Juan Moroyoqui is one of the few Duelists who has managed  to clench one of the coveted seats as a VIP this weekend, by winning a VIP Qualifier Tournament he has been awarded with two round byes along with a static table, which he will return to after his feature match. His opponent is Marco Ramirez, and both Duelists have brought Artifact Shaddoll Decks today. Which one will be able to prove their mastery over the other?

Moroyoqui rolled a 7 to Ramirez’s gigantic 12, and Ramirez chose to go first.

Duel One:

Ramirez simply Set 4 cards to his back row and ended.

Moroyoqui opened with a hand of Shaddoll Falco, Mystical Space Typhoon, El Shaddoll Fusion, Artifact Ignition, Sinister Shadow Games, and drew Artifact Moralltach for turn. After some deliberation he Set Shaddoll Falco and then everything to his back row but El Shaddoll Fusion. During his End Phase, Ramirez activated a Sinister Shadow Games of his own to send Shaddoll Squamata which would then send Shaddoll Falco. The Shaddoll Falco Special Summoned itself face-down.

Ramirez drew and started announcing his phases, once he entered Main Phase he Flip Summoned Shaddoll Falco and used it to Special Summon Shaddoll Squamata face-down. He Set another card to his back row and tried to end, but Moroyoqui used his Sinister Shadow Games during the End Phase to send Shaddoll Beast and Flip his Shaddoll Falco. He drew Shaddoll Falco off of Shaddoll Beast’s effect, but the Shaddoll Falco’s effect lost out to Solemn Warning. Still during the End Phase, Moroyoqui activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Ramirez’s Set El Shaddoll Fusion.

Moroyoqui drew Shaddoll Hedgehog for turn. He Set it along with his El Shaddoll Fusion before passing back.

Ramirez drew and contemplated for a moment, but ultimately chose to Flip Summon Shaddoll Squamata and use its effect to destroy Moroyoqui’s Set Shaddoll Hedgehog. The Shaddoll Hedgehog triggered and let Moroyoqui add Shaddoll Squamata to his hand. After that, Ramirez moved to Battle Phase and declared an attack with Shaddoll Falco, which prompted Moroyoqui to activate Artifact Ignition on his Set Artifact Moralltach. He Set another Artifact Moralltach off of the Ignition, but when the destroyed Moralltach attempted to Special Summon itself Ramirez activated Vanity’s Emptiness! In response to the Vanity’s Emptiness, Moroyoqui was forced to activate El Shaddoll Fusion using Shaddoll Squamata and Shaddoll Falco as materials to Fusion Summons El Shaddoll Winda. The Shaddoll Squamata triggered to send Shaddoll Beast which found him a Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning off of his draw! Ramirez was forced to move to Main Phase 2, and Set his remaining cards to his back row before ending.

Moroyoqui drew Artifact Moralltach for turn. He declared an attack with El Shaddoll Winda over Shaddoll Falco, putting Ramirez down to 4400 Life Points while getting rid of his Vanity’s Emptiness. He then tribute his Winda in Main Phase 2 to Set his Artifact Moralltach, adding back El Shaddoll Fusion thanks to Winda’s effect. He Set the El Shaddoll Fusion before ending. During the End Phase, Ramirez used his Artifact Ignition to destroy Moroyoqui’s freshly Set El Shaddoll Fusion and Set an Artifact Moralltach of his own in his back row. He still wasn’t done though, after that he used Artifact Sanctum to Special Summon Artifact Beagalltach and destroyed both of his back row, Special Summoning two copies of Moralltach.

Ramirez drew for turn, and then overlayed Artifact Moralltach and Artifact Beagalltach for Constellar Pleiades. He used the Pleiades to bounce Moroyoqui’s Set Artifact Moralltach to his hand, then declared attacks with everything to put Moroyoqui down to a mere 1600 Life Points.

Moroyoqui drew Shaddoll Dragon for turn but was running low on options. He Normal Summoned Shaddoll Dragon and declared an attack with it over Shaddoll Squamata trying to bait the use of Constellar Pleaides, but Ramirez didn’t fall for it. In Main Phase 2, he Special Summoned the Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning but it was almost immediately returned back to his hand by the Pleiades. Without the fuel to Summon it again, Moroyoqui was forced to concede.

Both Duelists moved to their Side Decks, hoping to gain some kind of advantage in the skill intensive mirror match. After Decks were presented, Moroyoqui chose to go first for the second game.

Duel Two:

Moroyoqui opened with a hand of Artifact Sanctum, Vanity’s Fiend, Shaddoll Squamata, Artifact Ignition, and Shaddoll Fusion. He Set both Sanctum and Ignition before ending.

Ramirez took a moment looking at his hand, and then chose to Normal Summon Mathematician and use its effect to yard Shaddoll Squamata, which then sent Shaddoll Falco to his Graveyard. Shaddoll Falco Special Summoned itself, but when Ramirez tried to attack with Mathematician Moroyoqui responded with Artifact Sanctum. Artifact Moralltach hit the board and activated its effect, destroying the Mathematician. After committing three cards to his back row, Ramirez ended his turn.

