This Round 3 Feature is a Trickstar Mirror Match! We’ve got Johnny Teo from East Brunswick, here in New Jersey, playing a classic Trickstar Deck. Other than some new Extra Deck additions like the Knightmares from Flames of Destruction, he’s using a standard build. His opponent is YCS Champion and World Championship compettitor Bohdan Temnyk, here from all the way in Australia. Temnyk’s using Sky Striker Spell Cards in his Trickstar Deck, looking to gain a lot of cards by filling his Graveyard early.

Duel 1

Temnyk won the die roll and chose to play first. He started the Match with a hand of Trickstar Lycoris, Trickstar Candina, Droll & Lock Bird, and 2 Scapegoat. He Normal Summoned Candina, and it was negated by Teo’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. He bounced Candina to play Lycoris, then Set Scapegoat.

Teo played his own Candina and added Trickstar Light Stage to his hand, prompting Temnyk to use Droll & Lock Bird. Teo’s Candina destroyed Temnyk’s Lycoris in battle, then he Set two back row cards. Temnyk flipped Scapegoat in the End Phase.

Temnyk drew another Candina, and Teo flipped Trickstar Reincarnation, then Special Summoned Lycoris! Temnyk banished his hand and drew Trickstar Lycoris, Trickstar Reincarnation, and Sky Striker Maneuver – Afterburners! for his new hand. He used his Sheep Tokens to play Linkuriboh and Link Spider, then Spider and a Token for Knightmare Phoenix. Teo flipped Solemn Judgment to negate the Summon, giving up half of his Life Points. He used his last Token and Linkuriboh to play Knightmare Goblin, discarding Trickstar Reincarnation for its effect. He played Afterburners, destroying Teo’s Lycoris, then Normal Summoned his own Lycoris. He attacked with Goblin and Lycoris, then banished Reincarnation from his Graveyard to Special Summon another Lycoris. It attacked, and Teo couldn’t take it after his Solemn Judgment payment!

Duel 2

Teo began with Candina, adding Light Stage to his hand, and Temnyk once again used Droll & Lock Bird to shut him down for the turn. Teo Set two cards in his back row.

Temnyk’s hand was Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage!, Trickstar Lilybell, Trickstar Candina, and Pot of Desires; he drew Trickstar Lycoris. He Set Desires, then played Engage, and Teo responded by Special Summoning Lycoris from his hand, bouncing his Candina. Temnyk added Sky Striker Mecha – Hornet Drones to his hand. Teo flipped Trickstar Reincarnation, and Temnyk used Hornet Drones from his hand. He drew a new hand of Trickstar Candina, Evenly Matched, and Light Stage. He played Light Stage, and Teo flipped Heavy Storm Duster to destroy Stage and the Set Pot of Desires. Temnyk used his Sky Striker Ace Token to play Sky Striker Ace – Kagari, adding Engage to his hand. He played it to get another Hornet Drones, and also drew Twin Twisters. He Normal Summoned Candina, adding Light Stage to his hand, and played that to get Lycoris. Kagari attacked Teo’s Lycoris, then Candina attacked. Temnyk bounced his Candina to Special Summon Lycoris, and attacked with that as well. In Main Phase 2, he used Kagari to play Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku, and Set Twin Twisters. Shizuku added Afterburners to his hand.

Teo played Light Stage, and Temnyk flipped Twin Twisters, discarding Evenly Matched, to destroy it. Teo played Candina and got another Light Stage, then played that to get Lilybell. He Special Summoned Lilybell and sent it to attack Shizuku with the aid of Honest! Teo added Lycoris to his hand with Lilybell’s effect. Candina destroyed Temnyk’s Lycoris, then was bounced to play Teo’s Lycoris. That attacked directly too. In Main Phase 2, Teo played Pot of Desires. He used Lilybell and Lycoris to Link Summon Knightmare Phoenix, discarding Candina to destroy Light Stage so he could safely Set two cards in his back row.

Temnyk drew a Pot of Desires of his own. He played Afterburners, destroying Phoenix and a Set Scapegoat. He used Hornet Drones for a Sky Striker Ace Token, and Teo flipped Torrential Tribute to stop the play before it got started. Temnyk played Candina to get Light Stage, and used that for Lycoris. Pot of Desires was next, drawing Scapegoat and Engage. Candina attacked, forcing Teo to use Trickstar Reincarnation from his Graveyard, getting Lilybell to defend himself. Unable to beat Lilybell’s 2000 DEF, Temnyk bounced his Candina for Lycoris in Defense Position, and Set his Scapegoat.

Teo used Light Stage to force the activation of Scapegoat. He then sent Lilybell to attack directly, getting Lycoris to his hand. He Special Summoned Lycoris from his hand, bouncing Lilybell, and that allowed him to immediately Special Summon Lilybell with its own effect. Lilybell attacked directly again, getting Candina to the hand, and Teo’s Lycoris destroyed Temnyk’s copy. In Main Phase 2, Teo played Candina to add another Lycoris to his hand. He bounced Candina to Special Summon it, and Set one card in his back row.

Temnyk drew Twin Twisters, and Teo flipped Trickstar Reincarnation. Temnyk had only 1300 Life Points, while Teo controlled two copies of Lycoris and a Light Stage, but Twin Twisters would save him! Temnyk played Twin Twisters, discarding Hornet Drones, to destroy Light Stage. That left him with only one card in his hand, making him draw less cards from Reincarnation. He banished the Candina in his hand and drew another Hornet Drones, dropping to just 100 Life Points! “Get ‘em, girls!” Temnyk said with glee, as he began using his Sheep Tokens for his final play! He used Sheep Tokens to play Linkuriboh and Link Spider, then used Spider with a Sheep Token for Knightmare Phoenix. He used all his monsters to play Saryuja Skull Dread, and it was all over!

Bohdan Temnyk is your victor, with Trickstar Sky Strikers!