BattleCON G13 - KingdomAces (Lixis) vs. Zorblag (Seth)

[Zorblag]

It's another game of BattleCON! Welcome to the rubber game of the match where KingdomAces playing the Biomancer Lixis faces off in game three against the now familiar Zorblag playing the Oracle, Seth! Can Seth see anything in his future other than defeat at the hands of the Biomancer? He's being surprisingly closed lipped about it. And apparently not creative enough to change this part of the intro!

If you're interested in learning about or playing a game yourself at some point I'll point you to the BattleCON discussion thread in the Arcade. For now, thanks to KingdomAces for stepping up to be the next scummer to whale on a Troll in the pbf fighting series!

We'll be playing with Dodge and the Force Gauge.

Ante the first beat will go to Lixis on 1 and Seth on 2.

Original Roll String: 1d2

1 2-Sided Dice: (2) = 2

@KingdomAces, go ahead and submit your discard 1, discard 2 and finisher. Remember that Discard 2 is the one you'll get back first.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Opening Discards and Finisher

Discard 1: Force Special Omen
Discard 2: Fool's Grasp
Finisher: Reading Fate

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

I'm assuming that's Dodge in your 1st discard.

Spoiler: Beat 1 Attack Pair

Compelling Dodge

Spoiler: Opening Ante

Beyond Eyes Lance

Spoiler: Reaction Ante

If you pass I will as well.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

I'll go with Compelling Burst.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

I was sort of hoping for strike and another clash, but I'll take that I guess.

Looks like I've got priority. I'll retreat 2, pull you one, hit you for 3, push you 1. You're not stunned. You then hit me for 3, I'll discard Strike and am stunned (thought that doesn't matter.) You can pull up to 2.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 2 Attack Pair

Fool's Shot!

Spoiler: Reaction Ante

Beyond Eyes Drive

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Right, I'm used to burst losing priority. It doesn't matter much here of course. I'll pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

OK, you win priority and get to advance 1 or 2.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Looks right.

Spoiler: Beat 3 Attack Pair

Wyrding Dodge

Spoiler: Reaction Ante

Beyond Eyes Lance

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass.

And drunk, so this is my last beat for the night regardless of how it goes.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Right, so I'll use Wyrding's start of beat to switch dodge to Omen which will stun you and have neither of us do any damage this beat.

And that's all I've got.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

OK, maybe I lied. I can't leave well enough alone.

Spoiler: Beat 4 Attack Pair

Mimic's Drive

Spoiler: Reaction Ante

Beyond Eyes Grasp

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

OK, looks like I win priority. I'll advance 1 and hit you for 4. You aren't stunned so you then hit me for 4 (which does stun me, though again, doesn't matter,) and you can pull me up to 2 spaces. I'll discard burst I think.

Sound right?

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

ooooLSo

Lixis 11/6
Vine Strike
Pruning Lance

Seth 13/6
Mimic's Drive, Burst
Wyrding Omen, Dodge

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 5 Attack Pair

Compelling Strike!

Spoiler: Opening Ante

Beyond Eyes Grasp

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass as well.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

OK, looks like I win priority. I'll pull you one, hit you for 4 (no stun) and then pull you one. You can advance one or not (I wonder which it'll be!) and then you'll hit me for 4 (no stun.) I'll discard Grasp.

I'm assuming we'll be looking at

ooooLSo

Lixis 7/7
Venomous Shot
Vine Strike

Seth 9/7
Compelling Strike, Grasp
Mimic's Drive, Burst

Let me know if you do want to advance 1 for your move though. Neither of us can pulse this beat.

This is playing out much differently than the first two games. I'm not sure who is more responsible for that.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Assuming that is right, here's my next move (remember that I have -2 priority this beat because you hit with Venomous when choosing your attack pair):

Spoiler: Beat 6 Attack Pair

How can this just be beat 6? Crazy game.
Wyrding Dodge!

