These two competitors are giants in the Vs. world, since they each own two pieces of $10K Championship hardware. Both Adam and Michael hope to add a third notch to their belt here in Orlando. As they shuffled up, Michael speculated on his chances. “I went 2-1 against Titans in the Swiss. The matchup’s not that bad.”
Game 1
Michael won the die roll and chose to take the odd initiatives. Both players started the game off with a mulligan. Michael had no turn 1 play, while Adam flipped Optitron. He discarded Koriand’r to get Terra. On turn 2, he used Optitron again, this time discarding Cassie Sandsmark ◊ Wonder Girl to get Pantha. He recruited Pantha and passed. Michael had Wasp in the hidden area. Adam attacked directly with Pantha, and Michael attacked back with Wasp.
Michael had his Black Panther on turn 3, revealing three reservists to make it 7 ATK/6 DEF. Adam had Beast Boy behind Pantha, and flipped and used USS Argus. Michael’s attack step yielded the predictable attack of Wasp into Pantha, and then another attack of Black Panther into Beast Boy. Michael had an endurance lead of 46–41, and Adam lost Pantha at the end of the turn.
Adam led off turn 4 with Terra behind Beast Boy, while Michael had Iron Man, Tony Stark. “That guy’s better when there are guys around him,” remarked Adam. Terra stunned Black Panther before combat. In his attack step, Adam sent Beast Boy into Iron Man with a Savage Beatdown. Adam passed the attack, and Michael’s Wasp went after Terra. A 4-point Heroes in Reserve and No Man Escapes the Manhunters assured the trade. At the end of the turn, Michael was left with Iron Man, while Adam had Terra. Michael maintained his lead with the score at 35–32.
Michael had the initiative on the fifth turn. He played She-Hulk, Gamma Bombshell and pushed his characters to the front row. Adam flipped and used another USS Argus before recruiting Garth ◊ Tempest in front of Terra. Adam passed to Michael, and Michael sent She-Hulk into Terra. Adam flipped Titans Tower and discarded another Terra to stun She-Hulk back. Michael used She-Hulk’s ability to giver her invulnerability, and both characters stunned. Michael’s next attack sent Iron Man into Garth. Another Heroes in Reserve (for 4) forced the mutual stun, but not before Adam used Garth’s ability to return Pantha to his hand. Adam was left with Garth, while Michael had She-Hulk and an endurance lead of 31–14.
Adam began turn 6 by discarding Hank Hall ◊ Hawk to Optitron. He searched out Tim Drake ◊ Robin, Young Detective, which he immediately recruited with boost. Pantha joined Tim, all of Adam’s characters were pushed to the front, and Adam passed the recruit. Michael had another Black Panther, this time revealing five reservists to make him 9 ATK/8 DEF. Rick Jones joined Black Panther in the hidden area, and Michael passed. Adam’s first attack sent Garth into She-Hulk. Michael used her payment power to give her invulnerability, and then let her stun. Adam team attacked for 5 with his remaining characters and passed. Michael sent Black Panther into Pantha, and then sent Rick Jones into Tim Drake. An Avengers Mansion
activation and a Savage Beatdown later, Michael had clinched the first game.
Game 2
Adam had his choice of initiatives for the second game and elected to take the odds. Adam kept his initial four, while Michael mulliganed. Once again, Adam’s first turn play was to flip Optitron, discarding Koriand’r to search for Terra. Michael had no play. On the second turn, though, Michael recruited Natasha Romanoff ◊ Black Widow, Super Spy. Adam discarded Hank Hall ◊ Hawk (freshly drawn, or so he said) to fetch Garth ◊ Tempest, and then recruited Dawn Granger ◊ Dove. Michael’s attack was stifled a bit by Tamaran, and the turn ended without any more action.
Adam recruited Beast Boy on turn 3, while Michael could only muster Rick Jones. Beast Boy took down Natasha, and Dove attacked directly. The turn ended with no characters lost and Adam in the lead, 48–42.
