Jason is a pro player and member of The Donkey Club. He has piloted his unique hidden Faces deck to his third consecutive $10K Columbus Top 8. His opponent, Tim Capes, is playing a unique deck of his own — Society in a field of Faces. Despite being at the top of the standings for the entire day yesterday, this is Tim’s first feature match. Oops.

Game 1

Jason won the die roll and took the even initiatives. Tim kept, while Jason mulliganed. Tim started the game off with a first-turn Mikado and Mosha. Jason had a concealed Dallas Riordan, Mayoral Aide. Mikado attacked directly, and rather than swinging back, Jason used Dallas to look at the top card of his deck. On turn 2, Jason had Melissa Gold ◊ Screaming Mimi, Mimi Schwartz. Tim played Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose, and then played The Ring Has Chosen to search for and immediately discard Haywire, Suicidal Lover. He used Ivy, KO’ing Mikado and the Ring in his resource row to search out a Sewer System. In combat, Jason attacked Melissa Gold into Ivy, trading. Tim flipped and used Slaughter Swamp, discarding Floronic Man, Alien Hybrid to recur his Mikado. Dallas went down to Mikado, and was lost in recovery.

Tim had the initiative on turn 3. He played Enemy of My Enemy from his resource row, discarding Lex Luthor, Criminal Genius to fetch Dr. Light, Master of Holograms. He recruited the Doctor, and then played another Ring Has Chosen from his hand, this time depositing Frankie Raye ◊ Nova, Optimistic Youth in his KO’d pile. Tim used Dr. Light to return Frankie to play and, with his ability on the chain, Tim used Ivy to KO Frankie and search out Soul World. He immediately used Soul World to return a 4-drop to his hand, which he discarded in turn to Frankie’s ability. Tim set up with Ivy protecting Light, and passed. Jason played Enemy of My Enemy, discarding Yellowjacket, Rita Demara for Shadow-Thief. He recruited the 3-drop, fetching Surveillance Pawn. He Terraformed a Soul World of his own, used his Surveillance Pawn, and passed to Tim’s attack step. Tim sent Ivy into Melissa, and both characters stunned. Jason now had the opportunity to send Shadow-Thief into Dr. Light, and he did so with assistance from The Hellfire Club. Tim used Slaughter Swamp to recur and reuse his Mikado to stun Surveillance Pawn, and that was the end of combat. In recovery, Jason used Soul World to return Dallas Riordan to his hand. Surveillance Pawn and Poison Ivy were KO’d, and Jason led 38-37.

Turn 4 was Jason’s initiative. He went deep into the tank, and eventually decided to use Soul World to return Yellowjacket to his hand. He recruited the 1-drop in the hidden area with boost, searching out a copy of Beetle, Armorsmith. When Beetle came into play, Jason discarded Birthing Chamber to search for Nenora. He used his final resource point to recruit Dallas in his hidden area, and then discarded another Birthing Chamber to pay for Nenora. After forming, Jason passed. Tim used Slaughter Swamp, discarding The Phantom Stranger, Wandering Hero to get Frankie back. Next, Tim played The Ring Has Chosen to get Deadshot, Floyd Lawton into his KO’d pile. Dr. Light was used to return the 2-drop to play. Next, Tim discarded Enemy of My Enemy to play Frankie Raye for free. With Frankie’s ability on the chain, Deadshot and Frankie were exhausted to return The Phantom Stranger to Tim’s hand. Naturally, the Stranger was discarded to Frankie’s ability, and Tim drew two. Tim recruited 4-drop Lex from his hand — he had drawn a second — and readied his Slaughter Swamp. After forming with Lex protecting Light and Frankie protecting Deadshot, Tim passed. Play now moved to the combat phase and to Jason’s attack step. He went into the tank, and came out with a plan to send Yellowjacket into Deadshot. Before the attack was legal, Tim used Deadshot to KO Shadow-Thief. Jason had no responses, and the 3-drop went to the bin. Next, Jason tried for Yellowjacket into Dr. Light — but not before flipping two copies of Faces of Evil. Before the attack was legal, Tim used Soul World to recur Mikado, which he used to stun Yellowjacket. Foiled again, Jason tried for both of his 2-drops into Lex. This attack finally succeeded, and the 4-drop traded stuns with Melissa Gold. Nenora went after Dr. Light, and the attack was legal. Tim had second thoughts, though, and discarded a Sinister Citadel to his Slaughter Swamp to recur and use his Mikado once again. Jason’s lone remaining character, a 4 ATK/1 DEF Dallas Riordan, made a final try at the doctor. This time, things went Jason’s way, and both characters were stunned. In recovery, Tim flipped Phantom Zone and activated it to remove Shadow-Thief from the game. Jason chose to recover his Melissa Gold, leaving him with only Melissa Gold and Beetle in play. Tim KO’d his Lex, leaving him with Dr. Light. The endurance score was now 29-26 in Jason’s favor.

