The tournament director told the players they could begin, and he reminded them that they had two and a half hours to play. Vidi cautioned Jason that he should play fast, indicating that all that time might not be enough, but Jason seemed to think it would suffice. Both players shuffled up their decks and got ready for what could be a battle for the ages. The photographer asked the players to hide their drinks so he could take a picture, but Jason lamented that he would like to be paid for the endorsement. That seemed unlikely to pan out, but if he played well enough today, he’d be paid to the tune of $40,000. As the match started, Jason unzipped his sweatshirt to reveal a TAWC team shirt. Obviously, he was hoping to channel some of that Tim Batow goodness. As the players presented their decks, they were both stoic and focused.
Jason won the roll for initiatives and chose to go first.
Turn 1
Vidi looked at a hand of two Melissa Gold ◊ Songbird, Sonic Carapace, Black Panther, King of Wakanda, and a Mikado and Mosha and shipped it back. That turned out to be a good choice, as he mulliganed into a better hand of Joystick, Sage, Xavier’s Secret Weapon, and a couple of supportive plot twists. Jason laid a resource and played Archangel, Angel, ditching another copy of Archangel to fetch an X-Corp: Amsterdam. Jason claimed he was playing Blackbird Blue. For some reason, I didn’t believe him. Vidi played a Die for Darkseid! as his resource and played a Joystick with an Image Inducer. He then answered his ringing phone and calmly said, “I’m playing,” before hanging up and cursing Alex Jebailey. Jason sent Archangel into Joystick, and both stunned.
Endurance totals: Jason 49, Vidi 49
Turn 2
Vidi hit his 2-drop and an Enemy of My Enemy. He put the Enemy of My Enemy into his resource row and recruited Shape in front of Joystick. Jason thought for a bit, trying to determine the best course of action. Jason laid his resource and recruited Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose behind Archangel. Vidi declared the attack of Shape (who is a 3 ATK / 3 DEF) into Archangel. Jason again went into the tank, possibly determining whether or not he should use Poison Ivy’s ability. He chose not to and took 3 from Shape, and Archangel stunned. Joystick attacked as a 4 ATK / 2 ATK into Poison Ivy. Jason played Straight to the Grave targeting Beetle, Armorsmith and then KO’d the stunned Archangel to replace the Straight to the Grave, searching out Slaughter Swamp. Jason played the Slaughter Swamp and allowed the attack to resolve, with both characters stunning, Jason taking 3, and Vidi taking 2. Jason activated the Slaughter Swamp and returned Archangel.
Endurance totals: Jason 43, Vidi 48
Turn 3
Jason knew that Vidi’s deck plays Sage, Xavier’s Secret Weapon, and he needed to formulate his plays very carefully on this crucial turn. Jason played Enemy of My Enemy, discarding Archangel to fetch Dr. Light, Master of Holograms. Jason then activated Dr. Light, targeting Beetle, Armorsmith. Jason discarded Breaking Ground—which he dryly commented is an “all-star”—to search out a copy of Mikado and Mosha. Jason formed with Poison Ivy behind Beetle, with Dr. Light flanking Poison Ivy in the support row. Vidi noted that this formation suggested Jason would not be aggressive that turn. Vidi recruited Sage, Xavier’s Secret Weapon, and Jason flipped X-Corp: Amsterdam before she made it into play. Vidi lamented that he should have played Secret Six Victorious so that he could use Scandal to get Bad Press for the win, to which Jason motioned to the Breaking Ground he previously discarded. Vidi formed with Joystick behind Shape (who now had the Image Inducer) and Sage flanking Shape in the front row. Jason completely passed his attacks to Vidi. Vidi had three cards in hand and played a Flying Kick from his row on Shape, declaring an attack on Poison Ivy. Jason KO’d Beetle to Poison Ivy’s effect, also KO’ing the Enemy of My Enemy he searched with earlier that turn. He fetched a UN Building—which Jason favorably referred to as “the un-building”—then took 7 from the attack. Vidi declared Sage into Dr. Light, and Jason took 4. Vidi declared with Joystick, and Jason took 2 more. Jason used the Slaughter Swamp, ditching his third Archangel to get Beetle back, then chose to recover Dr. Light.
