Two personalities that need no introduction, PC Indy champ Brian Kibler, playing Teen Titans with Ka-Boom!, squared off against noted TCG player (and Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour champion) Osyp Lebedowicz, playing Eugene Harvey’s X-Men deck. Both of these players are known for their very vocal nature, so Brian and Osyp began this match by yelling at each other, the photographer, people watching in the stands, the judge, and this reporter.

Brian won choice and selected the odd initiative. Both players mulliganed their first hands. Brian played Optitron on the first turn and wondered aloud, “What do I want to get against that deck?” before settling on Pantha. Osyp gave him a sarcastic, “Good choice,” and sent the turn back with no play. Osyp also had nothing on his second turn, while Brian played Pantha and used Optitron again, this time fetching Terra, which earned him another compliment from Osyp on his selection. Osyp took 3, falling to 47. Brian had a turn 3 Beast Boy, while Osyp had his first play of the game, flipping Cerebro and hitting Rogue, Power Absorption and Jean Grey, Marvel Girl, quipping “so long, daddy,” as he threw away the gigantic Onslaught. Osyp then played Wolverine, Logan. Brian team attacked, and both 3-drops were stunned. On the fourth turn, Osyp played Rogue, Power Absorption, which Brian had to read:

Brian: “So that can steal Terra’s ability?”

Osyp: “Yeah, that’s why I gave you a ‘good choice’ when you got her.”

Inside combat, Rogue copied Terra’s ability and then declared an attack with Wolverine, Logan on Pantha. Brian responded by stunning Wolverine with Terra, replacing his Optitron. Before doing anything else, Osyp used Cerebro, this time hitting Professor X, Charles Xavier and Emma Frost, eliciting laughter from Brian. Osyp discarded Emma Frost and Puppet Master. Osyp then sent Rogue, Power Absorption into Pantha. Brian took 7. Brian attacked Rogue with Beast Boy, flipping Titans Tower and discarding Roy Harper Arsenal. The two traded, and Osyp used Children of the Atom during recovery to save both his characters, while Brian lost Pantha.

Brian’s fifth turn featured flipping USS Argus, playing a resource, and recruiting Garth ◊ Tempest. Osyp spent his fifth turn using Cerebro, hitting and discarding Sunfire, and recruiting Professor X, Charles Xavier. Osyp then took Terra’s ability with Rogue. Brian declared a team attack with everyone on Wolverine, and Osyp used Rogue, Power Absorption to stun Beast Boy in response. Brian then team attacked with his remaining characters and played Teen Titans Go!, readying Terra, and used Terra’s ability on Wolverine. Both of Brian’s remaining characters were ready, and Garth ◊ Tempest attacked Rogue. Osyp activated Cerebro in response, hitting another Rogue, and discarded a Pleasant Distraction. Rogue was stunned, and then Brian used Garth to return Teen Titans Go! to his hand. He used the plot twist, sending Garth into Professor X. Professor X was stunned, and Osyp flipped X-Corporation, discarding Rogue. Brian used Terra to execute a Finishing Move on Rogue.

Osyp recovered Professor X and spent his sixth turn recruiting Mimic, getting yet another “What the hell does this do?” from Brian. Brian mulled over his half of the turn for a few minutes before deciding to use Garth ◊ Tempest to return Dawn Granger ◊ Dove. He played Dove with boost, fetching Hawk, and Roy Harper ◊ Arsenal. Before combat started, Brian exhausted all of his characters to pump Roy and used him to stun Mimic. Osyp responded by activating Charles Xavier to make Brian discard the last card in his hand. Brian mulled over the rest of his turn, causing Osyp to get testy about Brian’s speed of play. Brian finally settled on Ka-Boom!ing Osyp’s X-Corporation, to which Osyp responded by discarding Jean Grey, Phoenix Force for some endurance gain.

On turn 7, Brian considered his play for a while before simply laying a resource and moving his team to the front. Osyp, now unable to play Professor X, World’s Most Powerful Telepath due to the Ka-Boom! on the previous turn, had no play, and again took Terra’s ability at the start of combat with Mimic. Brian then declared a team attack with everyone but Arsenal on Mimic. Osyp responded by using Professor X, causing Brian to discard the last card in his hand, a Press the Attack. Osyp then used Mimic’s ability on Roy, and Brian responded by Ka-Boom!ing Cerebro, fizzling Mimic. Brian attacked with everyone, played a Teen Titans Go!, used Roy on Mimic, then team attacked Professor X with Garth ◊ Tempest and Beast Boy. Beast Boy and Professor X, Charles Xavier were both were stunned. Brian returned Press the Attack with Garth but no longer had four resources to play the threshold cost. Osyp lost Professor X during recovery.

Time was called, and turn 8 would be the last, with Osyp having the initiative. Once again Ka-Boom!ed out of playing 7-drop Professor X, Osyp settled on playing and flipping Cerebro, hitting 5-drop Professor X and playing him. Brian had no play, and before combat exhausted everyone to Roy Harper ◊ Arsenal, played a Press the Attack to ready Garth ◊ Tempest, and used Arsenal on Mimic. Rather than go through the motions of playing out a hopeless attack, Osyp instead conceded.

Final Result: Brian Kibler defeats Osyp Lebedowicz