Top 16 Feature Match: Jonathon Nagel vs. Michael Hairston
Now that the Draft has gone by, Duelists have crafted their Decks from a total of 45 Battle Pack 3: Monsters League cards. Both Duelists had to make Deck building decisions on the fly as the packs were passed, and from that they have created their strategies that they are about to use. Who will prove themselves as the superior drafter?
Nagel won the die roll and chose Hairston to go first.
Duel One:
Hairston didn’t want re-draw while Nagel opened a hand containing Swords of Concealing Light, Enemy Controller, Unbreakable Spirit, Raging Mad Plants, and Tree Otter but ultimately chose to re-draw for a hand of Stamping Destruction, Card Trooper, Psychokinesis, Evilswarm Ketos, and Forbidden Lance.
Hairston simply Set a Monster along with a back row before ending his first turn.
Nagel drew Berserk Gorilla for turn, but chose to Summon Card Trooper. He then activated Stamping Destruction destroying Hairston’s Super Rush Recklessly and dealing 500 points of damage. He then used Card Trooper sending Unbreakable Spirit, Jerry Beans Man, and Tree Otter to the Graveyard before attacking over a Set The Immortal Bushi. He Set Forbidden Lance and Psychokinesis before ending.
Hairston drew, went through his phases, and Special Summoned The Immortal Bushi. He then equipped it with Wattjustment, boosting its ATK to 2000. It tried to declare an attack on Card Trooper, but during damage step Nagel had Forbidden Lance to shrink the Bushi back down so it would crash with the Card Trooper, letting Nagel draw Kunai with Chain. Hairston followed that up by Normal Summoning Mudora and then equipping it with Bound Wand. He then Set a card to his back row before ending.
Nagel drew Royal Firestorm Guards and weighed his options, ultimately choosing to Normal Summon Evilswarm Ketos, then Flipped his Set Psychokinesis to destroy the opposing Mudora, but the Bound Wand revived the Mudora. When Nagel tried to attack over the Mudora with Ketos, Hairston has Plant Food Chain to save it and destroy the Ketos! Nagel Set Kunai with Chain before ending.
Hairston moved quickly as he declared a direct attack with the Mudora putting Nagel down to 4350 Life Points, he a back row before ending his turn.
Nagel drew Ghostrick Jackfrost and Normal Summoned Royal Firestorm Guards, using its effect to shuffle back the Monsters in his Graveyard for two fresh draws: Jain, Lightsworn Paladin and Blast with Chain. He Set the Blast with Chain before passing it back to Hairston.
Hairston drew and went straight to Battle Phase, declaring an attack on Royal Firestorm Guards with his Mudora; Nagel used his Kunai with Chain, choosing to use both parts of its effect to switch the opposing Mudora to Defense Position as well as boosting his Royal Firestorm Guards by 500 ATK Points. Hairston ended once he was done.
Nagel drew Enemy Controller, he Normal Summoned Berserk Gorilla and declared attacks in succession with his Monsters to clear away the Mudora and put Hairston down to 5300 Life Points. He Set the Enemy Controller and ended his turn.
Hairston drew, used his The Immortal Bushi to revive itself, Set another Monster and ended his turn.
Nagel drew Offerings to the Doomed, and then Normal Summoned Jain, Lightsworn Paladin. He cleared away The Immortal Bushi and the Set Friller Rabca before attacking directly with Royal Firestorm Guards. He Set the Offerings to the Doom and ended.
Hairston drew for turn and activated the effect of The Immortal Bushi once again, but this time Special Summoned it in Attack Position. He then Normal Summoned Spined Gillman and equipped it with Wattjustment, boosting it all the way to 2500 ATK. When the Gillman declared an attack, Nagel used Enemy Controller to try to switch it to Defense Position but Hairston used Tutan Mask to stop it! With a wry smile, Nagel Flipped his Offerings to the Doomed. “Game?” He asked Hairston. After surveying the field, Hairston agreed and they moved on to game two.
The mood was fairly relaxed as things moved on to game two as both Duelists gave their Decks a quick shuffle and presented.
Hairston chose to go first.
Duel Two:
Hairston drew and after a deep moment of thought decided he didn’t like his hand and shipped it back for a fresh five with the mulligan rule. After that he went straight to work, Setting both a Monster and a back row much like last game.
Nagel drew a hand of Dragon’s Gunfire, Master Craftsmen Gamil, Book of Eclipse, Evilswarm Ketos, Earthquake, and drew Mark of the Rose for turn. He Normal Summoned Evilswarm Ketos and declared an attack on the Set Monster, destroying Chain Dog by battle. In Main Phase 2 he tributed the Ketos to destroy Hairston’s Set Bark of the Dark Ruler. He then Set Book of Eclipse before announcing it wsa Hairston’s turn.
Hairston drew and Normal Summoned Lord Poison, declaring a direct attack to deal the first damage of the game. He passed right after.