Michael hit his fourth turn drop in the form of Carol Danvers ◊ Warbird, Galactic Adventurer. Adam had Terra in the support row next to Dove, who was set behind Beast Boy. Michael attempted to attack Natasha and Carol into Terra, but Terra stunned Natasha before the attack was legal. Another attack of Carol and Rick into Terra was successful, and Call Down the Lightning on Carol forced Adam to stun Rick Jones. Terra was returned to Adam’s hand. Michael was done, and Adam had the opportunity to attack Beast Boy into Carol for a little endurance loss. Adam still had an endurance lead of 41–35.
On turn 5, Adam recruited Garth behind Dove. Beast Boy, now with 3 counters, was set in the front row next to Dove. Michael’s lone Carol Danvers was joined by Iron Man, Tony Stark, who was set behind her. Adam’s first attack brought both Dove and Beast Boy into Iron Man. Michael had nothing, and Beast Boy traded stuns with Iron Man. Adam next sent Garth into Carol. Two copies of Teen Titans Go! and two Finishing Moves (one of them returned with Garth) cleared Michael’s entire board. Michael conceded rather than continue with the hopeless game.
Game 3
Michael had his choice of initiatives for the third and final game. He again chose odds. As the players shuffled up, they talked about how awful Carol Danvers is and how lucky Michael was to get any use out of it—the only reason he did was that Adam made a critical error in formation on the fourth turn.
This time, Michael kept his initial hand and it was Adam’s turn to mulligan. Neither player had anything to recruit on the first turn, but Adam had Tim Drake ◊ Robin, Young Detective on turn 2. It was quickly joined by Dane Whitman ◊ Black Knight. Adam had Tamaran, so Tim took down Dane and Michael took a few points of endurance loss.
Michael thought for a bit before recruiting on turn 3, and eventually revealed a massive slow-roll as he dropped a 7 ATK Black Panther. Adam flipped and used USS Argus. “This is bad,” said Adam. He had no play and took a beating. Michael had a large board advantage as well an endurance lead of 48–42 as the turn ended.
Luckily for Adam, he hit his fourth turn Terra. She went behind Tim, and the recruit was passed to Michael. He recruited Hawkeye, Clinton Barton behind Dane Whitman. Hawkeye activated to stun Tim Drake, and Terra activated to stun Black Panther. This left Adam with nothing to attack with, so the attack step moved to Michael. He sent Dane into Terra with help from both No Man Escapes the Manhunters and a 3-point Avengers Mansionactivation. Michael lost Dane, and Adam lost Tim. Michael maintained a lead of 43–35.
Michael kicked off turn 5 with Avengers Assemble! for She-Hulk, Gamma Bombshell, discarding Iron Man, Tony Stark. She-Hulk was brought into play, and all three of Michael’s characters went to the front row. Adam flipped and used another USS Argus. He then recruited Garth ◊ Tempest behind Terra, and the players moved to combat. Michael first attempted to send Black Panther into Terra, but Terra activated to stun him. Next, he tried to take down Terra with Hawkeye. This attack succeeded and the characters traded stuns. She-Hulk attacked into Garth, and Adam had the Finishing Move for Hawkeye. Michael activated Avengers Mansion, this time for 4, and played a Savage Beatdown from his hand. Adam paid 3 to Garth to return a Dawn Granger ◊ Dove from his discard pile to his hand, and then took 16 from the attack. The endurance score at the end of the turn was 31–11 in Michael’s favor. Adam had nothing but Garth left in play, while Michael had nothing but She-Hulk.
Turn 6 was Adam’s initiative and his last chance to win. He went into the tank to consider his options. He had a third Argus and seemed happy with what he got. His plays for the turn were Red Star and another Tim Drake. He moved all of his characters to the front and passed to Michael. Wonder Man came out on Michael’s side, and he revealed five reservists to stun Red Star. That dashed Adam’s last hopes, and he extended the hand.
Michael Jacob wins and advances to the finals!