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[Hogtrail]

Superstar Strategy Session: Macho Man Randy Savage

My goal is to spotlight and break down a different superstar every week by going in depth on their cards, referenced cards, and different types of builds for them.

I posted a poll on the TCO discord channel and this week's session is dedicated to the Cream of the crop, Macho Man Randy Savage!

PART ONE
Let's take a look at his specifics:

"Macho Man" Randy Savage
Starting Hand Size: 5     Superstar Value: 5
Legend Superstar Ability:  Your cards with "elbow" in the title are +4D.
When the first card you play on your turn is From the Top Rope, it cannot be reversed.
V1

There isn't really much about his superstar card that jumps out at me. His hand size and ability are nothing to rave about, however, he is a Legend so he has access to a bunch of legend specific cards we can cover in Part 2. Moving on.

The Macho Cowboy Hat
Backstage Card
Your Starting Hand Size is +3.
During your turn, you may hide this card and then put 1 card from your Ringside into your hand.
Unique
V1

This certainly helps build his hand size up. And it's a free way to get a card from your ringside into your hand. I wish his Starting Hand Size was just an 8 so he wouldn't get hit as hard by Armageddon is Upon Us, but that's a minor complaint.

Madness Lives Forever
Backstage Card
Cannot be packed when packing Corners.
Replace 'from your hand' with 'from your hand or Ringside' on your Superstar-specific actions.
During your turn, you can play your Superstar-specific cards from Ringside; when you do, remove 2 random cards in your Ringside from the game.
Unique     RMS logo
V7

Being able to play cards from your ringside is very helpful. It comes at a cost of removing 2 at random,  but RFG cards are typically anything but RFG. There are plenty of cards that will let you get them back. As we go through the rest of his specifics, we'll see the benefits of the first effect of this card.

Be a Man!
Backstage Card
Once during each of your opponent's turns, when he plays a card, you may overturn 1 card and his card is considered to be both Face and Heel until the end of the turn.
When he wins via card effect, you may hide this card and then ignore the Permanent trait on that card and remove it from the game instead, then shuffle up to 7 cards from your Ringside into your Arsenal and end the current turn.
When he is Hollywood Hulk Hogan or The Immortal One, his Ability is blank.
Unique     RMS logo
V3

This card is certainly better than the song it's named after. Let's focus on the second two effects first. Being able to prevent a win condition is more useful that it seems. Cards like Backslide, Inside Cradle, and Victory Roll are still heavily played. And the Hogan blanking is a fun bit of flavor, but obviously only helps against two superstars.

Now, the first effect of the card being able to turn your opponent's cards into Face or Heel cards is meant to interact with his two superstar-specific managers, which we'll cover now...

Managed by Miss Elizabeth
Pre-match Manager: Face
When your opponent successfully plays a Heel card, he discards 1 card.
ACE: When his Fortitude Rating is 20 or more greater than yours, before his Draw Segment, you may put this card into your Ringside and his turn ends.
F: 0     D: 0     Unique
V1

Honestly, this card doesn't really make me want to play it. It's interaction with Be a Man can be helpful, but it hinges on your opponent's SUCCESSFULLY played heel card. And when it comes to the ACE, if you're down by 20F+, ending a turn probably doesn't really help that much. Just my two cents.

Managed by Sherri Martel
Pre-match Manager: Heel
When your opponent successfully plays a Face card, draw up to 1 card.
ACE: During your turn when this card is in your Ring, you may put this card into your Ringside and then shuffle any number of reversals with "manager" in the title from your Ring and/or Ringside into your Arsenal.
During your turn when this card is in your Ringside, you may remove this card from the game to shuffle 2 reversals with "manager" in the title from your Ring and/or Ringside into your Arsenal.
F: 0     D: 0     Unique
V1

This card, on the other hand, is great. I feel like there are more played face cards than heel cards anyway, so Macho Man could draw a lot from them. Also, the ability to recycle your "manager" cards is incredible, AND he gets to do it twice! This card alone makes me want to build Macho Man heel nine times out of ten.

