TEPPEN: Zero, Maverick Hunter Guide

Hello everyone, it is iowa. My favorite greeting yet again for my online guides and articles. Zero from Mega Man X has arrived to TEPPEN as its 12th playable Hero. Myself and GamePress bring you this amazing guide with 7 decklists so that you can enhance your gameplay.

Allow me to introduce myself! On one lucky day scrolling through my Facebook timeline, I saw an ad for TEPPEN featuring my favorite characters Ryu and X. I just had to download the game, to my surprise, it was a real-time strategy card game and card games are my background!

Since the launch of TEPPEN, I have risen to admin the r/TEPPEN subreddit and Discord server. I write guides/meta snapshots, stream on Twitch, organize community events, and play TEPPEN competitively. 

I am known for specializing in “Big Resonate,” amongst playing and testing a variety of decks to enhance and improve my content for the community. Thus the arrival of the new purple Hero, Zero, is featured here. This will be one of my best guides yet, because I specialize in the color purple.

Zero joins the fray as TEPPEN’s 12th Hero to the roster. Zero is a purple Hero and comes with 3 of his own unique Hero Arts offering different playstyles.

Purple represents stealth and disruption. Access to negates, controlling time, and stealth status effects are at your fingertips when playing purple. You are a purple player if you like to have tricks up your sleeve to deny your opponent and win games with unblockable win conditions.

TEPPEN’s variety of cards and Hero Art system allows purple Heroes to play various playstyles. Some main archetypes you will be familiarized with from this guide are, “4s” (disruption), “Big Resonate” (stealth and disruption), “PB Aggro” (stealth), and “Exodia”.

Zero comes with 3 new Hero Arts specific to him. Hero Arts are abilities used to push advantage or change the tide of battle.

Hero Art #1 Fight Against Inner Demons

• Add a "Maverick" or "Maverick Hunter" randomly to the EX Pocket.

Fight Against Inner Demons combines the duality of reinforcing your allies and destroying your opponent’s unit.

This ability is similar to Devil May Cry V’s Nero, Hero Art “Hey Nico!”, where activating will randomly add a strong action card in your hand. 

"Maverick" destroys a random 6MP or less unit for 1MP. The random inclusion makes this destroy ability workaround <Veil> where a unit cannot be targeted. Destroying a 6MP unit is strong, most decks do not play units over the cost of 6. 

"Maverick Hunter" gives a large stat +2/+4 bonus to any friendly unit for 1MP. Purple did not have any ways to buff their units' attack or health, until now! This is a very powerful ability that gives support to unit cards that would only be stronger if their stats could be buffed.

Street Fighter's Oro is a great example. Oro only takes 1 damage when trading damage and gains +1 attack after <Ascended>. Maverick Hunter will allow Oro to take 4 more hits and deal 5 damage on trade!

Hero Art #2 Rakuhouha

• Deals 4 damage split among enemy units.
• Deals 7 damage split among enemy units instead. ＜Memory＞: 4
• Deals 12 damage split among enemy units instead. ＜Memory＞: 10

This ability introduces a new keyword <Memory>. Memory upgrades the ability by counting how many actions were played during the battle. This gives Zero a way to scale his board control ability, much like Monster Hunter’s Nergigante “Spike Launch.”

Hero Art #3 Tenkuuha

• Gives a friendly unit +2 Attack (effective for 1 attack) and ＜Combo＞ (effective for 1 attack.)

Tenkuuha gives a unit a devastating boost to an ally that that later becomes massive damage to an enemy unit or opponent’s health.

The following decklists are not a true reflection of all potential decks available to Zero. TEPPEN has a large card pool allowing memes to exist. The 7 decklists here are the more streamlined playstyles.

Competitive budget decks will be at the bottom of “Disciplines of Zero.”

The decks featured are:

1. 4s
2. Big Resonate
3. PB Aggro
4. Full Control Exodia
5. Weakness
6. Budget 3s - Beginner
7. Budget 4s - Intermediate

4s focuses on abusing [Beltway] and [Four Eyes] where their abilities only trigger when there is a friendly purple unit that has the MP cost of 4, hence the namesake “4s.” This discipline is designed to play your set of units to interact with your opponent’s board. Generally the value in this deck does not come from the stats of our units, but comes from the neat tricks we can do to disrupt our opponent.

Demonic Intimidation

• Returns an enemy unit that costs 4 MP or less to the EX Pocket.

[Demonic Intimidation] is one of the best removal options for purple. Generally you use [Demonic Intimidation] on cards that you will have trouble dealing with otherwise. Proactively using [Demonic Intimidation] to keep your opponent behind is very strong.

Paolumu

• <Flight>
• <Ascended>: Gains <Agility> and Halt the unit in front for 13 seconds.

