Back Issues: Inquest Gamer 64

Issue released August 2000.

Magic: The Gathering

Report from the U.S. Nationals, won by Jon Finkel, and his decklist:
2 Phyrexian Negator
2 Skittering Horror
3 Skittering Skirge
1 Stromgald Cabal
1 Thrashing Wumpus
4 Dark Ritual
4 Duress
1 Engineered Plague
1 Eradicate
1 Massacre
1 Perish
1 Persecute
1 Stupor
2 Unmask
4 Vampiric Tutor
4 Vicious Hunger
4 Yawgmoth's Will
2 Dust Bowl
4 Rishadan Port
2 Spawning Pool
15 Swamp
Sideboard:
2 Engineered Plague
1 Eradicate
1 Massacre
1 Perish
2 Phyrexian Negator
1 Phyrexian Processor
1 Powder Keg
2 Rapid Decay
1 Stromgald Cabal
1 Stupor
1 Thran Lens
1 Unmask

Magic's Top 100 Most Knockout cards was a feature in this issue.  I won't list them all, but the top 10 were, in order, Ancestral Recall, Library of Alexandria, Tolarian Academy, Mind Twist, Yawgmoth's Bargain, Balance, Mana Drain, Demonic Tutor, Force of Will, and Time Spiral.

Killer Decks: Replenish
1 Marble Diamond
1 Sky Diamond
1 Trade Routes
1 Seal of Removal
1 Lilting Refrain
4 Attunement
4 Parallax Tide
4 Frantic Search
2 Counterspell
4 Enlightened Tutor
4 Repenish
4 Opalescence
4 Parallax Wave
2 Seal of Cleaning
4 Adarkar Wastes
10 Island
9 Plains
Sideboard:
3 Seal of Removal
2 Seal of Cleansing
2 Counterspell
3 Chill
2 Mana Short
1 Back To Basics
1 Arcane Laboratory
1 Energy Flux

Get Enchantments in the Graveyard, cast Replenish, have enough new creatures (with Opalescence) to win the game.

Theme Deck: Beach Blanket Blammo (Deck built around the beach)
The Babes:
1 Argothian Enchantress
1 Caller Of The Hunt
1 Elvish Ranger
1 Fire Elemental
1 Jasmine Boreal
1 Lady Evangela
1 Pixie Queen
1 Rubinia Soulsinger
1 Serra Angel
1 Sivitri Scarzam
1 Verduran Enchantress
1 Vesuvan Doppelganger
The Hunks:
1 Balduvian Horde
1 Craw Giant
1 Ivory Guardians
1 Mijae Djinn
1 Nameless Race
1 Ragnar
1 Sanctum Guardian
1 Serendib Djnn
1 Soldevi Sentry
1 Soldier of Fortune
1 Veteran Bodyguard
1 Zhalfirin Crusader
The Supplies:
1 Chaos Orb (beach ball)
1 Elixir of Vitality (beer!)
1 Soothing Balm (suntan lotion)
1 Sunglasses of Urza
The Elements:
1 Burnout
1 Heat Ray
1 Heat Stroke
1 Heat Wave
1 High Tide
1 Sands of Time
The Critters:
1 Homarid
1 Horseshoe Crab
The Sand & Stuff:
4 City of Brass
4 Gemstone Mine
4 Plateau
4 Taiga
4 Tropical Island
4 Volcanic Island

Top 10 Magic Cards

1.  Masticore
2. Replenish
3. Rishadan Port
4. Morphling
5. Greel, Mind Raker
6. Mageta the Lion
7. Parallax Wave
8. Parallax Tide
9. Lin Sivvi
10. Rootwater Thief

 Top 10 CCGs:

1. Pokemon
2. Magic: The Gathering
3. Star Wars CCCG
4. Legend of the Five Rings
5. Young Jedi CCG
6. 7th Sea
7. Wheel of Time CCG
8. Star Trek CCG
9. Deadlands: Doomtown
10. Babylon 5 CCG

 Wheel of Time

Killer Deck: Illian Rising!
Starting Villain:
Sammael
Starting Hand:
Lord Brend
King Mattin Stepaneos
Strong Loyalties
Advantages:
1 Charismatic Leader
1 Illian
2 Preemptive Strike
2 The City of Illian
2 The Shadow Rising
Challenges:
3 Confrontation
3 Invasion
3 Request Tribute
2 Stalemate
3 War of Attrition
Characters:
2 Lord Argirin Darelos
2 Lord Ballin Elamri
2 Lord Drapeneos
2 Lord Elris Mancuri
1 Lord Ershin Netari
1 Lord Gregorian Panar
2 Lord Jeordwyn Semaris
1 Lord Spiron Naretin
Events:
3 Overrun
3 Sabotage
3 Strong Loyalties (maybe 2, since this is in the starting hand)
3 The Port of Illian
Troops:
2 Blockade Runners
3 Illian Lancers
2 Illian Volunteers
2 The Companions

Work to get Illian into your hand as soon as possible. Then you can start getting all those Illian characters into play, then play The Port of Illian.

Theme Deck: Let There Be Light!
Staring Hero: Rand al'Thor (1,1,2,1 version, chosen starting allegiance: Children of the Light)
Starting Hand:
Circle of Light
Child of the Light
Half Legion
Advantages:
3 A Second Chance
1 Circle of Light
2 Leader of Nations
3 Momentum
2 Saidin Angreal
Challenges:
3 Confrontation
3 Testing Fate
3 Political Maneuvering
Characters:
3 Child of the Light
2 Jarette Byar
2 Whitecloak Spy
2 Geofram Bornhald
1 Eamon Valda
1 Pedron Niall
2 Dain Bornhald
2 Hired Agents
2 Wandering Nobles
Events:
3 The Light Illumine
3 Blood Tide
3 Twists in the Pattern
Troops:
3 Light Brigade
2 Legion
3 Half Legion
3 Patrol Troop

They mention that this isn't so far away from being a real killer deck, Children of the Light are pretty good, apparently.

Other Things:
They give a review of the Prophecy expansion for Magic (A-), the Sailor Moon CCG (B-), and the Digimon Digi-Battle Card Game (C).

There's some discussion about the X-Men card game- basic training, and a player's guide for the game.  I didn't include those here, as the game is pretty well panned.

Back Issues: Inquest Gamer 56

Issue released in December 1999.

Magic: The Gathering

Top 10 cards from Mercadian Masques

1. Squee, Goblin Nabob
2. Scandalmonger
3. Thwart
4. Power Matrix
5. Two-Headed Dragon
6. Ballista Squad
7. Mercadian Atlas
8. Soothsaying
9. Notorious Assassin
10. Collective Unconscious

No Rishadan Port, Bribery, Food Chain, or Dust Bowl?

Killer Deck: Green Beatdown
4 Albino Troll
2 Elvish Lyrist
4 Hunted Wumpus
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Pouncing Jaguar
4 River Boa
2 Uktabi Orangutan
4 Wild Dogs
4 Giant Growth
2 Might Of Oaks
4 Rancor
14 Forest
4 Gaea's Cradle
3 Treetop Village
1 Yavimaya Hollows

Mana Acceleration into creatures, then enhancements to deal as much damage as possible.

