Sean Montague is the reigning U.S. National Champion and currently undefeated in with his Plant Synchro Deck. His opponent, Stanley Gasque, is running a unique Deck combining Frog Monarchs with the Destiny Hero engine. His ability to Tune Fishborg Blaster with Treeborn Frog to Synchro Summon Formula Synchron and draw through his Deck, or even Tune Formula Synchron with Destiny Hero – Malicious to make a Level 8 Synchro Monster, may be a deciding factor in this Match.

Gasque started off the Match by Setting a monster.

Montague opened up with Dark Hole, Pot of Avarice, Enemy Controller, Effect Veiler, Debris Dragon, and Monster Reborn. He Set Enemy Controller and passed.

Gasque flipped up his face-down Sangan and attacked directly, dropping Montague down to 7000 Life Points.

Montague drew Foolish Burial next turn and activated it to send Dandylion from his Deck to his Graveyard and Special Summon 2 Fluff Tokens. Then he Summoned Debris Dragon and activated its effect to Special Summon Dandylion back from the Graveyard. He Tuned Debris Dragon with Dandylion and a Fluff Token to Synchro Summon Stardust Dragon, and Special Summoned 2 more Fluff Tokens to the field with Dandylion’s effect. Stardust Dragon attacked Sangan, and Gasque searched his Deck for Swap Frog with Sangan’s effect.

Gasque activated Allure of Darkness next turn. He drew 2 cards and removed Caius the Shadow Monarch from his hand with its effect. Then he Summoned Swap Frog. He tried to activate its effect, but Montague pitched Effect Veiler from his hand to negate it. Gasque Set Spiritual Water Art – Aoi before passing.

Montague drew Lonefire Blossom next turn, and Gasque activated Spiritual Water Art – Aoi in the Draw Phase. He Tributed Swap Frog to get rid of the Lonefire Blossom in Montague’s hand. Next, Montague used Monster Reborn to revive Lonefire Blossom. He activated its effect by Tributing a Fluff Token and Special Summoned another copy of Lonefire Blossom from his Deck. Then he activated that one’s effect to Tribute a second Fluff Token and Special Summon Tytannial, Princess of Camellias. Lonefire Blossom declared a direct attack, but Gasque Special Summoned Battle Fader from his hand to block Montague’s onslaught.

Gasque Summoned Elemental Hero Stratos next turn and activated its effect to search his Deck for Elemental Hero Ocean and add it to his hand. Then he activated Miracle Fusion, fusing his on-field Stratos and the Swap Frog in his Graveyard to Summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero. Absolute Zero declared an attack on Stardust Dragon, but Montague blocked the attack by switching Absolute Zero to Defense Position.

Montague Tributed his last Fluff Token next turn in order to Special Summon Spore from his Deck, thanks to the effect of Lonefire Blossom. Then he Tuned Lonefire Blossom with Spore to Synchro Summon Armory Arm! He removed Lonefire Blossom from his Graveyard next, to Special Summon Spore as a Level 4 Tuner. Next, he Tuned Spore with  Lonefire Blossom to Synchro Summon Black Rose Dragon. Then he used the effect of Black Rose Dragon by removing Spore from his Graveyard, and switched Gasque’s Battle Fader into Attack Position. He Summoned Glow-Up Bulb next, and Tuned it with Black Rose Dragon to Synchro Summon Colossal Fighter. Then he returned 5 monsters from his Graveyard to his Deck with Pot of Avarice and drew 2 cards. Stardust Dragon attacked Gasque’s Defense Position Absolute Zero, and Montague negated Absolute Zero’s destruction effect by Tributing Stardust Dragon. Then Tytannial attacked over Battle Fader, and Colossal Fighter and Armory Arm attacked directly to finish the Duel!

Sean Montague takes a quick Duel 1 victory thanks to an abundance of Fluff Tokens!

Gasque started off Duel 2 by activating Future Fusion. He sent Fishborg Blaster and Destiny Hero – Dasher from his Deck to his Graveyard so that he could Summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero 2 turns later. Then he Summoned Treeborn Frog to the field and discarded Destiny Hero – Malicious from his hand to Special Summon Fishborg Blaster back from the Graveyard. Next, he removed Destiny Hero – Malicious from his Graveyard to Special Summon another copy from his Deck. He Tuned Treeborn Frog with Fishborg Blaster to Synchro Summon Formula Synchron in Defense Position. He drew a card with its effect and ended his turn.

