Maximilien won the die roll and selected the odd initiatives. He mulliganed his opening four, and Jason contemplated his hand for a moment before deciding to keep. Both players passed on the first turn, so the first play of the game was Maximilien’s Captain Boomerang, George Harkness on turn 2. It attacked into an empty board, and the players quickly drew for the next turn.
Maximilien passed on 3 without playing another character, but Jason had Ahmed Samsarra, White King in the visible area. Ahmed ran over the 2-drop, and play continued at blazing speed.
Turn 4 was Jason’s initiative, and he recruited Merlyn, Deadly Archer in front of Ahmed. Maximilien recruited Professor X, Headmaster behind Boomerang. In combat, Merlyn stunned Boomerang. Jason had no further attacks, and Maximilien sent Professor X after Merlyn. Jason allowed the attack and used Ahmed to get Checkmate Safe House. He teamed-up with League and exhausted the Safe House for Knightmare Scenario. Maximilien played Psionic Storm, which Jason countered with Threat Neutralized. This prompted No Man Escapes the Manhunters from Maximilien, but Jason had the Huntress, Reluctant Queen and a Brother Eye to pay for it. Professor X was stunned, and Merlyn was not. Jason led 47-37.
On turn 5, Maximilien had the initiative. He went into the tank before recruiting Emma Frost, Friend or Foe next to the Professor in the support row. Jason played Scarecrow, Fearmonger and set up with Scarecrow protecting Ahmed and Merlyn next to Ahmed in the support row. At the beginning of combat, Scarecrow took Merlyn’s counter. Maximilien went into the tank again to figure out how he would stun the 11 ATK / 10 DEF monster. He eventually discarded to flip Psionic Storm down and re-play it to allow Emma to trade with Scarecrow. Jason allowed it, and both characters stunned. Next, Maximilien sent the Professor into Ahmed. Jason had Enemy of My Enemy for Genis-Vell ◊ Photon. He activated Ahmed to KO the Enemy, searching for another Safe House, which he kept face down. Jason exhausted his Brother Eye to play another Knightmare Scenario, and Maximilien was forced to Shrink his own character to bounce the attack. Both players declined additional attacks. Jason used his Brother Eye to return a Robot to his hand. At the end of the turn, Jason was ahead 41-37.
Jason was up on turn 6, and he recruited Asmodeus, Duke of Hell. Maximilien played Eye of the Storm from his resource row before under-dropping with Sunfire. In combat, Jason sent Scarecrow into Sunfire. Maximilien simply reinforced. Next, Jason flipped another Safe House to team-up Underworld and use Asmodeus. To this ability he chained a flip of Brother I Satellite, fetching Sensei. Both players KO’d a resource. Jason passed on further attacks. Maximilien played War of Attrition to replace the Underworld Team-Up, and Jason allowed it. Maximilien had no further attacks, and Jason picked up another Safe House with Ahmed in recovery. He used Brother Eye to return a Robot to his hand. Jason still led, 41-36.
Maximilien had the initiative on turn 7, and he played Gorilla Grodd. He set up with Sunfire protecting the Professor and Gorilla protecting Emma, and then passed. Jason went into the tank. “You play two different 6-drops . . . I’m dumb.” Jason recruited Genis-Vell and moved to formation. He set up with Scarecrow protecting Ahmed, Asmodeus protecting Merlyn, and Genis-Vell next to Asmodeus alone. He passed to Maximilien, who kicked off combat by playing No Man Escapes the Manhunters on Genis-Vell. Jason responded by getting Slaughter Swamp with Ahmed. He used it to get back Huntress, and then allowed the plot twist to resolve. Maximilien team attacked Scarecrow with Sunfire and Professor X. Jason allowed both the attack and the stun, trading Sunfire for his 5-drop. Maximilien ran over Ahmed with Gorilla Grodd; Jason could only reinforce. Finally, Emma Frost attacked Genis-Vell. Before the attack resolved, Maximilien flipped Psionic Storm. Both characters went down. Neither player had any additional attacks, and in recovery, Jason Enemy’d for Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man before flipping a new Safe House using Asmodeus again. He used Brother Eye to return a Robot to his hand. In recovery, Jason lost Ahmed (removed with Threat Neutralized). Maximilien now led, 27-26.
