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The Sentry™
Card# MTU-017


While his stats aren’t much bigger than those of the average 7-drop, Sentry’s “Pay ATK” power can drastically hinder an opponent’s attacking options in the late game.
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Living Ink: Marine Monarch
April 19, 2007
Michael Pittman
This week, we’re going to dip a toe into the vast and deep ocean of Atlantean mythology in comics. - read more
Rogue's Gallery: Kang City
April 18, 2007
Mark Slack
Lost City is a card that players either love, or love to hate. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Teamwork!
April 17, 2007
Shane Wiggans
As City Championships for Marvel Team-Up are coming to a close, I have started turning my attention to the next big tournament I plan to attend. - read more
Breaking Ground: Intergalactic Summit - Part 2
April 17, 2007
Michael Barnes
You’ve seen the deck . . . now you get to hear about the playtesting experiences I encountered and see how it fared at a recent City Championship event. - read more
One Step Beyond: The Silver Goldmine
April 16, 2007
Steve Garrett
Last week, I warned you that I was going to gush with irrepressible optimism and excitement about the direction Vs. System is taking. I am afraid that this week’s journey will follow a similar path. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Ritually Sacrificing the Underdog
April 15, 2007
Rian Fike
Luckily for both of us, Carlos the Dwarf came up large in California on Saturday and he writes really well. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: Kingpin's Cliffs Notes - Part 2
April 13, 2007
Jeremy Blair
This game can be tough, and rather than spend all your time studying and practicing, you can skip the long, drawn-out version and jump right into the Kingpin’s Cliffs Notes. - read more
Living Ink: Running with Sharp Objects
April 12, 2007
Michael Pittman
This week, Living Ink will focus on one of my favorite characters in the Marvel universe. In fact, very few characters in any comic book universe tickle my fancy as much as the “Merc With a Mouth,” Deadpool. - read more
Rogue's Gallery: Qward
April 11, 2007
Mark Slack
When the Green Lantern Corps set came out, I remember opening a card called Qward. - read more
Breaking Ground: Intergalactic Summit (Part 1)
April 10, 2007
Michael Barnes
One big appeal of the City Championships is that they put a premium on creative deck design. - read more
One Step Beyond: A Silver (Age) Lining
April 09, 2007
Steve Garrett
A strong and friendly casual scene offers more opportunity to play Vs. System, and to enjoy yourself while you’re at it. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Hitting One Out of the Park
April 07, 2007
Rian Fike
As I type these words, it is opening day. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: The Kingpin's Cliffs Notes
April 06, 2007
Jeremy Blair
I am a busy guy. The Kingpin has needs. I live a paradoxical existence, balancing out the mantras of “time is money” and “take time to smell the roses.” It isn’t easy. - read more
Living Ink: Venomous
April 05, 2007
Michael Pittman
When multiple comic book creators, including some of the biggest superstars in the industry, engage in a sometimes-heated debate over who created a character, you know that character is a hot commodity. This is exactly what has happened with the super-popular Spider-Man villain known as Venom. - read more
Weekly Vs. System Update
April 05, 2007
Scott Gaeta
For almost as long as the super hero comic book has been around, special events have been a regular part of the reading experience. - read more
Rogue's Gallery: Curve Sentinels
April 04, 2007
Mark Slack
Every deck starts as a rogue deck. That cursed netdeck of tomorrow—the one that shows up at every tournament and dominates the Top 8—was at some point just a glimmer in some deckbuilder’s eye. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Revisiting the Past
April 03, 2007
Shane Wiggans
With City Championships in full swing, I figured now would be a great time to share with you a very basic deck construction tactic that I have often alluded to but never spent the time to explain fully: theme replication. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Busting Loose
April 01, 2007
Rian Fike
City Championships are a happening all over North America as we speak. The Silver Age format lends itself to a slew of sick strategies, as well as some serious competitive tech. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: A Hobby League Campaign
March 30, 2007
Jeremy Blair
There have been several changes of late that make a strong Hobby League very desirable for your Vs. System community. - read more
Vs. System News Update: City Championships
March 30, 2007
Scott Gaeta
Marvel Team-Up City Championship season is now in full swing. - read more
Living Ink: It’s Not Easy Being Green
March 29, 2007
Michael Pittman
I think it’s fair to say that there’s a little Hulk in all of us (especially while driving in heavy traffic). - read more
Rogue's Gallery: X-Men
March 28, 2007
Mark Slack
Every once in a while, it's fun to go through the archives at Metagame.com and find some of those $10K Top 8 decks that didn't get as much attention as they might have. - read more
Breaking Ground: Strange Love
March 27, 2007
Michael Barnes
In my opinion (and Dick Vitale’s), Strange Love is one of the most potent cards in Marvel Team-Up. Remember Children of the Atom? Talk about a card that’s just plain amazing! Strange Love gives the Underworld the same effect, and we can discard any card to play it. Now that truly is awesome, baby! - read more
Marvel Team-Up Design: Diving into the Abyss
March 26, 2007
Billy Zonos
We’re back again with another entry in the Marvel Team-Up design diaries. This week, as promised, we tackle those ethereal monsters of Pandemonium, the Underworld. - read more
One Step Beyond: The Bloody Nose
March 26, 2007
Steve Garrett
Just over a month ago, I received notice that the Judo National Grade Championships would be held in my hometown. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Virtual Fertilizer
March 25, 2007
Rian Fike
Vs. System is branching out. The game that we have been tending like a rosebush for three full years is blooming. Get ready for a few bumblebees and butterflies—we are going gardening. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: A Pro Guide to Vs. System - Board Presence
March 23, 2007
Jeremy Blair
Game design is a dance between mechanics and any number of important trading card game themes. - read more
Making the Cut
March 23, 2007
Patrick Sullivan
The more astute among you have guessed that winning your City Championship with QuickFate or a stock Checkmate / Villains United deck is not the best route to ending up as one of the final eight. - read more
Living Ink: Death of a Patriot
March 22, 2007
Michael Pittman
We interrupt today’s scheduled programming to bring you shocking news: Captain America is dead. - read more
Giant Size Vs. System News
March 22, 2007
Scott Gaeta
The Marvel Team-Up City Championship season begins this weekend (March 23rd) and runs through April 15th. - read more
Vs. Coverage from St. Louis Mega PCQ
March 22, 2007
Metagame Staff
Kyle Dembinski is on a roll! Prior to winning Pro Circuit Sydney, he cleaned up at the Mega PCQ in St. Louis. - read more
Breaking Ground: Johnny Blaze ◊ Ghost Rider
March 21, 2007
Michael Barnes
The newest version of the Spirit of Vengeance is a defensive wonder that can single-handedly change the balance of a game. - read more
Rogue's Gallery: The Witching Hour
March 21, 2007
Mark Slack
Some of you may be familiar with Jeremy Gray. He’s a buddy of mine who tends toward the rogue side of the game, and he’s come up with some crazy, crazy things that have gotten him a long way. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Honing Your Skills
March 20, 2007
Shane Wiggans
With the City Championships around the corner, having a strong deck to take and dominate with is probably first and foremost in your minds. Still, a strong deck is only part of the answer. - read more
City Championships Page Now Live!
March 20, 2007
Metagame Staff
Check out information and locations for City Championships! - read more
One Step Beyond: The Master Challenge
March 19, 2007
Steve Garrett
The second Master Challenge will be held on the weekend of June 23rd in Manchester, England at the Game ‘07 convention—one of the biggest organized gaming events in Europe. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Design: Defending the Defenseless – An Underdog Story
March 19, 2007
Andrew Yip, Billy Zonos, and Patrick Sullivan
As Billy mentioned, much of the Marvel Team-Up R&D team was away in Australia this past week, gallivanting across the country and staying away from the drop bears. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Major Mythological Figures
March 18, 2007
Rian Fike
Truth may be stranger than fiction, but that doesn’t stop the artist from trying. With modern creative technology blurring the distinction so drastically, who’s counting anyway? Hellboy, that’s who. - read more
Living Ink: Shifty Sands
March 16, 2007
Michael Pittman
This week in Living Ink, there will be classic themes of villainy, moral conflict, and—ultimately—redemption. - read more
Deck Clinic: Identity Parade
March 15, 2007
Thomas Reeve
This week, a dig through the archives turns up a whole heap of Supermen just waiting for a little extra something. Can you guess the identity of this week’s special guest star? - read more
One Step Beyond: Rogue Cloning
March 14, 2007
Steve Garrett
Matt “canamrock” Rock brought a rather intriguing possibility to the VsRealms regulars that revolves around the interaction of two cards: Spider-Sense Tingling! and Rogue, Total Transformation. - read more
Rogue's Gallery: Wild Vomit
March 14, 2007
Mark Slack
Along with being one of the easiest decks in history to record on a decklist, this deck is interesting for two reasons. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Converting Bad Guys!
March 13, 2007
Shane Wiggans
Modifying a deck to go from one format to another is often a difficult task because it requires you to reevaluate your goals for the deck and often find replacements for “irreplaceable” cards. While this task can be daunting, it is not impossible, and it is definitely a skill worth honing. - read more
Breaking Ground: Bounty Hunt
March 12, 2007
Michael Barnes
Discussing a show about a world-famous bounty hunter puts me in the mood to look at an “on-topic” card from Marvel Team-Up: Bounty Hunt. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: A Hero for the Ages
March 11, 2007
Rian Fike
When I grow up I want to be just like Kyle Dembinski, even though he is 26 years younger than I am. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: Hindsight - Part 2
March 10, 2007
Jeremy Blair
The Pro Circuit dust has settled and we have crowned a new champion. Kyle Dembinski brought home the trophy in a whirlwind of Silver Age glory. - read more
Living Ink: The Devil in the Detail
March 08, 2007
Michael Pittman
While other villains can either be pitied for the personal tragedies of their pasts or their obvious mental illnesses, Mephisto is truly evil and wholly contemptible. - read more
Breaking Ground: Project Ragna Rok
March 07, 2007
Michael Barnes
I hope you’ve all got your copies of the Hellboy Essential Collection, because we’re about to undertake our own Project Ragna Rok. - read more
Rogue's Gallery: Jiles Dies for Darkseid
March 06, 2007
Mark Slack
On the weekend of February 24th, I went to St. Louis to participate in one of the last PCQs before the advent of the new City Championships. - read more
Breaking Ground: Dark Lantern
March 05, 2007
Michael Barnes
With a Team-Up, Dark Lantern can make our Marvel Defenders champion truly unstoppable. So, let’s fire all of the teachers so that the substitutes can come out to play. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Agony and Alchemy
March 04, 2007
Rian Fike
I was wondering what to write about this week when I decided to go back to the basics. I started at the top. - read more
The Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: Hindsight
March 04, 2007
Jeremy Blair
Genius does not happen all at once; sometimes it is a gradual building of information that leads to enlightenment. - read more
Living Ink: Play Mystic for Me
March 02, 2007
Michael Pittman
This week we’re going to take a walk on the mystical side and look at the Sorcerer Supreme himself, Dr. Strange. - read more
Weekly Vs. Update!
March 02, 2007
Scott Gaeta
We interrupt this broadcast of Pro Circuit Sydney coverage to bring you a brief City Championship update. - read more
Raising Hell: Designing Hellboy
March 01, 2007
Matt Hyra
As soon as we had the Hellboy license in hand, I was first in line to take the lead design duties. I’m a big Hellboy fan, coming to it by way of my love of the Cthulhu mythos. - read more
Live Coverage of Pro Circuit Sydney!
March 01, 2007
Metagame Staff
Players are battling it out in the land down under! See all the action as it's happening at Pro Circuit: Sydney! - read more
Rogue's Gallery: Hammond Cheese
February 28, 2007
Mark Slack
Let’s take a little trip back in time. The year was 2006. Yeah, long trip, I know. The place was Gen Con Indy, at the DC Modern Age Pro Circuit. The usual suspects were there, and a few of them were in the Top 8, but a Sunday first-timer took home the trophy. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Sticking Up for the Bad Guys
February 27, 2007
Shane Wiggans
There are certain things that we all love about Vs. System. For some, it’s playing at a highly competitive tournament level. For others, it’s the ability to play a fun card game with friends. - read more
Basics 5.3: Mechanics
February 26, 2007
Steve Garrett
Last year, I put together a short series of articles that were aimed at helping the new Vs. System player become comfortable with all aspects of the game. Today, I want to revisit the Mechanics section. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Design: Getting Sinister
February 26, 2007
Andrew Yip, Billy Zonos, and Patrick Sullivan
I’m a big fan of blowing up resources to pay costs. Part of that is because I love a good rush deck, and KO’ing resources means less in a rush deck than in a traditional curve deck. - read more
Voices from the Field: A Pro Circuit Sydney Primer
February 26, 2007
Ben Kalman
I put the Australians ahead of the various teams this time because, well, the PC’s in Australia. - read more
Sydney Travel Guide
February 26, 2007
Claudia Kassis
Why would you only want to play cards with such an array of fun at your fingertips? - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Beauty and the Beats
February 25, 2007
Rian Fike
It’s time to play the guessing game again. With Pro Circuit Sydney bearing down on us like a grizzly, we need to size it up somehow before we get eaten. We will use beauty as our guide. - read more
Deck Clinic 18: Eagles in the Belfry
February 23, 2007
Thomas Reeve
This week’s Deck Clinic brings together an odd coupling of tragically misguided heroes with notoriously unhinged villains. Will they make beautiful music together, or will it be drowned out by the screams? - read more
Living Ink: Tentacles of Terror
February 22, 2007
Michael Pittman
Dr. Octopus is one of Spidey’s most dangerous foes, beating the hero so savagely in his first appearance that the web-slinger considered immediate retirement from the spandex crowd. - read more
Vs. System News Update: How to Start a Local Hobby League
February 22, 2007
Scott Gaeta
This week, I want to talk about how you go about setting up a Hobby League in your local shop. - read more
Rogue's Gallery: Antoninos and Darmadi's Heralds/Inhumans Deck
February 21, 2007
Mark Slack
Chris Darmadi and Alex Antonios are young Australian players with (get this) a penchant for deckbuilding. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Pulling the Pin
February 20, 2007
Shane Wiggans
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I’m sure you all noticed that Marvel Team-Up is upon us. - read more
Breaking Ground: Ocean Master
February 20, 2007
Michael Barnes
Fueled by the power of the brother of an Atlantean King, this unassuming deck can put your opponent’s entire deck into his or her KO’d pile, and then put giants on your side of the board that no opponent will ever be able to beat down. - read more
One Step Beyond: Disorganized Play
February 19, 2007
Steve Garrett
Here are some of the alternate formats I’ve stumbled across over the years—if you feel like trying something new, give one of these a go. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Design Articles: Costume Change Cast Members
February 19, 2007
Andrew Yip, Billy Zonos, and Patrick Sullivan
Coming off of two sets with a host of new keywords, there was plenty of new action to capitalize on. - read more
Vs. System Update
February 19, 2007
Jeff Donais
It’s time for a detailed update on Vs. System current and future plans. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Aesthetic Obsessions
February 18, 2007
Rian Fike
When we first lay eyes upon a brand new set of Vs. System cards, we automatically begin to connect with it through the artwork it contains. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: Sneak Preview Dreamin’
February 17, 2007
Jeremy Blair
My niche is an obsession with Sneak Preview play. I love the time when new sets drop. - read more
Deck Clinic 18: Return to Oz, Part 2
February 16, 2007
Thomas Reeve
Welcome back to Deck Clinic, where men are men, chimps are chimps, and women . . . uh . . . speak backward and wear top hats. - read more
Living Ink: Catching Thieves Just Like Flies
February 16, 2007
Michael Pittman
Hi, my name is Michael and I have a confession to make: I’m a comic geek. - read more
Vs. System News Update: VsSystem.com
February 16, 2007
Scott Gaeta
This week, I want to give you a little bit more information on the new Vs. System web site. - read more
Deck Clinic 18: Return to Oz, Part 1
February 15, 2007
Thomas Reeve
This week’s Deck Clinic has everything but the Yellow Brick Road—witches, wizards, and a few guys who are more than familiar with the Emerald City. - read more
Rogue's Gallery: THE Skrull Deck
February 14, 2007
Mark Slack
Australia has more than its fair share of rogue deckbuilders. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: The Unknown Factor
February 13, 2007
Shane Wiggans
Hopefully, by the time you are done with this article, you will have a better understanding of what to expect at the next Pro Circuit, which in turn can potentially improve your performance. - read more
One Step Beyond: Fatal Five
February 12, 2007
Steve Garrett
The cards I have seen so far have me frothing at the mouth, and the creative juices are flowing unbound. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Design: Revenge of the Terrible Twosome (Plus One)
February 12, 2007
Andrew Yip
In the interest of maintaining the American spirit of continual escalation, today’s design article features not one, not two, but three authors. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Of Monks and Madmen
February 11, 2007
Rian Fike
I have a new favorite myth to share with you today, and if I have enough space when we are done, I will do a little Divination to find more hidden gems that might shock the world in Australia. - read more
Deck Clinic: Supersize Me – Part 3
February 10, 2007
Thomas Reeve
Welcome to part 3 of this week’s Deck Clinic, which sees our hero requesting a bigger office simply to fit the patient through the door. - read more
The Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: A Long Swim To Sydney
February 10, 2007
Jeremy Blair
Some players came from other card games, while many other players liked comics, and wanted to flip cardboard featuring their favorite super heroes and villains. I just didn’t want to get eaten by a shark. - read more
Deck Clinic: Supersize Me – Part 2
February 09, 2007
Thomas Reeve
Welcome back to Deck Clinic, new home of the biggest Rogue’s Gallery this side of Arkham Asylum. But who makes the cut? - read more
Deck Clinic: Supersize Me, Part 1
February 08, 2007
Thomas Reeve
What suggestion for Deck Clinic had yours truly close to threatening physical violence against a teammate? You’re only a click away from finding out . . . - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Big Leagues
February 08, 2007
Adam Prosak
Welcome to the Big Leagues! - read more
2004-2005 Tournament Appeals Announcement
February 07, 2007
Scott Elliott
At this time, we are closing the books on tournament appeals and prizes for Premier Events for 2004 and 2005. - read more
Vs. System New Update: Hobby League Updates
February 07, 2007
Scott Gaeta
This is your chance to be immortalized on a Vs. System card forever. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Undead Legions
February 07, 2007
Antonino De Rosa
The team has many ways to keep your stunned characters from being KO’d during the recovery phase. - read more
Free Stuff at the Marvel Team-Up Sneak Preview
February 07, 2007
Toby Wachter
Let’s take a look at some of the free stuff you can get this weekend. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Devil-Slayer
February 06, 2007
Michael Barnes
Unless your name is Kergillian, there’s a good chance that you’ve never even heard of the super hero known as Devil-Slayer. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Ravencroft Institute
February 05, 2007
Jeremy Blair
During your next Sneak Preview tournament, turn all of your character cards into pawns of darkness and destruction. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Pro Circuit Sydney Card Pool
February 05, 2007
Dave Humpherys
To ensure a level playing field, we’ve decided to remove the Hellboy product from legality for PC: Sydney. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Deadpool, Merc with a Mouth
February 04, 2007
John Fiorillo
Deadpool isn’t the kind who can be bothered with fisticuffs. He's an assassin, and as such, he doesn’t really jump into brawls and start fighting fair. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: New Baxter Building
February 03, 2007
Thomas Reeve
The wait is finally over! With everything else he’s built blown up or banned, will Reed Richards finally be able to settle down comfortably in the New Baxter Building? - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Super Skrull, Kl’rt
February 02, 2007
"The" Ben Seck
In the comics, Kl’rt (the real name of Super Skrull) was created to destroy the Fantastic Four, who had previously thwarted the Skrull Empire’s attempt to conquer Earth. - read more
Vs. System Nominated for Scrye’s 2006 Player’s Choice Awards!
February 02, 2007
Metagame Staff
Scrye has announced their awards for 2006, and Vs. System is eligible for the following categories . . . - read more
Vs. System News Update: February 2, 2007
February 02, 2007
Scott Gaeta
So many things I wanted to talk about this week are so close to being ready! - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Bounty Hunt
February 01, 2007
Shane Wiggans
Drawing cards is always a good thing. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Meatmarket, Lilin
January 31, 2007
Rian Fike
If you are a fan of the natural power-up, then you will like Meatmarket’s ability. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Dr. Strange, Founding Father
January 30, 2007
Steve Garrett
Can someone tell me a time when readying a character is not an amazing advantage? - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Spider-Man Robot
January 29, 2007
Patrick Sullivan
Spider-Man Robot highlights alternate boost, one of the new features of Marvel Team-Up. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Daredevil, New Kingpin
January 28, 2007
Dave Humpherys
A couple of well-placed billy clubs, and his enemies are out of commission for the turn. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: Take Me Back to the Old School
January 27, 2007
Jeremy Blair
After three years, I fondly look back and think about my initial deck builds. - read more
Rogue's Gallery: Common Enemy
January 27, 2007
Mark Slack
Common Enemy is one of those decks that will never truly go away. - read more
Prosak's PCLA Tournament Report, Part 4
January 26, 2007
Adam Prosak
As I write this, I am having a very difficult time putting my experience into words. - read more
Deck Clinic: Still Fantastic, Part 2
January 26, 2007
Thomas Reeve
Deck Clinic is paying a visit to the Baxter Building—but what toys are we going to let Reed play with today? - read more
Deck Clinic: Still Fantastic
January 25, 2007
Thomas Reeve
Deck Clinic kicks off the new year with a fresh look at one of the original Vs. System “Decks to Beat.” Anyone for a bumper car ride? - read more
Hellboy Essential Collection Checklist
January 25, 2007
Matt Hyra
To whet your appetite during the wait, below is a complete cardlist and card count. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Wild Pack and Legacy
January 25, 2007
Billy Zonos
So, what’s left? Well, we’ve got some Wild Pack and we’ve got some Negative Zone, and . . . - read more
Masters Series and Ratings Invites
January 25, 2007
Scott Elliott
This will allow players who are otherwise on the cusp to play in both events. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Underworld
January 24, 2007
Billy Zonos
When the Underworld team was first introduced, it was mostly characterized by its creatures of the night and Ghost Rider villains. - read more
Prosak's Favorite Matches
January 24, 2007
Adam Prosak
The primary reason I play Vs. System is for the people involved. - read more
Vs. System News Update: Marvel Team-Up
January 24, 2007
Scott Gaeta
I knew if I wanted a spoiler for this article I was going to have to go outside the system to do it. - read more
Marvel Team-Up: Return of the Kid
January 24, 2007
Andrew Yip
The Sensational Spider-Man exemplifies the “old meets new” flavor of Marvel Team-Up. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Marvel Defenders
January 23, 2007
Billy Zonos
The Defenders combine two old mechanics to create one super play experience, making the team extremely versatile and fun. - read more
Breaking Ground: Multiple Man <> Jamie Madrox
January 23, 2007
Michael Barnes
The more things change, the more they really do stay the same. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Player Evolution
January 23, 2007
Shane Wiggans
This article will be an attempt to detail how to become a better Vs. player when you don’t have a strong group of core players to lean on and are forced to develop your skills on your own. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Getting What You Paid For
January 23, 2007
Dave Humpherys
Frankie Raye ◊ Nova, Optimistic Youth was the most clear-cut example of a card that was doing too much for its cost. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Sinister Syndicate
January 22, 2007
Billy Zonos
The majority of the baddies on the new Syndicate have never before appeared on a Vs. card. - read more
One Step Beyond: Taking a Step Back
January 22, 2007
Steve Garrett
If you're a new player, it's very easy to lose sight of what has gone before. - read more
Marvel Team-Up Preview: Spider-Friends
January 21, 2007
Billy Zonos
We’re going to talk about the teams and rosters before we preview any of the actual cards. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Brand New, Old School, Shiny Purple Kicks!
January 21, 2007
Rian Fike
My name is Rian, and I am a Sentinel player. - read more
Rogue’s Gallery: Stephen King’s The New New Brotherhood
January 19, 2007
Mark Slack
The people I will be writing about have guts. And they have wins. Lots of wins. - read more
Vs. System News Update: 2007 Products
January 18, 2007
Scott Gaeta
This week I want to tell you about some of the products that we have coming up throughout 2007. - read more
Hellboy Preview: The Mad Monk and the Right Hand of Doom
January 18, 2007
Matt Hyra
In Rasputin’s mind, there is only one scenario that would be greater than bringing about Ragna Rok personally: getting Hellboy to do it for him. - read more
Essential Backstory: The Thule Society and the Elder Gods
January 17, 2007
Billy Zonos
Today, it’s time for those pesky miscreants and their “Lovecraftian” elder gods, the Thule Society. - read more
Hellboy Preview: Project Ragna Rok
January 17, 2007
Andrew Yip
The scope of Project Ragna Rok necessitated a novel design. - read more
Hellboy Preview: Sherman, Pyrokinesis and Inner Sanctum
January 16, 2007
Patrick Sullivan
A common theme for these two cards is that they both fit well into loner strategies. - read more
Hellboy Preview: Huge, Annoying Tentacles and Karl Ruprecht Kroenen
January 15, 2007
Rian Fike
What are you afraid of? - read more
Hellboy Preview: Something is Coming
January 14, 2007
"The" Ben Seck
The Thule Society doesn’t have a Hellboy in their midst, but many of their effects benefit from or require Hellboy to be effective. - read more
Prosak's PCLA Tournament Report, Part 3
January 12, 2007
Adam Prosak
I always look forward to the Draft day at the Pro Circuit. - read more
Hellboy Preview: Weapons Lab and B.P.R.D. Signal Device
January 11, 2007
Michael Barnes
The B.P.R.D. team has a card that rolls the effect of Baxter Building and Pier 4 into one! - read more
Hellboy Preview: Accept Your Destiny
January 10, 2007
Billy Zonos
Accept Your Destiny is an evil card played by sneaky people. - read more
Vs. System News Update: City Championships
January 10, 2007
Scott Gaeta
The entire Vs. System team is hard at work putting the finishing touches on all our plans for 2007, and one of my goals for this weekly column is to get the word out about some of the new things coming up for Vs System. - read more
Hellboy Preview: Grigori Rasputin, True Father
January 09, 2007
John Fiorillo
Off-curve decks usually have important characters in play that they plan on recovering, and Rasputin can singlehandedly run right over them and take them down for a small endurance cost. - read more
Essential Backstory: Hellboy & the B.P.R.D
January 09, 2007
Billy Zonos
I sat down during the winter break and re-read all my Hellboy trades in order to give to you, the Metagame.com reader, the following insights into the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. - read more
Pro Circuit Sydney Website
January 09, 2007
Toby Wachter
The website for Pro Circuit Sydney is now live. - read more
Hellboy Preview: Hellboy, Anung Un Rama and Break off the Horns
January 08, 2007
Dave Humpherys
There are three versions of Hellboy in the Essential Collection, representing him at various stages in the story arc. - read more
Hellboy Preview: Overview
January 07, 2007
Matt Hyra
Today begins a full two weeks of Hellboy Essential Collection previews! - read more
Best of 2006, Deck Clinic: Accelerated Stall
January 04, 2007
Thomas Reeve
Everything worked well together, and the deck was capable of exerting what may be an unprecedented level of control over the “effective” turn count. - read more
Best of 2006, Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: A Hard Knock Life
January 03, 2007
Jeremy Blair
This article gave the readership a light-hearted break from the mathematical beatings, but still contained some fundamental information on analytic and synthetic reasoning as applied to the game. - read more
Best of 2006, Breaking Ground: Human Torch, Friendly Rival
January 02, 2007
Michael Barnes
BigSpooky loved playing Morlocks decks back in the day, but just couldn't find a way to come to a strong finish with ’em. That's where Human Torch, Friendly Rival came into play. - read more
Best of 2006, One Step Beyond − Finding Your Tokui Waza
January 01, 2007
Steve Garrett
“Finding Your Tokui Waza” was an article in which I managed to blend my two favorite pastimes: martial arts and Vs. System. - read more
Best of 2006, Risk Vs. Reward: Multi-Managing with Jamie Madrox
December 31, 2006
Rian Fike
Some stories are just too much fun for a single sitting; Multiple Man deserves a repeat performance. - read more
Best of 2006: Deep Green, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the King
December 28, 2006
Thomas Reeve
It’s probably the article I’ve written that means the most to me personally, and it’s great to get the chance to give it the spotlight one more time. - read more
Best of 2006: Enrolling in the Kingpin’s School of Hard Knocks
December 27, 2006
Jeremy Blair
The statistics in this article are rather complicated, but lead to some of the most important information that a player might want while constructing his or her decklist. - read more
Best of 2006, Breaking Ground: Martian Manhunter, J’onn J’onzz
December 26, 2006
Michael Barnes
The end result was a rather clever Crime Lords / JLI build on which I have received many positive comments. - read more
Best of 2006, One Step Beyond: Kamiza’s Kingdom, A Bit of an Introduction
December 25, 2006
Steve Garrett
Vs. System actually changed my personality for the better, and this article tells that story. - read more
Best of 2006, Risk Vs. Reward: A Rollercoaster Named Indianapolis
December 24, 2006
Rian Fike
War Paint is still my second favorite deck of all time, and the thrill ride it gave me will linger for a long while. - read more
Metagame Looks Back on 2006
December 23, 2006
Toby Wachter
As 2006 comes to a close, Metagame.com would like to wish everyone a happy holiday season. - read more
The Kingpin Awards: Best Picks for 2006
December 23, 2006
Jeremy Blair
The following article contains my lighthearted attempt at a virtual awards ceremony. - read more
Unexpected Developments: A Year in Review
December 22, 2006
Dave Humpherys
As we finish our third year, I thought I’d take a look back at some of the highlights of this past year. - read more
Deck Clinic: Astonishingly Uncanny X-Men, Part 2
December 22, 2006
Thomas Reeve
Welcome back to Deck Clinic, where no one will ever look at you strangely for calling them “Bub.” - read more
Breaking Ground: Museum Heist
December 22, 2006
Michael Barnes
The Future Foes discard theme got me thinking about the possibility of hand control decks in Vs. System. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Holiday Reading List
December 21, 2006
Michael Pittman
I strongly urge every Vs. player to take a trip to the 31st century. - read more
Deck Clinic 15: Astonishingly Uncanny X-Men
December 21, 2006
Thomas Reeve
For the final Deck Clinic before Christmas, we’re taking it back to basics with the X-Men. What will Xavier’s Gifted Youngsters be able to do with their new favorite toy, Mobilize? - read more
Pro Circuit Los Angeles 2006 Decklists Now Available!
December 21, 2006
Toby Wachter
All the decklists from PCLA! - read more
Inquest Names Infinite Crisis Best Expansion of 2006!
