Round 8 Feature Match: Timothy Justise Reed vs. Tyler Ashlock
Welcome to Round 8, the final round of Swiss play for today. We have two Monarch Duelists here, but with wildly different strategies! Timothy Justise Reed, from Phoenix, Arizona, is using a mostly standard build, but is using Droll & Lock Bird in the Main Deck! He can use it to shut down many opposing card effects, and it can even combo with Artifact Durendal to rob them of their entire hand! Tyler Ashlock, from Benton, Arkansas, is using a mixed Monarch and Burning Abyss Deck. He uses Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss to send cards like Erebus the Underworld Monarch, The Prime Monarch, and Pantheism of the Monarchs to the Graveyard. Each Duelist has two losses so far, so they’ll need to win if they want a shot at making the cut to Top 64 tomorrow!
Duel 1
Reed started with Brilliant Fusion! He sent Dark Witch and Gem-Knight Lazuli to the Graveyard, and Special Summoned Gem-Knight Seraphinite. Lazuli’s effect put Dark Witch in his hand. With his extra Normal Summon, he Tribute Summoned Kuraz the Light Monarch! It destroyed Brilliant Fusion to give Reed a new card. He Set a monster to finish.
Ashlock had a hand of Tenacity of the Monarchs, Pantheism of the Monarchs, Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and two Erebus the Underworld Monarch. He played Tenacity to search for The Prime Monarch, and Reed activated Droll & Lock Bird! Ashlock Normal Summoned Graff and Special Summoned Barbar, and Xyz Summoned Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He detached Graff to send Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, The Prime Monarch, and Domain of the True Monarchs to the Graveyard. Graff’s effect Special Summoned Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the field. Dante destroyed Kuraz in battle, and Cir destroyed Reed’s Set Lazuli. Dante went to Defense Position to finish the turn.
Reed simply passed his turn.
Ashlock drew Kuraz. He activated Dante, detaching Barbar to send Ehther the Heavenly Monarch, Tenacity, and Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard. He played Pantheism of the Monarchs, discarding The Prime Monarch, and drew Tenacity and Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. Reed played another Droll & Lock Bird. Ashlock pressed on, and Special Summoned Farfa. He combined it with Cir, and played another Dante! It sent Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Return of the Monarchs, and The Monarchs Stormforth to the Graveyard, by detaching Cir. Cir’s effect brought Barbar back, and it was Tributed to play Kuraz. Barbar’s effect banished Alich, Calcab, and Rubic to deal 900 damage. Both copies of Dante attacked directly, but Kuraz couldn’t attack due to its effect. Reed was left with just 2000 Life Points, and he conceded when he saw his next draw!
Duel 2
Reed started the next Duel with Brilliant Fusion once again! It sent Lazuli and Dark Witch to the Graveyard to bring out Gem-Knight Seraphinite. Lazuli returned Dark Witch to the hand. He played Tenacity, revealing Ehther to search out Return of the Monarchs. He played Return and used his extra Summon from Seraphinite. He Tributed Seraphinite for Dark Witch, and Return put Erebus the Underworld Monarch in his hand. Then, he used his regular Normal Summon to Tribute Dark Witch, for Erebus! Erebus’ effect sent Pantheism and The Prime Monarch to the Graveyard, shuffling a Pantheism from Ashlock’s hand into the Deck. Reed banished his own Pantheism from the Graveyard to reveal three copies of The Monarchs Stormforth. Ashlock had to give Reed one of them. Reed finished by setting a card to his back row.
Ashlock’s hand for the turn was The Prime Monarch, Raigeki, Return of the Monarchs, Farfa, and a Pantheism. Reed immediately played Maxx “C” to start the turn. Ashlock played Pantheism, discarding The Prime Monarch, and drew Scarm and Graff. He banished Pantheism to reveal three copies of Tenacity, getting one to his hand. Raigeki destroyed Reed’s Erebus, and Ashlock Set Graff. Before the Main Phase could end, Reed used The Monarchs Stormforth. Next, he banished Stormforth to bring The Prime Monarch from the Graveyard. Finally, he used Ehther from his hand, Tributing The Prime Monarch and Graff for Ehther! Ehther, Graff, and Return of the Monarchs all triggered. Reed put Erebus in his hand, then sent Pantheism and a Prime Monarch to the Graveyard to Special Summon another Ehther. Finally, Ashlock’s Graff started to resolve, and Ashlock decided to concede! He knew there was no way he’d come back from Reed’s huge lead!
Duel 3
Ashlock chose to play second. Reed began with only a Set monster.
Ashlock’s hand was Raigeki, The Monarchs Stormforth, Return of the Monarchs, Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Pantheism of the Monarchs. He played Pantheism, discarding Return to draw Domain of the True Monarchs and Tour Guide From the Underworld! He banished Pantheism to reveal three copies of Tenacity of the Monarchs, getting one to his hand. He played Tour Guide next, and brought Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the field. Tour Guide and Graff combined to make Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. Dante detached Graff, and sent Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Pantheism, and Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard! Barbar banished Calcab for 300 damage, and Graff Special Summoned Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from the Deck. Ashlock Special Summoned Farfa from his hand and combined it with Rubic for another Dante! He detached Rubic, sending Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Upstart Goblin, and Erebus the Underworld Monarch to the Graveyard. He used Erebus’ effect, discarding Domain to put Erebus back in his hand. Tenacity searched out Pantheism, and he activated it, discarding Stormforth to draw The Prime Monarch and Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. Ashlock Special Summoned Alich, and finally moved to the Battle Phase! Dante destroyed Reed’s Set Lazuli, and Alich and the other Dante attacked directly. Reed was down to 4000 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Ashlock discarded Cir to upgrade Dante into Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal, in Defense Position! Alich self-destructed in Beatrice’s presence. Ashlock Set The Prime Monarch, and in the End Phase, Scarm’s effect put Cir in Ashlock’s hand.
Reed Normal Summoned Eidos the Underworld Squire, and used its effect. Next, he played Autonomous Action Unit! He paid 1500 Life Points to take Rubic… and it self-destructed due to Eidos! Reed had just wanted to show off his cool tech choice, as he revealed his unplayable hand in concession.
Tyler Ashlock is the victor, with his combination Burning Abyss Monarch Deck!