On turn 8, Jason hit yet another 6-drop in the form of his Huntress. Maximilien played Enemy of My Enemy, discarding Boomerang to pick up Jean Grey, Red. He played War of Attrition to get the Underworld Safe House (again) and recruited Jean Grey. Maximilien set up with Grodd in front of Emma and Professor and Jean flanking Emma in the support row. In combat, Jason’s first attack sent Genis-Vell into Emma. Maximilien reinforced with the Professor before allowing the stun. Next, Huntress and Merlyn team attacked Jean Grey. Maximilien allowed it, and Jason played two copies of Threat Neutralized on Huntress. Jean Grey traded for Merlyn. Finally, Asmodeus attacked Professor X. The 4-drop was stunned. Jason passed, and Maximilien sent Grodd into Asmodeus. A Shrink on Grodd stopped stunback, and Asmodeus was stunned. In recovery, Jason used Brother Eye to return a Robot to his hand. He also used Slaughter Swamp to retrieve a 7-drop. The endurance totals were now 17-1 in Jason’s favor, and he was threatening Spider-Man for the next turn. Maximilien conceded.
Game 2
Both players kept their openers for game 2 and neither had a 1-drop. Maximilien started things off with Captain Boomerang, George Harkness. On turn 3, Maximilien recruited Sage, Xavier’s Secret Weapon. Jason had Ahmed Samsarra, White King. Maximilien had no attacks, and Jason crushed Sage with Ahmed. In recovery, Jason flipped Brother Eye and played Enemy of My Enemy to get Merlyn, Deadly Archer.
Jason had the initiative on turn 4 and played his Merlyn behind Ahmed. Maximilien played an Enemy of his own to get Professor X, Headmaster. He set up with Boomerang protecting Sage and the Professor next to Sage in the support row. Jason attacked Boomerang with Merlyn, and Maximilien allowed the stun. Ahmed went after Sage, and Maximilien played Memory Probe from his hand. After selecting a card, he powered-up. An Alley-Oop! made Sage 7 ATK / 7 DEF. Jason had two copies of Threat Neutralized, but Maximilien had another power-up. Jason used his Brother Eye for an extra point, and the characters traded. Jason passed to Maximilien. The Professor was sent after Merlyn, and Jason had a power-up. Maximilien played Psionic Storm, which was met by a Checkmate Safe House, which in turn facilitated a Knightmare Scenario. Maximilien played No Man Escapes the Manhunters to force the stun. In recovery, Ahmed, Sage, and Boomerang were lost. Jason led, 37-34.
Maximilien simply recruited White Tiger in front of Professor X for turn 5. Jason used Ahmed, fetching Brother I Satellite. He flipped it to get Maxwell Lord, Black King. Maxwell came out in front of Ahmed equipped with Knight Armor. Maximilien went into the tank to figure out how he would muster the 12 ATK necessary to stun the King. As it turns out, he had another No Man Escapes the Manhunters. He used it and sent White Tiger in to trade with the 5-drop. Jason allowed the mutual stun. Next, Professor X went after Ahmed. Jason used his Safe House to prevent a point, but Ahmed still went down. The 3-drop was removed form the game in recovery. The scores were tied at 29 apiece.
Turn 6 was again Jason’s initiative, and he played Genis-Vell ◊ Photon behind Maxwell Lord. Maximilien recruited Jean Grey, Red and set up with the Professor protecting Jean. White Tiger was left alone in the front row. In combat, Jason sent Maxwell into Professor X. He used Brother Eye to give the King 3 additional ATK. Maximilien popped a Memory Probe from the resource row. After selecting a card, he reinforced with Jean Grey. The Professor was stunned. Jason took down White Tiger with Genis-Vell, and neither player had additional attacks. The Professor was lost in recovery. Jason now led again, 29-21.
On turn 7, Maximilien quickly recruited Exodus and passed. Jason under-dropped with Elimination Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot and another Ahmed in the hidden area. Maximilien attacked Genis-Vell with Exodus, and the 6-drop was stunned. White Tiger crushed OMAC Robot, which was given 1 DEF with the Safe House. Finally, Jean Grey attacked Maxwell with help from Psionic Storm. Jason used Ahmed to get Pit of Madness, which he used on Maxwell. In response, Maximilien used War of Attrition to replace Jason’s League Team-Up. Jason conceded.