Montague opened up with Book of Moon, Enemy Controller, Snowman Eater, Cyber Dragon, Debris Dragon, and Dandylion. He Special Summoned Cyber Dragon, and Gasque immediately Tuned Formula Synchron with Destiny Hero – Malicious to Synchro Summon Colossal Fighter, aware that Montague would otherwise be able to fuse Cyber Dragon with his Formula Synchron to Summon Chimeratech Fortress Dragon. Montague Summoned Dandylion next, and Tributed it with Enemy Controller to take control of Colossal Fighter. He Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens in Defense Position and then attacked directly with Cyber Dragon and Colossal Fighter, dropping Gasque down to 2900 Life Points. Montague ended his turn and control of Colossal Fighter shifted back to Gasque.

Gasque drew Sangan next turn and Special Summoned it in Attack Position with the effect of Destiny Hero – Dasher. Then he Tributed Sangan to Summon Vanity’s Fiend, and used Sangan’s effect to search his Deck for a copy of Elemental Hero Ocean to add to his hand. Colossal Fighter attacked and destroyed Cyber Dragon, then Vanity’s Fiend took down a Fluff Token.

Montague drew Glow-Up Bulb next turn. He Set Snowman Eater and passed.

Gasque drew a card for his turn. 2 turns passed since Future Fusion was activated, but Gasque wasn’t able to Special Summon Absolute Zero due to the effect of Vanity’s Fiend. Instead, Colossal Fighter attacked Montague’s face-down Snowman Eater, and Snowman Eater destroyed Vanity’s Fiend with its effect. Gasque Set a monster and ended his turn.

Montague Summoned Debris Dragon next turn and Special Summoned Dandylion from his Graveyard with its effect. He Tuned his 2 monsters together to Synchro Summon Black Rose Dragon and destroyed all cards on the field! Then he Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens with the effect of his Dandylion and Set Book of Moon to his back row.

Gasque Special Summoned Treeborn Frog from his Graveyard next turn. Next, he activated Reinforcement of the Army to add Elemental Hero Stratos to his hand. He Summoned it to the field and used its effect to add Destiny Hero – Diamond Dude from his Deck to his hand. He activated Allure of Darkness to draw 2 cards and remove Diamond Dude from his hand. Then he activated Mystical Space Typhoon on Montague’s face-down Book of Moon, but Montague Chained it to put Elemental Hero Stratos face-down.

Montague Tributed a Fluff Token to Summon Caius the Shadow Monarch next turn, and used its effect to remove Treeborn Frog from the game. Then he attacked the face-down Stratos with Caius, destroying it in battle. He Set Book of Moon and passed.

Gasque activated Dark Hole next turn to clear the field! He Summoned Elemental Hero Ocean next, and attacked directly for 1500 points of damage. He finished his turn by activating Foolish Burial, sending Treeborn Frog from his Deck to his Graveyard.

Montague Set Dandylion next turn and passed.

Gasque used Ocean’s effect to return Elemental Hero Stratos from his Graveyard to his hand in his next Standby Phase. Then he Tributed Ocean to Summon Caius and removde Montague’s face-down Dandylion from the game with Caius’s effect. Next, he discarded Elemental Hero Stratos to Special Summon Fishborg from his Graveyard. He Tuned Fishborg with Treeborn Frog to Synchro Summon Formula Synchron and draw a card, then Tuned Formula Synchron with Caius to Summon Scrap Dragon. Next, he Set Soul Exchange and used Scrap Dragon’s effect to destroy his own Soul Exchange and Montague’s Book of Moon, but Montague Chained Book of Moon to put Scrap Dragon face-down.

Montague Set Glow-Up Bulb next turn and passed.

Gasque tried to Special Summon Treeborn Frog in his next Standby Phase, but lost it to Montague’s D.D. Crow. Then he Set One for One and destroyed it with Scrap Dragon to take down Montague’s face-down Glow-Up Bulb. Finally, Gasque used Monster Reborn to revive Colossal Fighter. With only 5600 Life Points remaining, Montague conceded.

Powerful monsters allow Stanley Gasque to overwhelm Sean Montague in Duel 2!

Montague opened up Duel 3 with Book of Moon, Foolish Burial, Call of the Haunted, Dandylion, Sangan, and Pot of Avarice. He Set Sangan along with 2 back rows and ended his turn.

Gasque activated One for One next turn. He sent Destiny Hero – Malicious from his hand to his Graveyard to Special Summon Treeborn Frog from his Deck. Then he Tributed Treeborn Frog for Caius the Shadow Monarch and removed Montague’s face-down Sangan from the game. After a direct attack from Caius, Montague was down to 4600 Life Points.

