Yep, you'll need to hope that the AI will drop their Eagle's Eyes before the Gases come out. Other than that, Octane's pretty simple.
Saving one extra BB after Pulling a Doll is also a good idea, just in case the AI plays a weapon right after you get your combo going.
I suppose that having a Mirror Shield would be nice in the fact that it prevents direct damage spells from being cast on you (and therefore will increase the chance that your Dolls will be the intended targets) and would also reduce damage done before the Pulled Doll hits the table. However, it would slow the deck down because it's not part of the main combo, just like the addition of Antimatter or Electrocutor.