Endurance totals: Jason 30, Vidi 48
Turn 4
It was Vidi’s initiative, and he played Enemy of My Enemy discarding Electric Eve, searching out Golden Archer. However, Vidi recruited Moon Knight instead, making his board Shape, Sage, and Moon Knight in the front row, with Joystick behind Sage. Apparently Vidi was thinking ahead with his recruits and opted to save Golden Archer for another turn. Plays like this are what make him a top Vs. System player. Vidi passed to Jason’s build step. Jason activated Dr. Light, targeting Poison Ivy. Then Jason recruited Beetle, discarding another copy of Poison Ivy to his effect. He searched through his deck and found himself a copy of Deadshot, Floyd Lawton. Jason recruited his deadly friend and formed with Dr. Light and Beetle in the front, and Poison Ivy and Deadshot behind them, respectively. Vidi looked at the board fiercely. Sage is his deck’s one big answer to the discard engine. Vidi declared Sage into Beetle. Jason responded with a Mikado and Mosha targeting Joystick. It resolved, and Vidi lost 1 endurance from the stun. Jason activated Slaughter Swamp (discarding Phantom Zone), targeting Archangel. In response, he activated Deadshot, trying to rid himself of Sage. Vidi asked what was happening, and Jason slyly said, “You take 47 endurance,” chastising him on reading the cards. Deadshot’s effect resolved, Sage was KO’d, and Archangel returned to Jason’s hand. Vidi next declared Shape into Dr. Light with a power-up, making Shape a 7 ATK / 6 DEF. Jason flipped the UN Building, teaming-up Masters of Evil, Emerald Enemies, and Arkham Inmates. He then reinforced with Poison Ivy and took 3. Moon Knight smashed into Poison Ivy with a Trial by Fire. Jason took his lumps then recovered Dr. Light.
Endurance totals: Jason 14, Vidi 47
Turn 5
Jason recruited Archangel and decided not to trigger. Dr. Light then activated, magically bringing back Kyle Rayner, Last Green Lantern, who searched out the only Construct in Jason’s deck, Hard Sound Construct. Jason activated two X-Corp: Amsterdams to search out Justice League of Arkhams and put them face down in his resource row. Jason recruited Hope, Amazon Bodyguard and then used the Hard Sound Construct to bring back Poison Ivy. Jason flipped up a Birthing Chamber and activated, drawing two and ditching one. Jason discarded another copy of Slaughter Swamp. Jason flipped up Justice League of Arkham, teaming-up Green Lantern, and Vidi discarded an Atlantean Trident. Jason flipped up his second copy of Justice League of Arkham and teamed-up X-Men, to which Vidi discarded a Flamethrower. Jason then KO’d Kyle Rayner to Poison Ivy’s ability, KO’ing the Slaughter Swamp and searching out another X-Corp: Amsterdam. He immediately activated the X-Corp, getting his third Justice League of Arkham, this time teaming-up Revenge Squad. Vidi responded with a Die for Darkseid! on Joystick, leaving him with no cards in hand. Jason used his second copy of Hard Sound Construct to bring back Kyle Rayner, who got yet another copy of Hard Sound Construct. Jason then recruited Deadshot. Jason put Dr. Light, Poison Ivy, Hope, and Beetle in the back row, with Archangel, Kyle Rayner, and Deadshot in the front. Vidi recruited Golden Archer from his resource row with no replacement. In combat, Jason tried to “Deadshot” Shape, to which Vidi responded with a second copy of Die for Darkseid!. After a quick second calculation, Jason realized he couldn’t win and conceded the first game.
Vidi 1 – Jason 0
Game 2
Jason again took odd initiatives. Vidi looked at me and asked what I did to his deck, as his draw was three copies of Ape X and a Mikado and Mosha. He mulliganed it and gave me a displeased look. Jason laid a resource and passed. Vidi recruited Electric Eve, attacked, and then double-evaded. Jason noted how eager he was to use Mikado and Mosha on Electric Eve.
Endurance totals: Jason 46, Vidi 48
Turn 2
Vidi recruited Shape and placed him in front of Electric Eve. Jason took a long time considering his recruits, knowing he had little margin for error. He recruited Beetle, Armorsmith and discarded Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster. Jason decided to grab Roy Harper ◊ Speedy. Vidi asked Jason how many teams he was playing, and he responded, “Sixteen different teams.” I imagine at some point in Jason’s Vs. System career, he will find a way to use every team. After much shuffling of Jason’s deck by each player, Vidi declared Shape into Beetle and played a Trial by Fire from his hand for a total of 7 ATK; both characters stun. Vidi then attacked with Electric Eve and evaded.