December 21, 2006
Metagame Staff
In a huge year for TCGs, it was Vs. System’s Infinite Crisis that was named Best Expansion of 2006 by Inquest! - read more
Unexpected Developments: Lights Out
December 21, 2006
Dave Humpherys
This Dr. Light banning does not stem from a single interaction or “broken” deck, but rather from an accumulation of problems related to power level, design constraints, and game play. - read more
Prosak's PCLA Tournament Report, Part 2
December 20, 2006
Adam Prosak
I also truly enjoy Pro Circuits because they are one of the few opportunities when I get to see many of my friends; I could honestly not win another match at the Pro Circuit and I’d still go to every single one of them. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Mobilize
December 19, 2006
Shane Wiggans
By taking a closer look at this powerful card, we can learn how to make wiser card choices which in turn help us to create a better deck. - read more
Future Shocking: Designing Legion of Super Heroes
December 19, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
I sought to make sure that character cards became more relevant in games of Vs. at all points on the curve. - read more
One Step Beyond: Replace That, That, and That
December 18, 2006
Steve Garrett
Mobilize is my monster. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: In Memoriam
December 17, 2006
Rian Fike
With Ariel’s memory in our minds and a fresh set of cards to draft, we headed north for $10K Orlando. - read more
The Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: If You Can’t Beat ’em: A Brief History of Staaaaaaaaaaaaall
December 16, 2006
Jeremy Blair
Just when you thought that the hard-hitting rush decks would rise to world domination, you get an inspiring class of stall decks making 2006 the year of the late game! - read more
Plotting in the Mists, Part 2
December 15, 2006
Thomas Reeve
Back in the shadows, we run through the resources available to this week’s submission before suggesting a final build. - read more
Deck Clinic: Plotting in the Mists
December 14, 2006
Thomas Reeve
Apparently, money really can buy anything. The Hellfire Club’s inconspicuous consumption seems to have attracted interest from an extraterrestrial group with a shared love of the dark. But what do the enigmatic Inhumans bring to the table? - read more
Prosak's PCLA Tournament Report, Part 1
December 13, 2006
Adam Prosak
Some days, I thought it was just a matter of time. Other days, I thought it was never going to happen. Today is different. - read more
Breaking Ground: Suicide
December 12, 2006
Michael Barnes
Yes, boys and girls, it’s time for another foray into cutthroat! - read more
Judge Sponsorship for Pro Circuit Sydney 2007
December 12, 2006
Ian Estrin
This is a phenomenal chance to improve your judging skills and to work with some of the most talented judges and players in the industry. - read more
One Step Beyond: Mobilize, Part 2
December 11, 2006
Steve Garrett
Mobilize does not “fix” Enemy of My Enemy; it raises the level of mono-team decks everywhere so all of our favorite heroes and villains can be dusted off and taken into battle alongside the Enemy-enabled toolbox decks. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Good Times with Bad Guys
December 10, 2006
Rian Fike
Vs. System Sneak Preview tournaments are like nothing else. - read more
Zombie Mutant Chimp’s Revenge, Part 2
December 08, 2006
Thomas Reeve
The quest to avenge Detective Chimp continues . . . And Dr. Fate and Dracula have a plan! - read more
Deck Clinic: Zombie Mutant Chimp’s Revenge!
December 07, 2006
Thomas Reeve
After the premature death by banning of Detective Chimp, what hope is left for a motley band of warped Mutants, variously insane sorcerers, and the restless undead? - read more
The Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: The System
December 06, 2006
Jeremy Blair
My hypothesis: within Vs. System, there is a pattern as well . . . right in front of us . . . hiding behind all of those numbers. - read more
Vs. System Nominated for TCGPlayer.com’s Best of 2006 Awards!
December 06, 2006
Toby Wachter
Check out the full list of awards, and vote for Vs. System! - read more
Breaking Ground: The Source
December 05, 2006
Michael Barnes
It’s time for the space-faring stalwarts, the New Gods, to hook up with the new cosmic kids on the block, the Inhumans. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Pro Circuit Los Angeles
December 05, 2006
Shane Wiggans
I have to admit this Pro Circuit is probably the most unique one that I have ever been to - read more
Infinite Crisis and Heralds of Galactus Collector Sets Now Available!
December 05, 2006
Toby Wachter
The holiday season is upon us, and Vs. System fans can experience some holiday cheer in the form of Collector Sets for Infinite Crisis and Heralds of Galactus! - read more
One Step Beyond: Mobilize
December 04, 2006
Steve Garrett
The card itself is, in my opinion, stronger than Enemy of My Enemy. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Mephisto For The Win
December 03, 2006
Rian Fike
Adam Prosak is our tenth Pro Circuit Champion. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: Level 12 Intelligence
November 30, 2006
Thomas Reeve
Brain the size of a planet? Terrible pain in all the diodes down your left-hand side? I think I have just the card for you. . . - read more
Free Stuff at the Legion of Super Heroes Sneak Preview!
November 30, 2006
Toby Wachter
In addition to all the free exclusive items you can score, it’s the most fun you’ll have playing the game during the year. - read more
Breaking Ground: Vic Stone <> Cyborg 2.0
November 29, 2006
Michael Barnes
With a few cosmic allies at his side, Cyborg 2.0 can help you clear your opponent’s board with minimal losses to your own. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: Darkseid, Apokoloptian Oppressor
November 28, 2006
John Fiorillo
A true villain, Darkseid loves to put his opponent in the squeeze and watch them squirm while he toys with them. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: Forged In Crisis
November 27, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
This card is a subtle move back to making teams more relevant - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: Chemo
November 26, 2006
Shane Wiggans
While Chemo himself may not be formidable, if you surround him with the right support group he could be a wrecking ball that creates all kinds of disruption your opponents may not be ready for. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: Power Girl, Child of Crisis
November 25, 2006
Steve Garrett
The newest version of Power Girl squeezes both of her previous team affiliations onto one card and makes an interesting contribution to the overall strategies of both the JSA and the JLI. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: Wally West <> The Flash, The Fastest Man Alive
November 24, 2006
Paul Ross
When you absolutely, positively have to attack first, Wally's the man for you. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: The Persuader
November 23, 2006
Rian Fike
I feel sorry for any turn 6 underdrops against this character; they are getting stunned twice, and that’s gotta hurt. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: Beast Boy <> Party Animal
November 22, 2006
Jeremy Blair
Garfield Mark Logan makes a return to cardstock as a partying, shape-shifting Teen Titans 3-drop. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: Cosmic King
November 21, 2006
Antonino De Rosa
Trust me when I say that your opponent isn’t going to be able to afford to deny you the +2 ATK / +2 DEF bonus because of your deck’s density of discard effects; the power of those effects will only make Cosmic King get bigger more often. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: Dark Firestorm
November 20, 2006
Andrew Yip
In its rawest interpretation, substitute gives you a bigger window to hit a critical character. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: Dream Girl
November 19, 2006
Patrick Sullivan
I was worried at first that the whole cosmic off-curve strategy wouldn’t be feasible, but the Legionnaires play very elegantly and powerfully. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: Mobilize
November 17, 2006
Dave Humpherys
This is undoubtedly one of the most powerful character search effects we have printed to date. - read more
Legion of Super Heroes Preview: Ferro Lad, Live Wire, and We Are Legion
November 16, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
The future is a scary place, and you are about to take a step toward not merely the future, but the far future—a millennium, to be exact. - read more
Deck Clinic: Alien Autopsy
November 16, 2006
Thomas Reeve
It’s an invasion! This week’s Deck Clinic article has apparently been written by some kind of alien doppelganger, intent on perfecting his plans for world (or at least Modern Age) domination. - read more
So Draft? A History of Vs. System Draft
November 15, 2006
Adam Prosak
I am much more interested to see what people come up with for Day 2 than the decks that people will bring on Day 1. - read more
Breaking Ground: Katrina Luisa Van Horne ◊ Amazon, Unrepentant Hero
November 14, 2006
Michael Barnes
Welcome one and all to the final Breaking Ground before Pro Circuit Los Angeles 2006. - read more
Developing Off-Curve Hate
November 14, 2006
Antonino De Rosa
What I will discuss today are some of the discussions we have every day about off-curve hate. - read more
Voices from the Field: A Pro Circuit Los Angeles 2006 Primer
November 14, 2006
Ben Kalman
Pro Circuit Los Angeles is approaching, and there’s a huge buzz among the players that this is going to be the most diverse and interesting field yet! - read more
The Basics, Part 8: Gadgets
November 13, 2006
Steve Garrett
Paying for equipment is not fun, but getting stuff for free is. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Adventures in Hypertime
November 11, 2006
Rian Fike
Since I will not be able to attend Pro Circuit Los Angeles 2006, I am instead attempting to become a soothsayer. - read more
Gallery Pack Week: Null Time Zone
November 10, 2006
Jeremy Blair
Over the last two years, the card has made showings at every Golden Age tournament. It offers players a chance to do something that few other cards can offer. - read more
Gallery Pack Week: Genosha
November 09, 2006
Thomas Reeve
What better inspiration for your ragtag superhumans could there be than the destruction of their homeland? - read more
Gallery Pack Week: Terra
November 08, 2006
Adam Prosak
While games might have ended with a flurry of Teen Titans Go!, or Press the Attack and some abuse of Roy Harper ◊ Arsenal, one card made it possible. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Prep for PCLA
November 07, 2006
Shane Wiggans
In a little over a week, the Pro Circuit will be upon us. - read more
Gallery Pack Week: Cosmic Radiation
November 07, 2006
Michael Barnes
Is there any more powerful effect in Vs. System than readying? - read more
Galactus Design Diaries: Revisiting Doom
November 06, 2006
Patrick Sullivan
Thus, development had their basic assignment: make exciting cards for Doom that aren’t better than their most powerful cards and also don’t shore up all of the weaknesses on the team. - read more
Gallery Pack Week: Bat-Signal
November 06, 2006
Steve Garrett
Bat-Signal helped to provide the consistency that all combo decks require, and along with Alfred, it set down something of a template for future deckbuilders to follow. - read more
Find other Vs. System Players Near You!
November 06, 2006
Metagame Staff
The Upper Deck TCG Player Locator just launched this week, and new players are joining every day. - read more
Gallery Pack Week: Total Anarchy
November 05, 2006
Rian Fike
There has never been a set of trading cards like this. - read more
Deck Clinic: Black Panther and the Philosopher’s Stone, Part 2
November 03, 2006
Thomas Reeve
The mysterious stranger revealed, T’Challa finally unlocks the power of the Philosopher’s Stone! Deck Clinic will be back after these messages . . . - read more
Free Gen Con So Cal Badges Now Available!
November 03, 2006
Toby Wachter
Upper Deck Entertainment has made a limited quantity of free badges for Gen Con So Cal available to the public. - read more
Deck Clinic: Black Panther and the Philosopher’s Stone
November 02, 2006
Thomas Reeve
This week on Deck Clinics of Our Lives, our hero T’Challa steals a mysterious gemstone on the orders of a rich, powerful, and mysterious stranger. Will he make it away safely, or will a gypsy curse strike him down? Don’t touch that dial! - read more
Get in Line for the Gallery Grand Opening
November 02, 2006
Mike Hummel
The Marvel TCG and DC TCG Gallery Packs will be shipping to your local hobby gaming store next week. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Banned List Update
November 02, 2006
Dave Humpherys
Based on this response from our player base and further internal testing, we have decided to reverse our decision and will be banning cards before the upcoming Pro Circuit. - read more
The Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: The Card Whisperer
November 01, 2006
Jeremy Blair
The next time you start to feel that calm, collected confidence, it may be worth checking your mental list for possible types of disruption that foil your plans. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Timing of Bans and Errata
November 01, 2006
Dave Humpherys
We are not intending to make any new bans or errata before the upcoming PC based on the interactions we have seen. - read more
Breaking Ground: Frankie Raye <> Nova, Optimistic Youth
October 31, 2006
Michael Barnes
We’re going to use Dr. Doom, Devil’s Due, and Frankie Raye to go counter crazy in Golden Age. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Teaming Up
October 31, 2006
Shane Wiggans
While some decks can “do it themselves,” it is often better to team them up to help accomplish certain objectives. - read more
The Basics, Part 7: The Art of Tech
October 30, 2006
Steve Garrett
What exactly is tech? - read more
Galactus Design Diaries: Final Thoughts
October 30, 2006
Andrew Yip and Billy Zonos
This is it—these are our final thoughts, our final accounts, and our final chance to lie and cover up our mistakes. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Alter Your Faces
October 29, 2006
Rian Fike
There were no less than five different Faces decks in the Top 8 of $10K Columbus 2006. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: Deck Driving and Questions from the Class
October 28, 2006
Jeremy Blair
The best predictor of achievement is the amount of time a person spends actively engaged in the activity he or she is attempting to learn. - read more
Deck Clinic: Straight to the Dance Floor, Part 2
October 27, 2006
Thomas Reeve
When we left off, we’d finished trawling through the graveyards and secret laboratories that our Underworld and Secret Society characters call home. Today, we’ll explore plot twists, locations, equipment, and the final build. - read more
Deck Clinic: Straight to the Dance Floor
October 26, 2006
Thomas Reeve
This week’s Deck Clinic features the coming together of a pair of teams linked by a truly commendable devotion to a single hobby. Unfortunately, that hobby is grave robbing. What can I say? Nobody’s perfect. - read more
Draft Clinic: Ten Rules for Heralds of Galactus Draft
October 25, 2006
Alex Brown
Last week was the last article on Heralds of Galactus Sealed Deck, but we will not be continuing on with Booster Draft just yet. - read more
Breaking Ground: Swan Dive
October 24, 2006
Michael Barnes
After my despondency over The Flash’s ineffectiveness against off-curve decks, I had an epiphany in the form of Swan Dive. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: $10K Columbus
October 24, 2006
Shane Wiggans
This week, I am going to take you through my team’s thought process as we developed a deck, predicted a metagame, and struggled to keep up in an environment that took us completely by surprise. - read more
The Basics: Part 6, Organized Play
October 23, 2006
Steve Garrett
There are so many levels of tournament play available that we are quite literally spoiled for choice. - read more
Galactus Design Diary: The Fifth Teams
October 23, 2006
Andrew Yip and Billy Zonos
Determining the size and nature of the fifth teams had a significant impact on the thematic design of the entire set. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Tales of the Obscure
October 22, 2006
Rian Fike
Have you ever languished in obscurity? Do you possess a hidden talent that you will someday unleash upon an unsuspecting world? - read more
The Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: Deck Construction and Redundancy
October 21, 2006
Jeremy Blair
The best players play the best decks. The best decks usually have the best cards. - read more
Deck Clinic: Ronan’s Lunatic Legion, Part 2
October 20, 2006
Thomas Reeve
Front page header: Welcome back to Deck Clinic, featuring special guest stars Ronan the Accuser and . . . Ronan the Accuser. - read more
Deck Clinic: Ronan’s Lunatic Legion
October 19, 2006
Thomas Reeve
And so we come to the first Deck Clinic for the fourth main team in the Heralds of Galactus set, the Kree. This week’s submission interested me because it didn’t focus purely on the Kree’s “flagship” mechanic, press, but instead took as its centerpiece one of the most interesting individual characters on the team—Ronan the Accuser. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: Legacy Characters and Generic Cards
October 18, 2006
Doug Tice
When the four main teams in Heralds of Galactus don’t provide enough playable cards to create a desirable and cohesive deck, you might find yourself looking to some of the legacy characters and generic cards. - read more
Sealed Clinic: Adam Prosak
October 18, 2006
Alex Brown
It’s probably worth stating that you’re unlikely to find anyone on the entire planet who loves this game as much as Adam. - read more
Breaking Ground: X-Ray Vision
October 17, 2006
Michael Barnes
Our beloved alien Superman is going to share his X-Ray Vision with a few less beloved aliens—the Kree—to create a resource row menace that is sure to irritate more than a few opponents. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Casual to Competitive
October 17, 2006
Shane Wiggans
What follows is a breakdown of concepts and ideas that are important to keep in mind when you make that step from casual player to Pro Circuit powerhouse. - read more
The Basics, Part 5.2: The Mechanics
October 16, 2006
Steve Garrett
Today, we will round off our look at the keyword mechanics in Vs. System. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: He Who Dies with the Most Joys Wins
October 15, 2006
Rian Fike
You can’t take it with you when you’re gone, but boy is it fun while it lasts. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: Superstitious Birds and Decision Making
October 14, 2006
Jeremy Blair
Being great at this game is not about knowing the answers, it is about learning which questions to ask and attempting to solve problems of weakness. - read more
Deck Clinic: Crisis Doom, Part 2
October 13, 2006
Thomas Reeve
Welcome back to Deck Clinic. Today’s secret ingredient, in case you’ve forgotten, is Doom. Allez Cuisine! - read more
Deck Clinic: Crisis Doom, Part 1
October 12, 2006
Thomas Reeve
This week on Deck Clinic, a strategy that’s been bubbling since the release of Justice League of America is given a shot in the arm by the reappearance of a familiar face in Heralds of Galactus. Well, maybe not “face.” A familiar mask, at least . . . - read more
Sealed Clinic: Tony Matthews, Part 2
October 11, 2006
Alex Brown
This is the hardest build I’ve had yet. - read more
Breaking Ground: Circle Defense
October 11, 2006
Michael Barnes
Circle Defense? I don’t even remember what that does! - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Classic Powerful Decks
October 10, 2006
Shane Wiggans
What makes an old deck good and allows it to maintain its success over the many metagame changes and shifts? - read more
The Basics: 5.1
October 09, 2006
Steve Garrett
Since I began this introductory series of articles, I’ve received a few emails from new players asking for a little help with some of the game’s keyword mechanics, and how they affect and interact with game play. - read more
Galactus Design Diary: Doom
October 09, 2006
Andrew Yip and Billy Zonos
Legacy teams offer additional considerations for set design; there is always the expectation of old themes and effects returning in a new light. - read more
Risk vs. Reward: The Scent of Infinity
October 08, 2006
Rian Fike
Heralds of Galactus is being hailed as perhaps the most powerful set of Vs. System cards yet, and we are on the verge of seeing what kind of tricks it has given our sleeves. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: Finishing Removed
October 07, 2006
Jeremy Blair
The decks in Vs. System are like houses of cards or a giant set of Legos — they can go together in the most intricate or haphazard ways. - read more
Deck Analysis: Child Lock, Part 5
October 06, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
Whew! We’ve finally covered the entire history of Child Lock, which has spanned two years of competitive play and four Golden Age Pro Circuits. - read more
Deck Clinic: Brotherhood of Assassins, Part 2
October 05, 2006
Thomas Reeve
The easiest way to go about the update is to pick the deck apart into key sections, look at each individually, and then examine the updated list and adjust if we see serious problems with what are likely to be popular matchups. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: Doom
October 04, 2006
Doug Tice
Welcome to the Doom stop on my tour of the top ten most noteworthy cards each team has to offer in Heralds of Galactus. - read more
Sealed Clinic: Tony Matthews
October 04, 2006
Alex Brown
Forever grateful, I am spending the next two weeks breaking down his efforts. Tony wasn’t happy with his pools overall, but I think they are quite good. - read more
Change of Venue for $10K Columbus
October 04, 2006
Toby Wachter
A venue change for the upcoming $10K - read more
Breaking Ground: Karla Sofen <> Meteorite, Celestial Power.
October 03, 2006
Michael Barnes
We’re going to build an Inhumans deck focused on the “face-up resource” theme, and our star of the show will be none other than the Thunderbolt heroine, Meteorite. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Silver Age: The Next Generation
October 03, 2006
Shane Wiggans
Today I will try to take some of that work off your shoulders and give you some potential decks and strategies that could show up in the new Silver Age format at $10K Columbus. - read more
Galactus Design Diary: Kree
October 02, 2006
Andrew Yip and Billy Zonos
So, who and what make up the Kree’s militaristic mythology? - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Around the Bend
October 01, 2006
Rian Fike
How did Haywire, Suicidal Lover get the way he is? Let’s consult the myths. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: Class Field Trip
September 30, 2006
Jeremy Blair
If you ever have the opportunity to travel to a hotspot for a little Vs. action, it will be worth your time and money. - read more
Deck Analysis: Child Lock, Part 4
September 29, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
Although Child Lock didn’t win the whole thing, it was extremely obvious that it was one of the most solid archetypes ever created in Vs. System because it had been a consistent force on the Pro Circuit since Indianapolis back in 2004. - read more
Deck Clinic: Brotherhood of Assassins, Part 1
September 28, 2006
Thomas Reeve
Don’t forget your old decks. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: Inhumans
September 27, 2006
Doug Tice
This week, we move onto the team that gets to attack more often than most, The Inhumans. - read more
Breaking Ground: The Infinity Gauntlet
September 26, 2006
Michael Barnes
Let’s see if we can get the Heralds of Galactus to assist the Infinity Watch in their quest to assemble all six of the Infinity Gems and bring out the most powerful equipment card in Vs. System, The Infinity Gauntlet! - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Testing Methods
September 26, 2006
Shane Wiggans
We have gone over gauntlets, what to test, when to test, and everything in between, but we have never talked about the how. - read more
Vs. System 2007 Announcement
September 26, 2006
Jeff Donais
I'm writing to let you know about improvements to our Vs. System Organized Play programs for 2007. - read more
The Basics, Part 4: Know Your History
September 25, 2006
Steve Garrett
Watching how the game has developed and evolved gives you a deeper understanding of the fundamentals required to become a successful Vs. System player. - read more
Galactus Design Diary: Rarities
September 25, 2006
John Fiorillo
How do we decide what cards to make rare? - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Preferential Treatment
September 24, 2006
Rian Fike
Everyone plays favorites. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: A Hard Knock Life
September 23, 2006
Jeremy Blair
If you want to live a clean life and enjoy the benefits for strong professional play, then you will want to read about the secret. - read more
Deck Analysis: Child Lock, Part 3
September 22, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
When new cards are released, you can expect to see them all over the place at the first $10K event in which they’re legal. - read more
Deck Clinic: Day of the Jackal, Part 2
September 22, 2006
Thomas Reeve
Day two: building, testing, and tweaking the first-ever combo Deck Clinic submission. - read more
Deck Clinic: Day of the Jackal, Part 1
September 21, 2006
Thomas Reeve
This week, something a little different: the first-ever combo edition of Deck Clinic. Can an overlooked card from a forgotten team take its place alongside Light Show and Rigged Elections? - read more
Sealed Clinic: Rob Davis
September 20, 2006
Alex Brown
A keen Sealed player and theorist, Rob was sure to give me something to think about with his build. - read more
Breaking Ground: Wolverine, Skrunucklehead
September 19, 2006
Michael Barnes
Just for fun, I thought it might be interesting to take the “New Age” Skrulls for a spin. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Sealed Booster Box!
September 19, 2006
Shane Wiggans
At this tournament, each participant was given one booster box of Heralds of Galactus and told to build the best sixty-card deck possible. - read more
One Step Beyond: The Basics, Part 3: Playing the Game
September 18, 2006
Steve Garrett
“Consider fully, act decisively.” - read more
Galactus Design Diary: Inhumans
September 18, 2006
Andrew Yip and Billy Zonos
This week, we shine a spotlight on those black-bordered isolationists, the Inhumans. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: The Good Stuff
September 17, 2006
Rian Fike
A glob of black ooze that plops itself onto superheroes, sucks their essence for power, and then manipulates the possessed body like clay? Yes, please. - read more
Kingpin's School of Hard Knocks: Becoming a Pro
September 16, 2006
Jeremy Blair
Today we will cover some basic steps involved in making it as a professional gamer. - read more
Deck Analysis: Child Lock, Part 2
September 15, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
DC Origins was the gift Child Lock was waiting for, delivering the best consistency-enabler in combo/control decks to date in the form of Alfred Pennyworth. - read more
Deck Clinic: Inhuman Heralds of Morg, Part 2
September 15, 2006
Thomas Reeve
Welcome back to the second part of this week’s Deck Clinic, where we finish up our two competing builds. - read more
Deck Clinic: Inhuman Heralds of Morg
September 14, 2006
Thomas Reeve
This week on Deck Clinic, the first look at a Heralds of Galactus deck, straight from the Sneak Preview to my inbox. Are you ready to kneel before . . . Morg? - read more
Sealed Pack 101: Kree
September 13, 2006
Doug Tice
Almost every member of the Kree team is focused on the press mechanic. - read more
Sealed Clinic: Shaun Hayward
September 13, 2006
Alex Brown
This week, we have a pool from two-time $10K winner Shaun Hayward. - read more
Breaking Ground: Crisis on Infinite Earths
September 12, 2006
Michael Barnes
If you’re like me, Doom stands for one thing in particular: the most powerful control force in Vs. System. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Developing a Gauntlet
September 12, 2006
Shane Wiggans
Today, I would like to talk to you about the many decks that could and should be considered when developing a gauntlet for Pro Circuit Los Angeles. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Gone . . . But Not Forgotten
September 12, 2006
Dave Humpherys
This banning takes effect when the Heralds of Galactus set becomes legal on September 23, 2006. - read more
Galactus Design Diary, Part 1
September 11, 2006
Billy Zonos
Billy Zonos here, opening up Part 1 of the Galactus Design Diary with everything you did (or didn’t) want to know about the Heralds of Galactus set. - read more
One Step Beyond: The Basics, Part 2
September 11, 2006
Steve Garrett
This week, I will explore another direction for constructing your deck—off-curve. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: A New World of Fun
September 10, 2006
Rian Fike
The One World format is strictly casual and totally unofficial. I need your help testing and perfecting it. - read more
The Gamer’s Paradox
September 09, 2006
Jeremy Blair
We are going to take a great deal of complexity and try to extract simple truths and guidelines. In the end, you will be prepared to look at the construction of your character curve in a way that most players never do. - read more
Deck Analysis: Child Lock, Part 1
September 08, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
By writing about a single deck’s journey through the timeline of competitive Vs. System, I’ll be able to talk about multiple concepts at once and discuss two things that are important for the well-being of Vs. System: history and the metagame. - read more
Deck Clinic: Accelerated Stall, Part 2
September 08, 2006
Thomas Reeve
When we left off, we’d just settled on a first draft of a decklist for this week’s patient. - read more
Deck Clinic: Accelerated Stall
September 07, 2006
Thomas Reeve
Checkmate has become the team de jour for any just-crazy-enough idea that happens to benefit from easy access to locations, and this deck is no exception. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: Heralds of Galactus
September 06, 2006
Doug Tice
If, after months of playing with the Heralds of Galactus set, we can sit back down and agree that most of the cards I felt were top-notch still rise above the rest, then you and I can both feel more confident that the advice I share in these articles is meaningful. - read more
Sealed Clinic: Heralds of Galactus Sneak Preview
September 06, 2006
Alex Brown
As a renowned cynic, I was not only dizzy with anticipation before the Sneak Preview tournament, but I was also pleasantly surprised when it met my rather high expectations. - read more
Breaking Ground: Moondragon
September 05, 2006
Michael Barnes
After reading Alex Brown’s preview for Moondragon, I got really excited about the prospect of a character that could potentially double the number of cards a player could draw at once. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: PC Indy, The Testing Process
September 05, 2006
Shane Wiggans
Hopefully, by going through all the ins and outs of our testing process, we can both learn a little bit about trusting our instincts and results. - read more
One Step Beyond: Speedster Vs.
September 04, 2006
Steve Garrett
Speedster Vs. does require both players to enter into the spirit of it—in other words, not taking too long over your turn. - read more
Galactus Design Diary: An Introduction
September 04, 2006
Andrew Yip
While it may not be immediately apparent, each mechanic and team was carefully designed with Galactus as a central figure. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Much Happier Endings
September 03, 2006
Rian Fike
Even though my own personal Pro Circuit story ended in tragedy last week, the other results of the tournament were a cause for great celebration. - read more
Kingpin’s School of Hard Knocks: Back to School
September 02, 2006
Jeremy Blair
This school is not for the beginners; it is an advanced seminar for the seasoned card flippers. - read more
Random Team Sealed Pack Insights, or What Should Have Been a Pro Circuit Indy Report
September 01, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
I can’t wait for the next Team Sealed Pack event. - read more
Deck Clinic: Bears in Space!
August 31, 2006
Thomas Reeve
This deck is based around the interaction between the Construct characters and Leslie Thompkins’s Clinic. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: Heralds of Galactus Sneak Preview
August 30, 2006
Doug Tice
I always enjoy Sneak Preview events, but I think my first impression of Heralds is that it may be the best set yet for Sealed Pack. - read more
Fan Card Crossover: Week 10, Epilogue
August 30, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
After many months of designing, testing, and votes, we finally have a card! - read more
Breaking Ground: Cool Chicks
August 29, 2006
Michael Barnes
To better acclimate aspiring deckbuilders with the creative process, I thought I would share a recent experience of mine. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Pro Circuit Indy Review
August 29, 2006
Shane Wiggans
In this article, I will do a Pro Circuit review highlighting all the memorable and not so memorable moments I experience from this fun-filled weekend. - read more
The Basics, Part 1: The First Steps
August 28, 2006
Steve Garrett
We all have to start somewhere. - read more
Sponsorship for Pro Circuit Los Angeles 2006
August 28, 2006
Ian Estrin
This is a phenomenal chance to improve your judging skills and to work with some of the most talented judges and players in the industry. - read more
All Pro Circuit Indianapolis 2006 Decklists Now Available!
August 28, 2006
Toby Wachter
All the decklists from PC Indy 2006! - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: A Rollercoaster Named Indianapolis
August 27, 2006
Rian Fike
If Vs. System were football, I would throw a bomb on every play. - read more
Heralds of Galactus: Armageddon
August 24, 2006
Tim Willoughby
If your deck is only going to run one combat pump, make it count. Run Armageddon. - read more
Free Stuff at the Heralds of Galactus Sneak Preview!