Ascended units bring great value allowing you to continue playing unit cards on to the board even if you have 3 units. [Paolumu] acts as a quick unblockable threat and control card when ascended. With Zero's "Fight Against Innter Demons" Hero Art, Zero can use [Maverick Hunter] to buff [Paolumu] turning damage rounds from 2 damage to 6 damage.

Four Eyes

• When played: If a friendly purple unit with an MP cost of 4 other than this unit is present, seize control of of a random enemy unit with 3 HP or fewer.

[Four Eyes] is a strong card that 4s has access to. The ability to steal any opponent unit by lowering the enemy unit's health can lead into many instant surrender situations. However, getting steals alone is very powerful. With [Four Eyes], 4s players can calculate the damage they can deal and set up steals to disrupt the opponent.

Oro

• <Ascended>: +1 Attack and gains "Reduce any damage taken to 1."

[Maverick Hunter] will boost [Oro] into a 5 attack, 8 health unit. This means that [Oro] will deal 5 damage on trade and can take hits 8 times before dying.

The goal for this deck is to control your opponent and deplete their life to 0 with chip damage. It is a little more difficult to do with this playstyle because this decklist plays fair compared to what other decks can do. This deck is ideal for players that want to have the feel of playing a fair deck in TEPPEN.

Big Resonate is a really expensive deck to make and promotes playing a unit that imposes a large threat to your opponent due to it’s powerful “resonate” ability. The win condition is secured by controlling your opponent’s answers to your threat with negates or halts. 

Crystal Hunter

• Inflict Halt on an enemy unit for 5 seconds.

Halt is a status effect that resets the enemy attack line, stops it for moving for X amount of seconds, and when the unit is attacked while halted, will still take damage but will not do any counter damage. For Big Resonate, the purpose of Halt cards is to first, protect our big unit threat. It is important to make note that you can reset enemy attack lines, waiting for the last second to use halts before the enemy attack resolves is the best use of Halt.

Hookshot

• Gives <flight> to a unit.

Flight is an ability for units where when their attack line finishes, if there is not a flying unit in front of the flying unit. The flying unit will deal direct damage to the opponent's life. This is how we deal direct damage to the opponent and limit interaction

Hsien-Ko

• Resonate: Gain +2/+2.

[Hsien-Ko] is one of many threats in the deck, but what I believe to be the main threat. The most important aspect to [Hsien-Ko] is that she is a 7 cost threat, which will allow her to dodge a lot of MP specific removal. By having resonate: +2/+2 [Hsien-Ko] stats increases by playing spells, turning her into a big problem for the opponent. Combined with flight and halts to protect [Hsien-Ko], the opponent will be at a loss on what to do.

The trick to winning with this deck is managing your resources finely to push a threat, control your opponent’s plays, and using time and MP to your advantage. Generally, you must be okay with taking life damage early game, wait until full 10 MP at the beginning to save MP and scale/protect your threat. This deck only focuses on one lane and only cares about the other 2 lanes when our life is almost at 0. At face value, players that like playing decks that push one big threat to win the game for them will enjoy Big Resonate.

There are many variations to building a meme or aggressive deck with Zero. PB Aggro uses purple and black, this is the only dual color deck in the guide. Dual color decks come with a catch, while you are able to play 2 colors and mix cards to be played. The max MP available cuts from 10 to 5, meaning cards playable in your deck are 5MP and under. The goal of the deck is to be aggressive as possible and deplete the opponent’s life total to 0.

Crystal Hunter

• Inflict Halt on an enemy unit for 5 seconds.

Halt is a status effect that resets the enemy attack line, stops it for moving for X amount of seconds, and when the unit is attacked while halted, will still take damage but will not do any counter damage. It is important to make note that you can reset enemy attack lines, waiting for the last second to use halts before the enemy attack resolves is the best use of Halt.

Pyrobat

• <Flight>

This card just represents a lot of damage and has flight. Flight makes a unit unblockable if the enemy unit in front does not have flight. It is important to note that this card will most likely only deal damage when it's played in an empty lane. If this card is played in a lane where the opponent already has a unit. The opponent's unit attack line will resolve first and fight the [Pyrobat], most likely killing [Pyrobat]. However, [Pyrobat] can still be played in an occupied lane, [Pyrobat] just needs help with a Halt card from our deck to protect the [Pyrobat].

Kecha Wacha

• <Growth>: 3
• Lv.2: Gains <Flight>.
• Lv.3: Inflicts Halt on a random enemy unit for 13 seconds.

Growth is a mechanic where the particular unit has abilities but will only trigger when allies enter the field giving "growth points" equal to the amount of MP spent for that unit. [Kecha Wacha] is normally the highest priority card to play on the field, because it does not have flight inherently, but can be given flight by playing any unit in this deck. By the time [Kecha Wacha]'s attack line is about to resolve for it's first hit, you should have 3 MP to play a new unit to give [Kecha Wacha] flight. Notable that attack lines are 10 seconds, and 10 seconds generate 3 MP.

