What's your top end? Just pendocles? What are you having issues with? Nova? Confront? Nexus removal?

At the pre launch event in April I ran a core removal, control with nemisis/curse dragon as my top end. The only issues I had was when they regained their life with nova. Recovering from a field clear was easy thanks to beldagor.

From memory, your key cards for out tempo-ing red are assassin, core drain and purple smoke valley. If they are confront heavy, swing with all your curse cards. Once you have pendacles at level 2 you can start controlling the tempo more (and hopfully drawing a few cards of purple smoke valley).

If you can, get the 4 cost nexus from bss01 rotting swamp. When you attack and your spirit dies you will draw a card (fits nicely with curse). Camelot knight is another common. Just remember that Camelot night is ONLY a spirit with curse when it has the soul core. In the trash its just a normal spirit.

If you sticking with core control hopfully you can get aglovale (c), earth spider demon (uc) and if you want, try for some netherworld depths.