Eric Wynn is one of today’s Gravekeeper Duelists, aiming to bring a classic strategy back into the competitive fold. Absolute Powerforce brought Gravekeeper fans new cards like “Gravekeeper’s Descendant,” “Gravekeeper’s Visionary,” and “Gravekeeper’s Stele,” changing the Deck into something completely new.

Wynn’s opponent is Braulio Mancinas. He’s playing Zombies, so it looks like this match is Gravekeepers vs. Graves.

Wynn opened the Match with a hand of “Mystical Space Typhoon,” “Allure of Darkness,” “Necrovalley,” “Gravekeeper’s Assailant,” and 2 “Gravekeeper’s Spies”! He activated “Allure of Darkness,” drew another Spy, and “Gravekeeper’s Stele.” “Well that’s pretty useful!” remarked Wynn, cheerful. He removed Assailant, Set Spy, Set “Mystical Space Typhoon” and ended.

Mancinas Set a monster, Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone, and lost his Set “Mystical Space Typhoon” to Wynn’s Typhoon in the End Phase. Wynn Flip Summoned Spy next turn, Special Summoned “Gravekeeper’s Descendant,” and Tributed Spy to destroy Mancinas’ face-down “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter.” He Set another Spy, activated “Necrovalley,” and attacked for 2000 damage with Descendant!

Mancinas took a moment to read “Necrovalley”: “I haven’t read this in a while.” Seeing that it was trouble for his Graveyard-centered Deck, he destroyed it with “Heavy Storm,” Normal Summoned “Pyramid Turtle,” and slammed it into “Gravekeeper’s Descendant” to Special Summon “Zombie Master.” “Zombie Master” attacked over “Gravekeeper’s Descendant,” and in Main Phase 2 Mancinas discarded “Ryu Kokki” to Special Summon “Pyramid Turtle.” He Set a Spell or Trap to end.

Wynn Flip Summoned his second “Gravekeeper’s Spy,” Special Summoned another “Gravekeeper’s Descendant” from his Deck, and retained priority to Tribute “Gravekeeper’s Spy” for Descendant’s effect – that effect targeted “Pyramid Turtle,” but Mancinas Chained “Enemy Controller” to Tribute the Turtle, taking control of Descendant! Wynn Set his third Spy, ended his turn, and took back his Descendant.

Mancinas discarded “Spirit Reaper” to Special Summon “Pyramid Turtle” again. “That Set has got to be a third Spy, or a “Gravekeeper’s Guard”,” mused Mancinas. He sent “Pyramid Turtle” to attack Descendant, and when it was destroyed he Special Summoned “Mezuki” from his Deck. “Mezuki” attacked Descendant, destroying it, and “Zombie Master” attacked the third Spy. Wynn Special Summoned “Gravekeeper’s Assailant” from his Deck and Mancinas ended.

Wynn drew “Torrential Tribute.” He activated “Gravekeeper’s Stele,” returning a Descendant and a Spy to his hand. He Summoned Descendant, Tributed Spy to destroy “Zombie Master,” then Tributed Assailant to destroy “Mezuki.” Descendant attacked for 1500 damage and Wynn finished out by Setting “Torrential Tribute.”

Mancinas removed “Mezuki” from his Graveyard to Special Summon “Ryu Kokki.” “Ohhh…” Wynn groaned. “My entire Deck is Spellcasters.” He spent a few moments considering his options before activating “Torrential Tribute” to clear the field. Mancinas pressed on though, returning “Mezuki” to his Graveyard with “Burial From a Different Dimension,” and Special Summoning “Ryu-Kokki” again! He made a direct attack, and finished by Setting a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone.

Wynn drew and activated “Necrovalley,” and Set “Gravekeeper’s Spy.” “Ryu Kokki” attacked and destroyed it next turn, but Wynn was able to Special Summon “Gravekeeper’s Assailant.” Mancinas had “Ryu Kokki,” one card Set in his back row, and 1 card in-hand.

Wynn had three cards in-hand: “Mystic Tomato,” “Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind,” and “Gravekeeper’s Spear Soldier,” with Assailant and “Necrovalley” on the field. He Summoned Gale, halved “Ryu Kokki’s” ATK and DEF with Gale’s ability, and Tuned Gale to Assailant to Synchro Summon “Arcanite Magician.” When Arcanite hit the field Mancinas Chained “Book of Moon” to Arcanite’s token-gaining effect, and Wynn had to pass.

