After nine rounds, Rian “stubarnes” Fike finds himself right on the bubble for making Day 2 at 5-4. This is the closest Rian has been to making Day 2 at the Pro Circuit in a long time. “This is torture, to stick me in here on the bubble,” Rian said as he sat down for his feature match. His opponent, Brendan Cummings, is a Vs. System player from Detroit who is part of the RIW Hobbies team.
Brendan won the die roll and announced, “I will go second.” Rian led off turn 1 with an almost obvious Infernal Minions in the hidden area. Brendan followed up with a Sue Dibny in the front row, snatching a copy of Booster Gold from his deck. Rian announced Infernal Minions into Sue Dibny. “One and one,” Brendan said as both players tallied the endurance total.
Brendan recruited Booster Gold in the support row behind Sue Dibny. Rian followed up by flipping Hard-Light Storage Tank to grab another Infernal Minions. Rian then played two more copies of Infernal Minions in the front row hidden. “I’ll team attack you directly for 4,” Brendan said as both started to tally the endurance off. Rian announced a team attack of his own with two of his Infernal Minions, and then on to the next turn they went with Brendan leading 48 to 44.
Rian recruited Zazzala ◊ Queen Bee, Mistress of the Hive in the hidden area, and Brendan followed it up with a Hero’s Welcome, grabbing two copies of Shayera Thal ◊ Hawkwoman. Brendan recruited Chay-Ara in the front row protecting Booster Gold and passed to Rian’s attack step. Rian declared Queen Bee into Sue Dibny, dealing Brendan 5 endurance loss. Rian then followed it up with a team attack of his three Minions into Chay-Ara for a total attack of 9 ATK with Infestation. Brendan powered-up Chay-Ara and used her ally effect to grab Katar Hol ◊ Hawkman, Thanagarian Enforcer. Brendan then attacked for 3 ATK with Booster Gold, and the score was even with both players at 40 endurance.
“This is the moment of truth . . . this is what I’ve been missing in my fall from grace,” Rian said as he drew his cards for turn 4. “And I missed it again.” Rian passed through his build phase with no recruit for the turn to Brendan’s Katar Hol with an Nth Metal. Brendan announced all of his characters directly into Rian to bring him down to 23 endurance. “I’ve come back from beats like this before, but never without my 4-drop,” Rian said as he looked over the board. Rian attacked with Queen Bee into Booster Gold, with Air Strike replacing World War III to get up to 9 ATK. “I wish I had another Infestation,” Rian said before announcing a team attack with his Minions into Chay-Ara with a Blinding Rage. Brendan, however, had the BWA HA HA HA HA! to counter it. Rian stunned an Infernal Minions, and then they moved on to the next turn with Brendan firmly in the lead with 31 endurance to Rian’s 22.
Rian started off turn 5 with Tattooed Man, Living Ink, and Brendan followed with a Kooey Kooey Kooey and John Henry Irons ◊ Steel, Steel Drivin’ Man equipped with Cloak of Nabu. Rian declared one of his Minions into Chay-Ara so it could become stunned and give Tattooed Man another counter. Rian announced another attack with a Minions to give another counter, burning Brendan with Queen Bee the entire way. Now Tattooed Man sat with five +1 ATK / +1 DEF counters on him, making him 12 ATK / 12 DEF. Rian announced Tattooed Man into Katar Hol with no effects. Brendan triggered his ally powers and discarded a card to Chay-Ara, finding another copy of Katar Hol. Brendan powered-up again and triggered his ally effects again (including Chay-Ara). Brendan discarded to search for another copy of Katar Hol and then powered-up yet again, this time choosing not to use Chay-Ara’s effect. Rian responded by removing all of the counters from Tattooed Man to bring five more copies of his precious Infernal Minions into play from his deck and then stunned Tattooed Man upon attack resolution. Down by 11 endurance, Rian looked over his board and tried to come up with a way to pull the game out. He flipped World War III from his resource row, KO’ing all five of his Minions to KO Brendan’s Katar Hol and burn Brendan for 12 endurance loss in the process with Zazzala. Now Rian was ahead by a precarious score of 14 to 13. Rian announced Queen Bee into Booster Gold, and Brendan powered-up, so both players took 3 endurance loss in the attack. Rian soon gave the initiative over to Brendan, as he had no more attacks he could possibly pull off for the turn. Brendan attacked with the rest of his characters, and Rian just offered his hand in concession with grace.
Rian Fike was so close to making Day 2, but according to Rian himself, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
Winner: Brendan Cummings