On turn 5, Tim led off with a resource-step Straight to the Grave for Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster. The 1-drop returned to his hand. Tim discarded another copy of Deadshot to Slaughter Swamp to bring Lex back to his hand. He recruited Lex, readying his Swamp, and used Dr. Light to return Deadshot to play. Tim recruited Mr. Mxyzptlk, pushed all of his characters to the front row, and passed. Jason began his own resource step with a Teamwork for a third Faces of Evil, discarding his own Mxyzptlk. He played a resource, returned the 1-drop from his KO’d pile to his hand, and recruited Crystal, Elementelle in his visible area. When the 3-drop entered play, Jason KO’d his Hellfire Club to search his deck for an Act of Defiance. He recruited his Mxyzptlk, and paid a point to Melissa Gold to burn Tim for 4. Jason set up with Crystal protecting Beetle and Mxyzptlk protecting Melissa, then passed. Still in Jason’s formation step, Tim exhausted his Deadshot and Frankie to return The Phantom Stranger from his KO’d pile to his hand. In combat, Tim declared Mxyzptlk into Mxyzptlk. Both players passed, and the 1-drops stunned. Lex went after Melissa Gold, and the 2-drop was stunned without difficulty. Tim used Deadshot to remove Crystal from the game, and passed. Jason sent Beetle into Frankie Raye, flipping his third Faces, and the 1-drop was stunned. In recovery, Tim traded the Stranger in his hand for a Mikado in his KO’d pile. Still in recovery, Tim played another Straight to the Grave for Meltdown and Gorilla Grodd. Tim used Soul World to return Grodd to his hand, and neither player had any further actions. Tim chose to recover neither Frankie nor Mxyzptlk, while Jason recovered Melissa Gold. Jason still led, 21-11.

Turn 6, perhaps the final turn of the game, began with a Sage, Tessa in the hidden area from Jason. He played another Teamwork, discarding his returned Mxyzptlk, to get his fourth Faces of Evil. Jason played Yellowjacket hidden, with boost, and with the 1-drop’s ability on the chain, flipped Act of Defiance to team up Hellfire Club and Masters of Evil. He searched out a Sage, which he discarded to the Sage he already had in play. Jason used one of his remaining three resource points to burn Tim for 4 and then passed. Tim played a resource and discarded Leech to return Frankie to his hand. He played Straight to the Grave for Meltdown and yet another Deadshot, and Jason conceded to save time.

Game 2

With over half of the two and a half hours allotted to the players already elapsed, the players shuffled quickly in preparation. Jason took evens, and both players mulliganed their opening hands. On turn 1, Tim played Haywire, Suicidal Lover. Jason had Vanessa Fisk, Mob Matron. On turn 2, Jason had Sage, Tessa in the hidden area. Tim played Frankie Raye ◊ Nova, Optimistic Youth with his alternate cost, discarding his 4- and 5-drops to draw two cards. Tim flipped and used Slaughter Swamp to trade a Meltdown in hand for Lex Luthor, Criminal Genius, then played Deadshot, Floyd Lawton from hand. Tim set up with Frankie protecting Haywire, and passed. In combat, Vanessa traded with Deadshot and Sage took down Frankie Raye. Frankie was lost in recovery.

On turn 3, Tim began with Straight to the Grave for Meltdown and Dr. Light, Master of Holograms. Slaughter Swamp traded Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose in hand for the doctor, and Tim exhausted his 3-drop to return Ivy to play. Tim KO’d Haywire and his Swamp to get Soul World. He used the Soul World to return Frankie to play, and he recruited Frankie, discarding Sinister Citadel and Lex to draw two cards. He set up with Frankie protecting Light, Ivy protecting Deadshot, and passed. Jason played Enemy of My Enemy from hand in his resource step to get Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster. He flipped a Swamp to trade Mxyzptlk for the Shadow-Thief he had discarded, and returned Mxyzptlk to play at the beginning of recruit. Shadow-Thief was recruited and searched out the predictable Surveillance Pawn. Jason used the 1-drop’s backup ability, and passed. In combat, Tim had the opportunity to attack directly with Deadshot, Frankie, and Ivy. He passed to Jason, who sent Shadow-Thief into Ivy with The Hellfire Club. Tim played Enemy from hand, discarding Darkseid, Heart of Darkness to search for Mikado and Mosha. Tim used Mikado to stun Vanessa Fisk, putting the tenth card in his KO’d pile. Deadshot KO’d Shadow-Thief, and Jason was forced to try again. This time, he sent Sage into Frankie. The 1-drop was stunned. In recovery, Tim flipped Slaughter Swamp and discarded Reality Gem to return Lex to his hand. Jason led, 41-36.

