items to build a flexible “tool box” of options for any situation.
I really like how adaptive Dash’s playstyle can be. She always seems able to pull out just the Item she needs, right when she needs it—at least in my experience.
Thank you, you’ve been a wonderful audience. I’ve got to go now—I have a doctor to see about this arrow in my knee. Then an awkward conversation with my Jarl… 🏹
Looking to pick up an Armory Deck for Flesh and Blood TCG? Shop booster boxes, sealed cases and blitz decks right here at Gathering Games. ⚔️