August 24, 2006
Toby Wachter
Not only do you get to get your hands on Heralds of Galactus for the first time and play with it, but you’ll also be able to spend the weekend hanging out with Vs. System players in your town. - read more
Heralds of Galactus Preview: The Infinity Gauntlet
August 23, 2006
Michael Barnes
I present to you the most powerful equipment card in the Vs. System: The Infinity Gauntlet! - read more
Heralds of Galactus Preview: Kindred Spirits
August 22, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
Kindred Spirits has two specific functions: character searching and deck stacking. - read more
Heralds of Galactus Preview: Rogue, Total Transformation
August 21, 2006
Rian Fike
Rogue, Total Transformation opens new doors and builds bridges to places this game has never been. - read more
Heralds of Galactus Preview: Moondragon, Protector of the Mind Gem
August 20, 2006
Alex Brown
Moondragon is one of those cards that will come out of nowhere and explode onto the tournament scene as the facilitator for a greater overall plan. - read more
Cerebro XXXI
August 19, 2006
Paul Ross
Once again, it’s time for the ritualistic emptying of my mailbag in the lead-up to a new expansion. - read more
Heralds of Galactus Preview: Negative Zone, Shadow Dimension
August 19, 2006
Ben Kalman
Negative Zone is still a power to be reckoned with. - read more
Heralds of Galactus Preview: Haywire, Suicidal Lover
August 18, 2006
Shane Wiggans
I think it’s safe to say that Haywire, Suicidal Lover will be a lynchpin in many decks for a good while to come. - read more
Heralds of Galactus Preview: Time Thief
August 17, 2006
Steve Garrett
Time Thief does exactly what the name says. It allows you to go ahead in time and search your opponent’s deck (which is a pretty powerful ability in its own right), then steal something that he or she is relying on for later. - read more
Heralds of Galactus Preview: Colonel Yon-Rogg
August 16, 2006
Andrew Yip
Yon-Rogg is just an example of the powerful effects that the Kree harness to further their ends. - read more
Heralds of Galactus Preview: The Great Refuge
August 15, 2006
Antonino De Rosa
The Great Refuge not only allows you to achieve the perfect row with terraform, but it also allows you to hit your curve and gives you card advantage. - read more
Heralds of Galactus: Karnak, The Shatterer
August 14, 2006
Patrick Sullivan
Karnak, in essence, trades a cosmic character for a free stun on your initiative. - read more
Heralds of Galactus Preview: The Fallen One
August 13, 2006
Dave Humpherys
Heralds of Galactus is the first thorough exploration of the cosmic keyword since its inception in the Man of Steel set. - read more
Heralds of Galactus Preview: Creation of a Herald
August 10, 2006
Andrew Yip
Not only does Galactus matter, but his power and hunger also influence the game from the very first turn until the turn when he arrives. - read more
Draft Clinic: Shadowpact
August 09, 2006
Alex Brown
Shadowpact is most certainly a team unlike any other. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: The Study – The Readers Respond
August 09, 2006
Doug Tice
Due to the volume of replies, I will not be able to share every build submitted, but I would like to put the spotlight on three of the lists while giving a few shout-outs to others, as well. - read more
Voices from the Field: A PC Indy Primer
August 09, 2006
Ben Kalman
The DC Modern Age field is diverse and exciting, but I think the focus this year will be on Infinite Crisis. - read more
Vs. System: Year Four
August 09, 2006
Mike Hummel
The first Marvel set for 2007 will be . . . - read more
Equipment In Draft
August 08, 2006
Antonino De Rosa
In Infinite Crisis, our goal was to make equipment good in Draft - read more
Breaking Ground: DC Modern Preview
August 08, 2006
Michael Barnes
In anticipation of this new age, I have once again assembled my list of twenty-five cards that may have quite an impact on the upcoming DC Modern Age. - read more
One Step Beyond: Last-Minute Alternatives
August 07, 2006
Steve Garrett
I am just trying to create a spark of imagination amongst some of the more casual players who will be attending the event. - read more
Deck Analysis: Villains United
August 06, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
Villains United has a lot of potential to be the next Squadron Supreme of the Modern Age format because the team contains many of the tools necessary for a powerful and explosive deck. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Crackpot Theory
August 06, 2006
Rian Fike
Whether you are mining for messages or measuring the metagame to win mad money, this DC Modern Age promises to be a bonanza in many ways. - read more
Deck Clinic: Morlock Evasion, Part 2
August 04, 2006
Thomas Reeve
The move to Silver Age has the potential to make a big difference here, both in terms of the cards available and what we want the cards in our deck to do. - read more
Deck Clinic: Morlock Evasion
August 03, 2006
Thomas Reeve
My name’s Tom Reeve and I’ll be taking a look at some reader-submitted decks and hopefully throwing some light into the murky corners of the deckbuilding process. - read more
Advanced Learning: Reading the Signals
August 02, 2006
Doug Tice
Reading signals is all about gathering as much information from as many sources as possible and reacting accordingly. - read more
Draft Clinic: JSA
August 02, 2006
Alex Brown
This article will take a look at the synergies available to the JSA, and we will continue next week with a look at another team. - read more
Teaming-Up for a Crisis
August 02, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
We are now adding the team format to the official tournament rules; at the end of this article is an excerpt from the new official policies document, which will be out very soon! - read more
Breaking Ground: Secret Six Victorious
August 01, 2006
Michael Barnes
Secret Six Victorious may be the most interesting alternate win condition card to date in Vs. System. - read more
One Step Beyond: Vengeance is Mine
July 31, 2006
Steve Garrett
When Infinite Crisis was released, a few clever chaps across the globe decided that a union between X-Statix and Villains United would make for a good deck. They were not wrong. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Draft Party with Dr. Psycho
July 30, 2006
Rian Fike
For the last three Wednesdays before Pro Circuit Indianapolis, we are having a Draft Party in Miami. Doctor Psycho is one of our honored guests. - read more
Deck Analysis: Secret Society
July 28, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
Now that DC Modern Age is the focus of everyone’s attention, Secret Society may finally get some of the notice it deserves. - read more
Introducing Marvel and DC Gallery Packs!
July 28, 2006
Mike Hummel
Each Gallery Pack will contain five Marvel or DC Extended Art cards. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Mind Games
July 27, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Limiting what you need to learn is a good way to build your experience faster. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: The Study, Part 2
July 26, 2006
Doug Tice
I’d like to get some input from you, the readers. - read more
Draft Clinic: Jonathon Luey
July 26, 2006
Alex Brown
Jonathon’s draft is one of the smoother ones I’ve covered, but I still found plenty to talk about! - read more
Breaking Ground: Anti-Life Equation
July 25, 2006
Michael Barnes
Anti-Life Equation is a veritable treasure trove of goodness if one can learn how to utilize it properly. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Drafting Infinite Crisis
July 25, 2006
Shane Wiggans
This article will not be a card-by-card guide or a mock draft, but instead will give you real-life examples of the different deck archetypes that I have built and played. - read more
One Step Beyond: Modern Justice
July 24, 2006
Steve Garrett
As promised, this week we have a “two for the price of one” special as we take a look at two of the teams that are likely to be a prominent part of Pro Circuit Indy 2006. - read more
Creating a Crisis, Part 8: Backup with a Vengeance
July 24, 2006
Justin Gary
Starting next week, other members of R&D will share their views on Infinite Crisis and Vs. in general, all leading up to Heralds of Galactus previews in early August. - read more
Vs. System at Comic Con!
July 24, 2006
Metagame Staff
Pictures from this past weekend's big convention! - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: The Fun Factor
July 23, 2006
Rian Fike
The Fun Factor in Vs. System is directly related to the people who play. - read more
Deck Analysis: The Injustice Gang
July 23, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
To combat the problem of Injustice Gang’s frailty, I took a more defensive approach when compiling this list. - read more
Under the Radar: Deep Green’s Toolbox and Day 3
July 23, 2006
Ian Vincent
The Pro Circuit had a new Champion, and I went into a state of shock for the best part of two weeks. - read more
Under the Radar: X-Men Draft: San Fran Day 2, Part 2
July 22, 2006
Ian Vincent
I was third going into the final draft thanks to some nutty good tiebreakers, and if my previous opponents kept winning, there was a reasonable chance that a 1-2 performance in the last pod would be good enough to make Top 8. - read more
Under the Radar: X-Men Draft: San Francisco Day 2, Part 1
July 21, 2006
Ian Vincent
The top pros know that a fearful opponent is likely to take too many risks or become timid, either of which can give them free wins. - read more
Interview: Vidianto Wijaya
July 21, 2006
Shane Wiggans
I hope you all enjoy a very casual look at possibly the best player Vs. System has to offer. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Check Please!
July 20, 2006
Tim Willoughby
When you play chess, though every piece is important, the rules of the game ensure that your King will always be the most important of all. - read more
PCQ Program Changes
July 20, 2006
Ben Drago
Beginning with the Marvel Heralds of Galactus season starting on September 9, 2006, the Vs. System Pro Circuit Qualifier (PCQ) program will see some significant changes. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: The Study
July 19, 2006
Doug Tice
For this episode of The Study, our players will change. Tillman will again get to play the role of “Well-Balanced Master,” but the two players at the far ends of the spectrum will probably change in the hope of keeping things interesting. - read more
Draft Clinic: Alex Brown
July 19, 2006
Alex Brown
This week I am featuring Scott Smith, the former #1-ranked Sealed Pack player in the world and the reigning $10K Melbourne Champion. - read more
Under the Radar: Constructed, Day 1 – Part 2
July 19, 2006
Ian Vincent
Almost two years after my Pro Circuit debut, I’d done a very good job of not getting noticed. - read more
Under the Radar: Constructed, Day 1, Part 1
July 18, 2006
Ian Vincent
Halfway through the day, it’s quite clear which players have been playing Deep Green for the last month and which have switched at the last minute because they thought the metagame was unfavorable to their preferred deck. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Short Curve Decks
July 18, 2006
Shane Wiggans
This will be the last article in the series dealing with deck archetypes, and it will focus on short-curve decks; these are decks that generally run characters with a cost of 1–5 and top out at turn 5. - read more
Breaking Ground: Mr. Fear
July 18, 2006
Michael Barnes
We’re going to take a look at how Mr. Fear, in unison with the usual GLEE suspects, can make you giggle with delight and your opponents weep with frustration. - read more
The World of Warcraft Trading Card Game Website is Online!
July 18, 2006
Toby Wachter
The game will be released in October, but the website is posting new information every day about what we can expect. - read more
One Step Beyond: The Injustice of DC Modern Age
July 17, 2006
Steve Garrett
This week I want to talk a little about the other bad guys from the Justice League of America set. - read more
Creating a Crisis, Part 7: Shaping Fate
July 17, 2006
Justin Gary
This week, I plan to tackle one of the more controversial elements of Infinite Crisis: the Fate Artifacts. - read more
Under the Radar: Prepping for San Francisco
July 17, 2006
Ian Vincent
Tom Reeves had been obsessed with the Brotherhood of Assassins for a long time, so he grabbed Checkmate and promptly filled the hole in their curve at 4 with Merlyn, Deadly Archer. - read more
Risk Versus Reward: Non-Physics 101
July 16, 2006
Rian Fike
Today’s presentation will concern itself with the ways in which the physical and non-physical interact in our game. - read more
A $10K Charlotte Tournament Report
July 14, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
This week, I’m going to take a break from my regular deck analysis articles and write about my experiences during the weekend of July 1 in Charlotte, North Carolina. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Lessons for Losers II: The Losers Strike Back
July 13, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Just be careful not to let your emotions get away from you, and you will have that much more to celebrate later when you are winning that much more. - read more
Draft Clinic: Troy Armstrong
July 12, 2006
Alex Brown
Troy is renowned for his offbeat Draft strategies that often pave the way for a better understanding of a format. - read more
Breaking Ground: Captain America, Super Soldier
July 11, 2006
Michael Barnes
On his own, Captain America is not really all that imposing. Sure, he can take on your ordinary hoods and thugs without too much difficulty. But put Cap up against a baddie like Magneto, and he’s not quite in the same league. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Building a Combo Deck
July 11, 2006
Shane Wiggans
Today, I’m going to walk you through what’s necessary to build a combo deck. - read more
One Step Beyond: DC Modern Age Secrets
July 10, 2006
Steve Garrett
This is the article the "pros" wanted banned. - read more
Deck Analysis: Checkmate / Villains United
July 09, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
As soon as Ahmed Samsarra was previewed, I knew he’d be one of the most played cards at Pro Circuit San Francisco. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Tempting Fate
July 09, 2006
Rian Fike
Fate is a fickle and ferocious thing. There are times in our lives when the entire world seems stacked against us alongside moments of complete cohesion and conquest. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Lessons for Losers
July 06, 2006
Tim Willoughby
There are really only a few reasons why people lose a game of Vs. System. Once you are familiar with them, you too can sit back and listen as people’s bad beat stories start to come out of their mouths as just “wah wah wah.” - read more
Draft Clinic: Adrian Capilitan
July 05, 2006
Alex Brown
I am featuring the No. 1 ranked Vs. System player in Oceania right now, Adrian Capilitan. Adrian has been putting up strong performances since The Avengers and can be said to have dominated The X-Men Draft and Sealed formats in Sydney. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Off-Curve Craziness!
July 04, 2006
Shane Wiggans
I have already written about constructing a normal curve deck, and now I am back with the second exciting installment: off-curve craziness! - read more
Breaking Ground: Colossus, Steadfast Protector
July 04, 2006
Michael Barnes
Synergy is all over the place; you just have to know where to look for it! - read more
One Step Beyond: I’d Buy That for a Dollar!
July 03, 2006
Steve Garrett
It is a sad fact of life that money does, indeed, make the world go ’round. The almighty (insert your local denomination) has an impact on almost every aspect of our lives. - read more
Creating a Crisis 5: Identity Crisis
July 03, 2006
Justin Gary
Welcome back for another exciting installment of Creating a Crisis. This week, I want to take a look at the JSA and talk a bit about how their mechanics developed. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: The Curve of Death
July 02, 2006
Rian Fike
Vs. System is a game of wildly diverse play styles and personal strategies; your Number One character for each drop is probably different from mine. That’s the way it should be. - read more
Deck Analysis: Mexican Hardware Store
July 02, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
This deck is an entirely different machine than Squadron Supreme, and while they’re both rush decks, their strategies are extremely different. - read more
Enrolling in the Kingpin’s School of Hard Knocks
July 01, 2006
Jeremy Blair
The School of Hard Knocks will allow scrappy players to improve and may allow good players to become great. The focus of the school is advanced content. - read more
Player Profile: Kyle Dembinski
June 30, 2006
Shane Wiggans
To me, the most enjoyable aspect of this game is meeting new people and making new friends. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Winning Despite the Jetlag
June 29, 2006
Tim Willoughby
On my walk home from work today, I saw forty-nine English flags. I know it was forty-nine, because I counted them. - read more
Draft Clinic: Paul Van der Werk
June 28, 2006
Alex Brown
Paul and I seemed to disagree on more picks than not, so feel free to make up your own mind! - read more
Draft 101: X-Men at PC San Francisco
June 28, 2006
Doug Tice
No matter what the card set, being able to draft a deck with oozing synergy is what wins tournaments. - read more
Breaking Ground: The Science Spire
June 27, 2006
Michael Barnes
Science! - read more
Theoretically Speaking: The Crystal Ball
June 27, 2006
Shane Wiggans
How can we predict what will show up? - read more
One Step Beyond: The Winds of Change
June 26, 2006
Steve Garrett
The game is still the same. No, actually, change that. The game is actually more fun now than ever before. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: The Bigger They Are . . .
June 25, 2006
Rian Fike
The big boys of our cardboard cosmos have contributed to well over one million dollars in prize money in only two full seasons of competition. That is no small feat. - read more
Deep Green, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the King: Part 2 – The Pro Circuit and Post-PC Silver Age
June 24, 2006
Thomas Reeve
By the time the weekend before the PC rolled around (with a public holiday on Monday for good measure), the deck was pretty much set. - read more
Deep Green, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the King: Part 1 – Inspiration and Development
June 23, 2006
Thomas Reeve
April 19, 2005. That’s when he sauntered into view with his natty black trench coat and Wolverine, Logan–sized frame. - read more
Deck Clinic: X-Men Off-Curve
June 23, 2006
Anthony Justice
Hello everyone! This is Anthony Justice, and I will be hosting the reintroduction of the Deck Clinic. - read more
Deck Analysis: Good Guys
June 22, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
Good Guys has received a boost from the Infinite Crisis set, and now the deck’s ability to exploit the ally mechanic is stronger than ever. - read more
X-Men Fine Art Lithographs Now Available!
June 22, 2006
Toby Wachter
Now, you can pick up some awesome X-Men art to add class to your home or office. - read more
Draft Clinic: Alex Brown
June 21, 2006
Alex Brown
Hurrah! This is the first week of Infinite Crisis Booster Draft. - read more
Breaking Ground: Kings
June 20, 2006
Michael Barnes
We’re going to bring the Hellfire Club Kings and Checkmate Kings together into one royal build and see what we can come up with. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Preparing For San Francisco
June 20, 2006
Shane Wiggans
A serious competitor only has about three days when he or she is not preparing for the next Pro Circuit—those are the three days spent competing in the previous one. - read more
One Step Beyond: No Fate But What We Make
June 19, 2006
Steve Garrett
Something that captured the imagination of players—regardless of what deck they played—was the allure of the Fate Artifacts. - read more
Creating a Crisis: Lessons from San Francisco
June 19, 2006
Justin Gary
When R&D started designing and developing Infinite Crisis, we wanted to create a set that would shake up the tournament metagame. It looks like we succeeded. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Dreams Do Come True
June 18, 2006
Rian Fike
Perhaps the most brilliant character choice in Pro Circuit history, this card has been almost completely ignored throughout its entire life. In Ivy League, it was a perfect fit. - read more
Cerebro XXX – The Vin Diesel Edition
June 17, 2006
Paul Ross
The avalanche of Crisis questions in my inbox can be held back no longer! - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Lies and Statistics
June 15, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Stats can be really useful in Vs. System; you just need to be careful about what you do with them. - read more
Pro Circuit Indy Judge Sponsorships
June 15, 2006
Toby Wachter
If you're a judge and you'd like to be sponsored for Pro Circuit Indy 2006, Judge Manager Ian Estrin has posted the information you'll need to apply. - read more
Sealed Pack Clinic: Scott Hunstad, Infinite Crisis
June 14, 2006
Alex Brown
This installment follows immediately from last week’s article about Luke Bartter’s Infinite Crisis Sealed Pack deck. This week, I’ll give you an inside look at Bartter’s opponent that night, Scott Hunstad. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: The Experiment, Results Analysis
June 14, 2006
Doug Tice
I opened five random Infinite Crisis booster packs and recorded the contents. Then my plan was to ask three of my teammates to build independently what they would play in a Sealed Pack event from this card pool. - read more
Breaking Ground: Revenge Squad
June 13, 2006
Michael Barnes
I spent three great days talking with and playing against some of the greatest Vs. System players in the world. For a fanboy like me, it doesn’t get much better than that! - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Goals
June 13, 2006
Shane Wiggans
Having a focus is vital when optimizing any deck. - read more
One Step Beyond: The Greatest Format Ever
June 12, 2006
Steve Garrett
This weekend saw Silver Age debut at a Pro Circuit level, and I have to say I absolutely loved following every second of it. - read more
Unexpected Developments: The Second Round of Bannings
June 12, 2006
Dave Humpherys
As R&D promised on Friday, we’ve prepared a full account of the reasoning behind the recent erratum, rules change, and bannings. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: The Mad World of Pro Circuit San Francisco
June 11, 2006
Rian Fike
When the dust had settled, there was a shock at the top. It was a shock heard ’round the world. - read more
A Message from R&D
June 09, 2006
Dave Humpherys
R&D has heard your response to the errata of Parademon and the banning of Justice League of Arkham and Antarctic Research Base, and we’re going to address your concerns in an article on Monday. - read more
Pro Circuit Indianapolis 2006 Formats Announced
June 09, 2006
Toby Wachter
Formats and details posted to the Organized Play Forums. - read more
The Hellboy Essential Collection
June 08, 2006
Matt Hyra
Feast your eyes on the smorgasbord of goodies you’ll get with the first quarter 2007 release of the Hellboy Essential Collection. - read more
Update to Vs. Rules Page
June 08, 2006
Metagame Staff
New errata and banned cards posted. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: The Experiment
June 07, 2006
Doug Tice
I will present three of my teammates individually with the same card pool and ask each of them to return with a final build in thirty minutes. I am not sure what to expect from them, but I know that I am already looking forward to seeing the results. - read more
Sealed Pack Clinic: Luke Bartter
June 07, 2006
Alex Brown
In an effort to give you the broadest Sealed Pack experience possible, I will not be featuring my own Sealed pool today, but rather a pool built and played by Luke Bartter. - read more
Fan Card Crossover – Week 9, Arrested Development
June 07, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
Over the last few weeks, R&D has been testing your design, and this week, you’ll be able to make one of the last decisions about Nyssa—her all-important ATK and DEF. - read more
Breaking Ground: Dr. Sivana
June 06, 2006
Michael Barnes
It’s time for Dr. Sivana to head out for a night on the town to see what the party is like over at Club Dead. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Pro Circuit Prep
June 06, 2006
Shane Wiggans
I hope you don’t begrudge me this opportunity to share my “pre-game” rituals and how they impact my decisions about deck choice and tournament approach. - read more
One Step Beyond: Group Therapy
June 05, 2006
Steve Garrett
These two decks are designed to be used together in a standard two-on-two match. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Secret Origins of Janky Jesters
June 04, 2006
Rian Fike
Since Harley Quinn helped hoist her Arkham Inmates team up to their first $10K championship in Brisbane last week, I think it’s time that you knew where she came from. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Free Wins
June 01, 2006
Tim Willoughby
By the time you read this, many of the battles will already have been won or lost. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: JSA
May 31, 2006
Doug Tice
The JSA team reminds me of my old high school days; generally speaking, my classmates and I all adhered to the same curriculum, but when the break or lunch bell rang, we all split into our little cliques. - read more
Sealed Pack Clinic: Infinite Crisis, Part 4
May 31, 2006
Alex Brown
It pays to evaluate each card individually and not just see them as automatic choices because of a weight in team numbers. - read more
Voices from the Field: A Pro Circuit San Francisco Primer
May 31, 2006
Ben Kalman
Many are already lauding Silver Age as the best and most open format this game has ever seen, and nobody can wait to see what tricks will be pulled from the Vs. deck tins come Friday morning. - read more
Pro Circuit San Francisco News!
May 31, 2006
Toby Wachter
Exciting news about this weekend's event! - read more
Breaking Ground: Silver Age Preview
May 30, 2006
Michael Barnes
In honor of Pro Circuit San Francisco and the official start of Silver Age, I have compiled a list of twenty-five cards—three from each booster set and one from the starter decks—that I believe will have a profound impact on the Silver Age metagame. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Hand Advantage
May 30, 2006
Shane Wiggans
The more cards you see, the more opportunities and options you have. - read more
Week in Review: May 30
May 30, 2006
Anand Khare
The Pro Circuit is here! In three short days, the Silver Age format will finally be unleashed upon the world. - read more
Creating a Crisis, Part 4: Making Magic
May 29, 2006
Justin Gary
Magic is my favorite mechanic in this set, though it was by far the hardest to design and develop. - read more
One Step Beyond: The Alternate Win
May 29, 2006
Steve Garrett
The alternate win condition is an incredibly fun goal. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: This is How the Crystal Ball Bounces
May 28, 2006
Rian Fike
This is it, the final countdown. Pro Circuit San Francisco starts on Friday. Are you ready? - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Resourceful Thinking
May 25, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Games of Vs. System ultimately tend to come down to who is getting the most out of their resources. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: Villains United
May 24, 2006
Doug Tice
It looks to me like “the calculated victory” plan seems pretty doable. - read more
Sealed Pack Clinic: Infinite Crisis, Part 3
May 24, 2006
Alex Brown
This week, I have a very challenging pool for you to sort through. - read more
Breaking Ground: The Rock of Eternity
May 23, 2006
Michael Barnes
Man-Bull and the much-maligned Sinister Syndicate are going to be our ticket to ensuring that our exhausted characters get plenty of rest so that The Rock of Eternity wakes them up, ready and refreshed to lay the smack down on our attack step. - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Roles on Your Team
May 23, 2006
Shane Wiggans
Today, we are going to talk about how a team can enrich or detract from your Vs. System experience. - read more
One Step Beyond: The Quest
May 22, 2006
Steve Garrett
The Emperor Joker deck is very nearly playable! - read more
Creating a Crisis, Part 3: Cycles
May 22, 2006
Justin Gary
Cycles help to define a team by contrasting its part of the cycle with those of other teams - read more
Week in Review: May 22
May 22, 2006
Anand Khare
In ten short days, competitors from all around the world will be gearing up to play the new Silver Age format at Pro Circuit San Francisco. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Are You Creating Your Own Reality?
May 21, 2006
Rian Fike
There were quite a few bombshells of information that detonated across the Vs. System community in the past few weeks. - read more
Voices from the Past: Infinite Crisis – Checkmate, Part One
May 19, 2006
Ben Kalman
Over the next few months, I will try to cover the Crisis inside and out, starting with a rundown of each team and then looking at the Crisis itself, how the Crisis connects the teams and their storylines, and how it fits into DC’s “Crisis History.” - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Shining Opportunities
May 18, 2006
Tim Willoughby
The upcoming Silver Age Pro Circuit in San Francisco will be one of the most interesting formats in Pro Circuit history. - read more
Sealed Pack Clinic: Infinite Crisis, Part 2
May 17, 2006
Alex Brown
Read ahead and see if you would have avoided my mistakes! - read more
Sealed Pack 101: Checkmate
May 17, 2006
Doug Tice
This article is the first of a multi-part review of the Infinite Crisis set, looking at the teams strictly in terms of playing these cards in Sealed Pack and Draft events. - read more
Week in Review: May 17
May 17, 2006
Anand Khare
Last week was, without a doubt, the busiest week Metagame has ever seen. - read more
Breaking Ground: Mary Jane Watson
May 16, 2006
Michael Barnes
It’s time for MJ to show Vs. System players far and wide that even supermodels can be a forceful presence on the Vs. board! - read more
Theoretically Speaking: Initiative Choice
May 16, 2006
Shane Wiggans
Making a good choice requires work—you have to know your deck, the metagame you expect to see, and the format in which you’ll be competing. - read more
One Step Beyond: Taking the Plunge
May 15, 2006
Steve Garrett
Surely, the casual player is entitled to try to become the best player he or she can possibly be. - read more
Creating a Crisis, Part 2: Culinary Cardboard
May 15, 2006
Justin Gary
This week, I would like to talk about the other end of the design spectrum: thematics. - read more
Marvel TCG Video Game at E3!
May 15, 2006
Toby Wachter
Gamers got their first chance to play Vs. System in digital form last week at the huge convention, and they weren’t disappointed. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Some Days are Better than Others
May 14, 2006
Rian Fike
Let’s talk teamwork in Vs. System. - read more
Voices from the Field: The Other Design: X-Men, Part 2
May 12, 2006
Ben Kalman
. . . And then came the art requests. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: East vs. West?
May 11, 2006
Tim Willoughby
This weekend features Japan’s very first constructed $10k, and of all of the events in Vs System, I have to say that this one is the one I would most like to be at. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Uniqueness & “Once Per Turn”
May 11, 2006
Dave Humpherys
I hope that this brings you up to date on all the recent card and rules changes we’ve made. - read more
Sealed Pack Clinic: Infinite Crisis Sneak Preview
May 10, 2006
Alex Brown
For the next few weeks, this column will take a look at the new cards and how I dealt with them in a Sealed Pack environment. - read more
Sealed Pack 101: Infinite Crisis Sneak Preview
May 10, 2006
Doug Tice
The point of this article is not to give a full recap of my tournament experience, but rather to try to take you through every thought that goes into Sealed Pack deck construction. - read more
Breaking Ground: Phantom Zone
May 09, 2006
Michael Barnes
A deck that has the ability to counter recursion effects should have a competitive advantage - read more
Theoretically Speaking: The Chain
May 09, 2006
Shane Wiggans
Whether these problems arise from a player complacently letting an effect resolve or misplacing effects on the chain, the chain has a direct impact on how Vs. System is played. - read more
The Big Announcement—At Last!
May 09, 2006
Mike Hummel
The Vs. System is going to Hell! - read more
Hellboy Comes to Vs. System!
May 09, 2006
Press Release
The new Hellboy-themed Essential Collection will be available on store shelves in early 2007. - read more
Creating a Crisis, Part 1: The Dawn of a New Age
May 08, 2006
Justin Gary
Keeping the game fresh and interesting involves breaking our own rules and doing things that have never been done before. - read more
One Step Beyond − Finding Your Tokui Waza
May 08, 2006
Steve Garrett
In the world of TCGs, the “pet deck” is a project that you never really give up on. - read more
A Pro Circuit Atlanta Tournament Report, Part 2
May 08, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
Through the ups and downs, the whole experience was one of the best times I’ve had in my life, and I would advise anyone and everyone to travel to one of the three remaining PCs this year. You’ll be glad you did. - read more
Infinite Crisis and Heralds of Galactus Vs. System Collector Sets Are Coming!
May 08, 2006
Toby Wachter
Come October, you’ll be able to get your hands on collector sets for Infinite Crisis and Heralds of Galactus! - read more
Week in Review: May 8
May 07, 2006
Anand Khare
These past few weeks have been all about the brand-new set, which features some of the most powerful cards printed since Origins. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Know Thyselves
May 07, 2006
Rian Fike
Often, our objective quest for coherent classification and clarity of character creates a crazy crisis of consciousness. Sometimes it goes infinite. - read more
A Pro Circuit Atlanta Tournament Report, Part 1
May 06, 2006
Graham Van Leeuwen
I wanted to have my name known by everyone. I wanted to be successful playing among the best of the best. I wanted to be a pro. - read more
PCQ Prep − Rogue
May 05, 2006
Jacob Rabinowitz
Let’s take a closer look at a few creative alternatives to the dominant decks of the MMA metagame. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Dealing with Crises
May 04, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Constructed has a few big conflicts going on, and Crisis has shifted the balance in a few little ways that will likely have a big impact on our next Pro Circuit. - read more
Draft Clinic: Scott Hunstad
May 03, 2006
Alex Brown
Scott managed to get an interesting seat with the option of what is probably the most talked-about strategy in X-Men Draft—the Blackbird Blue deck. Read on and find out how Scott built his deck. - read more
Breaking Ground: Mattie Franklin <> Spider-Woman
May 02, 2006
Michael Barnes
It’s time to break Mattie Franklin ◊ Spider-Woman, Silver Age style! - read more
Theoretically Speaking: An Introduction
May 02, 2006
Shane Wiggans
In this column, we will examine the concepts and difficult decisions that Vs. System presents to a competitive player. - read more
One Step Beyond: Kamiza’s Kingdom, A Bit of an Introduction
May 01, 2006
Steve Garrett
Pro Circuit champions may come and go, but the Hobby League remains eternal! - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Suspended Animation—A Scrapbook
April 30, 2006
Rian Fike
There are so many different funfests going on in the world of Vs. System that I could occupy myself for weeks just thinking about them. Time to share. - read more
Cerebro XXIX
April 29, 2006
Paul Ross
’Tis once again the season to make way for a hot new expansion. - read more
Voices from the Field: The Other Design: X-Men, Part 1
April 28, 2006
Ben Kalman
Now that you know the basics of how the research and art request/design process works for Vs. sets, it’s time to delve into some new details. - read more
Pre–Sneak Preview Primers: A Prologue to Your Sneak Preview
April 27, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Quite a lot goes on at Sneak Previews, and for my money, they are one of the funner tournaments around. - read more
Infinite Crisis Preview: Adrian Chase <> Vigilante, Street Justice
April 27, 2006
Justin Gary
Vigilante’s power represents his sense of justice—if you hurt one of his friends, he’ll hurt you. - read more
Free Stuff at the Infinite Crisis Sneak Preview!
April 27, 2006
Anand Khare
If Upper Deck wants to shower us with swag, I’m certainly not going to be the one to question it. - read more
Prizes at the Sneak Preview
April 27, 2006
Ben Drago
Want to find out how we’re awarding the prizes at North American Sneak Preview tournaments? Read on . . . - read more
Infinite Crisis Preview: Zazzala <> Queen Bee, Mistress of the Hive
April 26, 2006
Michael Barnes
My mind has been racing about how to abuse this card since the moment I saw it. - read more
Infinite Crisis Preview: Shazam, The Sorcerer
April 25, 2006
Dave Humpherys
Shazam can turn around some blowout games like nobody’s business. - read more
Katar Hol <> Hawkman, Eternal Hero
April 24, 2006
Doug Tice
Sealed Pack play is all about tricks, so I say yes, Katar Hol does at least meet, if not exceed, the grade necessary to make my deck. - read more
Final Reveal on Friday!
