Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Deck Doctor: Team Crime friends challenge!

 So as I await the final top 4 cut announcement for the winter event, Proposition Joe, had, er... a Proposition. Make Team Superman and Crime Lords work with a focus on Master Man and Wonder Woman, Deflection Diva. 

Challenge accepted.


Team Crime Friends sounds better than Racist Justice

When you know you are going to see a two team lineup, and you know they aren't going to lend themselves to any sort of consistent theme, the most difficult part is really setting out your curve. You want to hit both teams, your team-ups and your deck objective.

For this challenge, my first impressions seems pretty clear:


Nailed it.

So, first off. Is accommodating all this actually viable? And secondly, are there better options? is it worth fitting 3 redirects if it means no search? Not likely. So lets build our squad, and see where we end up.


So after some remakes and hard cuts here is the current list:

Toro!


Characters:
4x Roscoe Sweeny, Fixer
1x A.I.M. Agents, Army - A.I.M.

4x Kelex, Faithful Servant
2x Hiro Okamura - Toyman, Whiz-Kid
1x Yelena Belova - Black Widow, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. - HYDRA

4x Red Skull, Aleksander Lukin - Raid
2x The Guardian, Jim Harper

4x Master Man, Max Lohmer - Raid

4x Wonder Woman, Deflection Diva

1x Taskmaster, Mnemonic Assassin
1x Pyrogen, Supermen of America

2x Red Skull, Master of Creation

Plot Twists:
4x Forbidden Loyalties, Team-Up
4x Mobilize
4x Flying High
3x Reset
3x Desperate Sacrifice
2x Code White

Locations:
2x 31st Century Metropolis, Team-Up
2x Kandor, City in a Bottle

Equipment:
3x Armed Escort
3x Cosmic Cube

So here's the breakdown:
Roscoe has 1 job. live to turn 3 to fetch red skull. It doesn't matter if you under-dropped him on 2 or not, but that's his job. However, to tide myself over I gave him targets for 1 and 2 while he waits to you know, get to three, so he can DO HIS JOB. Our build is a cosmic cube variant, and beyond that red skull's burn is actually quite great in key situations.

On two I want to see Kelex. a big booty robot that will fetch whatever location i haven't seen yet prioritizing out team-up. I'm a big fan of Kandor in this myself. Our backup2  is Hiro, and Yelena is our search option for Roscoe if we haven't teamed up yet.

Turn 3 I almost didn't bother with a secondary drop. But Guardian can really shine, on offensive turn 4 turns. send a protected Master Man then Kandor him to safety for any counter-swings. Also fun things like deflection diva redirecting into something else, then activating armed escort on Master Man to redirect again for a fast double burn, double lifegain proc. among other entertaining combos.

Turn 4. Master Man. That racist overlord has a massive booty for bricking. I legitimately hate how much I like his mechanics. Once here though, we have a plethora of outplays.
Armed Escort keeps him ensuring getting face shots he so desperately wants.
Flying high, is a ridiculous cheap reset, (assuming you have teamed up) of course, Reset is present as well. A test of your opponent's sanity while they debate making any swings at all, or simply just passing combat. But its the Desperate Sacrifice, that your opponent won't see coming.

You know the one right?
No?
EXACTLY!


So once the mind games have begun, (Do they have flying high for master man? reset?) your opponent is gonna want to hit, say, Roscoe, hiding behind the massive 4 drop. or any of your other weak target options. Yeahhhh, about that...

Yeahhh, I'm going to need you to hit Master Man.

When we consider the implications of a face-up Kandor, the scenarios can get legitimately mind-numbing. Opponents may actually began to just stop all their swings altogether, making the deck legitimately a stall. This is completely fine with us.

On 5, we focus on Deflection diva, with a built in reverse Armed Escort, she's just magnificent to keep the swings coming at Master Man.

On 6 we split our options, either controlled swing potential via Pyrogen, or some scaling bricking from Taskmaster.

Finally on 7, we completely ignore any supermen in this team superman cross-over for a red Skull win condition. The primary target for our Code White. Welcome to turn 7 and surprise! If your curve is present and adjacent to him, stunned or not, you burn for 15! Yay!

This list has so much to like, from crazed defensive outplays, to some unique offensive combos, to the fact Superman isn't in this list at all! There is just a cornucopia of things to love!


Until next time!

Friday, December 18, 2020

The BYO 2 Sets WINTER TOURNAMENT - Round 4

Round 4! Even though i was the only undefeated, it seemed we had 5 othes with 2-1 so a final round was in order to have a clearer top 4.

My next opponent is Proposition Joe.
Captain Cuba.
His sets were MXM and MTU
I'm not sure what he is running, but so far this event, it was players not knowing what i had coming either. So fairplay, I suppose.




GAME 1

Initiative: Joe takes evens

TURN 1


I hit my Trisk and recruit wasp burn for 3
Joe wiffs.

50 to 47

TURN 2

Joe wiffs again.
I recruit Clint and go direct before activating wasp again.

50 to 40

TURN 3

I recruit Blade Hidden and pass.
He underdrops Sage. OH! Hellfire club! At least now i know whats coming at me!

Blade swings into sage moving her visible and passes for a mutual stun.
Clint goes direct for 4.
wasp burns for 3

47 to 28

TURN 4

Joe  Underdrops Mastermind hidden. passes. Brital bad beats here so far.
I recruit hank and we pass to combat.
Hank wiffs his counter.

Joe plays deadly game trading his mastermind and sage

Hank swings over mastermind for a 1 sided stun.
Blade into sage pushing visible trader stuns.
Clint direct.
wasp burns for 3.

44 to 10

TURN 5

I recruit Iron Man protected by hank
He recruts Shinobi, and laments not using masterminds effect to go hidden.

Hank stuns mastermind. Shinobi reinforces.  Blade suicides into Shinobi, pushing him hidden.
Clint goes direct.
Iron Man goes direct.
Wasp Burns for 3.
Joe Scoops it up.

41 to -9

GAME 2

Initiative: he takes evens.

TURN 1

I recruit 1 cost Hank and declare the version Ultimates.
He misses 1.

Hank swings direct.

50 to 49

TURN 2

He joins the club to fetch Sage and recruits her hidden.

I wiff turn 2.

He sends sage over my Hank, but because I'm dumb and forgot he cant activate his +3 ATK  on himself you know, NOT being an ultimate. oops! Misplays for days.

47 to 49

TURN 3

He recruits Mastermind hidden protecting Sage.
I recruit Blade.

I send Blade and Hank direct.
Joe uses Power and Wealth to fetch join the club.

47 to 43

TURN 4

He plays Join the club to fetch Blackheart recruiting it hidden.
I play a rowed Liberation Day to Grab myself Hank, Ultimates and recruit him visible, KOIng the 1 drop to uniqueness.

Blackheart pops Blade faster than you can say "start of combat".
Hank lands his +1/+1 counter and swings direct for 8.

47 to 35

TURN 5

I play a rowed Liberation day to fetch Iron Man and recruit him protected by Hank.
Joe recruits Shinobi Shaw Visible and passes.

Hank wiffs his counter, Iron man rips an army of 1 to the rfp.

I send Hank into Shinobi, who gains a counter and I play trouble with dinos for +6 and a mutual stun.
I declare Ironman direct and he  plays absolute power to recover Shinobi.
I pass rather than continue.
So does he.

43 to 28

TURN 6

He recruits Madelyn Pryor hidden and passes.
I recruit Captain America and pass.

Shinobi swings onto Iron Man.
I boost now I'm fighting dirty.
Iron Man is 12/12/
I boost another from the row.
15/15.
He exhausts Sage and Mastermind for Power and Wealth to search out  Army of 1, immediately playing it.
I activate Triskelion removing my hand from the game to play a THIRD NIFD.
18/18
I brick. And man it feels good.

35 to 2

TURN 7

I play Liberation Day.
I chain Triskelion to Liberation Day for Lady Deathstrike
Lib Day resolves landing me Thor.
I recruit Thor.
I proceed to do the Deathstrike combo. subbing her into play 3 times (removing Hank, Iron Man, And Cap) as I reready Thor for more burn.
Even with my low end RFP numbers, Thor burns for 13, then 13, then 14, then 15 as i keep re-substituting Lady Deathstrike to ready Thor, inherently helping to contribute to his burn amounts.
I then pass build.

