Repeat PC qualifier David Fielder and former Magic Pro Paul Sottosanti squared off in the featured match arena in round 17, pitting Spider-Friends against Spider-Friends, each deck with the potential to be explosive. In a match where losing may have an effect on whether or not the player makes Top 8, every move was important, every decision integral.

David won the die roll and chose to go first. Neither player had a 1-drop, and the game quickly moved into turn 2. Paul played Silver Sable, and David responded with Dusk. Dusk’s extra point of DEF was the difference, as Paul was forced to pass and take 2 from Dusk’s attack. David drew first blood, and Paul fell to 48 endurance.

Round 3 introduced Purple Man to the board on David’s side. Paul countered with Dagger.. The game was starting to heat up, as David used Purple Man to launch an attack on Dagger. Both characters stunned, and it was David 47, Paul 45. then, it was Dusk’s turn, attacking Silver Sable. Sable stunned again dropping Paul to 43. Paul recovered Dagger, KO’ing Sable.

Turn 4 was Paul’s chance to regain some ground. He dropped Black Cat, Felicia Hardy in front of Dagger. David countered with the same Black Cat, laying her in front of Dusk, with Purple Man in the front row.

Dagger lashed out at David’s Black Cat. David responded to the attack proposal by activating Purple Man, hoping to swipe a useful resource (it was an Unexpected Mutation). Black Cat’s ability forced Paul to discard, and he flipped No Fear for Dagger. This forced a double-stun, leaving David at 43, Paul at 40. Then, Paul sent his Black Cat into Purple Man, this time forcing David to discard and stunning Purple Man. David recovered Black Cat and saw hid endurance total drop to 37.

On turn 5, David decided to drop Daredevil, The Man Without Fear in front of Dusk, and placed his Black Cat in the front row.

Paul played Human Torch, Friendly Rival, hiding him behind Black Cat, with Dagger in support.

For David’s attack, he sent Black Cat to fight Paul’s Black Cat, with David being forced to discard. The catfight was truly a mirror match, and ended in a double stun. Then David sent Daredevil into Human Torch, his ability preventing him from being stunned. Human Torch wasn’t so lucky, however, and bit the dust. David passed, and Paul activated Dagger for 3 points of burn. Paul recovered the Torch, and the game was tied at 30.

Enter: Turn 6. Paul played Scarlet Spider, putting him in front of Dagger, with Human Torch in support. David threw down Iceman, hiding him behind Black Cat, with Dusk behind Daredevil.

Paul attacked Daredevil with Human Torch, flipping and activating Mojoverse to make Torch 9 ATK/10 DEF. David reinforced with Dusk, stunning Daredevil and dropping David to 25. Paul then flipped Going My Way?, and sent Scarlet Spider and Dagger against Iceman in a team attack. He flipped Surrounded, targeting Scarlet Spider. David elected to stun Dagger due to Scarlet Spider’s adjusted 13 DEF, and the totals were Paul 27, David 19.

David’s attack was next. He sent Black Cat against Human Torch, forcing Paul to discard. David flipped and activated his own Mojoverse, targeting Black Cat, who also benefited from Paul’s Mojoverse, making her 10 ATK/9 DEF. Paul happened to have an Alley-Oop, however, ending Felicia’s hopes and causing her to stun. David dropped to 15 endurance, and chose to recover Iceman.

David then began Turn 7 with a: boosted Scorpion, making a misplay which threatened his game – he forced Dagger to exhaust! “Make mental note,” he said, realizing he could have exhausted Human Torch, “Scorpion doesn’t say 4 or less, he says 5 or less.” He put Dusk in front of Iceman, and Scorpion in the front row.

Paul also played a boosted Scorpion, forcing David’s Scorpion into exhaustion. He placed Scorpion in front of Dagger, Scarlet Spider in front of Human Torch.

David, his options somewhat limited at the moment, sent Iceman into Scarlet Spider, activating his Mojoverse on Iceman. Scarlet Spider took the stun and Paul fell to 19.

Then it was Paul’s turn on the offensive. Human Torch blazed towards Dusk, but Dusk evaded. “Still expecting my opponent to play stupid,” David said, secretly wishing that Paul had pumped Human Torch. Paul then flipped through his resources to see what lay hidden there, and David grinned, “See, he’s looking at his resources as though they’re plot twists – but I know they’re all characters!”

Paul then sent his Scorpion against David’s Scorpion, activating his Mojoverse to replicate David’s earlier trick, and giving his Scorpion a double-pump. David’s Scorpion stunned, dropping David to 5. Paul passed, with David asking, “You sure you don’t want to attack my Iceman with Human Torch?”

Turn 8, and Paul elected not to play a resource, recruiting Punisher and Rocket Racer and leaving all of his characters in the front row.

David flipped ESU Science Lab, exhausting Dusk and Iceman to draw. He then recruited Ricochet, Alistair Smythe, and Solo (revealing Iceman). He put Scorpion in front of Alistair Smythe, Dusk in front of Iceman, and Ricochet and Solo in support.

Paul sent Human Torch into Smythe. David flipped Rejuvenation, David gaining 7 endurance, bringing his total to 12. He drew another card by exhausting Dusk and Ricochet, and played Crowd Control (discarding Lion’s Den. Human Torch used his ability to “Flame On!”, droppijng David to 4, and Paul to 17. Paul then sent Punisher to maul Solo, Scarlet Spider to trample Dusk, Scorpion to stomp Ricochet, and a Dagger burn of 1 for good measure. When the dust cleared, and the bodies were counted, the final totals were Paul 17, David -23. Both would win their next two and go on to make Top 8.