Round 2 Feature Match: Pasquale Crociata Versus Maxwell Sanger
New York’s Pasquale Crociata entered the YCS this weekend with his Ritual Beast Deck, looking to take down lots of Nekroz Decks throughout the weekend. Now, he’s Dueling against Wisconsin’s Maxwell Sanger, who’s using a teched out Burning Abyss Deck with that same ambition. Crociata’s Ritual Beast Deck uses lots of cards that are powerful against Nekroz Decks, including Macro Cosmos and Dimensional Fissure, while Sanger included lots of tech cards, including 3 copies of Spell Canceller and 2 copies of Majesty’s Fiend, which shut down most Nekroz Decks. But in this Ritual Beast versus Burning Abyss Matchup, both Duelists will need to adapt and adjust their strategies in order to triumph and advance with a 3-0 record. It’s time to Duel!
Duel One
Sanger won the die roll and chose to go first. He Summoned Mathematician and activated its effect to send Scarm from his Deck to his Graveyard. He Set a card to his back row and then added Tour Guide From the Underworld from his Deck to his hand with Scarm’s effect.
Crociata opened up with Ritual Beast Steeds, Foolish Burial, Spiritual Beast Pettlephin, Ritual Beast Ambush, Ritual Beast’s Bond, and Spiritual Beast Cannahawk. He Summoned Cannahawk and Sanger activated Karma Cut, discarding Spell Canceller to banish Cannahawk. Next, Crociata activated Foolish Burial to send Ritual Beast Tamer Lara from his Deck to his Graveyard. He Set Steeds, Bond, and Ambush face-down before ending his turn.
Sanger Summoned Tour Guide From the Underworld and activated its effect to Special Summon Scarm from his Deck in Defense Position. Crociata flipped Ambush to Special Summon Cannahawk and Lara to his field and then activated Ritual Beast Steeds to destroy Scarm and Mathematician. Next, Sanger Special Summoned Libic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, but it destroyed itself with its own effect since he controlled Tour Guide From the Underworld, which is a non-Burning Abyss monster. Sanger added Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck to his hand with Scarm’s effect in the End Phase.
Crociata activated the effect of Cannahawk to banish Spiritual Beast Apelio from his Deck. Next, he banished Lara and Cannahawk to Summon Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk in Defense Position. He activated its effect to return it to the Extra Deck and Special Summon Lara and Cannahawk back to the field. Next, he activated Cannahawk’s effect to banish Ritual Beast Tamer Wen from his Deck. He activated Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect next, targeting Wen and Cannahawk. He Chained Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect to return it to the Extra Deck and Special Summon Wen and Apelio in Defense Position. Cannahawk went to the Graveyard and Crociata added Ritual Beast Tamer Elder from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated Apelio’s effect to banish Cannahawk from his Graveyard and increase his Ritual Beasts’ ATK by 500 for the rest of the turn. He banished Apelio and Wen from his field to Special Summon Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk from his Extra Deck in Attack Position. He activated Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect to send Wen and Apelio to his Graveyard and add Spiritual Beast Apelio from his Deck to his hand. He Normal Summoned Ritual Beast Tamer Elder and then used Elder’s effect to Normal Summon Spiritual Beast Apelio. He banished Ritual Beast Steeds from his Graveyard to activate Apelio’s effect, increasing the ATK of all Ritual Beasts by another 500 for the rest of the turn. Apelio attacked and destroyed Tour Guide From the Underworld and then Ritual Beast Tamer Elder and Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk attacked directly. Next, he activated Ritual Beast’s Bond to banish Apelio and Elder from his field and Special Summon Ritual Beast Ulti-Apelio from his Extra Deck. Finally, a direct attack from Ritual Beast Ulti-Apelio wiped out the rest of Sanger’s Life Points!
Pasquale Crociata wins the first Duel on his second turn by dealing 8000 points of damage with Ritual Beasts!
Duel Two
Sanger started off Duel 2 by activating Allure of Darkness. He drew 2 cards from his Deck and then banished Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his hand. He Special Summoned Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and then Special Summoned Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss; but Crociata Special Summoned Flying “C” to Sanger’s field, causing Rubic and Graff to destroy themselves with their own effects! Sanger Set a card to his back row and then passed his turn.
Crociata started off his first turn with Ritual Beast Ambush, Spiritual Beast Cannahawk, Ritual Beast Tamer Wen, and Ritual Beast Steeds before drawing Spiritual Beast Apelio. He Normal Summoned Ritual Beast Tamer Elder. He used his extra Normal Summon granted by the Elder to Summon Spiritual Beast Cannahawk. He activated Cannahawk’s effect, and Sanger flipped Phoenix Wing Wind Blast and discarded Karma Cut to return Cannahawk to Crociata’s Deck. Crociata banished another Cannahawk from his Deck with his own Cannahawk’s effect. He Set Ritual Beast Steeds and Ritual Beast Ambush before ending his turn.
