Ryan Jones is the returning Pro Circuit champion, having won PC Los Angeles at the end of 2004. He decided to bring what many Vs. pro players consider the “safest” deck in the format, Spider-Knights. Salman Barakat hails from Germany and is a champion of a different TCG, coming to the table as the Legend of the Five Rings World Champion. Upon hearing that the Pro Circuit was going to be held in Amsterdam, Salman urged his friends to teach him the game, and he used his previous TCG skills to quickly learn the ins and outs of Vs. System. He decided to play the powerful Marvel Knights/ Underworld combination that is capable of some retarded things in the late game.
Ryan won the roll, but Salman came out of the blocks faster, recruiting Dagger, Child of Light and Werewolf by Night on the first two turns. Ryan finally responded with Spider-Man, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man on turn 3, but Salman upped the ante with Brother Voodoo, who is the linchpin to the MK/Underworld deck. Spider-Man attacked the voodoo shaman, and Salman responded by discarding his entire hand into the KO’d pile before the shaman became stunned.
Salman, having flipped a Midnight Sons (naming Underworld) the turn before, played Wild Ride to search for Blackout, and Ryan recruited Moon Knight into play on his fourth turn. Salman took advantage of his initiative and attacked Blackout into Moon Knight, and then played Mist Form to ensure that he would not be stunned. Ryan rallied his troops by having Spider-Man attack Brother Voodoo, who once again emptied Salman’s hand. The KO’d pile was looking increasingly menacing now, with Underworld being capable of some ridiculous things in the late game.
Turn 5 had both players playing Wild Ride for Daredevil, Matt Murdock. Ryan had Moon Knight attack Brother Voodoo, who was reinforced by Daredevil. The PC champion then flipped his own copy of Midnight Sons (naming Spider-Friends), which allowed him to team attack with Spider-Man and Daredevil on Salman’s Daredevil. Salman had his Blackout attack Spider-Man, and then he used Hell’s Fury to increase the amount of breakthrough damage. This seemed like a rash decision this early in the game, but it did allow him to put Ryan to 20 endurance whilst keeping his own at a relatively healthy 30.
The backbreaking sixth turn started with Salman playing Evil Awakens to fetch Spider-Man, The Spectacular Spider-Man. With Salman controlling this initiative, it served to ensure that there was not going to be any reinforcing or counterattacking coming from the American. Ryan replied with the usually strong Mattie Franklin ◊ Spider-Woman, but in light of Salman’s own web slinger, she looked feeble in comparison. The German activated Spider-Man’s ability to exhaust Ryan’s team, had Blackout attack Daredevil, and played Hell’s Fury. Ryan was forced to burn two Spider Senses, but then Salman broke the combat by playing Crime and Punishment to ensure that the blind lawyer became stunned. Salman then has Daredevil attack Moon Knight, paying endurance to give him +2 ATK. Ryan, sensing that he was already losing board position, played Tragic Loss to increase Moon Knight by +5 ATK, meaning that both characters stunned. But it was all for naught as Salman attacked Spider-Man with the remaining Werewolf by Night, playing a Strength of the Grave for a brutal +19 ATK and reducing the Californian’s endurance total to below 0.
Salman Barakat defeats Ryan Jones!