April 24, 2006
Toby Wachter
With all this excitement, don't forget to revisit the Infinite Crisis page! - read more
Week in Review: Crisis on the Way
April 24, 2006
Anand Khare
Your first chance to get your hands on actual cards will be at the Infinite Crisis Sneak Preview events, which will be held around the world this coming weekend. - read more
Order
April 23, 2006
Tim Willoughby
- read more
PCQ Prep
April 22, 2006
Jacob Rabinowitz
The Marvel Modern Age PCQ season is upon us, and if the results of Pro Circuit Atlanta and the recent $10K in Austin are any indication, we can look forward to an exciting, diverse, and mercurial metagame. - read more
Infinite Crisis Preview: The Penguin, Arms Merchant
April 22, 2006
Ben Kalman
Certain Arkham builds demand a fair number of locations, which makes the draw and discard very effective in digging for useful cards. - read more
Voices from the Field: The Other Design—JLA, Part Two
April 21, 2006
Ben Kalman
We need to be able to come up with a couple of hundred ideas that are not redundant or repetitive, and that stylistically and thematically fall into place together. - read more
Infinite Crisis Preview: Mourn for the Lost
April 21, 2006
Paul Ross
The things Mourn for the Lost can do that have never been done before make it REALLY exciting. - read more
Infinite Crisis Preview Card: Lex Luthor <> Mockingbird, Evil Exile
April 20, 2006
Rian Fike
As long as you can convince a character to become affiliated with his team, Lex Luthor ◊ Mockingbird can alternately recruit it from your hand, no matter what its cost. - read more
Infinite Crisis Preview: Ahmed Samsarra, White King
April 19, 2006
Antonino De Rosa
Ahmed Samsarra is a fun, interesting, and powerful card to play, no matter what your goal is. - read more
Fan Card Crossover – Week 8: Game (Text) On!
April 19, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
Last week we had what is likely to be the most significant vote of the series: What game text should Nyssa have? - read more
Infinite Crisis Preview: Mr. Freeze, Brutal Blizzard
April 18, 2006
Patrick Sullivan
Mr. Freeze is one of the rare characters with applications across every axis of interaction. - read more
Infinite Crisis Preview: Conjuration
April 17, 2006
Justin Gary
Slam down a game-breaking 8-drop on turn 7, or bring down a 5-drop on turn 4 to disrupt your opponent’s initiative completely. - read more
Week in Review: April 17
April 16, 2006
Anand Khare
Another week has gone by, and what an exciting week it’s been! - read more
Infinite Crisis Preview: Superman, Earth-2
April 16, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
This card is one of the best 6-drops you can play in any team in Infinite Crisis. - read more
Voices From the Field: The Other Design: JLA, Part One
April 14, 2006
Ben Kalman
A lot more goes into the building of each Vs. System set than simply choosing a team, throwing characters into a pot, and testing to exhaustion (no pun intended). - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Grand Designs
April 14, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Designing new cards that are competitive, powerful, and not simply rehashed versions of something that already exists must be pretty tough. - read more
Infinite Crisis Preview: Deathstroke the Terminator, Ultimate Assassin
April 13, 2006
Justin Gary
Deathstroke can do two important things for you, but first, you have to make a decision: do you want to win on turn 7 or 8? - read more
Draft Clinic: James Kong
April 12, 2006
Alex Brown
Hopefully, this goes some of the way toward representing what is almost half of a tournament’s work for a Pro Circuit competitor. - read more
Breaking Ground: Lady Shiva
April 11, 2006
Michael Barnes
“We could use Power Play.” The moment the words came out of his mouth, my brain started percolating with thoughts of how to make a League of Assassins / Hellfire Club deck work. - read more
Fan Card Crossover – Week 7: Design Eye for the Gamer Guy
April 11, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
I was expecting a lot of you to show a great interest in this aspect of the card—and boy, did you come through! - read more
How to Make a Vs. System Expansion in Nine Easy Steps, Part 9: Everything Else
April 10, 2006
Mike Hummel
In this final article of the series, I’ll attempt to cover all the remaining internal steps that go into releasing a Vs. System set. - read more
Another Infinite Crisis Update!
April 10, 2006
Toby Wachter
Check out the page for details! - read more
Week in Review: April 10
April 09, 2006
Anand Khare
This coming weekend is $10K Minneapolis, the first major Golden Age event in quite a while. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: The More Things Change, the More I Love this Game
April 09, 2006
Rian Fike
The Youth Movement has arrived. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Behind the Scenes on the Vs. System $1,000,000 Pro Circuit
April 06, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Some names have been changed to protect the innocent. All the guilty names have stayed exactly the same. - read more
Strength in Numbers: Just My Luck
April 05, 2006
Olav Rokne
Bad luck, as a concept, is particularly enticing because it makes it possible to blame chance for one’s failings. - read more
Breaking Ground: Project Liberator
April 04, 2006
Michael Barnes
Follow me as we help the lovable loonies of Arkham Asylum break Project Liberator. - read more
Fan Card Crossover – Week 6: The Object of My Designer
April 04, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
Last week you were given two big choices on where our fan card is headed, and both races were quite interesting. - read more
How to Make a Vs. System Expansion in Nine Easy Steps – Part 8: Constructed Play Development
April 03, 2006
Mike Hummel
Bet you didn’t see this coming. - read more
Infinite Crisis Page Updated!
April 03, 2006
Toby Wachter
A new piece of the puzzle has been revealed! - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Postcards from Pro Circuit Paradise
April 02, 2006
Rian Fike
I think I could tell stories for three months about the everlasting fun we had in three days. - read more
Week in Review: April 2
April 02, 2006
Anand Khare
So, to sum up, we’ve got one format solved and another format well on the way there. All in all, very productive, just like Metagame.com has been this week. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Next Steps
March 30, 2006
Tim Willoughby
There’s a whole new Constructed format for Pro Circuit Qualifiers, and more importantly, a mountain of information to work with. - read more
The Price is Right: The First Mutation
March 29, 2006
Nate Price
I want to treat my next article series as if I were covering a draft at the PC. - read more
Pro Circuit in Review: Atlanta
March 28, 2006
Anand Khare
The format for the Pro Circuit was Marvel Modern Age. It was, in my opinion, the best Constructed format that this game has had to offer. - read more
Breaking Ground: Human Torch, Friendly
March 28, 2006
Michael Barnes
With the Human Torch to clear out our opponent’s largest character first, and the remaining characters to clear the way in the later part of our attack step, we may have achieved a perfect balance for the anticipated Spider-Friends/Morlocks team-up. - read more
Fan Card Crossover Week 5 – Power . . . At Any Cost!
March 28, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
Now that we have chosen most of the cosmetic aspects of your card, it’s time to get your hands dirty in the actual game-related mechanics. - read more
Vs. System Nominated for Scrye’s 2005 Players’ Choice Awards!
March 28, 2006
Toby Wachter
Vs. System is eligible for “Favorite 2005 CCG Expansion” and “All-Time Favorite Collectible Card Game.” - read more
Keyword Categories
March 27, 2006
Mike Hummel
While the mechanics that eventually make it into the sets have a strong thematic link to the teams that appear with them, R&D needs to ensure that the rules defining these new keywords help expand the established parameters of the game in both a fun and functional way. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Indecision Time is Over
March 26, 2006
Rian Fike
By the time you read this, PC Atlanta will be over. I will have made my decision and the results will be public knowledge. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Four Days Behind
March 23, 2006
Tim Willoughby
For the wily player looking to get an edge, there are highly valuable insights to be gleaned from coverage. - read more
Meet Your Metagame!
March 22, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Between this sinister six, you will find that all the content for the whole of your Pro Circuit is produced. - read more
The Price is Right — Reverse Engineering
March 22, 2006
Nate Price
Starting bright and early tomorrow, the Vs. System community will descend upon Atlanta with one thing in mind—to take home the $40,000 and add their names to the annals of Vs. System history. - read more
Voices From the Field: A Pro Circuit Atlanta Primer!
March 22, 2006
Ben Kalman
All the information on the teams and players this coming weekend! - read more
Breaking Ground: Xorn
March 21, 2006
Michael Barnes
It’s time for us to break Xorn and to break into the Marvel Modern environment with a new age of X-Men recovery! - read more
Fan Card Crossover Week 4 – Where Art Thou?
March 21, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
The quality of work that was sent in was exceptional, but we could only choose five finalists. - read more
Place Your Bets
March 20, 2006
Mike Hummel
In a department full of gamers, sometimes the best way to settle a dispute is with a friendly wager. - read more
The Avengers Crowned Best TCG Expansion of 2005!
March 20, 2006
Press Release
Vs. System Wins ‘InQuest Gamer Fan Award’ Two Years in a Row! - read more
Cerebro: Pro Circuit Atlanta Primer
March 20, 2006
Paul Ross
With Pro Circuit Atlanta on the horizon, it's time to dust off this article for anyone who missed it last time around. - read more
Week in Review: March 20
March 20, 2006
Anand Khare
Pro Circuit Atlanta is only four days away. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Super Stars in a Cardboard World
March 19, 2006
Rian Fike
These are the Vs. System players who remind me of legendary athletes from other leagues and arenas. - read more
Cerebro XXVIII – More X-Goodness
March 18, 2006
Paul Ross
Here are some answers to the multitudinous questions you’ve sent in about the New Hotness that is the X-Men expansion, plus a couple more from some other recent sets. - read more
Strength in Numbers: The Math of Mulligans
March 17, 2006
Olav Rokne
Such determinations can only really be worked out through probability. - read more
A Crisis is Coming!
March 17, 2006
Toby Wachter
This morning, a mysterious page appeared on the Vs. System DC Comics website. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Taking the Initiative
March 16, 2006
Tim Willoughby
I can never really remember if it’s that the best offense is a good defense or the other way around. - read more
The Price is Right – Fighting Illiteracy
March 15, 2006
Nate Price
“Refrain from attacking an army drawn up in calm and confident array—this is the art of studying circumstances.” — Sun Tzu, The Art of War - read more
Breaking Ground: Last Stand
March 14, 2006
Michael Barnes
We might never have seen a potent deck highlight Last Stand if it weren’t for the X-Men set. - read more
The Real Reason
March 13, 2006
Mike Hummel
As an industry professional, I’m obligated to provide readers with honest, insightful answers to these questions. As a fanboy, however, all bets are off. - read more
Fan Card Crossover – Week 3: Artistic License
March 13, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
This week’s vote was ridiculously close. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Multi-Managing with Jamie Madrox
March 12, 2006
Rian Fike
Have you ever wished that you could split yourself in two? - read more
Week in Review: March 13
March 12, 2006
Anand Khare
This coming weekend is $10K Los Angeles, the debut of the X-Men Sealed Pack format. - read more
The Dark Phoenix Saga, Part 5
March 10, 2006
Ben Kalman
A piece of Jean still survived in Dark Phoenix’s head, and it struggled for control. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Mr. LuckyFace
March 09, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Sweat is both unbecoming and a little smelly, so I advise that you never let them see you do it. - read more
UDE Demo Team Test Released!
March 09, 2006
Press Release
If you are interested in becoming a contributing member of the UDE Demo Team, the exam is now available . . . - read more
Confessions of an Aging Gamer
March 08, 2006
Nate Price
Each new generation brings new faces, new decks, and a higher level of skill to the game. - read more
Breaking Ground: Sticky Situation
March 07, 2006
Michael Barnes
Our challenge today is to create such a Sticky Situation for our opponents’ attackers so that they can conceivably fail to complete their attacks altogether. - read more
The Evolution of Team-Ups
March 06, 2006
Mike Hummel
Team-up cards have come a long way in the last two years. - read more
Fan Card Crossover – Week 2: In a League of Their Own
March 06, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
The votes are in, and the first element of the Fan Card Crossover has been chosen. - read more
Week in Review: March 6
March 05, 2006
Anand Khare
You would expect things to slow down after the PC. They won’t. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Olympic Weenie Glory
March 05, 2006
Rian Fike
The tournament was over, and 1-cost Army characters had won the gold. It was an upset for the ages. - read more
The Dark Phoenix Saga, Part 4
March 03, 2006
Ben Kalman
"The name's Wolverine, bub!" - read more
Fan Card Crossover – A Little Teaser . . .
March 03, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
I know that many of you are very interested in the results of the first week of the premier Fan Card Crossover . . . - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Decisions, Decisions
March 02, 2006
Tim Willoughby
If I were testing for Pro Circuit Atlanta, then I would be looking to settle on my final deck by this weekend. - read more
Poll For Upcoming Warcraft TCG Posted
March 02, 2006
Metagame Staff
Twelve random participants will receive a World of Warcraft Trading Card Game Starter Deck when the product is finished! - read more
Drafting JLA – Equipment and Locations
March 01, 2006
Nate Price
My Justice League of America breakdown is almost complete. - read more
Breaking Ground: Martian Manhunter, J’onn J’onzz
February 28, 2006
Michael Barnes
We’re going to turn the Justice League’s favorite shapeshifter into a defensive dynamo for the Crime Lords! - read more
Puzzle Breakdown - ????
February 28, 2006
Nate Price
Have no fear! I’m here to help you out. - read more
The Evasion Invasion
February 27, 2006
Mike Hummel
The evasion mechanic was originally the brainchild of the Mandel-murdering Morlock Hump . . . herys. - read more
Fan Card Crossover – Week 1: Living Up to a Legacy
February 27, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
Each week, you, the fans, will decide on an element of a card that will actually be released in a future DC Vs. set. - read more
Week in Review: February 27
February 26, 2006
Toby Wachter
With Pro Circuit Atlanta a few weeks away and $10K Los Angeles on the horizon, there’s plenty to discuss in the Vs. System community! - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Seeding the Fertile Future
February 26, 2006
Rian Fike
The new X-Men set will thrive and spread across our lives in many different places. - read more
Cerebro XXVII – X-Men FAQ Appendix
February 25, 2006
Paul Ross
Your X-Men rules questions answered! - read more
The Dark Phoenix Saga, Part 3
February 24, 2006
Ben Kalman
When last we left our humble X-Men, Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Nightcrawler had barely escaped the most dangerous of perils - read more
Fan Card Crossover!
February 23, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
Now we’re giving you, the fans, a chance to have your ideas contribute to an actual Vs. card! - read more
Two Turns Ahead – The ’Hood
February 23, 2006
Tim Willoughby
From the very first $10K, Brotherhood stood out as the deck to beat when it came to beatdown, be it weenie rush or something a little more curve-tastic. - read more
Drafting JLA - Plot Twists, Part 3
February 22, 2006
Nate Price
Here it is, the final installment of the plot twists section of my overview of JLA. - read more
Breaking Ground: Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters
February 21, 2006
Michael Barnes
Armed with the knowledge that we need to keep our combos small and simple, we’re going to explore our combo-enabling card of the day—Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. - read more
Bringing Back the Brotherhood
February 20, 2006
Mike Hummel
Bringing back the Brotherhood presented the R&D group with its biggest challenge in terms of character composition, design, and development. - read more
Week in Review: February 20
February 19, 2006
Anand Khare
To the casual observer, this is a quiet time for Vs. System—the new set is out, and there aren’t any major events for several more weeks. Beneath the surface, though, the community is abuzz with activity. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This
February 19, 2006
Rian Fike
The X-Men Sneak Preview tournament in South Florida on February 11 was almost too good for me to take. - read more
Strength in Numbers, Shuffling, Part 2: The Problem with Rising Sequences
February 18, 2006
Olav Rokne
So, what does this mean for your average Vs. deck? Until the sixth riffle shuffle is done, not only are some sequences of cards more likely than others, but some shuffling outcomes are entirely impossible. - read more
Voices From the Past: The Dark Phoenix Saga, Part 2
February 17, 2006
Ben Kalman
This was a turning point for Jean Grey, as she seemed to become more and more powerful. Her personality began to fray around the edges, and her voice was becoming darker, her mood even more so. - read more
R&D Notes: The X-Men Starter Deck
February 16, 2006
Patrick Sullivan
Starter deck design and development present a unique challenge to us over here at Vs. System. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Playing Control
February 16, 2006
Tim Willoughby
There are a few common traits that I have noticed about the best players, which might be worth trying to cultivate if one is looking to succeed at the highest level. - read more
????
February 16, 2006
Nate Price
The puzzle continues. - read more
Tonight: New Puzzle, New Prize
February 16, 2006
Toby Wachter
Click here if you have what it takes. - read more
Drafting JLA: Plot Twists, Part 2
February 15, 2006
Nate Price
PC Atlanta is coming up incredibly soon (a little more than a month away), and I’ve still got ground to cover before it hits. - read more
X-Men Sneak Preview Make-Up Dates This Weekend!
February 15, 2006
Toby Wachter
For those hit by the blizzard . . . - read more
Breaking Ground: Roll Call!
February 14, 2006
Michael Barnes
We’re going to build our own JLA ally deck that can use Roll Call! to its fullest extent. That way, we can get as carried away with Firestorm as we like! - read more
What’s Old is New Again
February 13, 2006
Mike Hummel
While you’re busy daydreaming about holding that oversized $40,000 check and trophy from winning the Atlanta PC, let me distract you with some design tales from the first X-Men R&D meeting. - read more
Week in Review: February 13
February 12, 2006
Anand Khare
This past week has been a fairly busy one, with the aftermath of $10K San Francisco leading directly into the excitement of the X-Men Sneak Previews. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Shall I Compare Vs. System to a Summer’s Day?
February 12, 2006
Rian Fike
Modern man continues to experience an infinite variety of emotional states, but a single 4-letter word has taken them all upon its back. - read more
Cerebro XXVI
February 11, 2006
Paul Ross
As is customary around this time of the season, it’s time to clear all the questions out of my inbox to make way for the avalanche of New Expansion Hotness that’s starting this weekend! - read more
Voices From the Past: The Dark Phoenix Saga, Part 1
February 10, 2006
Ben Kalman
Jean Grey was supposed to be dead. - read more
Welcome to the 31st Century!
February 10, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
The Legion of Super-Heroes joins the Vs. Universe this December! - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Trading Up
February 09, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Tim’s Top Trading Tips! - read more
X-Men Preview: Join the Club!
February 09, 2006
Antonino De Rosa
You can go get a Marvel Knights guy, a Crime Lords character, or an Anti-Matter character. The options are endless. - read more
X-Men Preview: Marrow, Gene Nation
February 08, 2006
David Taylor Marks
Morlocks cards combine a new, interesting play pattern with raw, broken power. Marrow could be their poster child. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Resist Everything But Temptation
February 08, 2006
Tim Willoughby
I think that I might enjoy the time in the run-up to a Sneak Preview almost as much as the tournament itself. - read more
Free Stuff at the X-Men Sneak Preview!
February 08, 2006
Toby Wachter
Good times, great set, excellent free swag. What more could you ask for? - read more
X-Men Preview: Spiral, Freedom Force
February 07, 2006
Anand Khare
“Stun target character.” Those three little words warrant a double-take. - read more
X-Men Preview: Gambit, Ragin' Cajun
February 06, 2006
Michael Barnes
Not only is Gambit bigger stat-wise than any X-Men 5-drop prior to this set, but he is also big enough that most other 5-drops cannot attack into him without suffering a debilitating stun back. - read more
Week in Review: February 6
February 05, 2006
Anand Khare
Welcome to the Week in Review. This is the first of a series of columns that will—somewhat predictably—clue you in to what’s happened in the past week, both on Metagame.com and elsewhere in the Vs. System community. - read more
X-Men Preview: Mindtap Mechanism
February 05, 2006
Mike Hummel
Mindtap Mechanism’s effect plays directly into the strength of a concealed character. - read more
X-Men Preview: Kristoff Von Doom, Pretender to the Throne
February 04, 2006
Ben Kalman
The latest version of Kristoff is the Kristoff who sat on the throne of Latveria and engaged in a civil war against the real Dr. Doom, believing himself to be the true Doom and Victor to be the pretender. - read more
X-Men Preview: Absorbing Man
February 03, 2006
Paul Ross
Will Absorbing Man be the card that pushes the Masters of Evil’s resource point theme over the top? - read more
X-Men Preview: Firestar, Hellion
February 02, 2006
Andrew Yip
The Club uses its members as game pieces, moving them when appropriate and killing them off once they’ve served their purpose. - read more
Those Darn Meddling Kids!
February 01, 2006
Josh Wiitanen
Maybe Teen Titans isn’t dead after all, and maybe, just maybe, they’re exactly what we need to get through this extremely diverse Golden Age format. - read more
X-Men Preview: Morlock Justice
February 01, 2006
Rian Fike
Morlocks really know how to benefit from a bad situation. - read more
X-Men Preview: Amelia Voght, Acolyte
January 31, 2006
Patrick Sullivan
For the “cost” of revealing two reservists out of the resource row, Amelia comes into play free of charge. - read more
X-Men Preview: Phoenix Rising
January 30, 2006
"The" Ben Seck
Phoenix Rising adds another way of making sure that your guys are not stunned. - read more
X-Men Preview: Enemy of My Enemy
January 29, 2006
Dave Humpherys
Those of you reading are probably either very excited or wondering how on Earth we could make this card. - read more
X-Men Preview: Ape, Metamorph
January 28, 2006
Mike Hummel
Poor Ape’s problem is that he doesn’t know how to utilize his mutant power fully. But perhaps you do. - read more
X-Men Preview: Sebastian Shaw, Black King
January 27, 2006
Justin Gary
The Hellfire Club works from the shadows, manipulating others to do their bidding and striking only when they have accumulated enough power to crush all of their enemies. - read more
UDE Tournament Policy Update
January 27, 2006
Press Release
UDE has sent out an update to its tournament policy regarding spoiler information. - read more
X-Men Preview: Drain Essence
January 26, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Is gaining endurance and stalling more viable than ever? - read more
InQuest Gamer Names Vs. System the 2005 Game of the Year!
January 26, 2006
Toby Wachter
Citing a knockout year with the release of Marvel Knights, Green Lantern, The Avengers, and Justice League of America, the editorial staff at InQuest had nothing but praise for how the game has continued to improve with each release. - read more
X-Men Preview: Emma Frost, Friend or Foe
January 25, 2006
Nate Price
She’s a beauty, isn’t she? And the card’s not too bad, either! - read more
Breaking Ground: Mystic Chain
January 24, 2006
Michael Barnes
One major downfall of swarm decks is that they drain the hand too quickly. Mystic Chain, however, solves this dilemma by turning the swarm strategy into a source of massive card advantage. - read more
X-Men Previews: X Marks The Spot
January 24, 2006
Mike Hummel
When we decided that all the teams in the X-Men set were going to be mutants, I knew I was being given a second opportunity to expand what it meant to be a mutant within the game. - read more
Inside the JLA: Mail Call, Part 2
January 23, 2006
Matt Hyra
Today will be all about mechanics, playtesting, and specific card powers. - read more
Technics: Faces of Evil, Part 4
January 23, 2006
Alex Brown
Rest assured that many, many hours went into the following paragraphs, and that the advice is sound for wherever you wish to take the deck from here. - read more
Technics, Faces of Evil: Part 3
January 22, 2006
Alex Brown
Remember, this deck is not so much about particular plot twists as it is about particular characters—the plot twists are there to support the characters, not the other way around. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: We Had a PCQ. Where Were You?
January 22, 2006
Rian Fike
I have been blessed with the means to attend at least a dozen PCQs during my Vs. System career, and the sense of community they have brought into my life is priceless. - read more
Cerebro XXV – Happy New Year!
January 21, 2006
Paul Ross
Below, we are visited by the Ghosts of Vs. System Past and Present (for Future, you’ll have to wait until the X-Men previews start!). - read more
Technics: Faces of Evil, Part 2
January 21, 2006
Alex Brown
In today’s article, I’ll review the characters of the Faces of Evil deck. - read more
Technics: Faces of Evil, Part 1
January 20, 2006
Alex Brown
Faces of Evil is the superior off-curve rush strategy of Golden Age. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Mind Wandering
January 19, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Every now and then, a card gets printed that I feel should at some point be quite absurdly good, but the support it needs just isn’t there yet. As long as more and more sets come out, such ideas frequently get fleshed out. - read more
Drafting JLA - Plot Twists, Part 1
January 18, 2006
Nate Price
Characters may cause the endurance loss, but good plot twists win games. - read more
Breaking Ground: Fire
January 17, 2006
Michael Barnes
Much like Wild Vomit, this deck is simple in premise, yet remarkably potent. - read more
Inside the JLA: Mail Call
January 16, 2006
Matt Hyra
It’s a new year, so there’s no better time to clean out my email box and answer a few JLA-related questions that readers have sent me over the past two months. - read more
Risk Versus Reward: Bird’s-Eye Views and Unheralded Masterpieces
January 15, 2006
Rian Fike
I can’t wait to dive into the new card list and see the delicious goodies we’ll have for trying to beat all of the established Avengers favorites. - read more
Strength in Numbers: Stopping Shady Shuffles
January 13, 2006
Olav Rokne
There are several things to stay on guard for when watching your opponent shuffle. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Cold Turkey
January 12, 2006
Tim Willoughby
Pro Circuit Atlanta will see the debut of The Willoughby Team Classic. - read more
Drafting JLA - The Fifth Team
January 11, 2006
Nate Price
This set was made for Mojoverse lovers everywhere. - read more
??? Puzzle Solution
January 11, 2006
Nate Price
I promise you that when the last puzzle comes out (which should be soon), you will know what to do. Until then, keep guessing. - read more
Breaking Ground: Other-Earth
January 10, 2006
Michael Barnes
Our challenge is to develop a working strategy using the Squadron Supreme breakthrough replacement effect characters and Other-Earth. - read more
Interview: Michael Dalton
January 09, 2006
David Spears
Arguably the best player on the planet, Mike is also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever play with. - read more
Risk Vs.Reward: Ancient Wisdom for a New Era
January 08, 2006
Rian Fike
Whether reading tarot cards, pondering fortune cookies, or connecting the dots of my tea leaves, I am often found wallowing in the endless possibilities of symbolic juxtaposition. - read more
Best of 2005: Cerebro #1
January 07, 2006
Paul Ross
Even now, a year later, I receive more than one question a month whose answer can be found in that article. - read more
Best of 2005, Editor's Pick: Taking the Next Step: The Organized Play Guide for the Stay-at-Home Vs. Player
January 07, 2006
Melody Maysonet
From the casual competition at Hobby League to the big show at the Pro Circuit, there’s a comfortable level of play for everyone. If you don’t know where to start or where to look, this article is an excellent resource. - read more
Best of 2005, Editor's Pick: The Australians are Coming!
January 06, 2006
Scott Hunstad
Australians are some of the best players in the world and love to compete. VsParadise.com’s head honcho Scott Hunstad breaks down the top players here. - read more
Best of 2005: Voices from the Past: Green Lanterns of Earth, Sector 2814
January 06, 2006
Ben Kalman
Although this article is huge, it was probably the most concise of all of my “historical” Voices From the Past articles. - read more
Best of 2005, Editor's Pick: “How Did Those Guys Think of That?”
January 05, 2006
Brian Hacker
Brian Hacker is a terrific game designer. Anyone who aspires to design their own games or simply enjoys playing them could learn a great deal by picking his brain. - read more
Best of 2005: Tournaments – A Primer
January 05, 2006
Tim Willoughby
If there’s one article I have written that I think is genuinely useful to the new player, it is this one. - read more
Best of 2005, Editor's Pick: Design Vs. Philosophy
January 05, 2006
Dave Smith
While Brian Hacker explained Marvel Knights design from an intuitive “feel” approach, Dave uses his background in philosophy to approach the subject from a different perspective. - read more
Best of 2005: The Manual - Part I
January 04, 2006
Nate Price
This is actually the first in a series of articles I wrote outlining Sealed Pack strategy. - read more
Best of 2005: Unexpected Developments: Time For a Change or Two
January 04, 2006
Dave Humpherys
I believe that some of the more interesting articles to revisit are those where there is a heated issue with an accompanying policy change. - read more
Best of 2005, Editor's Pick: Forcing in Avengers Draft
January 03, 2006
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Jason is the Iron Man of Metagame (think Cal Ripken, not Tony Stark). - read more
Best of 2005: Breaking Ground: Tearing Down the Walls
January 03, 2006
Michael Barnes
We're going to get things started off right this year by revisiting my favorite deck to be featured on Breaking Ground to date—and I'm not even the one who built it! - read more
Best of 2005, Editor's Pick: Deck Clinic: Hank Pym’s Healing Touch
January 02, 2006
Jason Hager
When reading this article, pay special attention to the process instead of focusing entirely on the product. You will walk away a better player and deck designer. - read more
Best of 2005, Editor's Pick: Interview: Mike Jacob
January 02, 2006
David Spears
Every large group has its one member who is outspoken, sincere, and known by everyone; in turn, that individual makes an effort to know each member of the community around him. When it comes to Vs. System, Dave Spears is that guy, making him perfect for these interview articles. - read more
Best of 2005: Wicked Clever, Inside the JLA: The Justice League of America’s Fifth Team
January 02, 2006
Matt Hyra
I know this article is only from seven weeks ago, but from the PCQ decklists I’ve read, some of you still haven’t gotten the message—the JLA unaffiliated characters belong in your deck! - read more
Best of 2005, Editor's Pick: Technics, Teen Titans
January 01, 2006
Alex Brown
The top page of Metagame says “Take Your Game to the Next Level,” and Alex Brown is a writer who excels at helping readers achieve that. - read more
Best of 2005: Risk Vs. Reward: Dictionary Definitions and Modern Meanings
December 31, 2005
Rian Fike
The illustrations of “weenie” and “godhand” contained in this article are some of my favorite images in the world. - read more
Best of 2005: Delayed Gratification
December 30, 2005
Anand Khare
In this article (my first for Metagame.com!), I detailed why it’s often better to wait. - read more
Best of 2005: Voices From The Field: Judgment Calls
December 30, 2005
Ben Kalman
It is important to remind ourselves that everyone is responsible for maintaining the integrity of this game. - read more
Best of 2005, Editor's Pick: Metagame Exclusive: Justin Gary on DC Crisis
December 29, 2005
Toby Wachter
Justin’s biggest impact to Vs. System in 2006 will be the highly anticipated DC Infinite Crisis set, and I did an interview with him a few months back to get the scoop on what to expect. - read more
Best of 2005, Editor's Pick: Deck Clinic: Sin City
December 29, 2005
Andrew Yip
Even though Andrew is always occupied making Vs. System exciting and balanced for us to enjoy, he still finds the time to drop in every now and then and write a quality article. - read more
Best of 2005: Legion of Doom
December 29, 2005
Tim Willoughby
This particular article distinguishes itself as the one for which I received more email than any other. - read more
Best of 2005: The Price is Right!: There's No Place Like Home
December 28, 2005
Nate Price
Although I had done a bunch of writing for other things on other subjects, this was my first article on Vs. System. - read more
Best of 2005: Unexpected Developments: New Themes – Empty Hand
December 28, 2005
Dave Humpherys
I’ve selected this article because it mentions many of the subtler issues in the challenge of bringing you exciting new areas of gameplay. - read more
Best of 2005: The Avengers: Set Selection
December 27, 2005
Mike Hummel
I’d like to say I picked this article as one of my two reprint articles because it showcased the interesting process we use to determine future Vs. sets, but I really picked it because it highlights the fine art of Danny tossing. - read more
Best of 2005: Breaking Ground: Clench Virus
December 27, 2005
Michael Barnes
Inspiration can come from many unlikely sources, but few are less likely than the spyware worm that made its way onto my computer. - read more
Best of 2005: Wicked Clever: The More, the Merrier
December 26, 2005
Matt Hyra
Games are a big part of many family traditions, and these games involve the whole family, from Aunt Myrtle to little Cousin Tommy. Why not include Vs. System in that tradition? - read more
Best of 2005, Editor's Pick: Sorta Clever: Gadget Addiction
December 26, 2005
Geordie Tait
Mr. Tait’s work is always an enjoyable read, and I’m happy to reprint this jazzy number for another look. - read more
Best of 2005: Design Vs Inefficiency: A Day in The Life of My Coworkers
December 25, 2005
Danny Mandel
While working on the new games has been a blast, unfortunately it’s cut into my article-writing time, so it’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to make fun of Dave Humpherys in a public setting. - read more
Best of 2005: Risk Vs. Reward: The Madman Who Would be King
December 25, 2005
Rian Fike
Most of the Vs. System community considers me to be a bit crazy. - read more
Pro Circuit Los Angeles Championship Report, Part 2
December 24, 2005
Karl Horn
I hear, “Fourth place . . . Karl Horn,” and a handful of people go nuts while the rest of the crowd is like, “Who is that?” Whew, Top 8—I got in. - read more
Pro Circuit Los Angeles Championship Report, Part 1
December 23, 2005
Karl Horn
I won a PC? Really? I still don’t believe it . . . - read more
Two Turns Ahead – The Vs. Year in Review
December 22, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Buckle in and get ready for a quite the ride. There is plenty to see, and believe me, I have no intention of missing anything. - read more
Drafting JLA - Injustice Gang
December 21, 2005
Nate Price
This strategy certainly requires the help of a few cards to pull off right, especially those that force card drawing, but it’s really frustrating for your opponent when it all comes together. - read more
???