Paolumu

• <Flight>
• <Ascended>: Gains <Agility> and Halt the unit in front for 13 seconds.

Ascended units bring great value allowing you to continue playing unit cards on to the board even if you have 3 units. [Paolumu] acts as a quick unblockable threat and control card when ascended.

Psycho Power

• Sacrifice 3 Life.
• Gives a friendly unit +2/+2.

The whole reason for playing black as a dual color. [Psycho Power] is one of very few cards that acts as reinforcing defense on a unit as well as increasing damage output.

The deck presents strong flying units to deal large amounts of damage. If you’re looking for an aggressive deck that either wins or loses, this is the one.

[X Hunters] is a new card to TEPPEN, with a lot of flavor and an interesting ability, I had to play this card. On the first day I made a full control deck revolved around [X Hunters] and accidentally found a OHK, one-hit kill combo. This deck plays a very slow game and is focused to deny your opponent from being able to play their cards. The ultimate goal is to reach 15 memory, and then play [X Hunters] with [Ceasefire] and having a [Maverick’s Memories] in hand. With this, you are dealing 24 damage, your opponent cannot play units for 10 seconds, and any action they play is negated. Hence the namesake, Exodia, your opponent cannot interact with this combo.

Ceasefire

• Lock all empty board slots for 10 seconds.

This card is used after [X Hunters] and Rakuhouha to complete the Exodia combo. Rakuhouha clears the enemy board. By playing this after [X Hunters] and Rakuhouha, your opponent cannot play units for 10 seconds.

Maverick's Memories

• Destroys a friendly unit and negates an Action Card with an MP cost of 5 or less
• <Memory>: 10
• Negates an Action Card without destroying a friendly unit instead.

This card is very efficient to protecting our combo. At 10 Memory, this card can negate any action in the game. We sculpt our Exodia combo with this card, and keep this card to negate any Action that would interrupt our Exodia combo.

X Hunters

• Places a Cruel Mind Serges into one of your empty board slots.
• <Memory>: 10
• Additionally, places a Dark Blade Agile and a Wrecking Ball Violen onto the field.
• <Memory>: 15
• Additionally, gives all friendly units +2/+2.

This card gives us 3 units. Rakuhouha clears the enemy board. [Ceasefire] locks the enemy board. [Maverick's Memories] negates any action the opponent could play. With all of these pieces to Exodia, the combo deals 24 damage to the opponent with Memory 15. At Memory 10, the combo deals 12 damage. Ideally you want Memory 15.

This deck is expensive to make as it is difficult to pilot. The most important tip to piloting this deck is to not overflow cards in the EX Pocket. Cards that go into the EX Pocket when the EX Pocket is full, go to the graveyard. The longevity of this deck being relevant and strong is a high chance of staying as this season meta’s tier 1. There are many ways to build this archetype, changing it’s aggressiveness and speed. The decklist here is a full control deck and cycles fast.

Here's what Exodia looks like.

A new archetype to purple, this deck excels in controlling the board as well as keeping a strong amount of pressure on the opponent at the same time. By weakening the opponent’s attack, we can make one sided trades and gain access to very cheap removal.

Weakness

• Inflicts an enemy unit with -3 Attack (effective for 1 attack).

The deck generates Weakness into the EX Pocket by using other cards. This is an effective way to neutralize enemies.

Deadly Traps

• Returns an enemy unit with 1 or less Attack to to the EX pocket.

Deadly Traps is cost efficient removal. Combined with [Weakness], this card will always have a target to bounce.

New Generation Reploids

• Randomly selects one card from all of the cards you obtained with Explore during this battle and puts it in the EX Pocket.

This card is for generating [Weakness] as long as you have Explored for Weakness at least once, you will get a copy of [Weakness] from this card. This card is also great for being able to generate Memory for Rakuhouha and can be used as a lead in for [Skulduggery].

Kolin

• When played: Explore for Weakness.

One of the new cards from Haunted by Memories. [Kolin] is seeing a lot of play because she generates [Weakness]. Being very MP efficient, [Kolin] is a core card to this deck.

Demonic Intimidation

• Returns an enemy unit that costs 4 MP or less to the EX Pocket.

[Demonic Intimidation] is one of the best removal options for purple. Generally you use [Demonic Intimidation] on cards that you will have trouble dealing with otherwise. Proactively using [Demonic Intimidation] to keep your opponent behind is very strong.

Skulduggery

• If Active Response count is 3 or higher, returns an enemy unit to their EX Pocket.

A card that is seeing more play due to more players using Actions. [Skulduggery] is able to bounce any enemy unit as long as it is the second Action you have played during that "Active Response" phase. This is why [Weakness] and [New Generation Reploids] are great cards to use to start the "Active Response" phase.

