Round 8 Feature Match: Ronald Mack vs. Evan Towler
Ronald Mack from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Evan Towler from Redford, Michigan are currently undefeated in the tournament. Ronald Mack made it here with a Gravekeeper’s Deck, greatly bolstered by the addition of Gravekeeper’s Recruiter from Starstrike Blast. His opponent, Evan Towler, is running Plant Synchro. Mack’s Necrovalley may make this a tough Match for Towler, since it can shut down Towler’s key cards like Debris Dragon and Pot of Avarice.
Towler started off the Match by activating Charge of the Light Brigade, sending Effect Veiler, Lonefire Blossom, and Sangan from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard in order to add Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter from his Deck to his hand. Then he Set a monster and a back row, ending his turn.
Mack opened up with Bottomless Trap Hole, Solemn Judgment, Royal Tribute, Necrovalley, Gravekeeper’s Recruiter, and Gravekeeper’s Commandant. He Summoned Gravekeeper’s Recruiter and attacked Mack’s face-down Ryko. Ryko destroyed the Recruiter and sent Book of Moon and 2 copies of Debris Dragon from the top of Towler’s Deck to his Graveyard. Mack searched his Deck for a copy of Recruiter to add to his hand with his other Recruiter’s effect. Next, Mack activated Necrovalley and played Royal Tribute! He revealed his hand and sent Gravekeeper’s Commandant and Gravekeeper’s Recruiter to the Graveyard, while Towler revealed his hand of One for One, Pot of Avarice, Effect Veiler, and Ryko, and sent Ryko and Effect Veiler to the Graveyard. Mack Set Solemn Judgment and Bottomless Trap Hole, ending his turn.
Towler activated One for One next turn, sending Dandylion from his hand to his Graveyard to Special Summon Spore from his Deck. He Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens with Dandylion’s effect. Then he Tuned Spore with a Fluff Token to Synchro Summon Formula Synchron and draw a card. He Set a card to his back row and ended his turn.
Mack drew another copy of Necrovalley next turn and passed. Towler flipped Royal Decree in his End Phase.
Towler Set a card to his back row and ended his turn.
Mack drew Solemn Warning and passed.
Towler passed.
Mack drew Book of Moon, Set it, and passed.
Towler passed once again.
Mack drew Pot of Duality and activated it. He revealed Gravekeeper’s Stele, Gravekeeper’s Descendant, and Gravekeeper’s Commandant from the top of his Deck, and chose to add the Stele to his hand. He activated it to return 2 copies of Gravekeeper’s Recruiter from his Graveyard to his hand. He Summoned one of them in Attack Position and then attacked Towler’s Formula Synchron. Gravekeeper’s Recruiter had 1700 ATK due to the effect of Necrovalley, so Towler was forced to use Book of Moon to save Formula Synchron and block the attack.
Towler passed.
Mack drew another Recruiter next turn! He Summoned it to the field and flipped his other Recruiter face-up. He attacked a Fluff Token with one Recruiter, but when he attacked Formula Synchron with the other one, Towler blocked the attack with Enemy Controller by switching the Recruiter to Defense Position.
Towler drew Caius the Shadow Monarch next turn. He Tributed Formula Synchron to Summon it, and removed Necrovalley from the game with its effect. With Necrovalley out of the way, Towler used Pot of Avarice to send 5 monsters from his Graveyard back to his Deck and draw 2 cards. Towler attacked the Attack Position Gravekeeper’s Recruiter with Caius next, dropping Mack down to 6800 Life Points, and Mack searched his Deck for a copy of Gravekeeper’s Descendant to add to his hand with his Recruiter’s effect. Mack activated Monster Reborn next, to Special Summon Spore from his Graveyard. Mack flipped Book of Moon to put Caius face-down, and Towler was left unable to use it in a Synchro Summon.
Mack drew Dark Hole next turn. He Summoned Gravekeeper’s Descendant and activated Necrovalley. Mack attacked the face-down Caius with his Recruiter and then attacked Spore with Descendant. In Main Phase 2, Mack Tributed his Recruiter to destroy Royal Decree with Descendant’s effect, and searched his Deck for Gravekeeper’s Assailant with the effect of his Recruiter. Mack ended his turn in incredible position, with Bottomless Trap Hole, Solemn Warning, and Solemn Judgment face-down.
Towler drew to 5 cards in his hand. He Set a card to each zone and passed.
Mack drew Royal Tribute next turn. He Summoned Gravekeeper’s Recruiter and then activated Royal Tribute. He revealed Dark Hole and Gravekeeper’s Assailant, and Towler revealed Caius, Foolish Burial, and Pot of Avarice. Gravekeeper’s Assailant and Caius were sent to the Graveyard. Next, Mack Tributed Gravekeeper’s Recruiter with the effect of his Descendant and destroyed Towler’s face-down Debris Dragon. He searched his Deck for another Gravekeeper’s Assailant with the effect of Recruiter. Then Gravekeeper’s Descendant attacked directly, dropping Towler down to 6000 Life Points.
