Niles Rowland is an up-and-coming player from Las Vegas. He made waves in Golden Age a few weeks ago by making Top 8 at $10K Orlando with a Squadron Supreme deck. His opponent, Michael Richards, is a local player from Bedford, Texas. This is Michael’s first big tournament, but he went to the Sneak Preview, so he’s come here prepared.
Niles won the die roll and selected the odd initiatives. Niles mulliganed, while Michael kept his opener. Neither player had anything to do on the first turn, but Michael kicked things off on the second turn with Maxwell Lord, Financier. He used his ability, discarding John Henry Irons ◊ Steel, Steel-Drivin’ Man to fetch Justice League Task Force. Niles had a 2-drop of his own in the form of Booster Gold, Michael Jon Carter. Michael attacked, and both characters stunned.
Niles had the initiative on the third turn and brought out Zauriel, Guardian Angel in front of Booster Gold. Michael had no play, and Niles sent both of his characters in, first stunning Maxwell with Zauriel, then attacking directly with Booster. These attacks gave Niles an endurance lead of 48–41.
Turn 4 brought a Wonder Woman, Avatar of Truth from Michael. She was immediately equipped with Mobius Chair. Both of his characters were set in the front row, and before he passed, Michael flipped up his Justice League Task Force to team up JLA and JLI. Niles had Batman, Hidden Crusader in the front row of the hidden area and kept Zauriel in front of Booster in the visible area. Niles had a Team-Up of his own in the form of UN Building. At the beginning of combat, Niles had to choose a plot twist for Wonder Woman’s ability. He chose to name UN Recognition. Michael’s first attack brought Wonder Woman into Zauriel. Niles simply reinforced. Maxwell traded with Booster Gold, and Michael passed to Niles’s attacks. Niles declined to trade Batman for Wonder Woman, and that was the turn. Niles was still ahead, 43–39.
Before recruiting a character on turn 5, Niles flipped Slaughter Swamp. He played Floronic Man, Alien Hybrid to return the Swamp to his hand and then set him in front of Zauriel. Michael had Zatanna, Zatanna Zatara in the support row next to Wonder Woman. Maxwell was set protecting Zatanna, and combat began. Niles named Air Strike for Wonder Woman’s ability and declared his first attack of Floronic Man into Wonder Woman. Both players passed, and Wonder Woman went down. Niles’s next attack brought Zauriel into Maxwell, and again, Michael had nothing. Finally, Batman went after Zatanna with help from the Air Strike that Niles had named. He replaced a Gang-Up for Air Strike to give Batman a total of 12 ATK, and Michael couldn’t stop Zatanna from stunning. At the end of the turn, Michael lost everything except Zatanna, and Niles maintained a commanding endurance lead of 39–25.
On turn 6, Michael went into the tank to consider his play. He finally opted to recruit an off-curve Dinah Laurel Lance ◊ Black Canary, Blonde Bombshell alongside Zatanna in the front row. Niles continued to hit his drops with Metamorpho, Rex Mason, who was set in the front next to Floronic Man. Zauriel was left in the support row, still protected by Floronic Man, and the players moved to combat. Michael declared a team-attack on Metamorpho, and Niles chose to give him +2 ATK and +2 DEF. Dinah and Metamorpho traded stuns, and it was Niles’s turn to attack. He sent Floronic Man into Michael’s lone unstunned character and was stopped cold by Bulletproof. Niles tried again with a team-attack of his remaining characters, and this time succeeded in taking Zatanna down. Before recovery, Niles flipped another Slaughter Swamp and used it to trade a Dr. Sivana, Thaddeus Bodog Sivana for the Booster Gold in his KO’d pile. At the end of the turn, Niles lost Batman and Michael lost Zatanna. The endurance score was now 29–15 in Niles’s favor.
Turn 7 was once again Niles’s initiative, and he wasted no time in replaying that Booster Gold—this time with boost. He was joined by Katar Hol ◊ Hawkman and Connor Hawke ◊ Green Arrow, and Niles pushed all of his characters to the front. Michael could only muster Guy Gardner, Egomaniac, who he hid behind Zatanna. Niles went into the tank at the beginning of combat. His first attack brought Zauriel, Connor, and Booster into Zatanna. Niles powered up Connor from his hand, and Katar Hol’s triggered ability gave his attackers a total of 12 ATK. Slaughter Swamp let him get the power-up back and gave his team another +3 ATK. This was exactly enough to take down Zatanna. Niles next sent Katar Hol and Metamorpho into Guy, and he went down without a problem. A direct attack from Floronic Man sealed the game.
Niles Rowland wins!