The return of VS, thoughts musings and whatever.

The triumphant return of VS has been announced and I just have to say this out loud...
the new name sucks. No really. It blows.

I can only imagine a scenario like this:

UD rep #1 - So we're bringing VS back?

UD rep #2 - Yep, but the original designer is going to change a few things first.

UD rep #1 - Ahh I see, that could be cool, but if we're changing it, what's the new name going to be? We can't use LCG. Oh god i don't want to remember that. Maybe something like PCG?

UD rep #2 - PCG?

UD rep #1 - Yeah! Stands for Player Card Game. It could have a nice ring to it!
*dramatic voice* Versus System 2: the Player Card Game.  Simple, to the point. It has a ring to it though. VS 2: PCG... yeah I like it! write that down will ya?

UD rep #2 - Yeah got it. (quickly writes down VS 2PCG) Ill send this one up.

So look, if somewhere out there, UDE rep #1 sees this, I feel you man. and i just want you to know...
I know what you meant, man.

So anyways the first FAQ was released today, not much was revealed, but lets clarify what we know:
- the 400 card set is complete playsets, this leaves around 25 cards per team. Not the largest margin of diversity, but i'm hoping generic team-ups will add options. I'm also hoping if army cards are reintroduced we see more than 4. or else army lists ared gonna get HELLA expensive.

- The game is reworked to use hero characters. This actually could be good. in the past we've had some quirky fun with alter-egos. you remember them, right?

See? I knew you would! This could be a very successful page right out of the WOW tcg and i am actually diggin it. Not sure how similar they will be, but hey, not a bad idea.

-The release will include 4 teams, given UD's preference to work closely with scheduled releases, I'm guessing the recent Marvel franchise movies will all be covered to some extent. Guardians, Avengers, Fan 4, and Spider-man maybe? It seems as logical a guess as any, after-all, nobody specified it would only be the Disney marvel universe included, after-all.

Did our nagging questions of the nature of the change to VS get addressed?
Not really. I'm certainly waiting with held breath as we have been promised a more detailed run-down from the game's original design lead when hopefully, we learn the answers to questions like:
-We were told initiatives were done away with. Is this in name only? How can you balance such a striking removal of what made VS System so unique to begin with?
-Can a tabletop player play old content vs new content?


Until those questions are answered for a start, most of us old VS dogs will probably just keep baying at the moon.

In the meantime, check out the original FAQ for yourself  HERE!!

The Springtime Smackdown Finals: The matchup

With a best of three final, at first glance, it would seem that Ultimate Fear holds a decisive advantage, however, lets take a closer look at what both decks need to accomplish in order to succeed.

-Ultimate Fear- has a little bit of everything. A fantastic stall option, solid searchability, access to out of combat stuns, and a potent lategame win condition. With access to Clint Barton the build can remove any major threats to it's varying engines, and with several hidden options, Ultimate Fear can nerf Horse's early game giving it no characters to benefit from its team-up or an early Captain America. However, missed early drops will hurt Fear badly. If fear can make it to turn 7, it stands a solid chance to win.

-...and the Horse you rode in on-  has some insane early game ramping bolstered by two gamebreaking Lex Luthors. Lex literally shuts down every character effect Fear brings to bear. If Horse can get Lex into play, and keep him alive, the game will then be decided on who can out-bully the other, and bullying is what Horse does best.

The game results will be up tonight. followed shortly afterwards with the written batreps and (Hopefully) i'll have a prepped video for you all soon.

To the betters out there, Good Luck!

BEHOLD! THE SPRINGTIME SMACKDOWN!

With the long-since foretold advent of VS System's triumphant return this fall, I have decided to completely annihilate all hope of free time with:

THE SPRINGTIME SMACKDOWN

It's kind of like Thunder-dome except instead of 2, we have 32 entering! Of course, at the end, there can be only one champion! All 32 decks were built through the same premise:

- Each deckbuilder recieves two random teams
- Each deck must contain at LEAST 15 cards specifically referencing each of their teams (no double dipping dual affiliated characters either!
- While generic plot twists are fine, deck builders can never run any plot twist, location, or equipment that references a team they were not assigned. (characters are the exception to this rule.)
- The submitted decks will be played strictly by my team.
- Unaffiliated characters and characters not within assigned teams are banned.
- The coming of Galactus box is banned. (No PA or Omni!)
- The council banned list is observed.