Non-Killer Theme Deck: Agents of Doom (Computer theme deck)
Hardware:
1 Balance (adjust your view)
1 Cold Storage
1 Elven Cache
2 Memory Crystal
3 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Phyrexian (17") Monitor
1 Phyrexian Processor
1 Urza's Tower
Software:
4 Benthic Explorer
1 Browse
1 Rank and File
4 Veteran Explorer
Internet:
1 Web
1 Magnetic Web
1 Mana Web
1 Silk Net
1 Soul Net
1 Sunweb
Pre-Installed Games:
1 Booby Trap
1 Gamekeeper
1 Goblin War Buggy
1 Teferi's Puzzle Box
Computer Problems:
1 Back to Basics
2 Memory Lapse
Computer Repair:
1 Jhoira's Toolbox
1 Jhoira's Tools
Power Sources:
4 Forest
6 Island
4 Mishra's Factory
1 Mishra's Workshop
1 Mountain
2 Plains
2 Swamp
4 Urza's Power Plant

Deck Building: Special Lands
Get lands on the table, keep them on the table, and use Wrath of God to clear the board for them to win.
3 Crop Rotation
2 Exploration
2 Hurricane
4 Mulch
4 Rancor
1 Reclaim
2 Symbiosis
3 Disenchant
4 Enlightened Tutor
2 Pacifism
2 Sacred Ground
2 Wrath of God
4 Forbidding Watchtower
7 Forest
6 Plains
4 Stalking Stones
4 Treetop Village
4 Wasteland

Top 10 Cards:

1. Masticore
2. Treachery
3. Squee, Goblin Nabob
4. Powder Keg
5. Two-Headed Dragon
6. Yawgmoth's Bargain
7. Emperor Crocodile
8. Ivory Mask
9. Vampiric Tutor
10. Delraich

Star Wars CCG

Killer Deck: Blitzkrieg
Locations:
1 Hoth
1 Hoth: Defensive Perimeter
1 Hoth: Echo Command Center (War Room)
1 Hoth: Echo Corridor
1 Hoth: Echo Docking Bay
1 Hoth: Ice Plains
1 Hoth: North Ridge
1 Spaceport Docking Bay
Characters:
1 Admiral Motti
1 Admiral Ozzel
1 Commander Igar
1 DS-61-2
2 Elite Squadron Stormtooper
1 Garindan
1 General Veers
1 IM4-099
1 Lieutenant Watts
1 Major Marquand
1 Quarren
1 Sergeant Major Bursk
1 Sergeant Narthax
4 Snowtrooper
2 Snowtrooper Officer
Vehicles:
1 Blizzard 1
1 Blizzard Scout 1
1 Blizzard Walker
1 Tempest 1
1 Tempest Scout
1 Tempest Scout 1
1 Tempest Scout 2
1 Tempest Scout 4
1 Tempest Scout 6
Starships:
1 Black 2
1 Bossk in Hound's Tooth
1 Dreadnought-Class Heavy Cruiser
1 TIE Avenger
1 Vengeance
Interrupts:
1 Freeze!
3 Trample
1 Twi'lek Advisor
1 Walker Garrison
Effects:
1 Crossfire
1 Empire's New Orders
1 Imperial Academy Training
1 Imperial Arrest Order
1 Rebel Base Occupation
Weapons:
1 AT-AT Cannon
1 AT-ST Dual Cannon
1 Blaster Rifle
1 Blaster Pistol
1 Scout Blaster
Epic Events:
1 Target The Main Generator

Basically, set up on Hoth, and start some serious draining.  If they come to stop you, great.  If not, that's fine- you'll have options.

Non-Killer Theme Deck: "Hair Power"
Locations:
1 Endor: Back Door
1 Endor: Chief Chirpa's Hut
1 Endor: Dense Forest
1 Endor: Great Forest
1 Endor: Hidden Forest Trail
1 Endor: Rebel Landing Site (Forest)
1 Forest
1 Jungle
Characters:
2 Bothan Spy
1 Chewbacca of Kashyyyk
1 Chewbacca
1 Chief Chirpa
1 Daughter of Skywalker
2 Ewok Sentry
2 Ewok Spearman
2 Ewok Tribesman
1 General Solo
1 Graak
2 Ithorian
1 Joh Yowza
1 Kazak
1 Logray
1 Lumat
1 Paploo
1 Rabin
1 Romba
1 Talz
1 Teebo
1 Threepio
1 Wicket
2 Wookiee
1 Wuta
1 Yarkora
Vehicles:
1 Chewie's AT-ST
1 Ewok Glider
Interrupts:
1 Ambush
2 Dash
1 Ewok and Roll
1 Ewok Log Jam
1 Ewok Rescue
1 Here We Go Again
1 Let the Wookie Win
1 Rug Hug
1 Take The Initative
1 Who's Scruffy-Looking?
1 Wookiee Guide
1 Wookiee Strangle
2 Yub Yub!
Effects:
1 Wokling
Weapons:
1 Chewbacca's Bowcaster
1 Ewok Catapult
2 Ewok Spear

Top 10 CCGs:

1. Pokemon
2. Magic
3. Young Jedi
4. Star Wars
5. Legend of the Five Rings
6. Star Trek
7. Doomtown
8. Babylon 5
9. Tomb Raider
10. Aliens/Predator

I've never managed to snag any Aliens/Predator decks.  And wasn't Young Jedi terrible?  I remember it being terrible.


Other Things
Article with some fake cards for the Star Wars CCG, for humor (for instance, the two part Darth Maul (Top Half) and Darth Maul (Bottom Half) cards).

BabeWatch - an article with various women from gaming/fantasy/sci-fi demonstrating why they'd be attractive to the average man, with the readers able to vote for the sexiest of them, to grace a future cover.  This issue's girls were Radiant, Laurana, Lanfear, Bayushi Kachiko, Wendy Cheng, Lara Croft, Red, Xena, Sonja Blue, and Sally Tsung.

Back Issues: Inquest Gamer 13

This issue is dated May 1996

Guardians

This was the game highlighted in their basic training article, covering the basics of the game, some gameplay tips, and an example deck.  Let's look at the deck:
Starting Cards:
Guardian: Harkin
Stronghold: Khnumian
Essentials:
7 Normal Brom's Angelics
3 Brom's Angelic Shield/Lands
1 Brom's 13-point Angelic Standard Bearer
5 Spires
Spells:
5 Dispel Magic
1 Force Barrier
2 Gold Bribery
1 Oppressed Slave
1 Pepe's Slow Down
2 Power Lunch
1 Spikey Crenelation
2 Vitales Dark Cloud
1 War
Creatures:
2 Ancient Ogres
1 Angel of Death
1 Captain Hannibal Hawks
1 Caring Guy
3 Cleric
2 Great Black Ri'shar
5 Ice Ogre
2 Lancer
3 Polar Ice Ogre
2 Razor Sliph
3 Rik Sook
2 Schneebolt
3 Smoke Spirit
3 Warty Fiends

I know literally nothing about this game other than that it exists.  It seems to have been decently well received, but I 'm not sure when I'll have time to look into it.

Finally- they mention that 'The Card To Get' is Dragon Wing Lord.  Strong AoE attack and can fly, but vulnerable to bribery by babes and beer.

Magic: The Gathering

Killer Deck: Eggs Over Easy
4 Rukh Eggs
3 Jokulhaups
2 Fireballs
1 Wheel of Fortune
4 Dark Rituals
3 Animate Deads
3 Burnt Offerings
3 Kjeldoran Deads
1 Demonic Tutor
2 Simularcums
2 Will-O'-The-Wisps
4 Tinder Walls
1 Tranquility
1 Regrowth
2 Giant Growths
1 Despotic Scepter
1 Zuran Orb
2 Mana Vaults
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Feldon's Cane
2 Badlands
5 Mountains
6 Forests
8 Swamps
Sideboard:
4 Red Elemental Blasts
1 Tranquility
2 Simulacrum
2 Gloom
2 Blood Moon
2 Flashfire
1 Anarchy
1 Curse of Marit Lage

Basically a lot of tricks to get the Rukh Eggs into play and cracked for their Bird tokens.

Top 10 Hottest Magic Cards:

1. Dual Lands
2. Autumn Willow
3. Baron Sengir
4. Jester's Cap
5. Deflection
6. Icy Manipulator
7. Primal Order
8. Shivan Dragon
9. Mahamoti Djinn
10. Mind Warp

Middle-Earth Collectible Card Game

A large article with hints and decks to help people out.

