Ben Rislove is a local playing a standard Avengers deck. Karl, as most of you should know, is the winner of the recent Pro Circuit Los Angeles. He’s playing the same New School deck that most of the West Virginia players are running.
Ben won the die roll and chose to take the odd initiatives. Both players mulliganed. Ben missed his 1-drop, while Karl had Dagger, Child of Light. On turn 2, before recruiting, Karl flipped Midnight Sons naming Gotham Knights. A Bat-Signal from his resource row yielded Alfred Pennyworth, Faithful Friend, which he recruited. Ben had Natasha Romanoff ◊ Black Widow, Super Spy, which quickly took down Dagger. Mikado and Mosha stunned Alfred, and Karl lost Dagger in recovery.
Turn 3 was Ben’s initiative, and he recruited Dane Whitman ◊ Black Knight. Ben paid a point to Dan’s payment power, and then passed. Karl exhausted Alfred to Bat-Signal, flipping Midnight Sons in response to team-up Doom. Karl got a Robot Sentry, which he used to exhaust Dane. Natasha attacked in with help from a 1-point Avengers Mansion activation, and that was the turn. Ben led 47-42.
Karl had his optimal Dr. Doom, Diabolic Genius for turn 4. He flipped Bat-Signal face-down, protected Doom with Robot Sentry, and passed. Ben recruited Carol Danvers ◊ Warbird behind Dane, and passed back. Karl had no attacks. When Ben attempted to attack with Dane, Karl exhausted it. Next, Ben attempted to trade 4-drop for 4-drop. Karl allowed it, but not before playing Reign of Terror to get Natasha off the board. In recovery, Ben led 43-48.
Ben had Sub-Mariner, Namor for turn 5, and he set up with it protecting Carol Danvers. Karl played Wild Ride, fetching a Dagger, which was itself discarded for Midnight Sons. Karl flipped the Sons, naming Darkseid’s Elite. Karl exhausted Alfred to Bat-Signal for Glorious Godfrey, which he immediately used to exhaust Carol Danvers. Robot Sentry exhausted Dane, and Karl passed. Ben declared an attack with his remaining ready character, sending Sub-Mariner after Doom. Avengers Mansion pumped him to 12 ATK, and Karl exhausted the Doctor to Bat-Signal for Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man before the attack resolved. Doom was stunned. Ben was still ahead, 39-27.
On turn 6, Karl retrieved another Midnight Sons before recruiting his Spider-Man. Ben under-dropped with Dane and Hawkeye, Clinton Barton. In combat, Karl exhausted Spider-Man to exhaust Ben’s entire team. In response, Ben used Hawkeye to stun Robot Sentry and hit Karl for 2. Rather than attack, Karl simply exhausted Glorious Godfrey to burn Ben for 4. Neither player had additional effects, and the score was 35-25 at the close of the turn.
Turn 7 was Ben’s initiative, and he again under-dropped with Wonder Man. His 6-drop stunned Robot Sentry, but not before the Sentry exhausted Natasha. Next, Ben played Null Time Zone, prompting a moment of thought from Karl. He exhausted Carol with Glorious Godfrey and then went into the tank. After several minutes of thought, he finally chose to activate Alfred, yielding Entangle. Null Time Zone resolved, and Ben named Mystical Paralysis. Karl teamed-up and recruited Thing, The Ever-Lovin’ Blue-Eyed Thing. Thing Entangled Spider-Man, and Karl set up with Spider-Man and Dr. Doom in the back. Ben’s first attack sent Sub-Mariner into Doom. Karl allowed it, and Doom stunned. Ben’s final ready character was Hawkeye, and he played Flying Kick on it. Hawkeye went after Spider-Man, and Ben revealed the rest of his hand to be pumps. He dropped it all on the table, and Karl didn’t have the System Failure.
Ben Rislove wins!