So what's the deal? Players build decks they can't play?

Sort-of. This is, at its heart, a betting game!

What?! How will that even work?

Alright so once I post up the 32 competing decklists, I'm going to follow a first-come first serve opportunity for interested gamblers to pick the deck they think will go all the way. Be wary! Each participant can only choose two decks! ***NOTE - DECKBUILDERS CAN NOT CHOOSE THEIR OWN ENTRIES***
But here's the thing, Once any given deck is selected by two different people it will be removed from the selection table.

Once either all decks have been selected twice, OR once all interested participants have finished their picks, the tournament will begin! Each deck that makes the finals will earn SWAG for both the original deckbuilder AND the players cheering for that particular entry! And of course the deck that takes -it all will land even more!

As an added means to win stuff each week the VS System Collective Facebook Group  will allow players a chance to try to predict the winners for that particular week. with a rotating pinned post that will apply to each week in question. There is no limit here: Try to call a single game, OR try to call them all! At the end of the event top picks will get some sweet LOOT as well!

That seems pretty involved! But how will you keep each match fair?

 That's sort-of the twist. I'm not. I have 6 players of varying skill levels that will randomly pilot these decks. 

Interesting.... so who ARE these crazy people?

I thought you'd never ask! I organized 6 members of our group into their power rankings:

-Lee-
A casual player most known for his all-foil decks. He can make unpredictable plays to surprising success.

-Strengths:     Tenacious play, always seems to have that one last pump
-Weakness:     Can sometimes get tunnel vision on unimportant objectives
-Deck Pref:    Curve - Undercurve - Stall - Rush

Overall skill rating: 5/10

-Josh-
A strictly casual player with a love for quirky decks, He manages to find ways to win with off-beat and seldom-played cards.

-Strengths:     undercurve play
-Weakness:     Unfamiliarity with cardpool
-Deck Pref:    Swarm - Undercurve - Stall

Overall skill rating: 5/10

-Mark-
A casual player turned veteran. He holds a love affair with teen titans and Superman-Batman robots that defies logic and sensibility.

-Strengths:     Combo play.
-Weakness:     Often overthinks a situation.
-Deck Pref:     Out of combat tricks - Undercurve - all teen titans and team supes

Overall skill rating: 6/10

-Steph-
A veteran Worlds player with reasonable skill, she now finds herself conscripted into duty by her husband. (MWAHAHAHA)

-Strengths:     Favorable trades
-Weakness:     Resolving complex chains
-Deck Pref:     Power curve - Rush

Overall skill rating: 6/10

-Aaron-
A worlds calibur player best known for his archive of deckbuilding guantlets and creator of the vs system collective facebook page. He enjoys challenging himself against the best of the best. And occasionally tooting his own horn.

-Strengths:     Using gamestate triggers. Chain Resolution. Denial Gameplay.
-Weakness:    Can play un-necessarily high risk/high reward.
-Deck pref:     Combo - Toolbox

Overall skill rating: 9/10

-JS-
A worlds calibur player with a first place finish under his belt in golden age at Origins 2008. he most often enjoys challenging himself to succeed with lower-quality decks. Do not be fooled, he practically wins at will.

-Strengths:     Baiting unfavorable plays. Amazing at playing around opposing strategies.
-Weakness:     A bit out of practice.
-Deck Pref:     Insanity - Combo - Power Curve

Overall skill rating: 9/10

Gamblers! Be sure to take note each week of the scheduled PILOT for each matchup. Sometimes it will be favorable, and others, not so much. Me? I'm just an agent of anarchy in all this. Don't look for fairness here!

Can your deck survive a bad pilot? A bad draw? A bad matchup?

YOU WILL FIND ALL 32 DECKS IN THE BLOG HISTORY TO YOUR RIGHT!

GOOD LUCK!