BattleCON G20 - KingdomAces (Lixis) vs. Zorblag (Magdelina)

[Zorblag]

It's another game of BattleCON! This game sees the return of the Biomancer, Lixis as she faces off against the and the Battle Channeler, Magdelina. Lixis needs to act fast before Magdelina can power up. She's had the practice in pervious matches, so we'll see how that translates to this new opponent!

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.

@KingdomAces, you know the drill. Yada yada yada!

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Starting ante goes to Lixis on 1 and Magdelina on 2.

Original Roll String: 1d2

1 2-Sided Dice: (1) = 1

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Opening Discards and Finisher

Discard 1: Sanctimonious Grasp
Discard 2: Excelsius Strike
Finisher: Apotheosis

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

START OF GAME

ooLoMoo

Lixis 20/3
Discard 1: Force Special Grasp
Discard 2: Pruning Dodge
Finisher: Virulent Miasma

Magdelina - 20/3
Discard 1: Sanctimonious Grasp
Discard 2: Excelsius Strike
Finisher: Apotheosis
Level: 0
Trance Counters: 0

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 1 Attack Pair

Force Special Blessing

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass on Ante.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Yeah, that was the opening I was sort of expecting.

Spoiler: Beat 1 Attack Pair - Clash 1

Force Special

Blessing

Dodge

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Yeah, I'm totally going to stall for time the first part of the game.

I'll advance 2 so that I pass you and we're adjacent.

START OF BEAT 2

oMLoooo

Lixis 20/4
Discard 1: Vine Shot
Discard 2: Force Special Grasp
Finisher: Virulent Miasma

Magdelina - 20/5
Discard 1: Force Special Dodge
Discard 2: Sanctimonious Grasp
Finisher: Apotheosis
Level: 0
Trance Counters: 1

This is the one time that I don't go up in level by having more counters than my level at the end of the beat.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 2 Attack Pair

Priestess Drive

Spoiler: Opening Ante

Pass

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Right, busy times here. And that wasn't particularly me anticipating any move on your part, just trying to reduce damage I'm taking.

Spoiler: Beat 2 Attack Pair - Clash 1

Priestess

Drive

Shot

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 2 Attack Pair - Clash 2

Priestess

Drive

Shot

Strike

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 2 Attack Pair - Clash 3 if needed

I don't think it can be needed as you don't have Shot available which is the one base which would clash, so you're winning priority here.

Spoiler: Base discard if I get hit this beat

Shot

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

That looks right except that I should do 2 damage I think.

I'll also have -2 Priority this beat, though that's not missing from the description.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

And you have the priority there at the end. Hmm, and I'd forgotten the stun guard on my UA, so thanks for that reminder!

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 3 Attack Pair

Safety Blessing!

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Wow, you really don't want me to go first.

Pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Safety Blessing it is. You get to retreat 1 or 2 (I have a guess!)

I'll discard Grasp and Burst, take 4 damage from the attack and then think about where I want to move and get back to you momentarily.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

I'm going to assume retreat 2 for you. I'll go ahead and advance 2.

END OF BEAT 3

oooMLoo

Lixis - 18/4
Discard 1: Pruning Burst
Discard 2: Venomous Drive
Finisher: Virulent Miasma

Magdelina - 13/7
Discard 1: Safety Blessing, Grasp, Burst
Discard 2: Priestess Strike, Shot
Finisher: Apotheosis
Level: 1
Trance Counters: 1
(Bonuses are A total of +1 Power, +1 Priority, Stun Guard 1)

[Zorblag]

That's fine, I have way too much work to do to really keep going now anyhow.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 4 Attack Pair

Spiritual Drive!

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Soak 1.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass (and heading out the door now, so nothing else for a little bit from me.)

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

OK, looks like I win priority there, can't advance because of Lance and stand still and hit you for 5. You're stunned, but I'd be out of range anyhow.

END OF BEAT 4

oooMLoo

Lixis - 13/5
Discard 1: Vine Lance
Discard 2: Pruning Burst
Finisher: Virulent Miasma

Magdelina - 13/6
Discard 1: Spiritual Drive
Discard 2: Safety Blessing, Grasp, Burst
Finisher: Apotheosis
Level: 2
Trance Counters: 0
(Bonuses are A total of +2 Power, +2 Priority, Stun Guard 2)

Look right? I'll need to figure out my attack pair later.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 5 Attack Pair

Priestess Dodge!

Spoiler: Opening Ante

Stun Guard 2

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

And you've got priority. I'll advance 1 with my start of beat. I think that you have to advance 1 with Drive and that we won't be hitting (though I do regain 1 life at the end of my action.)

END OF BEAT 5

oooooML

Lixis - 13/6
Discard 1: Naturalizing Drive
Discard 2: Vine Lance
Finisher: Virulent Miasma

Magdelina - 14/5
Discard 1: Priestess Dodge
Discard 2: Spiritual Drive
Finisher: Apotheosis
Level: 2
Trance Counters: 1
(Bonuses are A total of +2 Power, +2 Priority, Stun Guard 2)

Look right? Again, I'll need to figure out my attack pair later; probably late tonight.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 5 Attack Pair

Force Special Strike!

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Power +1

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Well, I had a couple good beats and the Force Special Action is actually a huge help to me as it's a style that doesn't have the penalties to priority and power that most of my styles do.

