Shaun Hayward
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
UDE Rating: 3025 (Rank 2 Oceania)
Deck Played: High Voltage
What got you into Vs: Enchante Chang, and the money
Started Vs: Spider-Man
Favorite Team: X-Men
Why did you play the deck you played: It’s amazing and kills fast. It beats Flying Circus as well.
Second Choice: Common Enemy
Best card in deck: King Snake and Black Panther
Shaun is best known for his win at $10K Brisbane playing Curve Sentinels. However, he is also the co-creator of Kiwifruit, Good Guys, and High Voltage, the deck he is playing today. Shaun said that besides winning the $10K, one of the accomplishments he wants to achieve is be ranked #1 in the world, and I, Enchante Chang of The Four Horsemen, can tell you that he isn’t too far off now.
Shaun McDowell
Age: 16
Occupation: Student
UDE Rating: N/A
Deck Played: Teen Titans
What got you into Vs: Rob Rangi told me there was a new game out and told me to try it out. Also, the strategy you need to have to win games.
Started Vs: Marvel Origins
Favorite Team: Teen Titans
Why did you play the deck you played: If you’re good at playing the deck, then it is the best deck in the format.
Second Choice: Intergang
Best card in deck: Null Time Zone
Shaun McDowell has played every card game under the sun but has been serious about Vs. since he found out about it. The first deck he played was Curve Sentinels with Mark IV during Origins era, and he hasn’t played Sentinels since the Purple Era. He is one of five Wellingtonians to come up to Auckland and is hoping to place higher than just making the top 8.
Troy Palmer
Age: 23
Occupation: IT consultant
UDE Rating: 2633 (Rank 46)
Deck Played: Good Guys
What got you into Vs:
Started Vs: Superman
Favorite Team: X-Men
Why did you play the deck you played: It’s a solid deck for the metagame.
Second Choice: Avengers or Titans
Best card in deck: Katar Hol ◊ Hawkman
Jared Blakemore
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
UDE Rating: 2514 (Rank 248)
Deck Played: Good Guys
What got you into Vs: I wanted to play a game that was more complicated than Yu-Gi-Oh!.
Started Vs: DC Origins
Favorite Team: JLI
Why did you play the deck you played: I’ve been working on the deck since the deck came out. I’ve had lots of practice with it.
Second Choice: Avengers
Best card in deck: Meltdown
Andrew Corney
Age: 28
Occupation: Environmental Designer
UDE Rating: 2832 (Rank 9)
Deck Played: Sentinels with Underground Sentinel Base
What got you into Vs: I was playing “another” card game and I thought this one was better. It’s less luck-based and much more exciting. The genre is better as well.
Started Vs: Marvel Origins
Favorite Team: Gotham Knights
Why did you play the deck you played: Because no one else was playing Sentinels. The worst thing about playing Sentinels is playing the mirror match.
Second Choice: JLI/Masters, the deck that Scott Hunstad played.
Best card in deck: Mark V, because everyone forgot that it gave my guys reinforcement.
Andrew has four $10K Top 8s to his name, proving that he’s no joke. Andrew is not only a good player, but he’s also one of Oceania’s leading deck builders. He built GLEE+ATK before there was GLEE+ATK during $10K Sydney last year and other decks. Watch out for Andrew later, especially since he is moving to the States in three months.
Aarron Chittock
Age: 20
Occupation: Freezing Worker
UDE Rating: N/A
Deck Played: Teen Titans
What got you into Vs: Jamie Macdonald, and comic book characters
Started Vs: Marvel Origins
Favorite Team: Teen Titans
Why did you play the deck you played: Teen Titans Go Cartoon
Second Choice: I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t play Teen Titans
Best card in deck: Terra
Aarron came up here because of his love with Titans, he believed he had a good chance at winning the title and he has proved that with a Top 8 performance yesterday. What is Aarron’s philosophy on cards? Believe in the Heart of the Cards!
Sam Kwang
Age: 24
Occupation: Help desk consultant
UDE Rating: 2617 (Rank 51)
Deck Played: Teen Titans
What got you into Vs: Bored with other card games and the comic book guys.
Started Vs: DC Origins
Favorite Team: Kang Council
Why did you play the deck you played: I didn’t like any other decks.
Second Choice: Kang City
Best card in deck: Koriand’r ◊ Starfire
Sam is no stranger to good results, as he made the Top 8 at last year’s $10K Auckland and came in 47th at PC LA, the best result a New Zealander has had at a PC.
Luther Ward-Faint
Age: 14
Occupation: Student
UDE Rating: 2468 (809)
Deck Played: Teen Titans
What got you into Vs: Because of Shaun McDowell, and it seemed cheaper than Yu-Gi-Oh! at the time
Started Vs: Marvel Origins
Favorite Team: Teen Titans
Why did you play the deck you played: Had good matchups against Flying Circus and AGL.
Second Choice: Avengers
Best card in deck: Null Time Zone
Luther is an easy-going kid who is popular with everyone. Besides Vs. he recommends everyone go and play World of Warcraft.