_{(Metal Gear Solid 3, 2004)}

Leo "The End" Anderson: Grandpa Sniper

Do you want a Leo Anderson deck that doesn't really take advantage of his special ability, doesn't use the objectively best weapon for him, makes you jump through hoops to do your job, and doesn't help with clues at all? Well boy, do I have the deck for you!

Overview

The cornerstone of this deck is of course the Springfield M1903. Since it's buff on the taboo list it has become a lot more viable, but still suffers from the same problem of not being able to attack enemies engaged with you. Although Leo won't ever be evading with his god-awful 1 , it turns out that his access to the rogue cardpool gives him all the tools he needs to mitigate that!

This is a standalone-ready 19xp deck that is good to go. You should of course make adjustments as you see fit - however the 0xp version of such a deck will look wildly different. I tested this deck two-handed in Guardians of the Abyss and it performed surprisingly well!

Strengths & Weaknesses

This deck is best used in campaigns and scenarios where there are a lot of high-priority enemies spawning at other locations that you'll need to hunt down, particularly if those enemies are aloof. Moving and engaging wastes valuable fighting time! Spend those saved actions admiring your ammunition instead.

However it has zero clue-getting potential, so your team requires a dedicated cluever to offset this. You'll also need some very forgiving friends, because remember you won't be able to take enemies off your teammate's hands - you will inevitably draw the and hit them for 3 damage. (Spoiler: we have a solution for this...)

Assets

• Springfield M1903
  The stats on this thing are great - you'll actually be fighting very reliably, and as such there is very little need to boost your any higher.

• Brand of Cthugha
  This is a game-changer for 2-handed weapon decks. In a relatively uncontested slot for , it removes the dependency on Bandolier. It also allows you to target 1 or 2 health enemies without wasting ammunition.

• Lucky Cigarette Case
  Not a crucial by any means, but it's nice to have the extra card draw.

• Backpack
  Now we're getting the payoff for using the flaming magic sword! Your body slot can now be used to find some very juicy cards.

• Cat Burglar
  With all the other engagement-mitigation tools in this deck, you may not need this chap too much. But an ally in a Leo deck is rarely wasted, and his can be crucial.

• Venturer
  In a 0xp deck it's hard to get enough value from him - but in a big gun Leo deck he is worth every penny! Keep your rifle stocked and healthy.

• Lone Wolf
  Classic rogue economy. It fits this deck perfectly, both mechanically and thematically. You don't want to be at the same location as your teammates.

Events

• "You handle this one!"
  Dual-purpose. You can either use this to avoid treacheries, or you can use it to give an enemy to a teammate to avoid becoming engaged.

• Black Market
  This card is juicy! Pay 1 resource to temporarily but actionlessly draw 5 cards. Helps you tutor for your important cards.

• Easy Mark
  Excellent synergy with Black Market - allowing you a greater opportunity to play multiple copies at once.

• Elusive
  Wonderful get-out-of-jail-free card in this deck. If you find yourself engaged and unable to fight, slam this card down!

• Emergency Cache
  Can be tutored with Backpack, and easily played during your off-turns when you don't have anything else to do.

• Extra Ammunition
  Likewise this can be tutored with Backpack and keeps your rifle stocked up with ammo.

• Prepared for the Worst
  A failsafe for having no weapons in your hand.

• Snipe
  Here we go - the hidden gem here! At the surface level, snipe looks very underwhelming. It isn't fast, so it's not very action-efficient - but remember you're saving actions by not chasing/engaging the enemy! It cancels the - absolutely critical when you are fighting an enemy engaged with a teammate (which you will be doing very frequently in this deck). Most importantly, it's thematic as hell.

• Think on Your Feet
  Another excellent engagement-mitigation card.

Skills

• Daring
  Who cares about the retaliate downside, when your gun ignores retaliate? +3 for the harder fight tests, and draws a card regardless of outcome. Great card.
• Vicious Blow
  This is in the deck because sometimes you'll need to kill a 4-health enemy, and you don't really want to waste an extra bullet on them.

Campaign Starter

This deck will be bland and sub-par at 0xp, until you get your juicy Springfield M1903. Remember you can always take Adaptable, so there is no need to start with all the combo pieces in your deck. Here are some substitutes for the xp cards:

• 2x .45 Automatic
• 2x Enchanted Blade
• 1x Lucky Cigarette Case
• 2x Beat Cop
• 2x Faustian Bargain
• 2x Overpower
• 2x Perception

Overall, it's a great deck for people who want to play fighters but want something a little more interesting than hurr durr bonk bonk. Thanks for reading! I hope you have as much fun playing this deck as I had.