Macho Madness
Pre-match Event
When packing this card, your cards with 'blindside' in the title are not Cheater or Fan Favorite.
You may play this card from Ringside.
When you are about to remove more than 1 card from the game to play a maneuver or reversal from Ringside with 'blindside' in the title, the number of cards removed is reduced to 1.
Your Blindsided Rage cards cannot be blanked.
F: 0     D: 0     Unique     Permanent     RMS logo
V1

This card is pretty specific to a blindside build. If you aren't going a blindside route, then you can just skip this card. But if you ARE going blindside, this card is quite good. It all but eliminates the biggest drawback from playing blindside cards, which is removing cards from the game. I'll cover specific possible build types for Macho in Part 3.

A Method To The Madness
Mid-match Action
During your turn when this card is in your Backlash, you may put it into your Ring.
Your first non-hybrid maneuver played each turn that is 6D or less can only be reversed from Arsenal or by D: 0 reversals from hand.  When you discard cards to play a card with 'blindside' in the title from Ringside, discard 1 less card.
F: 0     D: 0     Unique     Permanent
V1

Now THIS is my favorite Macho Man card. It gives your lower damage maneuvers a pretty good reversal restriction. I'll go more in depth on this card in Part 3. I have a few nutty ideas for it.

All Hail The Macho King!
Mid-match Action + Action
You may play this card from Ringside.
Put up to 5 cards from your hand on the bottom of your Arsenal, put up to the same number of cards from your Ringside on the bottom of your Arsenal, and then put up to the same number of cards removed from the game on the bottom of your Arsenal.
When Living the Good Life is in your Ringside, you may put it into your Backlash.
F: 10     D: 0     Unique     Multi
V1

A good solid card. Gives you a bit of recovery from both ringside and RFG. I only with it didn't hurt your hand so much. But being able to play it from ringside is a good bonus, and a good way to spam it until it hits.

Now on to his arsenal specifics

Savage Series of Jabs
Strike + Strike / Reversal: Special
When you are Macho Man Randy Savage, this card is -10F.
When played as a Counter, this card is -5F and cannot be reversed by non-Superstar-specific D: 2+ cards.
As a reversal, reverse any Set-up card, or when you are Macho Man Randy Savage, reverse any action or antic.
F: 15     D: 6     SV: 2     Unique     Multi
V7

This is another good card. When played as a counter it gets reduced to 0F, is multi, and has a decent reversal restriction (and is also effected by his mid-match reversal restriction). AND Macho has the ability to play it from ringside, so it's almost inevitable that this card will land sooner rather than later. And it becomes a souped up No Chance In Hell as a reversal.

Savage Double Axe Handle
High Risk / Action
When you are Macho Man Randy Savage, this card is Multi.
As a maneuver, can only be played after a successfully played maneuver, and when played after a maneuver with 'blindside' in the title, can only be reversed by Unique reversals.
As an action, this card is -10F, put this card on top of your Arsenal and shuffle up to 3 of your cards removed from the game into your Arsenal.
When successfully played, put up to 1 Superstar-specific Action from your Ringside into your hand.
F: 15     D: 10     SV: 1     Unique     WWF Classic logo
V4

As a maneuver, this card is... fine. Obviously it gets a boost in blindside builds, but other than that it's just a high fortitude high risk. But, as an action, I can definitely see the merits of this card. It let's you recycle your RFG cards 3 at a time. Overall, packing this card depends on your specific build, and I would not be surprised if you didn't pack it.

Savage Piledriver
Trademark Finisher
Can only be packed by Macho Man Randy Savage.
Your opponent discards 3 cards.
When successfully played from hand and you have a Heel card in your Ring, he overturns # cards, where # is the number of maneuvers in your Ring.
When this card is in your Ringside, your maneuvers are +1 Stun Value.
F: 20     D: 15     SV: 3     Unique
V7

I really like this card. And as stated above, I'm typically going to be building Macho Man as a heel superstar, so the added overturn effect will trigger, along with my opponent having to discard 3 cards. AND it can be played from ringside, AND when it's in ringside you get added stun value. Great card for all builds.

