Patrick Yapjoco is one of Team Realmworx’s headline players and was using an innovative endurance-gain stall deck that had been making waves all day. Adam Bernstein is the champion of PC New York, and, for this tournament, was piloting the popular Common Enemy deck.

Yapjoco opened the game with control of the odd initiatives, and neither player had a drop for turn 1. Bernstein recruited She-Thing on turn 2, and Yapjoco brought out Kyle Rayner, Last Green Lantern, using his effect to get Rain of Acorns. She-Thing then beat him. Soundly.

Next turn, Yapjoco flipped over Book of Oa, using its effect to discard Olapet. He then brought out Dr. Light, Master of Holograms and activated him to bring Olapet up from the KO’d pile. Bernstein recruited Luke Cage, Hero for Hire, and both of his characters were brought to their knees by Rain of Acorns.

Bernstein recruited Dr. Doom, Diabolic Genius for turn 4 and chained Common Enemy to his effect. Yapjoco then used The Ring Has Chosen to fetch Malvolio. 

“Malvolio who?” quipped Bernstein.

“That’s always the answer,” said Yapjoco, grinning. All effects resolved, and Bernstein drew for Common Enemy, flipped it down, and flipped it back up to draw again. Yapjoco used the Book to load a G’Nort into his KO’d pile, and then used Dr. Light to bring G’Nort out. Yapjoco recruited Malvolio and then flipped and activated Birthing Chamber. 

Bernstein chained Reign of Terror to bounce Olapet and G’Nort, disrupting the Chamber’s effect. Malvolio wound up sitting in the middle of an “L” formation, protected by Dr. Light. Dr. Light was quickly smashed by Dr. Doom in a fit of spicy Doctor-on-Doctor action. Rayner and Malvolio blasted out some Cover Fire, but Dr. Doom let loose with a cry of “It’s Clobberin’ Time!” to ensure the stun. Luke Cage then attacked Rayner, and Bernstein used Cage’s effect by dropping an in-hand power-up. She-Thing wrapped up the turn with a Finishing Move, KO’ing Dr. Light.

Next turn, Yapjoco again Book’d, discarding a copy of Salakk, and recruited Katma Tui, using her to protect Kyle Rayner in an “L” formation with Malvolio out to the side. Bernstein recruited Robot Destroyer, which he put behind She-Thing. Luke Cage shielded Dr. Doom, and combat began.

Malvolio stomped on She-Thing to start things out. Katma-Tui then beat up Luke Cage, and Dr. Doom didn’t reinforce—he’s ambitious and evil like that. Rain of Acorns then pelted the Robot Destroyer, who took his acorning like a (robotic) man. Bernstein opted not to swing back with Doom, and play moved to turn 6.

Bernstein recruited Dr. Doom, Victor Von Doom to start turn 6. Yapjoco used Book of Oa to ditch a G’Nort to the KO’d pile and then recruited Sinestro, Green Lantern of Korugar with a Catcher’s Mitt. Katma Tui sat in front of Sinestro, Malvolio protected Kyle, and Yapjoco passed.

Robot Destroyer and She-Thing attacked Katma-Tui, but Helping Hands defended her. She-Thing ate a stun back, and Bernstein shook his head before passing, not attacking with Doom.

Sinestro bashed the Robot Destroyer, and the endurance totals were 39 to 30. “I don’t think you’re supposed to win the damage race” remarked Bernstein. Doom was acorned, and Yapjoco bounced up to 44 endurance thanks to Katma.

Next turn, Yapjoco continued digging with Malvolio, Book of Oa, and Birthing Chamber. He recruited Two-Face, Split Personality and pushed all his characters to the front row. Bernstein recruited Mr. Fantastic, Scientific Genius, dug out a Kevlar Body Armor with his effect, and strapped Richards into it. It was 30 to 44, and Bernstein placed all three of his characters in the back row centered around Doom. Two-Face’s effect was activated, Doom exhausted for Mystical Paralysis to lock down Two-Face, and once the chain resolved, Robot Destroyer and Mr. Fantastic were both exhausted—Bernstein was unclear on when he could activate the Destroyer’s effect in relation to Two-Face’s exhaustion, and because of that, he missed the chance to use the Destroyer. Katma Tui and Kyle Rayner team attacked the sad robot, stunning it and Rayner. Sinestro attacked Doom, but Bernstein flipped Doomstadt and the resulting stun back cut short Yapjoco’s aspirations for combat that turn.

Bernstein recruited Silver Surfer a turn later, searching him out via Signal Flare. Mr. Fantastic, Scientific Genius protected him, while Doom protected the Robot Destroyer. Yapjoco recruited Kyle Rayner, Ion and boosted him. Then he chained Katma Tui’s effect to gain 10 endurance, putting himself at 46. Play quickly moved to turn 9.

Yapjoco had an in-hand Onslaught but was threatened by Silver Surfer’s effect. His solution? Using The Ring Has Chosen to tutor for Professor X, Mental Master and recruiting him with boost. Yapjoco targeted Silver Surfer with Prof X’s effect, and Bernstein looked at the field and quickly scooped. There was nothing he could do.

Patrick Yapojoco wins the match!