Although slightly smaller in size than the PC, the $10K event here at GenCon was just as competitive, with lots of the players who just missed the Day 2 cut in the PC playing in the $10K the next day. The finals features Suffolk, England’s Tim Willoughby and his Teen Titans deck versus TCG developer Paul “Future” Sottosanti and his Sentinel deck.

Game 1

Paul won the choice and elected to take the odd initiative. Paul sent back his first hand, while Tim kept his. Paul started the action with a Wild Sentinel, and Tim had nothing. Turn 2 featured Donna Troy ◊ Wonder Girl, revealing Hank Hall ◊ Hawk, while Paul had two more Wild Sentinels. Tim attacked a Sentinel, and Paul reinforced. Paul didn’t attack back, and had only a Wild Sentinel to add to his board on the third turn. Tim increased his position considerably with a boosted Hawk, fetching Dove. Paul sent his new Wild Sentinel into Donna Troy and went for a Combat Protocols on Teen Titans, but Tim had the Overload. Paul then attacked with one of the old Sentinels, sending Donna Troy back to Tim’s hand. Another Sentinel then attacked Hawk, and Paul had a second Combat Protocols. Once again, the two traded. The last Sentinel stunned Dove, causing more breakthrough. Tim saved Hawk during recovery, and Paul predictably saved one of his Wild Sentinels.

Turn 4 featured a non-boosted Dove and Beast Boy from Tim, and a Paul Mark IV from Paul. Tim team attacked Hawk and Dove at the Mark IV, and when Paul had a Mark IV to power-up, Tim answered back with a Savage Beatdown. Beast Boy then attacked the Wild Sentinel. Paul played a Combat Protocols, returning three wild Sentinels to his hand, powered-up three times, and used the last card in his hand to power-up again. Tim had no response, and Beast Boy was stunned and not recovered at the end of turn.

Paul was now playing empty handed, and his draw yielded a Mark IV to add to his board, while Tim played Garth ◊ Tempest. Paul sent one of the Mark IV’s at Hawk, which stunned Hawk. Then the other Mark IV stunned Dove before Tim then sent Garth at a Mark IV, stunning the Sentinel. At the beginning of the recovery phase, Tim paid 3 endurance to return Dove, and then didn’t recover the Dove in play at the end of recovery. The sixth turn of the game began with a boosted Tim Drake ◊ Robin, Young Detective, prompting a, “This is going to be a fun turn for me, I can tell,” from Paul, and added on the pressure with Pantha and Dove. Paul finally drew a Longshot and missed with him.

“He’s a little late to the party.” —Paul

“Not only is he late, he didn’t even bring anything.” —Ben Seck, from the bleachers

Paul added an additional Wild Sentinel that didn’t quite look up to handling the problem presented by Tim’s board. Between the Tim Drake and two Teen Titans Go!, Tim’s ensuing attack left Paul with no board and kept a lone Mark IV around after recovery. Once again empty handed, Paul played a Wild Sentinel and flipped up a freshly-drawn Underground Sentinel Base, moving a Mark IV to the front. Tim answered back with Wonder Girl and Roy Harper. Paul started his attack by declaring Mark IV on Roy Harper, and Tim responded by pumping Roy Harper three times and then him, stunning the attacking Mark IV. Paul then sent the other Mark IV at Pantha, and Tim flipped a Press the Attack, readying Roy Harper and stunning the attacking Sentinel. Paul conceded rather than allowing Tim to attack back.

Tim 1, Paul 0


Game 2

Paul once again had odds and lead off with the deck’s cornerstone, Longshot. Tim answered with Dove. Tim attacked after Paul passed, and Paul used Longshot, hitting two Wild Sentinels and a Mach IV. Hawk came out on Tim’s second turn, while Paul developed his board with two Wild Sentinels. Dove attacked Longshot, and Paul activated in response, hitting two of each Army Sentinel. Tim powered-up with Tamaran, and Longshot was stunned. Hawk then attacked a Wild Sentinel, and Paul powered-up three times, stunning Hawk. Paul then sent a Wild Sentinel into Dove, and Tim had a power-up, as did Paul. Paul lost a Wild Sentinel at the end of the turn, while Tim lost Dove.

On turn 3, Paul used Longshot again, hitting two more Wild Sentinels and another Mach IV. He then played three Wild Sentinels. Tim answered with Wonder Girl and Pantha. Paul sent the old Sentinels and one of the new ones on a team attack against Hawk, and Tim flipped a Heroic Sacrifice, stunning Pantha to save Hawk. Paul followed up by sending two of his new Sentinels at Hawk, stunning Hawk. Tim recovered Hawk, then played Red Star on his fourth turn. Paul ran out a Mark IV. Tim sent Red Star into the Mark IV and powered him up with Red Star. In response, Paul used Longshot and missed. Paul allowed it, and the Mark IV was stunned. Wo