Winifred Habbamock - I Dream of Wini

Overview
Trying for a fairly simple Winifred deck that can start dealing with problems and helping out fairly quickly. It is a little event heavy to help put events onto the Crystallizer of Dreams to use to feed additional cards into her skill tests.

This deck is a work in progress but the plan is to work to leverage Crystallizer of Dreams and how it feeds into Wini's ability. The focus will be primarily on dealing with monsters both using evasion with some damage thrown in to take them out.

I'm playing this deck initially through Forgotten Age as a duo with Ursula Downs. This deck and entry will evolve heavily during it and hopefully at some point I'll be confident in it enough to remove this text.

Notes: An option I am testing out now is replacing one of the Crystallizer of Dreams with Backpack. If you don't do this ignore the Backpack upgrade below.

Upgrades
Setting everything up:

• Charon's Obol (2) - Lots of XP options, this deck is hungry. And if you're going to be playing risky with Wini... why not put it all on the line?
• Pickpocketing x2 (4) - Card/resource generation, this deck does have a focus on evasion after all.
• Versatile (2) - This deck could use more cards with how quickly it would go through them, would use to add more events. For the 0xp card of another suit I'm leaning toward Track Shoes to give added mobility, +1 , and an easy skill check to overcome. I also don't feel bad about only having one in the deck and it will help me keep up with Ursula when needed. Still working on it but cards I would add: 2x Sneak Attack and 2x Liquid Courage. Getting Versatile has an added bonus of reducing our horror from deck cycling.
• Backpack (2) - Serves three purposes, to get out important items, to keep your hand clear for events/skills, and to pull the calls out of your normal card draw. It makes having just 1 of a lot of the assets tolerable.
• Liquid Courage x2 (2) - To deal with horror. Cheap and hopefully a random card lost would be worth the extra horror heal so Wini's low doesn't hurt much (and can potentially help). Also deals with horror from deck cycling.
• Relic Hunter + Lucky Cigarette Case (6) - To improve card draw from over succeeding at skill tests. Also adds some weakness avoidance with all the card draw. Might only need/want one of the cases in the deck though to conserve xp. Replace one of the Mauser C96 with Lucky Cigarette Case.
• Chicago Typewriter (4) - Gun upgrade, being able to hit the 3 damage mark regularly. Once this is done it might be time to replace the Lockpicks with Pilfer/Pilfer depending on availability of XP due to it taking both hands.
• Chuck Fergus (5) - With his focus on events getting them cheaper and fast to then put on Crystallizer. Will be working with Backstab, Cheap Shot, Slip Away, Pilfer, and Sneak Attack. So you should be able to use him most every turn for a 'free action' and change. Add to that his resource cost is half Leo De Luca's.
• Double, Double (8) - To maximize what we get out of events before they go on the Crystallizer.

Other Excellent Options:

• Backstab / Cheap Shot / Slip Away / Pilfer (2-3 each) - As long as they stick on Crystallizer between their use and the 'end of your turn'. Would give you a 'must use' skill to use if you meet the threshold. Pilfer would replace Lockpicks
• Ace in the Hole (6) - If we get enough XP... more actions are great and with how often this deck should cycle... but would be more useful if it had a skill icon or if you could Double, Double it. Not sure it is worth the xp unless you some to spare. 0 cost for 3 actions is nice...
• Charisma w/ Leo De Luca or Cat Burglar (4-5) - For those seeking more companionship! Another action or emergency disengage and 1! XP will vary depending if you only want 1 of the ally in the deck to keep it streamlined or 2 to get them out faster.

If horror is still a huge issue after Liquid Courage:

• Moment of Respite x2 (6) - Horror heal and can be put on crystallizer for tests.
• Cheat Death x2 (10) - Great with the Charon's Obol but super pricey.

SLOTS
Start:

• Hands: Mauser C96 & Lockpicks
• Accessory: Crystallizer of Dreams
• Ally: Leo De Luca

Early Game (10xp):

• Hands: Mauser C96 & Lockpicks
• Accessory: Crystallizer of Dreams
• Ally: Leo De Luca
• Footwear: Track Shoes

Mid Game (25xp):

• Hands: Chicago Typewriter
• Accessories: Crystallizer of Dreams & Lucky Cigarette Case
• Ally: Chuck Fergus
• Footwear: Track Shoes

Late Game (33+xp):

• Hands: Chicago Typewriter
• Accessories: Crystallizer of Dreams & Lucky Cigarette Case
• Ally: Chuck Fergus
• Footwear: Track Shoes
• Arcane: Double, Double

CHALLENGES
Dealing with damage/horror is a worry for this deck. Wini is pretty stout but without any healing abilities and the low mind her only intitial defense is "You Handle this One!". You get a good amount of help from Liquid Courage and it's upgrade Liquid Courage. And if you really are still hurting from horror you can consider Moment of Respite and/or Cheat Death.

I'll have to play it a bit to work out the kinks, Leo De Luca seems a bit expensive for this deck at the start. Any thoughts on what might be a better starter ally?

Trimmed a lot of the assets to be fewer, especially later in the deck's life due to the potential draw and how quickly (hopefully) we'll go through the deck. Lonewolf is a good pick to replace with something else, especially once you've upgraded to Pickpocketing.