speed is dead?

by richard smoke

Alright everyone, Richard Smoke here with his first official strategy for any site. And this one is my almighty AOV World Title Winning Deck, promptly titled "Speed is Dead?" Alright, this deck uses the great SS for speed, 2E Jericho. Let's analyze the deck shall we?

$$$SUPERSTARS
1 Chris Jericho Second Edition
$$$LEADOFFPAGES
1 Snap Mare First Edition
1 Elbow to Back of the Head First Edition
1 Strike First Edition
1 Great Power No Way Out
1 Strength TLC
$$$PLAYBOOKPAGES
3 Thrust Kick First Edition
3 Thrust Uppercut No Way Out
1 Armbar Takedown First Edition
1 Belly-to-Belly Suplex Second Edition
1 Belly-to-Belly Suplex First Edition
1 Belly-to-Belly To Ringside No Way Out
3 Boring First Edition
2 Chop TLC
3 Chop First Edition
2 Clothesline First Edition
3 Clothesline Over The Ropes First Edition
1 Clothesline Over The Ropes Second Edition
3 Corner Barrage First Edition
2 Dodge First Edition
1 Double Leg Takedown TLC
2 Double Leg Takedown First Edition
2 Double Powerbomb First Edition
2 Duck First Edition
2 Elbow First Edition
2 Eye Rake First Edition
1 Flat of the Foot First Edition
1 Flat of the Foot TLC
4 Headlock First Edition
2 Heat TLC
5 Knee Lift First Edition
2 Lionsault Second Edition
1 Low Blow Mule Kick No Way Out
3 Mafia Kick First Edition
1 Mafia Kick Second Edition
2 Once Too Often First Edition
1 Once Too Often Second Edition
5 Power Slam First Edition
2 Punch First Edition
1 Round Kick First Edition
3 Round Kick TLC
3 Shoulder To Midsection No Way Out
3 Shove First Edition
2 Standing Switch First Edition
1 Strike TLC
1 Strike Second Edition
1 Technical First Edition
1 Technical Second Edition
3 Up and Over First Edition
3 Working Stiff First Edition
1 Working Stiff Second Edition

Alright there it is, now you may notice that this deck is extremely rogue. No Agility stuff (except Lionsault,) no IC theme (ala Breakdown,) but AE/LE. And this deck deals with one word: SPEED!

Once you have this deck built, you have to know how to use Jericho to your advantage, let's take a look at his SS special, shall we?

King of The World

Lose all of your attitude and choose a momentum from your playbook. That page is drawn. Use this ability twice per match.

Now, we won't want to lose attitude ever, so we should use his special when we have none. Here's how to start off with this deck:

1. If you start in control use Jericho's SS special and draw Tech. Play a momentum and snap mare. If you do not start in control, use his special to draw a tech and strike the first two turns and wait to get control.

2. After you hit a snap mare, play another momentum and play elbow to the back of the head. DO NOT USE JERICHO's SS SPECIAL HERE.

3. Once you hit that, play Great Power, and if neccessary, use Jericho's SS special for the final time and draw a strike.

Now, at this point, you should have all the momentum you need in your hand, and can speed the hell out of your opponent. With all of your momentum, you'll have at least 6 momentum at all times. At this point, you basically want to play whatever you draw. If there are some things that can be used as counters, and you feel your opponent will use that move type, definitely save it. Keep hitting moves, and try to get your opponent stunned through a Thrust Kick, powerslam, or Corner Barrage. At this point, nail them with a double powerbomb for an uncounterable twelve damage move! Without your opponent being able to get much momentum, they will easily perish to your moves. Once you get up to 12 or 13 momentum and have drawn a lionsault, focus on hitting a Thrust Kick or Powerslam. If you can do this, they will be stunned and vulnerable to your lionsault. Then you can wave goodbye as they lose and weep, cry, curse, etc.

Other Notes

This is a speed deck. Speed decks supposedly are "dead" due to TLC, but in realistic terms, they are not. No one is expecting them, and they can be deadly.
This is one deck that won't die against TME. Either way, they will use up counters and ultimately you will get the upper hand.
This deck is only good in named. Use it in unnamed and you probably will get burned like an ant under a magnifying glass.
Be sure you have no momentum when using Jericho's SS special.
If you draw a Working Stiff, you will breeze as steadily as you possibly can. Most of your moves will do high damage, and your opponent will suffer.
The reason the various momentums are different editions is because Jericho's SS special draws the one closest to the top if they are the same. This way, you may get a little more of a momentum boost. This is one of the few speed decks where drawing momentum=good.
This is a 98 page deck, usually increased to 100 for anti reasons. Why did I do this? Shouldn't speeds be small? I run into that pesky CtP way too much, this way it won't affect you. Even with the change, CtP will still be a problem with this deck, because if they have a chance at hitting three moves in a row it should work.
There is a lack of counters, that's why its speed.
Is this cheap? Its been called that, but I don't think so. Its not as the old Pac WS cheap decks. Those you could just light whatever comes up, this one is a bit different and did take much much tweaking to make.

Analysis of Tourney Matches

Right now, I'm going to analyze my two tourney matches I was in for the World Title. If you just wanted that deck help, then look for it above, if you would like to read this, it may help you out a bit.

1st. Richard Smoke's 2E Y2J vs. The Gamer's 2E Angle

I deck edited, and added in a few more Flat of the Foots, DDT's, etc. My anti guess was correct, in that this was a HD Angle. I started in control and hit my few moves to get my momentum up. I used the opener you see above, and started off by hitting some small moves, knee lifts, then mafia kicks, and ultimately attacking with chops and things. Gamer had some counters handy and got a few ducks and double leg takedowns to stop ym assault. He came back with a few HD moves of his own, and put Hebner in play. At the begining of the game I countered whatever I could to get control back. I got him down to Woozy, and put WS into play. He then took control and body dropped me to ringside where I countered a move and went back inside. I clotheslined him over the ropes, and he was definitely in deep SH, probably easily pinnable at this time. He came in and hit me with another move which I could not counter, he then used Hebner to take us to ringside. I then took control and began with some heavy offense, eye rakes, etc. He took control, but I was sure to OTO one his moves right before we went inside and I got the pin. I had about 50 HP left, which isn't very good. If I wouldn't have drawn the counters, I probably would have been dead.

MORAL OF MATCH:

Watch your counters. Even with this being a speed deck, in the current metagame you must hold your counters if you know their theme. Also, go for pins early. I probably could have done it, and you should have tons of momentum to be able to pin at any point, so if you have a lot and they are in low Woozy, pin! If they are in SH, pin! It can't hurt.

TITLE MATCH: Richard Smokes 2E Jericho vs. ICRWA's Brock

Read Michael's PBP. See what happened.

MORAL OF MATCH:

This is EXACTLY what you want to happen with this deck. ICRWA didn't deal any damage to me, and my draw was amazingly good to be able to keep the speed easily on. I thought it may be harder since Lesnar gets that free momentum, but it wasn't. Just keep chains going, even if they may give crowd supports. Try to watch if Borings could be in play.

In Conclsuion, if you have any questions, feel free to IM or E-mail me at JBond20001@aol.com , or see me on WA!

-Richard Smoke