Let's at least list the tips:

1. Don't waste time.
2. Plan your trip.
3. Start with Strategy
4. Choose your minor items wisely.
5. Key creatures to common terrain
6. Remember uniqueness
7. Bluffing
8. Deal with your weaknesses
9. Drawing and discarding (basically, do it all the time).
10. Combat clues (bring combat tricks)

Alright, let's look at some decks.

Ringwraiths' Revenge
Starting Characters & Items:
Bifur
Bofur
Dain II
Eowyn
Peath
Voteli
1 Black-Arrow
1 Star-glass
Characters & Wizards:
1 Alatar
1 Balin
1 Bombur
1 Galva
1 Nori
1 Radagast
1 Thorin II
1 Voteli
Combat Resources & Enhancers:
3 Blocks
3 Dark Quarrels
3 Escapes
1 Favor of the Valar
1 Fellowship
2 A Friend of Threes
2 Risky Blows
Marshalling-Point Resources:
1 The Arkenstone
1 Dunlendings
1 Durin's Axe
1 Glamdring
1 Great-shield of Rohan
1 The Iron Crown
1 Lossoth
1 Men of Anorien
1 Men of Lebennin
1 Men of Northern Rhovanion
1 Orcrist
1 Rangers of Ithilien
1 Riders of Rohan
1 Sword of Gondolin
1 Woodmen
Hazard Creatures:
1 Adunaphel
1 Indur Dawndeath
1 Khamul the Easterling
1 Mouth of Sauron
1 Olog-hai
2 Orc-guards
1 Orc-lieutenant
1 Orc-raiders
1 Orc-warband
2 Orc-watchers
1 Ren the Unclean
1 Uvatha the Horseman
1 Witch-king of Angmar
Hazard Events:
3 Doors of Night
2 Fell Beasts
1 Lure of Nature
2 Minions Stir
1 Morghul-horse
3 Morghul Nights
1 The Nazgul are Abroad
1 Twilight
1 The Will of Sauron
Sites:
1 Blue Mountain Dwarf-hold
1 Dead Marshes
1 Dunnish Clan-hold
1 Edhellond
1 Edoras
1 Henneth Annun
1 Iron Hill Dwarf-hold
1 Lake-town
1 The Lonely Mountain
1 Lorien
1 Lossadan Cairn
1 Lassadan Camp
1 Minas Tirith
1 Moria
1 Mount Gram
1 Pelargir
1 Rhosgobel
1 Rivendell
1 Ruined Signal Tower
1 Sam Goriwing
1 Shrel-kain
1 The Wind Throne
1 Woodmen-town

Oooh, looks fun- lots of Nazgul, and running the characters who have bonuses against Nazgul so your opponent can't use them, plus things to convert icons to Shadow-land.  This would be a fun way to play the game.

The Company Deck
Starting Characters & Items:
Boromir II
Glorfindel II
Legolas
1 Athelas
1 Elven Cloak
Characters & Wizards:
1 Aragorn II
1 Frodo
2 Gandalf
1 Gimli
1 Merry
1 Pippin
1 Sam Gamgee
Combat Resources & Enhancers:
1 Cracks of Doom
2 Dark Quarrels
1 Dodge
1 Favor of the Valar
1 Fellowship
1 A Friend or Three
1 Lucky Strike
2 Ringlore
2 Risky low
1 Test of Form
Marshalling-Point Resources:
2 Beautiful Gold Ring
1 Dwarven Ring of Durin's Tribe
2 Fair Gold Ring
1 Gollum
2 Lesser Ring
1 Magic Ring of Courage
1 Magic Ring of Nature
1 The One Ring
3 Precious Gold Ring
1 Scroll of Isildur
1 Shadowfax
1 Tower Guard of Minas Tirith
Hazard Creatures:
2 Ambusher
1 Assassin
1 Crebain
1 Giant
3 Giant Spider
2 Slayer
3 Wargs
1 Watcher in the Water
3 Wolves
Hazard Events:
1 Clouds
1 Dwar of Waw
2 Lure of Nature
2 Muster Disperses
1 River
1 Shelob
1 Siege
2 Twilight
2 Wake of War
Sites:
1 Amon Hen
1 Bag End
1 Bandit Lair
1 Bree
1 Caves of Ulund
1 Dancing Spire
1 Edhellond
1 Edoras
1 Gladden Fields
1 Goblin-gate
1 Irerock
1 Iron Hill Dwarf-hold
1 Isengard
1 The Lonely Mountain
1 Lorien
1 Minas Tirith
1 Moria
1 Mount Doom
1 Rivendell
1 Thranduil's Halls
1 Weathertop

Build a strong company, get some rings, and have the option of dropping the One Ring off at Mount Doom for the instant-win.  I'll probably throw these two together, and see if I can rouse up an opponent.

Top Five CCGs

They weren't doing top 10s at this point, but their Top Five this issue was as follows:

1. Star Wars
2. Magic: The Gathering
3. Star Trek: Alternate Universe
4. Middle-Earth: The Wizards
5. Red Zone (Whaaaa?)

Inquest World Records

I thought this would be fun to include.  Basically, cards from various games that break some sort of CCG record.

Most Powerful Card: Time Vault, from Magic: The Gathering.
Longest Card Name: Malkavian Derangement: Alternate Personality, from Vampire: The Eternal Struggle
Most Doubly Subliminal: Subliminals, from Illuminati: New World Order (it has the word sex hidden in the art, as well as text telling you to go buy more NWO).
Best Two-Part Flavor Text: Jade Statue and Goblin Shrine, from Magic: The Gathering.
Coolest Thematic Card: The One Ring, from Middle-Earth: The Wizards
Scariest Monster Named After a Cosmetic: Rouge Specter, from Guardians
Most Incomprehensible Rules: Amok, from On the Edge (holy crap that's a tough one to read).
Deepest Shag Carpet: Gaps in Normal Space, from Star Trek CCG
Biggest Scrub: Halbarad, from Middle-Earth: The Wizards
Best Depiction of Nothing: Explore Typhone Expanse, from Star Trek CCG
Best Acronym in a Card Name: Dwarven Demolition Team, from Magic: The Gathering
Most Erotic Card: Voice of Pain, from Kult
Most Susceptible to Chest Cold: Super Model, from Guardians
Most 'It's Not Worth It' Card: Army of the Dead, from Middle-Earth: The Wizards
Most Confusing Card: Ice Cauldron, from Magic: The Gathering
Most Disturbing Card: Sensory Deprivation, from Vampire: The Eternal Struggle
Most Redundant (Tie): Shadowfist, from Shadowfist, and Wyvern, from Wyvern
Biggest Abuse of a Mysterious Power: Alter, from Star Wars CCG
Best Dressed Card: Gilbert Duane, from Vampire: The Eternal Struggle

These sort of articles were probably the #1 reason I read Inquest, I hate to say it.  They really were great light, enjoyable reading.

Other things:
A whole FAQ for Quest for the Grail.  That's a game I've never played, and know nothing about.  If someone wants it, I'll definitely type it up though.

There's a multi-page preview of the Star Trek: Original Series CCG (which would be released as Star Trek: The Card Game).  The magazine sounds pretty excited about this, and the designer of this game was critical of the Star Trek CCG released by Decipher... it's kind of unfortunate how poor this game did in comparison.

They reviewed a few games here.  Top of the Order scored a 3 out of 6- it's a baseball CCG by Donruss.  I believe I tried the football game Donruss put out (Red Zone?) and it was terrible.  BGG rates this game a 3.8/10, so Inquest wasn't alone in their opinion.  The Netherworld expansion to Shadowfist was rated a 4/6, and Dark Sovereigns for Vampire: The Eternal Struggle was given a 3/6.

They previewed the Netrunner CCG.  This is one I played and have boxes of cards for, but I likely won't touch again as Android: Netrunner does a great job of remaking it.  I remember enjoying this as a kid though, certainly.