Game 3
Jason took the odd initiatives. The players wished each other luck and surveyed their hands. Both players kept. Predictably, they both missed on the first turn. Maximilien missed on turn 2 as well, while Jason used Brother I Satellite to get Sarge Steel. Jason attacked directly, and that was the turn.
On turn 3, Jason had the lead. He recruited Ahmed Samsarra, White King behind Sarge. Maximilien played Enemy of My Enemy from his resource row, discarding Mikado and Mosha to get Sage, Xavier’s Secret Weapon. Jason played an Enemy of his own in response to the recruit, picking up Asmodeus, Duke of Hell. Jason also flipped Latverian Embassy. In combat, Ahmed ran over Sage, and Sarge attacked directly. The endurance totals were 50-39 in Jason’s favor.
Maximilien had the initiative on turn 4 and recruited Professor X, Headmaster behind Sage. Jason recruited Merlyn, Deadly Archer in the support row next to Ahmed. He gave Merlyn Knight Armor and passed. Maximilien sent Professor X into Merlyn. He played No Man Escapes the Manhunters. Jason flipped a Satellite to get Huntress, Reluctant Queen. He flipped a Checkmate Safe House to team-up, then countered the plot twist with Huntress. Maximilien used War of Attrition to get the Embassy, then played another No Man to get Merlyn. Jason activated the Safe House and played Threat Neutralized, but Maximilien had Psionic Storm. Finally, both characters stunned. Sage stunned Sarge Steel, who was KO’d in recovery. Maximilien led 41-39.
Turn 5 was Jason’s, and he played Annihilation Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot behind Ahmed. Maximilien played Memory Probe, exhausting his Professor X. He recruited Emma Frost, Friend or Foe behind Xavier. Sage was left next to Emma in the support row. Maximilien passed to Jason, who sent Merlyn into Sage. The 3-drop was stunned. Annihilation Protocol attacked Professor X, and Maximilien allowed the stun. Jason exhausted Ahmed to KO Professor X. Emma attacked back, stunning Ahmed. No characters were lost in recovery; Maximilien led 35-27.
Maximilien had the initiative on turn 6. He hit his Jean Grey, Red. Jason flipped and used Slaughter Swamp to bring back his Huntress. He recruited her in front of Merlyn. Ahmed was set protecting the OMAC Robot. In combat, Maximilien sent Jean Grey into Annihilation Protocol. Jason used Knightmare Scenario to threaten the stunback. He also activated his Safe House to give the Robot +1 DEF. Maximilien played Enemy of My Enemy to get a power-up for Jean Grey. The OMAC Robot was stunned. Sage and Emma Frost team attacked Huntress. The attack resolved, and Huntress traded for Emma. Jason had the opportunity to attack back, and he sent Merlyn to take down Sage. He used Ahmed to get Brother Eye, which he used to pump Merlyn’s ATK. Pit of Madness was flipped before the ability resolved for an additional point. Sage was stunned. In recovery, Sage and the OMAC Robot were lost. Maximilien led, 22-11.
Jason led on turn 7 with Sensei. Maximilien played Exodus in front of Emma. Jason went into the tank at the beginning of combat, eventually deciding to team attack Exodus with Sensei and Merlyn. Maximilien played Eye of the Storm before allowing the trade with Sensei. Huntress and Ahmed team-attacked to trade with Jean Grey, and Jason passed. Maximilien sent Emma into Ahmed. The Pit was activated for +4 ATK, and a Knightmare Scenario and Safe House activation made Ahmed 12 ATK / 9 DEF. Maximilien had two Shrinks to bounce the attack and stay alive. In recovery, Sensei and Jean Grey were lost. Maximilien led, 10-2.
Maximilien had the initiative on turn 8, and he played Enemy of My Enemy to get Rachel Summers ◊ Phoenix .She was recruited, and Maximilien passed. Jason could only muster a boosted OMAC Robot. Exodus attacked Huntress, and Jason could only flip another Safe House. He used both of his Safe Houses and allowed the stun. Rachel took down the Robot, and Emma beat into Ahmed with Psionic Storm and No Man Escapes the Manhunters. Ahmed fetched a second Brother Eye before he was stunned. Jason now had one character to attack with. He used Sewer System and two Brother Eyes on Merlyn to hit Emma for a ton, but Maximilien had Shrink. In the end, Jason lost by a single endurance point—the final score was -14 to -13.