December 21, 2005
Nate Price
The first reader to submit the right solution will win a box of JLA! - read more
Reflections on 2005
December 21, 2005
Toby Wachter
2005 is about to come to an end, and Metagame.com will be closing up shop as our writers and editors get some well-deserved rest and recharge for 2006. - read more
Breaking Ground: The Joker, Emperor Joker
December 20, 2005
Michael Barnes
What we should really consider is integrating Emperor Joker into a deck that could utilize deck destruction cards as a means of defense. - read more
Puzzle 2 Review
December 19, 2005
Nate Price
They’ll be getting much harder from here. - read more
Inside the JLA: Evolution, Part 5: Non-Character Cards
December 19, 2005
Matt Hyra
I received several emails, and below are the cards that you (at least some of you) wanted to see. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Memory Lane Will Never be the Same
December 18, 2005
Rian Fike
This alternate format was created by Michael Gilmore, and he was kind enough to provide us with an excellent extended survey of the best character choices. - read more
Cerebro XIV
December 17, 2005
Paul Ross
Welcome to the final “Cerebro” of 2005. - read more
The Formation Game
December 16, 2005
Anand Khare
One error, which virtually every Vs. System player seems to make profusely, is that of formation. - read more
Pro Circuit Atlanta Judge Sponsorship
December 16, 2005
Ian Estrin
This is a phenomenal chance to improve your judging skills and to work with some of the most talented judges and players in the industry. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Nothing to See Here
December 15, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Regardless of the reason, I am sorry to say that this week’s Two Turns Ahead will have absolutely no content at all. - read more
The Avengers Expansion Nominated For InQuest Gamer Fan Award!
December 15, 2005
Toby Wachter
Last year, Vs. System was voted Best New CCG of 2004. In 2005, the game is represented once again, as the Avengers set has been nominated for Best CCG Expansion of 2005! - read more
Drafting JLA: JLA
December 14, 2005
Nate Price
The JLA is blessed with numerous good characters and a mechanic that’s just waiting to be abused. - read more
Breaking Ground: Fortress of Solitude
December 13, 2005
Michael Barnes
Superman, Man of . . . Statix? - read more
Inside the JLA: Evolution, Part 4: The Secret Society
December 12, 2005
Matt Hyra
I thought it would be cool to have a team that tried to run out of cards so they would gain extra benefits. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Old Dogs with New Tricks
December 11, 2005
Rian Fike
With each new expansion set, Vs. System offers a chance to revisit old strategies. - read more
Consistency in Curve
December 09, 2005
Anand Khare
Curve decks do suffer from some fundamental problems. One of those problems is consistency. - read more
UDE Statement on Hans Höh’s Disqualification at Pro Circuit Los Angeles 2005
December 09, 2005
Russell Pippin
UDE strives to make the tournament experience a fair and enjoyable one for all involved. - read more
??
December 08, 2005
Nate Price
Unscramble the code, the world is counting on you. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Eight Hours Ahead
December 08, 2005
Tim Willoughby
For the Pro Circuit, the best recommendation I can give is to practice drafting. A lot. - read more
Piecing Apart the Puzzle
December 08, 2005
Nate Price
This puzzle was intended as a warm-up for all of you true puzzlers out there. - read more
Drafting JLA: JLI
December 07, 2005
Nate Price
The JLI is the latest team in the long, storied history of Vs. System to go with the off-curve strategy. - read more
Breaking Ground: Harley Quinn
December 06, 2005
Michael Barnes
Our challenge is to create a deck that can consistently utilize the combination of Harley Quinn and Lost City. - read more
PCLA Deck Clinic: Child Lock
December 05, 2005
Jason Hager
This began as a list that every prominent Vs. professional team had access to, except it was originally awful and couldn’t hold or establish the lock easily. - read more
Inside the JLA: Evolution, Part 3: The Injustice Gang
December 05, 2005
Matt Hyra
I had the Injustice Gang in mind from the start as a villain team for the Justice League of America set. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: With Stars in Our Eyes
December 04, 2005
Rian Fike
I am announcing the creation of a new playtesting team called “The Tiniest Threat.” - read more
A Study in Pure Combo: Thunderbolts
December 02, 2005
Anand Khare
This deck, which certainly had beatdown elements, also integrated a number of combo cards in it that could yield a win almost faster than could be imagined. - read more
All Pro Circuit Los Angeles 2005 Decklists Now Available!
December 02, 2005
Toby Wachter
All the decklists from PCLA! - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Good Times Gone, Good Times to Come
December 01, 2005
Tim Willoughby
I find myself running short of superlatives with which to amply express just how positive the last Pro Circuit was for me. - read more
Drafting JLA: Secret Society
November 30, 2005
Nate Price
This week is going to be the first in a long, serious, and detailed breakdown of the newest set on the block and the format for Day 2 of the next PC, Justice League of America Draft. - read more
Breaking Ground: Political Pressure
November 29, 2005
Michael Barnes
Political Pressure is a card from Marvel Origins that has not received nearly as much play as it probably deserves. - read more
Inside the JLA: Evolution, Part 2: The Justice League International
November 29, 2005
Matt Hyra
This team was the last one I did design work on, as it was the hardest to put together in the early stages. - read more
The Parent’s Guide to Playing Vs. (Or How to Enjoy the Game Despite Your Life Being Over)
November 28, 2005
Melody Maysonet
Figuring out how to play Vs. with a baby in the house is a strategy game in and of itself. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: This is Where Jank Comes From
November 27, 2005
Rian Fike
With all the cards that Vs. System has to offer, if I were pressed to pick the best example of jank, I’d have to choose Super Skrull. - read more
The Origins of a Card: Straight to the Grave
November 25, 2005
Alex Shvartsman
One of the coolest things a true TCG gamer can aspire to is seeing a card printed based on his or her idea. - read more
Two Turns Ahead - Give Thanks!
November 24, 2005
Tim Willoughby
The Injustice Gang has a great way of making situations appear to be anything but fair. - read more
The Price Is Right: The Peanut Gallery
November 23, 2005
Nate Price
Now it’s time to see what you guys came up with. - read more
Alternate Art Batman, Shadow of the Bat in Batman #647
November 23, 2005
Toby Wachter
Loyal readers, if you want to get your hands on an exclusive, unique version of The Caped Crusader, keep your eyes peeled for Batman #647. - read more
Inside the JLA: Evolution, Part 1: The Justice League of America
November 22, 2005
Matt Hyra
For the next four weeks, I’ll be writing about team themes and the evolution of character designs. - read more
Breaking Ground: Destiny
November 22, 2005
Michael Barnes
We’re going to bring our blind soothsayer to the forefront and build a deck that will make our opponents pay for her ominous insights. - read more
Coalition of Heroes, Part 2
November 22, 2005
Jason Hager
In this type of deck, there should be more character cards that non-character cards, but it’s currently lopsided. - read more
Deck Clinic: Coalition of Heroes
November 21, 2005
Jason Hager
We can all agree that the 7-drop Spider-Man is truly “Amazing.” He has been my favorite non–Dr. Doom, Diabolic Genius card since he came out in the Spider-Man starters. I think I own around forty of them. - read more
?
November 21, 2005
Nate Price
I love puzzles. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Are You Ready for Tier None?
November 20, 2005
Rian Fike
Rule #1- You may only use the most unpopular teams in the game. - read more
A New Age
November 19, 2005
Dave Humpherys
Many players have asked for a “middle ground” between Modern Age and Golden Age. Now, with the release of Justice League of America, it is finally appropriate for us to announce a new format on the horizon. - read more
Silver Age Format Announcement
November 18, 2005
Justin Gary
We are now proud to announce Silver Age, an exciting new format that will launch with the release of the tenth Vs. expansion, Infinite Crisis. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Plus EV!
November 17, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Good metagame calls effectively give you more of an edge against the field in the same way that improving your play skill does. - read more
The Price Is Right: Building a JLA Sealed Pack
November 16, 2005
Nate Price
Last week, I gave you guys the list of what I opened and asked you to build it for yourselves and send me what you came up with. - read more
Pro Circuit Los Angeles Preview
November 15, 2005
Anand Khare
Here’s a quick rundown of the players and teams that you should be on the lookout for coming into the tournament. - read more
Breaking Ground: Tearing Down the Walls
November 15, 2005
Michael Barnes
For this, the final Breaking Ground before PC LA, I decided to feature a deck built by one of the best and most well-known players in Vs. System. - read more
Inside the JLA: The Teams and Members, Part 2: The Villains
November 15, 2005
Matt Hyra
This week, it’s the bad guys. - read more
Forcing in Avengers Draft
November 14, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Each set drafts somewhat differently, and while forcing might have been a risky idea with relatively low payoff in previous sets, it’s almost a necessity for Avengers. - read more
The Australians are Coming!
November 14, 2005
Scott Hunstad
We reckon we can play with the best in the game, and our PC performances support that. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Catching Up with the Swirling Excitement
November 13, 2005
Rian Fike
Recovering from a major hurricane is simple compared to covering all the excitement swirling around the world of Vs. System these days. - read more
Cerebro XXIII: JLA Rules Update
November 12, 2005
Paul Ross
Even though the impending Pro Circuit will be JLA-free, I encourage all aspiring competitors to familiarize themselves with these updated rules, because they will be in force in LA. - read more
Voices from the Past: JLA 101, Part 2
November 11, 2005
Ben Kalman
Today we’ll look at three characters who are equally archetypical in their own ways and who, in many ways, helped to shape the JLA as we know it. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Making the World a Better Place
November 10, 2005
Tim Willoughby
First, a short word about playing Sentinels in LA. Don’t. - read more
Deck Clinic: Hank Pym’s Healing Touch, Part 2
November 10, 2005
Jason Hager
While Tech Upgrade is a lot better in this deck, there is a lot of stress on the four copies you are allowed to play. - read more
The Price Is Right: My Week in LA
November 09, 2005
Nate Price
Up until that weekend, I had never attended a Sneak Preview tournament away from my home store. - read more
Breaking Ground: Clench Virus
November 08, 2005
Michael Barnes
Our challenge today will be to build a deck that not only gives us access to multiple copies of Clench Virus, but also has sufficient support for the “Plague KO” strategy. - read more
Inside the JLA: The Teams and Members, Part 1: The Heroes
November 08, 2005
Matt Hyra
Representing DC Comics’ foremost team with just 26 character slots was tough. - read more
A Hint of Things to Come
November 07, 2005
Mike Hummel
2005 was a great year—and next year will be even better. - read more
Interview: Whitney Sitzler
November 07, 2005
David Spears
While the game is predominately played by teenage boys, more and more women are starting to become competitive. Whitney Sitzler is no exception. - read more
Deck Clinic: Hank Pym’s Healing Touch
November 07, 2005
Jason Hager
After I had some success with strange deck archetypes at the Pro Circuit level, the powers that be decided to give me the reins of this article series for a while. - read more
Risk Versus Reward: Ten Days of Wildness, Weather, and Wonder
November 06, 2005
Rian Fike
We learned, once again, to be careful what we wish for. School had indeed been cancelled, but the destruction from the storm was unexpectedly brutal. - read more
When Do I Use My Plot Twists?
November 05, 2005
Antonino De Rosa
While playing, you have to ask yourself, “Am I forcing or saving a stun?” These questions seem basic and easy to understand, but it’s not as cut and dry as you may think. - read more
Voices From The Past: JLA 101, Part 1
November 04, 2005
Ben Kalman
These seven (Aquaman, Batman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Superman, and Wonder Woman) are considered the central characters in the DC universe—archetypes of the superhero. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Everyone’s Playing Something Different, Mum! What Do I Do?!?
November 03, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Indeed, the last $10K in Orlando was positively overflowing with interesting new decks as players tried to find a configuration that they were comfortable with for The Big Show. - read more
The Price is Right: Ally: A Real Life Mechanic
November 02, 2005
Nate Price
Being around better players does serve one major purpose—you get better. - read more
Breaking Ground: Neutron
November 01, 2005
Michael Barnes
Neutron has the potential to create all kinds of problems for decks that rely on late-game dominance. - read more
Wicked Clever, Inside the JLA: The Justice League of America’s Fifth Team
November 01, 2005
Matt Hyra
You’ve just returned from a JLA Sneak Peek tournament, surprised to see a fifth team in the set that we didn’t preview. - read more
Interview: David Leader
October 31, 2005
David Spears
Pro Circuit Champion David Leader needs little introduction. - read more
Taking the Next Step: The Organized Play Guide for the Stay-at-Home Vs. Player
October 31, 2005
Melody Maysonet
For someone who regularly attends Vs. System tournaments, it’s hard to imagine why a Vs. player wouldn’t be chomping at the bit for a chance to compete in some incredible Vs. events. - read more
UDE Comes to BlizzCon!
October 31, 2005
Brandon Male
Upper Deck attended BlizzCon to preview the World of Warcraft TCG and demo the Vs. System. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Death on Two Legs
October 30, 2005
Rian Fike
This year, my Halloween creative project involves Vs. System. - read more
Cerebro: Pro Circuit Los Angeles Primer
October 29, 2005
Paul Ross
This article is aimed at players planning to attend PC: LA or aspiring to compete in any high-level tournament in the future. - read more
Delayed Gratification
October 28, 2005
Anand Khare
As in so many other areas of life, Vs. System is a game where patience is rewarded. - read more
Change of Venue for PC: LA Last Chance Qualifiers
October 28, 2005
Toby Wachter
The Last Chance Qualifiers on November 17 for Pro Circuit Los Angeles will now take place in Hall D of the Anaheim Convention Center. - read more
Justice League of America Preview: Secret Origins
October 27, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Missing a drop is the most frustrating way to lose, and Secret Origins is just the way to avoid such irksome eventualities. - read more
Justice League of America Preview: Tattooed Man, Living Ink
October 26, 2005
Nate Price
As long as this guy has some firepower to work with, he has the potential to do some truly sick things. - read more
Free Stuff at the Sneak Preview!
October 26, 2005
Toby Wachter
Participate this weekend and get exclusive cards, deck boxes, playmats and t-shirts! - read more
Justice League of America Preview: Wonder Woman, Avatar of Truth
October 25, 2005
Patrick Sullivan
What makes this card interesting and powerful is her ability to restrict a player only to one specific plot twist during the combat phase. - read more
Justice League of America Preview: Scarecrow, Fearmonger
October 24, 2005
Rian Fike
The oppressive era of the Shiny Purple is over, and the inmates have taken over the asylum. - read more
Justice League of America Preview: Martian Manhunter, J'onn J'onzz
October 23, 2005
Melody Maysonet
Just like in the DC universe, Martian Manhunter’s abilities make him a leader of superheroes. - read more
Justice League of America Preview: Look-Alike Squad
October 22, 2005
Paul Ross
My hunch is that this card will send all of the closet Team Superman deckbuilders of the world back to their respective drawing boards with a resounding “Woot!” - read more
Justice League of America Preview: Maxima
October 21, 2005
Ben Kalman
These cards may well serve not only to make Revenge Squad more viable, but also to make it a valuable team in a two-team deck. - read more
Justice League of America Preview: IQ/Criminal Mastermind
October 20, 2005
Andrew Yip
The Injustice Gang is all about providing you and your opponents with good effects, but then they punish your opponents for having the very same bonuses that you just gave them. - read more
Justice League of America Preview: Hero’s Welcome
October 19, 2005
"The" Ben Seck
It’s an extremely powerful and flexible card that shows that search cards don’t just have to fix your curve. - read more
Justice League of America Preview: Sorcerer’s Treasure
October 18, 2005
Justin Gary
Sorcerer’s Treasure is the most powerful plot twist in the game of Vs. System. - read more
Justice League of America Preview: Dinah Laurel Lance <> Black Canary
October 17, 2005
Brian Kibler
When we started work on JLA, I vowed to create an off-curve strategy with a different feel. - read more
UDE Organized Play Vs. System Updates
October 17, 2005
Scott Elliott
It’s been a while since I wrote an update, and you are certainly due some news, so let’s get right to it! - read more
Justice League of America Preview: Lex Luthor, Evil Incorporated
October 16, 2005
Dave Humpherys
Yes, even a really bad guy can be an ally, though villains like Lex Luthor might have a slightly different take on what it means to help out their teammates. - read more
Cerebro XXI
October 15, 2005
Paul Ross
With previews for the Justice League of America set starting tomorrow, I want to tie up some Avengers loose ends before the JLA avalanche begins. - read more
Voices from the Past: The X-Men Files, Part 1
October 14, 2005
Ben Kalman
In Marvel’s recent history, there is perhaps no comic title that has been more influential or more important to the Marvel universe than X-Men. - read more
Justice League of America Preview: Superman, Avatar of Peace
October 13, 2005
Matt Hyra
It's JLA preview time! - read more
Interview: Adam Prosak
October 13, 2005
David Spears
Quite possibly the most loved player on the planet, Adam made a name for himself playing Titans better than anyone in the world. - read more
The Price is Right: Sealed Pack at the Sneak Preview
October 12, 2005
Nate Price
Correctly evaluating a card’s strength is an important part of a Sneak Preview tournament. - read more
Breaking Ground: Inaugural Issue, Council of Power
October 11, 2005
Michael Barnes
Before you know it, you’ll have opponents scratching their heads and wondering how on Earth you can possibly abuse them so badly with such “garbage.” - read more
Tales of the Bat
October 11, 2005
Mike Hummel
In Batman issue #647, which hits the shelves on November 16, an alternate art Batman promo will be included with the micro-comic. - read more
Deck Clinic: Zero
October 10, 2005
Andrew Yip
The idea of Zero is simple enough­: play like a traditional curve beatdown deck until you reach a point where you can safely or easily discard the remaining cards in your hand to turn on several effects, including Whizzer, Nuke, and Panacea Potion. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Peculiar Preview Pleasure
October 09, 2005
Rian Fike
One thing is true in almost every situation. People love new stuff. It’s new, it’s exciting, and it’s the best time of the year. - read more
The Latest Report from the Wandering Gamer
October 07, 2005
Dean Sohnle
What kind of deck would I make with Squadron Supreme, you may ask? A discard deck, of course. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Split Decisions
October 06, 2005
Tim Willoughby
As your level of play skill progresses, the use of net decks becomes not just a tool for improving the raw quality of your play, but also for improving your win percentages. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Split Decisions
October 06, 2005
Tim Willoughby
If you begin with a well built rogue deck, you may have done much of the hardest work in winning the tournament before you ever sit down to play a match. - read more
The Price is Right: Come Together
October 06, 2005
Nate Price
And now, for something completely different. - read more
Contest Winner: Fix Fred's Deck
October 05, 2005
Michael Barnes
Seeing Avalanche, Global Domination, and The Source all in the same deck led me to the conclusion that an effort was being made toward resource row disruption. - read more
Look Ma, No Hand!
October 04, 2005
Mike Hummel
I knew I wanted to have a team feature a mechanical theme that interacted with Reservist beyond its basic curve-smoothing features. - read more
Interview: Mike Jacob
October 03, 2005
David Spears
I knew going in that Mike might be a little too arrogant for the average Metagame.com reader, but some of his insights into the game are invaluable to a new player and can help you succeed at your next PCQ. - read more
10 Reasons Why You Should be Playing Vs. System (Or How to Convince Your Friends to Play)
October 03, 2005
Melody Maysonet
Did I mention that it’s fun? - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Dictionary Definitions and Modern Meanings
October 02, 2005
Rian Fike
When asked the eternal question, “What’s the greatest human invention?” my answer is always “Words.” - read more
Cerebro XX
October 01, 2005
Paul Ross
Today, we’ll take a first look at New Hotness like Null Time Zone, Spheres of Solitude, Behavior Modification Device, and Avengers Assemble! - read more
The Day of Anti-Knights
September 30, 2005
Maik Stich
You might think me crazy to fly thousands of miles with all of my hopes riding on a Last Chance Qualifier, but I was so secure in my deck that I felt it was a sure thing. - read more
Two Turns Ahead - You’re Fired
September 29, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Every now and then, when I’m looking for a bit of a release from the typical fare of working out complicated combat strategies or how to go off with the latest combo deck at the earliest possible moment, I like to bring out Trogdor and start burning things. - read more
The Manual - Part 5
September 28, 2005
Nate Price
I asked for players to email me any questions they had about Sealed Pack in general. You did not disappoint me. - read more
Unexpected Developments: A One Man Army
September 28, 2005
Dave Humpherys
From the outset, we planned to have all of the Kang characters be non-unique. - read more
Deluxe Collector Boxes For The Avengers and Justice League of America!
September 28, 2005
Toby Wachter
Alex Ross meets deckboxes, and a whole lot more! - read more
Justice, Like Lightning
September 27, 2005
Mike Hummel
I knew that I really wanted one of the Thunderbolts themes to play into their story of villains pretending to be heroes. - read more
Deck Clinic: Sin City
September 26, 2005
Andrew Yip
In terms of other deck archetypes, SinCity is most easily described as a twisted hybrid of Jason Hagar’s Evil Medical School and William Jenson’s Four Freedoms from the very first $10K event. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: The Madman Who Would be King
September 25, 2005
Rian Fike
When Emperor Joker takes control of the last thread of reality, all hope is lost. - read more
Voices from the Past: Supremely Satisfying, Part 3
September 23, 2005
Ben Kalman
This week, I’m looking not at the team at but its members—a card-by-card breakdown of the Squadron Supreme. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – Pressure
September 22, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Pressure is everywhere, and if you can successfully apply it and deal with it when it is applied to you, you will likely do very well. - read more
The Manual - Part 4
September 21, 2005
Nate Price
Alright, guys, this is it. The final countdown. - read more
A Friendly Reminder
September 20, 2005
Mike Hummel
One thing players might have noticed starting with the Marvel Knights expansion was that R&D began to include reminder text on cards that featured a new keyword mechanic. - read more
Playing in Your First Vs. Tournament
September 19, 2005
Melody Maysonet
It’s one thing to play Vs. System with a circle of friends and quite another to play in an organized tournament. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: The Greatest Combination Ever Played
September 18, 2005
Rian Fike
Crazy card combinations can cause considerable clumps of cash to be collected in Vs. System, but there is a great deal of hard work that needs to be done first. - read more
Voices from the Past: A Team Supreme! – Part 2
September 16, 2005
Ben Kalman
When last we left our noble Squadron, they had decided to heal the world by ridding it of its transgressions. - read more
Presenting the Community Writing Contest!
September 15, 2005
Toby Wachter
Here at Metagame.com, we’re always getting emails from readers who want to contribute to the website, but don’t know where to start. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – No Poor Relations
September 15, 2005
Tim Willoughby
While being rich certainly won’t make anybody a good player, there are occasions where a lack of card availability can hamper one’s results. - read more
The Manual - Part 3
September 14, 2005
Nate Price
Today, the manual will take you through the wonderful world of characters and help you to decide which ones are perfect for your deck and which ones are merely one of the pack. - read more
A Letter From Iraq
September 14, 2005
Brandon Soares
A few weeks ago, one of our writers was contacted by Brandon Soares, who plays Vs. with his fellow soldiers in Iraq and reads Metagame.com. - read more
The Light of Play: Framistat
September 13, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Framistat actually overcomes one of the cardinal problems that inhibit the playability of equipment: it has a surprise factor built in. - read more
The Avengers: Set Selection
September 12, 2005
Mike Hummel
The first secret to set selection is that we don’t actually select just one set at a time. Typically, we select at least two to four concurrent sets well over a year before they would release. - read more
Fending Off Intimidation Tactics
September 12, 2005
Melody Maysonet
It took me a while to see that I was making mistakes—not necessarily because I was a poor strategist, but because I felt intimidated. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Inspired Brainstorms and Cardboard Lightning
September 11, 2005
Rian Fike
Not since Wild Vomit made Top 8 in the first-ever California PCQ has a deck created such a stir. - read more
Voices From The Past: A Team Supreme! – Part 1
September 09, 2005
Ben Kalman
It all started in Avengers #69, in October of 1969, when long-time comic nut and (at that time) Marvel staff writer, Roy Thomas, decided that Marvel needed their own Justice League. - read more
Two Turns Ahead – A Golden Age?
September 08, 2005
Tim Willoughby
I am encouraged to think that we’ve got a really interesting metagame going on. - read more
The Manual - Part 2
September 07, 2005
Nate Price
Today, we will be helping you to understand which plot twists are better than the others and thus should be first in consideration. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Off-Curve Mechanics
September 07, 2005
Dave Humpherys
I’ve mentioned in the past that encouraging off-curve strategies has been a priority for us in recent sets. - read more
The Light of Play: Null Time Zone
September 06, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
If one plot twist has been holding back your original and creative idea, Null Time Zone can eliminate that problem. - read more
Team KG Archives: Of Hands and Robots
September 05, 2005
Alex Shvartsman
There is a deck in this format that has a favorable matchup against GLEE. No, it’s not Anti-Matter, despite some players’ wishes. It’s Superman Robots! - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Bid Tomorrow Goodbye!
September 04, 2005
Rian Fike
Since I always begin my study of a new set by looking for Longshot targets, Kang demands my immediate attention. - read more
Cerebro XIX
September 03, 2005
Paul Ross
I’ve waded through the backlog and once more have an empty mailbag for you to fill, so please keep your rules questions coming. - read more
Voices from the Field: Reflections on PC Indy
September 02, 2005
Ben Kalman
In the end, it wasn’t about which GLEE deck won the day as much as which GLEE tech won the day. - read more
Metagame Exclusive: Justin Gary on DC Crisis
September 02, 2005
Toby Wachter
"When I signed on to this project, I wanted to make sure we could do the job right." - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Rise of the Machines
September 01, 2005
Tim Willoughby
In films, the original tends to be the best. In Vs. System, quite the opposite is true. - read more
The Manual - Part I
August 31, 2005
Nate Price
Well, here it is: one of the world’s only surviving copies of the famous instruction manual for Vs. System Sealed Pack, entitled “The Superfecta: How to Pick a Winner in Vs. System Draft.” - read more
The Light of Play: Daily Bugle
August 30, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
With GLEE, Teen Titans, and Curve Sentinels now dominating in the manner that they are, it might finally be time for Spidey and Co. to step up and take what’s rightfully theirs. - read more
Unexpected Developments: New Themes – Empty Hand
August 29, 2005
Dave Humpherys
The Squadron Supreme’s theme of emptying your own hand was one of the more interesting ideas I’d seen proposed as a direction for a team. - read more
Don’t Dodge the Draft- Part Two: Playing Your Draft Deck
August 29, 2005
Melody Maysonet
So you’ve built your Draft deck and you think it’s pretty good. Now what? - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: The Warm Glow of Good Times
August 28, 2005
Rian Fike
Pro Circuit Indianapolis was the best party that I attended all year, and I’d like to share my shining memories with you. - read more
Kings Games Archives: Indy Recap & Prison GLEE
August 26, 2005
Alex Shvartsman
Another Pro Circuit is behind us, which signals the beginning of a new PCQ season for Metagame.com readers. - read more
Vs. System Comes to Japan!
August 26, 2005
Toby Wachter
Japanese translation starts with The Avengers! - read more
Two Turns Ahead – The Willoughby Invitational
August 25, 2005
Tim Willoughby
When the dust settled, the following lucky four had managed to grind their way in to the inaugural Willoughby Invitational. - read more
The Price is Right - What Happened at PC Indianapolis?
August 24, 2005
Nate Price
I know I’m supposed to be doing a Draft primer this week, but an interesting thing came up at Gen Con. - read more
VsESP Tournament in Madrid
August 24, 2005
Toby Wachter
A Vs. tournament and party in one fun weekend. - read more
You Don't Have to Dodge the Draft
August 22, 2005
Melody Maysonet
You needn’t open hundreds of packs or shell out hundreds of dollars just to get a good deck. All you need is three booster packs for each player, and voila! You’ve got enough cards for a Draft. - read more
PC Decklists Now Available!
August 22, 2005
Metagame Staff
All the decklists from PC Indy, for your perusal. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Hot Dog in the City
August 21, 2005
Rian Fike
With two months of testing and more than a few big sighs behind me, this is what I finally decided on for my return to Indianapolis. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: The Best Decks You Aren’t Playing
August 18, 2005
Tim Willoughby
In the interest of bringing the world closer together, it is time that these decks receive the respect they deserve and earn their place in playtest gauntlets the world over. - read more
Technics: Teen Titans, Part 2
August 17, 2005
Alex Brown
The Titans possess a rare combination of power and flexibility, but their lack of a powerful late game (their only real weakness) demands that you pick the right plan the first time. - read more
2006 Teaser on Marvel TCG Website
August 17, 2005
Toby Wachter
A peek into the future! - read more
The Cards Come to the Consoles!
August 17, 2005
Press Release
Konami Digital Entertainment obtains rights to develop video games based on UDE's Marvel Trading Card Game! - read more
Voices from the Field: A PC Indy Primer!
August 17, 2005
Ben Kalman
Here’s a look at the teams that will be gathering at Indy and the individuals who are most likely to dominate the pack. - read more
The Light of Play: Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters
August 16, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
The X-Men have some cool effects that have long been overlooked. - read more
Pro Circuit Indy Starts Friday!
August 16, 2005
Justin Gary
We are only two days away from PC Indy, and the excitement is building. - read more
Golden Avengers
August 16, 2005
Hans Joachim Höh
While everybody coming to PC Indianapolis will probably only be drafting the set in the upcoming weeks while focusing on DC Modern for Constructed, some of you might already be starting to think about the impact of The Avengers on Golden Age. - read more
The Price is Right: T-Minus Three Days!
August 15, 2005
Nate Price
Yup, this little puppy can take the worst that life can toss at it and shrug it off. It’s got more staying power than the Energizer Bunny. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Nothing Beats a Free Lunch
August 14, 2005
Rian Fike
It looks like Dr. Light, Master of Holograms will be the character to beat at Pro Circuit Indianapolis. - read more
Cerebro XVIII: Avengers FAQ Appendices
August 13, 2005
Paul Ross
Welcome to the first post-Avengers edition of Cerebro. - read more
Voices From the Past: Thunderstruck!