Metal Shark Player & Necro-Centipede

Metal Shark Player

• <Memory>: 2
• Places one Necro-Centipede onto the field.

Necro-Centipede

• Resonate: Gives +1/+1 to a random friendly unit other than itself.

This dynamic duo is quickly seeing a lot of play for their synergy in Memory and Action heavy decks. By playing [Metal Shark Player] when you have Memory 2, you will have a lot of value on the board for your opponent to deal with.

This deck is a new concept, in it’s own way it is strong and becomes a counter to many decks. This would be purple’s answer to a lot of oppressive “tier 1” decks.

Last season solidified a “3s” archetype, adding in more cards that were 3MP cost and contain strong synergy amongst other 3MP cards from previous expansions. This deck presents an easy to learn and steady playstyle as TEPPEN was intended to play. This deck is strong enough to reach to Champion rank with.

Demonic Intimidation

• Returns an enemy unit that costs 4 MP or less to the EX Pocket.

[Demonic Intimidation] is one of the best removal options for purple. Generally you use [Demonic Intimidation] on cards that you will have trouble dealing with otherwise. Proactively using [Demonic Intimidation] to keep your opponent behind is very strong.

Qliphoth Roots

• <Growth>: 3
• Lv.2: Deals damage equivalent to own Attack to a random enemy unit. Your Hero gains Life equal to the damage dealt.

Growth is a mechanic where the unit has abilities that trigger when allies enter the board. The growth requirement is 3 to level up, when a unit with MP cost of 3 or more is played, it will grant growth points equal to the MP cost of the card played. [Qliphoth Roots] acts as a standard unit, deals 2 damage, and heals for 2.

Dhalsim

• <Growth>: 3
• Lv.2: Deals 1 damage to a random enemy unit.
• Lv.3: Deals 3 damage to a random enemy unit.

[Dhalsim] has the same plan as [Qliphoth Roots], [Dhalsim] just has two separate growth triggers and deals more damage.

Paolumu

• <Flight>
• <Ascended>: Gains <Agility> and Halt the unit in front for 13 seconds.

Ascended units bring great value allowing you to continue playing unit cards on to the board even if you have 3 units. [Paolumu] acts as a quick unblockable threat and control card when ascended. With Zero's "Fight Against Innter Demons" Hero Art, Zero can use [Maverick Hunter] to buff [Paolumu] turning damage rounds from 2 damage to 6 damage.

Oro

• <Ascended>: +1 Attack and gains "Reduce any damage taken to 1."

[Maverick Hunter] will boost [Oro] into a 5 attack, 8 health unit. This means that [Oro] will deal 5 damage on trade and can take hits 8 times before dying.

Zero

• Resonate: Gains <Combo>.

Players will receive 3 copies of [Zero] to use in their collection when their Hero level for [Zero] reaches level 8 by playing [Zero] and gaining XP. [Zero] is a very cost efficient threat, hands down one of the best purple threats that you get for free in TEPPEN. [Zero] gains combo permanently when on the field and triggering his resonate ability, meaning that when [Zero] attacks, he deals double his damage. Like [Paolumu], [Zero] can gain stats from "Fight Against Inner Demons" and increase his damage out put because of combo drastically. Instead of 4 damage, [Zero] deals 8 with one stat buff from [Maverick Hunter]. [Hookshot] is in the deck specifically for [Zero], so that [Zero] can deal damage to the enemy's life total directly.

Budget 4s - Intermediate Upgrade

The trick to this deck is being able to manage your units while using the removal options in the deck to deny your opponent. Compared to the 3's deck list, this deck has more options to snowball the opponent after gaining the lead. Intricate plays with [Four Eyes] make this deck harder to pick up.

Four Eyes

• When played: If a friendly purple unit with an MP cost of 4 other than this unit is present, seize control of of a random enemy unit with 3 HP or fewer.

[Four Eyes] is a strong card that 4s has access to. The ability to steal any opponent unit by lowering the enemy unit's health can lead into many instant surrender situations. However, getting steals alone is very powerful. With [Four Eyes], 4s players can calculate the damage they can deal and set up steals to disrupt the opponent.

u/Flamefury has two Reddit guides

• A review over each Hero Art here.
• TEPPEN Gameplay concepts here.

Joker’s TEPPEN Progression Rewards here.

Gotians Games’ TEPPEN Reap and Craft Guide here.

TEPPEN Fan editted Wiki includes cards and glossary here.

TEPPEN Beginner’s Guide here.

TEPPEN is a mobile digital card game that features Capcom characters and is a collaboration between Capcom and GungHo Online Entertainment. TEPPEN introduces a new genre, Ultimate Card Battle, combining digital card games with real time strategy. TEPPEN can be downloaded in the iOS, Android or the Amazon app store.