Spoiler: Opening Ante

Beyond Eyes Lance

If you do choose to advance 1 I'll have to rethink everything.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

No hurry. It's an interesting game so far and I'm all for you making the choice you want to.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

I am thinking that maybe I'll play Cadenza next game though. I'm ready for a simpler character after Seth.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

And you got the clash you wanted. Good work! Now I'm in dire straights. Let's see if this can save me (it can't of course):

Spoiler: Beat 6 Clash 1

Wyrding

Dodge

Omen

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Looks like you win priority there. Nice beat!

I think that you'll hit me for 3 and get to move me 1. I need to decide whether to pulse after that, but I need to see where you move me to first (and be a bit more sober,) so that'll have to wait.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

OK, sorry about that delay.

I will discard Shot. Assuming that you don't pulse I will pulse and advance 2.

oooSLoo

Lixis 7/8
Rooted Grasp
Venomous Shot

Seth 6/2
Wyrding Omen, Shot
Compelling Strike, Grasp

And then I'll think about which of my options make the most sense.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 7 Attack Pair

Vanishing Dodge!

Spoiler: Reaction Ante

Beyond Eyes Burst

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

And I guess thank you for anteing Priority so that we don't clash.

I will retreat 3 and then you'll miss due to Vanishing.

SoooLoo

Lixis 7/7
Vine Lance
Rooted Grasp

Seth 6/4
Vanishing Dodge
Wyrding Omen, Shot

I'll need to think about the next beat when I'm not watching kids.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

It looks like you wanted this position. It wasn't my first choice (I was largely hoping to advance and then retreat, but hold the middle,) but I think I can work with it.

Spoiler: Beat 8 Attack Pair

Compelling Grasp

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Hmm, I really hope you didn't play naturalizing. I assume you've got a shot or drive and I can handle them both if you don't have naturalizing as the style. That Priority +2 isn't reassuring though.

Ante: Beyond Eyes Drive.

Spoiler: Reaction Ante

Priority +2

Spoiler: Next Reaction Ante

Pass no matter what.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

You might have thought that the priority was bait, but it caused a clash/lost beat for me if you were using either Pruning or Naturalizing, so I had to counter. The good news is that this beat was mostly a stall to finish cleaning out my discards before getting back to the dance. I'm gaining Force faster than you are thanks to that one life difference and now I'll be working with my normal full base distribution so I'm not too unhappy with this position.

I do, clearly push you two spaces so that we both miss. I'll go ahead and say that you didn't spend the 2 force on 1 soak. You said that you didn't mean to before I said anything and it looks like before you looked at my attack pair.

SoooooL

Lixis 7/2
Pruning Shot
Vine Lance

Seth 6/4
Compelling Grasp
Vanishing Dodge

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 9 Attack Pair

Wyrding Drive

Spoiler: Opening Ante

Beyond Eyes Dodge

Spoiler: Reaction Ante

Pass

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

OK, I'll go back and take off those two force then. And I'm passing after your pass so this beat should be done.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Looks like you win priority, but don't do anything.

I'll advance 2 with drive.

ooSoooL

Lixis 7/4
Force Special Grasp
Pruning Shot

Seth 6/6
Wyrding Drive
Compelling Grasp

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 10 Attack Pair

Mimic's Shot!

Spoiler: Reaction Ante

Beyond Eyes Lance

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Power +1

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

OK, looks like I've got priority. Rooted makes sense there from you. You can move 0, 1, 2 or 3. I'll move along with (though only 2 spaces if you advance 3) and then hit you for 3 (and you'll soak 2.)

Sound right?

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 11 Attack Pair

Compelling Dodge!

Ante: Beyond Eyes Lance

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Looks like I get to move first. I'll dodge past you. oooLSoo. You can then retreat 1 or 2.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Yeah, but burst's retreat is start of beat as well so it goes after my dodge but before compelling. Burst needs to be start of beat or it would almost always get you hit when you use it given it's priority.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

I will push and then pull to leave you in the same spot.

oLooSoo

Lixis 4/8
Vine Burst
Rooted Dodge

Seth 6/8
Compelling Dodge
Mimic's Shot

I think that's it. It is a tight endgame.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 12 Attack Pair

Vanishing Burst!

