Reader Sean "Keebler" Powell volunteered to discuss his organized play experiences with us after a marathon three-events-in-two-days run. Those of you who haven't experienced organized play yet - live vicariously through him! If you have, let us know how these experiences compare to your own. We're willing to do a few of these. Guest posts are welcomed, though we make no guarantees that yours will be featured - it depends on several factors, and if we don't use you, we still think that you're great!

This is part two of a two-part feature.  

By Sean "Keebler" Powell

If you missed the first part of this article, look here to see the team that was brought to the OPs and the thoughts/justifications behind each card.


So, on to the events!

Alter Ego Comics - Lima, Ohio

This was about an hour and a half drive for me, but it was a nice drive and I enjoyed talking dice on the way there.

When we arrived at the store I was very surprised. This store was immaculate and had very friendly staff and the folks that turned up for the event we really awesome people. I was really glad that we made the trip.

Round 1:
Ben Seffernick

• Green Goblin Gobby x2
• Doctor Doom Nemesis x3
• Mystique Could be Anyone x4
• Magneto Sonderkommando x3
• Nick Fury WWII Vet x4
• Hawkeye Robin Hood x4
• Gearing Up and I didn’t write down the other

First turn saw Ben go with a gearing up and me buying a Tsarina, fielding a sidekick and holding back a mask. Second turn Ben got another gearing up and I purchased a McRook.

My notes go a little fuzzy on subsequent turns.

My summary was that I was able to get enough
Punisher and Widows in order to hold the board till I could get Prof X out and then it was down hill from there for Ben because most of his strategy the first round was going for gearing ups to ramp to Dr. Doom and Magneto.

Next game had Ben going for the Gobby beats but he just couldn’t get the Sidekicks and he only had 2 Green Goblin dice. I thought I had this game in the bag and didn’t stick to my game plan. He ended up switching strategies on me and I got beat by Sonderkommando. Lesson learned. Against good players you must always play good.

 Next game I stuck to my guns and was able to win with Beast and Tsarina running behind Punisher and Prof again.

Round 2:
Chris Ward

This round had me against Chris Ward (This guy knew my team and what kinda tricky stuff there was in it!)

• Beast 666
• Johnny Storm
• Gobby
• Storm Wind Rider
• Loki Gem Keeper
• Phoenix Jeannie
• Rogue Can’t Touch This

First game was text book in this match up. He didn’t get a perfect Gobby rush and I was able to field storms and control with Deadpool and Tsarina.

The second game was not even close. He smashed my face into the ground. A permanent (or so it seemed) 5 sidekicks and 5/5 Gobbys and Torch BB guns was not a fun day for the home team. But you’ll have that.

Time was called as we were finishing up the second game. So it went to a die roll and I ended up winning the roll (and subsequently the honor of buying my buddy lunch).

Round 3:
Josh Young

Josh was my final opponent. This guy had a plan. I was NOT ready.

• Punisher McRook x4
• Thor God of Thunder x2
• Silver Surfer Sky Rider x1
• Hulk Green Goliath x2
• Dr Strange Could be a Charleton x2
• Storm Ro x3
• Wolverine Formerly Weapon Ten x4
• Cyclops If looks Could Kill 2

So I looked at this team and saw Hulk and I saw Cyclops and even Dr Strange. “I am in this for the long haul,” I thought to myself. "I better ride the long term control strategy."

So first turn had me buying a Punisher and then using Surfer to get an early Deadpool. This was so very, very, very wrong. Josh had me just where he wanted me. He purchased Wolverine, like it was nothing, like it’s something he had done a million times. Then he smashed my face in with him on turn three through an empty board. Oh, I was taken for a ride there.

My notes are not clear after the point (I had just had my eyes raked by adamantium claws after all!). I wanna say the rest of the game was just him using power bolts to deal 2 damage to me at a time and there was just nothing I could do a about it. This was pretty awesome.

The next 2 games I just had to play like Wolverine was going to deal me 70% of my health every turn and I was fine. Tsarina and McRook behind a couple of Beasts did the trick. Josh gets mad props from me on his strategy.

So I was able to win this tournament even though I made a few errors and misjudged some lists and characters. But, it was a blast and I got my Thor in the first tourney of the weekend. So, it was just casual and fun from here on out. Plus, I found a new store that was a pleasure to play in and I will for sure be going back. Also Chris took second place so him losing a die roll to me wasn’t all that horrific.

Bell Book and Comic - Dayton, Ohio

The next tournament was in Dayton, Ohio that night at my “Home Store,” Bell Book and Comic. I actually got married in this very store. Plus, Peter Bell (the owner) is always a good time. So we were very happy to be able to make the trip back to play.

