Dair Grant is a 26 year old banker from just south of Indianapolis, who finished 3-4 yesterday in the PC with the same deck as he’s playing for a Top 8 slot right now. Ben Stoll played Fantastic Four yesterday to the exact same record as Dair but chose to audible this morning and play Mutant Nation. So far it looks like a very solid choice, as Stoll is currently 6-1 and also in contention for a spot in the Top 8 (in spite of some admittedly sketchy play). The winner of this match would definitely come back in the morning to play in the single elimination rounds, while the loser would have to settle for a consolation prize.


Game 1

Dair kicked off the action in game 1 with a turn 2 Hank Hall ◊ Hawk and a turn 3 Beast Boy, matched by Wolverine, Logan from Stall. Dair played Terra on turn 4, which Stoll trumped with Sabretooth, Feral Rage. Beast Boy and Terra team attacked Sabretooth before Dair ended his attack phase, but Hawk went to the KO’d pile after Wolverine smashed back. Scarlet Witch on turn 5 was a very strong play for Stoll, but Garth ◊ Tempest was an equally strong play from Dair. Stoll brought the beatdown, attacking Scarlet Witch into Terra, but Heroic Sacrifice traded a Terra stun for Beast Boy. Sabretooth brought the noise next, again into Terra, and this time it worked, but not before the Teen Titan stunned Wolverine with her ability.

Dair recruited Connor Kent ◊ Superboy to his squad with the exhortation, “Show me nooo Colossus.” It was all for naught, however, as Marvel’s man of steel showed up right on time for Stoll, gumming up the board and keeping character advantage in Stoll’s favor. Superboy stunned Colossus with help from an exhausted Terra. Garth attacked Wolverine, and Dair activated Titans Tower, discarding a Superboy to pump Garth. Stoll paused to think before simply reinforcing Wolverine. Dair 25, Stoll 32

Stoll recruited Professor X, World’s Most Powerful Telepath. Dair was overjoyed by the fact that Ben’s 7-drop was not Wolverine, Berserker Rage, meaning he could play Beast Boy and Dove with boost. Sabretooth attacked Garth, but another Heroic Sacrifice transferred the beatings to Dove, a very solid play from Dair. Professor X attacked Garth, who was reinforced, and the attacks continued with a second Heroic Sacrifice. Negative Zone took care of Garth, but Dair was very effective in not dying that turn, showcasing the power of Heroic Sacrifice. Dair 11, Stoll 23.

Dair recruited Hawk with boost and Tim Drake ◊ Robin, Young Detective. Stoll merely recruited Wolverine, James Howlett.

“Come on Ben, are you done yet?” asked Dair. “I just don’t want to screw this up!”

“Your board is ridiculous, Ben . . . you can’t mess this up.”

“Well, what if I leave my formation like this and I lose to you, what will you give me then?”

“A kiss.”

The judge at the table clears his throat.

“Oh wait, that’s bribery. I take that back. No kiss for you.”

Dair was able to even the endurance totals after his turn 8 attack, but while savagely ruing the fact that he could not draw a Teen Titans Go! When Stoll showed Dair the Apocalypse he drew, Dair scooped it up and sent the match to game 2.

Ben Stoll 1, Dair Grant 0


Game 2

Stoll kicked things off on turn 2 Nightcrawler, Kurt Wagner.  Dair played Tim Drake ◊ Robin, Young Detective, and then recruited Beast Boy on turn 3, all the while ranting about Stoll’s Wolverine, Logan. Dair had more to complain about with Stoll’s turn 4 Sabretooth as well, though he did have a Terra of his own to play. Endurance totals after the turn 4 attacks were Dair 34, Stoll 42.

Garth ◊ Tempest entered play for Dair, matched by Scarlet Witch for Stoll. Dair went tricksy on his turn, team attacking Wolverine and then playing Teen Titans Go!, readying his team, then using Terra to stun Wolverine, while putting a counter on Beast Boy, and then readying his attackers again because the attack was now invalid. More team attacks and another Teen Titans Go! resulted in Stoll’s whole team getting stunned, but still leaving him with a Scarlet Witch to Dair’s Garth and Terra.

Stoll mised a Colossus off the top of his deck for his 6-drop, but failed to do much endurance loss to Dair with his initiative. Turn 7 saw Stoll play Professor X, and in spite of having three more characters than Dair, Be