All factions
Monster Smash
MAD SCIENTISTS
Low-Medium
Generate a lot of +1 power counters, especially when one of your minions is destroyed, and remove them to gain benefits.
Description
The Mad Scientists are one of the 4 factions from the Monster Smash set.
The Mad Scientists focus on getting a great deal of +1 power counters, sometimes by getting rid of your own cards, and then spending the counters to trigger some abilities.
Their complexity rating is: Low-Medium.
Other factions from the same set: Giant Ants, Vampires, Werewolves.
Cards Overview
The Mad Scientists have the usual 10 minions and 10 actions. The total minion base power (not counting any abilities) is the usual 30 or an average of 3 per minion. Additionally, the Mad Scientists have numerous abilities that boost the power of minions beyond its base value.
Among their actions, there are:
* 2 play-on-minion actions: Überserum (2x),
* 2 play-on-base actions: German Engineering, Grave Situation,
* 6 standard actions (all of them affect one or more minions): Angry Mob, Blitzed, Body Shop, IT’S ALIVE! (2x), Jolt,
* 5 actions that directly increase a minion's power: Angry Mob, Body Shop, IT’S ALIVE! (2x), Jolt.
1x Angry Mob - Choose one of your minions. Place any number of cards from your hand on the bottom of your deck. For each card you placed there, place a +1 power counter on that minion.
1x Blitzed - Remove any number of +1 power counters from your minions. Destroy a minion with power less than or equal to the number of counters you removed.
1x Body Shop - Destroy one of your minions. Place a number of +1 power counters equal to that minion’s power, split any way you choose, on your minions.
1x German Engineering - Play on a base. Ongoing: After you play a minion here, place a +1 power counter on it.
1x Grave Situation - Play on a base. Ongoing: If your minions here would be destroyed, return them to your hand instead.
2x IT’S ALIVE! - Play an extra minion. Place a +1 power counter on it.
1x Jolt - Place a +1 power counter on each of your minions.
2x Überserum - Play on a minion. Ongoing: At the start of your turn, place a +1 power counter on this minion. This minion cannot be destroyed.
Actions
1x Angry Mob - Choose one of your minions. Place any number of cards from your hand on the bottom of your deck. For each card you placed there, place a +1 power counter on that minion.
1x Blitzed - Remove any number of +1 power counters from your minions. Destroy a minion with power less than or equal to the number of counters you removed.
1x Body Shop - Destroy one of your minions. Place a number of +1 power counters equal to that minion’s power, split any way you choose, on your minions.
1x German Engineering - Play on a base. Ongoing: After you play a minion here, place a +1 power counter on it.
1x Grave Situation - Play on a base. Ongoing: If your minions here would be destroyed, return them to your hand instead.
2x IT’S ALIVE! - Play an extra minion. Place a +1 power counter on it.
1x Jolt - Place a +1 power counter on each of your minions.
2x Überserum - Play on a minion. Ongoing: At the start of your turn, place a +1 power counter on this minion. This minion cannot be destroyed.
Characters
1x Herr Doktor - power 5 - Talent: Place a +1 power counter on another one of your minions.
2x The Monster - power 4 - Talent: Remove a +1 power counter from this minion to play an extra minion.
3x Lab Assistant - power 3 - Place a +1 power counter on another one of your minions.
4x Igor - power 2 - Ongoing: After this minion is destroyed or discarded, place a +1 power counter on one of your minions.
Strategy
Synergies
* Giant Ants: The most obvious partner for Mad Scientists from Monster Smash. Giant Ants can produce +1 power counters with Gimme the Prize and Headlong, and transfer +1 power counters using A Kind of Magic, Under Pressure and We Are the Champions. Soldiers are handy for their ability to transfer +1 power counters to, say, The Monster who in turn can spend the counter to play an extra minion.
* Vampires: Igor is excellent fodder for Heavy Drinker and Nightstalker. Grave Situation ensures he comes back again and again to feed your vampires.
* Kung Fu Fighters: Kung Fu Fighters love to transfer +1 power counters to reload their talents, which suits Mad Scientists just fine. Destroy a minion with Lady Whirlwind, transfer the counter to The Monster with Dragon Warrior or Ancient Chinese Art, spend the counter to play an extra minion. Uberserum can ensure your choice minions survive Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting.
* Polynesian Voyagers: Shark Tattoos produce additional +1 power counters if you have no other minions on the same base as the minion you played them on, and the Ocean Tattoo lets you move the minion to place a +1 power counter on it. A Monster with either of those Tattoos quickly becomes an engine for playing extra minions on other bases. Of course, you also have Uberserums to provide counters in a similar capacity.
* Big Hero 6: Big Hero 6's characters all become better when they have +1 power counters on them.
* Mulan: Mulan, Chien Po, Ling, and Yao all like +1 power counters being placed on them. Herr Doktor and Uberserum can place +1 power counters on them turn after turn. Be a Man can place a +1 power counter on up to two minions at once, allowing you to keep both Monsters fueled with +1 power counters.
* Skeletons: Lord of Bones, Gravestones, and Graveyard all produce +1 power counters when you uncover minions, and uncovered minions trigger German Engineering.
Mechanics
Generate a lot of +1 power counters, especially when one of your minions is destroyed, and remove them to gain benefits.