Round 1 Feature Match: Brandon Battee versus Brandon Hughes
YCS Atlanta begins! We’ve got Brandon Battee from Texas, who’s piloting a Fire Fist Deck. Fire Fists put in a great showing in YCS Sydney, but he’s facing some tough competition now! He’s up against Brandon Hughes, from here in Georgia. He’s using Noble Knights, packing the new Gwenhwyfar, Queen of Noble Arms. Gwenhwyfar has completely revamped the way Noble Knights play, and we’re about to see that firsthand.
Duel 1
Hughes began with Pot of Duality, Noble Knight Borz, Noble Knight Medraut, Vanity’s Emptiness, Release Restraint Wave, Vanity’s Emptiness. He played Duality to reveal Mystical Space Typhoon, Noble Arms of Destiny, and Noble Arms – Arfeudutyr. He chose Destiny, then played Borz. He equipped it with Noble Arms of Destiny, then used Borz’s effect. He chose Gwenhwyfar, Queen of Noble Arms, Noble Arms – Excaliburn, and Noble Arms – Caliburn. Battee randomly added Caliburn to Hughes’s hand, and the others went to the Graveyard. Hughes equipped Gwenhwyfar from the Graveyard to Borz, then Set Vanity’s Emptiness.
Battee played Fire Formation – Gyokkou, locking down Vanity’s Emptiness. He played Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Leopard next, and used it to get Fire Formation – Tenki. He played that next, adding Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Spirit to his hand. Battee destroyed Gwenhwyfar with Mystical Space Typhoon, then used Pot of Duality to reveal Coach Soldier Wolfbark, Fiendish Chain, and Tenki – he took Tenki. He Set two face-down cards to his back row and passed.
Hughes drew Trap Stun, then activated Release Restraint Wave! He destroyed Noble Arms of Destiny and Battee’s face-down Tenki and Solemn Warning, then Noble Arms of Destiny reequipped itself to Borz. Hughes played Medraut and equipped it with Caliburn. He gained 500 Life Points, then Xyz Summoned Sacred Noble Knight of King Artorigus! It equipped itself with Noble Arms of Destiny, Noble Arms – Caliburn, and Noble Arms – Excaliburn. He gained 500 Life Points again, and attacked directly for 2700 damage. He Set Trap Stun to finish.
Battee played Leopard and used it to search out Fire Formation – Tensu. He played it, which let him also Normal Summon Spirit. Spirit revived Leopard, and he Synchro Summoned Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Horse Prince. Horse Prince’s effect brought Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Rooster to the field, which searched out Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Bear. Rooster then sent Tenki to the Graveyard to search out Gyokkou, and he activated it to lock down Trap Stun.
Hughes drew Noble Knight Borz. He gained another 500 from Caliburn, had Artorigus use its effect to destroy Horse Prince. Artorigus attacked Rooster next, dropping Battee to 4400. Hughes was sitting on 9500 Life Points.
Battee only Set a monster.
Hughes drew Noble Knight Gwalchavad. He gained another 500 Life Points, then had Artorgius blow away Battee’s Set Thunder King Rai-Oh and attack directly.
Battee played out Bear, then used Tensu to play another Bear. He stacked them for Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Cardinal, and returned two copies of Tenki to his Deck while also returning Noble Arms of Destiny and Noble Arms – Excaliburn. He Set a back row card.
Hughes drew Mystical Space Typhoon, and used it to destroy Battee’s Set Mirror Force! He gained 500 Life Points with Caliburn, then played Noble Knight Borz. He activated Gwenhwyfar in his Graveyard, and Battee picked up his cards!
Brandon Hughes makes excellent use of Gwenhwyfar, Queen of Noble Arms, and drops an unstoppable Sacred Noble Knight of King Artorigus! The Duelists used their Side Decks, and the second Duel was underway.
Duel 2
Battee began the second Duel with Fire Formation – Tenki, searching out Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Bear. He played Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Rooster and sent Tenki away to grab Fire Formation – Tensu. He played that, then Normal Summoned Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Spirit. He tuned Spirit to Rooster for Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Horse Prince, which brought another Rooster out, which added Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Gorilla to Battee’s hand. Rooster sent Tensu to the Graveyard to Set Tenki from the Deck. Finally, Battee Set another back row card.
Hughes began with Noble Arms of Destiny, Noble Knight Drystan, Pot of Duality, 2 copies of Vanity’s Emptiness, and Release Restraint Wave. He played Drystan and equipped him with Destiny, which let Drystan target Horse Prince. Battee negated Drystan with Effect Veiler, but Hughes followed up with Release Restraint Wave to destroy Battee’s Set Tenki and Fiendish Chain, and simply equipped Destiny again with its effect. Pot of Duality was next, revealing Mystical Space Typhoon, Noble Arms of Destiny, and Noble Knight Medraut. He chose Medraut. Drystan destroyed Rooster in battle, and Hughes Set both copies of Vanity’s Emptiness.