Crociata drew another Flying “C” and then Summoned Spiritual Beast Apelio. He banished it along with Wen to Special Summon Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk from his Extra Deck. He returned Ulti-Cannahawk to his Extra Deck to Special Summon Ritual Beast Tamer Elder and Spiritual Beast Cannahawk from his Banished Zone. He activated his Cannahawk’s effect to banish Wen from his Deck and then banished his 2 on-field Ritual Beasts to Special Summon Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk back from his Extra Deck. He activated Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect to target Wen and Cannahawk, and then banished Ulti-Cannahawk to Special Summon Ritual Beast Tamer Wen and Spiritual Beast Apelio from his Banished Zone. He added Ritual Beast Steeds from his Deck to his hand with Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect. Next, he banished Apelio and Wen from his field to Special Summon another Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk from his Extra Deck. He sent Apelio and Wen from his Banished Zone to his Graveyard with the effect of Ulti-Cannahawk to add Ritual Beast’s Bond to his hand. He Set Ritual Beast Steeds before ending his turn.
Sanger Summoned Tour Guide From the Underworld and activated its effect to Special Summon Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck. Crociata flipped Ritual Beast Steeds, Chained Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect to target his banished Ritual Beast Tamer Elder and Spiritual Beast Cannahawk and Special Summon them, and then Chained Ritual Beast Ambush to Special Summon Apelio and Wen from his Graveyard. At the end of the Chain, Crociata controlled Apelio, Wen, Cannahawk, and Elder, and Sanger’s face-down Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and face-up Farfa, Tour Guide, and Flying “C” were destroyed by Steeds.
Sanger activated Raigeki to clear Crociata’s field and Crociata Chained Apelio’s effect to banish Steeds from his Graveyard.
Crociata drew a card and passed his turn.
Sanger drew a card and passed.
Crociata drew a card and passed his turn.
Sanger Special Summoned Libic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Crociata Chained Maxx “C” to draw a card. Next, Sanger Tributed Libic to Summon Vanity’s Fiend and attacked directly with it.
Crociata drew Dimensional Fissure, activated it, and then Set Flying “C”.
Sanger attacked Flying “C” with Vanity’s Fiend to destroy it.
Crociata drew Ritual Beast Ambush and Set it.
Sanger attacked directly with Vanity’s Fiend and passed.
Crociata drew Ritual Beast Tamer Elder! He Summoned it and then activated Ritual Beast Steeds to destroy Vanity’s Fiend. Next, he activated Ritual Beast Ambush to Special Summon Wen and Cannahawk. He activated Cannahawk’s effect to banish Spiritual Beast Rampengu from his Deck. He banished Elder and Cannahawk from his field to Special Summon Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk from his Extra Deck and then activated Cannahawk’s effect, targeting Steeds and Elder from his banished zone. He Chained Cannahawk’s effect to send it to the Extra Deck and Special Summon Rampengu and Elder from his Banished Zone and then used Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect to add Spiritual Beast Apelio to his hand. Next, he activated Rampengu’s effect to banish Ritual Beast Ulti-Pettlephin from his Extra Deck and then send Spiritual Beast Pettlephin to his banished zone. He Normal Summoned Apelio next thanks to the additional Normal Summon granted by his Elder, and activated Apelio’s effect by banishing another Apelio from his Graveyard. Next, he banished Elder and Rampengu to Special Summon Ulti-Cannahawk and used Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect to send Cannahawk and Ulti-Pettlephin to the Graveyard and add Ritual Beast Steeds to his hand. He attacked Sanger’s face-down Scarm with Apelio (2300 ATK), destroying Scarm and banishing it thanks to Dimensional Fissure. Next, Ulti-Cannahawk attacked directly. Then, Crociata flipped Emergency Teleport and Special Summoned Ritual Beast Tamer Wen from his Deck. He attacked directly with Wen to drop Sanger down to 4100 Life Points. Crociata Set 3 cards to his back row and then banished Wen and Apelio to Special Summon Ulti-Pettlephin in Defense Position.
Sanger Normal Summoned Mathematician and activated its effect to banish another Mathematician from his Deck. He attacked Ulti-Cannahawk with Mathematician and Crociata used his Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect to return it to the Extra Deck and Special Summon Wen and Pettlephin from his Banished Zone. Mathematician attacked and destroyed Wen instead. Crociata flipped Ritual Beast Steeds in his End Phase to destroy Mathematician, and Sanger conceded, offering the handshake.
Pasquale Crociata wins the second Duel to take the 2-0 victory with Ritual Beasts and advances with a 2-0 record!