Sabu
by Franco McGreechin
Revolution Format

BACKLASH (12)

Pre-match (6)

A New Plan x2
ECW Originals
Hardcore Hell x2
Suicidal-Homicidal-Genocidal

Strategy Notes: ECW Originals is useful for Sabu as it gives him the ability to start the match which is good because if you play an F:0 core and it is in, you'll have enough fortitude for your non-F:0 cores and you can keep hitting your opponent with move after move, but if it is reversed you can just put on top of your arsenal on your turn and draw then play it again through Suicidal-Homicidal-Genocidal. When you do get enough fortitude for most of your non-F:0 cores Suicidal-Homicidal-Genocidal combined with Hardcore Hell is very effective, moves like Spinning Heel Kick and Running Lariat which do 5 and 6 damage can wear down your opponent and combined with Sabu's ability, every time you play an assault your opponents hand can be shrinking. ECW Originals also gives you the best reversal in the game, Death Defying Maniac. The second Hardcore Hell and the two of A New Plans are backup cards in case your opponent plays Judgement Day or you get an extremely bad hand, but usually that won't be necessary because if you get aggressed then you can pick up the assaults (if any) turned over to your ringside.

Mid-match (6)

Before This Gets Out Of Hand x2
I Can Do Anything I Want
It's All Led To This
Keep Your Eyes Open Or It's Game Over
Talk Is Cheap

Strategy Notes: Before This Gets Out Of Hand is standard for any Mid-Match, I Can Do Anything I Want is great for Sabu as any assaults removed can be picked up again. A lot of Sabu's assaults are target head; European Uppercut, Windmill Punch, Haymaker and Slap The Taste Out of your Mouth, so getting the targets shouldn't be too hard and it's good for killing off your opponent as Sabu doesn't have a Trademark:Colossal to hit them with. Keep Your Eyes Open Or It's Game Over is another card that you see regularly in any Mid-Match but with Sabu, you're relying on your hand being packed with assaults so the two cards discarded can be retrieved. With Talk Is Cheap there is no downside to this deck as the only antic is Enter The Sandman.

ARSENAL (60)

Antics (1)

Enter The Sandman

Strategy Notes: Enter The Sandman is another card for Sabu that can be treated in the same way as It's All Led To This, it's a great way for Sabu to get lots of damage done, even though he doesn't have a Trademark:Colossal, and the card played is really hard to reverse as it has momentum.

Antic-Reversal Hybrids (6)

Centered Defense x2
Head-to-Toe Defense x2
Lateral Flank Defense x2

Strategy Notes: These are great reversals as they can reverse any manuever and they are only F:7. They are also a good way of stopping a really powerful Colossal that could finish you off.

Maneuvers (29)

Bulldog Lariat x2
European Uppercut x2
Haymaker x2
Leg Sweep x3
Rapid Fire Punches x2
Roundhouse Punch x2
Running ClothesLine x2
Running Lariat x3
Slap The Taste Out Of Your Mouth x3
Spear x2
Spinning Heel Kick x3
Windmill Punch x3

