Tillman beat Dan Bridy to get here, and Albert beat Loren Nolen. The winner of this match advances to the finals and a guaranteed $1,500 payout. Tillman won the die roll and selected the even initiatives for the first game.
Game 1
Both players kept their openers, but neither had a 1-drop. Tillman made the first play of the game with an Ahura in the hidden area. Albert matched it with Destroyer, Soulless Juggernaut. Tillman took 4. Before recovery, Tillman KO’d a Warskrull in his resource row to fetch a copy of Act of Defiance. Albert was up on 3, and he recruited Tonaja in the hidden area. Tillman had Human Torch, Sparky. Tillman played Kindred Spirits for The Fallen One in combat. Albert’s Destroyer went after the Torch, and Tillman activated it to hit him for a point. Albert flipped Extended Family to team-up Inhumans and Heralds, giving Tonaja a cosmic counter, then attacked Tillman directly for 8. Ahura attacked directly, and a Cosmic Order from Albert got rid of both his Destroyer and Tillman’s Human Torch. In recovery, Albert led 46-34.
Turn 4 was Tillman’s initiative. He had Human Torch, The Invisible Man. Albert terraformed, flipped, and used Elemental Converters before recruiting Nahrees in his hidden area. Tillman didn’t have any option except to attack directly, gaining 8 endurance from Torch. Albert went after Torch with Tonaja, trading, and Nahrees got in directly for another 8. In recovery, Nahrees picked up a cosmic counter. Albert’s lead was now 43-30.
On turn 5, Albert used Elemental Converters and recruited Air-Walker, Harbinger of Despair. Tillman had Silver Surfer, Righteous Protector in front of Human Torch. At the beginning of combat, Ahura was exhausted to Air-Walker. Albert sent Air-Walker into Human Torch, and the 4-drop stunned. Albert passed. Tillman passed as well, and Albert paid 2 endurance to lock down Human Torch. Tillman flipped Act of Defiance to team-up Heralds and Inhumans, and then flipped Terragenesis. When Human Torch recovered, Tillman discarded a card to give him a cosmic counter. Albert led, 41-26.
Tillman recruited his Fallen One for turn 6. Albert used Elemental Converters before recruiting Medusa, Queen of the Inhumans. In combat, Tillman took down Air-Walker with The Fallen One. Tillman declared an attack of Ahura into Medusa, and then played Exploiting the Flaw to send in The Fallen One instead. Albert had Elemental Battle, but Tillman played Relentless Onslaught. Both characters stunned. Silver Surfer attacked directly for 9 points of endurance gain, and Tillman passed. Albert paid 2 endurance to lock down The Fallen One, but chose not to declare any attacks. Air-Walker was KO’d in recovery. Albert led, 31-30.
Turn 7 was Albert’s initiative. As always, he started off with an activation of the Converters. He wasted no time in recruiting Molecule Man behind Medusa, and then passed. Tillman recruited Adam Warlock in front of Silver Surfer, set up with The Fallen One in front of Human Torch, and passed. Albert went into the tank, working out on paper the attacks he would have to make. When he finally knew what he was doing, the players entered combat. Adam Warlock stunned both Tonaja and Ahura. Albert sent Molecule Man into The Fallen One, and he stunned. He paid 2 to Nahrees to prevent The Fallen One from readying. A second Extended Family gave Medusa a cosmic counter, and Albert team attacked Adam Warlock with Medusa and Nahrees. Warlock and the 6-drop traded stuns. Human Torch and Silver Surfer declared a team attack into Molecule Man, and Albert allowed the stun. In recovery, Adam Warlock and The Fallen One were KO’d. Albert lead, 16-12.
On turn 8, Tillman recruited Morg, Harbinger of Extinction and Frankie Raye ◊ Nova, Optimistic Youth. He discarded to Frankie and drew two, then passed. Albert used his Converters and recruited a Frankie Raye of his own, also drawing and discarding. Albert spent his remaining resource points on Franklin Richards, Creator of Counter-Earth; Destroyer, Soulless Juggernaut; and Wolverine, Skrunucklehead. He set up with all of his characters in the support row, lined up as follows: Molecule Man, Frankie Raye, Destroyer, and Wolverine. Tillman sent Human Torch into Destroyer, and the 2-drop went down. Next, Frankie traded for his counterpart on the other side of the table. Silver Surfer ran over Wolverine, and Morg attacked Molecule Man. Tillman powered-up, and Albert played The Outside World to recover Wolverine. Molecule Man was stunned, and Tillman revealed a 5-drop to Morg to bounce Albert’s 7-drop. In recovery, Destroyer and Tillman’s Frankie Raye were lost. The now-hidden Wolverine received a cosmic counter. Tillman still led, 19-3.