Mancinas Summoned “Goblin Zombie” next turn, attacked “Arcanite Magician” to destroy it with Ryu-Kokki, then made a direct attack with “Goblin Zombie” to send Wynn’s “Book of Moon” to his Graveyard. Wynn Summoned “Mystic Tomato,” attacked “Ryu Kokki” to destroy it, and ended. “Why the “Book of Moon”?” Wynn was animated in his sadness to lose the Book.

Mancinas Summoned Blackwing – Gale next turn, and Synchro Summoned “Black Rose Dragon” to wipe the field! He searched his Deck for “Mezuki,” and had one more card – another “Burial From a Different Dimension”!  He activated Burial, brought back his first “Mezuki,” removed it for “Ryu Kokki” again, and attacked for 2400 damage.

Wynn drew “Necrovalley” and activated it, Summoning “Gravekeeper’s Spear Soldier.” Mancinas Summoned “Mezuki” next turn and Wynn promptly conceded.

Braulio Mancinas overcomes a tough matchup in Duel 1, with multiple copies of “Necrovalley,” to hammer Eric Wynn with “Ryu Kokki” again and again. Both competitors spent some time with their Side Decks, and the second Duel began a couple minutes later.

This time around Wynn had “Allure of Darkness,” “Gravekeeper’s Stele,” “Gravekeeper’s Descendant,” “Gravekeeper’s Commandant,” “Brain Control,” and “Caius the Shadow Monarch.” Allure got him “Royal Oppression” and “Torrential Tribute,” and he removed Descendant to complete Allure’s effect. He Set “Torrential Tribute” and ended.

Mancinas Summoned “Krebons”! He attacked for 1200 damage and Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone. Wynn drew “Bottomless Trap Hole,” took “Krebons” with “Brain Control,” and Tributed it for “Caius the Shadow Monarch.” Caius’ effect destroyed Mancina’s face-down card, “Malevolent Catastrophe”! He Set Oppression and ended.

Mancinas blasted the Oppression with “Mystical Space Typhoon,” took Caius with “Mind Control,” Summoned “Krebons,” but lost his entire field to “Torrential Tribute.” He Set “Royal Oppression” himself, lost it to Wynn’s “Mystical Space Typhoon,” and Wynn attacked with “Gravekeeper’s Commandant.” He Set “Bottomless Trap Hole,” Mancinas drew to 2 cards, then Set a monster. Wynn drew, attacked with Commandant, and hit “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter.” Mancinas destroyed Wynn’s Set “Bottomless Trap Hole,” Wynn ended, Mancinas passed, and Wynn hit him for another 1600 damage. Wynn Set another “Bottomless Trap Hole,” Mancinas Summoned “Mezuki,” and “Bottomless Trap Hole” swallowed it up. Mancinas Set another card to his back row.

Wynn drew, holding “Caius the Shadow Monarch,” “Gravekeeper’s Stele,” and “Dark Armed Dragon.” Wynn Tributed Commandant for Caius, removed Mancinas’ bluff “Brain Control” from the game, and attacked to finish the Duel.

A trade of Spell and Trap removal sees not 1, but 2 copies of “Royal Oppression” wiped off the table, and Eric Wynn comes out the victor! Duel 3 started just moment’s later.

Mancinas Set a monster, then Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone. Wynn had “Gravekeeper’s Spy,” “Gravekeeper’s Guard,” “Gravekeeper’s Assailant,” “Necrovalley,” “Bottomless Trap Hole,” and “Royal Tribute”! He Set Spy, activated “Necrovalley,” and activated “Royal Tribute,” costing his opponent “Caius the Shadow Monarch.” He Set a card to his back row, Mancinas Set “Bottomless Trap Hole,” and Wynn passed, drawing another “Necrovalley.”

Mancinas activated “Emergency Teleport” and Special Summoned “Krebons”! He Flip Summoned “Pyramid Turtle,” Tuned “Krebons” to it to Synchro Summon “Goyo Guardian,” and when Wynn activated “Bottomless Trap Hole” Mancinas had “Solemn Judgment” to negate it! “Goyo Guardian” destroyed “Gravekeeper’s Spy” in battle, Spy got Wynn “Gravekeeper’s Descendant,” and next turn Wynn turned Descendant to Defense Position, Setting a Spell or Trap.

“Goyo Guardian” destroyed the Descendant, Wynn Set another Spell or Trap, and Mancinas Summoned “Sangan.” He made direct attacks with “Sangan” and “Goyo Guardian.” Wynn used “Gravekeeper’s Stele” to take back his Spy and Descendant, Set Spy, and “Goyo Guardian” attacked it next turn. That got Wynn “Gravekeeper’s Assailant,” Mancinas turned “Sangan” to Defense Position, and he Set a third card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone.

