“Top 24 Draft: Erik Cabanero” by Shane Wendel

Erik Cabanero is a member of the pro team Decktech from Bakersfield, CA. He starts today in ninth position—the top seed of the second pod. Erik and I have a history. He’s beaten me in the last round of two major events, eliminating me from Day 2 of PC New York and giving me my fourth loss at this $10K. I told him that this coverage is my revenge, so I’m sure he’s under serious pressure to perform.

Pack 1:

1. Trial by Fire (Over Ultra-Humanite, Captain Marvel)
2. Shayera Thal ◊ Hawkwoman, Thanagarian Enforcer (Over Plasma Blast, Lead by Example)
3. Darkseid, Heart of Darkness
4. Captain Atom, Nathaniel Adam
5. Slaughter Swamp (Over Darkseid PU)
6. UN Recognition (Over Plasma Blast)
7. Guy Gardner, Egomaniac
8. Gorilla City
9. Evan McCulloch ◊ Mirror Master (Over Dinah Laurel Lance ◊ Black Canary, Blonde Bombshell)
10. The Castle
11. Midnight Cravings (Over Secret Files)
12. Catherine Cobert
13. Oberon, Micro Manager
14. Hard-Light Storage Tank

Pack 2:

1. Sinestro, Corrupted by the Ring
2. Death Trap (Over Magnificent Seven)
3. Metamorpho, Rex Mason (Over Slaughter Swamp, Zauriel)
4. With Prejudice (Over Plasma Blast)
5. Gypsy, Cynthia Reynolds
6. Mark Desmond ◊ Blockbuster, Mindless Brute (Over Aquaman, King of the Seven Seas)
7. Ice, Tora Olafsdotter
8. Sinestro, Corrupted by the Ring
9. UN Recognition
10. UN Building (Over Magnificent Seven)
11. Hector Hammond, Mind Over Matter
12. Floronic Man, Jason Woodrue
13. Recharge the Sun
14. Manhunter Conqueror, Grandmaster

Pack 3:

1. Poison Ivy, Kiss of Death
2. Running Interference (Over Captain Atom, Nathaniel Adam)
3. The Mist, Jonathan Smythe (Over With Prejudice)
4. Captain Atom, Nathaniel Adam
5. Fire, Beatriz Dacosta (Over Henry King ◊ Brainwave, Sinister Psionic and Copperhead, Slithering Assassin)
6. Maxwell Lord, Financier (Over Justice League Task Force)
7. Sue Dibny, Charismatic Coordinator
8. Tasmanian Devil, Hugh Dawkins
9. Oberon, Micro Manager
10. Catherine Cobert
11. JLI Embassy (Over High-Tech Flare Gun)
12. S.T.A.R. Labs Orbital Platform
13. Conscription
14. War Without End

I asked Erik why he didn’t take Plasma Blast while taking so many JLI Characters, and he replied, “It’s kind of weak, and I wasn’t expecting to get forced into JLI.” I also asked why he picked two copies of Oberon, Micro Manager over several other choices in those packs, and he said that “He is useful as under-drop protection, and there was really nothing else in the pack in my team. After goldfishing the deck some, though, he’s probably not going to make the final cut.”

Vidi Wijaya, who is in pod 1, came over as Erik was building his deck and commented, “I hate you already. What was happening in this pod?” Obviously, Vidi seems to think that Erik fared pretty well.

Final Deck:

2-drops: Maxwell Lord, Financier

3-drops: Shayera Thal ◊ Hawkwoman, Thanagarian Enforcer; The Mist, Jonathan Smythe; Floronic Man, Jason Woodrue

4-drops: Poison Ivy, Kiss of Death; Hector Hammond, Mind Over Matter; Evan McCulloch ◊ Mirror Master, Smoke and Mirrors; Ice, Tora Olafsdotter

5-drops: Darkseid, Heart of Darkness; 2 Sinestro, Corrupted by the Ring; Tasmanian Devil, Hugh Dawkins

6-drops: 2 Captain Atom, Nathaniel Adam; Metamorpho, Rex Mason

We’ll see how it turns out over the next three rounds. Good luck, Erik!