Round 7 Feature Match: Patrick James versus Michael McLaughlin
Patrick James from Raleigh, North Carolina is Dueling against Michael McLaughlin from Orlando, Florida in our Round 7 Feature Match! James is currently 5-1 in the tournament with his Performapal Pendulum Deck featuring 3 copies each of Star Seraph Scepter and Star Seraph Sovereignty, and McLaughlin currently holds the same record with his Kozmo Deck featuring three copies of Droll & Lock Bird. James is using the Star Seraphs to facilitate bigger Xyz Summoning plays after Pendulum Summoning monsters to the field, while McLaughlin hopes to stifle his opponents’ long string of plays with Droll & Lock Bird. One of these Duelists will advance with a 6-1 record. It’s time to Duel!
Duel One
McLaughlin won the die roll and chose to go first.
He activated Emergency Teleport to Special Summon Kozmo Tincan from his Deck and James discarded Effect Veiler in his Main Phase to negate its effect. Tincan was banished by Emergency Teleport in the End Phase.
James drew a card and then had Star Seraph Scepter, Star Seraph Sovereignty, Wavering Eyes, Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer, and Performapal Monkeyboard in his hand. He Summoned Scepter, activated its effect, and revealed Sovereignty from his hand to Special Summon it. He added a Sovereignty to his hand with Scepter’s effect, prompting McLaughlin to discard Droll & Lock Bird from his hand to prevent James from adding any more cards from his Deck to his hand that turn. He attacked directly with Scepter, dropping McLaughlin down to 6200 Life Points.
McLaughlin activated Kozmotown and used its effect to add Tincan from his Banished Zone to his hand. He Summoned it, entered his End Phase, and then activated its effect to pay 500 Life Points and reveal Kozmo Sliprider, Kozmo Dark Destroyer, and Kozmo Dark Eclipser from his Deck. He randomly added the Sliprider to his hand and sent the other 2 cards to his Graveyard.
James Summoned Star Seraph Sovereignty and McLaughlin discarded Maxx “C”. Next, McLaughlin banished his Tincan to Special Summon Sliprider from his hand. He activated his Sliprider’s effect to destroy his own Kozmotown, and then used his Kozmotown’s effect to add Kozmo Dark Destroyer from his Deck to his hand. McLaughlin Set Wavering Eyes and then combined his 2 copies of Sovereignty with his Scepter to Xyz Summon Evilswarm Ouroboros in Attack Position. Thanks to his Scepter, he was then able to destroy his own face-down Wavering Eyes to draw a card. He activated Ouroboros’s effect to return Sliprider to McLaughlin’s hand, but McLaughlin Chained Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit to destroy Ouroboros. Next, James activated Performapal Monkeyboard and used its effect to add Performapal Guitartle to his hand. He activated Instant Fusion next, Special Summoning Norden from his Extra Deck and activating its effect to Special Summon Scepter to his field. Next, he Special Summoned Sovereignty from his hand and drew a card, prompting James to activate the effect of the Droll & Lock Bird in his hand. Next, James activated Performapal Guitartle in his Pendulum Zone. He Pendulum Summoned Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer next, and then combined it with Norden to Xyz Summon Performage Trapeze Magician. He detached an Xyz Material from Performage Trapeze Magician to activate its effect and allow Scepter to attack twice. Direct attacks from Trapeze Magician and Sovereignty, as well as 2 attacks from Scepter, wiped out McLaughlin’s 5100 Life Points.
Patrick James wins Duel 1 thanks to his Star Seraphs!
Duel Two
McLaughlin started off Duel 2 by Summoning Kozmo Tincan, activating Kozmotown, and then Setting 2 cards to his back row. He activated Tincan’s effect in his End Phase, paying 500 Life Points to reveal Sliprider, Dark Destroyer, and Dark Eclipser from his Deck. He randomly added Dark Eclipser to his hand and sent the other 2 cards to his Graveyard.
James opened up Duel 2 with Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer, Performapal Guitartle, Guiding Ariadne, Solemn Strike, and 2 copies of Performapal Skullcrobat Joker.
