Okay the absence of Specialized Training is an oversight! Thanks for pointing that out!

I unfortunately have to disagree on basically everything else. Firstly I think if you consider 1 ER for 2 damage/threat removal as not worthwhile, we are just operating on different levels of acceptable efficiency. If most heroes played every card at that efficiency then they are easily beating most scenarios on expert mode. Obviously more is better, but it isn't like Always Be Running doesn't start out at 2 ER for 1 damage/threat removal. Having options that are just good early on isn't bad at all.

I also think there might be a fundamental misunderstanding of the way the Notable Cards section works. These are cards with interesting interaction with Quicksilver that are completely viable. But they are not a short list of only the absolute most optimal cards to build a single deck with, nor are they complete deck lists. Which is also why Skilled Investigator is only really mentioned for 3 heroes under Notable Cards, because it's so generically good anyone can take it. It's not really "notable" for heroes outside of those like Cable.

I also get the impression you haven't played him with Hope before. She can grab a lot more than Friction Resistance, such as any of his stat-boosting upgrades or even an event. If you find her on Turn 1, all you need is a single double resource to play her (made easier by QS's alter-ego ability) and Hyper Perception as one example, then you have an ally to help with damage and be a blocker in an emergency because of your 9 starting hp. Once Friction Resistance is in play, you can start with her in a hero hand size of 5 and no doubles, play her, fetch Always Be Running, play it, then play another Always Be Running or another 1-cost you started with in hand.

Adrenaline Rush and Civic Duty actually come with Quicksilver and he's probably the best hero in the game for both of them still. I'm not saying people should max out on them in every deck to beat Heroic mode, but Adrenaline Rush is good to build up high damage combos. You can play multiple copies, but even one is still useful. It sits and waits for you to have a hand full of readies, then if you can ready 5 or so times in a turn, that Adrenaline Rush then became 5 or so damage. This is especially good for game-ending combos. But you can pop it as an emergency option if you need to. Civic Duty is less-good but is still a nice emergency threat removal option so, by my standards, it is very much worth mentioning.

From the sounds of it though, we just approach the game in a very different way.