And the crowd goes wild...
Hundreds of players from all corners of the globe travelled to Los Angeles last weekend to fight for gold and glory, revel in smashing good times, and share in the unforgettable experience that is a Flesh and Blood Pro Tour. From the epic final match between France and Germany, to Kassai taking her cut of the Calling profits, to the showdown between FAB's Dynamic Duo, Los Angeles was a Heavy Hitting weekend for the ages. The rip-roaring side events, unbelievably entertaining casting hijinks, a cosplay contest that was literally on fire, and a jaw-dropping sneak peak at Part the Mistveil - you really had to be there.
As the dust settles and our heroes wander into the Moat for some well-earned RnR, let's take a moment to congratulate our esteemed champions of the Deathmatch Arena, and dive into what made this event the BEST Pro Tour yet!
Pro Tour
$200,000 was on the line as Flesh and Blood's most formidable gladiators clashed in the Deathmatch Arena. More than 380 brave contestants tested their strength across three days of Classic Constructed and Heavy Hitters Booster Draft.
He may only have one hand, but Kayo was clapping foes left, right, and centre. The most popular hero in the arena, Kayo rumbled his way to claiming a whopping half of the top cut. But in the end he was clapped himself, as the battle for the championship title came down to a thrilling match between Arthur Trehet on Dromai versus Maximilian Klein on Dorinthea.
Both players showcased incredible mastery of their decks, Arthur carefully executing every move while Max kept the dragons at axe length. The game boiled down to a nerve-wracking 1-1, with both players on borrowed time. Just when all hope seemed lost for Arthur at the hands of Max's Spill Blood, he played a Sink Below from arsenal, drawing into the one and ONLY card that could save him - Sigil of Solace!
Congratulations to Arthur for winning what is being called the greatest game of Flesh and Blood of all time, and to our finalist Maximilian, who's complete surgical precision brought the game down to a single answer. Congratulations to the rest of our Top 8 competitors as well, for making it this far!
Top 8
1st: Arthur Trehet - Dromai, Ash Artist
2nd: Maximilian Klein - Dorinthea Ironsong
3rd-4th: Joel Repta - Kayo, Armed and Dangerous
3rd-4th: Daniel Correas - Kayo, Armed and Dangerous
5th-8th: Peter Ward - Kayo, Armed and Dangerous
5th-8th: Filipe Lima Cardoso - Kano, Dracai of Aether
5th-8th: Joshua Lau - Dorinthea Ironsong
5th-8th: Sebastian Grøndal - Kayo, Armed and Dangerous
Calling
Day 2 boasted even more action, with more than 540 players battling for $30,000 USD and the title of Calling Champion. Wagering they had what it took to survive the two day gauntlet of Classic Constructed, players brought their A-Game.
In a top cut stacked with Heavy Hitting heroes, it was a surprise attack from Kassai that took home the gold needed to raise an army. Balanced, dynamic, and adaptable, she swiftly swept the competition to cement herself on the Roll of Honor!
Congratulations to Matthew Dilks for his legendary hot streak, and to the rest of our Top 8 competitors!
Top 8
1st: Matthew Dilks - Kassai of the Golden Sand
2nd: Majin Bae - Kano, Dracai of Aether
3rd-4th: Dennis Zhang - Victor Goldmane, High and Mighty
3rd-4th: Eric Lerer - Kayo, Armed and Dangerous
5th-8th: Pierre-Nicolas Perrin - Kassai of the Golden Sand
5th-8th: Nova Chan - Victor Goldmane, High and Mighty
5th-8th: Kyle Yoder - Katsu, the Wanderer
5th-8th: Yifei Wang - Kayo, Armed and Dangerous
Battle Hardened
Meanwhile, those who like to party hard rolled up their sleeves for the Living Legend Battle Hardened! More than 100 players dusted off their Crown of Seeds (rip), Duskblades, and Voltaires to compete for $2,000 USD!
Starvo was clearly waiting in his trailer for a role reprisal while other titans of the format stepped into the limelight. Chane racked up the most placements this time round, but didn't take home the W without a fight. Two of FAB's friendliest faces - best friends Michael Feng and Brodie Spurlock - coming all this way just to face against each other in the finals?!
Congratulations to Michael, and to the rest of our Top 8 competitors!
Top 8
1st: Michael Feng - Chane, Bound by Shadow
2nd: Brodie Spurlock - Lexi, Livewire
3rd-4th: Gordon Koh Koh - Lexi, Livewire
3rd-4th: Jake Warburton - Chane, Bound by Shadow
5th-8th: Peter Buddensiek - Kano, Dracai of Aether
5th-8th: CYK Lionel - Chane, Bound by Shadow
5th-8th: Daniel Dreisziger - Viserai, Rune Blood
5th-8th: Kevin Brayer - Chane, Bound by Shadow
(Decklists to be published soon)
The Crowd Goes Wild
An absolute banger of a Pro Tour weekend doesn't begin without an absolute banger of a keynote! The seductive Assassin Nuu, Alluring Desire drew gasps from the crowd, while the Illusionist stans cheered for Enigma, Ledger of Ancestry, and Crouching Tiger fans rejoiced at the sight of Zen, Tamer of Purpose!
Cold Foil Extended Art Energy Potions were being handed out like candy to those who reveled in all the Moat has to offer - Blitz! Shapeshifter Sealed! Ultimate Pit Fight Draft! Congratulations to Mark Lewis for taking down the Commoner Gold Foil event with Iyslander! We even had the biggest Flesh and Blood Booster Draft event ever, with nearly 500 players!
They must have been cooking over at the cosplay contest because the heat was sweltering! From rollerskates, to toy horses, to literal actual fire (I'm not joking), an exceptionally dazzling display of arts and crafts was proudly presented on stage by our talented tailors of Rathe. Congratulations to Zeni Ragsdale for taking home the goodies!
It's safe to say that esports commentary legend Mitch Leslie has made a name for himself in the FAB scene, but he wasn't alone in delivering a masterclass live stream. Our superstar casting team of Pankaj Bhojwani, Sam O’Byrne, and Bryan Gottlieb made for a hilarious and riveting stream, one that will be remembered forever by those lucky enough to witness it live. A special thank you to Ethan Van Sant and Savage Feats for executing the whole thing flawlessly. Hey other TCGs, take note!
Thank you to everyone who came out to Los Angeles to celebrate the fourth Flesh and Blood Pro Tour, coming together to play great games and build fond memories. Thank you to all the players, staff, judges, casting and coverage team, artists, guest writer Logan Bolam, Star City Games, Zen's feet, friends, family, and everyone else who made this incredible landmark weekend possible!
Rest up... Pro Tour: Amsterdam awaits!
