Team FTN wins Pro Circuit Indianapolis 2005!

After placing three players in the top eight of this Pro Circuit, Team FTN put two players in the final. Their Green Lantern/Emerald Enemies deck will now officially be the template for GLEE decks around the world in the PCQ season.

This has led to a rather interesting situation—the team had a prize split organized at the start of the tournament, so the finals aren’t quite as high pressure as one might normally expect. In fact, in the interests of being able to get home and celebrate sooner, both Jason Dawson and David Leader, whose decks are virtually identical, decided to put it all on the line with a single match for all the marbles . . . or as it works out here, the bigger trophy.

“You know what? We should have a trophy room. At your house.”

“Does this mean that I have to carry them both?” replied Leader.

As the banter continued thick and fast, Jason took off his glasses, declaring that he could win playing blind.

Jason kept his opening four, while Leader had to mulligan.

Leader ruminated on losing here so that he could see everyone playing Jason’s build, with its 61 cards, at PCQs around the world.

Each player showed his hand to Mike Dalton, who proclaimed Leader to be the winner of this first contest. When Jason made Arisia to his opponent’s Salakk, it became clear why.

Leader followed up with a Kyle Rayner, Last Green Lantern, who fetched a Chopping Block for himself. Jason, meanwhile, had Major Disaster. Salakk attacked into the major, and a Trial By Sword made him big enough for the stun. Jason had a Helping Hand, which forced The Ring Has Chosen from David to find the power-up. Jason responded with a The Ring Has Chosen of his own for a Dr. Light, Master of Holograms. Major Disaster got chopped and it was on to turn three.

Jason recruited Dr. Light, Master of Holograms and passed. For Leader, though, things were a little busier. Dr. Light and The Shark allowed him to activate his Birthing Chamber to draw a card. Jason’s Arisia and Dr. Light attacked in for some stun damage on Salakk and Dr. Light, but a Shock Troops meant that Jason couldn’t gain any board advantage.

David just recruited Arisia with a shrug, and then passed without thinking to put her in a safe spot. “Take advantage of me,” he quipped.

Jason did just that with a Kyle Rayner fetching Helping Hand and an Olapet with boost finding Arisia. Leader’s Salakk attacked into Olapet, which met a Shock Troops from Jason, forcing a Trial by Sword from David. Helping Hand and Light Armor were the next trades, making it an even stun.

Kyle Rayner then attacked Dr. Light, stunning him. Shark then stunned Kyle Rayner, and finally Dr. Light stunned Arisia, allowing Leader’s Arisia to attack unmolested by opposing characters.

With just Dr. Light and the initiative, Jason played Remoni-Notra ◊ Star Sapphire, and returned Olapet to play with his Dr. Light. David, meanwhile, recruited Olapet with boost to find G’Nort, and then played Major Disaster. Finally, he used Dr. Light to return The Shark to play.

When Jason’s Olapet attacked G’Nort, a Shock Troops made it a double stun, and Remoni-Notra’s subsequent attack KO’d Dr. Light. Olapet attacked back for Leader into Remoni, stunning her, before Kyle chopped the 5-drop. The Shark then attacked and stunned Dr. Light to leave the path clear for 6 points worth of attacks to the face from the rest of Leader’s team. The endurance was 32–19 in Leader’s favor.

With the initiative on turn 5, Leader drew a card with Birthing Chamber. He generated his resource points and flipped a second Birthing Chamber to draw a card. He then replaced Kyle Rayner to fetch a Light Armor.

Jason’s recruits were G’Nort and Rot Lop Fan, while Dr. Light returned a Kyle Rayner for Dawson. In response to the triggered ability of its coming into play, Jason drew a card, and then he fetched a Helping Hand.

Leader started his attacks with Major Disaster taking down G’Nort. He then played No Man Escapes the Manhunters on Rot Lop Fan to make him visible and attacked him with Olapet. Jason used The Ring has Chosen to fetch an Olapet of his own, and let his 4-drop die. Kyle Rayner took down Dr. Light, and finally, Arisia took down Kyle Rayner.

The final attack came from Arisia, who finished off Dawson with two Shock Troops and a Light Armor.

David Leader (and Team FTN) wins Pro Circuit Indianapolis 2005!