Turn 9 of this exceedingly long game was Albert’s initiative. He recruited Colonel Yon-Rogg and re-recruited Molecule Man. Albert set up with Yon-Rogg, Molecule Man, Franklin Richards, and Wolverine in the front row. Tillman went into the tank—a popular pastime in this particular feature match—and eventually chose to recruit Tonaja and a Franklin Richards of his own. He also recruited Morg, Corrupt Destroyer . . . KO’ing his 7-drop. “That probably cost me the game,” said Tillman, wincing at his error. He passed with Silver Surfer protecting Human Torch. Finally, in combat, Albert began attacking. Wolverine traded with Silver Surfer, and Albert declared an attack of Nahrees into Human Torch. Tillman flipped Extended Family to put a cosmic counter on Franklin Richards, then removed the counter to move Human Torch out of the way. Albert had The Uni-Power, though, and declared the same attack. He flipped Himalayan Enclave and used Blue Area of the Moon to prevent the stunback. Attacking with his remaining characters, Albert clinched the first game.
Game 2
Tillman took the odd initiatives for the second game, and both players kept their opening hands. Before the first turn draw, Tillman played Kindred Spirits for Galan and Morg, Slayer. He recruited Galan, while Albert played Lockjaw, Inhuman’s Best Friend, searching out Mr. Fantastic, Illuminati. Neither player attacked, but Tillman used Galan in recovery. On turn 2, Albert recruited Franklin Richards, Creator of Counter-Earth, while Tillman had Morg behind Galan. Franklin attacked Galan—Tillman gained 2—and Lockjaw went after Morg. Tillman discarded a card to Morg’s ability to return Lockjaw to Albert’s hand. At the end of the turn, Franklin got a counter.
On turn 3, Tillman under-dropped with Warskrull. Morg and Kindred Spirits had taken a toll; he had only two cards remaining in his hand. Albert recruited Wolverine, Skrunucklehead. At the beginning of combat, Tillman flipped Act of Defiance, teaming-up Skrull and Heralds. Albert moved Wolverine over with Franklin, and Tillman team attacked directly and gained endurance with Galan. Wolverine attacked back for some breakthrough, and Albert’s characters received cosmic counters in recovery. The endurance score was 51-41 in Tillman’s favor.
Turn 4 was Albert’s initiative; he had Thing, Rockhead. Tillman matched him, setting up with Warskrull protecting Galan and Thing protecting Morg. In combat, Wolverine traded stuns with Tillman’s Thing. Albert sent his own Thing into Morg, and Tillman could only reinforce with Galan. Albert used The Kyln to lock down Tillman’s 2-drop, then played Cosmic Order to KO both Wolverine and Tillman’s Thing. Albert’s Thing picked up a cosmic counter. The score was now 43-31, still in Tillman’s favor.
On turn 5, Tillman recruited Frankie Raye ◊ Nova, Optimistic Youth using the alternate cost. With his ability on the chain, he played another Kindred Spirits to search for a 5- and 6- drop. He discarded his last card to draw the cards he had searched for and recruited Frankie Raye ◊ Nova, Harbinger of Death. Albert terraformed Blue Area of the Moon and recruited Mr. Fantastic, Illuminati behind Thing. In combat, Albert used Franklin to move Thing to the hidden area. Tillman passed on his attack, and Mr. Fantastic took down Warskrull. Tillman reinforced. Thing took down Mr. Fantastic with Blue Area of the Moon, and Franklin stunned Galan. In recovery, Tillman was left with only Frankie. He still led, 36-31.
For turn 6, Albert terraformed Himalayan Enclave before recruiting Medusa, Queen of the Inhumans. Tillman had a Mind Gem for Frankie and The Fallen One behind Frankie. In combat, Albert moved Mr. Fantastic to the hidden area. Thing took down Frankie Raye, and Tillman’s Mind Gem bounced back to his hand. Medusa and Franklin went after The Fallen One, and the 6-drops stunned. In recovery, Tillman had only The Fallen One. Albert led, 22-16.
Turn 7 was Tillman’s initiative. He replayed the Mind Gem and recruited Adam Warlock in front of The Fallen One. Albert recruited Galactus, The Maker, and the players moved to combat. With Adam Warlock’s ability on the chain, Albert used Franklin to move Medusa to the hidden area. Tillman made his only possible attack of Adam Warlock into Galactus . . . but to save time, he just conceded to Albert’s overwhelming board advantage.
Albert Wu wins and advances to the finals!