Paul Van Der Werk is 7-1 so far at Adelaide. He performed solidly throughout day 1, but will his penchant for drafting Shadowpact prove effective today? Jason Zhe is a local Adelaidian player who is playing-up with a solid 6-2 record over the event. His JSA-centric deck has already taken him to one victory today, but can he get that essential win to push him into Top 8 contention?
With Kylie Minogue pumping over the feature table, Jason won the die roll and elected to take odds.
Turn 1
A premium 1-drop in the form of Atom Smasher, Al Rothstein came out for Jason. When Paul had no drop, Jason elected to give the JSA character a counter instead of attacking, realizing the value of the ability.
Endurance
Jason: 50
Paul: 50
Turn 2
Manitou Dawn came out for Paul. Surveillance Pawn, Army was Jason’s only recruit, and he pushed Atom Smasher into the back row. Realizing that Atom wouldn’t be able to swing effectively, and that Manitou Dawn is, as Paul described, "the C-team", both players elected not to attack and play moved to recovery.
Atom gained a counter and both players sat happily at 50 endurance each.
Endurance
Jason:50
Paul:50
Turn 3
Rex Tyler ◊ Hourman came out for Jason providing a potential 7 ATK/7 DEF for the Adelaide player. On Paul’s side of the board, Zazzala ◊ Queen Bee, Mistress of the Hive came out in the concealed area's front row.
Jason started off his attack by sending Rex into Manitou Dawn and passed. Paul activated Thanagar and, after some deliberation, Jason decided not to pay the free cost. The attack simply bounced and Jason decided to pass the attack over to Paul. Quickly inspecting the board, Paul decided not to attack with Zazzala, Atom Smasher got another counter to become a 4 ATK/4 DEF, and the game remained locked at 50 apiece.
Endurance
Jason:50
Paul:50
Turn 4
Paul had a support row Deathstroke the Terminator, Lethal Weapon, while a Ted Grant ◊ Wildcat under-drop was all that Jason could manage. Surveillance Pawn activated to give Jason's characters +1 ATK across the board, and a Checkmate Safe House teamed-up JSA and Checkmate.
Deathstroke attacked Atom Smasher and the 4 ATK/4 DEF character got another counter to become a very formidable 6 ATK/5 DEF. Paul used Thanagar to try to avoid trading stuns, but it was met with a +6 ATK boost via Defend Yourself!. Ted Grant then reinforced the 1-drop, and Jason was hit for 4 endurance as both drops were stunned. Zazzala and Manitou then team attacked into Rex, and the 3-drops traded simple stuns. Jason kept his Atom Smasher, while Paul recovered Deathstroke and both players moved on to turn 5
Endurance
Jason:42
Paul:43
Turn 5
Jason recruited Blue Devil, Big Blue in the back row and Paul had a copy of Ragman, Redeemer of Souls. Before combat, Surveillance Pawn was activated for Jason before end of build, and then Blue Devil swung into Ragman. Paul elected not to reinforce and took the 8 breakthrough, while Ragman removed Rex Tyler from the game to gain a counter.
Ted Grant does what he does best, and swung up the curve into Deathstroke, with an impressive 8 ATK. Both characters traded blows and Manitou Dawn reinforced the Terminator. A 6 ATK Atom swung into Manitou, and Thanagar brought her DEF to 4. In fine form, a timely Defend Yourself! gave her +6 ATK and both characters stunned. The 5-drops were brought back during recovery and both players moved onwards to turn 6.
Endurance
Jason:25
Paul:27
Turn 6
Paul had to under-drop with Cheshire, Jade, but made the best of a bad situation using Thanagarian Invasion and paying a resource point to make her an 11 ATK/11 DEF. Huntress, Reluctant Queen was recruited behind Blue Devil for Jason and Surveillance Pawn was activated once more.
Ragman (using Thanagarian Invasion) swung into Huntress with the necessary 12 ATK. The Checkmate Safe House gave the Gotham character a defense boost, but Paul had a copy of The Phantom Stranger, Fallen Angel to make the stun complete.
Atom Smasher and Grant were removed from the game to make Ragman an impressive 13 ATK/11 DEF, and then both characters stunned.
Cheshire swung into the Devil (netting Paul a point of endurance, and burning Jason for 1 in the process) and Thanagar brought her to a vital 12 DEF. Jason had no options and had to take the stun while Cheshire remained unscathed, and play moved onto recovery. Blue Devil was sent to the KO’d pile and Jason netted himself 8 endurance in the process.
Endurance
Jason:19
Paul:23
Turn 7
Black Adam, Ruthless Hero came out on Jason's side of the board, while Paul had The Calculator, Crime Broker in his hidden area. With 4 cards in hand, Paul could potentially burn Jason for 8 endurance, but would it be enough? Jason elected not to use his Pawn, and started his attack phase.
He sent Huntress into Cheshire, and Paul merely reinforced via Thanagar. A 16 ATK/16 DEF Black Adam then swung into Ragman and Paul could only sigh as he activated his Thanagar to reduce to breakthrough. He took the 11 endurance,but Ragman became a 15 ATK/13 DEF when Paul removed Zazzala and Deathstroke from the game.
The Surveillance Pawn then snuck in for 2 and Paul was reduced to a risky 5 endurance. Not wanting to lose if Huntress was able to trade with his Calculator, Paul declined to attack and play moved on to turn 8.
Endurance
Jason:19
Paul:5
Turn 8
Paul started off his recruit with Zatanna, Showstopper. With 2 resources left, Paul used Thanagarian invasion to make Calculator a 17 ATK/16 DEF while Death from Above ensured that Ragman became an 18 ATK/13 DEF. Meanwhile, Jason could only muster a concealed Michael Holt ◊ Mr. Terrific and a concealed Aspiring Pawn.
The Calculator attacked Black Adam, and Jason activated the Checkmate Safe House to bring Adam's defense to 17. Then, a timely Deflection from Jason (exhausting Adam and Huntress) brought Adam to 16 ATK/19 DEF. Paul had Mystical Binding to make the attack succeed, and then tried to activate Thanagar to avoid trading stuns. It was met by Rann from Jason, and, trying to make the best of a bad situation, Paul discarded 3 cards to burn Jason for 6. He then played Epic Battle to try and force through some crucial breakthrough. When a 20 ATK Ragman swung into Huntress, Jason could only take 13 as the characters traded. With only a concealed board, Zatanna was then able to swing directly for 14.
Staring at his still concealed available weenies, Jason knew that he couldn’t possibly push through the necessary 14 and both players began to discuss the match.
Paul Van Der Werk is on an impressive 8-1 record going into round 10!