Joe goes into the tank
He does a series of plays and recruits Sebastian Shaw between Sage and Mastermind

He team swings Blackheart and Mastermind into Thor. Powering up to match his 14 defense. I stun back Blackheart.

Shinobi goes direct for 15.
Madelyn goes direct for 12.
Sage direct for 3.
then Sebastian for 16, twice.
We both pass to recovery. He hit hard, but not hard enough.

-34 to -57

I win 2-0!

Afterwards Joe and I shot the breeze for a good hour or so regarding our fanboy decks and past Jank decks that went to PC's. Printing proxy full-arts and legacy decks from back in the day! It was super nice to hear some of the old tales. The origins of Anti-Matter pre Chomin was super interesting! I can't wait to bend your ear again in the future! Can't ask for better than a classy opponent.


Current record:

W - Hulk variant 2-0
W - Skrulls 2-0
W - Toolbox Stall 2-0
W - Hellfire Club 2-0

Saturday, December 12, 2020

The BYO 2 Sets WINTER TOURNAMENT - Round 3

 The mysterious man known online as Greyfox9996 is my next opponent. It seems Cesar Rodil has seen a similar series of successes in his first two games, with only his first round going to game 3, leaving him 2-0. If I've played him before I can't recall. So by default I am expecting a high caliber deck for this meta, and I'm super curious what it is. Curve? Control? Rush? As of the time of this writing we only know 1 thing:

He calls it: Toolkit (MOR + DCL)

Mysterious indeed.




GAME 1

Initiative: I select evens

TURN 1

Cesar recruits Riddler hidden and activates on himself. hitting a 2.
I recruit Hank 1 drop and select the version Ultimates and ping him for 1.

50 to 49

TURN 2

He chains Riddler to draw on himself hitting a 3.

I recruit Clint hidden and pass.
Cesar plays a rowed STTG sending Puppet Master and an Avalon to the KO. then flips and activates Avalon to land recur and play Puppet Master.

I declare Clint into Puppet Master. He activates exhausting my Hank and we pass for a 1 sided stun.

50 to 45

TURN 3

He chains Riddler to the draw on himself hitting a 1.

Cesar then recruits a Poison Ivy protecting Puppet Master and activates Hidden HQ
I play Liberation Day to fetch Nick Fury and recruit him protected by the 1 drop hank, before passing to combat.

He swings Ivy into Hank. I exhaust Hank and Clint for a boosted Death of the Dream played from my row. He chains pupper master to exhaust SHAFT. Hank stuns. we both pass.

46 to 45

TURN 4

He chains Riddler to draw. He hits a 4.

I activate Hank 1 on Nick. then recruit Hank, ultimates, KOing the first to uniqueness.
He recruits Dr Doom flipping Down STTG then Reign of Terrors Nick. He thenflips a teamup crossing over Doom and Secret Society.

At the start of combat Hank actually grows, RFPing an ultimate for a +1/+1 counter.
Ivy fetches Boris. Boris activates and grabs a second reign and he plays it on Clint. He then activates Puppet Master to exhaust Hank. we both pass to recovery. with a big ole, nothing turn.

46 to 45... still

TURN 5

Cesar chains to the draw hitting a 2.

He recruits Robot Destroyer and immediately activates it to stun my Hank and passes his build.
I recruit Iron Man and pass to combat.

Start of combat He sees Iron Man's effect coming and chains, playing Straight to the Grave from his hand, sending Rogue power absorbtion to the KO.

He activates Puppet Master, exhausting Iron man, then we both pass to recovery.

42 to 40

TURN 6

Banking that he has no doom 6 I under-drop Nick Fury (SHAFT!) Wasp and Clint. I only have 2 cards in the warp and my HOPEFULLY surprise kill turn is coming quickly. If I can use both Wasp and Nick I'll be back on track for what I need to do to end, but any 1 rfp ability will do for now.

He activates Boris to fetch a reconstruction Program. As I expected hes either getting Lex or Rogue.
He gets Rogue and underdrops another Boris. He activates riddler and hits a 1. I secretly celebrate, but i still have a power dampners in hand so it might not matter what he opts to do.

Start of combat Hank's effect wiffs and Ironman sees his 1 card. (Black Manta)

Cesar activates Robot Destroyer to stun Hank.
Iron man declares into Puppet Master. Once legal he exhausts both puppet master and Rogue, I exhaust clint and wasp. He activates Boris and fetches Press the attack to untap puppet master and tap Shaft out too. I rfp 5 for Shaft to make Iron Man unstunnable and pass for the one sided stun.

He sends Dr. Doom into Shaft for a 1 sided stun of his own, and passes to recovery.

I KO Nick. He KO's Puppet Master.

32 to 26

TURN 7

He chains Riddler to the draw. I chain a rowed Lib day to fetch Thor.
Riddler hits a 1.

He plays a rowed STTG sending Professor X and a Reign or terror.
He follows up with a Reconstruction Program and recruits Professor X. Then activates a rowed Birthing Chamber discarding Boris before passing build.

I set a resource and activate wasp to burn for 3.
I then recruit power Dampners onto Poison Ivy to prevent the boris he wants to fetch. prob for a gamma bomb? maybe press? I'm still unsure of his win condition but i know he has Doom 8 in the drop. So it's likely any combination of Gamma Bomb and infinite swinging Dr. Doom Press the Attack loop. Not bad either way. probably both.

I then recruit Thor. He responds with a Mystical Paralysis from Dr. Doom  to exhaust Thor. I respond with a  Lib Day and chain again with a Triskelion sending my hand to the RFP, and chain one last time with thor to burn for 17.
I then declare substitute. He chains robot destroyer to stun Hank then activates Prof to exhaust Iron Man leaving me with no valid target for her. She fails to enter play. I pass to combat.

Not quite being sure of Substitute I look it up quickly and confirm its function.

<<RULES BREAK!>>
"Substitute" is a keyword on character cards that represents a payment power that functions in the hand. The keyword "substitute" means, "Reveal this card >>> You may remove from the game a ready character you control with cost greater than or equal to the cost of this card. If you do, put this card into play. Use only if this card is in your hand and only during your recruit step."

So we managed to play it correctly where he could respond to the declared substitute and remove all my possible targets! I love this game! It's always nice to have a refresher course on this stuff!

Rogue takes Prof X's ability and exhausts Clint. Smart move, I could have activated Trisk for a Trouble with Dinos and traded stuns with Rogue for game. Instead, I chain a Clint in hand, exhausting the Clint in play to rfp the stunned Robot Destroyer.

We both pass to recovery.

15 to 1

TURN 8

Cesare opts to not chain to the draw.

I activate Wasp for 3 and then Thor for 20 more burn
I then Declare Substitute with Lady Deathstrike. He chains Prof X to exhaust my Iron Man. I RFP Hank and put her into play, immediately activating her to return her to my hand and ready my Thor.
Thor activates again and burns for 20.
Then I recruit Ladt deathstrike and do it all again, activating her and activating Thor for 20 more.
since it is turn 8, I recruit the angry wnech of death one final time, returning her to hand and readying Thor for a total burn of 80. he goes into the tank and for a brief moment I wonder if he has Endgame + Latveria and Dark God for the alternate win. My heart jumps into my throat.

He scoops. 

WHEW!

6 to -82



GAME 2

Initiative:  He elects to take evens

TURN 1

I set a resource and recruit Wasp hidden he wiffs. I swing for 1. no Trisk yet. cant risk it.

50 to 49

TURN 2

I rip the Trisk on the draw. Life is good.

Cesar recruits Puppet Master.
I wiff and activate wasp for 3

50 to 46

TURN 3

I activate Wasp again and recruit Blade hidden. He promptly Puppet Masters it.
He then recruits Ivy

Ivy swings direct.

46 to 42

TURN 4

He sets and flips a Forced Conscription sending 3 and nabbing a 5 drop Black Manta. He then recruits Rogue.
I set and recruit Lady Deathstrike, and we pass to combat.

He sends Rogue into Deathstrike for a mutual then goes direct with Ivy. I breathe a sigh of relief since there's no KO tricks. He activates Puppet Master and I exhaust wasp. He passes combat.

Blade swings into puppet master electing not to move him hidden. He then powers up PUPPET MASTER 3 times THE HELL MAN let me kill you properly! we trade into mutual stuns.