Endurance totals: Jason 36, Vidi 45
Turn 3
Jason laid his resource and returned Mr. Mxyzptlk to his hand. What a troublesome trickster! Jason recruited Poison Ivy and Roy Harper ◊ Speedy, and he placed Roy Harper ◊ Speedy and Beetle in the back row with Poison Ivy in front of Beetle. Vidi considered his options very carefully. After a resource, he decided that using an Enemy of My Enemy was the best route to go. He discarded Electric Eve and found and played Sage, Xavier’s Secret Weapon. He then put a Laser Watch on Sage and formed with Shape and Electric Eve in the front row, with Sage behind Electric Eve. Vidi then passed his build phase, and the players moved along to the combat step, which, thus far, had not been too combative. Jason declared Poison Ivy into Electric Eve, who succumbed to the attack. Jason then passed his attacks. Like I said, not much combat from Jason’s side of the field. Vidi declared Shape into Poison Ivy. Jason then went “into the tank,” trying to decide what to do. Jason powered-up Poison Ivy, to which Vidi responded with a Flying Kick from the hand, making Shape an 8 ATK / 4 DEF. Jason KO’d Roy Harper ◊ Speedy with Poison Ivy’s ability, KO’ing a face-down Kyle Rayner, Last Green Lantern and fetching a UN Building. He also flipped up a Slaughter Swamp. Then he passed, with both characters stunning. Vidi then declared Sage into Beetle. At the end of combat, Vidi KO’d Electric Eve to use Die for Darkseid!. Jason activated Slaughter Swamp, discarding Mr. Mxyzptlk and returning the Poison Ivy he earlier used as a power-up.
Endurance totals: Jason 19, Vidi 41
Turn 4
Vidi had some tough decisions to make. He had three cards in hand: a copy of Shape, a Joystick, and a Flamethrower. He only had one face-down resource, which was a Wild Ride. Vidi opted to put Joystick in his resource row and play the Wild Ride. Vidi got himself Moon Knight and formed with Shape and Moon Knight in the front, with Sage behind Moon Knight. Jason only had one character in play, so he once again had to consider his recruits carefully. He was dangerously low on endurance, so one misstep could cost him the game and the match. He laid a resource and returned Mr. Mxyzptlk. That decision was easy; the rest would be infinitely more difficult. Jason recruited Cardiac, to which Vidi showed me the Flamethrower in hand and remarked, “I knew it wasn’t a good idea to equip the Flamethrower on Shape.” Jason then recruited Mr. Mxyzptlk and put him and Poison Ivy in the back row, with Cardiac in front of Poison Ivy. Vidi tried to attack with Shape, and Jason activated Cardiac to stun Shape. Vidi declared Sage into Cardiac. Jason responded with the UN Building and teamed-up Arkham, Spider-Friends, and Secret Society. He then reinforced with Poison Ivy. Moon Knight attacked into Mr. Mxyzptlk, stunning him. After the attack has resolved, Jason KO’d Mr. Mxyzptlk and a face-down Evil Star and got an X-Corp: Amsterdam to put into his row.
Endurance totals: Jason 6, Vidi 34
Turn 5
Vidi leaned over to me and remarked, “I am so awesome,” showing me that he had topdecked a Golden Archer. If the Archer hit the field, it would likely spell doom for Jason. However, Jason still had hope, as it is a key function of his deck to make his opponent discard every card. With a board of Poison Ivy and Cardiac, Jason considered his recruits. Jason recruited Beetle, Armorsmith, discarding the Mr. Mxyzptlk that he picked up during the recruit step this turn to find a copy of Coach. Jason then recruited Deadshot, Floyd Lawton and Hope, Amazon Bodyguard. He put Deadshot, Cardiac, and Beetle in the back row, with Hope and Poison Ivy in front of Deadshot and Cardiac. Jason passed, and Vidi went right for it: he recruited Golden Archer and put a Flamethrower on Moon Knight. Jason extended his hand, and Vidi Wijaya continued his unbelievable run at Vs. System history!
Vidi Wijaya wins 2-0 over Jason Hager!