Non-card game things include an interview with the artist, Brom.

Back Issues: Inquest Gamer 48

This issue released April 1999.

Babylon 5

Killer Deck: Cheese Wizard
Starting Hand:
1 Catherine Sakai
1 Defense in Depth
1 Jeffrey Sinclair
1 ISN
Groups:
ISN
Characters:
1 Brother Theo
1 Catherine Sakai
2 Human Agents
1 Human Aide
1 Jeffrey Sinclair
1 Mary Ann Cramer
1 Susan Ivanova
1 Zathras'
Agendas:
2 Defense in Depth
1 Managed Growth
1 Peace in Our Time
Planets:
1 Earth
1 Mars Colony
3 Military Outpost
1 Proxima III
1 Sigma 957
1 Sleeping Z'ha'dum
1 Transfer Point Io
1 Z'ha'dum Awakened
Conflicts:
1 The Great Machine
3 Trade Pacts
Events:
2 For My People
2 Liberating Resources
3 Long Term Investment
3 Meditation
3 Short Term Goals
1 Subliminal Influence
3 Trade Windfall
2 Universe Today Feature
Fleets:
3 Picket Fleet
Enhancements:
1 Upgraded Defense

This is meant to be a non-interactive deck that just amasses power quickly with Defense in Depth, trying to minimize the amount of time it deals with the other players.  With Defense in Depth having different wording in Deluxe Edition, some of the locations would need to be changed.

Non-Killer Theme Deck: Zathras for Hire
Starting Hand:
1 Jeffrey Sinclair
1 Liberating Resources
1 Power Brokers
1 Zathras'
Characters:
1 Dan Randall
1 Jeffrey Sinclair
1 Mary Ann Cramer
1 N'Grath
1 Rogue Soul Hunter
1 Soul Hunter
1 Stephen Franklin
1 Susan Ivanova
3 Z'athras
3 Za'thras
3 Zat'hras
3 Zath'ras
3 Zathr'as
3 Zathras'
Conflicts:
2 Trade Pacts
Events:
1 For My People
2 Liberating Resources
2 Long Term Investment
2 Meditation
2 Short Term Goals
Groups:
1 ISN
1 Power Brokers
Agendas:
1 Managed Growth
Locations:
1 Earth
1 Mars Colony
1 Proxima III
1 Transfer Point Io
1 Sigma 957

Heh, that's pretty funny.  This one tries to get people to give you power using Power Broker.  This is designed to be more amusing than anything else.

Legend of the Burning Sands CCG

Basic Training for the game- including an introduction to the game, strategies, and a sample decklist.  Here is the decklist:

Dueling Bones:
Stronghold:
Jackal City of Bones
City Sections:
2 Thieves Quarter
2 Merchant's Quarter
1 The Maze
Holdings:
3 Doctor
3 Library
3 Belly Dancer
3 Harem
3 Dens of Inequity
3 Gold Merchant
Story Cards:
3 The Tale Of Selqet's Capture
Followers:
3 Bodyguards
Items:
3 Dhul Figar Knife
Actions:
2 Ambush
2 No Escape
2 Handful of Sand
3 Contest of Wills
3 Knife Fight
3 Allies in the Crowd
Heroes:
3 Bonepicker
3 Wardah the Urchin-Mistress
3 Seff Seven-Fingers
3 Afshan Jarr
3 Yaminah

Jackal Dueling... which I guess is uncommon?

Magic: The Gathering

Article on the Top 10 cards from Urza's Legacy.  Top Cards?  Ring of Gix (Defense of the Heart was 2nd).  Scrapheap was labeled as the worst card in the set.  As of me writing this, the most expensive card in the set is Grim Monolith (~30 dollars).  It didn't make the top 10 of Inquest's list.

Killer Deck: The New Sligh
4 Incinerate
4 Shock
3 Sonic Burst
4 Ball Lightning
2 Fireslinger
2 Goblin Patrol
4 Iron Claw Orcs
4 Jackal Pup
4 Mogg Fanatic
3 Mogg Flunkie
4 Cursed Scroll
18 Mountain
4 Wasteland
Sideboard:
2 Boil
4 Bottle Gnomes
3 Phyrexian Furnace
4 Pyroblast
2 Shattering Pulse

Not really anything earth shattering here, just a Sligh deck with the legal cards at the time.

Non-Killer Theme Deck, based on Planet of the Apes
3 Apes of Rath
3 Barbary Apes
1 Gargantuan Gorilla
2 Gorilla Berserkers
2 Gorilla Chieftain
1 Gorilla Pack
2 Gorilla Warrior
3 Uktabi Orangutan
1 Giant Growth
1 Seedling Charm
1 Overrrun
1 Simoon
4 Gorilla Shaman
4 Kird Ape
2 Raging Gorilla
1 Ravenous Baboon
1 Agility
1 Bestial Fury
1 Gorilla War Cry
3 Guerilla Tactics
9 Forest
3 Karplusan Forest
8 Mountain
3 Snow-covered Forest

Deck-Building 101: Discard Deck "Under Duress":
2 Nevinyrral's Disk
4 Abyssal Specter
4 Dauthi Horror
4 Mindstab Thrull
3 Skittering Skirge
4 Dark Ritual
3 Diabolic Edict
3 Drain Life
4 Duress
2 Expunge
2 Necropotence
2 Persecute
2 Stalking Stones
19 Swamp
2 Wasteland

Top 10 Magic Cards:

1. Stroke of Genius
2. Cursed Scroll
3. Time Spiral
4. Living Death
5. Ball Lightning
6. Recurring Nightmare
7. Tradewind Riders
8. Dual Lands
9. Oath of Druids
10. Armageddon

Middle-Earth Collectible Card Game

Kuhlmeyer's World Championship Middle-Earth Deck:
Starting Characters:
Bilbo
Firiel
Threlin
Ioreth
Halbarad
Surion
Odoacer
Belegorn
Gloin
Balin
Starting Minor Items:
1 Open To the Summons
1 Thrall-ring
Starting Stage Resources:
1 Hidden Haven
1 Wizard's Myrmidon
1 Thrall Of The Voice
Characters:
1 Ciryaher
1 Radagast
Resources:
1 Glove of Radagast
1 Noble Steeds
2 Noble Hound
2 Elf-song
1 Lordly Presence
2 Crooked Promptings
2 Weigh All Things to a Nicety
2 Smoke Rings
2 Voices of Malice
2 Marvels Told
1 Blackbole
2 Hall Of Fire
1 Misty Mountain Wargs
1 Palantir of Orthanc
1 Palantir of Elostirion
2 Dark Tryst
1 Guarded Haven
1 Radagast's Black Bird
2 Great Patron
1 An Untimely Brood
1 Legacy of Smiths
Hazards:
1 Hoarmurath of Dar
1 Assassin
1 Rain-drake
1 Whole Villages Roused
2 Awaken Defenders
2 FEAR! FIRE! FOES!
1 Foolish Words
1 Nature's Revenge
3 Sellswords Between Charters
1 The Moon Is Dead
1 Stirring Bones
1 Dwarven Travelers
1 Mouth of Sauron
1 Khamul The Easterling
1 Uvatha The Horseman
1 Adunaphel
2 Chill Douser
3 River
1 Revealed to All Watchers
1 Tidings Of Bold Spies
1 Smaug At Home

This era was apparently dominated by Fallen Wizards, and this deck is no different.  Apparently Fallen Pallando decks were also popular at this time.

Top 10 CCGs:

1. Magic: The Gathering
2. Star Wars
3. Legend of the Five Rings
4. Star Trek CCG
5. Highlander
6. Babylon 5
7. Doomtown
8. Battletech
9. Legend of the Burning Sands
10. Xena

Well, I have cards for all of these except Highlander and Legend of the Burning Sands.  Guess I know what I need to do.


