The two builds of Squadron Supreme are pretty different. Vidi is playing with all sorts of teams, while Shane’s build stays closer to the “classic” template, using Genis Vell ◊ Photon, Transformed as a handy combat trick.

Table Judge Matt Tabak and I gave the decks a quick one-turn warm up before the players sat down. I felt pretty good with Vidi’s build. Winning the initiative, I had Ape X with an Image Inducer, a Flying Kick, and an Airskimmer discard, attacking Joystick. Then Matt discarded two copies of Genis Vell ◊ Photon, Transformed to spoil my day. Best one-turn match ever.

Shane won the die roll for game 1 and started out with Ape X, who found an Image Inducer to carry. Vidi seemed to like this play, though his Simian found an Airskimmer. The Airskimmer stayed in hand, while Ape X got an Image Inducer.

For the attacks, Shane had two copies of Flying Kick and an Airskimmer of his own, in order to attack for 11 on turn 1.

The tide very much turned on turn 2, though, as Vidi had Shape with another Image Inducer. He attacked with Ape X, who got boosted by two copies of Airskimmer, and then Shape did his little boogie all over Shane’s endurance total. It was 38-37 to Vidi at the end of turn 2.

For turn 3, Shane had Lady Lark, Linda Lewis, who got shipped the Inducer, while Vidi played Enemy of My Enemy, discarding Melissa Gold ◊ Songbird, Sonic Carapace, to find Albert Gaines ◊ Nuke. He played a Lady Lark of his own, and also saw fit to transfer an Inducer to her.

Shane attacked, trading Ape Xs, and then sent Lady Lark at Shape. He discarded a Genis Vell ◊ Photon, Transformed to empty his hand, so that Rocket Central became active. Vidi played Flying Kick on his Lady Lark and cracked back. The endurance was 28-25 to Vidi.

Vidi had Golden Archer for turn 4, while all that Shane could muster was Joystick. Shape went straight for the 1-drop, who was reinforced, leaving just Lady Lark to get beaten up by her counterpart. The endurance was 17-24 in Vidi’s favor. He tried to attack to the face with Golden Archer, but Shane had a Panacea Potion to stop that plan. Instead, Vidi simply exhausted his 4-drop to burn Shane down to 11.

In recovery, Vidi had a little thinking to do. He used Answer the Call to find Nuke and then let Shape die.

“My heart is in the cards! I will draw an answer!” declared a defiant Wiggins.

He only had Shape to play, though, while for Vidi, it was a big Nuke.

Shane played Other-Earth in an attempt to maximize his attacks, but things did not look good. Shape and Joystick team attacked into Nuke, who was powered-up but still got stunned.

Shane looked at the board and quickly scooped up his cards. He could not win this game.

Vidi wins game 1.

Game 2

Vidi took a mulligan on his hand, and when he looked at his new four, he couldn’t help but let out a little “Ooooooooooooooh, spicy!”

Shane had a turn 1 Joystick, while Vidi had a turn 1 Ape X who found, and was equipped with, a Thunder Jet. The fights on turn 1 were a little tamer than the previous game, with 1-drops trading for just the single point. Old school, yo.

For turn 2, things were kicked up a notch with Melissa Gold ◊ Songbird, Sonic Carapace, who got an Image Inducer. Vidi’s recruits were better than Shane’s—all he had was a Shape. The 1-drops and 2-drops traded when Shane had a power-up for his Shape, and it was on to turn 3. Endurance 46-40 to Vidi.

With the initiative, Shane recruited Lady Lark behind Shape for 3. Vidi then had the option of either curving out with a Lady of his own, or emptying his hand further by going off curve. He chose the latter, playing Shape with an Image Inducer and Electric Eve—the Little Morlock That Could (burn people to the face).

A discarded Airskimmer let Shape try to attack Eve, who eve-aded, allowing Shape to go for Melissa Gold instead. Lady Lark then traded with Shape, doing a fair bit extra over the top and taking the endurance to 33-30 to Wiggins.

Vidi had a lot of copies of Answer the Call, one in the row and two in hand following the draw. He played one in the row, recruited the reservist Lady Lark in his row, and managed to ditch the other. Ape X was played for the final point, and Vidi used it to find another Image Inducer, which was given to the primate to use.

Shane had an Ape X, too, and he declared that it was going to be a bad turn for him. He found an Airskimmer for Lady Lark, and that was it. He passed to Vidi with a frown and a shrug.

Ape X and Electric Eve went into Lady Lark. She was powered-up, but Other-Earth came over the top. Shape beat up Ape X, and Lady Lark got to go to the face. Shane was down to 13 to Vidi’s 28 and looked to be in a lot of trouble.

Chained to the draw, Vidi used Answer the Call to find Nuke.

Shane looked at his draw and simply scooped.

Vidi wins game 2, needing only one more to become Pro Circuit Champion.

Game 3

Shane again had Joystick as a turn 1 recruit, while Vidi continued his trend of turn 1 Ape X, this time fetching and equipping an Image Inducer. A Flying Kick let Joystick run in for 5, and it was on to turn 2.

Vidi played Melissa Gold ◊ Songbird, Sonic Carapace in the back row and transferred the equipment to her. Shane, meanwhile, thought it would be a good idea for some monkey love of his own, playing Ape X to find an Image Inducer and putting an Airskimmer on Joystick, who protected Xina the Warrior Ape.

Vidi’s Ape took a Flying Kick at her counterpart, and then Melissa beat up Joystick to take endurance to 42-40 for Vidi. All the Apes died, and it was on to turn 3.

Shane flipped down Flying Kick, recruited a Lady Lark, Linda Lewis, and passed with her protecting Joystick. Vidi, too, had Lady Lark, and left everyone in the back row. An Other-Earth from Shane allowed for some big attacks, with Lady Lark coming in on her counterpart. A double power-up counteracted the Other-Earth, and then when Vidi’s girl stunned, he used Panacea Potion from hand with her effect on the chain so as not to take pain from her stun trigger. Joystick beat up Melissa, and it was on to turn 4.

Vidi had only an Airskimmer for Lady Lark for the turn, declaring, “I got nothing.” Shane had Golden Archer, but was despairing at how bad his resource row looked.

Vidi attacked and stunned both of his opponent’s characters, with only Melissa getting stunned on his side.

For yet another time, Shane declared his heart to be in the cards as he drew. Again, he slumped in his chair. He was in all sorts of trouble. Vidi again had an Answer the Call to find Nuke, and Shane was forced to extend his hand.

Vidianto Wijaya wins Pro Circuit: Atlanta and $40,000!