This is a matchup between the two biggest decks of the format—Teen Titans and Anti-Green Lantern rush. Josh is an experienced professional, while this is Ian’s first $10K Top 8. Still, this matchup is all about speed (and Roy Harper ◊ Speedy), so either player has the potential to win. The players chatted as they shuffled up. “You’re in trouble, buddy,” said Josh. “I have the advantage of experience, and I have the home field advantage—we’re in San Francisco.” Another of the Top 8 matches was taking quite a while to deck check, so the players played Tic-Tac-Toe while they were waiting. Josh somehow managed to win. A preview of things to come?
Game 1
Ian won the die roll and chose to take the odd initiatives. Both players kept their opening hands. Ian had Bad Press, while Josh had Roy Harper ◊ Speedy. On turn 2, Josh had Tim Drake ◊ Robin, Young Detective. Ian flipped Willworld and hit an Anti-Green Lantern. He pitched another Bad Press, and recruited the Anti-Lantern. Before passing, he played The Ring Has Chosen from his hand, fetching Chomin and discarding Banished to the Anti-Matter Universe. Ian then recruited Chomin. He passed to Josh, who team attacked directly for 3 points of endurance loss. When Ian declared an attack with his Anti-Lantern, Josh used Speedy to KO Chomin in response. Ian chose to stun his Lantern to keep it around rather than attack for 4 this turn. At the end of the turn, Josh was ahead 49-45.
Turn 3 was Ian’s initiative. His Willworld activation missed, but that didn’t stop him from playing two more copies of Anti-Green Lantern. Josh studied his resource row and shuffled through the cards in his hand before finally deciding to simply re-recruit Speedy and pass. When Ian declared an attack of a Lantern into Speedy, Josh simply reinforced. The other Lanterns attacked, and at the end of the turn, the only character on the board was a lone Speedy. Ian had taken the lead, 45-41.
Josh began the first turn by flipping Optitron, discarding Dawn Granger ◊ Dove to search a copy of Beast Boy out of his deck. He recruited Beast Boy, setting him in front of Speedy, and passed to Ian’s recruit. Ian began by activating Willworld, again missing completely. He recruited Fiero in the concealed area, and the players moved to combat. Josh team attacked directly, while Ian simply used Fiero to burn. Ian still had the lead, 40-35.
The fifth turn began with another Willworld activation from Ian. He hit an Anti-Lantern, which he promptly discarded. He recruited Felix Faust and an Anti-Lantern, and formed with all of his characters in the support row. Josh discarded Pantha to Optitron to fetch Terra, and set her next to Speedy in the support row. Beast Boy was set protecting Speedy. Before passing to combat, Josh played Null Time Zone, naming Mega-Blast. Ian’s first attack brought his Lantern into Speedy. Josh KO’d Optitron with Terra to stun it. Ian attacked Terra with Faust, stunning both and triggering Faust’s ability. Three Lanterns came back into play. Josh tried to KO one with Speedy, but Ian KO’d it with Die for Darkseid!. Ian sent his remaining two Lanterns into Beast Boy, which traded with a Lantern as it received two counters. Two copies of A Death in the Family cleared Josh’s board, and Fiero burned Josh for 6. In recovery, Josh was ahead 18-17.
On turn 6, Josh used Optitron to get Connor Kent ◊ Superboy, Tactile Telekinetic before recruiting Red Star and burning Ian for 5. Ian hit Xallarap with his Willworld, discarding Mega-Blast. He recruited Xallarap, revealing an Anti-Lantern, then dropped the Anti-Lantern into play as well. Josh attacked directly with his Red Star, and a Titans Tower pump and Savage Beatdown brought Ian to -7. Despite having Banished to the Anti-Matter Universe, Ian could only bring Josh to -5, and Josh took down the first game.
Game 2
Ian again chose to take the odd initiatives. Ian kept, while Josh mulliganed. Ian again had a first turn Bad Press, while Josh again had Roy Harper ◊ Speedy. On turn 2, Josh flipped and used an Optitron, discarding Garth ◊ Tempest, to fetch Hank Hall ◊ Hawk. Josh had no recruit, and passed. Ian flipped and used Willworld, netting him an Anti-Green Lantern. He discarded another Bad Press to Willworld, and then used The Ring Has Chosen, discarding Die for Darkseid!, to get Chomin. Ian played Chomin and passed. Josh attacked directly, and Ian attacked back with his Chomin. Josh allowed the trade, and Ian attacked directly with his Anti-Lantern. Ian was ahead 47-44.
During the draw step of the third turn, before the players drew their cards, Josh used Roy to KO Chomin. Ian used his Willworld, hitting another Anti-Lantern and discarding Mega-Blast. He played the Lantern, and had another Ring Has Chosen to fetch another Chomin. He discarded Cosmic Conflict to the plot twist, and then recruited both Chomin and a second Lantern before passing. Josh thought for a moment before re-recruiting Speedy. He also played Hawk, and Null Time Zone naming A Death in the Family. Before Ian attacked, Josh used Speedy to KO Chomin. Ian stunned one of his Lanterns in response. His remaining Lantern took down Hank, and the turn ended with Ian ahead 46-39.
On turn 4, Josh flipped USS Argus before recruiting Terra in the front row next to his Hawk. Ian missed on his Willworld activation, but nonetheless had two more Lanterns. At this point, his hand was empty, and he had only a single face-down resource. Josh thought for a moment before deciding to team attack directly. Ian attacked Hank with a Lantern, and then team attacked Terra with his remaining two Lanterns. Josh played Teen Titans Go! to ready Terra and stun an attacker. Ian’s final card was Mega-Blast, though, and Terra still went down. At the end of the turn, only Terra and a Lantern wer left in play. Ian still clung to a 36-31 lead.
Turn 5 was Ian’s initiative, and he recruited another Lantern. Josh had Red Star and Speedy. Terra and Speedy took care of Ian’s meager board, and Josh attacked directly. Josh had now pulled ahead, 31-28.
Ian drew nothing on turn 6, and conceded to Josh’s Garth ◊ Tempest
Josh wins and moves on to the semifinals!