I think you have 7 life instead of 8, and now I can't find my Fate rulebook, but I think that you start getting 2 force at life 7, right? I should get 2 force back as I used the Force Special Action.

I'll also be discarding Blessing with my Strike.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

I was level 2, so with the +2 Power from that and the +1 from the ante I had a total of 4 + 3 = 7 rather than the 6.

And for the force gauge, I found the rule book, it's below 7 life where the double force kicks in.

END OF BEAT 6

ooooLMo

Lixis - 7/3
Discard 1: Venomous Shot
Discard 2: Naturalizing Drive
Finisher: Virulent Miasma

Magdelina - 10/5
Discard 1: Force Special Strike, Blessing
Discard 2: Priestess Dodge
Finisher: Apotheosis
Level: 2
Trance Counters: 2
(Bonuses are A total of +2 Power, +0 Priority, Stun Guard 2)

[Zorblag]

I think I made the same mistake on at least one of those attack pairs. I wouldn't worry about that part so much.

And you're at least at my skill level, so feel free not to get better at all of this too fast or you'll leave me in the dust!

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

*shrugs* you miss things sometimes. So do I. If we're being worried about it we should take comfort in the fact that we're probably doing it less via forum than we would in person. All I can say here is that I wouldn't worry too much about it as this is a game with lots of parts to remember. For the bases I've normally been the one to bring it up as I'm the one that has to make the decision, but I'm pretty sure that you'd remind me most of the time if I forgot it. It hasn't been your responsibility though so it's easier for you to forget.

Also, I really liked the bonus thing (especially with the Venomous interaction,) so as soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to keep it around to remind me!

Spoiler: Beat 7 Attack Pair

Spiritual Shot

Spoiler: Opening Ante

Stun Guard 2

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Right, so you win priority and hit me for 6. I have the stun guard to take that and hit you back for 6. I guess I'll discard Burst and Grasp.

I'll get the state up shortly, but we're near the end.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

END OF BEAT 7

ooooLMo

Lixis - 1/5
Discard 1: Pruning Strike
Discard 2: Venomous Shot
Finisher: Virulent Miasma

Magdelina - 4/5
Discard 1: Spiritual Shot, Burst, Grasp
Discard 2: Force Special Strike, Blessing
Finisher: Apotheosis
Level: 3
Trance Counters: 0
(Bonuses are A total of +3 Power, +3 Priority, Stun Guard 3)

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Apparently I like that choice?

This match didn't go as I expected. Want a rematch after this? My build up was much faster than I expected it to be.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 8 Attack Pair

Priestess Drive!

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

That would be interesting, yeah. Magdelina might go on the offensive more than normal from the get go as she doesn't have a lot of ways to try to get out of range, but Adjenna can still end up adjacent to her much of the time I'd guess. My money offhand would be on Adjenna, but it would be interesting to play it out a time or two at some point.

Also, I don't know if you've noticed in the thread in the Arcade, but as a heads up Accountant is probably interested in playing and StaplerTowel might be down in a bit. We might even have enough players about to have a little mini-tournament if people wanted.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

No hurry. Make the move you want to make rather than a rushed one.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

And you're right. It wasn't really a choice. Though I don't overly see why I'd choose Excelsius over Priestess here? The Lance next beat I suppose? In any case, you get to move first.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

So I think I advance 2 and then Excelsius Strike with Stun Guard and Soak wins? I'll advance 2 in any case and look over things more closely.

END OF BEAT 8

oLoMooo

Lixis - 1/7
Discard 1: Rooted Dodge
Discard 2: Pruning Strike
Finisher: Virulent Miasma

Magdelina - 5/7
Discard 1: Priestess Drive
Discard 2: Spiritual Shot, Burst, Grasp
Finisher: Apotheosis
Level: 3
Trance Counters: 1
(Bonuses are A total of +3 Power, +3 Priority, Stun Guard 3)

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Yeah, the stun guard clearly isn't needed there.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Spoiler: Beat 9 Attack Pair

Excelsius Strike!

Spoiler: Opening Ante

Soak 1

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Pass.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

And that you did. Good game!

I wonder if force gauge makes this matchup less interesting than it used to be. Mind you, I wonder that about many matchups.

In any case, I can do this as a rematch or something else. Just let me know. I'm currently interested in trying Heketch so that would probably be Troll's choice for a different matchup. I'd be happy to do this one again though.

Have you considered Clive? I think you might like him based on some flexibility issues.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Clive is much simpler than Tanis. Unless you're up against someone like Seth who has the ability to stun you just need to avoid taking too much damage, and get to get stronger each beat with the modules. Both Hikaru and Joal are great as well of course.

I think that I'll be playing Mikhail against Seth, but I'm happy to play another game with you as well unless you'd rather take a break. If you want to play either Hikaru or Joal against Heketch then we should do that.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

Yeah, take some time. Make sure that you're having fun playing. This is the latest in the many games that have been decided by one life. I hope you're still having fun, because I know I am!

-Zorblag R`Lyeh

[Zorblag]

No, really, I'm just picking characters I haven't played before! And I'm not actually being sarcastic.

Well, actually I first picked Heketch to play against Seth and then I looked at the matchup and realized it was really bad for Seth, so I picked someone else. That's why I went with Heketch against whoever you want instead.

-Zorblag R`Lyeh