August 12, 2005
Ben Kalman
You might ask, “How can this be? I thought the Thunderbolts were good guys. What gives?” - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Games Within Games
August 11, 2005
Tim Willoughby
This week represents a short interlude in my general remit of talking about the strategy of Vs. - read more
Technics: Teen Titans, Part 1
August 10, 2005
Alex Brown
Since Pro Circuit New York, there have been several interesting developments in the Golden Age metagame. - read more
The Light of Play: Prismatic Shield
August 09, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
There are some neat synergies that make Prismatic Shield more interesting than you might suspect. - read more
The Price is Right: Good Cop, Bad Cop
August 08, 2005
Nate Price
There are only a few weeks left to get things ordered and figured out for the new format. - read more
Risk versus Reward: Toys in the Attic
August 07, 2005
Rian Fike
In the DC Modern Age format, a single piece of equipment can spell the difference between victory and defeat. - read more
Voices from the Past: Evil Abounds!
August 05, 2005
Ben Kalman
The Masters of Evil. The very name causes Avengers everywhere to look over their shoulders. - read more
New $10K Prize Structure Announced!
August 05, 2005
Metagame Staff
Upper Deck Entertainment is happy to announce a new, better prize structure for $10K Championships, starting at this weekend’s $10K Championship at Wizard World Chicago. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Iron Man
August 04, 2005
Tim Willoughby
If the answer is “Combat annoyances that force me to attack in an order I don’t want to,” then I will happily take “What is Iron Man, Tony Stark?” - read more
Unexpected Developments: Leader and Reservist
August 03, 2005
Dave Humpherys
While each set has presented its own challenges, Avengers was particularly ambitious in just how many new areas it explored. - read more
Introducing The $1,000,000 Scholarship Circuit!
August 03, 2005
Metagame Staff
The $1,000,000 Scholarship Circuit is a series of tournaments designed to challenge and reward younger players. - read more
The Light of Play: Insect Swarm
August 02, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
I’m a huge sucker for cards that do multiple things. - read more
Sealed Deck Exercises: Avengers
August 01, 2005
Andrew Yip
Unlike Booster Draft, Sealed Deck focuses on deck building and exploiting small synergies among cards that you normally would not think about playing together. - read more
The Price is Right: Emerald Enemies
July 31, 2005
Nate Price
Emerald Enemies is like the Baskin Robbins of the set—31 flavors of goodness under one roof. - read more
Exclusive Extended Art Hawkeye in House of M #5!
July 31, 2005
Toby Wachter
Marvel House of M #5 will feature a stunning extended art foil version of Hawkeye from the new The Avengers set! - read more
Cerebro XVII
July 30, 2005
Paul Ross
We have another Cerebro packed with reader questions for you today. - read more
Voices From the Past: AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!
July 29, 2005
Ben Kalman
Stan Lee decided that it was time for Marvel to create their own team of unrelated superheroes. He took some of the most popular Marvel characters and thrust them into their own super-team, and thus the Avengers were born! - read more
The Avengers Preview: Avengers Assemble!
July 28, 2005
Tim Willoughby
I expect to see this card joining the ranks of Teen Titans Go!, It’s Clobberin' Time!, and Bamf! as team-stamped plot twists that are right at the top of the must-include list for their appropriate teams. - read more
Free Stuff at the Sneak Preview!
July 28, 2005
Toby Wachter
If playing with a new set for the first time wasn’t enough to get you out of the house and to your local Sneak Preview this weekend, I’ve got a few more reasons why you should show up. - read more
The Avengers Preview: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes
July 27, 2005
Dave Humpherys
It’s now time for +7 ATK! - read more
The Avengers Preview: Kang ◊ Earth Mesozoic-24
July 26, 2005
Brian Kibler
We decided that because Kang was always working with different versions of himself, it clearly made sense for him to break the uniqueness rule. - read more
The Avengers Preview: Panacea Potion
July 25, 2005
Patrick Sullivan
The Squadron no-hand build will reward the player who is most able to minimize the disadvantage of playing with no hand while maximizing the gains of the variety of effects. - read more
Avengers Preview: Melissa Gold ◊ Songbird
July 24, 2005
Hans Joachim Höh
It is very likely that Melissa’s disadvantage will do nothing in Sealed Pack while her stats will help you dominate the early game. - read more
The Avengers Preview: Polaris, Lorna Dane
July 23, 2005
Paul Ross
Dropping Polaris on turn 4 and then Archangel on your turn 5 initiative will effectively transform each of your flyers into an “auto-Bamf!” - read more
The Avengers Preview: Mammomax, Elephant Boy
July 22, 2005
Ben Kalman
Mammomax just might be the push TNB needs to roar back into Top 8 status on the major tournament scene. - read more
Game Day at Upper Deck!
July 22, 2005
Toby Wachter
Gaming fun in the California sun! - read more
The Avengers Preview: Titania, Vengeful Vixen
July 21, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Now that Titania, Vengeful Vixen and Erik Josten ◊ Goliath have come to play, it looks like the time of resource payment effects has come. - read more
PCQ Decklists: July 9-17
July 21, 2005
Metagame Staff: PCQ Decklists
PCQ Decklists: July 9-17 - read more
The Avengers Preview: Hulk, Gamma Rage
July 20, 2005
Justin Gary
Hulk, Gamma Rage is everything that Hulk should be—he’s big, he’s bad, and if you attack him you’ll only make him angrier. - read more
Vote on PCQ Formats
July 20, 2005
Toby Wachter
UDE has always been open to player feedback, so this is an issue that may be changed based on public opinion. - read more
The Avengers Preview: Helmut Zemo <> Citizen V
July 19, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Uniting even the most ragtag of multi-affiliation decks, Zemo lets you draft aggressively and go after the best characters possible while still allowing you the ability to team attack and reinforce on later turns. - read more
The Avengers Preview: A Day Unlike Any Other
July 18, 2005
Andrew Yip
It’s rare that R&D releases a generic card that is strictly better than an existing card. - read more
The Avengers Preview: Black Panther
July 17, 2005
Nate Price
You may be wondering why I’m making such a big deal about the Sneak Peek tournaments. The simple reason is that I love new sets. - read more
Voices from the Past: DOOM ON YOU!
July 15, 2005
Ben Kalman
Nobody truly knows what’s on Doom’s mind but Doom, and nobody truly understands the reasons he does things but Doom himself. - read more
Technics: League of Assassins, Part 3
July 14, 2005
Alex Brown
To conclude the series, I hope to give you some insight into the matchups you are likely to face and how to approach them - read more
Free Cards From The Avengers at Comic Con!
July 14, 2005
Toby Wachter
Each day between Friday and Sunday, a brand new card from The Avengers will be given away at the UDE booth. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Green Lantern Corps Card Development Stories
July 13, 2005
Dave Humpherys
I thought I’d take this chance to look back at some of the Green Lantern Corps cards that caused the most deliberation during development. - read more
Comic Con Celebration Avengers Preview: Captain America, Super Soldier
July 13, 2005
Mike Hummel
In celebration of Comic Con, we bring you the first Avengers preview card early! - read more
Technics: League of Assassins, Part 2
July 13, 2005
Alex Brown
Today we will explore the options for non-character cards and seek out the best options to complement the natural plan created by our characters. - read more
The Light of Play – In Evil Star’s Evil Clutches
July 12, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
It’s the ability to trade one of your face-down resources for another in your hand that makes this card worthy of play. - read more
The Light of Draft: Anti-Mind over Anti-Matter
July 11, 2005
"The" Ben Seck
Endurance management is a tough skill to hone in Vs., and when you’re playing a team that isn’t visible for a great amount of the time, it’s even more crucial. - read more
Technics: League of Assassins, Part 1
July 11, 2005
Alex Brown
Recently, through legacy cards and the release of a new set of starters, the League of Assassins gained a number of excellent options. - read more
How to Make a Vs. System Expansion in Nine Easy Steps- Part 7: Sealed Play Development
July 10, 2005
Danny Mandel
In this part, R&D plays Sealed Pack and Draft in order to organize and balance the set for Sealed play. - read more
Cerebro XV
July 09, 2005
Paul Ross
I have a bumper column for you today, chock full of reader questions and brimming with recent expansion goodness! - read more
Voices from the Past: Fantastic Forces at Work!
July 08, 2005
Ben Kalman
People could relate to the characters because they had the same problems, emotions, and relationships, just without the crazy superpowers to go with them. - read more
Fantastic Four Week: Two Turns Ahead – Fantastic Force!
July 07, 2005
Tim Willoughby
It had to happen. There was no possible way that Fantastic Four week could go from start to finish without somebody making a pun on the team moniker. - read more
Fantastic Four Week- The Price is Right: Common Enemy
July 06, 2005
Nate Price
Common Enemy has a very good chance of becoming a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming Golden Age format. - read more
Fantastic Four Week: The Light of Play – How a Robot Ruined My Life and Other Tales
July 05, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
If you’re a serious player who hasn’t picked it up yet or a new player wondering if you should just skip straight to buying boosters, hopefully I can present some points that will show you how worthwhile the starter is. - read more
The Light of Draft: Manhunters
July 04, 2005
Andrew Yip
The Manhunter team offers a unique draft pattern because of its lack of willpower. - read more
Fantastic Four Week: Fantastic Fun!
July 03, 2005
Dean Sohnle
So, why does Fantastic Fun work when so many other equipment and weenie decks fail? - read more
Risk versus Reward: The Anti-Life Equation Adds Up
July 02, 2005
Rian Fike
Confusing? Good. I hope to win at least two Pro Circuit matches that way. - read more
Voices from the Past: The Demon’s Head
July 01, 2005
Ben Kalman
While the movie changed a few minor details for the sake of plot continuity, Ra’s is still one of the most interesting villains to pop up in DC in the last few decades. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: Stall Decks
June 30, 2005
Tim Willoughby
With the right setup, a stall deck can deliver a punch line that will knock you right into next week. - read more
The Price is Right: Manhunters 1.0
June 29, 2005
Nate Price
“Hey son, have you considered signing up for the Manhunter Universal Domination Force? Remember, Uncle Highmaster wants you!” - read more
PCNY: The Rules, Part 4
June 28, 2005
Gary Wise
It’s the little things that count the most. - read more
The Light of Draft- Willpower
June 27, 2005
"The" Ben Seck
A draft is very similar to an auction—you use your bid (your pick order) to determine how important a card is for you. - read more
How to Make a Vs. System Expansion in Nine Easy Steps: Step 6: Full Design
June 26, 2005
Danny Mandel
I like to think that if Dave Humpherys was a Pokémon, he’d go around all day saying things like “Humpherys! Humpherys Dave Humpherys! Daaaaave Dave Humpherys! Hum-PHREYS!” - read more
Cerebro XIV – Mega Special Edition™
June 25, 2005
Paul Ross
As threatened last week, this week’s column involves an assortment of questions I hastily scrawled on various scraps of paper during the last three major events I judged: PC NY, $10K Manila, and $10K Sydney. - read more
Voices from the Past: Green Lanterns of Earth, Sector 2814
June 24, 2005
Ben Kalman
While Oa is at the “precise” center of the universe, everything seems to come to a head on Earth. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: The Fear
June 23, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Fear is not your master, it is your fuel. - read more
Combo Vs. Combat
June 23, 2005
Hans Joachim Höh
As everyone should know by now, the reign of Dr. Light, Master of Holograms has been ended by Rama-Tut’s unwillingness to work the way the Doctor wanted him to. - read more
On The Horizon: Team Formats
June 23, 2005
Justin Gary
Today, we are looking for feedback on a new way to play wherein you and your friends can compete together for fun and profit—team formats. - read more
The Coming Onslaught
June 23, 2005
Press Release
Upper Deck Entertainment and Pastimes are happy to announce two hugely collectible foil extended art promos for Wizard World Chicago attendees. - read more
The Price is Right!: There's No Place Like Home
June 22, 2005
Nate Price
This is our game. - read more
The Light of Play: Fast Getaway
June 21, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Odds are good that unless you’re Jeremy Gray, your Fast Getaways are covered in a thick layer of dust. Get ready to brush them off. - read more
PCNY: The Rules, Part 3
June 20, 2005
Gary Wise
Remember why you are here. - read more
Introducing StarCityVS.com!
June 20, 2005
Press Release
Today, I am proud to introduce the newest member of the StarCity family… StarCityVS.com! - read more
The Light of Draft: Green Lantern Draft Primer, Part 1
June 20, 2005
Andrew Yip
As promised, today begins a series of Green Lantern Corps oriented Draft articles written by my unfortunate nemesis Ben Seck and me. - read more
PCQ Decklists: June 5th-June 18th
June 20, 2005
Metagame Staff: PCQ Decklists
PCQ Decklists for June 5th-June 18th - read more
How to Make a Vs. System Expansion in Nine Easy Steps, Step 5
June 19, 2005
Danny Mandel
In this part, R&D builds an initial set of cards as quickly as possible in order to test mechanics and team dynamics. - read more
Cerebro XIII
June 18, 2005
Paul Ross
As always, we’ll kick things off with the feature question, which also came up at PCNY. - read more
Voices from the Past: The Pride of the Corps
June 17, 2005
Ben Kalman
This week, I’m going to begin a difficult path—treading through the vast history of the intergalactic police force that is the Green Lantern Corps. - read more
Two Turns Ahead: The Best 52 Card Deck in Golden Age
June 16, 2005
Tim Willoughby
After some careful reading of my own article that covered a bunch of ways to go about disrupting Dr. Light’s powerful combo kill, I elected to use Sentinels as my weapon of choice for showing him who’s boss. - read more
Drafting at PC New York
June 16, 2005
Hans Joachim Höh
Yes, you read that right. Here is the first article by the German leader of Operation: Zero Tolerance on Metagame.com. - read more
The Light of Play: Lacuna
June 15, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
I’m a tech fiend, and for me there is nothing more exciting than unrealized potential in deliciously concentrated single-card form. - read more
End of Year Awards
June 15, 2005
Gary Wise
When Adam Bernstein finished off the opposition to win New York, he was putting the finishing touches on a story bigger than his victory. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Time For a Change or Two
June 14, 2005
Dave Humpherys
As you’ve hopefully seen by now, we’ve enacted a couple of changes that are likely to shake things up starting July 1. - read more
Alternate Art Magneto in Marvel Adventures Flip Magazine #1!
June 14, 2005
Metagame Staff
Here's your chance to get your hands on a special alternate-art Magneto, Master of Magnetism! - read more
PCNY: The Rules, Part 2
June 13, 2005
Gary Wise
Without a little help from your friends, you aren't going to accomplish squat in the big leagues. - read more
Design Vs Live Chat: Unanswered Questions
June 12, 2005
Danny Mandel
Today, I'm going to answer all the questions that didn't get answered during the chat. - read more
Voices From The Past: No World Escapes The Manhunters!
June 10, 2005
Ben Kalman
Welcome to my new column: Voices From The Past. This column will focus on the various teams in the Vs. System, but from the point of view of continuity and flavor. - read more
Christmas in June: Early Avengers Preview
June 10, 2005
Mike Hummel
The first card in the game to feature an original Alex Ross image, this card will also appear in the Avengers set that will be released in August. - read more
Prescription Peril!
June 09, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Some very clever deckbuilders have laid down a gauntlet to the entire Vs. System community. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Combo Decks and Adaptive Metagames
June 08, 2005
Dave Humpherys
We are closely monitoring the current metagame. That has been, and forever will be, a part of our responsibilities as developers. - read more
The Light of Play: Mojoverse
June 07, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Will Mojoverse be adopted by local level players and competitors in future money events, or was PC NY its only hurrah? - read more
PCNY: The Rules, Part 1
June 06, 2005
Gary Wise
I believe there are a number of rules that should govern a player's tournament life regardless of a tournament's level. - read more
All Pro Circuit New York Decklists Now Available!
June 06, 2005
Toby Wachter
All the decklists from Pro Circuit New York! - read more
How To Make a Vs. System Expansion in Nine Easy Steps, Part 4
June 05, 2005
Danny Mandel
This week’s entry into the design bible involves determining the core mechanics of our expansion as well as deciding what each team will be like. - read more
Cerebro XII
June 04, 2005
Paul Ross
Paul Ross answers your rules questions! - read more
Voices from the Field: Reflections on New York
June 03, 2005
Ben Kalman
After a year’s cycle of PCs, the game and the Pro Circuit have shifted, and this is a brief summary of the patterns and changes that occurred. - read more
PCQ Decklists: May 14th-May 15th
June 03, 2005
Metagame Staff: PCQ Decklists
PCQ Decklists from May 14th-May 15th - read more
Legion of Doom
June 02, 2005
Tim Willoughby
The army of Manhunters must be assembled before their leader can be allowed to show himself, so let me without further ado announce . . . - read more
PC New York Top 8 Breakdown
June 01, 2005
Brian Kibler
Over the past few weeks, the Vs. world has been abuzz with talk about the Golden Age format and what would happen at Pro Circuit New York. - read more
The Light of Play: PC Predictions Follow-up
May 31, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Tim and I had a blast putting together lists of things we thought we’d see, or just plain wanted to see, at PC New York. The event itself was incredible, but having a little checklist of stuff to look for made it that much cooler. Here’s how my predictions worked out. - read more
How To Make a Vs. System Expansion in Nine Easy Steps, Part 3
May 29, 2005
Danny Mandel
This week’s entry into the Vs. System Design Bible is pretty short. The good news is, I’ve got more room to answer questions. Hurray! - read more
Voices from the Field: New York Special Edition
May 26, 2005
Ben Kalman
These are the players to keep an eye on over the next few days, starting with the Top 20 players in the world and ending, as always, with my fearless predictions about who will be left standing on Day 3 to hoist the PC trophy! - read more
Unexpected Developments: The Other "Team" in Green Lantern Corps
May 25, 2005
Dave Humpherys
Green Lantern Corps Sealed Pack enters the spotlight this week! - read more
The Light of Play: PC Predictions
May 24, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
As usual, Tim Willoughby beat me to the punch with his top 40 predictions for Pro Circuit New York. But I’ve got my own little list of play-oriented predictions mixed with even more wacky things I think might happen. - read more
Marvel Returns to the Newsstand!
May 24, 2005
Metagame Staff
Breaking news for collectors and Vs. fans—here's your chance to get a variant-art rare Spider-Man! - read more
Green Lantern Corps Sealed Pack
May 23, 2005
Andrew Yip
As many have pointed out, Green Lantern Corps presents a Sealed Pack experience very different from previous expansions. - read more
How to Make a Vs. System Expansion in Nine Easy Steps, Part 2
May 22, 2005
Danny Mandel
Last week, I started off this whole Vs. Design Bible/Green Lantern Design Diary thing. Don’t worry. This week’s entry is much shorter. Well, not that much . . . - read more
Upper Deck Entertainment's Vs. System Nominated for TCG Of The Year!
May 20, 2005
Metagame Staff
Vote for Vs. System in the Origins Awards! - read more
Voices from the Field: Green Lantern's Generic Code, Part 2
May 20, 2005
Ben Kalman
Yes, I know I said “in two weeks,” but then I remembered that PC: NY is next week, so next week’s article would have little room for going over the Green Lantern set. - read more
Tim's Pro Circuit New York Predictions
May 19, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Start spreading the news! PC: New York is approaching like an inept ninja; wherever I look, it’s there. - read more
UDE Pro Circuit New York 2005: News and Notes
May 18, 2005
Scott Elliott
As most of you already know, Pro Circuit New York 2005 is only a few days away. Here are some things to know before you come to the show. - read more
Detective Work 4: PC New York
May 18, 2005
Justin Gary
I want to give everyone one more reason to go to Pro Circuit New York—Me! Well, not me specifically, but me and my coworkers in Vs. R&D. - read more
Juggernaut: Part Two of the Intense Thrillogy
May 17, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
I’m going to go ahead and break my own mold yet again to (hopefully) deliver something that will promote innovation in the metagame. And it all starts with last weekend’s $10K Detroit event. - read more
How to Make a Vs. System Expansion in Nine Easy Steps
May 16, 2005
Danny Mandel
If you don’t particularly feel like reading through all the technical stuff in the design bible, I recommend skipping down to the section on Green Lantern Corps, which is filled with funny stories and candy. - read more
Risk Vs Reward: Sealed Swarm Success
May 15, 2005
Rian Fike
I have always dreamed of playing in a PCQ with cards I’ve never seen before. On Saturday, my dream came true. - read more
Cerebro XI: Return of the Readers
May 14, 2005
Paul Ross
After last week’s special edition of Cerebro, I figured I’d better answer some reader questions this week. Otherwise, some of you might wait a month to see your questions unveiled to an expectant public, and that just wouldn’t do. - read more
Voices from the Field: Green Lantern Cards for Everyone!
May 13, 2005
Ben Kalman
Here’s my look at what the newest unaffiliated characters and generic plot twists have to offer, focusing mainly on those that don’t rely on willpower. - read more
Batman Starter Deck Preview: Ra’s al Ghul, Eternal Nemesis
May 12, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
An alternate to his previous 4-drop version, Nemesis gives us the devastatingly cutthroat, un-killable maniac we all know and love. - read more
Design vs. New Fear: Trial by Sword Preview
May 11, 2005
Danny Mandel
Because the new Batman and Fantastic Four starters were intended to help new players get into the game, we tried to keep the cards pretty simple. But simple doesn’t have to mean weak. - read more
Fantastic Four Starter Deck Preview: Darkoth, Death Demon
May 10, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Darkoth will always be big enough to be of serious concern when on offense. - read more
Fantastic Four Starter Deck Preview: Mr. Fantastic, Leader
May 09, 2005
Andrew Yip
As the Fantastic Four’s headline character, Mr. Fantastic not only tops off their starter deck curve, he also fulfills several other, more subtle design objectives. - read more
Batman Starter Preview: Spoiler, Wildcard
May 08, 2005
Justin Gary
Spoiler is one of my favorite cards in the starter because it does a good job of highlighting what we wanted to accomplish with the starter deck cards. - read more
Cerebro X: Pros ask rules questions too!
May 07, 2005
Paul Ross
As threatened last column, this week I’ll go over the rules questions I encountered at PC Amsterdam. - read more
Voices from the Field: A Green Lantern Corps Sealed Pack Primer
May 06, 2005
Ben Kalman
While everyone wants to be a prophet and predict how this set will sweep the metagame off its feet and become the first true new powerhouse set, I thought I’d explore only what the sneak peeks showed me last weekend. - read more
Voices from the Field: A Green Lantern Overview
May 05, 2005
Ben Kalman
This is the best set yet—it has the potential for huge amounts of strategic and deck building power. - read more
Hidden Surveillance
May 05, 2005
Tim Willoughby
You are being watched. - read more
Unexpected Developments: When Developers Design
May 04, 2005
Dave Humpherys
The developers often take a more interactive role in the final form of the legacy cards than they do for the other cards in the set. - read more
All $10K Seattle Decklists Now Available!
May 04, 2005
Toby Wachter
All the decklists from $10K Seattle! - read more
The Light of Play: Gravesite
May 03, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
As good as Gravesite can be, you can’t just chuck it into anything and expect to come out smelling like a rose. - read more
Micro-Sentinels!
May 02, 2005
Tim Willoughby
The dust has barely settled from Amsterdam, but the forward-looking amongst us are already putting together our play lists for the next Pro Circuit event in the Big Apple. - read more
Design Vs. Design: “How To Make A Vs. Expansion in Nine Easy Steps” Intro
May 01, 2005
Danny Mandel
Welcome to Green Lantern season! - read more
Draft Knights IV: Alex Brown Wins $10K Auckland
April 30, 2005
Paul Ross
Today we’ll be covering the Top 8 Booster Draft from the first Sealed Pack $10K held recently in Auckland, New Zealand. - read more
Team KG Archives: Midnight Sons
April 29, 2005
Alex Shvartsman
This week I’m going to discuss what I feel are the two other best decks you can build around the Wild Ride/Midnight Sons engine. - read more
Green Lantern Corps Preview: Kyle Rayner, Ion
April 28, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Kyle Rayner, Ion isn’t just the guardian of sector 2814 on turn 8. He is the guardian of absolutely everywhere. - read more
Green Lantern Corps Preview: Birthing Chamber
April 27, 2005
Justin Gary
Though the Chamber may not have the capacity to go as crazy as Longshot, it has a lot more consistency and requires a lot less sacrifice during deck construction. - read more
Green Lantern Corps: Free Stuff at the Sneak Preview!
April 27, 2005
Toby Wachter
At the Sneak Preview, you’ll not only be able to get some of these new cards, but you can walk home with some cool schwag as well. - read more
Green Lantern Corps Preview: Hal Jordan ◊ Spectre
April 26, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
The Spectre is God’s wrath incarnate within the DC universe. - read more
Green Lantern Corps Preview: Armies of Qward
April 25, 2005
Matt Hyra
Can a deck that runs five to seven copies of a variety of army characters from multiple teams really be good? - read more
Design vs. Team-Ups: They’re Not Just for Teams Anymore! (Mosaic World Preview)
April 24, 2005
Danny Mandel
Grab the biggest characters at every drop or the characters with the coolest powers and build your own dream team. - read more
Cerebro IX: Split Personality
April 23, 2005
Paul Ross
Cerebro has received its first ever preview card! - read more
Green Lantern Corps Preview: Commander
April 22, 2005
Ben Kalman
Commander is definitely a solid addition to the New Gods arsenal, and he’ll take strategy to employ. - read more
Green Lantern Corps Preview: Manhunter Soldier and Manhunter Guardsman
April 21, 2005
Tim Willoughby
The two cards you see today represent the relentless force that a nigh infinite amount of robots can exert on an unwary opponent. - read more
Green Lantern Corps Preview: Johnny Quick
April 20, 2005
Dave Humpherys
Johnny epitomizes one of the major themes in the Anti-Matter team—taking full advantage of both the visible and hidden areas. - read more
Green Lantern Corps Preview: Dr. Light, Master of Holograms
April 19, 2005
Ben Kalman
However you work him in, Dr. Light will always be a factor. - read more
Green Lantern Corps Preview: In Darkest Night
April 19, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
The Emerald Enemies are some of the most vindictive and ruthless villains in the DC universe, and their representatives in Green Lantern Corps reflect that. - read more
PCQ Decklists: April 16th-17th
April 19, 2005
Metagame Staff
Marvel Modern Age PCQ Decklists have arrived! - read more
Design Vs Constructs: Kyle Rayner, Last Green Lantern Preview
April 18, 2005
Danny Mandel
Versions: They’re not just for characters anymore - read more
Design Vs. Willpower: Light Brigade Preview
April 17, 2005
Danny Mandel
The more willpower a character has, the more powerful certain plot twists and powers become. - read more
Team KG Archives: MK Hounds
April 16, 2005
Alex Shvartsman
The deck takes advantage of arguably the most powerful engine in the format—Dagger/Midnight Sons/Wild Ride—which gives the deck curve consistency that is far above average - read more
Voices from the Field: The New Tier 1
April 15, 2005
Ben Kalman
Tier 1 essentially means that it’s an A-List, First Team, All-Star deck. - read more
Green Lantern Preview: Hal Jordan, Reborn
April 14, 2005
Geordie Tait
“That is so cool. That is so cool. That is so cool.” - read more
Unexpected Developments: PC Amsterdam Follow-Up and Predictions Contest
April 13, 2005
Dave Humpherys
This article will use a little challenge I proposed last week as the basis to discuss what happened at the PC this past week. - read more
The Light of Play: Play Time
April 12, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
At a point in the industry where a lot of companies are spoon-feeding players deck ideas through incredibly obvious thematic and strategic structures, Vs. System continues to spin out cards that generate unpredictable interactions. - read more
Deck Profile: Fantastic Fun
April 11, 2005
Tim Willoughby
The London $10K now stands in the annals of Golden Age history as the day in which the world was first exposed to the power that is Fantastic Fun—a monumentally powerful Fantastic Four deck that uses equips to their absolute best. - read more
Design vs. Modern Age: The Big Exhale
April 10, 2005
Danny Mandel
Whew. I can breathe again. - read more
Cerebro: Episode VIII
April 09, 2005
Paul Ross
Paul Ross answers your complicated rules questions! - read more
Unexpected Developments: PC Amsterdam Predictions
April 07, 2005
Dave Humpherys
Trying to tackle a discussion of Marvel Knights development so shortly before gaining all the insights we will undoubtedly glean from the PC seems ill-advised. Instead, I’ll challenge you to see what predictions you can make about the upcoming show. - read more
Voices from the Field: Amsterdam Away!
April 06, 2005
Ben Kalman
Amsterdam is so close that I can feel it breathing down my neck, and while I’m unfortunately unable to witness it firsthand, I’m going to live through it vicariously by looking at who will be there, who should be there, and who to look out for at the first PC of 2005. - read more
The English
April 06, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Things are all getting a bit loopy in my little Vs. System world right now. - read more
The Light of Play: Global Domination
April 05, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Okay, you sat through last week’s surprisingly well received dissertation on the virtues of Juggernaut, so today we’ll take a look at something a bit less avant-garde that virtually any deck can use. - read more
Here Comes Pro Circuit Amsterdam
April 04, 2005
Geordie Tait
We sometimes forget how lucky we are. - read more
All Decklists from $10K Los Angeles, $10K London and $10K Madrid Now Available!
April 04, 2005
Toby Wachter
Check out all the decklists from these three $10K events! - read more
Design Vs. A Christmas Danny
April 03, 2005
Danny Mandel
It’s a year now that we’ve been playing this game, more or less. - read more
Draft Knights: Episode III
April 02, 2005
Paul Ross
The name is Kong, James Kong, international man of mystery and winner of Back to Back Top 8s at both Australian $10K events (with two completely different decks). - read more
Voices from the Field: Britain’s Finest Export . . . Except Bass, of Course!
April 01, 2005
Ben Kalman
The name is Willoughby, Tim Willoughby, and he’s gunning for you! - read more
Sorta Clever: The Voodoo that You Do
March 31, 2005
Geordie Tait
If you’ve been watching recent events in the realm of deck technology, then you know that a concoction of Marvel Knights cards just came out of nowhere at the last $10K to dish out the pain. - read more
Technology
March 30, 2005
Tim Willoughby
I love to win in a manner that causes your opponent to question his or her own perceptions of what cards are “good” or “bad.” - read more
PCQ Decklists: March 26th
March 30, 2005
Metagame Staff: PCQ Decklists
PCQ Decklists for the weekend of March 26th - read more
The Light of Play: Juggernaut
March 29, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Despite the fact that he can’t ready in the recovery phase of the turn in which he attacks, this long maligned card is deceptively useful, and the current Golden Age environment is prime for his re-emergence from the back of your trade binder. - read more
Sorta Clever: Gadget Addiction
March 28, 2005
Geordie Tait
Check this deck out. It’s like Radio Shack. Even the gadgets in here have gadgets. - read more
Design Vs. Aesthetics
March 27, 2005
Danny Mandel
The problem is that, while I can recognize a card or mechanic as being aesthetically pleasing (or displeasing), I have a hard time defining the criteria by which I come to that conclusion. - read more
Cerebro: Episode VII
March 26, 2005
Paul Ross
Let’s get straight into it this week! - read more
$10K Madrid Top 8 Coverage
March 26, 2005
Metagame Staff
Click here for the Top 8 coverage for $10K Madrid, and stay tuned early next week for complete coverage of the $10K event. - read more
Voices from the Field: Splish Splash!