Other Things
A mention is made of an 'upcoming' Chronicles of Amber CCG, designed by Eric Lang and published by Nebula Games.  It doesn't seem to have ever come out, which is a shame, as the news article describes it as being very story-heavy, and focused around actually having an on-going campaign with your friends.  Really a shame to not see this one get published.

Another mention- Shi: The Card Game, from Thunder Castle Games (publishers of the Highlander CCG).  This was supposed to be a game similar to Highlander, but from a comic universe.  Another one that doesn't seem to have actually seen the light of day :(.

A for-fun article about CCG expansions that we'd never see.  These were the expansions included:

• Star Wars CCG: Spaceballs (funny enough, a fan expansion for the current Star Wars LCG is being made: https://teamsandcrawla.net/games/star-wars-the-card-game/team-sandcrawla-to-produce-custom-content/).
• Magic: Mythology 
• Doomtown: Hollywood (including John Wayne characters, Clint Eastwood, etc)
• Legend of the Five Rings: Age of Machine (example card is Mirumoto Maru, the Dragon Clan Battleship).
• Babylon 5: First Ones
• Star Trek: The Motion Pictures (and then three years later, it actually came out.)

This was also Rick Swan's last issue.  Truly a sad day for Inquest :(.

Back Issues: Inquest Gamer 46

This issue released in February 1999.

Babylon 5 CCG:
Basic Training article was included covering basic strategies, ideas for deck building, and an example deck, "Intriguing Possibilities":
Starting Hand:
1 Londo Mollari
1 Catherine Sakai
1 Defense in Depth
1 Picket Fleet
Aftermath:
1 Exploit Opportunities
1 Personal Involvement
1 Successful Manipulation
Agendas:
1 Infiltrate and Exploit
1 Knowledge is Power
Locations:
1 Centauri Beta I
1 Centauri Prime
1 Immolan V
1 Ragesh III
1 Tolonius VII
Characters:
1 Adira Tyree
1 Ambitious Captain
3 Centauri Agent
2 Centauri Telepath
1 Drigo
1 Emperor Turhan
2 Human Agent
1 Imperial Telepaths
1 Lady Morella
1 Lord Kiro
1 Lord Refa
1 Lyndisty
1 Mary Ann Cramer
2 Minbari Agent
1 Minister Malachi
2 Narn Agent
1 Urza Jaddo
1 Viz Cotto
1 Zath'ras
Group:
1 ISN
1 Ranger Operations
Conflict:
1 Attacking Pawns
1 Forced Impairment
1 Kidnapping
1 Prey On the Weak
Fleets:
1 Picket Fleet
2 Utility Fleet
Enhancements:
1 PPG Rifle
1 The Eye
Events:
3 Accident
3 Level the Playing Field
1 Political Realignment
1 Subliminal Influence

Legend of the Burning Sands:
"War By Attrition"
Stronghold:
The Hidden Keep Of The Assassins
City Sections:
1 Shadows Within the Walls
1 The Lands of the Senpet
1 The Merchant Quarter
1 The River Quarter
Holdings:
3 Belly Dancer
1 Blacksmith
3 Den of Inquiry
1 Doctor
1 Library
1 Spices
3 Wheat Fields
Followers:
1 Bodyguard
Story Card:
1 The Tale of the Last Raid
Actions:
3 Contest of Wills
3 Desert Spring
2 Faith
1 Jackal Ambush
3 Knife Fight
1 Let Him Bleed
3 Lost To The Sands
2 Poison
1 Qolat Master
2 Wisdom of the Stars
Items:
1 Black Steel Sword
2 Dhul Fiqar Knife
Heroes:
2 Adnan
3 Chandra
1 Eyeslicer
2 Faida
2 Fatima
2 Haroun
2 Old Man of the Mountain
2 Sabina
1 The Eye of Night


A theme deck was also included!  This is called "Ever-Ready Heroes", where you basically are as aggressive as possible, without worrying, as your heroes will be available.
Stronghold:
The Empire of the Senpet
Heroes:
2 Caliph
2 Ghiyath
2 Indira
3 Nepherus
2 San'a
3 Tasir
City Sections:
1 Duqaq's School of Astronomy
1 Jewel of the Desert
1 Merchant Quarter
1 River Quarter
Holdings:
3 Belly Dancer
3 Copper Mine
3 Den of Inquity
3 Library
3 Spices
3 Wheat Fields
Actions:
3 Contest of Wills
3 Desert Spring
3 Knife Fight
3 One Dinari
3 Strange Bedfellows
2 The Sahir And the Goddess
3 Voice of the Ten Thousand Gods
Items:
2 Book of the Dead
Spells:
3 Curse of the Rot Within
3 Jinn of Desire

Magic the Gathering:

Killer Deck: Counter Phoenix
4 Bottle Gnomes
4 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Capsize
4 Counterspell
4 Forbid
1 Force Spike
3 Intuition
2 Mana Leak
1 Recall
4 Shard Phoenix
2 Incinerate
4 Shock
13 Island
11 Mountain
3 Reflecting Pool
Sideboard:
2 Arcane Laboratory
1 Earthquake
2 Energy Field
3 Fylamarid
2 Hydroblast
3 Pyroblast
2 Shattering Pulse

Might be kind of fun, but feels realllllly slow.  How's it going to handle surviving long enough to get those Shard Phoenixes dominating.

Non-Killer Theme Deck: Greek Mythology
Gods:
1 Autumn Willow (Artemis)
1 Errand of Duty (Hermes)
1 Hyperion Blacksmith (Hephaestus)
1 Ihsan's Shade (Hades)
1 Keeper Of The Light (Apollo)
1 Lady Caleria (Athena)
1 Lady  Evangela (Aphrodite)
1 Lade Of The Mountain (Hera)
1 Lord of Atlantis (Poseidon)
1 Lord Of Tresserhorn (Zeus)
1 Renegade Warlord (Ares)
Monsters:
1 Beasts of Bogardan (Cerberus)
1 Brass-Talon Chimera
1 Centaur Archer
1 Hulking Cyclops
1 Hurloon Minotaur
1 Infernal Medusa
1 Mesa Pegasus
1 Mountain Titan
1 Petra Sphinx
1 Polar Kraken
1 Seasinger (Siren)
1 Rock Hydra
1 Screeching Harpy
1 Shanodin Dryads (Nymphs)
1 Thundering Giant
1 Willow Satyr
Events:
1 Armageddon
1 Coils of Medusa
1 Flood
1 Pegasus Stampede
1 Prophecy
1 Righteousness (Homer flavor text)
1 Siren's Call
1 Wrath of God (any one of them)
Lands:
3 Forest
3 Island
7 Mountain
1 Mountain Stronghold (Mount Olympus)
7 Plains
1 Reflecting Pool (Oracle)
3 Swamp

I always liked these theme decks.  A fun change of pace from the standard 'win at all costs' style of deck.