Turn 4 was Jason’s initiative. He played a resource and played another Enemy, discarding Mxyzptlk to search for Madelyne Pryor, Black Rook. He returned Mxyzptlk and recruited the 4-drop in his hidden area. Jason set up his hidden characters with Sage protecting Madelyne and the Pawn and Vanessa in the front row, and passed. Tim played a resource and used Slaughter Swamp to trade The Phantom Stranger, Wandering Hero for Mikado. He exhausted Frankie and Ivy to return the Stranger, then KO’d Frankie to get a Sinister Citadel. Next, Lex Luthor was recruited, readying Tim’s Swamp. Tim used Soul World to get back Frankie, and discarded the Stranger to play Frankie with his alternate cost. With Frankie’s ability on the chain, Tim exhausted Frankie and Lex to return the Stranger to his hand. The 7-drop was discarded yet again to draw Tim two cards. Tim’s next move was Straight to the Grave for another Deadshot and a copy of The Ring Has Chosen. He used Dr. Light to attempt to return Deadshot to play, and Jason used his Swamp to return Deadshot to Jason’s hand instead. Tim set up with Lex protecting Light and Ivy protecting Frankie, and passed. In combat, Jason sent Madelyne into Ivy, and the 2-drop went down. Next, Sage tried to go after Frankie Raye. Tim would have none of it, though, using Sinister Citadel to KO Frankie and put a counter on Lex. With no more good attacks, Jason passed. Still in combat, Tim used Deadshot and Slaughter Swamp to use Mikado on two of Jason’s characters. In recovery, Jason lost Vanessa Fisk, but maintained a lead of 39-24.

Tim had the initiative on turn 5. He began by trading Mxyzptlk for Darkseid, Heart of Darkness in his resource step. Mxyzptlk came back, and Tim attempted to use Dr. Light to return Deadshot to play. Jason had no choice but to use his Slaughter Swamp to put Deadshot back in Tim’s hand. Tim played Darkseid, readying his Swamp, and used the Swamp to return Frankie Raye to his hand. He played Frankie with his alternate cost, and exhausted Ivy and Frankie to get back the Stranger to discard to Frankie’s ability. After drawing two cards, Tim moved to formation. He set up with Lex protecting Light and Darkseid protecting Ivy, then passed. Jason played a resource, returned Mxyzptlk, and went into the tank. He eventually decided to play Teamwork from his resource row, discarding Mxyzptlk to search for Act of Defiance. Next, Jason played Yellowjacket, Rita Demara with boost from his resource row. With the 1-drop’s ability on the chain, Jason flipped the Act of Defiance that he searched for to team up Hellfire Club and Masters of Evil. He searched out Sage, Tessa, which he recruited. Next, Jason discarded another copy of Sage to draw two and discard one. He played another Enemy, discarding Courtney Ross to get Shadow-Thief. With Shadow-Thief, Jason searched out another Surveillance Pawn. His last resource point was spent on Dallas Riordan, Mayoral Aide. Finally, after using the backup on both of his Surveillance Pawns, Jason passed. In combat, Tim KO’d Frankie to Ivy to get a Sewer System. He activated it to allow Darkseid to attack hidden characters, and sent the 5-drop into Shadow-Thief. The 3-drop stunned. Next, Lex attacked directly for 8, and Tim passed to Jason’s attack step. Jason sent Yellowjacket into Dr. Light, flipping Faces of Evil in the process. Tim allowed the mutual stun. Next, Jason KO’d Yellowjacket to Madelyne. He sent Madelyne into Ivy, but Tim used his Citadel to KO her and put a counter on Darkseid. Madelyne traded stuns with Lex, and Jason used Dallas to look at the top card of his deck. Jason passed, and Tim used Soul World to return Mikado to his hand. The 1-drop stunned Surveillance Pawn. Tim used the Citadel to move Lex’s counter onto Darkseid. In recovery, Tim KO’d Dr. Light. Jason lost Shadow-Thief and a Pawn. Jason led, 16-8.

Turn 6 was Jason’s initiative. He played a resource and returned Mxyzptlk. Next, he recruited Lockjaw, Inhuman’s Best Friend, discarding Mxyzptlk to search for San. He recruited the 2-drop in his concealed area, played Melissa Gold ◊ Screaming Mimi, Mimi Schwartz, and burned Tim for 6. He set up and passed. Tim returned Mxyzptlk to his hand, and used Slaughter Swamp to trade him for Frankie Raye. He played Frankie, discarding Deadshot and Asmodeus to save a resource point and draw two cards. Tim went into the tank. He eventually decided to KO Frankie to his Citadel, putting a counter on Darkseid. Tim used Soul World to return Frankie to his hand, going to 0. He played Frankie, discarding Ivy and Scarecrow, Fearmonger to draw two cards. Seeing nothing that would help him, Tim conceded.