Savage Flying Elbow Drop
Trademark Finisher + Trademark Finisher
Can only be played after a successfully played 8D or greater maneuver, or From the Top Rope.
When played after a successfully played maneuver, can only be reversed from Arsenal.
F: 35     D: 20     SV: 3     Unique     Multi
V1

So, look, I really wish this card was better. To me, this is a sub-par TMF. It's missing something. It costs too much F for only 20D. Combine that with the play requirement being pretty pricey at 8D or greater or From the Top Rope (which you can't even search for this card with). I feel like I'd rather play The Finisher, or another non-specific TMF that's a lot easier to play. I wish this card had another effect on it to make me want to pack it. Maybe +5D, or letting me find it when I play FtTR, or doing something when it's in my ringside, just something extra. As it stand now, it's a borderline pack for me.

OOOOH YEAH!
Action
During your turn when you have not played any cards, you may put this card from your hand into your Ring.
When this card is in your Ring, your maneuvers with 'blindside' in the title are -4F and Multi.
When you successfully play a maneuver and Damage is applied, put this card from your Ring or Ringside on the bottom of your Arsenal.
F: 0     D: 0     Unique
V1

Once again, this card is built for blindside decks. Being able to put this card into your ring from hand (or ringside) without having to actually play it is very nice. But, alas, in a non-blindside build, this card has no value.

Savage Beatdown
Action
When your opponent successfully plays a maneuver, you may put this card from your hand into your Ring.
ACE: When playing a maneuver, you may put this card into your Ringside and if the maneuver is successfully played, it is +5D.  When you are Macho Man Randy Savage, do not discard to reversals to this effect and they do not end your turn.
F: 0     D: 0     Unique     WWF Classic logo
V4

Another card that you can keep playing over and over. Getting +5D to your maneuvers is pretty good, however its a  little counterproductive with A Method to the Madness. At least you don't have to discard when your opponent inevitably plays Don't Try This At Home to it. It's a decent enough card.

Macho Man's Savagery
Action: Heel
Your opponent discards 2 random cards.
When your card or Activated Card Effect is reversed, you may put this card from your hand into your Ring; when the card was Managed by Sherri Martel, you may put that card into your Ring.
When this card is in your Ring, your Legendary Ruthlessness is F: 0 and ignore the 'can only be played...' text.
F: 0     D: 2     Unique
V7

Another reason to play Macho Man as a heel. You get a free 2F if your opponent reverses your card or ACE. You're able to put it into your ring from hand (or ringside). And Legendary Ruthlessness it a pretty good reversal. Good card.

Manager Distracts
Reversal: Card
Reverse any card and draw 1 card.
When overturned, reverse any non-damage card effect.
F: 8     D: 1     Unique
V1

This is Macho's best arsenal card. Not only is it cheaper than a Manager Interferes, but it also hits ANY card and not just maneuvers. Also, it interacts with Managed by Sherri Martel, so you can possibly recycle this card twice from ring or ringside. Great card.

PART TWO
Non-Specific cards that could be helpful for Macho Man

Macho Man is a legend superstar, so here's a list of some decent legend specific cards:

Legendary Defense
Backstage Card
This card is always considered to be hidden.
Can only be packed by a Legend, except Doink.  Cannot be packed when packing non-Superstar-specific Managers.
When packing this card, your Step Aside, Escape Move, and Break the Hold cards are Unique.  When this card is hidden, they can reverse any Strike, Grapple, Submission, Assault, Throw, or Hold; and your Lift a Boot cards can also reverse Extremes and ignore their 'Can only be played...' text.
Unique     RMS logo

Managed by "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart
Pre-match Manager
Can only be packed by a Legend Superstar.
When this card is in your Ring area, you may put this card into your Ringside pile to completely reverse any non-unique maneuver and end your opponent's turn.
When this card is in your Ringside pile, you may remove this card from the game to reverse any non-unique maneuver and end your opponent's turn.
(Activated Card Effect Symbol)
Universally Unique
F: 0 D: 0

