BattleCON G7 - KingdomAces (Lixis) vs. Zorblag (Ottavia)

[KingdomAces]

That seems fine.

Also, just looking at the character sheets, it seems like I won't have a lot of the advantages I did that game, so this should make it clear whether I actually like this character, or if that was just because of the matchup.

Spoiler: Pregame

Discard 1: Pruning Burst
Discard 2: Vine Strike
Finisher: Virulent Miasma

[KingdomAces]

Yeah it's intentional. I doubt I'm actually going to use it, but having an extra 0/0/0 can be helpful sometimes, especially if I want to save for future turns.

[KingdomAces]

Spoiler: Beat 1

Naturalizing Grasp
Target Lock is going to be more annoying than I thought it would. And I thought it would be very annoying.

[KingdomAces]

Spoiler: Oops

50/50's...

I guess that was too obvious, wasn't it.
And I should not have posted this now. inb4 power+1

No Ante.

[KingdomAces]

Yeah.

Spoiler: Beat 2

Rooted Dash

[KingdomAces]

Also, since anteing is always possible due to force, is there any way to not make that phase really slow? I can't think of any without making assumptions.

[KingdomAces]

Pass

[KingdomAces]

Advance 3.

Also, in case this comes up later, do you know if Rooted is all or nothing, or could I theoretically could have dashed forward and prevented a Cybernetic pushback? That was my intention, but rereading the ability I'm not sure it would actually work.

[KingdomAces]

Spoiler: Beat 3

Venomous Drive
My only actual good options are all priority 2, so whichever one you predict I'll still get locked, and probably kept at this distance.

Spoiler: Ante

None

[KingdomAces]

Pass

[KingdomAces]

Stop reading my mind. Seriously, I intentionally do a non-optimal move and you predict it anyway.

I don't even want to know what you did right now. I don't actually have time for another round now anyway, so later.

[KingdomAces]

When I saw the board I immediately wrote down Vine Drive. I just second guessed myself into Venomous. That's a large part of the reason why this is aggravating me so much, because I knew the perfect play and didn't do it.

Spoiler: Beat 4

Vine Shot

[KingdomAces]

And pass.

[KingdomAces]

Yeah, I think this was a turn where we both knew exactly what the other person was going to do, but didn't care because there wasn't any better options for either of us.
Pull 2.
ooOoLoo

And I don't think mobility is a problem, the only reason why it seems like it is because of the failed Venomous Drive. I don't know if the matchup is particularly bad either. The fact that you don't have anything that can be countered by Naturalizing really hurts, but until now I haven't been able to get Withering Touch to activate, so things are going to get a lot easier for me in the next two beats, and if I play it properly then that should snowball. Whether that's enough to overcome this early deficit, or even if I will be able to take advantage at all, remains to be seen though.

[KingdomAces]

Spoiler: For after this beat

Wait, I always completely forget that Burst is Start of Beat. I don't know if there's anything I can do about an Anti-Personnel Burst without Vine, Drive, or Venomous. Dash, I guess, but I really need to keep hitting, for Withering Touch

[KingdomAces]

Spoiler: Beat 5

Force Dash

[KingdomAces]

+2 Priority.

[KingdomAces]

pass

[KingdomAces]

Technically you need to retreat first, but there is literally no reason to retreat 1 here. I'll advance 1, to the center.

[KingdomAces]

OooLxxx

Where the x's are the movement options.

(Retreat 1 would change this to oOoLoxx, which is the exact same result except you have less options. (I'd still advance 1 because not moving isn't an option, and retreating or advancing more would be stupid.))

[KingdomAces]

I know that being forced to move when there aren't any squares to move to removes the forced move, but I still find the idea of an Anti-Personnel Burst to the center of the arena causing a ring out and automatic loss amusing.

[KingdomAces]

Beat 5

Start of Beat Summary
oo

O

o

L

oo

Lixis

:

10 life
Force Gauge: 6
Discard 1: Vine Shot
Discard 2: Venomous Drive
Finisher: Virulent Miasma

Ottavia

:

17 life
Force Gauge: 6
Discard 1: Snapback Strike, Dash
Discard 2: Cover Shot
Finisher: Double Barrel

---

Lixis

:

Force

(Special Action)

Dash

Range: N/A
Power: N/A
Priority: 11 (9 + 2)

This attack does not hit opponents.

Reveal:

Gain 1 Force. You may switch your Finisher to the other side. Perform your Base with no Style this Beat. This card and your Base cycle as normal. Your Force must be less than your current life to use this.

After Activating:

Move 1, 2 or 3 spaces. If you moved past an opponent during this movement, that opponent cannot hit you during this beat.

Ottavia

:

Anti-Personnel Burst

Range: 4 ~ 6
Power: 6
Priority: 0
If you are hit this beat, you become stunned.

Start of Beat:

Retreat 1 or 2 spaces.

End of Beat:

Move directly to any space within range of this attack.

Ante:

Ottavia Antes Target Lock 9.
Lixis Antes 2 Force for Priority +2.

Reveal:

Lixis gains 1 Force.
Lixis does not switch finishers.