I KO Blade, he KOs Puppet Master.

34 to 37

TURN 5

I draw the rest of my perfect curve. So not feeling  rushed to crutch on Trisk at the moment. I am also camping a Power Dampeners. This is saved for Lex, because an online Lex could suck.
He recruits Black Manta. Nice. Always nice to not see Lex. I am also super glad he wiffed doom 4.

Start of combat Iron man hits an Unnatural selection and I fist bump nothing in particular, but I do it hard.Ivy triggers and brings in Riddler, but he cant hurt me now. Riddler hits a 2.

I send Iron Man into Rogue for an uncontested stun.
I then follow up with Lady Deathstrike into Black Manta powering up once legal for a mutual. He pays 3 and nabs an Unnatural Selection from his KO. I chain, flipping up Trisk to send all the potential dying stuff to the RFP and keep Deathsrike relevant. (The one I powered up went to the KO not the warp as Trisk wasnt up yet.)
I flip up License to Kill for Wasp and chain its effect to KO stunned defender (Black Manta) and pass He chains Unnatural selection exhausting Ivy to KO my Deathstrike. I am ok with this trade. Both go away.

He activates Avalon to fetch Lex. God damn it I'm good and ready for this. My Power Dampeners are fully erect.
We both pass to recovery.
 
30 to 23

TURN 6

He chains Hidden HQ to the draw sending Dr. Doom 4 to the KO.
I rip a second Trisk and breathe a sigh of relief. It's nice to have options. In case one gets suddenly KO'd.

He activates Riddler hitting a 1, then STTGs sending a Riddler and Hidden HQ to his KO.
He recruits Lex and I pretend I'm offended. But he isn't going to do much today. He just doesnt know that yet. he follows up underdropping a riddler, activating it and hitting 4.

I waste ZERO time. I set a resource and immediately Power Dampener his Lex.
Bad words are said.
I then recruit Captain America forming him to protect Iron Man we then pass to combat.


At the start of combat, Ivy puts a Riddler into play. Rogue copies Riddlers effect. Iron Man triggers but his hand is empty. Cesar realizes he cant stop my swings anymore and with Lex locked down he also can't stop Thors burn next turn unless he takes drastic action.(aka suiciding and not recovering Lex on PURPOSE. The only issue is that turn 7 will be my initiative and i'll go off before he can re-recruit Lex.)
He ponders for a while, likely the same things i did, and offers teh handshake. I flash the Thor in hand and with Lady Deathstrike in the RFP and a face up trisk and wasp, I figure I would have burned for around 60 endurance.

Cesar Scoops

A classy list from a classy player. I really enjoyed that toolbox! but gotta say, where was the equip removal? it wasnt much but his sets had access to a backfire I kept waiting for and never seeing. it's possible he ran it and missing Doom all game just cramped his options.

I manage another 2-0 week! 

But holy hell game 1 could have been either way. I had the unknown working for me, otherwise I suspect he'd have ridden Lex on 5 onwards rather than robot. Who knows how that might have gone?

Current record:

W - Hulk variant 2-0
W - Skrulls 2-0
W - Toolbox Stall 2-0



Thursday, December 10, 2020

The BYO 2 Sets WINTER TOURNAMENT - Round 2

For round 2 as the sole paired down victor, I faced off against Nick's Skrull deck. Featuring MHG and MUN. I won the roll and figured it would be a good idea to play around hoping for blade on 3 and chose odd initiatives. Unlike last bat-rep, I managed to take some reasonably detailed notes this time through! Enjoy!




GAME 1

TURN 1

I recruit wasp. He wiffs and wasp swings direct, I wanted to telegraph not having Trisk yet. Fun fact: i had 2.

50 to 49

TURN 2

Nick sets a resource and recruits Franklin Richards hidden. then passes.

I wiff and activate Wasp for 3 burn. I just drew another Trisk I'm just going to go wide with her now.
he swings direct.

At the end of the turn Franklin gains a cosmic counter.

48 to 46

TURN 3

I recruit SHAFT (Nick Fury) in my visible support row and pass. The hell is happening? ALL my resources are Triskelions. the 4th is in my warp.

He plays Skrullverine visible, but that won't last long.

I declare Shaft into Skrullverine. He removes a counter from Franklin and moves Wolvie hidden making the declared swing not legal. Shaft goes direct instead.

He passes, I activate wasp for 3. 

Franklin cains a cosmic at the end of the turn.

48 to 38

TURN 4

Nick recruits Ethan Edwards visible.
I recruit Hank Pym protecting Shaft.

Hank triggers gaining a counter.
Nick flips up 2 team-ups and declares Skrulverine into Hank with 12
I death of the dream exhausting hank and wasp to replace both team ups. he hits another. I reinforce with shaft and pass to mutual stuns.
He continues with Ethan into Shaft at 10/7 Once legal, I play now im fighting dirty (NIFD) for the stun-back and flip up Trisk. he moves Ethan hidden with Frankie before passing into the trade then sends Franklin direct with a double power up for 4.

Franklin gains another cosmic.

during recovery, Nick KO's Skrullverine. I KO Shaft.

37 to 31

TURN 5

I play Liberation day from the row and chain Trisk for NIFD. I then recruit Iron Man.
He recruits Elektra hidden.

Hank gets another counter, Iron Man wiffs. I team my 4 and 5 direct for 18 and pass.
He realizes I can brick any single swing, since he saw me get NIFD, and i saw his hand is mostly useless and team swings Elektra and Ethan into Hank.
Hank stuns Elektra who fails to KO with only 3 affiliations. he passes.

Frankie gains a counter.

I recover Hank he recovers Elektra.

33 to 5

TURN 6

Nick recruits Super Skrull visible and passes.
I force him to use Franklin Richards by attempting to attach Power Dampeners onto Super Skrull. He does so and moves his 6 hidden and dampeners cant find a legal target and KOs.
I then activate Trisk to fetch and recruit Captain America.

He goes wide for stuns, but cant deal with stun-backs. 

28 to -12


GAME 2

Nick elects to take evens.

I play wasp, he recruits lockjaw to fetch Franklin
I burn him for 3, he swings direct for 2.

48 to 47

TURN 2

Nick recruits Franklin Richards hidden.
I recruit Clint Barton hidden.

he sends everything direct for 4.

I burn with wasp and swing direct with Clint for 7

Franklin gains a counter.

44 to 40

TURN 3

I recruit blade.
He recruits Skrulverine.

I send Blade into Franklin moving frank visible for some good, old fashioned child abuse.
Nick uses Frank and moves Skrulverine hidden and passes into a 1 sided stun
I then go direct with Clint and burn with wasp for 7.

Nick goes direct for 7

Nick recovers Franklin. No cosmic counters this time!

37 to 29

TURN 4

Nick wiffs 4. At this point I feel it may be over for him.
I recruit Lady Deathstrike visible.

Nick flips up underground Movement and swings Skrulvie into Lady Deathstrike. Dropping 2 interstellar offensives for a  massive 20 ATK swing. I change my pants, ending in a mutual stun.
He then he sends Franklin direct, moving him hidden again thanks to a flipped Underground Movement and follows up with lockjaw for 2 more.

I send blade into Franklin again (because he loves to abuse children just as much as vampires apparently.) moving him visible.
He powers up hoping for a stun-back I play a trouble with dinos and chain flipping and activating Trisk to fetch a NIFD to avoid the stun and send home some big damage. Wasp burns for 3 again and Clint goes direct.

He KOs Franklin.

15 to 9

TURN 5

I chain Trisk to the draw to fetch iron man recruiting him protecting Lady Deathstrike.
He recruits Elektra.

Iron Man removes a death of the dream (he revealed 2 death of the dreams and another elektra.)

I activate Wasp burning for 3.
Clint goes direct for an easy 4, Then I flip up SHIELD Helicarrier (returning wasp and clint to hand.)
before sending my Iron Man direct for 11.
Blade swings into Elektra with 7 thanks to flight since she was protected, I then flip up a second Trisk (KOing the first to uniqueness) and activating it for a Trouble with Dinos to ensure the stun.
To follow up, I activate Lady Deathstrike's effect to ready Iron Man and faceshot him once more with 11.

He scoops it up. and offers the handshake.

12 to -29

another 2-0 week!

