Underplayed: [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match
by Ryan “The GOAT’ O’Donnell

Greetings Raw Deal players! This is the first of many articles which I hope to write for the Comic Images website. The focus of this and all future articles will be cards that see less play than perhaps they should. I will take an introspective look at the card in question, weigh its pros and cons and give some insightful advice to my fellow players. In this first edition of Underplayed, I’ll be taking a look at [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match. Let’s take a look at the card’s text:

Previously Unannounced Match
Pre-match: Event
The maximum number of Mid-match your opponent may have in his Ring is equal to the number of Pre-match you have in your Ring.

A simple, straightforward, and yet powerful card in its own right. Like the all cards sporting the Revolution symbol, the card was purposefully designed to be worded simply yet still have a very solid effect.

Why doesn’t it see play?

When examining the inaugural set of Revolution, we see many cards that interacted only with the other cards in the set. [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match was one of the few cards that was immediately relevant in the Revolution format and the existing Afterburn and All Axxess formats. Despite the ease with which [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match could be assimilated into any Raw Deal deck, it enjoyed little popularity.

The reasons for this card being so ignored could be vast, but by and large I have concluded that the reason for this card not being incredibly popular was due to the game environment at the time of its release. That is at least the case in Afterburn and All Axxess formats. As for the Revolution format, I can only assume that players determined that they would prefer to maximize their Pre-match, rather than counteract their opponent’s Mid-match.

Will it ever be more popular?

As more sets are released containing the Revolution logo, the need for [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match will undoubtedly increase in the Revolution format. Even with the release of Revolution 2: Extreme, we see more powerful Mid-match cards which players will undoubtedly want to pack and play.

As for the All Axxess and Afterburn formats, [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match will see more play when the metagame shifts to see a vast number of decks dependent on their Mid-match cards. Whether that comes with the release of a new set, or simply the eventual assimilation of that set is unclear.

How do I make the most out of this card?

In All Axxess, [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match can easily be paired with I’m Gonna Break You for a potentially powerful and simple Pre-match set-up. While restricting your opponent to only two Mid-match cards from his standard allowance of five, you also have the opportunity to strip your opponent’s hand of anything of substance before his first turn. Should your opponent play only two Pre-match cards to avoid I’m Gonna Break You, you have instead effectively reduced his Pre-match and Mid-match capacity by 60%.

In Afterburn, since we do not have access to I’m Gonna Break You, we will have to be cleverer in our Pre-match assortment in order to exploit [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match. One of the best ways to do that would be with Pre-match cards that have Activated Card Effects. If we played [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match and four other Pre-match cards that remove themselves from our Ring Area when used, such as This is Gonna Be a Rocket Buster or Old School Beating, we have not forsaken our own Pre-match, yet still gain the benefit of obscuring our opponent’s ability to play Mid-match.

Why should I play it?

The reasons behind playing [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match could vary greatly depending on your local metagame or personal preference. In some areas, Backlash decks contain many Reversal cards, and [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match will allow you to restrict your opponent to one or two of those Reversal cards, instead of four or five. In other areas, Actions and Antics are the popular choice for Backlash decks. Again, this card can make your opponent have to choose which are the most important.

The most powerful way that [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match can be used is if your opponent is too short sighted to remember that you played it. If you have reduced your opponent to a few Mid-match slots and he uses them quickly without remembering that you have played our card in question, you can quickly take advantage of his inability to play more Mid-match.

What Superstar should I play it in?

Of course, there are certain superstars who benefit more from [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match than others. The first superstar to come to mind is the self-proclaimed Captain Charisma; The Leader of the Peepulation. With three copies of Christian’s Shades and Managed by Tyson Tomko, The Leader of the Peepulation could easily take cards out of his ring area to maximize [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match. Add to that his Unique ability to remove his own non-unique cards from his ring area via his Superstar Ability, and I’d say that the Leader of the Peepulation is a prime choice for the card in question.

Another hot prospect for [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match is The Rock. With Just Who in the Blue Hell Do You Think You Are?, The Rock can reduce his opponent’s maximum number of Mid-match to zero before his opponent has the chance to play any Mid-match cards at all.

What other cards should I play?

One of the most devious things that can be done with a card like [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match is to combine it with other cards that have similar effects. One specific example is above with The Rock, but another example would be to utilize the original version of Don’t Cross the Boss. For those unaware of the specific text of that card, here it is:

Don't Cross the Boss
Action
When this card is in your Ringside pile, your cards titled No Chance in Hell! are -6F and put this card into your hand when you play the card titled No Chance in Hell!
When this card is in your Ring area, your cards titled No Chance in Hell! are -6F and when your opponent successfully plays an Action card, you may draw 1 card. When the card titled Managed by Vince McMahon is in your Ring area, the maximum number of Mid-match cards your opponent may have in his Ring area is reduced by 2.
Active
F: 6 D: 0

The important text to note is located at the bottom of the card. If you play Managed by Vince McMahon, you get to further reduce the Mid-match cards that your opponent plays by combining it with Don’t Cross the Boss. While this happens at 6 Fortitude and not at 0 Fortitude like The Rock’s Feud, it is still a very viable option.

While it may not be for every deck design, [Revolution] Previously Unannounced Match has many benefits. I hope I have inspired a few people to use this card the next time they construct a deck.