Spoiler: Opening Ante

Beyond Eyes Drive

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Though you could now pulse if you care do. I do not.

Also, no hurry on this. Get the next move you beat you want.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

No, you're right. I'm used to 8 Force being enough, but in this case you're gaining 2 in the recycle phase. My bad.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Power +1.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Yeah, I was expecting you to use naturalizing drive or lance there (well, at least prepared for it,) but this one counters your finisher as well with the range 4 part of vanishing. The one move that I couldn't hit was venomous drive (which you didn't seem to be setting up for with that finisher choice.) I retreat one at the start of beat from the burst (choosing not to use Vanishing,) you miss because we're at 4 range and then I hit for 1 after your soak 3.

Sound right?

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Your finisher is range 3 to 6 so if I stood still it would hit me. Vanishing is the style that's probably done the most to keep me in games though.

oLoooSo

Lixis 3/6
Strike
Vine Burst

Seth 6/8
Vanishing Burst
Compelling Dodge

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

And I need to think a bit about priorities before the next beat. I thought I had my move, but now I worry about clashes. I probably won't get to it until this evening, so no rush at all on your end (not that there was anyhow.)

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 13 Attack Pair

Mimic's Shot

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Ante Stun Guard 2.

Spoiler: Next Ante

Beyond Eyes Shot, then Power +1, then pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

OK, it looks like that should be the game. You win priority. You can dodge to where ever you want and Mimic's will keep me as close to following as it can (which never takes me out of the range 4 I'm starting at,) and then the potential advance 1 from Venomous also doesn't shake me. I think I then hit you for 5.

Good game and good match!

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

As far as the matchup goes, I do think that it probably favors Lixis as well. I know that the first game and for the first half of the second I felt like I was mostly reacting to your play, often guessing badly. Lixis has range options that aren't great, (which makes the long range tricky for you,) but which make brawling tough (and I think Seth would like to Brawl more than fight at range.) When I backed off I had to settle for doing damage 1 or 2 at a time and a mistake can erase several beats worth of gain. Seth's styles do all look really mediocre. When you add everything up he's got a combined -3 on stats for all of them. It's as you say the manipulation they allow that makes him viable. I know that right now there's no way I'd want to play him in a live game and it there were a lot of beats where it felt really touch and go. I guess I settled into more of a groove towards the end of these last two games, though the second was mostly because I landed the finisher. If you were worried about omen (which I hardly ever gave much thought to,) I was worried about Lance and Naturalizing (which seemed to be among your least used cards.) Those were the ones that most often thwarted the plans that I was trying to put together.

In any case, thanks for that match! I'm interested in switching to someone else for the next match. I do want to play Cadenza at some point so maybe it could be him. I'm fine with you either sticking with Lixis or swapping to whoever else sounds fun to play! Let me know when you'd want to start; it could be now or it could be after a break.

EBWOP: Tanis would be fun to see in a game! I'd be fine with Tanis vs. Cadenza if you'd like. Also, I never actually considered Wyrding Omen. I did look at Fool's Omen though with a Beyond Eyes Shot ante. Wyrding Omen feels like it would lose to whichever of shot or drive I didn't guess.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

For me the thing about Naturalizing wasn't the damage. It was that I couldn't do extra damage when you played it and when you hit (which I think you often would) I'd have that extra base locked up. Hitting as Lixis is almost always worth it even if you're not doing much damage (which I'm sure you know.) I could wiggle out of the locked bases in the last two games, but that really makes it harder to play.

Although it might be interesting to play another 10 or so games with this matchup (and maybe we'll come back to it again later as I think that we're currently fairly close here,) I'm definitely ready for a different matchup for our next game.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

I haven't actually looked at the characters at all recently. I just know that Cadenza is straight forward which appeals to me after playing some Seth games. Tanis I don't remember much at all past the puppets, but I'll see them soon enough!

I'll probably set the game up this evening.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh