Of the original Top 8 from $10K Manila 2005, Domingo is the only player who has repeated the feat today. He confesses to preferring Constructed to Sealed Pack, though he also sheepishly admits to having taken a short reprieve from work to focus on testing for the $10K.
Beginning the event with a record of 0-2, Domingo had not expected to make the Top 24. Yet his tenacity took him on an unstoppable winning spree that cumulated in his appearance here in the Top 8.
Pack 1
1. Wonder Woman, Earth 2
2. Burning Gaze; Black Adam, Ruthless Hero; Target Acquired; Shazam
3. Epic Battle; Forbidden Loyalties; Laser Watch; Ragdoll, Resilient Rogue
4. Thanagarian Invasion
5. Burning Gaze
6. Dr. Psycho, Twisted Telepath; Carter Hall ◊ Hawkman
7. Ragman, Redeemer of Souls; Cheshire
8. Rose Psychic, Coercion
9. Bizarro, ME AM BIZARRO #1
10. Cheetah, Scandal
11. Manitou Dawn
12. Dr. Light, Furious Flashpoint
13. Dr. Polaris, Force of Nature
14. Cheetah
Domingo usually tries for pure Shadowpact because he likes the fact that the affiliation has many good plot twists like Magical Conduit. He was clearly trying to go for the affiliation in his first pack, though he also picked up some generic plot twists and the lower cost Villains United characters.
He first picked Wonder Woman, Earth 2 because he feels that 5-drops are rare for Draft in this expansion. He also let it slip that he usually spends his first pack drafting plot twists.
He also noticed that JSA appeared to be under-drafted, though he did not go strongly into the affiliation because it isn’t good off curve.
Pack 2
1. Ragdoll, Resilient Rogue; Checkmate Safe House; Animal Man
2. Systematic Torture, Bizarro, ME AM BIZARRO #1
3. Grand Gesture; Forbidden Loyalties; Alexander Luthor, Diabolical Double
4. No Mercy, Defend Yourself!, Justice United
5. The Phantom Stranger; Dr. Psycho, Twisted Telepath
6. Talia, Daughter of Madness; The Calculator, Evil Oracle
7. No Mercy; The Calculator, Crime Broker
8. Thanagar
9. Kilowog, Drill Sergeant
10. Bizarro, ME AM BIZARRO #1
11. Dr. Psycho, Twisted Telepath
12. Justice United
13. Dr, Psycho, Twisted Telepath
14. The Oblivion Bar
Pack 2 was the turning point in his draft. Passed Systematic Torture and No Mercy, he felt herded toward Villains United and eventually began drafting the affiliation over Shadowpact. Not only did he get his KO effects in pack 2, but he also obtained Grand Gesture, giving him some of the best possible plot twists for his affiliation.
Pack 3
1. Captain Marvel, Earth’s Mightiest Mortal; Power Girl, Earth 2; Mystical Binding
2. Magical Lobotomy, Hourman III ◊ Hourman
3. Weather Wizard, Return Fire
4. The Calculator, Crime Broker; Relentless Pursuit
5. Justice United
6. Justice United
7. Dr. Psycho, Mental Giant; Death from Above
8. Talia, Beloved Betrayer
9. Sinestro, Villain Reborn
10. Death from Above
11. Elimination Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot
12. No Hope
13. Secret Checkmate HQ
14. Cheetah
I was a little curious about his taking Captain Marvel, Earth’s Mightiest Mortal as his first pick, but as it turns out, it was simply a counter-draft. Domingo thinks that the character is terribly good and didn’t want to have to play against it. His picks of Justice United were also to weaken the decks of his competitors, as he hoped that they would not be able to team-up their characters.
Domingo Charlman’s Draft Deck
JSA
1 Wonder Woman, Earth 2
Secret Six
1 Ragdoll, Resilient Rogue
Shadowpact
1 Ragman, Redeemer of Souls
1 Rose Psychic, Ghost Detective
Villains United
2 Bizarro, ME AM BIZARRO #1
2 Cheetah
1 Dr. Light, Furious Flashpoint
1 Dr. Polaris, Force of Nature
1 Dr. Psycho, Mental Giant
2 Dr. Psycho, Twisted Telepath
1 Sinestro, Villain Reborn
1 Talia, Beloved Betrayer
1 Talia, Daughter of Madness
1 The Calculator, Crime Broker
1 Weather Wizard, Mark Mardon
Plot Twists
2 Burning Gaze
1 Death from Above
1 Epic Battle
1 Grand Gesture
1 Magical Lobotomy
1 No Hope
2 No Mercy
1 Systematic Torture
1 Thanagarian Invasion
Locations
1 Thanagar
The concept behind the deck is to deal lots of early damage and try to finish the game on turn 6 with Dr. Psycho, Twisted Telepath. He mulligans for two characters with cost 3 or less in his opening hand. With three character removal plot twists, part of his game plan is also to control the opponent’s board.