Through All of These Years
Pre-match Event
Can only be packed by a Legend Superstar. The maximum number of Pre-match cards you may have in your Ring area is increased by 1. During your turn or if you are about to lose the game via Pinfall victory, you may put this card into your Ringside pile, shuffle up to 9 cards from your Ringside pile into your Arsenal, and end the current turn.
   (Activated Card Effect Symbol)
Unique
F: 0 D: 0

"Classy" Freddie Blassie, The Maker of Champions
Pre-match Event
Can only be packed by a Legend or WWF Superstar.
This card does not take up a slot in your Ring.
At the end of the Pre-match phase, put Managed by "Classy" Freddie Blassie and/or 1 Title Belt with "World Wrestling Federation" in the title from your Backlash into your Ring.
Your Pencil-Necked Geek cards are Multi and cannot be reversed by non-Unique reversals when you do not have a card with that title in your Ring.
F: 0     D: 0     Universally Unique

Living the Good Life
Mid-match Action
Can only be packed by a Legend Superstar.
Put any number of cards from your hand on the bottom of your Arsenal and then put the same number of cards from your Ringside pile into your hand.
Unique
F: 15 D: 0

In My Day, a Maneuver Was a Maneuver
Action / Reversal: Special
Can only be packed by a Legend Superstar.
As an action, choose up to 3 non-hybrid non-multi Maneuver cards in your Ringside pile, randomly shuffle 1 into your Arsenal, and put the rest into your hand.
As a reversal, completely reverse any hybrid maneuver or Multi maneuver and end your opponent's turn.
Unique
F: 0      D: 0

"Cowboy" Bob Orton Interferes
Reversal: Special: Run-in
Can only be packed by Randy Orton or a Legend Superstar.
Reverse any non-unique card and end your opponent's turn.
Unique
F: 15      D: 5

Legendary Ruthlessness
Reversal: Special
Can only be packed by a Legend.
When you are not packing The New Legends of the WWE, can only be played when you have lower Fortitude.
When you are packing Classic Competitor, this card is -5F.
Reverse any non-maneuver card and shuffle up to 2 cards in your Ringside into your Arsenal.
F: 15     D: 0     Unique

Legendary Defense makes a lot of sense with Savage since he has two superstar-specific managers he can play with it. And all of the arsenal cards are very good and worth playing. A lot of them are better than his actual specifics.

Other than the legend cards, Randy doesn't have any other cards that work specifically well with him. I'll cover more cards right now in Part 3.

PART THREE
Specific Build Types

Macho Man, by his cards alone, leans heavily toward a blindside build. I'm personally not a big fan of blindside. Especially when the members of the Shield do blindside so much better than Macho Man. So, I'm not going to go in depth on a blindside build, since that's pretty self explanatory. Let's go a little deeper into a few build that are off the beaten path. **SPOILER ALERT** They all revolve around A Method to the Madness.

First idea: Ring Psychology Arm or Leg.

Ring Psychology: Arm
Pre-match Event
If you have 4 or more Grapple or Submission maneuvers in your Ring area with the words "arm," "shoulder," or "wrist" in the title, your Grapple and Submission maneuvers are +4D and your opponent's non-High-Risk maneuvers do a maximum of 4D.
Active
Permanent
F: 0      D: 0

Ring Psychology: Leg
Pre-match Event
If you have 3 or more Grapple or Submission maneuvers in your Ring area with the words "knee," "leg," or "toe" in the title, your opponent cannot reverse any maneuver with the words "knee," "leg," or "toe" in the title from his hand or Backlash deck.
If you have 6 or more Grapple or Submission maneuvers in your Ring area with the words "knee," "leg," or "toe" in the title, your opponent also cannot reverse any maneuver with the words "knee," "leg," or "toe" in the title from his Arsenal.
Active
Permanent
F: 0      D: 0

Go back up to part 1 and reread A Method to the Madness. Now, go look up the maneuvers effected by these two psychology cards. It seems to me that you could shut down your opponent pretty effectively by combining one of these Psychology cards with A Method to the Madness. Also remember that Blindside Drop Toe Hold gets a few bonuses from Randy's specifics. My idea would be to push through a few Knee/Leg/Toe maneuvers, then finish opponent off with the higher damage maneuvers. This could lead to a bad day for your opponent trying to get around all of these reversal restrictions.

