For this Top 16 Feature Match, we have Brendan Beckmann from Denver, CO. He’s using one of the most popular variants of Zoodiac Decks, featuring Kaiju monsters and Interrupted Kaiju Slumber. His opponent is Noah Greene, from Atlanta, GA, using a Zoodiac Deck with Artifact cards to get an edge in the mirror match.

Duel 1

Beckmann won the dice roll and chose to play first. He had a hand of Zoodiac Thoroughblade, Zoodiac Ramram, Vanity’s Emptiness, Fire Formation – Tenki, and Instant Fusion. He started with Tenki, adding Zoodiac Ratpier to his hand, and he Normal Summoned it. Ratpier sent Zoodiac Combo to the Graveyard with its effect, and Beckmann Xyz Summoned Zoodiac Boarbow, then Zoodiac Tigermortar, and then Zoodiac Broadbull. He detached Tigermortar to Special Summon a Ratpier, and Greene used Maxx “C”! Beckmann detached Boarbow to add Zoodiac Whiptail from his Deck to his hand. He upgraded Broadbull into Drident in Attack Position, and Set Vanity’s Emptiness and Instant Fusion.

Greene Special Summoned Speedroid Terrortop, and added Speedroid Taketomborg to his hand. He Special Summoned it, and Xyz Summoned Totem Bird! He played Ratpier next, activated its effect, Beckmann responded with Drident’s effect on Ratpier, and Greene played Forbidden Chalice! Ratpier sent Zoodiac Combo to the Graveyard, then was upgraded into Boarbow, then Tigermortar, then Broadbull. He used their effects in sequence to get two more Ratpier to the field as well, then used Broadbull to add Whiptail to his hand. He stacked the 2 Ratpier for Emeral, and used its effect to return 2 Ratpier and Boarbow to draw a card. Greene sent Totem Bird to destroy Beckmann’s Drident in battle. Then, Greene upgraded his Broadbull into Drident, and Set three back row cards.

Beckmann drew a second Zoodiac Ramram. He banished Combo from the Graveyard, returning Ratpier and his Xyz Monsters back to the Deck to draw Zoodiac Barrage! He played Thoroughblade, discarding a Ramram to draw another Thoroughblade. He Xyz Summoned Drident, and sent it to destroy Greene’s Drident in battle. Greene used his Drident’s effect to destroy the other Drident, and Beckmann used his own Drident’s effect – but Greene flipped My Body as a Shield! In Main Phase 2, Beckmann used Instant Fusion, and Greene used Dimensional Barrier declaring Fusion Monsters! Beckmann played Zoodiac Barrage, and used it to destroy his Tenki and Special Summon Thoroughblade. Its effect discarded his extra Thoroughblade, and he drew Speedroid Terrortop. He upgraded Thoroughblade into Boarbow, and that into Tigermortar. He used Tigermortar’s effect to attach Ratpier to it, then detached Boarbow to Special Summon a Ratpier. He used Tigermortar to Xyz Summon Broadbull, and Special Summoned another Ratpier. Now with two Ratpier, he Xyz Summoned Daigusto Emeral. It returned 2 Ratpier and Tigermortar to the Deck, and he drew another Terrortop. He finally passed, after exhausting his options.

In Greene’s Draw Phase, Beckmann flipped up Vanity’s Emptiness. Greene chose not to use Totem Bird’s effect. He used Emeral’s effect again, recycling his Maxx “C” and Xyz Monsters for a new card. He played Twin Twisters, discarding Whiptail to destroy Vanity’s Emptiness and Barrage. Barrage attached to Beckmann’s Broadbull. Greene turned his Drident into a Tigermortar, and attached Ratpier to it. He Special Summoned another Ratpier, then turned Tigermortar into Boarbow, and that into Broadbull. He Special Summoned another Ratpier, then used Broadbull to get Whiptail in his hand, then Xyz Summoned Drident. Drident destroyed Beckmann’s Broadbull with its effect. He combined his Ratpier into Gagaga Samurai, and finally Normal Summoned Whiptail. With Gagaga Samurai’s effect, that put enough ATK on the board to take out Beckmann’s Life Points!

Duel 2

Beckmann began with Zoodiac Barrage, two Dimensional Barriers, Dark Hole, and Jizukiru, the Star Destroying Kaiju. He played Barrage and had it destroy itself to get Ratpier. He turned that into Boarbow, then that into Tigermortar. He detached Boarbow to Special Summon another Ratpier, then turned Tigermortar into Broadbull. He used its effects to Special Summon another Ratpier, and added a Whiptail to his hand. He combined his two Ratpier into Emeral, shuffled back his combo pieces, and drew Zoodiac Ramram. He ugraded Broadbull into Drident, then Set Dark Hole and both Dimensional Barrier to his back row.

Greene simply Set five to his back row!

Beckmann drew Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju. He turned Drident to Defense Position, and sent Emeral to attack directly. Considering the resurgence of Mirror Force cards today, it was a safe choice. Emeral successfully hit directly. He used his Drident to Xyz Summon Broadbull, and used its effect to get Thoroughblade in his hand. Greene then flipped Artifact Sanctum to Special Summon Artifact Scythe! Beckmann was now locked out of his Extra Deck for the turn. He Set Ramram.

Greene Normal Summoned Whiptail, and Xyz Summoned Tigermortar, then Broadbull. He used its effect, and Beckmann responded with Dimensional Barrier to negate it. Greene responded to that with Twin Twisters (discarding another Twin Twisters), destroying Beckmann’s second Dimensional Barrier and Dark Hole. Greene played Zoodiac Barrage, destroying his Broadbull to get Thoroughblade from the Deck. He sent his monsters to attack, leaving Beckmann with just the Set Ramram.

Beckmann drew Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit. He Normal Summoned Thoroughblade, and attacked Greene’s Thoroughblade, and Greene flipped up Storming Mirror Force to save his monster. Beckmann Tributed Greene’s Thoroughblade to Special Summon Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju to Greene’s side of the field.

Greene used his Barrage on itself, but Beckmann’s Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit destroyed it first. Greene sent Artifact Scythe to destroy Ramram, which Special Summoned Drident from the Graveyard. Dogoran attacked it, and Beckmann used his Whiptail from his hand, attaching it to Drident, so Drident could then use its effect to destroy Dogoran!

Beckmann drew Speedroid Taketomborg. He used Drident to Xyz Summon Boarbow, and Greene flipped Artifact Sanctum to play another Artifact Scythe! Beckmann had to pass his turn.

Greene Set a back row card, and destroyed Boarbow with a Scythe. The other Scythe attacked directly.

Beckmann drew Dimensional Barrier. He played Thoroughblade, Xyz Summoned Drident, then used that to Xyz Summon Tigermortar. It attached Whiptail from the Graveyard to itself, and attacked… right into Mirror Force!

Greene played Fire Formation – Tenki to get Whiptail. That gave him enough ATK power to end the Match!

Noah Greene is moving to the Top 8, with his Artifact Zoodiac Deck!