Morgan Adams is undefeated here in Round 6, holding a 5-0 record with Harpies.  He’s not the only Harpie Duelist with a 5-0 or 4-1 record at this point in Day 1, so this seemed like a great opportunity to see how Harpies deal with some of the more popular strategies in competition.  Adams’ opponent, Jonathan Nasca is running one of those very decks.  In fact, he’s running what may be the biggest deck of the weekend – Mermails.  Let’s see how this matchup plays out.

Nasca opened the Match with Upstart Goblin.  He drew a card with it, then activated another, boosting Adams to 10,000 Life Points.  He Set a monster, Set a backrow card, and ended.

Adams had a hand of Reckless Greed; Hysteric Sign; Cardcar D; Harpies’ Hunting Ground; Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite; and Harpie’s Pet Dragon.  He Set Greed and Sign, then Normal Summoned Cardcar D and lost its effect to Breakthrough Skill.  “Pass turn.”

Nasca Normal Summoned Atlantean Marksman, running over Cardcar D and Special Summoning Atlantean Dragoons for a direct attack!  Adams was down to 7600 Life Points, and in Main Phase 2 Nasca Flip Summoned Mermail Abysslinde.  He overlaid for Mechquipped Angineer and ended.

Adams drew Pot of Duality.  He activated it, revealing Harpie Channeler, Harpie Queen, and Harpie Lady 1.  He took the Channeler, then activated Hunting Ground and Summoned Channeler to destroy his Set Hysteric Sign, setting up to redeem its effect later on in the turn.  He flipped Reckless Greed to draw another Channeler and Bottomless Trap Hole, Set the latter, and searched out Harpie Queen, Harpie Channeler, and Harpie Dancer in his End Phase with Hysteric Sign’s effect.  Nasca used Mechquipped Angineer’s ability targeting itself in the End Phase.

Nasca flipped Angineer back to Attack Position next turn, pitching Atlantean Marksman for Abyssturge.  He took back his Marksman, but the card he was forcing out was Bottomless Trap Hole: Adams Chained it, and Nasca saved his Abyssturge with Mechquipped Angineer’s ability, then Xyz Summoned Bahamut Shark, Special Summoning Mermail Abysstrite.  He detached Dragoons to search for Mermail Abyssmegalo, then pitched Marksman and Atlantean Heavy Infantry to Special Summon it.  Heavy Infantry destroyed Harpies’ Hunting Ground, and Mermail Abyssmegalo searched Abyss-sphere.  Nasca then attacked with Angineer, Abyssmegalo, and the Shark to knock Adams down to 4800 Life Points.

Adams Summoned his second Channeler, then discarded Harpie’s Pet Dragon for Channeler’s effect: that let him Special Summon Cyber Harpie Lady.  He Xyz Summoned Evilswarm Exciton Knight, activated its effect, and Nasca took a moment to examine his Graveyard before Chaining Abyss-sphere for Mermail Abysslinde.  He lost everything, but Special Summoned Mermail Abyssmegalo with Abysstrite, and Mermail Abyssteus with Abysslinde, both coming out in Defense Position.  He had two cards left in hand, and Adams ended his turn.

Nasca Xyz Summoned Mermail Abyssgaios , then Normal Summoned Abysslinde.  He attacked Evilswarm Exciton Knight  with Mermail Abyssgaios , then made a direct attack with Abysslinde to send Adams’ Life Points crashing down to 2400.

Adams Summoned Channeler and discarded Harpie Dancer, Special Summoning another Cyber Harpie Lady.  He discarded Queen next for her effect, fetching another Harpies’ Hunting Ground.  He activated it, then overlaid for Number 82: Heartlandraco!

He activated its effect to attack directly, forcing Nasca to Chain Mermail Abyssgaios’s effect.  Adams had no further actions.

Nasca Summoned Mermail Abysspike , pitching Atlantean Marksman to search his Deck for Mermail Abyssgunde.  He activated Mermail Abyssgaios’ effect again, sending Mermail Abysslinde  to attack into Heartlandraco, to Special Summon Mermail Abyssturge.  He discarded Abyssgunde to get back his Abysslinde, and then used Abyssgunde to Special Summon back Abyssmegalo.  Everything attacked to finish the Duel!

Mermails triumph over Harpies in Game 1!  One more win like that and Nasca would be sitting pretty with a 6-0 record.  Side Decking was swift on both sides of the table.