Second Idea: Technical.

Technical Drop Kick
Strike / Action: Set-up
As a maneuver, you may search your Arsenal for 1 card with the word "technical" in the title, reveal it to your opponent, put it into your hand, and shuffle your Arsenal.
As an action, this card is -4D, put this card on the bottom of your Arsenal and then put 1 card with the word "technical" in the title from your Ringside pile into your hand. 
SV: 1
F: 0      D: 4

Technical Monkey Flip
Grapple / Action: Set-up
As a maneuver, you may search your Arsenal for 1 card with the word "technical" in the title, reveal it to your opponent, put it into your hand, and shuffle your Arsenal.
As an action, this card is -6D, put this card on the bottom of your Arsenal and if your next card played this turn is a maneuver with the word "technical" in the title, it is a Multi maneuver and +1 Stun Value.
F: 0 D: 6

These two maneuvers in particular mesh with Method to the Madness quite well. Combine these with the technical high risks and you could have a decent build. And remember, your From The Top Ropes cannot be reversed when played as a counter.

Third Idea: Unorthodox Style of Wrestling

Unorthodox Style of Wrestling
Pre-match Event
When this card is in your Ring area, whenever you play a High Risk maneuver after a Submission maneuver, it cannot be reversed from your opponent's hand.
F: 0      D: 0

This is probably the least effective build I'm going to list, but it could at least be a fun build. In fact, you could probably combine this card with Ring Psychology Arm. Method to the Madness can help get a low damage submission to hit, and then hit them with a reversal restricted high risk after that.

Fourth Idea: There Is No Escape.

There Is No Escape
Pre-match Feud
All players' maneuvers cannot be reversed by non-Superstar-specific hybrid Reversal cards. Your maneuvers also cannot be reversed from your opponent's Backlash deck.
Your maneuvers are +2 Stun Value.
You cannot play non-unique maneuvers not titled Arm Bar, Arm Bar Takedown, Arm Drag, Atomic Drop, Belly to Back Suplex, Belly to Belly Suplex, Body Slam, Chop, Clothesline, Collar & Elbow Lockup, Drop Kick, Haymaker, Head Butt, Hip Toss, Press Slam, Punch, Roundhouse Punch, Russian Leg Sweep, Snap Mare, Vertical Suplex, Wrist Lock, Backhand Slap, Drop Toe Hold, Elbow Drop, Foot Stomp, or Hammerlock. 
Permanent
F: 0      D: 0

A lot of these maneuvers are 6D or less, so they get the reversal restriction from A Method to the Madness on top of the reversal restrictions from There Is No Escape. Also, with your maneuvers receiving +2 Stun Value (or +3 if Savage Piledriver is in your ringside), you'll be sure to have plenty of cards in your hand. You could also pair this Drawing a Blank to further restrict reversals. AND as an added bonus, Collar and Elbow Lockup and Elbow Drop are all +4D from your Superstar Ability.

Fifth Idea: Back to Basics

Back to Basics
Pre-match Feud
You can only play Pre-match cards with the words "old school" in the title.
Your opponent cannot play the card titled Hell in a Cell Match.
Search your Arsenal for 1 of each of the cards titled Arm Bar, Arm Bar Takedown, Arm Drag, Atomic Drop, Belly to Back Suplex, Belly to Belly Suplex, Body Slam, Chop, Clothesline, Collar & Elbow Lockup, Drop Kick, Haymaker, Head Butt, Hip Toss, Press Slam, Punch, Roundhouse Punch, Russian Leg Sweep, Snap Mare, Vertical Suplex, Wrist Lock, Backhand Slap, Drop Toe Hold, Elbow Drop, Foot Stomp, and Hammerlock, reveal them to your opponent, and put them under this card. You may play these cards as if they were in your hand. He searches your Arsenal and Backlash deck. If he finds any non-Superstar-specific Maneuver cards, you lose the game via Pinfall Victory. Shuffle your Arsenal.
Permanent
(Restricted Modification Symbol)
F: 0      D: 0

This is perhaps the most "out there" build I could think of for Macho Man. Of course, he would lose out on playing his superstar-specific managers, but I think this could still be quite effective. A Method to the Madness covers most of the B2B maneuvers, and they're all readily available to you at the start of the game.