So I was a bit worried that I'd see him go WIDE but game 1 was put to bed almost entirely on the back of that clutch Death of the Dream, Game two I really got to feel validated in my decision to run Blade. Ultimates aren't shy about showing me that a bunch of 2-of tech options will see consistent play, and man that Helicarrier was so good, I'm kicking myself for not running more.


Current record:

W - Hulk variant 2-0
W - Skrulls 2-0


Next up Cesar!




 





Wednesday, December 9, 2020

The BYO 2 Sets WINTER TOURNAMENT - Round 1

I had my deck. I had my training. And now IT. IS. ON. 



My final deck decision was my spirit-animal deck, S.H.I.E.L.D. Ultimates. It is a surprisingly resilient engine that feels like Curve Sentinels meets MKKO meets purist toolbox. I elected to tie the MUL set in with MUN to grant hidden hate access via Blade on turn 3, and allow the Thor master-burn win condition via Lady Deathstrike as a non-combat alternative win condition. 

MUN also, of course houses a potent pump in the guise of Trouble with Dinos, allowing some beefy pump utility if needed. Full discosure though, it's weak to agressive rushes. and with an RFP theme it can't consistently manage the Messiah Complex interactions necessary to sustain through early heavy damage. So clearly, it isn't without it's issues. 

To remedy this, I took on an MKKO philosophy and tuned it to take advantage of  a full set of Clint Bartons, adding in a few License to kill, and further splashed in Death. (in an ultimates list triskelion can recur it for multiple uses in a game) So I had consistent and ready access to getting characters off the table, hopefully this allows me to live the dream. 

With not much access to defensive options, I elected to run Now I'm Fighting Dirty, since Triskelion is already asking me to discard my hand, it made sense to make it a bit of a theme while hopefully bricking a swing or two.

Round 1 gets posted and I play Jonathan Brami. Now historically, I know this list is likely going to be a high tiered variant. perhaps TNB reservist or AntiGL.

He's got Hulk.

Eh can't say I didn't expect it.


GAME 1: He wins intiative and takes evens, (standard hulk move)

He opens the generic early game, wiffing 1 while i land my wasp.

On 2 he hits Miek, and i play Clint Barton hidden for more early solid damage.

On 3 he wiffs entirely, while I recruits Nick Fury Visible. again i send it all to his face for solid endurance loss.

on 4 though his solo gamma hulk swings over my front row Hank Pym into my Nick fury thanks to archangels giving flight with a Hulk Smash for 19 ATK. then i get righteous firy'd and hulk swings into my 4 for a mutual stun. the stunned hulk stuns my hidden 1 and 2 leaving my entire board stunned. not good. The score is suddenly close for  us. I keep hank.

On 5 i recruit iron man protected by hank.
he KOs his 4 for the 5 and stuns Hank. iron man's effect shows a hand full of hulks and i realize I am not sure i can get over it so i pass paranoid of hulks defensive bullying on team swings. Hulk swings uncontested over Ironman. I lose hank.

On 6 he swings for the fences with his 18/18 monstrosity over my Captain America 6. and either by accident or by design leaves me at 1. (I know he had several power ups and i also had several ultimates to toss. Fun fact. this entire game has wiffed my triskelions and only given me 2 plot twists.

turn 7. triskelion finally comes to play, but i only have 13 cards in my rfp. I recruit Thor. He passes recruit. I activate thor and he flips up a LEGACY MAV card for X-statix that prevents burn entirely.
oh snap!. I sub in lady deathstrike over iron man and we go into combat. I declare Thor into Hulk. Once legal, using triskelion to nab a trouble with dinos to get the stun. Then cap swings in direct twice thanks to lady for game.

GAME 2 he takes evens again.

turn 1, once again i land wasp, however i also open an early trisk, so i dont feel bad running wasp hot early on. he wiffs.

Turn 2, he wiffs MIEK! and drops his 1 drop Elloe. I play Clint. I swing over it, he RFP's her

Turn 3, he recruits archangel. Things are looking up! I toss out Blade hidden and let archangel go direct. Cling stuns teh angel and the rest go wide.

Turn 4, Gamma Hulk for him, hank pym for me, Hank actually hits his effect and goes to 8/8! This is huge as hulk now has to power up if he's going to see a righteous anger. He does so. I power up hank. His hand is a bit low now but with a solo visible defender he drops a hulk smash and an archangel and powers up again. I pop a rowed now i'm fighting dirty unboosted to keep it even. its a mutual stun.
WHEW! My hidden death squad goes wide.

Turn 5 He boosts his 5, stuns my 4, iron man with a trouble with dinos gets the job done and wasp gets a license to kill hulk. the rest go wide.

Turn 6, he drops his 6 no boost. I play cap behind Hank. Hulk hits iron man for an easy stun. Cap swing on hulk with trouble with dinos for the mutual, the rest end the game.

Round 1: I win 2-0!

Some bad beats but an illuminating take on hulk wiffing Exello 2 games in a row. it's an entirely different deck, really.


Next Game is vs Nick with his Publicly listed Skrull deck! Should be a good one! Stay tuned!



The BYO 2 Sets WINTER TOURNAMENT -*deck clinic*-




 It's been a good, LONG time since i've posted any kind of prep related to taking part in an event.
For the most part it is the "Who's Line Is It Anyway?" approach.

No prizes and the points don't matter



But it's VS! So of course I'm in! So let's assess our event rules.

The Restrictions:

Cards must be limited entirely to any 2 sets you select.
-this means things like unique set tags, so MEX and MCG are 2 distinct sets even though you get them both in the MCG  box.
-MEV is banned.
-Bizarro World adheres to its updated effect options depending on the sets you run. You do not get to choose the effect you prefer.
FORMAT
best of 3 round robin before single elim top bracket

Not a bad set-up. at first glance I expected TNNB to be everyone's cop-out until it occurred to me that they can only access 2/3rd of what makes them great. AND they lose most of their pumps, making them viable but by no means some mythical titan in need of slaying. Next we need to take a brief look at the meta. What teams are going to do well?

The Hit-List: (Perceived Threats and deck options)


TNB reservist (MXM + MOR)

-loses all MVL support. STILL CRAZY.

TNNB Non-reservist (MOR + MVL)
-keeps all pump access, loses reservist consistency in favor of heavy swings. Loses senyaka engine.

AntiGL (DGL + DJL)
-loses most of its favored for the turn pumps Any version will still do well.

QuickFate (MHG + ?)

-either gets fate artifacts in DCR and lose pumps or ignores artifacts and goes wide with MOR Pumps.

Big Brotherhood (MOR + MVL or MOR + JLA)
-Still a big nasty monster
-MOR+MVL variant has ridiculous curve options. New and improved for further supertanking.
-JLA variant gets access to IVY but both lose their tech optional drops entirely.
-Did I already say it's still a big nasty monster?

MKKO (MVL + DCR or MVL + MUN)
-Fate artifacted Punisher still shines best.
-MUN variant could be viable with more access to field control.

Wolverine Direct (MUN + ?)

-wants MOR or similar set with solid pumps. Wolvie 3 gets no protection
-MVL is sloppy as it needs wolverine to get stunned swinging on characters to trigger.
-MTU gives access to the defenders suite. probably the best way to go.


Hulk smash (MUN + ?)
-loses almost nothing sticking to 1 set
-still makes baby jesus cry.
-people will DEFINITELY play this.

Chess Press (MHG + DCR)
-loses NOTHING could be a problem. auto-loses to MOR sets running Political Pressure.

War Paint (DJL + DCR)
- Completely viable, still awesome. wins on 5. not bad!

Secret Society (DCL + MUN)
-keeps path of destruction, MUN gives death/beyonder and messiah complex for sustain variant made popular during exiles craziness. HYPER consistent. probably best in class.

Doomed earth (MHG + ?)
-wants pumps. Give pumps. where are the pumps?
-Add any set with good low cost pumps and hope it is enough.

Manhunter tempo (DGL + ?)
-Loses too much. purist variant only viable one. pass.

Hellfire Club (MXM + ?)
-MTU Underworld and Defenders teams pair with this nicely. No real answer to any sucessful swarm until 4 will hurt though.
-MUN grants great lifegain option, zero search to set up though.