Instructions on how to build a deck, in five steps.  Theme, Colors, Creatures, Spells, Lands.  They demonstrate by building a Life Gain deck (called "Alive and Kicking"):
1 Bottle Gnomes
1 Phyrexian Processor
1 Wall of Junk
1 Souldrinker
2 Hatred
2 Necropotence
1 Keeper Of the Light
1 Knight of Dawn
1 Order of the White Shield
1 Paladin en-Vec
1 Pegasus Charger
1 Sanctum Custodian
1 Sanctum Guardian
1 Serra Avatar
2 Soltari Priest
4 Soul Warden
2 Staunch Defenders
1 Wall of Essence
1 Angelic Chorus
2 Congregate
2 Disenchant
1 Healing Salve
2 Peace of Mind
1 Worthy Cause
2 Wrath of God
4 City of Brass
4 Drifting Meadow
11 Plains
5 Swamp

Top 10 Magic cards at the time:

1. Stroke of Genius
2. Cursed Scroll
3. Time Spiral
4. Dual Lands
5. Armageddon
6. Wrath of God
7. Mox Diamond
8. Serra Avatar
9. Living Death
10. Oath of Druids

Star Trek 1E:
Bill Chien's World Champion Star Trek Deck:
Seed Deck:
Facilities:
1 Chamber of Minister
Doorways:
1 Q's Tent
2 Space-Time Portal
1 HQ: Defensive Measures
Dilemmas:
2 Armus - Sticky Situation
1 Borg Ship Dilemma
2 Cardassian Trap
3 Common Thief
2 Dead End
6 Hippocratic Oath
1 Hologram Ruse
3 Make Us Go
1 Ooby Dooby
3 Q
1 Strict Dress Code
Q's Tent:
1 Assault Vessel
1 Dr. Soong
1 Genetronic Replicator
1 HQ: Secure Homeworld
1 Hugh
1 Intermix Ratio
1 Oof!
1 Regenerate
1 Revolving Door
1 Scorched Hand
1 The Devil
1 The Traveler: Transcendance
1 Treaty: Federation/Bajorn
Draw Deck:
1 Altovar
2 Amanda Rogers
1 Bareil Antos
1 Bajoran Interceptor
1 Dr. Soong
1 Kai Opaka
2 Kevin Uxbridge
5 Kivas Fajo
1 Mora Pol
4 Q's Tent
2 Q2
1 Regenerate
2 Revolving Door
5 Soong-Type Android
1 Shakaar Edon
1 Surmak Ren
1 The Emissary
1 The Traveler
5 Wormhole
2 Wrong Door
Missions:
1 Aid Fugitives
1 Alter Records
1 Orb Negotiations
1 Paxan Wormhole
1 Relocate Settlers
1 Wormhole Negotiations

My Thoughts: Well, this deck definitely wouldn't be legal anymore (the Dilemma amounts aren't allowed).

Star Wars CCG:
Matt Potter's World Champion Dark Side Deck:
Locations:
1 Eriadu
1 Desert
1 Forest
1 Jungle
1 Spaceport Docking Bay
1 Spaceport Prefect's Office
1 Spaceport City
1 Spaceport Street
1 Swamp
Objectives:
Imperial Occupation
Characters:
4 2X-7KPK
20 Eriadu Operatives
1 Ree-Yees
Creatures:
2 Bubo
Interrupts:
6 Abyssin Ornament
1 Control
3 Ghhhk
1 Lone Warrior
1 Moment Of Triumph
2 Monnok
1 Twi'lek Advistor
Effects:
1 3,720 to 1
1 Den of Thieves
4 Sunsdown
1 Well Guarded

My Thoughts: Using Eriadu Operatives seems like a pretty effective way to go about things- but I'm not sure how this would work in the current environment.

A series of articles outlining four basic strategies to make good decks for Star Wars was included.  I'll include these decks:
"Land-Locked"
Locations:
1 Cloud City: Lower Corridor
1 Jabba's Palace: Entrance Cavern
2 Tatooine: Cantina
1 Tatooine: Jundland Wastes
1 Tatooine: Lars' Moisture Farm
2 Tatooine: Mos Eisley
1 Tatooine: Obi-Wan's Hutt (starting)
1 Tatooine: Tosche Station
Characters:
1 Chewbacca
1 Han Persona
1 Leia Persona
1 Luke Persona
1 Obi-Wan Persona
1 Tawss Khaa
Weapons/Devices:
1 Anakin's Lightsaber
1 Bionic Hand
1 Obi-Wan's Lightsaber
Interrupts:
3 Alter
4 Control
1 Don't Tread on Me
1 Gift of the Mentor
1 Han's Back
1 Leia's Back
1 Life Debt
2 Luke's Back
3 Nabrun Leids
2 Return of A Jedi
1 Rug Hug
3 Sense
1 Skywalkers
1 Smoke Screen
2 Sorry About The Mess
1 The Force Is Strong With This One
3 The Signal
3 Tunnel Vision
1 Warrior's Courage
2 Weapon Levitation
Effects:
1 Disarmed
1 Lightsaber Proficiency
1 Mantellian Savrip
1 Traffic Control

"Spaced-Out"
Locations:
3 Clouds
1 Corulag
1 Hoth
1 Kashyyyk
1 Kessel
1 Kiffex
1 Tatooine
1 Yavin IV (starting)
Characters:
1 Admiral Ozzel
1 Danz Borin
1 Darth Vader
1 DS-61-2
1 DS-61-3
1 DS-61-4
1 Grand Moff Tarkin
1 Lieutenant Cabbel
1 Officer Evax
1 OS-72-10
Startships:
1 Avenger
1 Bossk in Hound's Tooth
1 Devastator
2 Dreadnaught-Class Heavy Cruiser
1 Obsidian 7
1 Obsidian 8
2 Obsidian Squadron TIE
1 OS-72-1 in Obsidian 1
1 OS-72-2 in Obsidian 2
2 TIE Avenger
Interrupts:
4 Control
4 Dark Maneuvers
2 Gravity Shadow
4 Tallon Roll
3 Twi'lek Advisor
Effects:
1 Imperial Decree
2 Lateral Damage
2 Presence Of The Force
1 Reactor Terminal
1 There is No Try (starting)
2 There'll Be Hell To Pay

"Swamp Drain"
Locations:
4 Clouds
1 Dagobah (starting)
1 Dagobah: Bog Clearing
1 Dagobah: Jungle
1 Dagobah: Swamp
1 Dagobah: Training Area
1 Dagobah: Yoda's Hutt
Characters:
1 Figrin D'an
3 Ithorians
1 Obi-Wan Kenobi
1 Princess Leia
1 Son Of Skywalker
2 Tibana Gas Miners
1 Yoda
Starships:
2 Rebel Leaders
5 Z-95 Headhunter
Weapons/Devices:
1 Anakin's Lightsaber
2 Landing Claw
1 Obi-Wan's Lightsaber
Interrupts:
5 Control
2 Corellian Slip
3 It Could Be Worse
1 Luke's Back
3 The Signal
4 Tunnel Vision
1 Yoda, You Seek Yoda
Effects:
1 Do, Or Do Not (starting)
3 Encampment
1 Lightsaber Proficiency
1 Reflection
2 Revolution
Jedi Test:
1 A Jedi's Strength
1 Great Warrior

"Force of Nature"
Locations:
1 Dagobah: Cave
1 Death Star
1 Jabba's Palace: Audience Chamber
1 Jabba's Palace: Droid Workshop
1 Jabba's Palace: Dungeon
1 Jabba's Palace: Entrance Cavern
1 Jabba's Palace: Rancor Pit
1 Tatooine: Jabba's Palace (starting)
Characters:
1 Bane Malar
1 Boba Fett
1 Djas Phur
5 Eg-6
2 EV-9D9
2 Gailid
3 Gamorrean Guard
1 Jabba the Hutt
2 M'iiyoom Onith
1 Prophetess
1 Zuckuss
Interrupts:
5 A Dangerous Time
3 Monnok
6 Scanning Crew
2 Surprise
4 Twi'lek Advisor
5 Voyeur
Effects:
1 Broken Concentration
1 Expand the Empire (starting)
2 Presence Of The Force
1 Reactor Terminal
1 Resistance
1 Scum and Villainy

Ten Best CCGs of All Time:
I love top ten lists!  This one is is about the top ten by quality

1. Magic: The Gathering
2. Deadlands: Doomtown
3. Legend of the Five Rings
4. Star Wars CCG
5. Middle-Earth
6. Mythos
7. Babylon 5
8. Netrunner
9. Vampire: The Eternal Struggle
10. Kult

My Thoughts: I've never played Kult or Mythos, but some day I will. Many of these are still around in some form.  MTG is doing quite well.  Doomtown, L5R, and Netrunner are (or will be) around as LCGs/ECGs.  Star Wars and Vampire have active player committees.