Strategy Notes: You'll notice that there is only nine F:0 assaults in this list of manuevers. This is because this Sabu deck doesn't bother if it overturns cards as he can pick up the assaults turned over so you don't need to get any F:0 assaults in your opening hand. Bulldog Lariat: Not to effective in damage but is cheap in fortitude and combined with Sabu's ability and the fact that you can pick any assault:cores that you drop any way makes the card efffect extremely useful. European Uppercut: All round great card, it's an assault, so you always have the option of putting one card on the bottom of your arsenal and make your opponent discard one random card, it does eleven damage and drawing cards just means hitting your opponent with more assaults. Haymaker: A very useful asssault for Sabu, as when you get just one fortitude you can hit your opponent with this and should be played under Hardcore Hell. You also get the your opponent cannot play reversals bonus. Leg Sweep: F:0 D:5. Does quite a bit of damage and it's reversed pick it back up again you will eventually manage to get it played without getting reversed and it's F:0 so you can start playing it right away. The overturn part of the effect is no problem for Sabu and gets your opponent to lose a card from their hand. Rapid Fire Punches: A good colossal and it's effect can be used well as most of the assaults are target head or neck. Roundhouse Punch: Another really useful low fortitude assault when used under Hardcore Hell and a useful effect as you can return cards on top of your arsenal that you can't with Suicidal-Homicidal-Genocidal. Running Clothesline: In addition to Rapid Fire Punches this is the only Colossal card I wanted to include in this deck as it does the most damage in the deck and as I mentioned earlier the only targets with more than one assault are "neck" and "head" so its effect is very useful. Running Lariat: This is a great manuever as this Sabu deck is all about the fact that you can get back assaults so cards like this and Roundhouse Punch let you get back overturned reversals. Slap The Taste Out Of Your Mouth: Good again for the cards you can't get back with Suicidal-Homicidal-Genocidal. Spear: Great assault as Sabu will be using most of the cards in his hand in the first few turns so the fact that Spear lets you play it for -11F if you have five less cards in your hand is great for this deck. Spinning Heel Kick: This is one of the most effective assaults in this deck as again you can pick up cards you cannot obtain with Suicidal-Homicidal-Genocidal, only with this you put it straight into your hand and available to put it on the bottom of your arsenal so your opponent discards a card. Windmill Punch: This card is in the deck just because it's F:0 and can be hard for your opponent to reverse on their first turn if there deck is packing hybrids.

Maneuver-Reversal Hybrids (3)

Only One Solution:Revolution x3

Strategy Notes: This is just great reversal and it is essential in any deck that uses The Second Solution.

Reversals (21)

Death Defying Maniac
I Won't Be Beat Tonight x2
Masochist At Heart x2
Not What We Came To See x3
Outmaneuver x2
Overexposure x2
The Second Solution x3
Try To Get Away x2
Why Don't You Kiss My A%$ x2
You Telegraphed It x2

Strategy Notes: Death Defying Maniac: As mentioned before this is a great reversal and in my opinion the best reversal in the game, the fact that it's F:0 makes it so good. The main thing is with Sabu, if it's overturned he can usually get it back using one of his assaults. I Won't Be Beat Tonight: The same thing with I Can Do Anything I Want the assaults removed can be returned to Sabu's Hand. Masochist At Heart: Inferior to I Won't Be Beat Tonight but is still a standard card in any deck and with Sabu, it's one of his cards that can be used to make his opponent discard a card as you can only use it on the overturn. Not What We Came To See: Reverses a non-Unique Extreme Core, Good. F:0,Good, D:3,Good and it lets you draw two cards, excellent. Outmaneuver: Another good cheap reversal to a certain type of extreme although the added efffect doesn't help this Sabu deck. Overexposure: A great card depending on the fortitude you have, and another essential reversal in a deck using The Second Solution. The Second Solution: This is the main card that helps this Sabu deck. Before Sabu had to use throws and hold hybrids but now he can get rid of those and base his deck around assaults. Like Not What We Came To See, it lets you draw two cards and it's only F:0. Try To Get Away: Another card that has no disadvantage to Sabu, the cards can be picked up again because Sabu's hand should really consist of mostly assaults. Why Don't You Kiss My A%$: Apart from the Mid-Match this is the only antic reversal in this plus it's relatively cheap next to other antic reversals like Welcome To My World. You Telegraphed: Another reversal similar to Masochist At Heart, it's good for Sabu's ability and it's always good to have a momentum reversal in any deck.

Final Strategy / Other Notes: This deck makes Sabu hard to kill as he won't run out of cards in his arsenal as most turns he won't draw a card from his arsenal as he will be picking up assaults. Sabu can basically get through any number of turns just using the cards in his hand and ringside. This deck makes him truly the Suicidal-Homicidal-Genocidal, Sabu!