Superman Robots and other 1 set wonders

Wow, so alot to chew on! Of the builds I considered, I knew I also wanted to do something different!
I did some digging, and noticed Brian's Funeral list could be tuned to function within a 2-set restriction. So off i went:

The Funeral (MHG + DCL)

4x Klaw, Sonic Construct
4x Chemo, Toxic Waste
8x Moloids, Army

2x Mole Man, Moloid Master
1x Charaxes, Moth Monster

4x Dr. Doom, Richards's Rival
2x Poison Ivy, Intoxicating

4x Technarx, Cyborg General
1x Titania, Temper Tantrum
1x Divinity, Vampiric General

3x Solomon Grundy, Died on a Saturday

4x For the Glory of Doom!, Team-Up
4x The Enemy Within
4x Unthinkable
3x Mask of Doom
4x Straight to the Grave
3x Doom Needs Only Doom
1x Master Plan

2x Remote Facility, Non-Unique
1x Soul World

Still able to set up the ridiculous Solomon Grundy chain Heal+Burn fiesta to the tune of Gaining 20 and burning 20 at the start of recovery. Losing our draw options hurt us BADLY. An earlier variant using the updated DCL Birthing chambers seemed to fix this, but at the expense of consistently seeing our other pieces. So consistency was elected over draw utility. Right? Wrong? Doesn't matter because...

I wasn't quite satisfied though.

I Moved on.


Warpaint tickled my nostalgia. so I tossed it together.

War-Paint (DJL + DCR)

18x Infernal Minions, Army

4x Zazzala - Queen Bee, Mistress of the Hive
4x Shadow-Thief, Carl Sands

4x Mantis, Power Parasite

4x Tattooed Man, Living Ink

4x Infestation
4x Secret Files
4x World War III
4x Hard-Light Storage Tank
4x Air Strike
4x Criminal Mastermind

2x Cloak of Nabu, Fate Artifact.

This deck can SHRED. But it can wiff a key drop. not that it matters. Infestation can still steal a game against the wrong list. and your world war three burn-ender is still just ungodly amounts of damage.

But I still wasn't satisfied. 

I moved on.

Secret Society Hyper-Sustain (DCL + MUN)

4x The Riddler, Riddle Me This
4x Chemo, Toxic Waste

4x Dr. Sivana, Mad Scientist
3x Deadshot, Floyd Lawton
1x Charaxes, Moth Monster

4x Poison Ivy, Intoxicating

4x Gorilla Grodd, Grodd Awful
1x Fatality, Okaaran Warrior
1x Sinestro, Yellow Lantern

3x Black Manta, Underwater Marauder
1x Lex Luthor, Metropolis Mogul

2x Mr. Freeze, Cold Blooded
1x Deathstroke the Terminator, Killing Machine

1x Doomsday, Engine of Destruction
1x Koriand'r - Starfire, X'Hal's Fury

1x Darkseid, Dark God

1x The Beyonder, Inhuman

3x Gorilla City
4x Remote Facility, Non-Unique
4x Straight to the Grave
4x Path of Destruction
4x Unnatural Selection
4x Messiah Complex 

WHAT. A. BEAST.
This deck does it all and it gives ZERO F*CKS while doing it. In testing, multiple Messiah Complex Boosted hits on Beyonder (or Darkseid) in testing allowed for one game to gain 30 endurance by turn 5. completely negating a potent rush. The Koriandr into Dark God autowin is kind-of cheeky but completely unnecessary to achieving your win since the path of destruction + Chemo + Poison Ivy is also there as a reusable pump machine, allowing your free charaxes to get in some serious work.
This is it. This is an all-comers list. I don't see this list losing to anything in this format.

And yet...

I kept looking.

I moved on.

And I found something... EPIC while perusing some old winners.

Cold School: Dark God Edition (DCL + MUN)

4x Blizzard, Frosty Friend
1x Speedball - Penance, Pain Monger

3x Joystick, Fun and Games

4x Hal Jordan, Founding Member
3x Radioactive Man, Containment Suit

4x Bullseye, Closer to God
4x Aquaman, Founding Member

2x Darkseid, Destroyer of Life

4x Aquaman, Lord of Atlantis

1x Darkseid, Dark God

3x Empire's End
4x Dirty Tricks
2x Death of the Dream
3x Security Clearance
4x New Era
1x Collect Them All!
3x Endgame
1x Have a Blast!
4x Thunderbolts Mountain
4x Metropolis Reborn, Non-Unique * Team-Up
1x Poseidonis

The original list was almost ENTIRELY within the constraints of 2 sets. It shredded up the modern block of its time focusing on spamming tbolts mountains in one turn to ramp to early gamma bombs before terminating the assignment with an angry Imperiex on 9 ultimately securing the win.

I couldn't keep the Gamma Bombs and a few other flavor pieces though. But I had endgame! So not only did a few extremely minor adjustments allow me to play this as designed, but it allowed me to apply an alternate win condition potentially 1 turn sooner than the originals imperiex!

This deck is SO OPPRESSIVE. So non-interactive, I actually immediately felt bad.
I mean, I don't wan't to be the bad guy! And this list was just DUMB good. Too good. But I had already opened Pandora's Box, and the sweet song of victory this deck sang was an allure difficult to ignore.
I tested into a rush and saw that with some bad draws it could falter to an early aggro, But it really needed to miss more than the opposing deck needed to hit for that to happen. No other deck i tested could beat it with any regularity.
At this point I needed council. I was getting in too deep and didn't want to be the reason another player felt the sting of a non-interactive game, or worse, quit.
So I Asked a Good Pal, Seb, for some advice, His sage advice tends to err on the side of neutrality but he also did not lose sight on the frustrating design of the matchups this would incur.
"aren't these games best of 3?"
My countenance faded.
"Oh my God man. This deck in a best of 3 format will take FOREVER"
"Yeah they'll all probably just scoop."
"Super frustrating gameplay experiences on potentially new players. it's Both guns all over again."
"I should move on."
"You should move on"

I moved on.

So what to do? I had already tested and studied my way through expected matchups. Best guess, Hulk or a purist rush will be a top contender, it was Crusader, that reminded me I had one last option, And it is what I ULTIMATELY decided on playing in the event!

List and match breakdowns to come!

Monday, August 31, 2020

Betting Pool Final results!

 Ah yes. There can only be one.


With a fantastic points score to secure his lead, it was Seb De L'Aigle that held off the surging advances to land himself some sweet loot! Expect a banner update dedicated to the whims of our new Champ!


Except it wont. It's definately going to be Seb.


Also a pile of Super Skrulls will be sent to those that participated! Thanks so much! I'll be PMing you for good mailing addy's but expect snail mail unless you wish to cover international tracked shipping prices.

 


 
                                                    *****FINAL STANDINGS*****

1ST - Seb De L'Aigle - to win = Unjust Fear (Eliminated)
126 pts (this week 45)

2ND - Boris Karetny - to win = BKKO (Eliminated)
113 pts (this week 45)

3RD - Jonathan Brami - to win = Brostat-X (Eliminated)
110 pts (this week 40)

4TH - Eric Isabedra - to win = Brostat-X (Eliminated)
107 pts (this week 40)

Mark Smith - to win- IMMORTALS (Eliminated)
79 pts (this week 15)

Walter Alvarado - to win = HellKnights (Eliminated)
64 pts (this week 0)

Charles Burke - to win = BKKO (Eliminated)
43 pts (this week 0)

Adam Miller - to win = Gods Matter (Eliminated)
36 pts (this week 0)

Joseph Clarke - to win = Secretly Wolverine (Eliminated)
12 pts (this week 0)

Haam Iam - to Win = BKKO (Eliminated)
11 pts (this week 0)

Benjamin Brozene - to win = HellKnights (Eliminated)
11 pts (this week 0)

Scott Hamilton
0pts  (this week 0)                             


                        *******FINALS WEEK SCORING METRICS REVIEW*******

Call the Finals Champion! = 5 pts
Call the 3rd place tiebreak winner! = 5 pts
Call how many games the best of three final ends with: = 5 pts
Call the spread of the finals last game within 5 endurance = 5 pts
Call the spread of the tiebreak match within 5 endurance = 5pts
Call the turn the last Finals game ends on = 5 pts
Call the turn the tiebreak game ends on = 5 pts
Call who wins the Finals diceroll = 5 pts
Call who wins the Tiebreak diceroll = 5 pts

BONUSES!