So I already had a Thor in my hand and I was just looking to have a good time. I asked my buddy John to randomly pick an energy type. He said bolts. So I pretty much randomly picked out an entire team of bolt dudes and ran with it. Here is what I ran:

• Human Torch Johnny Blaze x4
• Green Goblin Goblin Lord x4
• Hawkeye Long Bow x3
• Punisher Vigilante x3
• Thor’s Hammer x2
• Phoenix Redd x1
• Rogue Can’t Touch This x2
• Cyclops If Looks Could Kill

Round 1: 
John Cox

First round I had to play that very John Cox who pretty much picked my list. This was his list:

• Nick Fury Mr Avenger x3
• Beast 666 x 3
• Black Widdow  Killer Instinct  x3
• Storm African Priestess x4
• Hawkeye Robin Hood x3
• Nick Fury Mr Anger x3
• Human Torch Johnny Storm x1
• Iron Man Playboy x2
• Captain America Star Spangled Avenger x 1

John really didn’t enjoy beating me up nearly as much as I thought he would. There were no cackles or gloats, he just smiled at me and place his Gobby’s next to his virtual army of rank and file sidekick soldiers as my life quickly went from 20 to “John Wins”.

But that was just game one! Game 2 was completely different….. Ok, the only difference was that I went first this time. I was still the proud owner of a “John Wins” life total by the end of the match. But I like John so we had a good time anyway.

Round 2:
Peter Bell

Second round had me paired with Mr. Peter Bell himself.

Unfortunately this is where my notebook is almost unreadable because of water (or beer) damage from the tailgating party that my note pad was inadvertently invited to for some reason. I don’t have his list or any other pertinent information that would even be interesting. My bad Pete.

I do know that he won, that when I cried he didn’t cry. I was distraught and he was baleful.  (This is all a lie. I am just trying to make this section worthwhile at the expense of my friend.) But he did take this match.

Round 3:
Chris Ward

Last round had me paired against Chris Ward yet once again. He was running the same list I think. I know that he won and I didn’t and that we decided I still owe him a win from the die roll earlier because the list I was running was pretty poor and was not fair to get an earned win against.

I agreed and I still owe him a win to this very day.

Bell Book and Comic reminds me of home. This place is just like the comic shop I grew up going to as a kid in Columbus OH, which makes me feel good inside for some reason.

The Game Haven - Dayton, OH

I decided that I would just stick with the Tier 2 Widow Control for this event. I didn’t want to think that much to get a new list together.  The first match is the only one that is even close to legible.

Round 1:
Sierra

This was the first match and it was against my most favorite opponent of the entire weekend! Her name was Sierra. Under 5’ tall and 11 years old (may have been 12… forgive me if I forgot your age) this little girl is a bruiser.

• Beast Genetic Expert x3
• Storm Ro x3
• Gambit Ace in the Hole x3
• Wolverine Formerly Weapon Ten x2
• Phoenix Mrs Psyche x2
• Professor X CFX x3
• Colossus Piotr Rasputin x2
• Cyclops If Looks Could Kill x2

I didn’t come to this event to mop up. I came to have a good time and roll dice. But this little girl was having NONE of that. I would make a subpar play and she would tell me that I was wrong for what I just did and she would tell me why and then she would tell me to play it like I meant it. We talked a lot about the use of Genetic Expert over 666 and she knew more about that argument than most of the folks that were sitting around listening to us.

She If Looks Could Kill my entire board 3 times! That was pretty amazing.

In the end I took this game, but it was not on my own volition; Sierra probably could have played both our teams against each other and then I would have gotten to see how the game should have really played out. Watch out for “Big Red.” She may be small but she is gonna get good with a team in the game and make a lot of players say “I didn’t see that comin’!"

Keep at it Sierra!

Round 2:
Unknown. Jason, maybe?

Round 2 I played against a Gobby Burn deck that got perfect draws two games in a row. First game I rolled storm 4 times and didn’t get better than a double bolt side. Second game my opponent had 7 …YES 7 sidekicks and I was scared to Surfer into my Deadpool because my life was a limited resource and my Storms were being very hateful towards me.

I wanna say his name was Jason but I can’t be sure as those pages are pretty badly damaged.

Game Heaven does a great job running events and they provide a pretty nice game space. I have met some cool folks there and plan on attending more events there in the future.

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Stay tuned for the epilogue, where Shawn shares some of his thoughts on the meta and his performance.