Start of Beat:

Ottavia Retreats 2.

O

ooo

L

oo

Active Player (

Lixis

):

Lixis Advances 1.

O

oo

L

ooo

Reactive Player (

Ottavia

):

Ottavia does not hit.

End of Beat:

Ottavia moves to spot 7.

ooo

L

oo

O

Recycle:

Lixis gains 1 Force.
Ottavia gains 1 Force.
On to Beat 6.

---

Current State
ooo

L

oo

O

Lixis

:

10 life
Force Gauge: 6
Discard 1: Force Dash
Discard 2: Vine Shot
Finisher: Virulent Miasma

Ottavia

:

17 life
Force Gauge: 7
Discard 1: Anti-Personnel Burst
Discard 2: Snapback Strike, Dash
Finisher: Double Barrel

[KingdomAces]

My second thought is always wrong.

Spoiler: Beat 6

More 50/50's.
Naturalizing Lance

No Ante

[KingdomAces]

Pass

[KingdomAces]

Pass

[KingdomAces]

Finally

predicted correctly.

[KingdomAces]

...and then I realize that I was just assuming Shooter, so I completely forgot about stun guard.

Yeah, that's right.

[KingdomAces]

Spoiler: Beat 7

Rooted Drive

No Ante

[KingdomAces]

Pass

[KingdomAces]

Pass

[KingdomAces]

I don't even know what I was trying to beat with this one. It seemed like a good idea, but looking back it was actually a really terrible move on my part.

And I could have salvaged it with +1 Soak too. Ugh.

[KingdomAces]

Assuming you want to push me, then stay here. If you want to pull, then I might have to think about it, but I'd still probably not want to move.

And I'm still not remembering things properly. Great. At least it didn't actually matter this time.

[KingdomAces]

Current State
ooo

L

oo

O

Lixis

:

6 life
Force Gauge: 9
Discard 1: Rooted Drive
Discard 2: Naturalizing Lance
Finisher: Virulent Miasma

Ottavia

:

15 life
Force Gauge: 5
Discard 1: Snapback Grasp
Discard 2: Demolition Shot, Drive
Finisher: Double Barrel

Because having this helps me concentrate better. I don't think I want to do the whole writeup right now. I'll post again if I change my mind.


Maybe this game is just a lot harder than it looks.

[KingdomAces]

Spoiler: Beat 8

So do you Cover, or don't you? Vine Strike beats all Cover options but loses to everything else. If you don't Cover, it's a Target Lock 50/50 between Pruning Shot and Finisher.

I probably have no chance in the long run no matter what I do, so go big or go home.

Virulent Miasma

(Force Shot if needed.)

[KingdomAces]

Pass

[KingdomAces]

Meh.

[KingdomAces]

I was wondering why you thought I would Pruning Grasp from range 3, but I guess because that's literally the only thing I could have done in that situation to get a hit.

[KingdomAces]

Spoiler: Beat 9

Naturalizing Strike

[KingdomAces]

Pass

[KingdomAces]

Summery: I'm completely screwed.

[KingdomAces]

Spoiler: Beat 10

Vine Burst

[KingdomAces]

OooLooo

Lixis: 3/7
Naturalizing Strike
Shot

Ottavia: 15/7
Demolition Drive
Cover Dash


I think.

[KingdomAces]

IDK. I wouldn't want to change my move if I did have access to Shot, and (unless you kill me) I'll be getting it back next beat anyway, so it doesn't really matter here.

I thought that the finisher was removed from the game after use, even on whiff. Would it really be in Discard 2?

[KingdomAces]

Pass

[KingdomAces]

Um, does Snapback activate, since Burst is Start of Beat? If not, retreat 2.

[KingdomAces]

Actually, I think I'll keep you there.

[KingdomAces]

Wait, I forgot you pushed me. Let me think a bit more then.

[KingdomAces]

Pull 2.

I'm missing a lot more than normal now, probably due to fatalism. Sorry about that. If Cybele still wants to, he should take the next game.

[KingdomAces]

Wait, he said he didn't have time. I might want to switch characters though, maybe to Hikaru so I don't end up missing stuff again due to unfamiliarity. I'll have to think about it.

Spoiler: Beat 11

Venomous Lance

[KingdomAces]

+

Stun Guard

Power

[KingdomAces]

Pass

[KingdomAces]

I guess I'm forced to advance 1.

[KingdomAces]

Yeah, as much as I want to hit you, I'd rather not take a cannon to the face right now.
No Pulse.

Spoiler: Beat 12

Pruning Grasp

Spoiler: Ante

Power

[KingdomAces]

Yeah, that was too obvious. Pass

[KingdomAces]

I never forfeit, it just doesn't feel right.

Right at the beginning of the game, I could swear I posted something to effect of "Target Lock is going to be even more aggravating than I thought it was. And I thought it was going to be aggravating." That ended up being correct. I didn't even think of doing anything other than predicting what the opponent would do, so when I realized you could use it to nullify the one possible counter to your move, whether you think it's likely they'll go for it or not, that really hurt.

I definitely need some time.