The players sat down, and Michael lost the die roll. “That’s a bad beat!” exclaimed Josh. “Only three Optitrons. Who does that?” asked Michael. “You can laugh all you want . . . this is my sixth Top 8 with a 61-card deck. You have no idea how much pressure’s on this match. I’ve had six tries and no wins.”
Game 1
The players handed off their decks, and Josh chose the odd initiatives. Josh mulliganed his opener, while Michael kept. Neither player had anything to recruit on the first turn. Michael had the initiative on the second turn and brought out Natasha Romanoff ◊ Black Widow, Super Spy from the resource row. Josh flipped an Optitron and discarded Dawn Granger ◊ Dove to fetch Beast Boy. He took 3 from Natasha, and play moved on.
Josh played his Beast Boy on turn 3, while Michael under-dropped with Wasp. Josh sent Beast Boy into Natasha and flipped and used Tamaran for an extra point. Michael had Avengers Mansion and two reservists for the double stun. Wasp attacked back into an empty board, and that was the turn. Michael led 45–42.
Michael led off turn 4 with Carol Danvers ◊ Warbird in front of Natasha. Josh had Terra behind Beast Boy. Michael’s first attack was an attempt to send Carol and Wasp into Terra. Josh stunned Wasp before the attack was legal. Michael’s next attack brought Carol and Natasha into Beast Boy. Beast Boy traded with Carol and was then returned to Josh’s hand. Josh was left with only Terra, while Jacob had Carol and Natasha. The endurance totals were tied at 39 apiece.
Josh went into the tank on turn 5, eventually opting to recruit Garth ◊ Tempest behind Terra. Michael had She-Hulk, Gamma Bombshell in front of Natasha. Carol was left next to Natasha in the back row. Josh went into the tank again to consider his attacks. He finally decided to send both of his characters into She-Hulk. A Teen Titans Go! from the hand readied both of them, and Terra was activated to stun Natasha. Garth’s ability was used to return Teen Titans Go! to Josh’s hand, and Michael used She-Hulk’s ability before stunning Garth Back. Josh played the Go! from his hand and attacked Carol with Terra. Michael had a power-up, and Josh was brick-walled. Carol attacked back for 11 with the help of a Mansion activation for the full amount. Josh was left with only Garth, while Michael had She-Hulk, Carol, and an endurance lead of 39–16.
Michael’s turn 6 play was Wonder Man, with no legal targets for his stun. He then dropped Rick Jones into the hidden area by paying his alternate cost. All of his characters were moved to the front row. Josh recruited Beast Boy in front of Garth, and then Tim Drake ◊ Robin, Young Detective in the front row. Finally, Pantha was set behind Tim. Michael’s first attack sent Carol into Pantha, and Josh reinforced with Garth. Pantha went down. Next, Michael sent Rick Jones into Tim Drake. A 5-point activation of Avengers Mansion gave him 6 ATK, and Tim Drake went down, but not before a power-up mitigated a point of damage. She-Hulk attacked into Beast Boy, and Josh conceded—he was dead on the board.
Game 2
Josh once again chose to take the odd initiatives. This time, Josh kept his hand while Michael mulliganed. Josh had Optitron on the first turn, discarding Koriand’r ◊ Starfire to get Terra. Michael had no turn 1 play of his own, but he did have Dane Whitman ◊ Black Knight on turn 2. Josh discarded Dawn Granger ◊ Dove to Optitron to get Pantha, which he then recruited. Dane attacked into Pantha, and that was the turn.
For turn 3, Josh had Dawn Granger with boost to get Hank Hall ◊ Hawk. All of his characters were set in the front row, and he passed the recruit. Before Michael played a character, he used Dan’s ability to give her +3 ATK/+3 DEF. He then played Wasp in the hidden area. Rick Jones, played with his alternate cost, went into the hidden area as well. Josh wasted no time in declaring a team-attack of Pantha and Hawk into Dane. Hawk and Dane went down, and Dove followed up with a direct attack for 2. Michael sent Rick Jones into Dove with help from No Man Escapes the Manhunters. Wasp then went after Pantha and was stunned with help from a Roy Harper ◊ Arsenal, Sharpshooter discarded to a Titans Tower activation. As the turn ended, Josh’s lone Hawk faced off against Michael’s lone Wasp, and Michael had a slight endurance lead of 43–41.
Michael had the initiative on turn 4 and simply recruited Iron Man, Tony Stark. Josh recruited Terra behind Hawk and then flipped and used USS Argus. Terra was immediately activated to KO Argus and stun Wasp. In combat, Iron Man attacked Hawk with a 3 ATK boost from Avengers Mansion. Hawk was exhausted to Finishing Move Wasp, and then Heroic Sacrifice saved Josh a few points of endurance loss. He was still down on endurance 41–37.
Josh’s turn 5 play was Garth ◊ Tempest behind Hawk. Terra was set next to Garth. Michael had Carol Danvers ◊ Warbird in front of Iron Man. Josh wasted no time in team attacking Carol with Hank and Terra. Carol and Terra went down. Teen Titans Go! and Savage Beatdown allowed Hawk to take down Iron Man, and then Garth attacked Michael directly for 10 with help from a Tamaran. At the end of the turn, Michael recovered Iron Man, while Josh recovered Terra. Josh was now in the lead, 31–23.
On turn 6, Michael had Captain America, Super Soldier. Both of his characters were moved to the front row. Josh took a minute to consider his options and eventually chose to discard Tim Drake ◊ Robin, Young Detective to his Optitron. He searched out Red Star, which he immediately played. Red Star’s payment power used Josh’s final resource point and burned Michael for 5. Josh set up with Terra behind Red Star and Garth next to Terra in the back row. Michael’s first attack sent Iron Man into Garth. The attack was legal. Josh paid 3 endurance to return Heroic Sacrifice to his hand, and a 5-point Mansion activation brought Garth down. Next, Michael attacked Captain America into Terra. Savage Beatdown brought Captain America to 18 ATK, and Josh activated Tamaran before using Heroic Sacrifice to mitigate the damage. Josh lost his Red Star and maintained an endurance lead of 19–18.
Josh was up on turn 7, and he used Optitron to get Koriand’r. She came out in front of Garth, and Terra was left next to Garth in the back row. Michael had Wonder Man, revealing five reservists to stun Terra. All of Michael’s characters were moved to the front row. Evaluating his hopeless situation, Josh conceded.
Michael Jacob wins $10K Orlando!