Our first Feature Match today is something you could have expected to see six months ago – Pendulums versus Mekk-Knight Invoked! Pedro Baltazar is here from Puebla, using the Mekk-Knight Invoked Deck. The strategy has seen some updates recently, with the addition of Mekk-Knight of the Morning Star and Aleister the Invoker of Madness. Gustavo Garcia is a local Duelist, and is one of the only Pendulum players still in contention. While it isn’t as popular as it used to be, the strategy is still capable of some huge turns to put together nearly unbreakable boards.

Duel 1

Baltazar won the die roll and opted to play second. Garcia had a hand of Star Pendulumgraph, two Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm, and two Mythical Beast Jackal King. He played Darkwurm in his Pendulum Zone and used it to put Supreme King Gate Zero in his other Pendulum Zone. He then Pendulum Summoned his second Darkwurm, adding another Gate Zero to his hand. He Tributed Darkwurm to play Jackal King and activated Star Pendulumgraph – but he unwittingly played it in the same column as Jackal King! He didn’t realize what he was up against, and that may end up hurting him.

Baltazar used Infinite Impermanence from his hand to negate Jackal King. He then Special Summoned Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse, moved it a over one zone, and Special Summoned Mekk-Knight Purple Nightfall. He banished Purple for its own effect, adding Mekk-Knight Blue Sky to his hand. He Special Summoned that as well, in the same column as Jackal King and Star Pendulumgraph. Its effect let him search his Deck for Mekk-Knight Red Moon and Purple Nightfall. Terraforming got Magical Explosion and that got Aleister the Invoker. He played it to get Invocation. He used Blue Sky and Indigo Eclipse to Link Summon Mekk-Knight of the Morning Star! Its effect discarded Purple Nightfall to add World Legacy’s Secret to his hand. He Special Summoned Red Moon and used its effect to destroy Jackal King. Then, he used Alister and Morning Star to play Aleister the Invoker of Madness! He played Invocation, bringing forth Invoked Mechaba! Aleister, Mechaba, and Red Moon attacked directly. He then Set two cards in his back row.

Garcia drew Purple Poison Magician. He Pendulum Summoned Darkwurm from his Extra Deck and Purple Poison from his hand. He Tributed Darkwurm to play his second Jackal King, sending it to attack Red Moon. Purple Poison attacked Aleister, losing the battle so it could use its effect and destroy Mechaba! Star Pendulumgraph activated to put another Purple Poison in Garcia’s hand. In the End Phase, Baltazar flipped World Legacy’s Secret to bring back Red Moon in the same column as Jackal King, shutting down its effect!

Baltazar Special Summoned Purple Nightfall from his hand and used Red Moon to destroy Jackal King. He sent his monsters to attack, taking the first Duel!

Duel 2

Garcia chose to play second, knowing Mekk-Knights can’t do much without their opponent having cards on the field. Baltazar Set a monster and a back row card.

Garcia had a hand of Harmonizing Magician, Purple Poison, Black Fang, Mythical Beast Master Cerberus, and Pot of Desires. He played Cerberus in his Pendulum Zone, using it to get Jackal King. He played that next, and had it Special Summon Master Cerberus. He Normal Summoned Black Fang, and Pendulum Summoned Heavymetalfoes Electrumite – Baltazar flipped Infinite Impermanence to shut it down. Garcia used Desires to draw Time Pendulumgraph and Pendulum Call. Pendulum Call discarded a Harmonizing Magician to add Oafdragon Magician and Black Fang Magician to his hand. He played both in his Pendulum Zones, allowing him to Pendulum Summon Black Fang, Purple Poison, Jackal King, and Harmonizing Magician! Harmonizing’s effect brought another Black Fang to the field, giving him six total monsters. He used a Purple Poison and Harmonizing to Synchro Summon Ignister Prominence, the Blasting Dracoslayer. Its effect to destroyed his Black Fang and shuffled away Baltazar’s Set monster. Black Fang’s effect then Special Summoned Harmonizing Magician from his Graveyard. In the Battle Phase, he sent Purple Poison, Electrumite, Jackal King, and Ignister to attack, wiping out Baltazar’s Life Points on the first turn!

Duel 3

Baltazar chose to play second. Garcia opened with Gate Zero, Chronograph Sorcerer, Abyss Actor – Curtain Raiser, Foolish Burial, and Jackal King. He started with Foolish, but Baltazar had Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Garcia Special Summoned Curtain Raiser, then played Chronograph Sorcerer in his Pendulum Zone. He used its effect to Special Summon Timegazer Magician and Link Summoned Heavymetalfoes Electrumite. Its effect put Harmonizing Magician in his Extra Deck. He activated Jackal King in his Pendulum Zone next, and Electrumite destroyed it to add Harmonizing Magician to his hand. He then drew Star Pendulumgraph with Electrumite’s other effect. He activated Gate Zero and Harmonizing Magician in his Pendulum Zones, and Pendulum Summoned Jackal King and Timegazer Magician. He activated his last card, Star Pendulumgraph, and passed the turn. Unfortunately, Garcia had made the same mistake of playing Star Pendulumgraph in the same column as his Timegazer.

Baltazar activated Instant Fusion to Fusion Summon Thousand-Eyes Restrict. He used its effect on Jackal King, forcing it to use its once-per-turn effect to negate and destroy it. Baltazar continued, using Magical Explosion to get Aleister the Invoker, then that to get Invocation. Pot of Desires gave him two more cards. He Special Summoned Purple Nightfall and banished it to get Blue Sky. Baltazar played Blue Sky to search for two cards  – Red Moon and Purple Nightfall. He used Purple Nightfall and Aleister to play Aleister the Invoker of Madness, then Special Summoned Red Moon. He used Invocation to fuse Aleister the Invoker with Ash Blossom for Invoked Purgatrio! That triggered his Invoker of Madness, letting him discard PSY-Frame Driver to get The Book of Law. Purgatrio attacked Timegazer, and Baltazar used TWO copies of Aleister the Invoker from his hand to power it up and crush Timegazer with piercing damage! Purgatrio then attacked Jackal King, still with its boosted ATK. Red Moon and Aleister the Invoker of Madness attacked to finish the Match!

Pedro Baltazar wins, with Mekk-Knight Invoked!