LOSER'S BRACKET (Matches 17-24)
And now a reckoning. For 8 decks, the party stops here, While a few decks wound up in the losers bracket to bad luck or a middling matchup, None can afford to go easy here. Players will be opting for the safest means to progress rather than the flashiest, standard plays will be scrutinized and second guessed.
To summarize?
It's gonna be a SLUGFEST.
Lets greet our potential victims.
17- Defenders, Attack! -VS- Skrullf*cked
Skrulls and co. did so spectacularly bad last game it's actually hard to quantify this matchup. So i'll just put it this way: If the Skrulls get Wolvie + Mutopia online it'll be a hell of a battle, Muramasa blade isn't very forgiving if Wolvie gets some multi-swings in with it.However, another victim to bad fortunes, Defenders famously wiffed entirely on 5 managing to never play a single hulk smash all game long even though they drew 3. Hulk hits on 5? it might be over right there.
Favored to Win: Defenders, Attack!
18- The MorMans are Coming! -VS- Exhaust Squad
Exhaust Squad hasn't shown me much, but losing to this event's version of TNNB makes it hard to quantify their value just yet. While MorMans lost a close one, that might have been otherwise winnable. The MorMans boardwide KO will decide this one.
Favored to win: The MorMans are Coming!
Exhaust Squad hasn't shown me much, but losing to this event's version of TNNB makes it hard to quantify their value just yet. While MorMans lost a close one, that might have been otherwise winnable. The MorMans boardwide KO will decide this one.
Favored to win: The MorMans are Coming!
19- Evil Secrets -VS- The Swingers' Club
A fantastic swarm fights a fantastic tempo rush build. Everything about this is just too close to call. Evil secrets needs to pop off on their midgame initiative to steal the show, while Swingers' Club needs a solid mulligan into some immediate pressure to keep Evil Secrets at bay.
Favored to win: No Line
20- Mind Games -VS- Devourer of Speed
I don't expect this to be even close, to be honest. I think Devourer has this on lock. Mind Games will need to lean heavily on the 3 drop jean to stay relevant and landing a second 5 drop on 6 will be a must to try to keep pressure.
Favored to Win: Devourer of Speed
21- Rita Repulsa -VS- IMMORTALS
Two lists that both boast the ability to make monsters grow, get to face off. The consistency Dr. Sivana and Code White give IMMORTALS is downright abusive, while Rita Repulsa will need to NOT put all its eggs in one basket, a strategy counterintuitive to what the deck is fundamentally trying to achieve, lest Gorilla Grodd steals her Colossal 2 or 3 drop, and with it, the game.
Favored to win: IMMORTALS
22- Outsider Protocol -VS- Kill you to Death!
Crisis forces a top-heavy curve and it has been showing. However if the Green Lantern/Crisis hybrid can get Superboy Prime out on turn 7, things may take a turn. That said, Outsider's will more likely end it long before Prime threatens anyone.
Favored to Win: Outsider Protocol
23- Super Legionnaires -VS- Intergalactic Carpool
There is absolutely NO WAY carpool suffers the bad draws it saw round 1. Because of this alone I expect a pretty dominant showing. Legionnaires suffer from a different issue. Their mid to late game focuses on grabbing cards, but none seem to help end the game.
Favored to Win: Intergalactic Carpool
24- Dead Guys -VS- BKKO
Dead guys has some real potential. But this is a mismatch through and through. If dead guys lose even a single combat, they can consider that character KO'd on everything they run except the Dinah. That's a tough but not impossible scenario.
BKKO on the other hand just needs a quick kill and 1 or 2 pumps to essentially steal the game. I see them doing this easily.
There is absolutely NO WAY carpool suffers the bad draws it saw round 1. Because of this alone I expect a pretty dominant showing. Legionnaires suffer from a different issue. Their mid to late game focuses on grabbing cards, but none seem to help end the game.
Favored to Win: Intergalactic Carpool
24- Dead Guys -VS- BKKO
Dead guys has some real potential. But this is a mismatch through and through. If dead guys lose even a single combat, they can consider that character KO'd on everything they run except the Dinah. That's a tough but not impossible scenario.
BKKO on the other hand just needs a quick kill and 1 or 2 pumps to essentially steal the game. I see them doing this easily.