Also, Back to Basics has gotten a tremendous boost in virtual. Here are a few examples:

Old School Cage Match
Pre-match Stipulation
When a card that is not printed: Chain, Heat, Stipulation, Superstar-specific, or Unique moves cards from any Ringside, the number of cards moved is reduced by 1.
When Back to Basics is in your Ring, your Pre-match Capacity is +3, and your opponent cannot play I'm Gonna Break You.
F: 0     D: 0     Unique     Permanent     RMS logo

Old School Wrestling Match - Throwback
Pre-match Stipulation
If any player's turn ends after his Draw Segment without attempting to play a maneuver, he overturns 6 cards.  Turns cannot be skipped, and non-Superstar-specific cards cannot prevent an opponent from playing maneuvers.
When Back to Basics is in your Ring, your Pre-match Capacity is +3, and your opponent cannot play I'm Gonna Break You.
F: 0     D: 0     Unique     Permanent     RMS logo

World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Title Belt – Throwback
Cannot be packed when you can pack Tag Team Title Belts.  This card is considered to have 'old school' in the title.  When you have Back to Basics in your Ring, your Starting Hand Size is +2 and when your Fortitude Rating is 0, and you play a maneuver from under that card 'as if from hand', your opponent cannot play non-Unique reversals to it.
Superstar Value +3     Universally Unique

A Foundation of Old School Wrestling
Pre-match Event
Can be played during any Pre-match Phase.
When Back to Basics is in your Ring, your Pre-match and Mid-match Capacity is +1, and your opponent's cards cannot prevent you from playing cards with 'old school' in the title.
ACE: When playing a maneuver from under Back to Basics 'as if from hand' and you do not have a Face card in your Ring, his non-F: 0 reversals to it are +#F, where # is double the number of Old School Beating cards in your Ring; once during each of your turns, you may also remove 1 Old School Beating in your Ring from the game and then # is doubled and your maneuver is -#F.
F: 0     D: 0     Unique     Permanent     RMS logo

Old School Raw
Pre-match Event / Mid-match Reversal: Special
This card is packed as either a Pre-match or a Mid-match.  Cannot be packed by The Home Team or Rey Mysterio.  Can only be played when Back To Basics is in your Ring.
As an event, this card is -9F,  at the end of the Pre-match phase, put any number of non-unique cards with "old school" in the title (that do not have "psychology" in the title) from your Backlash into your Ring.
As a reversal, reverse any non-Superstar-specific Throwback; your opponent may overturn 4 cards, if he does not, remove the reversed card from the game.
When this card is in your Ring, your Activated Card Effects on your non-unique cards with "old school" in the title cannot be reversed, and double all numbers on your Old School Beating.
F: 9     D: 0     Unique     Permanent     RMS logo

Now, obviously to get the bonus from A Method to the Madness, you will have to go with a face build because the +6D from 3 Old School Beatings would render Method useless. However, if you're going with  face build, you get to play 3 Old School Psychology's. This means that when they play Restricted Use In This Area to your reversal restricted maneuver, they have to discard 3 cards. That's pretty damn powerful.

Like I said, it may be a gimmick, but if a gimmick gets you over, then accept the gimmick.

PART FOUR
Final Thoughts

I don't think I ever realized how much I disliked a lot of Macho's specifics. Some of them are borderline not worth playing, including his Elbow Drop TMF. But he gets legend support, and at least 2 or 3 really good specifics (Method, Jabs, Manager).

Is Macho Man a top tier superstar, I don't think so. I wish he had something else. Something to make him a tiny bit better. Maybe if he was a WWF Classic superstar so he could get full use the Classic set of maneuvers? Maybe if he had a backstage area card that made him a WCW superstar like Hogan has? Or if he had nWo support? I just think he's lacking something.

