Over the weekend, bug, Jamie (the Worldbreakers rule manager), Mattroid, and I sat down for a four-player Worldbreakers draft (you can find the whole thing on YouTube!). I won’t spoil the winner, but will reveal that Mattroid and I never had a chance to play against each other. He suggested that we address this injustice, leading to a game that was close throughout! Without further ado, I give you …
Round 1
Mattroid won the die roll and lead with a Mythium Fund. I decided to grab the initiative with a Disillusioned Veteran, and Mattroid answered with a Serendipitious Witness. Knowing that my Veteran’s days are numbered (Mattroid could attack and activate Khurshah’s ability to deal 1 wound to him), I attacked, scoring the first power of the game. Mattroid counter-attacked, and indeed defeated my Veteran with Khurshah. I decided to play a Void Apprentice, gaining a void standing and electing to keep my mythium rather than activate the optional “Enters” ability. Mattroid played an intimidating Baleful Viper, and I closed the first round with a Novice Cutpurse.
Elli 1 : 1 Mattroid
Round 2
Repeating the calculation from last round, I attacked with the Apprentice (who gained +1 strength from Khutulun’s ability) and the Cutpurse before Khurshah could wound either. Mattroid decided not to block, but responded in kind by attacking with the Witness and the Viper for two power and a void standing. I played Ger Migration, spending my only earth standing for a net of four mythium. This left me with just a void standing, to which Mattroid surprisingly exclaimed that “you are one of us now!”. He drew a card and I spent my freshly earned mythium on an Earth Apprentice, electing to pay extra for a +1/+1 counter. Mattroid played an Alamut Saboteur, I drew, and he gained a mythium.
Elli 3 : 3 Mattroid
Round 3
Wasting no time, Mattroid attacked with all of his followers, deciding to wound my Earth Apprentice with Khurshah. The Apprentice traded for his Baleful Viper. I was already low on cards, so losing more to the Saboteur was out of the question — my Void Apprentice blocked. The Witness got through, bringing Mattroid to four power. I played The Pride’s Kheshig and Mattroid, low on resources, drew a card. Fearing a Vicious Stab, I attacked with the Kheshig for a +1/+1 counter and one power. Feeling safe behind his Saboteur and Witness, Mattroid played Forlorn Flats, hoping to gain a third void standing next round. The Void Guild has some terrifying cards in the three-void tier, so I prepared to foil his plans by playing Wild Boar Charge, defeating the wounded Saboteur.
Elli 5 : 4 Mattroid
Round 4
I spent a couple of minutes debating the idea of playing a Compassionate Ascetic instead of attacking when I noticed that I only have one earth standing. That left me with one option: Attack! With both the Kheshig and the Void Apprentice. I put Khutulun’s +1 strength bonus on the Apprentice, and since Mattroid did not want to lose his three-health Witness, both followers got through. This allowed me to damage the Forlorn Flats, costing Mattroid the precious void standing. Mattroid advanced the Flats to deal two wounds to my Kheshig. I took a mythium, and he attacked with the Witness, triggering Khurshah and dealing that fatal third wound that defeated my Kheshig. For the rest of the round, I recruited a Swift Messenger (for a second earth standing) and drew a card, while Mattroid played a Void Worshipper and gained a mythium.
Elli 7 : 5 Mattroid
Round 5
Due to a weakened economy, Mattroid spent his first two turns gaining mythium. Meanwhile I attacked with the Void Apprentice (no blocks!) and played the Compassionate Ascetic, which entered with a +1/+1 counter. Mattroid gained a void standing. Sensing something big, I attacked with the Ascetic, which got blocked by the Serendipitous Witness. In the calm before the storm, Mattroid drew a card and I gained a mythium.
I am rebuilding the game from memory, and unfortunately I forgot what was the fate of my Swift Messenger!
Edit: Mattroid reminded me that around this time he played Pernicious Powder, dealing two wounds to each of my Swift Messenger, Void Apprentice, and Compassionate Ascetic!
Elli 8 : 7 Mattroid
Round 6
With both of us missing the right pieces to win the game, I started the turn by drawing a card and Mattroid gained a mythium. I recruited an Earth Guild Executor, gaining my third earth standing. Mattroid wasted no time: he played a Rogue with Initiative, first attacking with the Rogue (using Khurshah and his last mythium to defeat the Ascetic) and then with the Void Worshipper, gaining the power advantage for the first time this game. Now with an empty bank, Mattroid was forced to spend the rest of the round gaining mythium. This gave me an important opening: I countered with a Dirty Attack, spending my two mythium to gain a power and five mythium, which I then used to play the intimidating Confident Suitor.
Elli 9 : 9 Mattroid
Round 7
With both of us close to the coveted ten-power finish line, Mattroid decided to throw his Rogue into the fray. I blocked with the Suitor, which defeated the Rogue but meant that the Suitor will be exhausted and out of commission for the rest of this round. I then attacked with the Executor, and Mattroid elected not to block with his Worshipper. This put me at 10 power. I did not win yet, since victory in Worldbreakers is only checked at the end of the round. We each had three more turns to go!
Despite the early attack, Khurshah’s ability was still available. Mattroid elected not to use it with his first attack, which meant that the one-health follower in my hand would not survive if I played her and Mattroid decided to attack. Therefore, I bided my time and drew a card. Mattroid then played Raider’s Hideaway. This void location is a double-whammy. As soon as it entered play, Mattroid attacked with his Worshipper, getting up to 10 power. If Mattroid could develop the location, the first stage would put him at 11 power.
Thankfully, I drew the perfect answer: a Dull Vandal. Playing it on turn 3 damaged Mattroid’s Hideaway, removing the first stage counter. Mattroid’s last action of the game was to develop the Hideaway for two mythium and the option to attack, which was lost since he had no ready followers. I attacked with the Vandal, netting the 11th power and the win!
Elli 11 : Mattroid 10
This has been one of the closest games of Worldbreakers I ever played. For most of the game, Mattroid and I matched each other power-to-power. I flooded the board with followers, but he controlled them well thanks to Khurshah’s wounding ability and Forlorn Flats. The Serendipitious Witness kept him fueled with mythium while the Worshipper slowly chipped for power, eventually joined by a Rogue with Initiative. My saving grace is that Mattroid did not draw any of his two copies of Stupefy: I was low on cards throughout the game, and losing even a single one would have been devastating. A lucky top deck with Dull Vandal allowed me to close the game. ggwp!