Battee attacked with Horse Prince, dealing 400 damage, but Drystan survived with Noble Arms of Destiny. Battee Set two back row cards.
Hughes drew Kaiser Colosseum. Battee immediately played DNA Surgery, turning everything into Dinosaurs! Destiny fell off the field, but Hughes played Medraut and made Constellar Omega! It destroyed Horse Prince, and Hughes played Kaiser Colosseum to finish.
Battee Set a back row card.
Hughes drew Noble Knight Gwalchavad, and attacked with Constellar Omega.
Battee played Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Leopard, and it Set Tensu from his Deck. He played it, then played Bear and destroyed Constellar Omega. Bear attacked directly, getting Tenki. In Main Phase 2, Battee used Tenki to search out Coach Soldier Wolfbark.
Hughes drew Noble Arms – Arfeudutyr. He Set Gwalchavad.
Battee had Bear pitch Tenki to destroy Gwalchavad. He played Leopard to get Fire Formation – Gyokkou, and it locked down one copy of Vanity’s Emptiness. Bear attacked directly and got another Gyokkou, which locked down the other copy.
Hughes drew Trap Stun, and conceded with no monsters to defend himself!
Brandon Battee battles back, using DNA Surgery to prevent the use of all the Noble Arms! There’s only one Duel left to decide the victor now.
Duel 3
Hughes started with 2 copies of Borz, Gwenhwyfar, Queen of Noble Arms, Mystical Space Typhoon, Release Restraint Wave, and Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell. He played Borz and equipped him with Gwenhwyfar. That let him add Noble Arms – Caliburn to his hand, putting Noble Arms of Destiny and Noble Arms – Excaliburn in his Graveyard. Hughes Set Mystical Space Typhoon and Cursed Seal to finish.
Battee played right into the Cursed Seal with Fire Formation – Tenki! He wouldn’t be able to use it again this Duel. Hughes discarded Release Restraint Wave to pay the cost – definitely worth it for the advantage he’d just won. Battee played Rooster, then played Tensu – but Hughes Chained Mystical Space Typhoon. Battee Set two back row cards.
Hughes drew Medraut. He activated Borz’s effect, but it was negated by Fiendish Chain. Hughes played his second Borz and stacked them for Artorigus, King of the Noble Knights, but lost it to Solemn Warning!
Battee played Bear and attacked directly, which Set Tensu from his Deck. Rooster attacked next, leaving Hughes at 4900. In Main Phase 2 Battee played Tensu, then Normal Summoned Gorilla. He stacked Bear and Gorilla for Bujintei Kagutsuchi, which sent Mirror Force, Compulsory Evacuation Device, DNA Surgery, and 2 copies of Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Leopard to the Graveyard. Rooster sent Tensu to the Graveyard to Set Gyokkou.
Hughes drew Reinforcement of the Army! He played Medraut and equipped it with Caliburn. He gained 500 Life Points, and Medraut Special Summoned Borz. Caliburn was destroyed and reequipped to Borz. He gained 500 Life Points again, then added Noble Arms – Arfeudutyr to his hand, putting Excaliburn and Destiny in the Graveyard. He played Arfeudutyr on Medraut, and had it destroy Gyokkou. Since his monsters had their Levels increased with their effects, he Xyz Summoned Sacred Noble Knight of King Artorigus! It equipped itself with Destiny, Caliburn, and Excaliburn. He used Artorigus to strip Kagutsuchi of an Xyz Material, then equipped Artorigus with Gwenhwyfar. Artorigus wiped out Rooster to finish the turn.
Battee turned Kagutsuchi to defense position.
Hughes drew Book of Moon. He gained 500 Life Points from Caliburn, then played Reinforcement of the Army to get Drystan, but did not play it. He turned Kagutsuchi face-down with Book of Moon, then destroyed it with Artorigus’s effect. Artorigus attacked directly.
Battee activated Rekindling, bringing back his 2 Leopards. He stacked them for Wind-Up Zenmaines in defense position.
Hughes drew Trap Stun. Artorigus attacked Zenmaines, and in the End Phase Zenmaines destroyed Excaliburn.
Battee passed.
Hughes drew Medraut. He gained yet another 500 Life Points with Caliburn, now up to 8400. Battee had only 1500 left. He attacked Zenmaines again, and Set Trap Stun. Zenmaines destroyed it in the End Phase.
Battee activated Forbidden Lance on Artorigus, making it unaffected by all its ATK boosts. Zenmaines destroyed it in battle, and Hughes Special Summoned Medraut with Artorigus’s effect. Battee Set a back row card.
Hughes drew Trap Stun. He equipped Medraut with Gwenhwyfar and attacked Zenmaines with it. He Set Trap Stun.
Battee Set another back row card, but next turn Hughes’s Trap Stun guaranteed him the win!
Brandon Hughes is victorious with Noble Knights!