Fire Kings have quickly emerged as a serious threat these past few weeks, making the Top 32 at YCS Berlin and taking several Regional Top 8’s.  Scott Sheahan’s 3-0 with the deck today, and this round he’s up against Bryan Ahle!  The former Dragon Duel star is piloting Mermails today, playing one searchable Genex Undine to kick his Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls to the Graveyard.

 

Sheahan started with Fire King Avatar Barong; two Fire King Avatar Yaksha; Fire King Avatar Garunix; Fire King High Avatar Garunix; and Mystical Space Typhoon.  He Set baby Garunix, then Set Typhoon.

 

Ahle Set two cards to his backrow.

 

Sheahan drew Torrential Tribute and Summoned Yaksha, attacking into Abyss-sphere; Sheahan Chained Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy it, scoring a hit for 1800 Battle Damage.  He Set Torrential.

 

Ahle activated Dark Hole, destroying Sheahan’s Yaksha and baby Garunix: it triggered both of their effects, and Sheahan Chained his in-hand Yaksha’s effect as well.  He Special Summoned Barong and Yaksha from his hand and destroyed his High Avatar Garunix to set it up for next turn.  Ahle pitched Mermail Abysspike to Special Summon Mermail Abyssteus, searching out another Abysspike and Normal Summoning it.  He discarded Mermail Abyssgunde for Abysspike’s ability, getting Genex Undine from his Deck and Special Summoning back Mermail Abysspike with Abyssgunde.  Seeing the impending threat of Abyss Dweller to his High Avatar Garunix, Sheahan flipped Torrential Tribute, wiping the field!

 

Ahle had one card Set and two cards left in hand.  Sheahan Special Summoned Barong from his hand, and Ahle Set a second Spell or Trap Card.

 

Sheahan drew Fire Formation – Tenki.  He activated his Barong’s effect from last turn to search his Deck for Circle of the Fire Kings, then Special Summoned High Avatar Garunix to destroy his second Barong.  Fire Formation – Tenki let him search his Deck for Coach Soldier Wolfbark, and Sheahan Normal Summoned it to Special Summon Barong from his Graveyard.  He attacked with Wolfbark, then Garunix, lowering Ahle to 1800 Life Points.  He targeted his Barong with Circle of the Fire Kings and Ahle stopped the play with Forbidden Lance, protecting Barong from destruction to keep Sheahan from Special Summoning!  Sheahan overlaid for Abyss Dweller in Main Phase 2.  Ahle saw his next draw and conceded.

 

 

Scott Sheahan takes a commanding Game 1 over Bryan Ahle, shattering Ahle’s early press with a clutch Torrential Tribute, then unleashing a series of attacks to take a quick win!  Both Duelists immediately went for their Side Decks, eager to get their Decks in shape for Game 2.  For Ahle, this would be a question of siding against Sheahan’s strategy; for Sheahan, it was perhaps an even bigger priority to side against the cards Ahle was likely to bring in against him.

 

Ahle Set two cards to his backrow to open, once again.

 

Sheahan had two Coach Soldier Wolfbark; two Fire King Avatar Barong; Fire King Avatar Garunix; and Fire King High Avatar Garunix.  He Set baby Garunix.

 

Ahle Set a third Spell or Trap Card.

 

Sheahan drew Book of Moon and Summoned Barong, attacking for 1800 Battle Damage!  He Set Book.

 

Ahle drew and heaved a slight sigh.  He examined his three Set cards, then Set a monster.

 

Sheahan drew Generation Shift and Normal Summoned a second Barong.  He overlaid both Barongs for Evilswarm Exciton Knight, and Ahle negated the Summon with Solemn Warning!  Sheahan Set a single spell or trap.

 

Ahle activated Reckless Greed next turn, then Set a total of three more Spell or Trap Cards.  “Go ahead.”

 

Sheahan drew Circle of the Fire Kings.  He Summoned Coach Soldier Wolfbark, activated its effect, and Ahle Chained Maxx “C”.  Sheahan Special Summoned Fire King Avatar Barong and attacked with Wolfbark, destroying Ahle’s set Mermail Abysslinde.  “Kiiiiinda knew that was there…”  Ahle Special Summoned Mermail Abysspike with Abysslinde’s effect, then discarded Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls to search his Deck for Atlantean Marksman!

 

But Sheahan pressed on: he activated Circle of the Fire Kings, destroying one Barong to Special Summon another.  Ahle drew a card for Maxx “C”, then flipped Chain Whirlwind to target Sheahan’s two Set backrow cards!  Sheahan lost Book of Moon and Generation Shift, but attacked to destroy Mermail Abysspike with the fresh Barong.  He Xyz Summoned Abyss Dweller in Main Phase 2.  Ahle flipped another Reckless Greed.