Montague drew Mind Control next turn. He activated Foolish Burial and sent Lonefire Blossom from his Deck to his Graveyard with its effect. Then he Summoned Dandylion from his hand. He activated Call of the Haunted to try to revive Lonefire Blossom, but Gasque pitched a D.D. Crow from his hand to remove Lonefire Blossom from the Graveyard!

Gasque activated Compulsory Evacuation Device in his next Standby Phase to return Dandylion to Montague’s hand, then Special Summoned Treeborn Frog from his Graveyard. Next, he used Future Fusion to send Fishborn Blaster and Destiny Hero – Dasher from his Deck to his Graveyard so he could Summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero 2 turns later. He discarded Soul Exchange, the last card in his hand, in order to Special Summon Fishborg Blaster back from his Graveyard. Next, he removed Destiny Hero – Malicious from his Graveyard to Special Summon another copy from his Deck. He Tuned Fishborg with Treeborn Frog to Synchro Summon Formula Synchron, and drew a card with Formula Synchron’s effect. Then he Tuned Formula Synchron with Malicious to Synchro Summon Scrap Dragon. Gasque Set Soul Exchange and activated Scrap Dragon’s effect to destroy his own Soul Exchange and Montague’s Set Book of Moon, but Montague Chained Book of Moon to put Scrap Dragon face-down and survive.

Montague used Dark Hole next turn to clear the field, then Set Dandylion.

Gasque drew a card and passed.

Montague drew a card and passed.

Gasque Special Summoned Elemental Hero Absolute Zero off of Future Fusion next turn. He attacked Montague’s Set Dandylion, and Montague Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens in Defense Position.

Montague Summoned Effect Veiler next turn. He Tuned it with a Fluff Token to Synchro Summon Formula Synchron in Defense Position, desperate to drew a card. He Set a card to his back row and passed.

Gasque attacked and destroyed Formula Synchron with Absolute Zero next turn.

Montague Summoned another copy of Effect Veiler next turn. He Tuned it with a Fluff Token to Special Summon another Formula Synchron in Defense Position, and desperately drew Ryko from his Deck with its effect.

Gasque Summoned Swap Frog and activated its effect to send Treeborn Frog from his Deck to his Graveyard. Then he attacked Formula Synchron with Elemental Hero Absolute Zero and Swap Frog attacked directly to drop Montague down to 1200 Life Points.

Montague activated Pot of Avarice next turn to send 5 monsters from his Graveyard to his Deck and draw 2 cards. He had One for One, Card Trooper, Pot of Avarice, Mind Control, Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, and Tytannial, Princess of Camellias in his hand after drawing 2 cards from Pot of Avarice. He Summoned Card Trooper and boosted it to 1900 ATK by sending Glow-Up Bulb, Caius the Shadow Monarch, and Enemy Controller from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. Time was called for the round, and Sean Montague had 5 turns remaining to turn the Duel around. The score stood with Montague at 1200 Life Points, and Gasque standing strong with 8000 Life Points. Montague continued his turn by activating One for One. He sent Tytannial from his hand to his Graveyard to Special Summon Spore from his Deck. Then he sent Book of Moon from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard to Special Summon Glow-Up Bulb to the field. Next, he used Mind Control to take control of Gasque’s Swap Frog. He Tuned Card Trooper, Spore, and Swap Frog together to Synchro Summon Goyo Guardian. Then he attacked Absolute Zero with Goyo Guardian, destroying it in battle. Gasque lost 300 Life Points and Montague’s field was cleared by Absolute Zero’s effect. Montague activated another copy of Pot of Avarice next. He sent 5 monsters from his Graveyard to his Deck and drew Effect Veiler and Debris Dragon.

Gasque Special Summoned Treeborn Frog from his Graveyard next turn. He discarded Super Polymerization from his hand to Special Summon Fishborg Blaster, then Tuned Fishborg with Treeborn Frog to Synchro Summon Formula Synchron and draw a card. Next, he removed Elemental Hero Absolute Zero and Swap Frog from the game with Miracle Fusion, in order to Summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero. Gasque declared an attack with Absolute Zero, but Gasque blocked the attack by switching it to Defense Position with Enemy Controller.

Montague drew Monster Reborn next turn! But would it be enough?  He activated Monster Reborn to Special Summon Gasque’s Scrap Dragon. Then he attacked Formula Synchron and activated his Dragon’s effect to destroy Absolute Zero and his own Call of the Haunted. Absolute Zero’s effect took down Scrap Dragon with it.

When Gasque activated Monster Reborn next turn, Montague conceded, knowing his Life Points would be unable to withstand a direct attack.

Stanley Gasque defeats National Champion Sean Montague 2-1 to advance undefeated in the tournament!