Call the FINAL SCORE PERFECTLY on any game played = 30pts
Call who deals first blood damage in the Finals = 5 pts
Call who deals first blood damage in the Tiebreak = 5 pts
Perfect pick both match winners = 10 pts
Perfect pick both dice rolls = 10 pts

****MATCH RESULTS****

- FINALS: WEE -VS Dark Magic
Wee wins diceroll
game 1 -  37 to  0 (WEE deals first blood)
game 2 - -10 to 22
game 3 -  36 to -5 (final spread: 41 pts)
concluded on turn 5

- TIEBREAK - 3rd place BO1: BroStat-X -VS- Devourer of Speed
Devourer wins diceroll
BroStat-X deals first blood
Final score of 1 - -18 (final spread: 19 points)
game concluded on turn 5

The Postgame Report: The Finals concluded

 All good things...


Its been 8 weeks, and what began as 32 randomly assigned teams became one.

The one.
It is an odd compulsion to bust out some ridiculous event every few years, and thoroughly exhaust myself writing match reports and organizing and maintaining betting pools, but I credit that to a fantastic game and an even better community. According to all reports, the game known as VS System is long dead.

I'm just so happy our community didn't get that memo. Something about this game soothes the soul.

Thanks for supporting the creative outlets of a dude that just wont let go!
I truly hope you enjoyed this. I know I did.

Long live VS!


*******

 

In case it isn't completely obvious, *SPOILERS AHEAD* 

So before I get into it:

SEE THE FINALS BO3 MATCH REPORT

SEE THE 3RD PLACE TIEBREAK MATCH REPORT

So go ahead and read up on those if you wish.


ok.


That was your shot.
Spoiler-time!


FINALS RESULTS:

WEE DEFEATS Dark Magic
2 games to 1

with game 3 concluding on turn 5, with a final score of: 
36  to  -5


3RD PLACE TIEBREAK RESULT:

BroStat-X  DEFEATS  Devourer of Speed 
on turn 5
with a final score of:
1  to  -18


Expect to see a follow-up post resolving our betting pool winners soon!

SEE THE COMPLETED FINALS BRACKET



THE FINALS: WEE -VS- Dark Magic

 
WEE
Pilot: Aaron Mead

-VS-

Dark Magic
Pilot: Darius Thatcher


-GAME ONE-




WEE Wins the Roll and elects to take odds.

Neither player mulligans.


        TURN 1 (Aaron Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE

(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Aaron sets a resource and recruits Crippler in his support row and passes.

Darius sets a resource and recruits Nightmaster into his front row and passes.

    COMBAT PHASE

Aaron declares Crippler into Nightmaster, once legal Darius flips up Total Anarchy.
Both players pass into a mutual stun.
Both characters KO.

    RECOVERY PHASE


WEE -> 49  Dark Magic -> 48



        TURN 2 (Darius Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Darius sets a resource and recruits Jared Stevens <> Fate.

Aaron sets a resource and recruits Chen in the hidden area.

    COMBAT PHASE

Jared swings direct for 3 and Darius passes.

Aaron exhausts Chen for Powell's effect (getting a bounty hunt) and passes.

    RECOVERY PHASE
all characters ready.

WEE -> 46  Dark Magic -> 48


        TURN 3 (Aaron Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Aaron sets ans flips up bounty hunt and recruits Man-eater into his front row before passing.

Darius sets a resource and recruits Ilsa in his support row protected by Jared and passes.

    COMBAT PHASE

Aaron activates Man-Hunter's efect to target Ilsa, and then declares Man-eater into her. Once legal, discarding a chen to Chen's effect to power-up Man-Eater to a 6/5 and passes.
Darius thinks for a while, and elects to activate Ilsa's ability, exhausting her (discarding a Conclave) to fetch new and Improved. He then passes.
Ilsa Stuns and KOS to anarchy.
Bounty hunt gains a counter.
Aaron then sends Chen into Jared. Both players pass for a mutual stun, and both KO to Total Anarchy.
Bounty hunt gains another counter.
Aaron removes 2 bounty hunt counters to draw 2 cards before passing.

Darius passes.


    RECOVERY PHASE

Man-eater readies.

WEE -> 44  Dark Magic -> 41



        TURN 4 (Darius Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Darius sets and flips New and Improved and recruits Grigori Rasputin into his front row, he then passes.

Aaron sets a resource, and flips up a rowed Mobilize (Discarding a Blind-Sided) to fetch Goldface, recruiting it in his front row (discarding 2x Fatality as an additional cost) he then recruits Capture net onto Man-eater and forms it -protected, behind Goldface before passing to combat.

    COMBAT PHASE

Darius laments his lack of flight, and sends Grigori into Goldface, once legal, playing a rowed Beatdown on him for +5 ATK. Aaron opts to not reinforce and both characters stun.
Aaron then activates man-eater's capture net to spin Grigori back to Darius' hand proccing two bounty counters to once more draw 2 cards.

Both players pass.

    RECOVERY PHASE

Aaron recovers Goldface.

WEE -> 37  Dark Magic -> 37




        TURN 5 (Aaron Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Aaron sets a resource and flips up a mobilize, (Discarding Powell) to fetch Major Force, then recruits Major force into his front row, protecting Man-eater and moving goldface into his support row adjacent to the 3 drop. He passes.

Darius sets a resource, recruiting Blue Devil, big blue. It's effect triggers and he loses 4 endurance. he shrugs and passes.
    "Hard lock to get out of."
    "That's the idea."

    COMBAT PHASE

Aaron declares Goldface into Blue Devil, once legal using Goldface's effect to KO a rowed Mobilize for +2/+2 and passing as an 11/11 attacker.
Darius powers up (Discarding a 2 cost blue devil)
Aaron responds, flipping up a rowed Empire of Tears, electing to KO two resources (A face down Powell and the face up Mobilize) leaving him with 2 resources, and activates Empire of Tears to grand Goldface another +2/+2. Both players pass and Blue Devil stuns with 2 breakthrough.
Aaron activates Man-Eater's net returning Blue Devil to Darius' hand for another 2 bounty counters and immediately spends them to draw 2 cards.
Blue Devil triggers and Darius gains 8 endurance.
Major force swings direct for 12.
Aaron passes.

Darius passes.

    RECOVERY PHASE
All characters ready.

WEE -> 37  Dark Magic -> 22



        TURN 6 (Darius Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Darius sets a resource and recruits his Nightmaster 1 drop. Then KO's it to New and Improved, then recruiting the Demon slayer, entering with 2 +1/+1 counters for 11/11 and passes.
 
Aaron sets a resource and recruits Fatality. Forming her protected by Goldface, and keeping Man-Eater protected by Major Force. before passing to combat.

    COMBAT PHASE

Darius passes combat.
 
Aaron sends Goldface into Nightmaster. Once legal, he activates Empire of tears for +2/+2, and then flips up and activates a rowed Stryker's Island. activating it for another +2 ATK. Finally he uses Goldface's effect to KO Stryker's island for another +2/+2 passing at 15/13.
Darius plays a rowed Abjuration, paying 5 endurance for +3 DEF, (since it is ongoing fatality cant negate this) and powers up for 12/15 and goes into the tank. He then plays a rowed Mobilize (discarding Jared Stevens) which is promptly degated by Fatality (KO-ing Bounty hunt leaving 1 resource) And Nightmaster stuns.

Aaron activates his catcher's mitt to spin nightmaster since his man-Eater has no range anyway, and sends fatality direct for 3, powering her up, before sending the 13/13 major force direct.

"That damn power-up."
Both players pass.

    RECOVERY PHASE
Abjuration triggers gaining 5 endurance. But it isn't enough... barely.

WEE  DEFEATS  Dark Magic
in Game One

37  -to-  0



-GAME TWO-


Darius opts to take odds for game two.

Mulligan


        TURN 1 (Darius Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE

(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Darius sets a resource and recruits Nightmaster, jim rook, then passes.

Aaron sets a resource and passes.

    COMBAT PHASE

Nightmaster swings direct for 2. both players pass.

    RECOVERY PHASE


WEE -> 48  Dark Magic -> 50



        TURN 2 (Aaron Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Aaron sets a resource and recruits Chen in his visible support row, then passes.