Wynn flipped “Royal Decree”! He Summoned Descendant, discarded “Gravekeeper’s Assailant” for Descendant’s effect, and destroyed “Goyo Guardian.” “I wish I knew how many Turtles you ran” remarked Wynn. “Go.” He was refusing to attack the “Sangan.”  Mancinas passed next turn.

Wynn Set a monster, Set a back row card, and ended. Mancinas passed and Wynn Flip Summoned “Gravekeeper’s Spy,” Special Summoning “Gravekeeper’s Assailant.” He attacked with Assailant, used its effect to turn “Sangan” to Attack Position, and Mancinas responded with “Book of Moon,” turning Assailant face-down. “Gravekeeper’s Descendant” attacked “Sangan” next, but Mancinas had another “Book of Moon”! Wynn’s “Gravekeeper’s Spy” was stuck in Attack Position and he ended his turn.

Mancinas rammed his “Sangan” into Wynn’s “Gravekeeper’s Spy,” dropping to 3300 Life Points and searching his Deck for “Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind.” He was really feeling the pressure from that “Gravekeeper’s Descendant” – anything he could play right now that wasn’t “Dark Armed Dragon,” “Mezuki,” or “Goblin Zombie” would probably be destroyed the moment Wynn could use his Descendant’s effect.

Mancinas did the only thing he could: he Summoned Gale and activated “Mind Control” to take “Gravekeeper’s Descendant” – He was going for “Black Rose Dragon,” but Wynn responded with “Book of Moon,” turning Gale face-down! Mancinas took “Gravekeeper’s Spy” with “Brain Control,” Tributed it to destroy “Royal Decree” with Descendant’s effect, then Set a card to his back row before ending and handing back Descendant. Traps were back online.

Wynn Flip Summoned “Gravekeeper’s Assailant,” Mancinas responded with “Torrential Tribute,” and Wynn Chained “Solemn Judgment”! Wynn attacked with “Gravekeeper’s Assailant,” Mancinas responded with “Malevolent Catastrophe,” and as “Necrovalley” was destroyed, Gale went down in battle. Descendant made a direct attack, Wynn activated another “Necrovalley,” and Set 2 cards to his back row!

Mancinas Set 2 cards to his Spell & Trap Card Zone too, then Set a monster. Wynn snapped into action next turn! He Tributed “Gravekeeper’s Assailant” to destroy his opponent’s Set “Plaguespreader Zombie” with Descendant’s effect, attacked with it, and struck for game!

Eric Wynn takes a hard-fought Duel, riding “Gravekeeper’s Descendant” to victory! Descendant proves to be an absolute beast!

See what our panel of experts had to say after the Duel.

Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)

In Duel 3, Mancinas used 2 copies of “Book of Moon” to protect his “Sangan” and then rammed it into a “Gravekeeper’s Spy” on his following turn to get its effect. He would have been better off letting Mancinas destroy his “Sangan” with a Gravekeeper’s monster. Mancinas would have been able to save a copy of “Book of Moon” if he had done this, and only would have taken a bit more damage.

Michael McTavish (Top 8 Finalist – 2009 Canadian National Championship)
During the final turn of Game 2, Wynn Tributed his “Gravekeeper’s Commandant” to summon “Caius the Shadow Monarch”, remove his opponent’s face down “Brain Control” and attack for the final 2400 Life Points and the victory. Thankfully for Wynn, this went well, but in the future, a safer play would be to attack for 1600 damage with the Commandant and then Tribute Summon Caius in main phase 2, removing itself for its effect, and dealing well over the final 800 damage he would need to win. This play not only saves him from “Bottomless Trap Hole” and “Torrential Tribute” but also leaves his opponent at 400 life points if he had been forced to activate “Solemn Judgment.”

P.J. Tierney (Duelist from across The Pond)

Towards the end of Duel 1, Wynn Summoned “Arcanite Magician” by Tuning “Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind” and “Gravekeeper’s Assailant” together. Mancinas actiaved “Book of Moon” stopping that Arcanite from destroying his cards. If Wynn had Synchro Summoned “Blackwing Armor Master” instead, he’d have still gotten hit by the Book, but he wouldn’t have lost his monster to “Ryu Kokki” next turn. Then, he would have had the strongest monster on the field, and he might not have lost in the way he did.

Click here for the next Feature Match!