Nagel drew Tree Otter, possibly the cutest but not the best Monster to draw in this situation. After a lot of contemplation he used his Mark of the Rose to take control of the Lord Poison and Flipped it down with Book of Eclipse so he could keep it permanently! He Flip Summoned the Lord Poison and then Normal Summoned the Tree Otter to use its effect, after some direct attacks Hairston was left at 4300 Life Points. Nagel Set Earthquake before ending.
Hairston drew to four cards and Normal Summoned Submarineroid. He chose to declare a direct attack, but Nagel gave an impressive bluff about his back row. After the Submarineroid switched back to Defense Position, Hairston Set a back row in Main Phase 2 before ending.
Nagel drew Jerry Beans Man. He activated the Tree Otter to boost Lord Poison, then Normal Summoned the Jerry Beans Man. He declared an attack with the Lord Poison but Hairston had Shadow Spell to stop it. Nagel clarified when it was being activated, which was attack declaration, before ending.
Hairston drew and after reading a few of the cards in play, activated Miracle Fertilizer. He used to Special Summon his Chain Dog, then equipped it with Bound Wand to boost it 2000 ATK. He then equipped Cestus of Dagla to Submarineroid but forgot to switch to Attack Position. He declared an attack with the Chain Dog over the Tree Otter, then ended his turn.
Nagel drew Royal Firestorm Guards for turn. He Flipped his Set Spell, Earthquake! He switched the Chain Dog along with his Monsters to Defense Position, but then shifted his Jerry Beans Man back to Attack Mode. He declared an attack with the Jerry Beans Man on the Chain Dog, which Bound Wand Special Summoned back but much smaller. He ended his turn shortly after.
Hairston drew and Normal Summoned the only card in his hand, Spined Gillman. He declared a direct attack with Submarineroid, then an attack with Chain Dog but Nagel saved his Jerry Beans Man with Master Craftsman Gamil! The Spined Gilman then attacked over the Lord Poison, which brought back the Chain Dog, but Hairston made a misstep by attacking it into the Jerry Beans Man again not realizing it was still pumped by Gamil. He ended his turn afterwards.
Nagel drew Stamping Destruction, then declared an attack over the Spined Gillman with Jerry Beans Man. He used Stamping Destruction in Main Phase 2 to destroy the Cestus of Dagla before passing.
Hairston drew, switched the Submarineroid to Attack Mode and then declared a direct attack. He Set a back row before ending.
Nagel drew Fencing Fire Ferret, Normal Summoned it, and passed. Both Duelist were playing lightning fast because of the minimal amount of time left in the Round.
Hairston drew, did his usual thing with Submarineroid by attacking directly and switching it back, then ended his turn.
Nagel drew Chiron the Mage, Normal Summoned it and passed with no way to get around the Submarineroid.
Hairston drew to two cards, then Normal Summoned Leotaur using it to destroy Chiron the Mage by battle before attacking directly with Submarineroid, then ended his turn.
Nagel drew psychic Telekinetic Shocker, then went to battle by declaring an attack with Fencing fire Ferret into the Leotaur so that he could he destroy the Submarineroid by the effect of the Ferret. He didn’t realize that his Jerry Beans could attack over the Leotaur. He Normal Summoned Royal Firestorm Guards in Main Phase 2, shuffling back the Monsters from his Graveyard into his Deck so that he could draw Tree Otter and Koa’ki Meiru Beetle before ending.
Hairston drew and slammed down Sea Koala! The writing was on the wall as he had game on field after using Sea Koala’s effect and Nagel conceded!
Nagel chose for Hairston to start during sudden death. Each Duelist only had two turns to decide who would move on.
Duel Three:
Hairston Normal Summoned Gorgonic Golem, then equipped it with Noble Arms – Caliburn, using its effect to gain 500 Life Points. He Set a card to his back row before ending.
Nagel had a hand of Earthquake, Fighting Spirit, Metalmorph, Tree Otter, Alien Brain, and Royal Firestorm Guards. He activated Earthquake to shift the opposing Gorgonic Golem to Defense Mode, then Normal Summoned Tree Otter. He equipped it with Fighting Spirit, then declared an attack on the Gorgonic Golem which prompted Hairston to use his Bark of the Dark Ruler. He paid 1500 Life Points to reduce the Tree Otter, causing Nagel to lose 600 Life Points in the transaction. Nagel Set both of his traps before ending.
Hairston drew, this being his last turn of the Duel, then activated the effect of Noble Arms – Caliburn to gain 500 Life Points putting him at 7500. He simply Set a Monster along with another back row, attempting to shield as much damage as he possibly could.
Nagel drew Card Trooper on his, and the absolute final turn of the Duel, and used its effect to pump it to 1900 ATK and fill his Graveyard with some cards. He used Tree Otter but couldn’t get through the field to deal enough damage!
Michael Hairston wins in time on the back of Noble Arms – Caliburn, grinding out a win after a gruelingly long couple games and victoriously moving on to Top 8!