Adams opened up with Cardcar D; Debunk; Reckless Greed; Hysteric Sign; Cyber Harpie Lady; and Harpies’ Hunting Ground.  He activated Hunting Ground, Set Hysteric Sign, and destroyed it by Summoning Cyber Harpie Lady.  He Set Reckless and Debunk, then got Harpie Queen, Harpie Channeler, and Harpie Dancer in the End Phase.

Nasca Summoned Mermail Abyssmegalo, pitching Atlantean Marksman and Atlantean Heavy Infantry!  Adams responded, Chaining Debunk to Abyssmegalo’s Summon effect, and when Nasca targeted his Cyber Harpie Lady and Set Reckless Greed with Atlantean Heavy Infantry and Atlantean Marksman respectively, Adams Chained Reckless to draw Solemn Warning and Debunk.  The Cyber Harpie was destroyed.

Adams Summoned Harpie Dancer and Nasca blasted his Hunting Ground with Mystical Space Typhoon.  Adams pitched Queen for another Hunting Ground, bounced his Dancer, and Summoned Channeler: that triggered Adams’ Hunting Ground again, he targeted Nasca’s Set Torrential Tribute, and Nasca Chained the Torrential to blow away Channeler .  Not a lot of great Hunting Ground action for Adams in this game.  He Set two cards to his backrow to finish out.

Nasca drew and passed.

Adams Summoned Cardcar D and drew two cards with it.

Nasca tried to Summon Atlantean Marksman, and Adams responded by negating the attempt with Solemn Warning.

Adams drew to four cards and Summoned Dancer; once again, Nasca had a Mystical Space Typhoon to Chain.  But Adams bounced the Dancer, Summoned Channeler at the cost of his own Hunting Ground, then pitched Dancer to bring out Harpie’s Pet Dragon.  He Xyz Summoned Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack, Summoned his Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens, and attacked before Setting a single Spell or Trap Card.

Nasca banished Atlantean Heavy Infantry to Special Summon Aqua Spirit, then banished Atlantean Marksman for a second Spirit!  It was all he had left; his hand was empty.  He overlaid them for Evilswarm Exciton Knight, and when Adams revealed Fiendish Chain Nasca conceded!

One more Duel will decide the Match!  A thunderous opening and some clever use of Harpie Dancer and Harpies’ Hunting Ground allow Adams to persevere, and despite a string of Chained Mystical Space Typhoons he takes Game 2!  Nasca would begin the third contest.

Nasca activated Upstart Goblin, Set a monster and ended.

Adams had two Harpie Channeler; Seven Tools of the Bandit; Cyber Harpie Lady; Hysteric Sign; and Reckless Greed.  He activated Sign to search Elegant Egotist, then Summoned Cyber Harpie and played Egotist to bring out another Cyber Harpie Lady.  He overlaid them for Lightning Chidori and sent Nasca’s monster to the bottom of his deck, striking for 1900 Battle Damage!  He Set Reckless and Seven Tools.

Nasca Summoned Mermail Abysslinde, slamming it into Chidori to Special Summon Mermail Abysspike.  He discarded Atlantean Marksman to search another Marksman, and to destroy Adams’ Seven Tools of the Bandit.  He discarded Marksman for Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls’ effect, forcing Adams to Chain Reckless Greed.  He then banished Marksman to Special Summon Aqua Spirit, and overlaid for Number 101: Silent Honor ARK!  He activated its effect to take Lightning Chidori as an Xyz Material.

Adams Normal Summoned Harpie Channeler, pitching a second in-hand copy for its ability: Nasca tossed Mermail Abyssocea for Divine Wrath in response, destroying the Channeler and negating its effect!

Nasca Special Summoned Tidal, and attacked with both Honor ARK and Tidal to drop Adams down to 4300 Life Points.  He had 5700 Life Points left himself.

Adams Set Cardcar D.  Tidal bounced.  Nasca Special Summoned Tidal again on the following turn, and two successive attacks dropped Adams down to 1700 Life Points.  Adams topdecked Reckless Greed, Set it, and Set his last Channeler.  Nasca blew away the Reckless in the End Phase with Mystical Space Typhoon, then dumped Tidal and Mermail Abyssgunde for Tidal’s effect.  It was all over moments later, as Nasca attacked with Honor ARK and Mermail Abyssleed!

Jonathan Nasca takes a 2-1 victory over Morgan Adams’ Harpies, moving on undefeated with what’s fast becoming the deck of the weekend – Mermails.