March 25, 2005
Ben Kalman
These are the seven characters—one per drop—that you should consider splashing into a Modern Age deck if you feel that your own team choices are limited. - read more
Detective Work #2
March 24, 2005
Justin Gary
Turning to the PCQ circuit, there are a huge variety of decks making Top 8s across the globe. - read more
Risky Riddles: The KO’d Pile Champion.
March 24, 2005
Rian Fike
The Risky Riddles Six Feet Under competition is over and the contestants did some magnificent things with their KO’d piles. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Lingering Questions
March 23, 2005
Dave Humpherys
I figured I’d use today’s article to answer a number of questions that didn’t make it into my live chat for VsRealms.com. - read more
The Light of Play: Avalon Space Station
March 22, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
I’ll admit it—I was floored by Brian Eugenio’s deck at last weekend’s $10K LA event. - read more
PCQ Decklists: March 18th-20th
March 22, 2005
Metagame Staff: PCQ Decklists
The PCQ Decklists from March 18th-March 20th - read more
Sorta Clever: Intergang for 51
March 21, 2005
Geordie Tait
Honestly, is there any better way to make R&D shake their heads than to clear out a 2-drop with Overload/Nasty Surprise . . . and then win on turn 2 with Intergang? - read more
Design vs. The Headiness of Multiplayer
March 20, 2005
Danny Mandel
One of our design goals when creating the Vs. engine was to make the two-player game transition smoothly to multi-player games. - read more
Draft Knights: Episode II
March 19, 2005
Paul Ross
Alex Brown is renowned for his command of the challenging Teen Titans deck, and he is one of only two players to make back to back Top 4s at Australian $10K events. - read more
Live Coverage of $10K Los Angeles
March 19, 2005
Metagame Staff
Check out live coverage of $10K Los Angeles! - read more
Voices from the Field: Here Come the Spider-Sentinels!
March 18, 2005
Ben Kalman
On the heels of last week’s article, which highlighted some of the underrated cards in the Web of Spider-Man set that could shine in Modern Age, I’ve put together a Modern Age deck using only cards from Web of Spider-Man. - read more
Detective Work #1
March 17, 2005
Justin Gary
I will analyze events, from PCs all the way to PCQs, with the goal of determining the current metagame and helping you to decide which deck to play. - read more
PCQ Decklists: March 5th-March 13th
March 17, 2005
Metagame Staff: PCQ Decklists
PCQ Decklists from March 5th-March 13th - read more
Team Theme Overview: X-Statix
March 16, 2005
Mike Flores
The reason that you get so many bonuses for stunning or KO’ing your X-Statix team members, and for having them fight alone, is that in the comic book, they die - read more
The Light of Play: Sucker Punch
March 15, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
A lesson in kicking them when they’re down. - read more
Wicked Clever:
March 14, 2005
Matt Hyra
The title of this week’s article demonstrates the power of not being seen. - read more
Risky Riddles: Six Feet Under and Back Again
March 14, 2005
Rian Fike
For our next Risky Riddle, you will need to bury as many characters as you can, then dig them back up. - read more
Design Vs. Philosophy
March 13, 2005
Dave Smith
For reasons known only to God and Jeff Donais, R&D is simply teeming with philosophy degrees—Justin Gary, Brian Kibler, and Ben Rubin to name a few. I, showing even less sense and restraint, have a graduate degree. - read more
Cerebro #6
March 12, 2005
Paul Ross
Ryan M., from Vancouver, BC, asks some important questions about attack timing and my fitness regime. - read more
Risky Riddles: We Have Our First Winner!
March 11, 2005
Rian Fike
The first ever Risky Riddles competition is over and it was more fun than we could ever have expected! - read more
Voices from the Field: Spider-Man Presents Marvel Modern Age Madness
March 11, 2005
Ben Kalman
Web of Spider-Man is often dismissed as a second rate set or a failed experiment . . . until you’re face to face with a Curve Sentinels deck, or until you get bushwhacked by that Spider-Friends deck you had laughed at as “not even tier 2” before it slaughtered you. - read more
Tournaments – A Primer
March 10, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Tim’s Top Ten Tips for a Tip Top Tournament! - read more
Unexpected Development: Marvel Knights Development- The Teams
March 09, 2005
Dave Humpherys
Today, I’ll run through what I remember about the evolution of teams as I received them from the designers. - read more
The Light of Play: Latverian Embassy
March 08, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
One of the great things about Marvel Modern Age is that Ka-Boom! and Have a Blast! are not in the format. - read more
PCQ Decklists: February 26th-March 5th
March 08, 2005
Toby Wachter
A new feature here at Metagame! - read more
Wicked Clever: Monotheism
March 07, 2005
Matt Hyra
This team-up of New Gods and X-Statix is crazy, almost blasphemous . . . but you’ll see. - read more
“How Did Those Guys Think of That?”
March 06, 2005
Brian Hacker
One of the questions I have always been interested in is how humans come up with creative ideas. - read more
Draft Knights: Episode I
March 05, 2005
Paul Ross
As threatened last week, this is the first episode of a new series exploring the Marvel Knights Booster Draft format. - read more
Voices from the Field: The Legacy of Bam Bam
March 04, 2005
Ben Kalman
The legend began at PC So Cal, where a competitor on the rise with a shaved head, tattoos, a goatee, and a black shirt awash with bright orange flames was seen. - read more
Splash!
March 03, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Normally, characters are splashed either for some synergistic ability or just because they’re very big compared to the on-team options. - read more
Peek-a-boo!
March 02, 2005
Tim Willoughby
I have fallen in love with the hidden area. - read more
Risky Riddles: Mysterio Smells like Team Spirit
March 02, 2005
Rian Fike
Welcome to the Inaugural Edition of Risky Riddles. These Vs. System brain-stretchers are designed to give maximum personal puzzle pleasure while educating the entire community. - read more
The Light of Play: Total Anarchy
March 01, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Total Anarchy is a proverbial “big blunt object,” matched in its lack of subtlety only by its brutal efficiency and its splashability. - read more
Wicked Clever: Switch it Up
February 28, 2005
Matt Hyra
The Crime Lords team works together like a crime family. They’re almost always reinforced, they know a thing or two about protection, and they defend themselves rather aggressively. - read more
Design Vs. Mailbag 3: Mailbag Forever
February 27, 2005
Danny Mandel
Okay, you guys know the drill. I post some of the emails I’ve received, and then I answer them. Hilarity and/or insight ensue. - read more
Live Coverage of $10K Orlando
February 26, 2005
Metagame Staff
Check out live coverage from the $10K in Orlando, Florida! - read more
Cerebro #5
February 25, 2005
Paul Ross
As avid followers of this column (Hi Mum!) may have realized last week, Cerebro will be appearing bi-weekly rather than weekly from now on. - read more
Stall Tactics
February 24, 2005
Brian-David Marshall
I’m just buying myself a week to get my sea legs under me for the new direction my column is going to be taking. - read more
Unexpected Development: Tier 1 Decks and Development
February 23, 2005
Dave Humpherys
Even if a deck has just a small edge in each of a metagame’s most expected matchups, a pro player is likely to identify that and go with that deck. - read more
$10K Columbus Decklists Now Up!
February 23, 2005
Toby Wachter
All the decklists from Columbus! - read more
The Light of Play: Fight to the Finish
February 22, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
In reality, Fight to the Finish is highly playable in a few cases and quite decent in several others. - read more
Risk Versus Reward: Gone Fishing
February 21, 2005
Rian Fike
Let me tell you the tale of the biggest Vs. System catch I’ve made . . . and of the one that’s still swimming out there. - read more
Design Vs Inefficiency: A Day in The Life of My Coworkers
February 20, 2005
Danny Mandel
I’m sure many of you think it’s all gaming all the time. Well, I’m here to tell you it is. - read more
Coverage of $10K Bologna
February 20, 2005
Metagame Staff
Check out live coverage of the $10K tournament from Bologna, Italy! - read more
After the Bomb Drops . . . Pro Circuit Amsterdam
February 19, 2005
Tim Willoughby
While you were busy thinking, I was doing a little dance. I call it the “no more Overload” dance. - read more
Voices from the Field: It’s All in the Format!
February 18, 2005
Ben Kalman
Change is healthy, and every game needs a dose of it now and then to keep things moving forward and avoid stagnation. - read more
Who Wins in a Fight?
February 17, 2005
Brian-David Marshall
In light of Jeff Donais’s recent announcement regarding the Constructed portions of upcoming Pro Circuit events, there has been some debate over which of the Big Two publishers has made the most significant contribution to Constructed play. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Making the Most of the Hidden Area
February 16, 2005
Dave Humpherys
Is a concealed on a 6-cost character a benefit or a drawback? What about on a 2-drop? There isn’t really a hard and fast answer to those questions. - read more
The Light of Play: Flame Trap
February 15, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
I won’t argue that it isn’t seeing much play—it is—but in my opinion, it’s not seeing as much as it should. - read more
$10K Hannover Decklists Now Available!
February 15, 2005
Toby Wachter
All the Hannover decklists! - read more
Wicked Clever: Back-Alley Bash
February 14, 2005
Matt Hyra
It’s all about the Voodoo, baby. - read more
Design Vs. Errata
February 13, 2005
Danny Mandel
Today I’d like to talk about our philosophy on errata as well as go over in detail the reasoning behind the batch of errata that accompanied the Marvel Knights release. - read more
Cerebro #4
February 12, 2005
Paul Ross
Welcome to Episode IV: A New Set! - read more
Live Coverage of $10K Columbus!
February 12, 2005
Metagame Staff
Live coverage of the $10K Championship in Columbus! - read more
Voices from the Field: Look! It’s a Bird! It's a Plane! No, It’s Rob Leander!
February 11, 2005
Ben Kalman
The numbers say it all. Rob is a champion card player, and he makes it clear that being number one isn’t enough for him. He won’t be satisfied until he’s won the Big Title—his first PC. - read more
Keeping it Fresh: New Formats
February 10, 2005
Dave Humpherys
One great way to shake things up in the Constructed scene is to introduce formats that use a subset of the total card pool. Hopefully, the recent announcement about the new Constructed formats has you all pumped. - read more
Marvel Knights and the City
February 10, 2005
Brian-David Marshall
Daredevil took a detour on his way home to Hell’s Kitchen this weekend, lingering for a while around the Chelsea area. - read more
All $10K Las Vegas Decklists Now Available!
February 10, 2005
Toby Wachter
All the decklists from Vegas! - read more
Vs. System Update
February 10, 2005
Toby Wachter
Read all about the exciting future of Vs. System! - read more
Amsterdam Warmup (The Best Doughnut Ever)
February 09, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Some cynics might suggest that it’s too early to start waving the banner of Pro Circuit: Amsterdam in some sort of pre-event pep rally. To these people, I say tish and pish! - read more
The Light of Play: Betrayal
February 08, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
From now on, I’ll be writing articles about those cards sitting at the back of your trade binder. - read more
Wicked Clever: Look Ma! No Friends!
February 07, 2005
Matt Hyra
Get ready to start thinking in a whole new direction! - read more
Design Vs. The Hidden Area
February 06, 2005
Danny Mandel
This seems like a good time to explain how the concealed mechanic and hidden area came to be. - read more
Coverage of the Hannover $10K Championship
February 06, 2005
Metagame Staff
Check out coverage from the $10K Championship in Hannover, Germany! - read more
Live Coverage of the $10K Championships in Las Vegas!
February 05, 2005
Metagame Staff
All the action, live from from Sin City! - read more
Cerebro #3
February 04, 2005
Paul Ross
Like last week, I’m going to start with a look at some recently previewed Marvel Knights cards, and then I’ll roll up my sleeves and tackle some other submitted questions. - read more
Marvel Knights Preview: Dracula, Vlad Dracula
February 03, 2005
Ben Kalman
“I do need blood, but it shall not be spoon-fed to me from a bottle.” —Dracula - read more
Marvel Knights Preview: Sold Out
February 03, 2005
Brian-David Marshall
Crime Lords will now have a solid answer for everything from Alfred to Longshot. - read more
Marvel Knights Preview: Mr. Fear
February 02, 2005
Dave Humpherys
As you’ll see when the whole Marvel Knights set is spoiled, there are some Crime Lords cards that give you more influence over your opponent’s attacks than he or she will have. - read more
Marvel Knights Preview: Brother Voodoo
February 01, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
His stats are about average for a 3-drop, and both of his effects can help you riffle through your cards until you hit what you need. - read more
Marvel Knights Preview: Doop, Ultimate Weapon
January 30, 2005
Mike Flores
Lovable Doop, X-Statix’s very visible cameraman and one of the most dangerous entities on the planet, was built for a specific purpose! - read more
Marvel Knights Preview: Witching Hour
January 30, 2005
Danny Mandel
Witching Hour is one of my favorite types of card designs—unapparent in power and modular in deck design. - read more
Marvel Knights Preview: Elektra, Agent of the Hand
January 29, 2005
Geordie Tait
She has massive ATK. She can take down any 5-drop in the game. Most of the time, defensive plot twists won’t even matter. - read more
Cerebro #2
January 29, 2005
Paul Ross
I’d like to take a detour into Marvel Knights territory. Any objections? I didn’t think so! - read more
Practice Makes You Closer to Perfect (or Something)
January 28, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Hopefully, this article will give you a few ideas that will allow you to improve at a faster rate and still have fun in the process. - read more
Marvel Knights Preview: Spin Doctoring
January 28, 2005
Ben Kalman
Spin Doctoring is just one of several X-Statix cards that focus on single-character control. - read more
All $10K Jersey Decklists Now Available!
January 26, 2005
Toby Wachter
All of the decklists from $10K Jersey! - read more
Marvel Knights Preview: Diplomatic Immunity
January 25, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Essentially, the main purpose of this card is to keep Dr. Doom out of harm’s way. - read more
Marvel Knights Preview: Weapon of Choice
January 24, 2005
Matt Hyra
You asked for it, and soon you’ll have it. Marvel Knights is bringing us a character search card that anyone can use. - read more
Marvel Knights Preview: Yelena Belova ◊ Black Widow
January 23, 2005
Danny Mandel
It’s preview time again! And boy do we have a doozy today. Take a look . . . - read more
Cerebro #1
January 22, 2005
Paul Ross
Welcome to the first edition of CEREBRO (which may or may not stand for Column Explaining Rules Enquiries by Readers of Metagame.com)! - read more
The Best of Times/Worst of Times: Following Up the NJ $10K
January 20, 2005
Brian-David Marshall
Okay . . . I think I have fully recovered. - read more
Wicked Clever: Multi-Player Madness
January 18, 2005
Matt Hyra
Today, I’ll examine a deck that was designed exclusively for multiplayer action. - read more
Design vs. Superman Stories
January 16, 2005
Danny Mandel
One of our development goals was (and is) to make the tactical decisions facing a player as interesting as possible. Cosmic accomplishes just that. - read more
Live Coverage of $10K Jersey
January 15, 2005
Metagame Staff
The $10K Championships return to the Northeast! - read more
Voices from the Field: An Interview with Ryan Jones
January 14, 2005
Ben Kalman
“Basically, I was as prepared as I could be, and put myself in a position for Lady Luck to choose me . . . and she did.” - read more
A League of My Own
January 13, 2005
Geordie Tait
Until you see joy light across the face of a gamer who has just straight-up jacked an 8-drop Dr. Doom in ante, on a 50-to-1 shuffle and cut shot, you haven’t lived. - read more
Totally Freakin' Broken: Deck Destruction
January 11, 2005
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Sure, we’ve all looked at Emperor Joker, and though a deck destruction deck doesn’t yet seem viable, the theme of deck destruction does have some very interesting support cards. - read more
Live Coverage of $10K Melbourne
January 08, 2005
Metagame Staff
Vs. System returns to Australia! - read more
Foundations of Strategy
January 06, 2005
Tim Willoughby
Winning is kind of like eating peanuts. Once you’ve done it just a little bit, you want to do it a whole lot more. - read more
Voices From the Field: To Write, or Not To Write?
January 05, 2005
Ben Kalman
What follows are some tips for writing about Vs. System, writing in general, and what to write about. - read more
Coverage of $10K Kuala Lumpur!
December 22, 2004
Metagame Staff
Vs. System comes to Asia! - read more
Totally Freakin’ Broken: Replacement Part Two - Defensive Replacement
December 21, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
As Vs. System grows, watch for defensive replacement to continue as a subtle, but very powerful, mechanic. - read more
Wicked Clever: Satanus Go!
December 20, 2004
Matt Hyra
The two cards that inspired this deck are Satanus and Teen Titans Go! - read more
Pro Circuit Los Angeles: A Newbie's Recap- Part 3
December 14, 2004
Gary Wise
If you’re doing the tournament weekend right, by Sunday, the fact you’ve gotten 5 hours sleep in a 72 hour span should be manifesting itself in the form of punishment administered by your body. - read more
Totally Freakin’ Broken: Replacement, Part One - Offensive Replacement
December 14, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Resource replacement, a.k.a. “that thing that Have a Blast! does,” got keyworded and formalized with the release of Superman, Man of Steel. - read more
Wicked Clever: Appreciate This
December 13, 2004
Matt Hyra
Kandor is the key card, and it allows you to go for the win on turn 6. - read more
Pro Circuit Los Angeles: A Newbie's Recap- Part 2
December 13, 2004
Gary Wise
When we made our way around the room, we saw it all. - read more
Pro Circuit Los Angeles: A Newbie's Recap- Part 1
December 10, 2004
Gary Wise
My name is Gary Wise, and I am a newbie. - read more
Vs. System Nominated for Best New CCG of 2004!
December 09, 2004
Toby Wachter
Show your support for your favorite TCG! - read more
So Many Supergirls
December 08, 2004
Mike Flores
The Supergirls of Man of Steel are not just different versions of the same person, they are actually three different women. - read more
Totally Freakin’ Broken - Resource Suppression
December 07, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
While offensive resource replacement is designed to take care of single cards, cards like Foiled and Ka-Boom! actually provide offensive resource suppression. - read more
Wicked Clever: Ongoing Suffering
December 06, 2004
Matt Hyra
I know I did a Revenge Squad deck just last week, but I go where my moods take me. - read more
Live Coverage of the Gen Con So Cal $10K Championships
December 04, 2004
Metagame Staff
Marvel and DC Comics square off! - read more
Live Coverage of Pro Circuit Los Angeles
December 03, 2004
Metagame Staff
The best in the world play for a $40,000 first place prize! - read more
Voices From The Field: Teamwork? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Teamwork!!
December 01, 2004
Ben Kalman
This week, I’m going to look at a fun deck. - read more
Design vs. Sequels: Pro Circuit 2, the Son of Pro Circuit
December 01, 2004
Danny Mandel
These days, there are lots of reasons to be excited about Vs. System. - read more
Totally Freakin’ Broken: Activated Effect Negation
November 30, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Negation of activated character effects is a rare and valuable commodity—it’s one of the reasons that Curve Sentinel is so darn good. - read more
Wicked Clever: Bizarro Deck
November 29, 2004
Matt Hyra
Bizarro, Imperfect Duplicate is the kind of character that naturally draws me in and gets me thinking about a deck. - read more
Risk vs. Reward: Stealing Souls and Stopping Sevens.
November 26, 2004
Rian Fike
Satanus may be evil incarnate, but his ability is good. - read more
Urban Legend
November 25, 2004
Mike Flores
This may be the last time you hear something like this from me—everything you've heard is true. Everything. Nothing is wrong. Nothing is extraneous. Nothing is exaggerated. No one lies. Everything you've heard is true. - read more
Voices from the Field: Superman and Multiplayer
November 24, 2004
Ben Kalman
This week, I thought I’d take us down a different road, one that leads away from one-on-one and competitive Vs. System play and heads back into the casual domain. - read more
Totally Freakin’ Broken: Gray Stall
November 23, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
I came out of England’s Minehead $10K with one thought on my mind—the deck that Jeremy Gray took third place with was nothing short of “maximum pwnage.” - read more
Wicked Clever: Taaru!
November 22, 2004
Matt Hyra
The New Gods are all about the Forever People. What do they do best? Well, if you haven’t figured it out from the secret message in their flavor text, let me spell it out for you . . . - read more
Fun With Speed(y)
November 19, 2004
Mike Flores
Check out Kevin Nowlan's kick-ass art on Roy Harper ◊ Speedy, Mercurial Marksman. He has all the classic Green Arrow accoutrements—pointy Robin Hood hat, domino mask, boxing glove arrow . . . but all red instead of green. - read more
Voices From the Field: At the Superman Sneak Preview
November 18, 2004
Ben Kalman
We had two months of waiting, and then two weeks of previews, and finally . . . the moment of triumph! - read more
The Morning After
November 18, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
I am happy to report that the new set seems well suited for both Booster Draft and Sealed Pack formats. - read more
Risk Vs. Reward: Suicidal Sanitation Stories
November 17, 2004
Rian Fike
There are some jobs that nobody wants to do. Ratcatcher has one of those jobs. - read more
Totally Freakin’ Broken: Cosmic Counter Placement
November 16, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
It’s no secret that cosmic effects rule. - read more
Wicked Clever: Down and Out in the Resource Row
November 15, 2004
Matt Hyra
Today, I have the pleasure of posting the first post–Preview Weekend Metagame.com deck - read more
Design Vs Grandmas: Granny Loves You Preview
November 12, 2004
Danny Mandel
Granny Loves You incorporates two of the themes we gave the Darkseid’s Elite team—torture and mutual punishment. - read more
Superman, Man of Steel Preview: Bizarro World
November 11, 2004
Geordie Tait
Welcome to the preview to end all previews. - read more
Superman, Man of Steel Preview: Desaad
November 11, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
While he may be small in stature, Desaad should have a big impact on your games. - read more
Superman, Man of Steel Preview: Strange Visitor
November 11, 2004
Ben Kalman
Today’s Special is Strange Visitor, Sharon Vance. She reflects her comic counterpart to the letter, and she can change the face of the game when she hits the board. - read more
Superman, Man of Steel Preview: Bronze Tiger
November 10, 2004
Dave Humpherys
While there aren’t enough new cards in Superman, Man of Steel to cover all of the bases, it’s easy to argue that the League benefits more from the new set than any other team. - read more
Superman, Man of Steel Preview: Smiles, Everyone!
November 09, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
If you’ve been trying to make Arkham work, have no doubt that this is what you’ve been waiting for. - read more
Superman, Man of Steel Preview: Emperor Joker
November 08, 2004
Matt Hyra
What really matters is, who will be the first player in Vs. System history to win a Constructed Pro Circuit or $10K game by decking an opponent? - read more
Josh Wiitanen vs. Sean Poestkoke
November 07, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
The Iceman turned out to be critical, as Sean had been forced to pitch all of his Fantastic Four characters at the end of turn 6 and could not steal the initiative. - read more
Day 1 Intro
November 06, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
Welcome to the Vs. System $10K tournament coverage, coming to you live from Wizard World Texas! - read more
Live Coverage of the Wizard World Texas $10K Championship
November 06, 2004
Metagame Staff
Follow all the action from Dallas here! - read more
Design Vs Sucking: Parasite Preview
November 05, 2004
Danny Mandel
A preview that sucks. - read more
Superman, Man of Steel Preview: Mongul
November 04, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
It is impossible for me to talk about today’s preview card without mentioning the comic book that contained his first appearance. Superman Annual #11 . . . - read more
Superman, Man of Steel Preview: Rose ◊ Thorn
November 03, 2004
Ben Kalman
Rose isn’t really a Constructed character, but she’s a monster in Sealed Pack. - read more
Superman, Man of Steel Preview: Granny Goodness
November 03, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Granny Goodness is the first character to facilitate inter-affiliation team ups. - read more
The First Champion: Part 3
November 02, 2004
Brian Kibler
Despite my confidence going in, it wasn’t until the final handshake that it really hit me. I was the first Vs. System PC Champion. - read more
Superman, Man of Steel Preview: Roy Harper ◊ Speedy
November 02, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Bullseye! - read more
Wicked Clever: Superman, Man of Steel Preview: The Prophecy Fulfilled
November 01, 2004
Matt Hyra
While this card can be included in the “instant win card” category, it’s much subtler than Rigged Elections or Xavier’s Dream. - read more
Design Vs The Dog of Steel: Krypto Preview
October 29, 2004
Danny Mandel
It’s preview time again! - read more
The First Champion: Part 2
October 29, 2004
Brian Kibler
No matter how much testing time I might have put in, nothing could’ve prepared me for the spectacle of the Pro Circuit itself. - read more
The First Champion: Part 1
October 28, 2004
Brian Kibler
As soon as I heard that the Vs. System was going to be launched with a $1,000,000 Pro Circuit, I knew I was going to play. - read more
Building to a Conclusion
October 28, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
Man, it’s tough to build a Sealed Pack deck. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Sinister Syndicate
October 27, 2004
Dave Humpherys
From a development standpoint, Sinister Syndicate presented some special challenges. - read more
Totally Freakin' Broken: Character Recursion
October 26, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Recursion—the ability to return cards from the field or discard pile to your hand or deck—is an important part of any TCG. - read more
Wicked Clever: Allow Me to Get Out of Your Way, Sir
October 25, 2004
Matt Hyra
Last week, I showed you the speediest of speedy Sinister Syndicate rush decks. By contractual obligation, I now present a Spider-Friends deck. It’s only fair. - read more
Design Vs Spider-Man Design Stories (Now With 20% More Jeff Donais Biography)
October 22, 2004
Danny Mandel
Today, Jeff Donais put me on his back and carried me across the office. It wasn’t like a fireman’s carry, or like anything else that might have been remotely dignified. - read more
Walk the Line
October 21, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
There may be a distinct line between the heroes and villains in the pages of Marvel Comics, but that line blurs when you sit down to build your PCQ Sealed Pack deck. - read more
Evasive Action!
October 21, 2004
Ben Kalman
As I’ve started experimenting with Web of Spider-Man and making sample decks with the Spider-Friends and Sinister Syndicate teams, my evasion deck has become a favorite. - read more
Unexpected Developments: Spider-Friends
October 20, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Oh Longshot, how much the Development team loves you! - read more
Totally Freakin' Broken: Bounce
October 19, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
The cards in this group can return one or more of your opponent’s characters to his or her hand or deck. All in all, there are seven- five characters and two plot twists. - read more
Wicked Clever: Come Out Swinging
October 18, 2004
Matt Hyra
This is, without a doubt, the scariest deck I’ve ever played against. - read more
Risk Versus Reward: The Most Dangerous Man in the Game
October 18, 2004
Rian Fike
When this character works, he provides more pure card advantage than anyone else in the Vs. System. When Longshot fails, however, he can lose games all by himself. - read more
Coverage of the $10K Championships at Gen Con UK
October 17, 2004
Metagame Staff
Check out coverage of the $10K Championship from Gen Con UK! - read more
Design Vs. Breaking and Entering
October 16, 2004
Danny Mandel
How does one break into the gaming industry? - read more
Dropping In On Friends
October 14, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
Not unlike a comic-book storyline, the villains may often make the heroes look foolish in the opening act, but the good guys triumph as the story progresses. - read more
The Casual-Competitive Conundrum
October 13, 2004
Ben Kalman
The object of this questionnaire was to get an idea of how the Vs. System community felt about the split between competitive and casual players, and how they felt about being involved in a game that clearly had more than one side to it. - read more
Unexpected Developments – X-Men
October 13, 2004
Dave Humpherys
The following were some of the concepts we wanted to further foster within the X-Men: Weenie-Swarm, Unstunnable, Discard, Recovery, Direct Stun, and Aerial Supremacy. - read more
Wicked Clever: Stall Tactics, Part III
October 11, 2004
Matt Hyra
Welcome to the final installment of my stall tactics series! Let’s take a look at Web of Spider-Man’s unaligned and “legacy” stall cards. - read more
Design Vs. Evasion
October 08, 2004
Danny Mandel
I decided I wanted to shake things up a bit. I thought it would be cool to come up with a power that allowed a player to trade endurance for board presence. - read more
A Few Bad Men
October 07, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
There are some critical cards you want to get at all of the drops, with special attention paid to the first three turns. - read more
We're Coming: A Look at Vs. Down Under
October 06, 2004
Scott Hunstad
We’re far away from “everywhere”, except perhaps Japan, and for us, travelling to high level events requires so much time and expense that it’s rarely done. That is, until now. - read more
Totally Freaking Broken: Recovery, Part II
October 05, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Extra recovery is exclusive to just a handful of teams, and that specialization comes with both costs and benefits. - read more
Wicked Clever: Look Who’s Wicked Clever Now!
October 04, 2004
Matt Hyra
And you thought it was just a joke... - read more
Design Vs Rarity
October 01, 2004
Danny Mandel
You see, it might jump out at you more when a rare ends up being bad then when a common is just as bad, but the axis of good cards and bad cards exists at all rarities. - read more
Uncommon Occurrences
September 30, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
Jumping the curve is essential when playing a game of Vs. System for a simple reason: You are stunning multiple characters per turn, and this gives you a board advantage for later turns. - read more
PC So Cal: T-Minus Two Months and Counting . . .
September 30, 2004
Ben Kalman
There are only a couple of months to go until Gen Con So Cal and the second Vs. System Pro Circuit event! With that in mind, I thought I’d take a look at what was shaping up in the world of Vs. System. - read more
Who Works Harder for You: Spider-Friends Vs. Sinister Syndicate
September 29, 2004
David Spears
I’m going to look at the different resource levels, pick what I think is the best character at each level, and see how each one measures up against its counterpart. - read more
One Game Match Analysis and Decision
September 28, 2004
Jeff Donais
Upper Deck Entertainment's official decision regarding one game matches. - read more
Totally Freaking Broken: Recovery, Part I
September 28, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
This column will deal with non-proprietary recovery effects: cards that can be used to recover stunned characters of any team affiliation. - read more
Wicked Clever: Stall Tactics Part II
September 27, 2004
Matt Hyra
Last week, I took a look at the Spider-Friends cards that lend themselves to a stall strategy. This week, we’ll take a look at the Sinister Syndicate stall cards. - read more
Off the Straight Curve
September 24, 2004
Dave Humpherys
When the designers ship me a new playtesting set, one of the first things I do is build a deck or two for every team that can effectively play one large character each turn . . . - read more
Risk Versus Reward: The Wild Women of VS. System
September 24, 2004
Rian Fike
Traditional wisdom says that females take fewer risks than males. As usual, Vs. System throws tradition out the window. - read more
Twists and Turns
September 23, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
Most players agree that your first pick in a draft should almost always be a combat-oriented plot twist. - read more
The Casual Player & The Metagame
September 22, 2004
Ben Kalman
Casual players often find uses for “unpopular” cards, and also frequently build decks around combos and ideas that are nearly impossible to get off . . . but demolish opponents when they work. - read more
Stun Effects: Part Two
September 21, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Jason finishes his look at the power and restrictions of stun effects. - read more
Mailbag Mayhem, Volume 2
September 20, 2004
Danny Mandel
Danny lets us look at more of his responses to reader emails, including some info on the upcoming Superman set. - read more
Wicked Clever: Stall Tactics, Part 1
September 20, 2004
Matt Hyra
Stalling the game for strategic advantage in the later turns is one of several paths to victory in the Vs. System. - read more
Choosing Your (Spider)-Friends Wisely
September 16, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
I managed to sneak out one pack that didn’t get sent back to Upper Deck, and I’ve opened it for this column to simulate the choices you might face first pick/first pack in a Web of Spider-Man draft. - read more
The Good Doctor?