I think with the builds I listed in Part 3 he could at least be interesting, and possibly pretty good.

Please comment anything I may have forgotten or overlooked, or if you've built a Macho Man Randy Savage deck before!

I hope you enjoyed this, and hopefully learned a few things. Check back next week when I cover Asuka!

[ponder505]

You know, until I read through this (quite awesome) analysis of Macho's stuff, I hadn't noticed one of his recovery cards is insane.

All Hail The Macho King!
Mid-match Action + Action
You may play this card from Ringside.
Put up to 5 cards from your hand on the bottom of your Arsenal, put up to the same number of cards from your Ringside on the bottom of your Arsenal, and then put up to the same number of cards removed from the game on the bottom of your Arsenal.
When Living the Good Life is in your Ringside, you may put it into your Backlash.
F: 10     D: 0     Unique     Multi
V1

A good solid card. Gives you a bit of recovery from both ringside and RFG. I only with it didn't hurt your hand so much. But being able to play it from ringside is a good bonus, and a good way to spam it until it hits.

Macho King doesn't hurt your hand at all.

Madness Lives Forever
Backstage Card
Cannot be packed when packing Corners.
Replace 'from your hand' with 'from your hand or Ringside' on your Superstar-specific actions.
During your turn, you can play your Superstar-specific cards from Ringside; when you do, remove 2 random cards in your Ringside from the game.
Unique     RMS logo
V7

Macho King recovers 10 cards from Ringside and 5 RFG.

[Hogtrail]

Ohhhhhh good catch! Yes, that bumps Macho King up significantly.

[necrobaron75]

Opponent tries Flawless Transtion into quick snap body slam
Discard 4,double Elbow to the Face for 12 dmg.
Almost worth it

[niiiiick]

I tried only packing the 6D- pesky moves: Claw, Classic Claw, Precision Kick, etc...just didnt have enough umph to it.

[Drywall]

If Collar and Elbow Lockup is discarded as an action its still +4 damage, correct?

[Mitch!]

If it doesn't resolve to the ring area it won't do any damage.

[Drywall]

If it doesn't resolve to the ring area it won't do any damage.

That's weird that they'd print the damage reduction on it, even on the SS3 version. :/

[Mitch!]

Damage
-Damage is the amount of cards overturned, indicated by the number printed in the box.  This number may be modified by both players with appropriate cards and effects.
-Damage is only dealt by cards played to the Ring area.  Cards that resolve to the Ringside pile, Arsenal, or are removed from the game deal no damage.
-Actions can deal damage; this is not the same as an effect that causes a player to overturn cards.  Actions dealing damage can be reversed with overturned Action reversals, provided they meet the Fortitude rating and condition of card text, just like Maneuver reversals.

It was added as a general rule later on.

[The Hurricane]

Good article. Only thing I want to point out though is the Macho Jabs are not protected by the A Method to the Madness like it says on here since it's a hybrid maneuver card.

Like I said though it was a good read, and opened my mind more on the Madness!

[Daeva]

If it doesn't resolve to the ring area it won't do any damage.

That's weird that they'd print the damage reduction on it, even on the SS3 version. :/

It's reminder text. It has a very small impact on word count and clarifies for people who don't have the FAQ memorized.

[Scotty]

One card I loved in Macho Man (He was my first Virtual deck) was San Diego, California. Two of his specific prematch/midmatch play from ringside and then All Hail Macho King returns Living the Good Life from Ringside too. My moveset was also focused on his midmatch Rest Hold, Blindisde Hook, Judo Choke, Whirlwind Kick, Quick Snap Body Slam, and Precision Kick, splashed with some blindsides of choice.

I remember he was a lot of fun and I may revisit him soon.

Thanks Hogtrail for writing up these reports, they can be quite inspiring...now if only I have time to play them all!

[Drywall]

"Second Idea: Technical.

