Rex pays for his minor in chemistry through crime

Pay your student loans through burglary

Rex can generate massive amounts of resources via Dr. Milan Christopher and Burglary. He can then spend these massive amounts of resources on pumping stats using Higher Education and Hard Knocks. Laboratory Assistant helps maintain Higher Education.

"I've got a plan!" and Strange Solution after the first scenario makes Rex viable for heavy combat. Scavenging will allow Rex to gain Strange Solution back from the discard pile after exhausting its uses, and Hard Knocks will allow for further powering of the 6 base that Strange Solution gives, especially in higher difficulties. For low health enemies, a simple attack with the Fire Axe will do the trick, giving you another resource dump.

Caveat

This decklist doesn't really help fix Rex's low will at the start of the game. You'll be failing a large amount of the treachery cards, which isn't great, but it's unlikely you'll draw too many according to the statistics anyway. This is resolved once you get Higher Education after the first scenario. However, if you are worried about getting rekt in the first scenario, you can start the game with Arcane Studies instead of Hard Knocks, and then replace it Hard Knocks for 1XP after you get Higher Education.

Priority Cards

Hard mulligan for Fire Axe and Old Book of Lore.

Use Old Book of Lore to get Dr. Milan Christopher, Burglary, and Hyperawareness or Hard Knocks.

Replace Old Book of Lore with Magnifying Glass after.

XP purchases

• Higher Education permanent
• Strange Solution upgrade from Strange Solution
• Magnifying Glass upgrade from Magnifying Glass
• Bulletproof Vest replacing Hyperawareness
• Key of Ys replacing Emergency Cache
• Charisma permanent