 

Ahle drew for his turn, and when Sheahan activated Abyss Dweller’s effect Ahle Chained Breakthrough Skill.  When Sheahan activated Barong’s effect from last turn, Ahle negated it with Breakthrough!  Ahle had eight cards in hand at this point, with Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls in his Graveyard.  He Summoned Mermail Abysspike, pitching Atlantean Dragoons to search Mermail Abyssmegalo and Mermail Abyssgunde.  He discarded Mermail Abyssturge and Abyssgunde for Mermail Abyssmegalo, Special Summoning it, searching Mermail Abysslinde, and Special Summoning Abyssturge from his Graveyard.  “No effect.”  He banished Dragoons for Aqua Spirit, then overlaid it with Mermail Abysspike for Abyss Dweller.  He banished to Special Summon Tidal next, then Tributed Abyssturge to Abyssmegalo to let it attack a second time.  He activated his own Dweller effect, then swung with Tidal to destroy Sheahan’s Dweller.  He sent his own Dweller to attack Sheahan’s Fire King Avatar Garunix, whose effect failed to activate due to Abyss Dweller, and then made two direct attacks.  Ahle finished out his turn by Xyz Summoning Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack and Special Summoning two Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens.

 

 

Sheahan drew D.D. Crow, then Normal Summmoned Coach Soldier Wolfbark: Ahle Chained the effect of Maxx “C”.  Sheahan played on, Special Summoning Barong to make Number 85: Crazy Box!  Desperate, he activated Crazy Box’s effect, rolling a die and hitting four: he opted to negate Crazy Box’s own effect to attack over Abyss Dweller.  Ahle took 1300 Battle Damage.

 

Ahle removed monsters to try and Special Summon Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls; Sheahan chained D.D. Crow to banish it; and Ahle used Abyss-sphere to bring out Mermail Abyssleed.  He Summoned Genex Controller, Synchro Summoned Leo, the Keeper of the Sacred Trees by Tuning to Abyssleed, and seeing his Crazy Box was going to go down, Sheahan scooped!

 

 

An all-monster hand for Scott Sheahan proves problematic, and Bryan Ahle battles back to capture the second Duel, taking the Match to Game 3!  Sheahan would open the final Duel.

 

He did so with a hand of Circle of the Fire Kings; Fire Formation – Tenki; two Mystical Space Typhoon; D.D. Crow; and Fire King High Avatar Garunix.  He played Tenki to search Fire King Avatar Yaksha, Summoning it and Setting Typhoon.

 

Ahle Set five cards to his back row!

 

Sheahan drew Fire King Avatar Barong.  He Summoned it, attacked with Yaksha, and Ahle flipped Abyss-sphere: Sheahan Chained Mystical Space Typhoon to shut it down, letting Yaksha deal 1800 Battle Damage.  Sheahan attacked with Barong next, dropping Ahle to 4800 Life Points.  Sheahan Set Circle of the Fire Kings, but lost it in his End Phase to Ahle’s own Typhoon.

 

Ahle drew for his turn, then drew four cards with Reckless Greed!  That landed him with six cards in hand, and after a moment’s thought he pitched one Mermail Abyssteus to Summon another.  Its effect let him search Mermail Abyssgunde, and Ahle followed up with Mermail Abyssmegalo, discarding Abyssgunde and Genex Undine.  Sheahan Chained D.D. Crow’s effect to banish Mermail Abyssgunde on the Chain, keeping its effect from resolving; Mermail Abyssmegalo hit the field, and Ahle got to search his Deck for Abyss-sphere.  He overlaid Abyssteus with Abyssmegalo to Xyz Summon Number 11: Big Eye, took control of Yaksha, and Normal Summoned Abysslinde.  He rammed it into Barong to Special Summon Mermail Abysspike from his Deck, and in Main Phase 2 he overlaid it with Yaksha for Abyss Dweller.  He set two more cards to his backrow.

 

 

Sheahan drew Fire Formation – Tenki and activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy his opponent’s Debunk.  He activated Tenki to get Yaksha, then Normal Summoned it to Xyz Summon Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Tiger King.  Its ability placed his third Tenki onto the field, and Sheahan activated its effect; Ahle Chained Abyss Dweller’s effect, and Sheahan attacked Number 11: Big Eye to destroy it.

 

Ahle flipped two Abyss-sphere to Special Summon two copies of Mermail Abysspike, overlaying to Xyz Summon Evilswarm Exciton Knight!  He activated its effect, then Chained Abyss Dweller’s effect!

 

Sheahan drew and Set a backrow card.

 

Ahle destroyed it – Generation Shift – with Evilswarm Exciton Knight.

 

Sheahan drew and Summoned Fire King Avatar Garunix, crashing it into Exciton Knight to Special Summon Fire King Avatar Yaksha.  He sent Yaksha into Exciton Knight as well, wrecking it to trigger its ability and destroy his in-hand Fire King High Avatar Garunix!

 

Ahle drew for his next turn, holding one card as Garunix was revived to wipe away Exciton Knight.  Ahle Set a monster.

 

Sheahan attacked, destroying Ahle’s Set Mermail Abysslinde!  He Special Summoned Mermail Abyssleed.

 

Ahle drew and Set a Spell or Trap.

 

Sheahan drew Coach Soldier Wolfbark, holding Onslaught of the Fire Kings.  Time was called; five turns would remain after this one.  Sheahan Normal Summoned Coach Soldier Wolfbark to Special Summon Yaksha, then attacked with Garunix to trade off in battle, destroying Mermail Abyssleed.  That let him Special Summon Barong from his Deck, so he attacked with Barong and Coach Soldier Wolfbark.  Gagaga Cowboy finished the Match moments later!

 

 

Bryan Ahle shows off some big moves, but it just isn’t enough to put Scott Sheahan down!  Fire Kings take the Match, and Sheahan moves on with a 4-0 record.