Quote
Technical Drop Kick
Strike / Action: Set-up
As a maneuver, you may search your Arsenal for 1 card with the word "technical" in the title, reveal it to your opponent, put it into your hand, and shuffle your Arsenal.
As an action, this card is -4D, put this card on the bottom of your Arsenal and then put 1 card with the word "technical" in the title from your Ringside pile into your hand. 
SV: 1
F: 0      D: 4

Technical Monkey Flip
Grapple / Action: Set-up
As a maneuver, you may search your Arsenal for 1 card with the word "technical" in the title, reveal it to your opponent, put it into your hand, and shuffle your Arsenal.
As an action, this card is -6D, put this card on the bottom of your Arsenal and if your next card played this turn is a maneuver with the word "technical" in the title, it is a Multi maneuver and +1 Stun Value.
F: 0 D: 6

These two maneuvers in particular mesh with Method to the Madness quite well. Combine these with the technical high risks and you could have a decent build. And remember, your From The Top Ropes cannot be reversed when played as a counter."


These don't work with Method to the Madness at all, they are hybrid.

[Dr_phillanomics]

Great write-up! I recently built Macho Man, so I wanted to see what others opinions were. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't "Savage Beatdown" work just fine with "A method to the madness"? I.e. the reversal restriction still applies until the maneuver is successfully played, no?

Also, "Reap the Rewards" is a good mid-match pack for Savage. "You Suck, you suck" is another good one if you go face.

[The Softcore Legend]

I used to use Be A Man with Good Things Sometimes Happen and The Referee Finally Catches Something. It becomes a x3 midmatch reversal for any card if you make it heel with be a man.

Macho has a lot of neat tricks.

[The Kisser]

I run my Savage Deck based off his Ability as I wish he could pack High Flying Style as mine is nothing but Cards w/ Elbows in the Title as far as Moves. The Reason for HFS is so I don;t eat damage and wish I knew a way not to EAT them on them.

[Scotty]

I run my Savage Deck based off his Ability as I wish he could pack High Flying Style as mine is nothing but Cards w/ Elbows in the Title as far as Moves. The Reason for HFS is so I don;t eat damage and wish I knew a way not to EAT them on them.

One of the Big Boys should help a little with that. Alternatively, Backed By Vickie could help if you play Smackdown high risks after your irreversible From The Tope Ropes.

[Drywall]

I run my Savage Deck based off his Ability as I wish he could pack High Flying Style as mine is nothing but Cards w/ Elbows in the Title as far as Moves. The Reason for HFS is so I don;t eat damage and wish I knew a way not to EAT them on them.

One of the Big Boys should help a little with that. Alternatively, Backed By Vickie could help if you play Smackdown high risks after your irreversible From The Tope Ropes.

Macho cannot pack Vickie; he's a legend. 

[Scotty]

I run my Savage Deck based off his Ability as I wish he could pack High Flying Style as mine is nothing but Cards w/ Elbows in the Title as far as Moves. The Reason for HFS is so I don;t eat damage and wish I knew a way not to EAT them on them.

One of the Big Boys should help a little with that. Alternatively, Backed By Vickie could help if you play Smackdown high risks after your irreversible From The Tope Ropes.

Macho cannot pack Vickie; he's a legend.

I wondered why I hadn't tried that combo myself. Whoops!

[The Kisser]

I run my Savage Deck based off his Ability as I wish he could pack High Flying Style as mine is nothing but Cards w/ Elbows in the Title as far as Moves. The Reason for HFS is so I don;t eat damage and wish I knew a way not to EAT them on them.

One of the Big Boys should help a little with that. Alternatively, Backed By Vickie could help if you play Smackdown high risks after your irreversible From The Tope Ropes.

Macho cannot pack Vickie; he's a legend.

I wondered why I hadn't tried that combo myself. Whoops!

What Set is the "One of the Big Boys" In? as The only card that would help his Non-Elbows is The Opening Volley which only protects me for Reversals on Volley to my Double Axe Handle TB's as all Method gets in non-hybrids so my Collar and Elbow is screwed as I think that Card should have on instead of "Non-Hybrids of 6D or less" Should instead "be Cards w/ Elbow in the title" instead

[CRASHER]

One of the Big Boys was in V6, the second Invasion themed set