[an error occurred while processing this directive]



<!-- Heading -->

<div class="centercontent article_text">

	<div class="header" id="hd_articles">&nbsp;</div>

    <div class="img_mini"><img src="http://www.vsparadise.com/images/articles/multipleman.jpg" alt="Image Title" width="60" height="60"></div>

    <div class="link_text">In Your Dreams - X-Men</div>

    <div class="grey_text">Anthony Macali</div>

    <div class="text">October 20, 2005</div>

	

	<div>

	<!-- Author Email -->

	<a href="mailto:migga.anthony@gmail.com"><img src="http://www.vsparadise.com/images/ic_email.gif" alt="Email Author" title="Email Author" border="0"></a> 

	<!-- Discussion Thread -->

	<a href="http://www.vsparadise.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3061"><img src="http://www.vsparadise.com/images/ic_discuss.gif" alt="Discuss Topic" title="Discuss Topic" border="0"></a> 

	<!-- Editor Email -->

	<a href="mailto:contact@vsparadise.com"><img src="http://www.vsparadise.com/images/ic_editor.gif" alt="Editor Email" title="Editor Email" border="0"></a>

	</div>

	

	<!-- Columnist Image -->

	<div class="img_column">

      <a href="http://www.vsparadise.com/articles/columns/inyourdreams.shtml">

	  <img src="http://www.vsparadise.com/images/inyourdreams.gif" border="0"></a></div>

	

	<!-- Article -->

    <p>There are many out there with an affinity to the X-Men. The group of superheroes has spawned a cartoon series and two blockbuster movies, with the third coming very shortly. It was only fitting they would be released in the first set of VS. It would have been even more desirable if they were a competitive archetype. But to be frank, they fall short of the Tier 1 status. Why? To investigate their strengths and weaknesses, we must evaluate each of the viable strategies capable of those who reside at Professor Xavier’s Mansion. </p>

	<p><strong>Curve</strong></p>

	<p>The X-Men team have 36 unique characters. This group size falls shorts only to Spider-friends and Sinister Syndicate, whose characters had to populate the whole Web of Spider-Man set. With such a large selection of characters available, there must be a few powerful members who stand above the rest.</p>

	<p>Wolverine Logan's power is represented by his stats. He power has been unrivalled till recent times as the strength of characters slowly creep higher and higher to combat the established decks and characters. However, Wolverine still stands strong.</p>

	<p>The synergy between Polaris and Archangel of Death is quite obvious. They form an effect that mimics Bamf, and provides the setup to gain board control. However, the other 5 drops that exist easily counter these effects. Nimrod simply removes his counter and She-Hulk efficiently saves her endurance. Stale mate. Not to mention, on defence Archangel’s 7 fails the test and he may fall ill to a character as little as a 3 drop. </p>

	<p>Rogue Powerhouse is a scary 6 drop, but only on your initiative. In this case, it contends with the strategy to attack first with Archangel on turn 5. This can’t be good. Professor X Mental Master is the finisher, who can shut down your opponent’s 5 drop, and make them lose endurance for it too. That hardly seems fair.</p>

    <p>All these characters sound great if you control them all, but this is not always the case. Simple rule: curve decks must hit curve. Cerebro provides support, but no guarantees. Sentinels hit curve with their adaptability with Army characters (notable Sentinel Mark V who plays as a 4 drop and 5 drop) and the relief of Boliver Trask. Avengers hits curve with its 38+ characters and reservist mechanic that can effectively mill your deck. X-Men need a better support mechanism to hit curve. To make things harder, X-Men can encounter uniqueness issues that disrupt deck design. We can only wait for the X-Men evolution to fix these problems.</p>

    <p><strong>Off-Curve</strong></p>

	<p>Investigating X-Men’s off-curve resources, the same 

    frustration exists. There are characters as promising as Cyclops Slim and 

    Nightcrawler Kurt Wagner, and plot twists as powerful as Fastball Special, but 

    little to call for them out hard and fast. GLEE decks have tutors in the form 

    Ring Has Chosen and Olapet, complimented with Dr Light’s assistance in board 

    numbers and Birthing Chamber’s card draw. Masters of Evil have just been blessed 

    with Yellowjacket and Beetle to search out reinforcements, and Hard Sound 

    Construct to raise them from the dead. The New Brotherhood's lack of 

    tutors is compensated with raw power. Off-Curve archetypes are suddenly 

    being inundated with supplements, but nothing to help the poor X-Men. Longshot 

    is our only hope. Longshot and…</p>

	<br>

	<div class="center"><img src="http://www.vsparadise.com/images/fantasy/MultipleMan.jpg" border="0" alt="Multiple Man"></div>

	<div class="sub_text center">Card by bobthefish</div>

	<br>

    <p>The formula is simple. Longshot and Cerebro to draw as 

    many these guys as possible. Play as many as you can, and in combination with 

    Cyclops slim, two Multiple Man can attack for a total of +10 ATK. How cool would 

    this be… but only in your dreams.</p>

	<p><strong>Control</strong></p>

    <p>I think many were surprised with the X-Men stall deck. The 

    premise is simple. You put as many number of characters with effects to disrupt 

    and stun your opponent, and wait for Professor X Mental Master of Jean Grey 

    Phoneix Force. These effects doubled up with the collaboration of Mimic and 

    Rogue Power Absorption. The deck rode high success and has slowly faded away. 

    The deck was deemed to inconsistent, as you needed to land the ideal drop each 

    turn. These inconsistencies were further punished by the off-curve strategies 

    who give no mercy. Perhaps this guy would help…</p>

	<br>

	<div class="center"><img src="http://www.vsparadise.com/images/fantasy/NateGrey.jpg" border="0" alt="X-Man"></div>

	<div class="sub_text center">Card by Boiler Demon</div>

	<br>

    <p>Nate 

    Gray may be an alternative to the Mental Master. Replace you opponent’s 

    beatdown and make the X-Man are 19 ATK / 19 DEF. Perhaps you want to wait to turn 8 instead,

	boosting out to give everybody the power of the Blackbird. Now try stunning this guy. In 

    your dreams...</p>

	<br>

	<div class="center">

	<img src="http://entertainment.upperdeck.com/marvel/en/images/marvel_tease.jpg" border="0" alt="Evolution">

	<p>We can only wait...</p>

	</div>
	
	<div class="center">Congratulations to bobthefish and Boiler Demon for winning the Fantasy Card Competition of Week 1. Be sure to get your entries in for the next competition
	   and vote for the Best Fantasy Card of Week 2 <a href="http://www.vsparadise.com/forums/index.php?showforum=34">here</a>. Stay tuned and keep watching the skis... err.. skies.
	</div>
<!-- End Article -->

</div>

[an error occurred while processing this directive]