Kim Caton knows this game and knows how to play it very well. She was playing Curve Sentinels, and Kim playing Curve equals colossal! She had her work cut out for her, however, playing Jason Hager and his New School deck. This deck would prove to be one of the more bizarre of the day.

 

Jason Hager (or “that dude,” as he referred to himself . . . ) won the die-roll, choosing the even initiative.

 

Caton mulliganned, and the game was afoot!

 

Turn 1

 

Caton had no drop. Hager flipped a Wild Ride for Micro-Chip and played him. He would attack directly for first blood of the match, leaving Caton at 49 and Hager also at 49.

 

Turn 2

Jason played Boris behind Micro-Chip, and Caton again passed. (48-49)

 

Turn 3

 

Jason showed me a Glorious Godfrey in his hand with a spooky “Whooooooo.” I raised an eyebrow and wondered just what the heck he was thinking—Darkseid/Marvel Knights? Say what??

 

Meaghan played a Sentinel Mark II and Jason had no drop. The game was getting curious.

 

Mark II attacking Boris equals a loss of 4. Caton 48, Hager 45.

 

Turn 4

Jason pitched a Dagger, Child of Light to get Midnight Sons, then recruited Dr. Doom, Diabolic Genius, flipping Wild Ride face-down.

 

Kim recruited Boliver Trask, searching for a Sentinel Mark V, and also recruited a second Mark II. In response, Jason used Reign of Terror on the original Mark II, used his Boris to get another Reign, and Reigned the other Mark II when it hit play.

 

Doom stomped on Boliver. Caton 41, Hager 45.

 

Turn 5

 

Kim played a boosted Sentinel Mark V.

 

Hager started a frenzy of effects. He lead off with Wild Ride to get Dagger (41-44), and then pitched Dagger to get Midnight Sons. Next, he played Glorious Godfrey, flipped Midnight Sons to team up Marvel Knights and Darkseid's Elite, and used Godfrey on the Mark V, exhausting it for endurance loss (37-44).

 

Pass on all sides, and on we go to . . .

 

Turn 6

Jason played Dr. Light, Arthur Light, and the New School was on its way. He put all of his characters in the support row (Doom, Light, Micro, and Godfrey).

 

Caton played Bastion, and passed.

 

Godfrey exhausted the Mark V again (33-44) and passed the attack.

 

Kim stared at the board. “I'm not sure what to do—I don't think I've ever played against a deck like this before.”

 

I responded, “I don't think anyone's played a deck like this before . . . “

 

Jason grinned and said, “I have. For a couple of months of testing now . . . ”

 

Kim decided to use Bastion's ability to power-up Micro-Chip, discarding a Mark II, then discarding a Nimrod to do it again. She then flipped Overload (33-43).

 

Jason flipped another Midnight Sons, naming Fearsome Five and Marvel Knights. He used Dr. Light to stun Boliver, chaining Mystical Paralysis on Mark V. (32-43)

 

Turn 7

Kim recruited Magneto, Master of Magnetism, then passed.

 

Jason used Micro-Chip to flip a Wild Ride down, then use it again, getting Dagger to get Midnight Sons (32-42). Glorious Godfrey once again exhausted the Mark V (28-42).

 

Then the flurry continued, with Mystical Paralysis on Magneto, exhausting Doom. Jason recruited a new Dr. Doom, Diabolic Genius, flipping the Mystical Paralysis down again. Kim responded with Genosha.

 

The new Dr. Doom exhausted to the re-flipped Mystical Paralysis, targeting Bastion. Midnight Sons teamed-up Marvel Knights and Gotham Knights, as he recruited Alfred, then Boris. Finally, a Bat-Signal, exhausting Dr. Light, fetched him a Spider-Man, The Spectacular Spider-Man.

 

Caton 28, Hager 42, and on to . . .

 

Turn 8

 

Jason used Wild Ride for Dagger, pitching her for yet another Midnight Sons (28-41), then played Spider-Man. He used Alfred to get a Power Compressor, which he equipped to Doom. He played Alfred again.

 

His formation:

 

Spidey—Micro—Boris

Doom—Light—Godfrey—Alfred

 

Kim played a Mark II, and Jason used Godfrey on the Mark V in response (24-41). Kim played another Mark II, then replaced Boliver to fetch yet another Mark II.

 

Her formation:

 

Mark V—Mags—Bastion

Bolivar—Mark II—Mark II

 

Jason used Spidey to exhaust Kim's board. She wanted to use Reconstruction Program in response, but Doom prevented it.

 

“I'm not giving up!” Kim announced fervently.

 

Dr. Light stunned the middle Mark II (21-41). Jason then flipped his fourth Midnight Sons, naming Marvel Knights and Doom. He flipped a Bat-Signal and used it (exhausting Doom) to get Dr. Doom, Lord of Latveria.

 

A pass, and it was time for:

 

Turn 9

Kim discarded a Mark V to power-up Dr. Doom, then added a Mark II to the pot and flipped Reconstruction Program . . . but Jason discarded the Lord of Latveria and Fizzled it. Kim recruited Nimrod and passed. Her formation:

 

Mark V—Mags—Bastion—Nimrod

Bolivar—Mark II—Mark II

 

Dr Light stunned the right-hand Mark III (18-41). Jason used Alfred for a Wild Ride, fetching a Diabolic Genius (18-37). He used a Mystical Paralysis with the Doom in play to exhaust Nimrod. He then recruited a boosted Dr. Light to get into play two Diabolic Geniuses and a Lord of Latveria, Dr. Light, and four Daggers. A second Dr. Light stunned Magneto (11-37). The final Dr. Light stunned Bastion, Godfrey exhausted the remaining Mark II, and the game was over.