Questions like a candle that’s burning at both ends.
Never find an answer that fits in your plans.
Back and forth between good and the bad,
It’s indecision time . . .
Go to the left, go to the right.
Your mind is going to keep you up all night.
You twist in your sleep, grabbing the sheets,
Sweating to death . . .
— Hüsker Dü, “Indecision Time”
That song perfectly describes the week before the Pro Circuit for me. Even though I have narrowed my choices down to only two different decks, I still hang on tightly to that final choice—like a burning coal buried deep in my chest.
By the time you read this, PC Atlanta will be over. I will have made my decision and the results will be public knowledge. Right now, I am still torn. Should I play the ridiculous deck that can actually win its share in a way that no competitive professional would consider, or should I play the Avengers reservist deck that could seriously contend for the top tables? What would you do?
As part of my training for a big tournament, I always consult the myths. Since three of the key cards in the reservist deck are Dane Whitman; Hawkeye, Clinton Barton; and Wonder Man, I looked for a story that includes all three. I found a winner.
The book was “Avengers Annual #16.” The year was 1987. A new Game of the Galaxy was about to begin. Grandmaster was ready to play, and he always bets big.
Grandmaster is one of the Elders of the Universe. If I am going to follow anyone’s advice about which deck to play, it would be someone really important like that. When I saw that the Collector was also involved in this myth, I really started to pay attention. The Collector is near and dear to my heart. He travels the universe, choosing the best examples of each kind of being for his own private stash. I strive with every breath to be worthy of his selection. Maybe some day he will collect me . . .
In this story, the Collector drugged the Avengers. They had an experience so vivid that they got to fight in the realm of Death herself. When our heroes popped into her world, Death was fascinated. That’s when Grandmaster gobbled up some of her power and created five life-bombs to destroy the entire known universe. If Grandmaster won his little contest, then he and his Elder buddies could start all over and create a new custom universe of their choosing.
Grandmaster needed an opposing deck with which to battle the Avengers. He dug up a whole host of cool villains and called them the Legion of the Unliving. This created quite a few appropriate face-offs to help me make my choice for Pro Circuit Atlanta.
Dane Whitman struggled with himself—like I am with my deck choice. As the Black Knight, he had inherited his persona from a long line of past incarnations. Grandmaster revived Sir Percy of Scandia, and we had ourselves a Black Knight mirror match. Perhaps predictably, the two powerful warriors fought to a stalemate. There was no relief for my indecision in that one.
Wonder Man helped the cause greatly by getting himself some bad beats. Hyperion, Sun God landed a left hook that drove Wonder Man completely through the planet and into the fiery star that it orbited. Ouch. The diversion allowed Captain America to take a shot at the life-bomb. He destroyed it with his shield. This made me certain of one thing: If I play with the Avengers reservist deck in Atlanta, I will include the copy of Captain America, Super Solider that Ian Estrin gave me at Pro Circuit Indianapolis. It could be good luck.
The last member of this myth is probably the key to the Avengers reservist deck in the Marvel Modern Age environment. Hawkeye, Clinton Barton can be huge against small opposing characters. Its ability to stun weenies is so good that it could almost be considered cheating. In the story, Hawkeye actually did break the rules.
Grandmaster cannot resist a wager. Hawkeye used this weakness against him. Two arrows were held in closed fists. Grandmaster had to choose the stick that had the arrowhead on it from Hawkeye’s hands. Grandmaster chose wrong, and in his bewilderment, Death regained her power and banished him. This ended the battle, and the Avengers were sent home safely. When they got back, Hawkeye revealed his true colors. He had palmed the arrowhead so that Grandmaster had no chance of winning.
What does that say about my decision? I have no idea, but it might make more sense after I compare it to the other deck.
The ridiculous deck uses Thunderbolts characters and Win-Lose Deal to feed enough cards to the hand for Multiple Man ◊ Jamie Madrox to launch an Avengers team attack in the Playroom.
In the comic myth of “Thunderbolts #49,” Captain America, Steve Rogers actually gets to chill with Jolt, just like in the deck. Then something goes terribly wrong. Captain America doesn’t act like himself. Little things he does start to make the Thunderbolts nervous. Hawkeye helps them to see that they are not hanging out with Captain America at all, but just an illusion. Jolt and the rest of the Thunderbolts eventually smash the holographic Image Inducer that was creating the illusion, and Scourge and his disguise are revealed and defeated.
Could that mean that I should abandon the ridiculous deck as a fake? Surely, the Avengers reservist deck will give me the better chance for victory. Without a doubt, an opposing Hawkeye can wreck the ridiculous plans. On the other hand, Chaos Magic is perhaps the most hilarious play in the metagame when it deflects Hawkeye, Clinton Barton or Wonder Man onto a Multiple Man ◊ Jamie Madrox. Pulling that off on the biggest stage in the world might be reward enough for me.
Why do I play Vs. System? Why do I work so hard to qualify for the Pro Circuit? Why do I spend so much time and energy chasing this dream? Those are the questions that will decide this thing one way or the other.
I play this game because I love collecting cards that contain fantastic paintings of our modern mythical heroes. The ridiculous deck has Multiple Man ◊ Jamie Madrox and the best single depiction of any 1-cost Army character ever. Avengers reservist has the Extended Art version of Hawkeye, Clinton Barton. So both decks are even when it comes to great art. I put in the huge effort to stay qualified so that I can party with the professionals at the Pro Circuit and have something entertaining to write about when I get back. Both decks will help me fulfill those requirements, but the ridiculous deck might provide more funny bad beat stories. Edge, ridiculous. The dream that I am chasing has nothing to do with money. I just want to have fun. That is guaranteed, since my attitude will not allow anything less. However, I might have more laughs playing ridiculous, even if I do not make Day 2. Edge, ridiculous.
So, the ridiculous deck is the favorite . . . for now, at least. I am writing this on Monday March 20. That means I have five more days of beautiful torture. This delicious indecision will last until the last minute slips away. Maybe I will have a dream the night before, like I did for Pro Circuit Indianapolis 2004. That’s when Senator Kelly actually spoke to me. He told me that he could beat Big Brotherhood by himself. I followed his advice and ended up $1,900 richer for it.
Whether or not I win any money, whether or not I make the right choice, I will enjoy every minute of it. From the exquisite anguish of my difficult deck decision to the incomparable intensity involved with flipping cards on the Pro Circuit, Vs. System makes me absolutely certain of one thing—I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Rian Fike is also known as stubarnes, and he sure is glad you’re here to join in his indecision. Don’t worry, he’s not really sweating to death. If you have any advice for future impasses, send them along to rianfike@hattch.com.