|
The Sentry™
Card# MTU-017
While his stats aren’t much bigger than those of the average 7-drop, Sentry’s “Pay ATK” power can drastically hinder an opponent’s attacking options in the late game.
Click here for more
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Round Seven: Luis Ramos vs. Arturo Aguirre |
| Jason Grabher-Meyer |
| May 08, 2005 |
|
|
| |
 Both competitors were 6-0, and both had made the Top 8 of the previous $10K in Mexico City. Aguirre was playing F4 Beats, while Ramos was playing a teched-out Common Enemy deck.
Aguirre began with control of the initiative and neither player had a 1-drop. Ramos drew into Valeria Richards and played her for his turn two and Human Torch, Johnny Storm burned him directly. Valerian ran off to fetch a Power Compressor with Tech Upgrade, and that was the turn.
Aguirre recruited Thing, Ben Grimm on turn 3, and Ramos laughed at his hand. He was chagrined, and showed me his hand, consisting of two Reign of Terror, an Acrobatic Dodge, Faces of Doom, and other non-character cards. Thing Promptly smashed Valeria, and Torch added some firepower to burn directly. Ramos flipped Doomstadt and Faces of Doom to fetch Doom, Diabolic Genius, and play moved to turn 4. With those Reign of Terrors it was hopefully time for some revenge.
Doom hit the table and flipped down Faces of Doom, taking a protective stance in front of Valeria. Invisible Woman, Sue Storm was recruited on the opposite side of the table, and Ramos sent Doom after her with an It’s Clobberin’ Time!, which he sadly found he could not activate due to his lack of a team-up. Frustrated with himself, he flipped Faces of Doom to nab himself a power-up, but he was quickly met with a Nasty Surprise as Sue grew claws and shredded his face for the double stun. Thing took a shot at Valeria, but was immediately bounced by Reign of Terror. Johnny tried to burn and did, but was also bounced by a second Reign of Terror.
As turn 5 began Ramos drew, and denounced his cards with an expletive—he was either very happy or very sad. With the initiative behind him, Aguirre recruited Mr. Fantastic, Stretch, gave Sue a Fantasticar, and formed up with both characters in his front row.
Ramos’s face-grabbing curse must have been one of happiness, as it was Thing, Heavy Hitter that filled his turn’s recruit. Valeria toddled off into the shadows and Thing went into brick wall mode, protecting Doom with his massive girth. Sue and Mr. Fantastic both attacked Thing, but those two Acrobatic Dodges that Ramos had bemoaned earlier came in handy as Thing displayed his limberness for a +6 bonus to his DEF. However, Aguirre had an answer and flipped Savage Beatdown. After a bit of though Ramos chained Latverian Embassy, but he had nothing to save Thing—still not a poor turn given his lack of the initiative, but costing himself two cards and missing out on the trade in stuns hurt. His face showed it.
Ramos opened turn 6 confidently, and a Signal Flare later he had a shiny new Hulk on the field. He was met by the exact same series of plays from Aguirre, who chose an L with Hulk up front protecting Invisible Woman.
The two Hulks clashed, but it was Aguirre’s turn to make an awkward, bulky character Dodge. It barely mattered as Ramos let loose with an It’s Clobberin’ Time! on Hulk’s grey little face: Aguirre’s Hulk went down. Thing took a shot at Sue and she went down hard. Being a thoughtful husband, Mr. Fantastic took her bathtub before her unfortunate passing. Ramos passed the initiative.
Aguirre sent the vengeful bathtub-wielding spouse after Dr. Doom, but another Acrobatic Dodge later ensured that Sue’s demise would go un-avenged. Aguirre KO’d her and play moved to the seventh turn.
 Though he was armed with the initiative, Aguirre didn’t have a turn-drop or a Signal Flare. He recruited Thing, Ben Grimm and Wolverine, New Fantastic Four, and pushed all his characters to the front in fear of Sub-Mariner. Ramos shook his head though and was also deprived of a seven-drop. He recruited Dr. Doom, Victor von Doom and hid him behind Hulk.
Aguirre’s Hulk slammed into Thing, who instantly fell under a mighty grey fist. The remaining Thing and Stretch then flew after the Hulk, but a Reign of Terror left Stretch with an empty passenger seat in the Fantasticar. Hulk held out his fist and Mr. Fantastic slammed straight into it, dropping unconscious to the field.
That was all Wolverine needed to see, and with his ATK boosted by rage he tore into Hulk. Ramos shook his head and both heroes ate dirt. The only move Ramos had by the time he gained control of the initiative was to send Doom after Hulk, and he went for it, giving Doom a power-up. It was just barely enough, and Doom survived while Hulk took the hit. Aguirre had nothing left but Hulk at the end of the turn, while Ramos still had a Hulk of his own, Dr. Doom, and useless little Valeria Richards—who was assumed to be hiding in a trash can or culvert somewhere.
Next turn, Ramos recruited Ghost Rider while Aguirre slammed down Thing, The Ever-Lovin’ Blue-Eyed Thing. In an act of desperation Aguirre pushed Hulk to the back row. Ghost Rider and Hulk punished him, but Aguirre’s Gambit paid off, as Ramos didn’t attack Hulk. There was nothing Hulk could do though, and Aguirre scooped. A great turnaround from a poor early game for Luis Ramos!
Game Win: Luis Ramos
|
| |
| Top of Page |
|
|
|
|
|