STARTING HANDSIZE:  10

SUPERSTAR   VALUE:   3

SUPERSTAR ABILITY:  None, isn't the starting hand size enough! He is "The Game" after all!

STEPHANIE INTERFERES
Reversal: Special
Reverse any type of maneuver and ends your opponent's turn.
If played from your hand, draw 2 cards.
You cannot have Stephanie Interferes and Chyna Interferes in the same Arsenal.
F: 5  D: 1
(Foil: Survivor Series)   Unique

V.K.M.'s PATENTED BIG GULP
Action / Reversal: Special
Cannot be played by The Rock.
Can only be played if your Fortitude Rating is less than your opponent's Fortitude Rating.
As an Action, count the number of cards in your hand and discard them all. Then shuffle an equal number of cards discarded from your Ringside pile back into your Arsenal.
As a Reversal, if played from your hand reverse any type of maneuver, discard your hand. End opponent's turn.
F: 3  D: 0
(Rare: Mania)

In The Ring:  Triple H has been called 'The Cerebral Assassin' with good reason - when he comes to the ring, he is often more prepared than anyone for the match, able to deal with opposing styles as well as dishing out various attacks - and he does it all without need special tricks, or gimmicks.

In The Game:  There is no special ability for Triple H in Raw Deal.  Instead, he has the highest unmodified hand size in the game - he draws 10 cards!

Using All Foils/Uniques:  The Pedigree, Triple H's Trademark Finisher, is about standard, and the additional effects are negligible - if anything, the reversal ability leaves the card more open to removal from a Commission-er Rules!  Despite its requirement, Leaping Knee To The Face is a devastating unreversible maneuver, especially when followed by a card like Suicide Plancha or Quick Count Ref!  Triple H's Reverse Neck Breaker is a good card both as a maneuver and a reversal, and while Sledge Hammer Shot may seem very difficult to get into play, if set up correctly, it can be a game winner.  I Am The Game can be good for card advantage, not to mention as a small booster for damage (for Leaping Knee?); It's Time To Play The Game is so impressive by being both effective and flexible.  Use I've Got Two Words For Ya wisely, and it can change the game drastically for you, either in terms of Fortitude or handsize.  Undeniably, Triple H's strongest cards are his reversals: while Facebuster is severely limited; Cause I Am... That... Damn... Good! is very strong (moreso when played from hand); Flip Over The Corner Ringpost is a great reversal (since it reverses the Set-Up card itself!) with an awesome recycling function; and some would say Chyna Interferes is the best foil reversal in Raw Deal! However, the card that undisputedly puts HHH back on the map is Cerebral Assassin, making discard strategies questionable against him, and giving a huge bonus even if they do remove the card!

Using Some/No Foils/Uniques:  As with most decks, the Trademark Finisher can be left out, as can the cards Leaping Knee and Sledge Hammer Shot is the requirements aren't to your liking.  Neck Breaker is also optional, though it is a handy Strike reversal.  If you're planning a low-Fortitude deck, you can choose not to use Two Words if need be, but in most decks, I Am The Game and Play The Game are keepers, even if just for the optional effects.  In my opinion, Facebuster should only be in your deck if Irish Whip cards become a problem in your area, but Chyna Interferes should always be in your deck, as should That Damn Good and Flip Over, whenever possible. But without a doubt, Cerebral Assassin should be used by any deck strategy, as it can give great benefits even if triggered accidentally, or removed from play!

Deck Ideas: One of the benefits of having no Superstar Ability but a large Starting Handsize is it provides a strong asset in the beginning, without having to work to coordinate around a Superstar Ability!  This means Triple H can use just about any deck type, from low-F control to an aggressive High Risk deck, especially the latter since an Irish Whip/Leaping Knee combo can lead easily into Suicide Plancha, Announcer's Table, or Drive Opponent!  But certainly a major focal point would be Cerebral Assassin - since nearly all his foils let you draw a card, you'll quickly regain cards as needed; will you utilize cards like Sustained Damage and Half Hour Suplex to rid yourself of what you don't need, keeping just 3-4 cards to finish off your opponent? Experimentation will show that almost any other deck type (with the exception of Kurt Angle's Face & Heel styles) can be used with Triple H.

Recommended Stipulations: Here again, Triple H has so much potential in his uniques that you can choose the Stipulation that suits your deck plan best and go with it: using Foreign Objects? Consider Chicago Street Fight. Want to play Heel, or use Run-In cards freely? Go with No DQ Match. However, I wouldn't recommend Hell In A Cell, as Triple H only has 2 foils that retrieve cards (Time To Play The Game & Flip Over), an unreliable strategy at best.

Watch Out For: Since Triple H is go non-specific in strategy, you only have to avoid that which works against your deck: if you're using Half Hour Suplex due to card advantage, beware of Foley Is Good and Big Show (though Cerebral can work against the latter). If you're using a High Risk deck, protect yourself from Sustained Damage. And for Stun decks, watch for Snow Job and Rob Van Dam.

How I Play:  In a 'first draft' version, the Backlash update of HHH is a 'slightly-Heel' mono-Strike deck designed to take advantage of Busted Wide Open.  The main focus is Eye Rake/Knee Lift/Clothesline, though a Leaping Knee can precede another small Strike to get the job done.  The term 'slightly-Heel' is due to only having a few cards:  Heel Turn, Eye Rake, and Manager Interferes. However, the deck will likely be scrapped to provide foil card for a Two Man Power Trip deck!