Top Ten CCGs:

1. Magic: The Gathering
2. Star Wars CCG
3. Legend of the Five Rings
4. Star Trek CCG
5. Battletech
6. Babylon 5 CCG
7. Doomtown
8. Aliens/Predator
9. Rage
10. Highlander

Final Thoughts:
Lots of good stuff in this issue.  A great mix of CCGs, decks for a variety of games.  Just a good all-around read

Back Issues: Inquest Gamer 95

This issue was released in March 2003

Magic: The Gathering:

A few Onslaught Block Decks were included, copied here for posterity.

Alarming Development:
2 Dermoplasm
4 Quicksilver Dragon
4 Willbender
4 Chain of Vapor
4 Read the Runes
4 Imperial Hellkite
1 Rorix Bladewing
4 Skirk Alarmist
4 Shock
4 Starstorm
1 Words of War
11 Island
13 Mountain

Dragons!  Dragons everywhere!

Pitchers' Duel:
4 Festering Goblin
4 Graveborn Muse
4 Hollow Specter
4 Blackmail
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Duress
4 Smother
2 Lavaborn Muse
3 Chain of Plasma
4 Shock
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Mountain
15 Swamp

Discard control.  This is one of my favorite styles of deck, but I wasn't playing during this time, sadly :(.

Crank Callers:
4 Caller of the Claw
4 Catapult Squad
4 Deftblade Elite
4 Exalted Angel
4 Gustcloak Runner
4 Longbow Archer
4 Whipcorder
4 Shared Triumph
4 Wrath of God
4 Forest
16 Plains
4 Windswept Heath

Ooooh, interesting.  So White Weenie... then board wipe into Caller of the Claw for MORE Swarm.  I like it!

How about an Extended (at the time) deck?

Rock On:
4 Cabal Therapy
1 Chainer's Edict
4 Diabolic Edict
4 Duress
4 Vampiric Tutor
2 Spiritmonger
4 Pernicious Deed
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Yavimaya Elder
1 Living Wish
1 Naturalize
1 Dust Bowl
7 Forest
4 Llanowar Wastes
7 Swamp
4 Treetop Village

Green/Black Control?  Weird.

Cheap Extended Deck: Sligh-t of Hand:
4 Goblin Cadets
2 Goblin Grappler
2 Goblin Lackey
4 Jackal Pup
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Mogg Flunkies
4 Raging Goblin
4 Lava Dart
4 Reckless Charge
4 Shock
4 Fire/Ice
20 Mountain

Straight up Sligh for very little cost.  Even a few moderate cost rares would add some improvement.

Legacy's Aluren:
1 Maggot Carrier
3 Cabal Therapy
4 Vampiric Tutor
3 Raven Familiar
4 Brainstorm
3 Intuition
3 Cavern Harpy
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Wirewood Savage
4 Aluren
4 Living Wish
1 Soul Warden
3 City of Brass
3 Forest
1 Grand Coliseum
4 Hickory Woodlot
3 Island
4 Polluted Delta
1 Swamp
4 Yavimaya Coast

Use Cavern Harpy + Aluren + Wirewood Savage to ensure you have card draw, then Soul Warden + Maggot Carrier to kill the opponent and keep you alive.  Pretty nifty.

Cheap Extended Deck #2: Draco Explosion
3 Draco
4 Accumulated Knowledge
4 Brainstorm
4 Careful Study
4 Frantic Search
4 Mystical Tutor
4 Erratic Explosion
4 Sonic Burst
4 Fire/Ice
13 Island
12 Mountain

Use Draco + Brainstorm + Erratic Explosion to kill your opponent.  Nasty

Blessed Aurators:
4 Frantic Search
2 Stroke of Genius
3 Argothian Enchantress
1 Ancestral Mask
3 Eladamri's Vineyard
4 Enchantress's Presence
4 Exploration
4 Fertile Ground
1 Krosan Reclamation
4 Living Wish
1 Rancor
4 Wild Growth
1 Auratog
1 Seal of Cleansing
1 Solitary Confinement
1 Adarkar Wastes
1 Brushland
11 Forest
3 Island
2 Serra's Sanctum
4 Yavimaya Coast

Either kill with a big trampling Auratog, or deck them with a Stroke of Genius.

Cheap Extended Deck #3: Madness Revisited
2 Aquamoeba
2 Wonder
4 Careful Study
4 Circular Logic
3 Daze
2 Foil
2 Gush
2 Thwart
4 Arrogant Wurm
4 Basking Rootwalla
4 Wild Mongrel
3 Roar of the Wurm
10 Forest
13 Island

Get some big things out, get Wonder in the graveyard, win.

Bug Zapper:
4 Nantuko Husk
4 Phyrexian Ghoul
1 Phyrexian Plaguelord
3 Vampiric Tutor
1 Confiscate
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Llanowar Elves
1 Symbiotic Wurm
4 Wall of Blossoms
4 Pattern of Rebirth
1 Saproling Burst
1 Pandemonium
4 Academy Rector
1 Seal of Cleansing
4 Brushland
3 Caves of Koilos
4 City of Brass
6 Forest
4 Llanowar Wastes
1 Phyrexian Tower
1 Swamp

Ghoul/Husk eats something with Pattern of Rebirth on it, grabs Symbiotic Wurm, eats it, eats the insects, attacks and kills.  Easy as can be.

Top 10 Magic Cards at the time:

1. Grinning Demon
2. Onslaught Fetch Lands
3. Blistering Firecat
4. Birds of Paradise
5. Shadowmage Infiltrator
6. Nantuko Shade
7. Force of Will
8. Mobilization
9. Call of the Herd
10. Exalted Angel

Top Ten CCGs:

1. Yu-Gi-Oh!
2. Magic: The Gathering
3. Pokemon
4. Lord of the Rings CCG
5. Legend of the Five Rings
6. Star Trek CCG: Second Edition
7. Dragon Ball Z CCG
8. WWE Raw Deal
9. Warlord CCG
10. MLB Showdown

My own thoughts: I really need to buy some starters for WWE Raw Deal, Warlord, and MLB Showdown.  I've not played any of them, and they seem pretty well liked.  Yu-Gi-Oh! is another one I've never played, but I don't see myself getting into it, I admit.

Yu-Gi-Oh!:
"The Metal Raiders" Deck

Monsters:
3 Barrel Dragon
2 Cannon Soldier
1 Cyber Jar
1 Jinzo
2 Jinzo #7
1 Magician of Faith
3 Mechanical Chaser
2 Overdrive
2 Witch of Black Forest

Magic:
3 Axe of Despair
1 Card Destruction
1 Change of Heart
1 Dark Hole
2 Heavy Storm
1 Limiter Removal
1 Monster Reborn
2 Mystic Plasma Zone
1 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Painful Choice
1 Pot of Greed
1 Premature Burial
1 Raigeki
1 Swords of Revealing Light

Traps:
1 Call of The Haunted
1 Imperial Order
1 Magic Jammer
1 Mirror Force
1 Solemn Judgment

My own thoughts: Normally, I wouldn't include Yu-Gi-Oh decks, because the game is still pretty active, and I think it has rotation and plenty of fan sites to cover it.  Also, I know next to nothing about the game.  However, this issue doesn't have a lot of non-Magic going on, so I figured I'd put whatever I could in this article.

Final Thoughts:
Yes, pretty light on the CCG stuff in this issue.  This issue had a lot of coverage of Extended (Type 1.5, I believe) tournaments, what decks to bring, what the best cards were in the format, things like that.  Since I really feel like this is knowledge no one needs, I didn't bother putting it up here.  They also have a lot of coverage of the Legions expansion for Magic.  There's also a lot of coverage of Collectible Miniatures Games, which is outside the scope of my little blog.  Funny enough, many of the cards they are excited about using are about to see a reprint in Eternal Masters.  I feel old :(.