Moroyoqui drew Shaddoll Beast for turn. He activated Shaddoll Fusion which Ramirez let through, and choosing to use Shaddoll Beast and Shaddoll Squamata as materials he Fusion Summoned El Shaddoll Winda. He Chained the Shaddoll Squamata onto the Shaddoll Beast, sending Shaddoll Hedgehog and drawing El Shaddoll Fusion respectively. The Shaddoll Hedgehog added Shaddoll Dragon to his hand, and almost immediately after he tribute the El Shaddoll Winda for Vanity’s Fiend! Winda’s effect got him back Shaddoll Fusion, and both Vanity’s Fiend and Moralltach made attacks putting Ramirez down to 5600 and clearing Shaddoll Falco.

Ramirez drew, Set a fourth card to his back row, and ended. Vanity’s Fiend was putting a lock on what he could do.

Moroyoqui drew another copy of El Shaddoll Fusion, and then Normal Summoned Shaddoll Dragon before declaring successful attacks with everything for game!

Moroyoqui pushes it to a third game on the back of the almighty Vanity’s Fiend. Both Duelists dove back to their Side Decks and things got tense. Once they started shuffling up, Ramirez announced he was going first in the final Duel.

Duel Three:

Ramirez thought before Setting three cards to his back row and ending.

Moroyoqui had a hand of Artifact Beagalltach, Vanity’s Fiend, Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning and two copies of Shaddoll Hedgehog before drawing Artifact Sanctum. He Set the Sanctum along with a Shaddoll Hedgehog, but during his End Phase Ramirez activated Shaddoll Core.

Ramirez drew for turn and started announcing his phases, but before he could get to Main Phase Moroyoqui activated Artifact Sanctum during Ramirez’s Standby Phase, but Ramirez has Vanity’s Emptiness to stop the Artifact Sanctum. Ramirez Normal Summoned Shaddoll Dragon and declared an attack over Shaddoll Hedgehog, which then let Moroyoqui search Shaddoll Fusion. Ramirez Set a back row before ending.

Moroyoqui drew El Shaddoll Fusion for turn, then Set it along with Shaddoll Hedgehog before ending.

Ramirez drew, Normal Summoned Shaddoll Squamata, and then declared an attack with Shaddoll Dragon on Moroyoqui’s Set Shaddoll Hedgehog. Moroyoqui searched a second copy of El Shaddoll Fusion, and then Ramirez attacked directly with Shaddoll Squamata putting Moroyoqui down to 6200 Life Points. He ended afterwards.

Moroyoqui ripped The Monarchs Stormforth! He activated it, then tribute Ramirez’s Shaddoll Core which also got rid of Vanity’s Emptiness. He declared an attack over Shaddoll Squamata putting Ramirez down to 7600, then ended his turn.

Ramirez drew to three cards in hand. He tributed his Shaddoll Dragon for his own copy of Vanity’s Fiend, crashed and ended his turn.

Moroyoqui drew another copy of Artifact Beagalltach, then Set a second El Shaddoll Fusion and ended his turn.

Ramirez drew, Set a card to his back row, and ended.

Moroyoqui drew another Shaddoll Fusion! Without the materials for any of his fusion spells, he was forced to pass.

Ramirez drew, Set another card, and ended.

Moroyoqui drew a Majesty’s Fiend! He just can’t seem to find a Shaddoll. When he tried to end, Ramirez Flipped his recently Set Sinister Shadow Games which sent Shaddoll Falco to his Graveyard and Special Summoned itself. Time in the round was called.

Ramirez drew for turn and then Flipped Shaddoll Falco, using its effect to Special Summon Shaddoll Dragon in face-down Defense Position. He declared an attack with the Falco putting Moroyoqui down to 5600.

Moroyoqui drew Super Polymerization on the second turn of time. He Set it along with both copies of Shaddoll Fusion, then ended his turn.

Ramirez drew and Flip Summoned Shaddoll Dragon bouncing away Moroyoqui’s Set Shaddoll Fusion. He then moved to Battle Phase, trying to declare an attack with Shaddoll Dragon, which Moroyoqui responded to with the Super Polymerization! He fused away the opposing Shaddoll Dragon along with Shaddoll Falco to Summon El Shaddoll Winda. The Falco Special Summoned itself face-down, and Ramirez Set another card before ending.

Moroyoqui drew another Majesty’s Fiend for turn. With Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, multiple fusion Spells, and finally a material to use them he had some tough choices to make. The Duel stood at his 5600 to Ramirez’s 7400. He activated Shaddoll Fusion using his El Shaddoll Winda and an in hand Majesty’s Fiend as materials, then triggered both the freshly Summoned El Shaddoll Construct along with the yarded Winda. Ramirez responded with Breakthrough Skill which gave Moroyoqui another tough decision on whether he wanted to Chain El Shaddoll Fusion or not which he eventually did. Ramirez now took a moment to consider, but ultimately let it resolve. Moroyoqui used the on field El Shaddoll Construct along with the last in hand Majesty’s Fiend to Summon a second copy of Construct. The in Graveyard Construct sent a Shaddoll Squamata, and then in a new Chain the on field Construct and the Squamata activated sending Shaddoll Beast and Shaddoll Falco respectively. The Falco Chained onto the Beast now, letting Moroyoqui Special Summon the Falco face-down and draw Shaddoll Dragon. He slammed Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning onto the table, needing to go all in so that he could win this game. Ramirez had the Artifact Sanctum though, which Special Summoned Artifact Moralltach which would destroy the Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning. Seeing that he had no way to win, Moroyoqui conceded.

After a super intense back and forth game between two very similar Decks, Marco Ramirez moves on with a 3-0 record.