Darius sets a resource, recruiting Blue Devil, dan cassidy. His effect triggers and Darius loses 4 endurance.

    COMBAT PHASE

Aaron flips up a rowed Prison Planet and sends Chen into Nightmaster at 5/2. both players pass and both characters stun.

Darius sends Ble Devil direct for 4.

    RECOVERY PHASE
Aaron recovers Chen.
Darius recovers Nightmaster.

WEE -> 42  Dark Magic -> 41


        TURN 3 (Darius Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Darius sets a resource and recruits Zatanna, magical manipulator, protecting Blue Devil with Nightmaster adjacent to her.

Darius sets a resource and recruits Battlestar into his front row protecting Chen. then passing.

    COMBAT PHASE

Darius sends Zatanna and Nightmaster into Battlestar, forcing a trade with the two three drops. He then continues with Blue Devil into Chen for another mutual and passes.

Aaron Passes.

    RECOVERY PHASE

Darius recovers Zatanna, KOing Blue Devil, triggering his effect to gain 6 endurance.
Aaron recovers Battlestar, KOing Chen.

WEE -> 35  Dark Magic -> 42



        TURN 4 (Aaron Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Aaron sets a resource and recruits Goldface (discarding a Crippler and a Man-eater) forming it into his front row, protecting Battlestar.

Darius sets a resource and recruits Grigori rasputin into his front row, forming Nightmaster protecting Zatanna and passes to combat.

    COMBAT PHASE

Aaron sends Battlestar into Nightmaster.
Darius reinforces with Zatanna, and Nightmaster stuns.
Aaron continues with Goldface into Grigori and flips and activates Strykers Island for +2 ATK leaving Goldface at 13/9. for a one sided stun.

Both pass to recovery.

    RECOVERY PHASE

Darius recovers Grigori, KOing Nightmaster.

WEE -> 35  Dark Magic -> 31




        TURN 5 (Darius Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Darius plays Wake the Devil, opting to rearrange the 3 cards then drawing one. He then sets a resource and recruitd Blue Devil, big blue, losing 4 endurance from its effect and forms it behind Grigori before passing.

Aaron sets and flips Bounty Hunt, then plays a rowed Mobilize (discarding Chen) to fetch Major Force, he then recruits Major Force into his support row, moving Goldface to protect Battlestar and passes.

    COMBAT PHASE

Darius declares Blue Devil into Major Force. passing once legal.
Aaron flips up Empire of Tears, (KOing a Mobilize and the Bounty hunt as an additional cost) leaving Major Force at 11/11.
Darius plays a rowed Savage Beatdown.
Aaron exhausts Major Force for Powell's effect, removing it from play to fetch a Bounty Hunt, then passes for the mutual stun.
Darius pays 5 endurance for Grigori, KOing Major Force, before declaring a team attack into Goldface with Grigori and Zatanna.
Aaron activates Empire of Tears for+2/+2 then KO's Empire to Goldface's effect for another +2/+2, bricking the attack and passes. Darius responds with 2 zatanna power-ups to ensure the stun. Both players pass. Grigori stuns. as does Goldface.

Aaron sends battlestar into Zatanna. Once legal he activates Stryker's Island for +2 ATK.
Darius flips up a rowed Abjuration, paying 5 for +3 DEF, but zatanna's 8 DEF still falls to battlestar's 9 ATK.

    RECOVERY PHASE
Abjuration triggers, Gaining Darius 5 Endurance.
Darius recovers Blue Devil. KOing Grigori and Zatanna.
Aaron recovers Goldface.

WEE -> 50  Dark Magic -> 50



        TURN 6 (Aaron Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Aaron sets a resource, recruiting Man-Eater into his front row, and passing.
Darius sets a resource, and plays Wake the Devil, opting to place all three cards on the bottom of his deck and drawing a card. he then recruits June Moon, bad witch, protected by Blue Devil and they both pass to combat.

    COMBAT PHASE

Aaron activates Man-Eater's free effect to target June Moon. And then declares Goldface into her. Once legal he flips up Bounty Hunt and activates Stryker's Island for +3 ATK before passing.
Darius, stuck at 13 endurance is clearly reluctant to activate June Moon and goes into the tank.
    "This could be interesting."
Darius plays a Savage beatdown from his hand, targeting Aaron's attacking Goldface, then plays a rowed Conclave, paying 4 endurance to negate the beatdown.
    "haha Wow man. sneaky."
Darius then activates June Moon to stun Goldface with no penalty, now at 9 endurance. Aaron passes, Goldface stuns. With prison planet up and no ability to team swing, he passes combat.

Darius Declares Blue Devil into Man-Eater. Once legal, he flips up Total Anarchy and passes. Man-eater stuns and is KO'd.

    RECOVERY PHASE
Abjuration triggers, gaining 5 endurance.
Aaron recovers Goldface.

WEE -> 14  Dark Magic -> 14



        TURN 7 (Darius Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Darius sets a resource and plays Wake the Devil from his hand placing 1 card on the bottom of his deck and rearranging the rest on top before drawing a card. He then plays a mobilize from his hand (discarding an Accept your destiny) to fetch Shazaam, recruiting it into his support row and passing.

Aaron sets a resource, and recruits Powell and Fatality, forming Fatality behind Goldface and Battlestar behind Powell.

    COMBAT PHASE

Darius sends Shazaam into Goldface. Goldface KO's Prison Planet for +2/+2 and reinforces him with Fatality. next June Moon flies into Battlestar for a one-sided stun, then sends Blue Devil to do the same with Powell before KOing Blue Devil to his rowed New and Improved to gain 8

    RECOVERY PHASE
Endurance too high for abjuration to trigger.


WEE  DEFEATED BY Dark Magic
in Game Two
-10  -to-  22


This is it. for all the glory. All the marbles. and HELLA bragging rights!
Off to game 3 we go!
-GAME THREE-



Aaron selects odds.

Mulligan


        TURN 1 (Aaron Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE

(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Aaron sets a resource and recruits Crippler in his support row.

Darius sets a resource and passes.

    COMBAT PHASE

Aaron flips up Prison Planet and attacks direct for 4.

Both players pass.

    RECOVERY PHASE


WEE -> 50  Dark Magic -> 46



        TURN 2 (Darius Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Darius sets a resource and recruits Blue Devil before passing his build.
Blue Devil triggers, and Darius loses 4 endurance.

Aaron sets a resource and recruits Fatality, forming Crippler protecting her.

    COMBAT PHASE

Darius sends Blue Devil into Crippler.
Aaron pays 2 of Cripplers ATK and passes to the mutual stun triggering Cripplers effect.
Darius passes combat.

Aaron declares Fatality direct for 5

    RECOVERY PHASE
Darius recovers Blue Devil, but Crippler prevents Blue Devil from readying.
Aaron recovers Crippler.

WEE -> 47 Dark Magic -> 35


        TURN 3 (Aaron Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Aaron sets a resource and recruits Battlestar, forming it to protect Fatality with Crippler formed adjacent to her. he then recruits a Capture Net onto Fatality and passes.

Darius sets and flips Wake the Devil, placing 2 cards on the bottom of his deck, one on the top and drawing a card. he then recruits Zatanna forming her behind the exhausted Blue Devil and passes.

    COMBAT PHASE

Aaron sends Crippler into Blue Devil, once legal, paying 2 ATK and passing. Both players pass into a mutual stun and Crippler triggers.
Next, Aaron sends Battlestar into Zatanna at 7/5, passing once legal.
Darius flips an Abjuration, paying 5 endurance putting her at +3 DEF, triggering her effect. he elects to pay 3 to draw a card for her ability. as she manages to brick the attack.
Aaron passes Combat.

Darius elects to also pass.
Aaron activates Capture Net on Blue Devil, chaining the flip of a Bounty hunt.
Blue devil returns to Darius' hand, proccing 6 endurance gain, and Aaron immediately spends the 2 bounty counters to draw 2 cards.

    RECOVERY PHASE

Abjuration does not trigger.
Aaron recovers Crippler.

WEE -> 46  Dark Magic -> 31



        TURN 4 (Darius Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Darius plays Wake the Devil from his hand, placing 1 card on the bottom, 2 on the top and drawing a card, then sets a resource. and recruits the Mad Monk protecting Zatanna and passes.

Aaron sets a resource, and recriuts Goldface (Discarding the Shark and Powell) and forms Goldface protecting Fatality, while Crippler protects Battlestar.