Finally, the magazine ends with some cards from a 'What If?' Buffy the Vampire Slayer expansion for Magic. 

Back Issues: Inquest Gamer 101

This issue released in September 2003.

Dragon Ball Z:
"Energy Empowered Piccolo" Deck
Note- this game has since been re-printed, but some people still do play with the old cards, so I'll include the deck here on the chance someone is interested.

Main Personality:
Piccolo, the Trained (Level 1)
Piccolo, the Mentor (Level 2)
Piccolo, Earth's Protector (Level 3)

Orange Style Mastery (Cell Saga)
South Kai Sensei

Sensei Deck:
3 Breakthrough Drill
HUH???

Physical Combat:
3 Gohan's Kick
3 Hidden Power Level
1 Nappa's Physical Resistance
3 Orange Car Push
1 Vegeta's Physical Stance

Energy Combat:
3 Krillin's Solar Flare
1 Nappa's Energy Aura
3 Orange 5-Finger Focus
3 Orange Energy Discharge
3 Orange Energy Setup
3 Orange Mouth Shot
3 Orange Sneak Attack
3 Orange Stare Down
3 Orange Trick Shot
3 Tien's Tri-Beam
3 Vegeta's Jolting Slash
3 Yamcha's Skillfull Defense

Allies:
1 Android 14

Combat:
3 Brothers in Training
1 Goku's Dragon Ball Quest
1 Super Saiyan Effect
1 Time Is A Warrior's Tool
3 Trunks Energy Sphere

Non-Combat:
3 Android 20 Absorbing Drill
3 Energy Empowerment Drill
1 Expectant Trunks
1 Frieza is Ready
1 Orange Destruction Drill
2 Orange Focusing Drill
1 Orange Lifting Drill
3 Tien's Mental Conditioning

Dragon Ball:
1 Dende Dragon Ball 1
1 Dende Dragon Ball 2
1 Dende Dragon Ball 3
1 Dende Dragon Ball 4
1 Dende Dragon Ball 5
1 Dende Dragon Ball 6
1 Dende Dragon Ball 7

Battleground/Location:
2 Winter Countryside
1 Z Sword Plateau

My own thoughts: A deck like this wouldn't be legal now, I think- how are all these Named cards in the deck? Must have been a different world back then.

Legend of the Five Rings:
"Crane on the Brain" Deck

Stronghold:
Kosaten Shiro/Tsudao

Dynasty:
1 Imperial Gift
1 Welcome Home

2 Campsite

1 Daidoji Rekai (Exp. 2)
3 Doji Okakura
1 Doji Reju (Exp. 2)
3 Doji Kurohito
1 Doji Kurohito (Exp.)
3 Doji Yasuyo
1 Kakita Rensei
1 Konetsu
3 Yasuki Hachi
1 Yasuki Hachi (Exp.)

1 Gifts and Favors
3 Hiruma Dojo
3 Jade Works
3 Market Place
2 Poorly Placed Garden
2 Sanctified Temple
1 Shrine Of The Sun
3 Silk Works

Fate:
1 Ring of Earth
1 Ring of the Void

1 Blade of Truths
1 Celestial Sword of the Crane
1 Imperial Standard

1 Doji House Guard
1 Empress' Guard

3 Block Supply Lines
2 Corruption's Price
3 Deeds, Not Words
3 Flattery
2 For the Empire
3 Iaijutsu Duel
2 Imperial Edicts
3 In Search of the Future
2 Outmaneuvered By Force
3 Overwhelmed
2 Return For Training
2 Superior Tactics
3 To Do What We Must

My own thoughts: This looks to be a deck legal in the Four Winds environment, although I think this would still be legal and play correctly in the current Fortress of the Obsidian Hand Legacy rules.  Also, seeing Yasuki in a Crane deck brings me back.  Ahh, the good old days.

Lord of the Rings TCG:
A deck based around Ents!

Starting Fellowship:
1 Frodo, Courteous Halfling
1 The One Ring, The Ruling Ring
1 Merry, Learned Guide
1 Pippin, Wooly-Footed Rascal
1 Quickbeam, Bregalad

Free Peoples:
2 Birchseed, Tall Statesman
1 Ent Horde
4 Ent Moot
4 Forest Guardian
3 Hobbit Sword
2 Host of Fangorn
2 Long Slow Wrath
2 Mind Your Own Affairs
4 Roused
2 Severed His Bonds
1 Treebeard, Earthborn

Shadow:
2 Arrow From the South
2 Desert Spearman
4 Elite Archer
4 Mumak
3 On The March
4 Southron Bowman
2 Southron Invaders
3 Southron Traveler
3 Southron Wanderer
3 Whirling Strike

Adventure Deck:
Western Emyn Muil
Fangorn Forest
Golden Hall
White Rocks
Helm's Gate
Hornburg Armory
Cavern Entrance
Nan Curunir
Saruman's Laboratory

My own thoughts: I really need to play this game.  I have an opponent lined up, so maybe after playing some games I can throw this together.

Magic: The Gathering:
This issue included a ranking of all the sets from Alpha/Beta/Unlimited up through Eighth Edition, all rated on a 1-5 scale.  The fives were Alpha/Beta/Unlimited and Arabian Nights.  The ones?  The Dark, Chronicles, Homelands, Fifth Edition, and Weatherlight.

Killer Deck: Grave Robbers
4 Doomed Necromancer
1 Undead Gladiator
1 Visara, the Dreadful
3 Buried Alive
4 Duress
3 Entomb
3 Innocent Blood
4 Smother
2 Stitch Together
3 Zombify
1 Arcanis, the Omnipotent
1 Phantom Nishoba
1 Anger
4 Burning Wish
4 Barren Moor
4 Bloodstained Mire
7 Mountain
10 Swamp
Wishboard:
1 Aven Cloudchaser
1 Buried Alive
3 Cabal Therapy
1 Chainer's Edict
1 Demolish
1 Haunting Echoes
3 Recoup
1 Sickening Dreams
1 Symbiotic Wurm
1 Zombify

Apparently this placed 2nd at the German Nationals one year.  Drop stuff into the Graveyard, cheat it into play, win.

Cheap Magic Deck: Forest Fire
4 Birchlore Rangers
4 Bloodline Shaman
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Seeker of Skybreak
1 Taunting Elf
4 Timberwatch Elf
4 Wellwisher
4 Wirewood Herald
4 Wirewood Hivemaster
3 Wirewood Symbiote
4 Wirewood Pride
16 Forest
4 Wirewood Lodge

Throw out elves, beat down.  Seems easy enough.

"Turning Trash Into Treasure": Risky Move
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Explosive Vegetation
3 Fertile Ground
4 Moment's Peace
4 Squirrel Nest
2 Arcane Teachings
4 Firebolt
3 Risky Move
4 Shock
4 Spark Spray
9 Forest
4 Forgotten Cave
7 Mountain
4 Tranquil Thicket

Top 10 Magic Cards at the time:

1. Sliver Overlord
2. Forgotten Ancient
3. Eternal Dragon
4. Birds of Paradise
5. Stifle
6. Force of Will
7. Sliver Queen
8. Akroma, Angel of Wrath
9. Call to the Grave
10. Raven Guild Master

Top Ten CCGs:

1. Yu-Gi-Oh!
2. Magic: The Gathering
3. Lord of the Rings
4. Legend of the Five Rings
5. Pokemon
6. Dragon Ball Z CCG
7. WWE Raw Deal
8. Vampire: The Eternal Struggle
9. Warlord
10. Warcry

Final Thoughts:
This issue was focused a bunch on the new version of Mage Knight coming out, as well as the release of the 8th Edition set for Magic, but we still got a few decks for other games, as well as the typical things you'd come to expect from Inquest- random humor, news, price guides, etc.