September 15, 2004
Dave Humpherys
While some teams will take a different approach against a given strategy, we don’t want any deck type to just roll over in any particular matchup. - read more
Stun Effects: Part One
September 14, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
In order to dominate the game, you need to KO characters, not just stun them, and in the grand scheme of things, that’s going to mean stunning multiple characters in a single turn more often than not. - read more
To the Casual Player: A Guide to Alternate Formats, Pt. 2
September 13, 2004
Ben Kalman
Following up on the article I wrote a couple of weeks ago on alternate Constructed formats, this week I’ll look at various Draft formats aside from the basic Sealed Pack and Booster Draft formats in the rulebook. - read more
Wicked Clever: Sneak Preview Personalities
September 13, 2004
Matt Hyra
I received a number of responses to last week’s article on the different types of team players, so I’ll use the same motif today for an examination of the personalities you’re likely to encounter at a preview event. - read more
Power-Up!
September 10, 2004
Dave Humpherys
As the first months of Vs. System in the outside world progressed, it was clear we had created a powerhouse in Brotherhood, which was fueled at times with Lost City. - read more
Design Vs. Gen Con
September 09, 2004
Danny Mandel
I have a confession to make. I’d never been to Gen Con before. - read more
Look Out! Here Comes the Spider-Man!
September 09, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
The time for talk is at an end. This weekend is the time for action. - read more
Web of Spider-Man Preview: Green Goblin, Altered Ego
September 08, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
The biggest advantage to playing with symmetrical card effects is that you know when they are coming. You can play for them, build your deck around them, and most importantly, win with them. - read more
Wicked Clever: Team Dynamics
September 07, 2004
Matt Hyra
Each member of a well-oiled team takes on a necessary role in order to give each team member the support he or she needs to make the best possible tournament showing. - read more
Web of Spider-Man Preview: Goblin Glider
September 05, 2004
Patrick Sullivan
The real beauty of Goblin Glider, in my opinion, is that it can be played efficiently on any turn. - read more
Pro Circuit Indianapolis Statistical Breakdown
September 03, 2004
Ted Knutson
Ted Knutson gives us all the deck information and metagame statistics from the first Pro Circuit. - read more
Web of Spider-Man Preview: Sunfire
September 02, 2004
Patrick Sullivan
With the release of the Web of Spider-Man expansion comes Sunfire, a 5-drop X-Man to be excited about. - read more
Voices From the Field: A Pro Circuit Journal
September 02, 2004
Ben Kalman
In my mind, there is no distinction between one TCG player and another. I will welcome anyone who has a passion for games and wants to be a part of our community. - read more
Web of Spider-Man Preview: Mysterio
September 01, 2004
Brian Hacker
Brian Hacker comes out of literary retirement to provide us with a masterpiece. - read more
Web of Spider-Man Preview: Rocket Racer
August 31, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Rocket Racer was the preview card given away at Gen Con Indy, which makes it the only new Web of Spider-Man card that players have their hands on. After receiving the card, most people asked, “What’s evasion?” - read more
Web of Spider-Man Preview: Jackal
August 31, 2004
Matt Hyra
Up next on the list of Web of Spider-Man previews is Jackal, a Sinister Syndicate 4-drop who allows you to increase the number of characters you have in play and break the Vs. System uniqueness rule. - read more
Web of Spider-Man Preview: Dangerous Experiment
August 27, 2004
Mike Flores
How much would you pay for the win? - read more
Web of Spider-Man Preview: Cloak ◊ Tyrone Johnson
August 27, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
When I first read Cloak, I thought he returned characters to hand whenever Cloak stunned any character. I quickly realized that I must have not read the card correctly. I was correct in that assessment, but don’t underestimate Cloak’s potential . . . - read more
Web of Spider-Man Preview: Decoy Program
August 27, 2004
Danny Mandel
There’s actually this theory on the Internet that says whenever Dr. Doom is written as a powerful, smart, and completely awesome character, it’s actually him. At any other time, it’s just a Doom-Bot, regardless of whether or not the comic actually says it was. - read more
Risk Versus Reward
August 27, 2004
Rian Fike
If you want to shake up your local metagame and cause your opponents to talk about the way you beat them for days afterward, dangerous strategies and cards like Primary Directive and Xavier’s Dream are for you. - read more
Gamer for Life: PC: Indianapolis and Deck Styles
August 25, 2004
"The" Ben Seck
Seeing the incredible diversity in the decks that were present at the Pro Circuit was very satisfying. Those who are claiming that the format comes down to a few decks should examine the metagame breakdown from the event coverage. - read more
Going Titans!
August 24, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
Last week, I wrote about drafting League of Assassins. Actually, it was more about being forced to draft League Assassins than choosing to draft them. This week, I’m going to be talking about one of the reasons people end up being forced to align themselves with the Immortal Villain himself. - read more
Location, Location, Location
August 18, 2004
Dave Humpherys
“303.5 Locations are unique.” Well, that’s what you learn in the comprehensive rules anyway . . . - read more
Searching for Equipment, Plot Twists, and Locations
August 17, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Last time we looked at the character-searching cards available in the current card pool of Marvel Origins, DC Origins, and the Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock Starter Set. Today’s column has a similar theme: looking at cards that search for specific plot twists, equipment, and locations. - read more
Experience True Heroes This Weekend at GenCon!
August 16, 2004
Toby Wachter
Upper Deck Entertainment and True Adventures have worked together to bring you this exciting and unqiue experience, which will immerse participants in a realistic superhero environment. - read more
To the Casual Player: A Guide to Alternate Formats
August 16, 2004
Ben Kalman
This article is all about alternate formats. For those who aren’t sure what I mean by that, alternate formats are various types of games off the beaten track—non-traditional playing formats. - read more
Design Vs. Development: For Real
August 13, 2004
Danny Mandel
Those of you who read Dave Humpherys' article last week know that from now on, he and I will be splitting Design Vs. Development in half. I’ll be doing the design half, and he’ll have the development half. This makes a lot of sense . . . - read more
Out of their League
August 12, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
I became intrigued with League when I watched Chris Manning fight his way to the finals of a PCQ that I organized at Neutral Ground. It was one of the first Sealed Pack events, and the Top 8 was draft. Manning lost in the finals but got past two solid Teen Titans decks . . . - read more
Game Development: The Pitfalls and the Output
August 11, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Some of you must think that we have cushy jobs. I mean, we get paid to play and design games. How tough can that really be? What are the challenges? - read more
Wicked Clever: Build Your Own Vs. Character
August 10, 2004
Matt Hyra
A lot of people have been reading Danny Mandel and David Humpherys’s articles on design and development and have been led to believe that we have some sort of gift for designing cards as a well-oiled R&D team. Sorry to disappoint those who think we know what we’re doing . . . - read more
To the Casual Player: This Card's for You!
August 09, 2004
Ben Kalman
This one’s for the Casual Player. A quirky creature, this species of TCGer tends to hide from the spotlight, yet is the backbone of the gaming community. Simply put: without the casual gamer, there would be no game! - read more
Design Vs. Development: Who's Running the Asylum?
August 06, 2004
Danny Mandel
To me, the Arkham Inmates are all about fun. That’s not to say I don’t think they’re a good team for high-end playability, just that when we were making them, we really wanted them to come off as a blast to play. - read more
Pro Circuit Blues
August 05, 2004
Ben Kalman
GenCon is right around the corner, which means that the very first Vs. Pro Circuit stop is about to get underway! - read more
A PCQ Handbook
August 05, 2004
Rian Fike
After experiencing the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat in more than 60 PCQ matches, I feel that these are the things you need to be armed with to qualify for the Pro Circuit. Most of these can be practiced at home. - read more
Gamer for Life: I Come from the Land Down Under
August 04, 2004
"The" Ben Seck
I'm TBS. This used to stand for "The" Ben Seck, but over the years it has transcended its original meaning amongst gaming circles to become just a nickname. Sure, I would prefer to have a cooler nickname, such as Dr. Light, or maybe Blastaar . . . - read more
Star City Events Holds Judges' Conference in Roanoke, Virginia
August 03, 2004
Star City Events
Star City Events will be hosting a judges' conference on Saturday, August 7, in Roanoke, Virginia at the Star City Game Center. The conference is for current Upper Deck Entertainment (UDE) judges and players interested in becoming judges . . . - read more
Character-Search Options
August 03, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Cards that search for characters are some of the most powerful cards in the game. Anything that removes the challenge and luck involved in getting the characters you need into your hand and into play is extremely helpful. - read more
Pro Circuit Invitation Auction for Boys and Girls Club
August 02, 2004
Toby Wachter
If you aren't qualified for the first Pro Circuit event, want the perfect gift for a TCG player you know, or just want to contribute to a great charity, Upper Deck has a unique opportunity for you. - read more
Upper Deck Entertainment Pro Circuit Charity Auction
August 02, 2004
Metagame Staff
In support of the Boys and Girls Club Charity, Upper Deck Entertainment is running a charity auction for an invitation to the $1,000,000 UDE Pro Circuit. - read more
Wicked Clever: Team-Ups Gone Wild!
August 02, 2004
Matt Hyra
Today’s crazy deck takes advantage of the synergies between three very different teams to deal out the most endurance loss in the minimum amount of time. - read more
Greens Down, Blues in the Grip
July 30, 2004
Mike Flores
This is going to be an article about operations and methodology. Even if you have seen a decklist on a website or even played it with your friends, that doesn't mean that you have been getting everything that can out of that deck . . . - read more
Ask Not What Your Card Game Can Do For You, Part 3
July 29, 2004
Ben Kalman
The Community Guide to Judging Tournaments - read more
Greetings from Our New Content Coordinator
July 28, 2004
Toby Wachter
For those of you who may not know me, I suppose an introduction is in order. My name is Toby Wachter, and I’m the new Content Coordinator here at Metagame.com . . . - read more
DC Limited: Gotham Knights Common Picks, the Characters
July 28, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Last week, I went through the common character picks for the Arkham Inmates. This time around, I'll be tackling the Gotham Knights (GK). - read more
The Curve Dissected: DC Origins, Part 2
July 27, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Welcome to the second DC Origins–themed installment of “The Curve Dissected.” The previous article dealt with individual characters at individual points on the cost curve. In contrast, this article will wrap up the series by examining the curve as a whole and relating it to teams and gameplay. - read more
Wicked Clever: League of X-Men
July 26, 2004
Matt Hyra
This League of Assassins/X-Men team-up deck tries to knock your opponent’s hand down to no cards ASAP, then it takes out his or her locations with extreme prejudice by way of Josef Witschi. - read more
Check Out Live Coverage From the $10K Event at Comic-Con
July 24, 2004
Metagame Staff
Check out the events page for the latest from San Diego, California! - read more
Drawing Up the Dark Knight
July 23, 2004
Danny Mandel
All egomaniacal jokes aside, I’m reasonably sure I came up with the initial idea for Batman (if not, Mike or Matt will probably beat me up). It looked something like this . . . - read more
Ask Not What Your Card Game Can Do For You, Part 2
July 22, 2004
Ben Kalman
The Community Guide to Tournament Etiquette - read more
DC Limited: Arkham Inmates Common Picks, the Characters
July 21, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Having discussed loyalty recently and having done some Teen Titans previews, I haven’t said too much about the Arkham Inmates yet. So today I’ll give a rough guide for the order to draft their common characters, beginning with their best options. - read more
The Curve Dissected: DC Origins, Part 1
July 20, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Welcome, everyone, to the first DC Origins installment of The Curve Dissected. Last time, I took apart Marvel Origins brick by brick and character by character to help readers understand and take advantage of the character curve. - read more
Wicked Clever: Team-Ups A Go-Go!
July 19, 2004
Matt Hyra
There’s been a lot of talk about the Teen Titans Go! plot twist, since readying characters is a very powerful effect. But the card isn’t truly abusable just within the scope of the Titans team. Other teams have some ways of making a Go! turn really go. - read more
Design Vs. Development: (Insert Pun About Babeling Here)
July 17, 2004
Danny Mandel
There comes a time in every man’s life when he just needs to talk about a League of Assassins power rare. For me, that time is now. - read more
Ask Not What Your Card Game Can Do For You . . .
July 15, 2004
Ben Kalman
Ten simple steps towards making your Vs. community a better place. - read more
Sealed Pack with DC Origins
July 14, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Hopefully you’ll be building plenty of DC Comics Origins sealed packs soon, so today, I'm bringing you a new example using five packs of the DC set. - read more
Hand Destruction
July 13, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
We’ve all seen it, in a lot of games. "Control", it’s called. Decks that, regardless of game system, cut off your opponent’s options not necessarily through clever play and strategic positioning, but through the use of cards that deprive the opponent of things to do . . . - read more
Wicked Clever: Mojo 2.0
July 12, 2004
Matt Hyra
The key to any Mojo deck is to get as many non-aligned characters into play as possible. Random Punks served Mojo well, but perhaps it’s time for a new non-aligned Army character to take up the duty of showing up in large numbers. Enter Wildebeest. - read more
Design Vs. Development: Introducing R&D
July 11, 2004
Danny Mandel
I’ve been writing these design/development articles for a few months now, and I realize that I’ve never officially introduced the members of the R&D team. - read more
Loyalty in Limited
July 07, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Once upon a time, I recommended a certain number of characters at each of the cost points in a 30-card Limited deck. Why am I revisiting these numbers? Well, they are worth thinking about when delving into a discussion on playing characters with loyalty. - read more
Wicked Clever: I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up
July 06, 2004
Matt Hyra
One of the most frequent questions people at Origins had for the judges and myself was, “What the heck happens to a stunned character who can’t be KO’d during the recovery phase?” There are two cards that cause exactly that situation to arise - read more
Design Vs. Development: Decisions, Boost, and Public Humiliation
July 02, 2004
Danny Mandel
So yeah, this article’s pretty much split into three parts. Part 1 goes into some of the differences between strategy and tactics as well as decision points. Part 2 takes a look at the DC Comics Origins set’s only new mono-syllabic keyword mechanic. Part 3 makes me look bad. - read more
An Overview of Limited in the Near Future
June 30, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Unless you were at the Origins Convention this past weekend, you probably haven’t had a chance to play with DC Origins cards in Limited yet. Here’s a taste . . . - read more
DC Origins Card Preview: Batcave
June 24, 2004
Danny Mandel
In addition to giving you a heads up on your opponent’s formation, the Batcave has a situational but very cool secondary function . . . - read more
DC Origins Card Preview: T-Jet
June 23, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Is The Blackbird a little too rich for your blood? Is it too rainy for a trip in the Fantasticar? Then have your team climb aboard the T-Jet. - read more
DC Origins Card Preview: Tower of Babel
June 22, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
This one is a keeper, boys and girls. Even limiting its effect to the attack step doesn't stop it from being one of the most powerful and disruptive plot twists in the game’s short history . . . - read more
DC Origins Card Preview: Mad Hatter, Jervis Tetch
June 22, 2004
Matt Hyra
Jervis Tetch is the first card to see print (so far) that can take control of other players’ characters . . . - read more
Design Vs. Development: What's in a Name?
June 18, 2004
Danny Mandel
Check out this week's article, which includes a preview of Cassandra Cain ◊ Batgirl. - read more
DC Origins Card Preview: The Joker, Jokers Wild
June 17, 2004
Patrick Sullivan
Being able to start your first turn with an extra card at nearly no drawback makes The Joker a relevant card before the game even begins . . . - read more
DC Origins Card Preview: Dick Grayson ◊ Nightwing, Titan Leader
June 16, 2004
Dave Humpherys
If you’ve scoured the web there’s a good chance you’ve already spotted a preview of another Dick Grayson ◊ Nightwing. This Teen Titans version continues a roster that should be sure to please any Nightwing (or Robin) fan, both in quality and quantity. - read more
DC Origins Card Preview: Roy Harper ◊ Arsenal, Sharpshooter
June 15, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Roy Harper ◊ Arsenal, Sharpshooter portrays Roy at the beginning of his re-teaming with the Titans . . . - read more
Design Vs. Development: Smells Like Team Spirit
June 14, 2004
Danny Mandel
Since the recently released Spider-Man Vs. Doc Ock starters have given players a taste of two of the new teams on the block, and in a few weeks the DC Comics Origins set will introduce several more, it seemed like a good time to talk about what goes into the design of a Vs. System team. - read more
Wicked Clever: Spoilers
June 14, 2004
Matt Hyra
Whenever a new set is about to release, there’s always a debate as to which cards to spoil and where to spoil them. Actually, I prefer the term “preview,” as that makes it sound less like rotting food . . . - read more
Deck Building 101: Lorelei and the Point Curve
June 10, 2004
Alex Shvartsman
As a deck builder, you have more control over being able to consistently have a good draw than most players tend to think. All you have to do is crunch some numbers. - read more
Common Draft Pick Order: X-Men and Brotherhood
June 09, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Last week, I gave a rough ranking of common non-character cards for draft, available here. Today I’ll do the same for characters, beginning with the two largest teams. - read more
The Team-Up Cards
June 08, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
An apparent hallmark of the Vs. System is the usage of key mechanics as a common thread between different cards. This column is all about the similarities and differences within these groupings of cards: which ones are the best and which ones are the worst . . . - read more
Wicked Clever: A Spidey-Doc Ock Constructed Deck
June 07, 2004
Matt Hyra
After playing the two decks against each other a few times, many players will be looking to incorporate the 31 new cards into their old decks. But why not try out a hybrid Spider-Friends/Sinister Syndicate team-up before scattering your new cards to the four winds? - read more
Design Vs. Development
June 04, 2004
Danny Mandel
The Spider-Man vs Doc Ock Starters are just now hitting stores, so I thought it would be appropriate to tell a few design/development stories about how the latest addition to the Vs. System came to be. - read more
Flavor and First Impressions
June 03, 2004
Mike Flores
I think the thing that Vs. does best—better than any other game of its type that I've ever played, at least—is to successfully mingle flavor and function . . . - read more
Common Draft Order: Non-Characters
June 02, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Today I’m going to go through the common non-character cards in a very rough draft order from strongest to weakest. - read more
Wicked Clever: Mistakes
June 01, 2004
Matt Hyra
A few weeks ago, I attended a San Diego Pro Circuit Qualifier to help judge and to get an idea of where the metagame was at first hand. I also wanted to see how sophisticated the Constructed decks were and the level of competition among the players . . . - read more
Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
May 28, 2004
Danny Mandel
With the Spider-Man Vs. Doc Ock two-player Starter Set due out any day now, it’s time for another preview. The Daily Bugle is one of two Spider-Friends locations featured in the set. - read more
My First Marvel Draft
May 27, 2004
Mike Flores
I had to this point only played games of Brotherhood against the X-Men with the preconstructed decks, but I had watched a couple of drafts and read the commentary of Dave Humpherys, and overall, I thought that I had the basics of the Vs. System down . . . - read more
Card Preview: Vulture
May 26, 2004
Dave Humpherys
If combat stats and benefiting from combat tricks is where you think "it's at," then you should be drooling over today's preview card . . . - read more
Card Preview: Madame Web
May 25, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Madame Web, as we see her in the Spider-Man Vs. Doc Ock set, packs an interesting set of effects . . . - read more
Wicked Clever: Prepare to be Punished
May 24, 2004
Matt Hyra
It’s almost time for the Spider-Man Vs. Doc Ock Starter Set to release, so let’s preview a card that fans of the Marvel universe should find very interesting and in flavor for the character . . . - read more
The Emerging Metagame
May 24, 2004
Patrick Sullivan
Hello again, metagame readers. In my last article, I discussed some very basic strategy regarding Sealed Pack building for the upcoming PCQs. This time, I'm going to talk about the Constructed metagame. - read more
I, Robot
May 21, 2004
Danny Mandel
Up till now, most of my articles have had some sort of point. You know, here’s how the metagame affects development, here’s how top-down design works, and so on . . . but today I just want to talk about robots . . . - read more
Wicked Clever: Are You Team Affiliated?
May 20, 2004
Matt Hyra
Some players will go to their graves spouting the virtues of their favorite team, while others will switch teams so quickly you’d think they were renting the cards by the hour. Should you show your loyalty to one team, or should you hop from team to team? - read more
Vs. Deck Clinic: The New Brotherhood
May 19, 2004
Brian-David Marshall
Welcome to the first edition of the Metagame.com Vs. Deck Clinic. - read more
Let's Play Already
May 19, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Learning how to construct a good Limited deck is just half the battle. Today I return to the realm of advice on playing your Limited deck . . . - read more
A Drafting Game Plan
May 12, 2004
Dave Humpherys
There are often a number of approaches to take into a draft . . . - read more
Adjusting to Vs.: Understanding Costing
May 11, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
Today, we're going to examine the ways in which cards are costed thus far in the Vs. System's first release, Marvel Origins . . . - read more
Wicked Clever: Actually, Winning is Everything
May 10, 2004
Matt Hyra
Whether it’s your local card shop, a Pro Circuit Qualifier or a $250,000 Pro Circuit event, winning has you holding all the cards. And prizes. But there are even some less tangible benefits that winning bestows upon you . . . - read more
Design Vs. Development: Top-Down Design
May 07, 2004
Danny Mandel
There are many different ways to approach designing a new card . . . - read more
Marvel PCQs This Weekend!
May 07, 2004
Metagame Staff
The first three Pro Circuit Qualifiers for the Marvel game will be held this weekend . . . - read more
A Sealed Pack Primer
May 07, 2004
Patrick Sullivan
Although I can hardly call myself an expert in this field, I've noticed a couple of tendencies in deck construction and play. I wouldn't go so far as to call these tendencies rules to be set in stone, but they offer a few guidelines for people learning to build their own Sealed Packs. - read more
The Mulligan in Limited vs. Constructed
May 05, 2004
Dave Humpherys
When it comes to Limited, you can't draw upon knowledge of how you mulligan with your deck. Not only do you have to be familiar with what cards are generally strong in draft, but you also have to know what cards fulfill keys roles in your build. - read more
Adjusting to Vs.: Power of Teamwork
May 04, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
I'm going to break down exactly how team affiliations currently affect the game. Some things are obvious, and others are not . . . - read more
Wicked Clever: Gentlemen, Start Your Memoirs
May 03, 2004
Matt Hyra
Some of you may not have any experience writing tournament reports, so what follows are some pointers that will have you writing like the champ you are in no time . . . - read more
Design Vs. Development: Working with the Metagame
April 30, 2004
Danny Mandel
Last week, I talked about different kinds of metagames. Today I'm going to take a look at how design and development help shape the metagame as well as how the metagame affects design and development. - read more
Setting the Stage
April 28, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Before you've even reached the table, you've put a lot of effort into the outcome of any game you play. Despite all of this preparation and metagaming you've done in advance, you are now likely to make two of your most important gameplay decisions, both before you've even played a resource. - read more
Adjusting to Vs.: Breaking Down the Initiative
April 27, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
The player not holding the initiative can look at his or her situation in one of two ways: either being forced onto the defensive, or as being at a defensive advantage. Though both are true, I prefer to focus on the latter, as it's the one that players sometimes don't see. - read more
Wicked Clever: Make the Rules Work For You
April 26, 2004
Matt Hyra
When a new TCG player sits down and opens up some booster packs for the first time, he or she looks at the pretty artwork and gets excited when a favorite character is found. When an experienced TCG player opens a pack... - read more
Design Vs. Development: I Never Metagame I Didn't Like
April 23, 2004
Danny Mandel
Today's article is mainly an introduction to the metagame (which may or may not have a little contest at the end) . . . - read more
Coming Soon! The Metagame Deck Clinic
April 23, 2004
Metagame Staff
For advice on tuning your Vs. System deck, send your decklist, along with a brief deck description and any comments you'd like to add, to vsdeckhelp@yahoo.com. - read more
X-Men Beatdown
April 22, 2004
Brian Kibler
One important thing to keep in mind when designing a competitive Vs. deck is what your deck’s overall strategy is . . . - read more
Making the Cuts in Sealed Pack
April 21, 2004
Dave Humpherys
This week I'll be presenting ways to build a deck from a Sealed Pack pool, using the card pool I presented last week as an example . . . - read more
Adjusting to Vs.: The Curve Dissected
April 20, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
So, here it is, the breakdown of the curve . . . - read more
Wicked Clever: Alicia Masters and Franklin Richards
April 19, 2004
Matt Hyra
Someone really needs to call child protective services or the Center for the Blind, 'cuz I'm gonna show you how to abuse Alicia Masters and Franklin Richards . . . - read more
Design Vs. Development: Missed Opportunities
April 16, 2004
Danny Mandel
In the past few weeks I’ve taken a look at the basics of design and development as well as some mistakes of the past. Today I thought I’d go over an often-overlooked aspect of development: the wonderful world of templating. - read more
Drafting Vs.
April 14, 2004
Dave Humpherys
When you draft with three Vs. packs, you will only collect 42 cards, and you must build a deck with a minimum of 30 cards . . . - read more
Adjusting to Vs.: Resource Management
April 13, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
After looking at the double-draw mechanic in the first instalment, today is going to deal with one of the most game-defining factors of any TCG—resource management. - read more
Wicked Clever: The Metagame
April 12, 2004
Matt Hyra
Upper Deck Entertainment held an internal sixteen-player Marvel Constructed tournament a little over a week ago and, surprisingly, we already had a metagame going on around the office . . . - read more
Design Vs. Development: A Trip down Memory Lane
April 09, 2004
Danny Mandel
We’ll visit a simpler time, a time when resources flowed like water and Gamma Bombs ruled the day. A time when the scariest character in the game was a blind sculptress and the most powerful card was a little plot twist named Build Up . . . - read more
Breaking it Down: Card Evaluation in the Vs. System
April 08, 2004
Brian Kibler
Hello everyone out there in Internet land, and welcome to my first of what will eventually be many forays into the strategy behind the Vs. System. - read more
The Limiting Factor
April 07, 2004
Dave Humpherys
From your experience with Constructed, you may be very familiar with how to build a X-Men deck, but when you don’t have four Children of the Atom and a plethora of Wolverines at your disposal, it may not be so apparent how to build the optimal deck from your card pool. - read more
Adjusting to Vs.: The Double Draw
April 06, 2004
Jason Grabher-Meyer
This is the first installment in a short series of articles that will try to help you find the answers you need to approach the Vs. System. I'm going to look at the mechanics that make it so different from other games, and deconstruct them to make them easier to digest. - read more
Wicked Clever: Mutant Nation Combos
April 05, 2004
Matt Hyra
If you're playing a single team deck, your opponent will eventually have a very good idea of what tricks you’re likely to spring on him or her. But when you branch out and create an “all-star” deck, your opponents won’t know what to expect. - read more
Design Vs. Development
April 02, 2004
Danny Mandel
Welcome to the first edition of "Design vs. Development," Metagame.com’s weekly look the design and development of the Vs. System. - read more
A Call to Arms: Marvel Faction War
April 02, 2004
Alex Shvartsman
Calling all judges, demo team members, store owners, and rabid fans . . . - read more
Something is Happening!
April 01, 2004
Omeed Dariani
My favorite thing about Marvel is how excited people get when they see it. People say things like "Oh, another Marvel game . . . grumble, grumble," but when they sit down and play it for the first time, you can actually see them change their minds. - read more
All Good Things . . .
March 31, 2004
Mike Hummel
And now we’ve come to the final preview article before the official release of the game. This won’t be a focused piece, but rather a catchall grouping of ideas, musings, and previews to herald the arrival of the first Vs. System TCG release. Enjoy the ride. - read more
Arcade
March 30, 2004
Danny Mandel
Arcade is all about board control . . . - read more
Mr. Fantastic, Scientific Genius
March 29, 2004
Dave Humpherys
The Fantastic Four is the most adept team at utilizing equipment cards in Origins, and Mr. Fantastic in his various versions is likely to be the cornerstone figure in any deck built around an equipment theme. - read more
The Power Cosmic
March 26, 2004
Danny Mandel
First, I’ll talk about sticking to your game plan, then I’ll go over enforcing your will on the game, then I’ll take a look at how the initiative can influence your deck, and I’ll finish up with Dr. Doom riding a surf board. - read more
The New Brotherhood
March 25, 2004
Dave Humpherys
The New Brotherhood is one card in the set that presents you with an unusual question fairly early in the game: Do I play a resource at all this turn? - read more
Sentinel Mark II
March 24, 2004
Danny Mandel
If the Sentinel Mk II were porridge, it wouldn’t be too hot or too cold—it would be just right. And it wouldn’t be just any porridge. It’d be mutant-hunting, power-negating, flying, ranged-attacking porridge. Mmmm . . . - read more
Lost City
March 23, 2004
Danny Mandel
That’s right—when the members of Magneto’s gang power-up, they really power-up. - read more
Cyclops, Scott Summers
March 22, 2004
Matt Hyra
Last Thursday, I wrote about Cyclops’s “Slim” version, who coordinates efficient and deadly team attacks for the X-Men. But we all know that Cyclops can punch holes into mountains and level the occasional building with his optic blasts, so what about that Cyclops? - read more
Annihilus
March 19, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Annihilus is the higher-costed team member of two characters who call the Negative Zone home . . . - read more
Team Tactics
March 18, 2004
Mike Hummel
Ever wish your team attacks would cause breakthrough like normal attacks? - read more
Cyclops, Slim
March 17, 2004
Matt Hyra
A born leader, you can see it in his eye. - read more
Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
March 16, 2004
Mike Hummel
At first look, this location seems almost too powerful... - read more
Quicksilver, Speed Demon
March 15, 2004
Matt Hyra
One of the great things about Quicksilver is that you don’t have to use his ability immediately after he’s made his first attack. Take your time, make some secondary attacks, and then ready him at the moment when he’s needed most. - read more
Heroes United
March 12, 2004
Danny Mandel
Cross-overs abound! - read more
Destiny, Irene Adler
March 11, 2004
Matt Hyra
Impossible to predict, the future is . . . - read more
Jean Grey, Marvel Girl
March 10, 2004
Mike Hummel
I psi, with my little eye . . . - read more
Children of the Atom
March 09, 2004
Dave Humpherys
Children of the Atom is not just one of the best plot twists in the Marvel game‑it’s one of the most powerful cards in the game and should see play in most decks centered around the X-Men. - read more
Human Torch, Super Nova
March 08, 2004
Mike Hummel
Fueling the fires that feed the flame. - read more
The Man in the Iron Mask.
March 05, 2004
Danny Mandel
No, not that one. Different man, different mask. - read more
Dual Sidearms
March 04, 2004
Matt Hyra
Equipment, unlike plot twists and locations, costs actual resource points. Look in the upper left-hand corner of the card, and you’ll see that equipment has a gold-colored cost, which means you have to spend resource points on it just like you do with characters. - read more
Finishing Move
March 03, 2004
Danny Mandel
This card's application is pretty straightforward: your opponent has a stunned character, and you want it to go away before it can recover. However, there are really two situations you should consider. - read more
The Danger Room
March 02, 2004
Matt Hyra
When it comes time to play a resource, you’ll be faced with a world of options, as any card in your hand may be used as a resource. However, there are definite advantages to playing a plot twist or location into your resource row. But which one to choose? - read more
Sabretooth, Victor Creed
March 01, 2004
Dave Humpherys
If you are staring down Sabretooth on your opponent’s side of the board, you should strongly considered directing your attacks elsewhere. In general, it is advisable for you to try to stun multiple opposing characters in a turn. - read more
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