Of the competitive decks in Vs. System, it’s usually the decks that stray farthest from the combat-oriented, “characters fighting characters” strategies that are frail but powerful. Decks liked Rigged Elections and Xavier’s Dream can pull victories out of nowhere because they don’t try to win on the normal combat axis on which most decks look to fight. However, these decks have also proven to be the easiest for the metagame to adjust against; a couple of diabolic geniuses or blasted resources later, and the deck is quick to become unplayable. Neil believes the Killing Joke is a similar case: “If Squadron plays 1-drop Joystick, 2-drop Shape, and follows it with Sage, that’s game.” Similar sentiments have been voiced throughout the weekend; the success or failure of the discard deck hinged on single card adjustments that opponents may or may not have made.

But the real question is what Silver Age looks like as an overall format, since most decks could only afford a card or two to tech against the discard monster. As Neil says, it’s a format defined by characters bashing characters. Looking through the top competitors from Day 1, most of the other decks (sans a single G’Lock deck) won via big stats on early turns and complementing burn to end the game before opposing decks could stabilize. This may be a feature of this year’s Silver Age that differentiates it from a Golden Age marked by many high-powered control cards.

In terms of past Sealed Pack formats, Neil noted Avengers for its diversity of play patterns and Marvel Knights for rewarding players for taking chances with dual loyalty characters and understanding how to draft team affiliations carefully. Although he enjoys playing X-Men, it’s proven to be much different Draft experience. Because of the lack of higher quality generics, Neil tends to pick up the most powerful team-stamped cards that still offer some flexibility early—he pointed out his last draft where he first-picked Hump over a Join the Club. Unfortunately, the best cards in the next three packs were Hellfire. It would seem that while the Mutant traits add a layer of strategy, this additional consideration also makes signals a less reliable tool. Neil, like most players, prefers Sealed Pack formats where each team has a unique game plan and looks to end the game anywhere between turns 5 and 8, as opposed to simpler formats, like Superman, where games were won by inches.

Even with the dawn of Silver Age, many more exciting seasons and formats loom on the horizon. However, players can influence the texture and feel of upcoming formats and sets as much as R&D can—your feedback is more valuable than you know. In addition to all of the crazy new ideas and mechanics that R&D wants to try, it’s also important for us to understand what players have really enjoyed from past sets and what can be integrated into new sets with a new twist. So, the next time you’re drafting or playing Constructed, ask yourself what makes the game fun for you, and be sure to let us know.