Florian Hess hales from Germany. Michael Jacob hales from the upper Midwest. While they have little geographical commonality, they have one thing in common: they both aced their last draft pods with perfect 3-0 records.
When the match began, Florian won the die roll and picked odds. Turn 1 was uneventful, with both players laying their respective resources and passing with no drops. Michael dropped Jubilee on his turn 2 initiative, complaining that she “showed up to the party a turn late.” Sometimes a late date is better than no date at all. Florian dropped his second resource and passed. Jubilee swung directly and began what was going to be a long history of burning for 2 endurance.
Florian 47 to Michael 50
Turn three started with Florian’s first recruit in the form of Sage, Xavier’s Secret Weapon. Michael protected Jubilee with Beast, Feline Geneticist and passed. The German declared his attack into the impressive Beast and flipped a copy of Psychic Armor to avoid the stun back. Michael took the stun, but returned fire with the 2 endurance loss from Jubilee’s burn effect.
Florian 45 to Michael 47
The fourth turn found Michael dropping the defensive giant, Unuscione, from her reserved place in his resource row. She set up in front of Jubilee. Florian dropped Havok, Critical Mass and placed him to protect Sage. Michael reviewed his resource row and declared a Brotherhood/X-Men cooperative with the help of X-Men United. Michael followed with the declaration of a team attack with Jubilee and Unuscione into Havok. Florian burned for 5 endurance loss after exhausting his Energy X-Man and traded stuns with Uniscione. Beast swung into Sage with the aid of a freshly revealed X-Corp: Hong Kong, and Jubilee burned for another 2, dropping Florian just below Mike’s total endurance.
Florian 34 to Michael 35
Turn 5 spelled frustration for both players, as Florian recruited one of the hottest 4-drops in the X-Men draft: Sentinel Mark VI. Michael gave a great deal of thought to his underdrop and claimed that “errors had occurred and things had gone wrong” as he recruited Artie and Nightcrawler, Swashbuckler. He stuck Nightcrawler behind Artie and covered Jubilee with Unuscione. Florian make the unlikely bond between mutant and machine by teaming up the X-Men and Sentinels with X-Men United. He declared an attack with his Army robot into Unuscione, flipped his own copy of X-Corp: Hong Kong, and passed. Michael responded by powering up Unuscione, flipping a copy of Super Hero Showdown, and adding an attack from Hong Kong for the stun back attempt. Florian was swinging with 10 ATK into a now-improved 11 DEF. Not to be outdone, Florian added Phase Shift to his Sentinel for +1ATK. Michael evaded Artie and gave the attacker -1ATK, which was enough to blunt the attack. Michael’s Unuscione survived the onslaught and laid the Sentinel down. Havok attacked into Nightcrawler for a reinforced stun before Florian passed on his attack step. Michael swung Unuscione into Havok for the stun and burned again with Jubilee.
Florian 24 to Michael 27
Turn 6 erupted with double recruits of Iceman, Deep Freeze. After respective Energy pitches to pay the cost, both players eyed the pair of oversized 6-drops. Michael used his Iceman to protect Artie and Unuscione to protect Jubilee. Florian used his Iceman to protect his Sentinel. Michael declared an attack with Iceman into Sentinel Mark VI after going underground with his location, Sewer System. He added 1 ATK with his X-Corp: Hong Kong, forcing Florian to replace his X-Men United for its reinforcement ability. Michael then passed due to the anemic attack stats of his Unuscione, Jubilee, and Artie in the face of Florian’s Iceman. Florian retaliated by sending his Iceman into a reinforced Uniscione. Uniscione’s ability was used by Michael to exhaust his own Artie and draw a card. Oh yeah, and he burned with Jubilee.
Florian 18 to Michael 23
In this fast-paced Draft format, it’s rare to see turn 6, but we are likely going to turn 8 in this battle of the titans. Florian began his turn 7 recruit by dropping Juggernaut , The Unstoppable. Wait for it . . . wait for it . . . wait . . . nope, he didn’t say it! He just aligned Juggs in front of his exhausted Sentinel and moved his Iceman into the support row. Michael began growling and in a deep, raspy voice declared the recruit of Krakoa, Island Monster. “Island Monsters are going to get you,” he claimed as he debated one of the most obscene formations Vs. has ever seen. If Juggernaut stuns a front row character, then his ability allows him to stun a support row character in the same column. Krakoa was set up to the side of all other characters. Iceman sat in the back next to Artie, and aside Artie was Jubilee, protected by an exhausted Unuscione.
Florian’s Iceman swung up into Krakoa with the aid of X-Corp: Hong Kong. Feel the Burn added some fiery endurance loss. In response, Michael evaded with Artie, taking 1 ATK from Iceman. Florian poured on the modifiers with two copies of Homo Superior and an Iceman power-up from his hand. Iceman was now a 20 ATK / 14 DEF, and both characters stunned. Michael took 11, while Florian racked up another 6. Florian swung Juggs into Iceman with an attack that almost put the game out of reach for Michael. However, Michael skillfully replaced a face down X-Corp: Amsterdam that he searched out with Krakoa’s effect upon recruit, and found Brave New World, naming an alliance between the Morlocks and the Brotherhood and calling Energy. Michael flipped a copy of Threat Neutralized, exhausting Jubilee from his row to keep Florian’s Iceman down on a permanent basis. He replaced his own X-Men United for reinforcement and reduced the endurance loss dealt by Juggernaut to 6. After all of the excitement, Michael recovered but forgot to burn with Jubilee!
Florian 10 to Michael 2
It was amazing to see turn 8—both players had constructed magnificent decks with big curve characters and defensive tricks. In the end, Michael had a board of five characters that outclassed the final three characters held by Florian. Exodus, Acolyte hit the field for Michael, and Florian dropped his Storm, Gold Leader. There were team attacks and swings, and in the end, Florian could not hold off the brutality. In recovery, Jubilee burned for 2, bringing her total to 13 for the game. Not bad for Michael, and not bad for a date that showed up late to the party.
Florian -7 to Michael 1