Towler drew Lonefire Blossom next turn, but when he tried to Summon it, Mack negated the Summon with Solemn Warning.
When Mack drew Summoned Gravekeeper’s Assailant next turn, Towler conceded, completely overwhelmed.
Necrovalley shuts down Evan Towler’s plays and allows Ronald Mack to achieve a dominating victory! Towler will be going first in Duel 2!
Towler started off the Duel by Setting 2 cards to his back row.
Mack opened up with Torrential Tribute, Book of Moon, Royal Tribute, Gravekeeper’s Assailant, Gravekeeper’s Commandant, and Gravekeeper’s Recruiter. He pitched the Commandant from his hand to grab a copy of Necrovalley, then activated it. Next, he Set Torrential Tribute and Book of Moon. He Set Gravekeeper’s Recruiter and then activated Royal Tribute. Towler Chained Mystical Space Typhoon, but Royal Tribute still resolved. Towler revealed Debris Dragon, Royal Decree, Pot of Avarice, and Monster Reborn. He discarded the Debris Dragon. Mack lost the Gravekeeper’s Assailant in his hand.
Towler drew a card and passed his next turn.
Mack drew Deck Devastation Virus and then flipped his Recruiter face-up. He attacked directly, dropping Towler down to 6800 Life Points, and ended his turn.
Towler Set a monster and passed.
Mack drew Dimensional Prison. He attacked Towler’s face-down monster with his Recruiter. It was a Ryko. Ryko destroyed Mack’s Set Book of Moon and sent Book of Moon, Glow-Up Bulb, and Debris Dragon from the top of Towler’s Deck to his Graveyard. Mack Set Dimensional Prison and Deck Devastation Virus, then ended his turn. In his End Phase, Towler flipped Royal Decree.
Towler activated the effect of his Glow-Up Bulb next turn, Special Summoning it from the Graveyard by sending Thunder King Rai-Oh from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. Then he Tributed Glow-Up Bulb to Summon Caius the Shadow Monarch, and used its effect to remove Gravekeeper’s Recruiter from the game and deal 1000 points of damage to Mack. He attacked directly, dropping Mack down to 4600 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Towler activated Pot of Avarice to send 5 monsters from his Graveyard to his Deck and draw 2 cards.
Mack drew Nobleman of Crossout next turn. He Set it face-down with no way around Caius.
Towler attacked directly with Caius, dropping Mack down to 2200 Life Points.
Mack drew Gravekeeper’s Commandant next turn. He conceded, unwilling to Set it to stay in the game.
Royal Decree pins down Mack’s cards and allows Towler to make a comeback that pushes the Match to a third Duel!
Mack opened up Duel 3 with Gravekeeper’s Recruiter, Gravekeeper’s Assailant, Gravekeeper’s Spy, Necrovalley, and 2 copies of Book of Moon. He activated Necrovalley, then Set Book of Moon and Gravekeeper’s Spy.
Towler Set a monster along with 2 cards to his back row.
Mack drew Pot of Duality next turn. He flipped up his Gravekeeper’s Spy and activated its effect to Special Summon Gravekeeper’s Descendant from his Deck in Attack Position. Towler flipped Book of Moon to put the Descendant face-down. Mack Summoned Gravekeeper’s Assailant from his hand and then attacked Towler’s Set monster with his Spy. It was a Ryko. Towler destroyed Necrovalley and sent Mystical Space Typhoon, Lonefire Blossom, and Debris Dragon from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard with Ryko’s effect. Gravekeeper’s Assailant attacked directly. Mack Set another copy of Book of Moon and ended his turn.
Towler Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh next turn. He used it to attack Mack’s face-down Gravekeeper’s Descendant, but Mack blocked the attack with Book of Moon. In Towler’s End Phase, Mack used his other Book of Moon to put his Spy face-down.
Mack drew Solemn Judgment next turn and then flipped his Spy face-up. He Special Summoned Gravekeeper’s Recruiter from his Deck with its effect. Then he Tributed the Recruiter with his Descendant to destroy Towler’s face-down Thunder King Rai-Oh, and searched his Deck for a copy of Gravekeeper’s Commandant to add to his hand. Next, he Tributed his other Recruiter to destroy Royal Decree, and searched his Deck for a copy of Gravekeeper’s Recruiter to add to his hand. He pitched his Commandant to search his Deck for Necrovalley, and activated it. Next, he attacked directly with Gravekeeper’s Assailant, Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Gravekeeper’s Descendant, dropping Towler down to 800 Life Points. Mack Set Solemn Judgment and ended his turn.
Towler Special Summoned Cyber Dragon next turn. He attacked Mack’s Descendant and destroyed it in battle.
Mack drew Nobleman of Crossout next turn. He Summoned Gravekeeper’s Recruiter to the field, then attacked Cyber Dragon with Gravekeeper’s Assailant, switching it into Defense Position with his Assailant’s effect so that he could destroy it. Finally, Mack attacked directly with Gravekeeper’s Spy, wiping out the rest of Towler’s Life Points!
Ronald Mack takes advantage of a favorable matchup to defeat Evan Towler’s Plant Deck with his Gravekeepers!
