Round 8 Feature Match: Larry Merritt vs. Jeffrey Strain
Larry Merritt and Jeffrey Strain were in 17th place and 15th place respectively at the end of Day 1, so they’ll need some good luck and great tiebreakers to make it to the Top 8. But the journey to become the Ultimate Duelist will end for one of them right here, as they face off against one another in this Round 8 Feature Match! Each Duelist needs a victory here in order to remain in contention for the Top 8, but only one of these Duelists can get that victory. Merritt is using a Shaddoll Deck that features Performage Trick Clown, Performage Damage Juggler, and Performage Hat Tricker from Clash of Rebellions. Strain is using a Nekroz Deck adjusted for the new Advanced Format Forbidden & Limited List. It’s time to Duel!
Duel One
Merritt opened up Duel 1 with Mathematician, Upstart Goblin, Shaddoll Dragon, Mistake, and Performage Trick Clown. He Summoned Mathematician and activated its effect to send Shaddoll Squamata from his Deck to his Graveyard. He used his Squamata’s effect to send Shaddoll Beast from his Deck to his Graveyard and then drew Foolish Burial from his Deck with the effect of his Beast. He activated Upstart Goblin next, giving Strain 1000 Life Points and drawing another Mathematician from his Deck. Merritt Set Mistake to his back row before passing his turn.
Strain activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Merritt’s face-down Mistake and then Normal Summoned Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands to his field. He activated its effect to add Nekroz of Unicore to his hand and then activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope. He sent Herald of the Arc Light from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard to Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore from his hand and then activated the effect of Herald of the Arc Light to add Nekroz of Brionac to his hand. He discarded Nekroz of Brionac to add Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz to his hand and then activated Nekroz Cycle, Tributing Shurit from his hand to Special Summon Nekroz of Trishula. Trishula banished Mathematician from the field, Shaddoll Dragon from Merritt’s hand, and Shaddoll Beast from Merritt’s Graveyard. Next, he added Nekroz of Brionac to his hand with the effect of Shurit. He attacked directly with Manju, Nekroz of Unicore, and Nekroz of Trishula to drop Merritt down to 1600 Life Points and then ended his turn.
Merritt drew another Performage Trick Clown and then activated Foolish Burial to send Shaddoll Squamata from his Deck to his Graveyard. He activated Squamata’s effect to send a Beast to his Graveyard and then drew Shaddoll Core from his Deck with its effect. He Summoned Mathematician and activated its effect to send Shaddoll Falco from his Deck to his Graveyard, and then activated his Falco’s effect to Special Summon it back to the field face-down. Next, Mathematician attacked and destroyed Manju, dropping Strain down to 8900 Life Points. Merritt Set Shaddoll Core before ending his turn.
Strain Summoned Denko Sekka! He activated the effect of Nekroz of Clausolas next, discarding it from his hand to add Nekroz Kaleidoscope to his hand. Next, he discarded Nekroz of Brionac to add Nekroz of Unicore to his hand. He activated his Kaleidoscope and sent Herald of the Arc Light from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard to Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore. Next, he activated the effect of his Herald of the Arc Light to add Nekroz of Valkyrus from his Deck to his hand. He attacked Mathematician with Nekroz of Trishula to drop Merritt down to 400 Life Points, and Merritt drew Raigeki from his Deck with the effect of the Mathematician. In Main Phase 2, Strain combined his two Unicores to Xyz Summon Gagaga Cowboy, and detached an Xyz Material from it to finish Merritt off!
Jeffrey Strain wins the first Duel with his Nekroz Deck!
Duel Two
Strain Set 2 cards to his back row and passed.
Merritt opened up with Performage Hat Tricker, 2 copies of Shaddoll Squamata, Book of Moon, Imperial Iron Wall, and Shaddoll Core. He Summoned Squamata and then attacked directly with it, dropping Strain down to 6200 Life Points. Merritt Set Book of Moon and Imperial Iron Wall before passing his turn, but Strain flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy the Imperial Iron Wall in the End Phase.
Strain activated Preparation of Rites to add Nekroz of Brionac to his hand and then discarded Nekroz of Brionac to activate its effect and add Nekroz of Clausolas from his Deck to his hand. He discarded Nekroz of Clausolas to add Nekroz Cycle to his hand and then activated Nekroz Cycle to Tribute Shurit from his hand and Special Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus. He activated the effect of Shurit next, adding Nekroz of Trishula from his Deck to his hand. He activated his Valkyrus’s effect next, Tributing it to draw 1 card from his Deck. Next, he banished Nekroz Cycle and Nekroz of Clausolas from his Graveyard to use his Cycle’s effect and add Nekroz Kaleidoscope from his Deck to his hand. He Summoned Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands next, activating its effect to add Nekroz of Unicore to his hand. He activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope to send Herald of the Arc Light from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard and Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore to his field. Strain used the effect of his Herald to add Nekroz Mirror from his Deck to his hand. He activated Nekroz Mirror to Special Summon Nekroz of Trishula from his hand by banishing Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz from his Graveyard. Merritt Chained Book of Moon to Trishula’s effect to put Trishula face-down, and then Trishula banished Squamata from Merritt’s field, Shaddoll Core from Merritt’s hand, and Imperial Iron Wall from Merritt’s Graveyard. Manju and Unicore attacked Merritt directly, dropping him down to 4300 Life Points.
Merritt drew Shaddoll Hedgehog. He Summoned Squamata to the field and then Special Summoned Performage Hat Tricker. He combined Squamata with Hat Tricker to Xyz Summon Performage Trapeze Magician. He attacked Nekroz of Unicore with his Magician, destroying it in battle and dropping Strain down to 6000 Life Points.
Strain discarded Nekroz of Unicore from his hand to add Nekroz of Brionac from his Graveyard to his hand, and then discarded Nekroz of Brionac to add Dance Princess of the Nekroz from his Deck to his hand. He Summoned Dance Princess of the Nekroz to the field and then combined it with Manju to Xyz Summon Number 101: Silent Honor ARK! He detached both Xyz Materials from it to absorb the Trapeze Magician as an Xyz Material thanks to Number 101’s effect, and then Flip Summoned Nekroz of Trishula. Number 101: Silent Honor ARK and Nekroz of Trishula attacked directly next, wiping out Strain’s last 4300 Life Points!
Jeffrey Strain takes a quick 2-0 victory over Larry Merritt’s Performage Shaddoll Deck!