Game 3

Tim took evens for the third and final game. As the players had maintained an exceedingly slow pace of play, there were now less than thirty minutes left. Jason mulliganed, while Tim kept his opening four. Jason made the first play of the game in the form of a Nenora. Tim had Jaime Reyes ◊ Blue Beetle. The characters traded in combat. On turn 2, Tim played Straight to the Grave for Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose in his resource step. He used Slaughter Swamp to trade Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster for Ivy, then recurred Mxyzptlk and recruited the 2-drop. Jason played Teamwork in his own resource step for Faces of Evil, discarding Mxyzptlk as well. After returning his Mxyzptlk, he played San in the concealed area to put Slaughter Swamp on top of his deck. In the combat phase, Tim attacked directly with both of his characters. Jason team attacked Ivy with Nenora and San. Before the stun, Tim KO’d Jaime to Ivy to search out a Sewer System. Tim led, 46-43.

Turn 3 was Jason’s initiative. He played Enemy of My Enemy in his resource step, discarding Mxyzptlk to get Yellowjacket, Rita Demara. He recruited Shadow-Thief to get Surveillance Pawn, and passed. In Tim’s resource step, Tim played another Straight to the Grave, this time for Frankie Raye ◊ Nova, Optimistic Youth. Still in his resource step, he discarded Mxyzptlk to Slaughter Swamp to bring Frankie back to his hand. Tim played Frankie with his alternate cost, discarding Mxyzptlk and Floronic Man, Alien Hybrid to draw two cards. Tim KO’d Frankie to Ivy, replacing his Slaughter Swamp with Soul World. He used it to bring Frankie back to his hand, then flipped another Slaughter Swamp to trade Leech in his hand for the Floronic Man. Tim played Frankie for his alternate cost once again, discarding Sinister Citadel and Floronic Man to draw two cards. Tim played Deadshot, Floyd Lawton (with eight cards in his KO’d pile) and passed with Ivy protecting Frankie and a resource point unspent. Still in formation, Jason used his Pawn to give his other characters +1 ATK for the turn. Jason declared an attack of Shadow-Thief into Deadshot. Tim powered-up, used Mikado and Mosha to stun Nenora, and then used Deadshot to KO Shadow-Thief. Jason flipped The Hellfire Club and sent San into Poison Ivy. Tim had a power-up of his own, and the characters traded stuns. Frankie Raye was able to attack directly. In recovery, Jason used his Slaughter Swamp to trade Mxyzptlk with Shadow-Thief. Nenora was KO’d. As the players recovered their characters, Tim led, 40-39.

On turn 4, Tim had the initiative. He used Slaughter Swamp to trade The Phantom Stranger, Wandering Hero for Deadshot, and then exhausted both Frankie and Ivy to return the Stranger to his hand. He KO’d Frankie to trade his Slaughter Swamp for a fresh copy, discarded Mxyzptlk to get Frankie back, and used a second Mxyzptlk and the Stranger to recruit Frankie and draw two. Tim, not finding a 4-drop, used Soul World to return Leech to his hand. Leech and Deadshot came into play. Tim set up with Ivy protecting Frankie and Leech protecting Deadshot, and passed. Jason started things off by playing Yellowjacket, Rita Demara with boost. He picked up Beetle, Armorsmith, which he recruited. Jason recruited Dallas Riordan, Mayoral Aide in the hidden area, and then brought Beetle out. Mxyzptlk was ditched to Beetle to search for a copy of Mikado and Mosha. He used Slaughter Swamp to trade the Shadow-Thief in his hand for Nenora, which he recruited by discarding Kang, Kang Cobra. Jason used his Pawn’s backup and moved to formation. He set up with Dallas protecting his Pawn and San protecting Yellowjacket in the hidden area, and passed. Still in the build phase, Tim exhausted Deadshot and Frankie to return The Phantom Stranger to his hand. In combat, Tim used Sewer System to send Leech into Nenora. Jason used Mikado and Mosha to stun Frankie, and then let the attack conclude. Both characters were stunned. Tim passed, and Jason sent San into Ivy. At just this moment, time was called. Tim used Deadshot to KO San, and Jason was once again forced to attempt an additional attack. Yellowjacket went after Beetle, with help from a few Faces, and both characters stunned. Realizing that he wouldn’t be able to win on endurance totals, Tim conceded.

Jason Hager wins and advances to the semifinals!