They both pass to combat.

    COMBAT PHASE

Darius declares Zatanna into Goldface, once legal, playing a savage beatdown for 9 ATK.
Aaron goes into the tank, clearly debating if he should pop resources to try to brick or kiss goldface goodbye.
he plays a rowed Mobilize (Discarding Blind-Sided) and chains Fatality's effect, KO ing the mobilize resource to negate the played beatdown. The mobilize resolves, and Aaron fetches Sinestro, corrupted by the ring. Darius then adds another beatdown to the mix, flipping it up from his resource row.
    "Can't do that... Battlestar."
    "Oh shit."
The beatdown goes back facedown. Both players pass and Zatanna is stunned.
Darius then sends Grigori into Crippler for a one-sided stun and pays 1 endurance to ko it before passing his combat.

Aaron sends Goldface into Grigori for an uncontested stun. Following up with Battlestar swinging direct for 7. He activates Fatality's Capture Net to spin Grigori land 2 counters and immediately spend them to draw 2 cards before passing.

    RECOVERY PHASE

Abjuration fails to trigger.
Darius recovers Zatanna.

WEE -> 40  Dark Magic -> 14




        TURN 5 (Aaron Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Aaron sets a resource, and plays Mobilize (discarding Sinestro)
Darius plays The Conclave from his hand to negate the search paying 4 endurance.
    "Bummer."
Aaron then recruits Man-Eater protecting Battlestar followed by The Shark, also in his support row unprotected before equipping a capture net onto the Shark. He then passes his build.

Darius sets a resource and  pays 3 for Nightmaster (1) alt cost flipping up New and Improved to KO it, he then pays 3 again, oncemore KOing the 1 drop before recruiting ightmaster Demon Hunter protecting Zatanna at 13/13 and passing.

    COMBAT PHASE

    "Not looking good for you."
Aaron uses Man-eater's effect to target the protected Zatanna and sends Goldface into her. Once legal, KOing the rowed mobilize to Goldface's effect for a swing of 13 into her 5.
Darius KOs her to new and Improved. Goldface readies.
    "Huh. Using the Prison Planet against me."
    "No team swings for you... I think?"
Aaron shrugs and flips up Empire of tears, KOing Prison Planet and Bounty hunt. Then declares Goldface and Man-eater team swinging into Nightmaster.
    "That will do it." Darius passes stunning back Goldface.
Aaron continues direct with Fatality, Battlestar and The Shark for 9.

Both players pass to recovery.

    RECOVERY PHASE
Abjuration triggers, gaining 5 endurance. But it isn't enough.

WEE  DEFEATS  Dark Magic
in Game Three
36  -to-  -5
to win the series 2 games to 1!

Postgame Thoughts:

Aaron:
WEE is a beast and I think its a new fave for the BYOTT format. I'm going to build it for sure!
MVP in this series was battlestar, LowKey lockdown on big turns is gamebreaking.

Darius:
God-damned Battlestar. Definately one of those characters you just wiff on noticing his effect entirely until it kills you with a "gatcha!". Second place for this list isn't a bad time at all. It was ironic to me that focusing the anarchy play in game 1 is largely why I lost that game. It won me the TNNB matchup but WEE was just soo big up the curve, it basically was HIS board to control. You can't give away a win like that in the final and expect it to go your way.


 
And with that, our Summer of Love Champion is crowned! Stay tuned for the LAST Postgame report of the event to wrap-up our betting pool scores and winners!
 

 

THIRD PLACE TIEBREAK: BroStat-X -VS- Devourer of Speed


BroStat-X
pilot: JS

-VS-

Devourer of Speed
pilot: Wes


 

 Devourer of Speed wins the roll and takes even initiatives

JS mulligans, Wes keeps


        TURN 1 (JS Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE

(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

JS sets a resource, and recruits Doop, forward observer and passes.

Wes sets a resource, and passes.

    COMBAT PHASE

Js flips up The New Brotherhood and swings direct for 3, proccing Doops for another 1 endurance loss.

Both players pass to recovery.

    RECOVERY PHASE


BroStat-X -> 50  Devourer of Speed -> 46



        TURN 2 (Wes Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Wes sets a resource and recruits Silver Surfer. he activates its effect (Placing a Savage Beatdown to the top of his deck) and passes.

JS sets a resource, and recruits Gin Genie in his visible front row and passes.

    COMBAT PHASE

Wes passes combat.

JS declares Gin Genie into Silver Surfer. Once legal, flipping up a second TNB.
    "Jesus Christ man."
    "It isn't going to get any better either."
Both players pass into a mutual stun. Doop procs an extra damage. JS elects not to use Gin genie's effect.
Doop swings direct for 5, and procs again for 1 more. Both pass to recovery.

    RECOVERY PHASE
Wes recovers Silver Surfer.
JS recovers Gin Genie

BroStat-X -> 48  Devourer of Speed -> 33


        TURN 3 (JS Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

JS sets a resource and recruits Senyaka forming it protected by Gin Genie.

Wes sets a resource and places Silver Surfers' Board onto Silver Surfer, and recruiting XS, forming her in the front row. He activates the surfboard to place a counter on the surfer and moves him to the hidden area. He then activates silver surfer, to grab Alias Investigations and place it on top of his deck before passing to combat.

    COMBAT PHASE

JS sends Gin genie into XS for a mutual stun. Doop procs for 1 additional damage.
Senyaka continues direct for 9. Doop again triggers for 1 more damage
Then Doop goes direct for 5 once more proccing his bonus damage.
Js passes.

Wes passes.

    RECOVERY PHASE

JS recovers Gin Genie.
Wes recovers XS

BroStat-X -> 46  Devourer of Speed -> 12



        TURN 4 (Wes Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

Wes sets a resource and flips up Alias Investigations. He activates Silver Surfer to place Morg on the top of his deck and then activates Alias to rally for a character, clearly succeeding. he then Recruits Morg Protected by XS, then he activates the surfboard toplace a cosmic counter onto XS. Then passes his turn.

JS sets a resource, reveals a spoor in his row and recruits the reservist, triggering senyaka's burn for 2.
Spoor enters play and JS replaces the resource with a card from hand and forms him protecting Senyaka. Moving Gin Genie to his support row.

    COMBAT PHASE

Wes sends Morg into Senyaka for a mutual stun. JS doesn't reinforce.
With a score of 40 to 8 Wes doesn't have the luxury of making it to turn 6. Wes plays Flametrap from his hand (discarding barry Allen 4, and wally West 5) to stun his own Surfer, Doop, and Gin Genie.
He then declares XS into Senyaka. Once legal, playing two rowed Beatdowns, and using XS' ability to remove her cosmic counter to ready her. he then plays Team tactics from his hand exhausting XS to her own swing sending 28 atk over Senyaka for a mutual stun.

Both players pass to recovery.

    RECOVERY PHASE

Wes Recovers Morg, KOing Silver Surfer and XS.
JS recovers Spoor, KOing Doop, Senyaka, and Gin Genie.

BroStat-X -> 10  Devourer of Speed -> 3




        TURN 5 (JS Initiative)

    DRAW PHASE
(Both Players draw 2 cards)

    BUILD PHASE

JS sets a resource and plays a rowed Glory Hound, targetting Morg and replacing the resource before recruiting Sabretooth from his resource row, opting not to replace the resource. He passes forming them both in his front row.

Wes sets and plays Kindred Spirits, fetching wally west, then activating Alias investigations to rally him successfully. He recruits Wally and forms him in his support row protected by Morg and passes.

    COMBAT PHASE

Spoor swings into Morg. Once legal replacing a rowed Rem-Ram to give him +3/-3.
Wes reinforces with Wally for the mutual stun.
JS follows up with Sabretooth into Wally. Once legal playing the Next brotherhood from his hand, and a Mind over matter leaving Sabretooth swinging at 20 ATK. Both characters stun. and both players pass to recovery.

    RECOVERY PHASE

BroStat-X  DEFEATS  Devourer of Speed
1  -to-  -18
 Securing third place!
 
Postgame Thoughts:

JS:
That XS wombo scared the hell out of me, but otherwise this deck went OFF. Not much more to say than that!

Wes:
God damned double TNB by 2?
Thats "Good Game" 9 times out of ten right there.