The first round of feature match action on Saturday showcased two players with 10-2 records from opposite ends of the globe. Like their time zones, their two drafts were like night and day. Scott Hunstad, who is originally from America but now resides in Australia, was a casualty of the Aussie strategy to force Crime Lords. They feel the criminal element of the draft is rewarded with the best all around plot twists and is generally underdrafted. They also feel that virtually every Crime Lord is playable and as a result expect a well-rounded line-up of characters every time. Sad news arrived from Zanzibar: There would be no pygmies. He ended up forced into playing Crime Lords and Underworld with some X-Statix to round out his very uneven curve. Even with three teams to pull from, Scott found himself with only one actual 5-drop.
Jacob Rabinowitz, on the other hand, was like Scrooge McDuck doing the backstroke through a vault of X-Statix cards. He had an excellent curve and abundant team-stamped plot twists including multiple Mind over Matters and the rare Spin Doctoring. He did not have an X-Statix HQ, although he did have a Café. His deck was the perfect example of what happens when you are the only X-Statix drafter at the table, as he was able to get every card he wanted save for a few hate drafts toward the end by the player on his right.
Neither player opened with any action although they both had turn two plays. Jacob recruited Bloke and Scott charmed out Cobra but did not reach for his deck. “Pass?” Jacob wanted to make sure there was not a Mr. Hyde in his future and smiled when Scott nodded to indicate that he was indeed passing. “That’s pretty awesome, although he probably has it in his hand.”
Scott did have Mr. Hyde in hand, and Jacob scowled as his YMG teammates along the rail made sound effects. “WAH-wah.” came the sound from Anthony Shaheen. “Who needs search?”
Jacob’s third turn play was Sluk, and he positioned him behind Bloke. Hyde came over, and Jacob exhausted Sluk to pump Bloke. Scott flipped up Missed Drop to save Mr. Hyde, but Jacob had a power-up, and they traded endurance loss.
Jacob kicked off the X-Statix nuttiness when his U-Go-Girl, Tragic Teleporter bounced his Bloke and Scott’s Cobra. Scott had a Luke Cage, Street Enforcer hiding in the shadows of the hidden area. Jacob sent U-Go-Girl into Mr. Hyde and stunned himt. Sluk came in for another 4 points, and Luke Cage got his beat on from the hidden area. The score was 39 to 35 in Jacob’s favor.
Scott, who only had one actual 5-drop in his deck, had to make do with Moon Knight this turn, while Jacob put The Russian up front with U-Go-Girl—Sluk stayed behind to guard her rear. Luke came after U-Go-Girl, and Jacob KO’d Sluk. Scott flipped up No Rest for the Wicked, and Jacob turned his character over with a frown.
Anthony Shaheen gestured to a judge regarding Luke Cage’s ability, asking “Shouldn’t he draw a card?
They looked at Cage’s rules text to make sure it was mandatory, Scott drew his free card, and Jacob made a mock fist at his teammate, joking, “I’m going to get you later.”
Shaheen put up his hands and put on his best holier-than-thou look, “Hey, win fair and square, or don’t win at all.”
“I’ve always opted for the ‘don’t win at all’ part,” added Craig Krempels from the peanut gallery. It was all in good fun, though. Jacob was not at all upset with his teammate although he might have felt differently had he known that the card Scott drew was a power-up for Moon Knight that allowed him to stun U-Go-Girl without losing his lunar avenger.
The Russian came over and shook down Mr. Hyde, but the turn did not go especially well for Jacob despite having his opponent miss a 5-drop. He did maintain a narrow endurance loss lead with the score 30 to 24 in his favor.
Jacob’s Zeitgeist on turn 6 looked good for him, although Scott did have Nuke, the ideal 6-drop for him to draw with the odd initiative. Scott set up Nuke in the front with Mr. Hyde behind him. He also had Moon Knight off to one side but up front. Luke Cage quietly hoped to be able to enforce a little street justice from the sidelines. Jacob did a quick review of his resource row and tried to formulate his strategy for the turn. Finally, The Russian came after Moon Knight, and Scott flipped up Midnight Sons to team up MK and Crime Lords before flipping Moon Knight over.
Jacob face-upped Mind over Matter and returned U-Go-Girl to his hand. Zeitgeist launched up and over the troublesome Nuke to smash into Mr. Hyde for the win.
Ben Seck, a fellow Aussie who had covered Scott’s draft, asked Hunstad why he didn‘t put Moon Knight back behind Nuke with Mr. Hyde at his flank, allowing Midnight Sons to set up the classic “L” reinforcement position, “Did you do your formation wrong?”
“I wanted him to attack differently,” explained Hunstad, although he did not seem resolute in his convictions. “If I put Moon Knight in the back, then he knows I have the team-up.”
Ben was skeptical, “That seems overly hopeful.”
Result: Jacob defeats Scott.