Favored to win: BKKO
WINNERS BRACKET (Matches 25-32)
The sweet scent of victory still permeates these teams. None at any risk of elimination this week, bad match-ups are survivable, but which teams keep that win streak and which falter?
25- Gamma Robuts -VS- The Cliffs of INSANITY!
Cliffs showed up in a big way during week 1. But Gamma Robuts has the answers it needs to stretch the curve deck to a gamma bomb endgame, and frankly, I don't see anything in INSANITY's arsenal to stop it. The insane curve basically needs the doom deck to wiff.
Favored to win: Gamma Robuts
26- Secretly Wolverine -VS- BroStat-X
Secretly Wolverine is completely hidden until turn 4? Dude I don't think this will even be close. Sure Wolverine can make some magic with direct swings, but the entire BroStat-X list is going to be direct swinging all game long! Wolverine needs the rush to falter and get to turn 5 for even a shot.
Favored to win: BroStat-X
27- Dark Magic -VS- HellKnights
In a random twist of fate, we have BPRD vs Thule! While a thematic grudge match, this also is one of the harder ones to call. Can Hellboy see another turn 3-4 fate suite? Both lists rock plot twist negation, and abilities to dig for cards needed. But Dark Magic can pop a free Nightmaster to Accept your destiny and if that combo lands... that fated hellboy is going away.
Then again, HellKnights can push multiple hellboy swings.
This is the definition of "too close to call"
Then again, HellKnights can push multiple hellboy swings.
This is the definition of "too close to call"
Favored to win: No Line
28- Unjust fear -VS- Hulk Smash you... Yesterday!
Hulk's support is veritable and effective. With fast answers to early team swings, access to un-targetability, and the biggest pumps in the game, Unjust Fear's best hope is praying Hulk misses righteous anger, repeatedly. There is room for outplay, however, so I wouldn't call this one a sure thing by any stretch
Favored to win: Hulk Smash You... Yesterday!
29- Gods Matter -VS- Sub-Mariner, SHIELD of Atlantis
SHIELD's early game is largely hidden, and barring an extremely defensive turnaround on 4 or 5, Gods Matter should be expected to walk away with a relatively easy win. Definately no insane Thor burn endurance totals in this one folks. Gods matter will be business as usual, while the ultimates variant will likely be forced into playing not to lose.
Favored to win: Gods Matter
30- Demons United -VS- Foul-Mouthed Dark God
While demons United has some room for play here, Dark God seems to have some remarkably difficult to answer questions while setting up a pretty solid power curve lineup. Mystical Paralysis can shut down entire intiatives for Demons United and the threat of it's existence will force sub-optimal plays.
Favored to win: Foul-Mouthed Dark God
31- Crapple Jacks -VS- Young Avengers Flight
Young Avengers Flight boasted the win with the most endurance remaining in all of week one at a disturbing "|how does that even happen?" final score. (Having only taken 8 damage.) While I am not expecting Crapple Jacks to wiff nearly as hard, if YAF hits Natasha on 2, things should stay in their favor.
Favored to win: Young Avengers Flight
32- Tam'Ar Empire -VS- WEE
Tam'Ar proved itself to be a stalling BEAST, and once its board was set, the wall of Shi'ar soldiers guaranteed that none shall pass. Similarly, it was the Capture Nets early and often applying a fast control that prevented BKKO from doing what it needed to do to win. Without a measurable way to ensure WEE hits those Capture nets, however, I feel Tam'Ar Empire has the advantage
Favored to win: Tam'Ar Empire
Agree with my assessments? Think I'm full of sh*t? let me know!
Check out THIS WEEKS BETTING THREAD and get in on the action! Sweet Loot awaits!
If you are a deck-builder playing your concoction this week, please let me know, as most likely you are playing myself or a member of my team, otherwise, i will need your games reported once again, by Thursday evening. If not, my team will take over and play it for you.
Until next time!
Check out THIS WEEKS BETTING THREAD and get in on the action! Sweet Loot awaits!
If you are a deck-builder playing your concoction this week, please let me know, as most likely you are playing myself or a member of my team, otherwise, i will need your games reported once again, by Thursday evening. If not, my team will take over and play it for you.
Until next time!
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