He Summoned Skullcrobat Joker and activated its effect to add Performapal Monkeyboard to his hand. He activated Guitartle and then activated Monkeyboard. He activated Guitartle’s effect to draw another Ariadne from his Deck and then activated the effect of Monkeyboard; but McLaughlin activated Twin Twisters, discarding Dark Eclipser, to destroy his own Kozmotown and James’s Monkeyboard. McLaughlin added Dark Destroyer from his Deck to his hand with the effect of his Kozmotown. James attacked Tincan with Skullcrobat Joker, and McLaughlin banished his Tincan from the field to activate its effect and Special Summon Dark Destroyer from his hand! He activated Dark Destroyer’s effect to have it destroy itself, and then banished it from the Duel to Special Summon Sliprider from his Deck. He destroyed Performapal Guitartle with the effect of his Sliprider. In Main Phase 2, James activated Guiding Ariadne and Skullcrobat Joker in his Pendulum Zones and announced a Pendulum Summon of 1 monster. He attempted to Pendulum Summon Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer from his hand, but McLaughlin activated Solemn Warning and paid 2000 Life Points to negate its Summon and send the Pendulum Sorcerer to the Graveyard. James Set Solemn Strike before ending his turn.
McLaughlin attacked Skullcrobat Joker with Sliprider to destroy it and then activated Emergency Teleport! He Special Summoned Kozmo Farmgirl from his Deck and attacked directly. He paid 500 Life Points to activate her effect, and James negated her effect and destroyed Farmgirl with Solemn Strike! Thanks to the Guiding Ariadne in his Pendulum Zone, James didn’t need to pay any Life Points to activate his Solemn Strike.
James drew Dark Hole next turn. He Pendulum Summoned Skullcrobat Joker and Monkeyboard from his Extra Deck and then Normal Summoned Guiding Ariadne. He combined Guiding Ariadne with Skullcrobat Joker to Xyz Summon Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer and then detached both Xyz Materials to activate Castel’s effect and shuffle Sliprider into McLaughlin’s Deck. Castel attacked directly next, and play passed to McLaughlin.
McLaughlin activated Emergency Teleport to Special Summon Kozmo Strawman from his Deck and then activated Strawman’s effect to Special Summon Dark Destroyer by paying 500 Life Points. Dark Destroyer attacked and destroyed Castel, and then Dark Destroyer was destroyed in the End Phase due to Strawman’s effect. McLaughlin banished his Dark Destroyer from the Graveyard to activate its effect and Special Summon Kozmo Tincan from his Deck. He activated Tincan’s effect by paying 500 Life Points, revealing Dark Eclipser, Sliprider, and Dark Destroyer from his Deck. He added Sliprider to his hand randomly and sent the other 2 cards to his Graveyard. Next, McLaughlin banished Strawman from his field to Special Summon Sliprider from his hand and declined to activate Sliprider’s effect.
James drew Wavering Eyes next turn! He activated Wavering Eyes, destroying the Guiding Ariadne and Skullcrobat Joker in his Pendulum Zone and adding Skullcrobat Joker from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated the effect of his Ariadne to reveal 2 copies of Solemn Strike and a Solemn Warning from his Deck. McLaughlin added the Strike to James’s hand. Then, James Summoned Skullcrobat Joker and activated its effect to add Monkeyboard to his hand. He placed Monkeyboard in his Pendulum Zone and activated its effect, but lost out to Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit. Skullcrobat Joker attacked and destroyed Tincan and then James Set Solemn Strike before passing.
McLaughlin attacked and destroyed Skullcrobat Joker with Sliprider, sending it to the Extra Deck.
James drew Solemn Warning and Set it.
McLaughlin Set a card to his back row and passed his turn.
James drew Instant Fusion! He activated Dark Hole to clear the field, and when McLaughlin attempted to use his Sliprider’s effect, James flipped Solemn Strike to negate it. James activated Instant Fusion by paying 1000 Life Points next, and McLaughlin Chained Maxx “C”! James Special Summoned Norden and activated its effect, allowing McLaughlin to draw a card. James Special Summoned Skullcrobat Joker from his Graveyard with Norden’s effect next, allowing McLaughlin to draw another card; but it was all over moments later! A direct attack from Skullcrobat Joker finished off McLaughlin’s last 1500 Life Points!
Patrick James is moving on with a 6-1 record!
