2017 World Championship competitor Esala Wathuthantrige from Los Angeles, California is always trying to stay at the top of the competition, and now he’s Dueling with a Zombie Orcust Danger! Deck in this weekend’s UDS Invitational – Winter 2019. This Deck type has had proven success in recent events, and now he’s up against Sean Martinov from Long Island, New York and his Salamangreat Deck!

The Salamangreat strategy is less tested than most of the other Decks being used this weekend, but Duelists everywhere immediately recognized the strength of the Salamangreat theme once it got incredible new cards in Structure Deck: Soulburner, which was released a few weeks ago. Will this great new strategy be enough to allow Martinov to triumph over the extensively tested Deck that Wathuthantrige is piloting this weekend? We’re about to find out. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Martinov activated Salamangreat Circle and used its effect to add Salamangreat Gazelle from his Deck to his hand.

He Normal Summoned Salamangreat Foxy and sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Salamangreat Balelynx. He used its effect to add Salamangreat Sanctuary to his hand and Special Summoned Gazelle from his hand. He used Gazelle’s effect to send Salamangreat Roar from his Deck to his Graveyard and then activated the Sanctuary. He used the effect of the Foxy in his Graveyard by discarding Salamangreat Falco to Special Summon Foxy back to the field and then sent 2 monsters to the Graveyard to Link Summon Salamangreat Miragestallio. He then used Balelynx to Link Summon another Balelynx to the other Extra Monster Zone thanks to Sanctuary, and then used Miragestallio’s effect to Special Summon a Jack Jaguar from his Deck. He then Link Summoned Salamangreat Sunlight Wolf and activated Will of the Salamangreat. He used its effect to Special Summon Salamangreat Falco from his Graveyard linked to Sunlight Wolf and used his Sunlight Wolf’s effect to add a Gazelle from his Graveyard to his hand. Next, he sent Sunlight Wolf and Jack Jaguar to the Graveyard to Link Summon another Sunlight Wolf. He activated the effect of Sunlight Wolf to return Salamangreat Roar to his hand. He Set 2 cards to his back row before passing his turn.

Wathuthantrige opened up with Card Destruction, Uni-Zombie, Reinforcement of the Army, Destrudo the Lost Dragon’s Frisson, and Orcust Knightmare. He drew World Legacy – “World Wand” and then activated Reinforcement of the Army to add Dark Grepher from his Deck to his hand. He discarded Orcust Knightmare to Special Summon Grepher and then activated its effect by discarding Destrudo. Martinov Chained Salamangreat Roar to negate the activation of Grepher’s effect and destroy Dark Grepher. Next, Wathuthantrige Normal Summoned Uni-Zombie. He activated its effect to send Necroworld Banshee from his Deck to his Graveyard and increase his Uni-Zombie’s Level. Next, he banished Orcust Knightmare from his Graveyard to send Orcust Harp Horror from his Deck to his Graveyard. He banished the Harp Horror to Special Summon Orcust Cymbal Skeleton from his Deck. He then paid 4000 Life Points to Special Summon Destrudo from his Graveyard as a Level 4 monster. He sent Destrudo and Cymbal Skeleton to the Graveyard to Link Summon Knightmare Phoenix co-linked to Sunlight Wolf. Wathuthantrige discarded “World Wand” to target Martinov’s face-down Salamangreat Circle with his Phoenix’s effect. Martinov Chained it to protect his Sunlight Wolf for the turn, and Wathuthantrige drew a card with his co-linked Phoenix’s effect. Next, Wathuthantrige banished his Banshee from the Graveyard to activate Zombie World from his Deck and banished “World Wand” to Special Summon Harp Horror. He Link Summoned Summon Sorceress next, and used its effect to Special Summon Doomking Balerdroch to the field. He then sent his Sorceress and Balerdroch to the Graveyard to Link Summon Vampire Sucker. He banished Cymbal Skeleton from his Graveyard to Special Summon Harp Horror and draw a card with Vampire Sucker’s effect and then activated the effect of Danger! Chupacabra! in his hand; but he randomly discarded the Chupacabra. Next, Wathuthantrige sent Uni-Zombie and Harp Horror to the Graveyard to Synchro Summon Borreload Savage Dragon and used its effect to equip it with Summon Sorceress! He equipped it with the Sorceress in his Graveyard and add 3 Borrel Counters to the Savage Dragon. He activated Card Destruction next. He discarded a Destrudo to draw a Danger! Tsuchinoko and Martinov discarded a Salamangreat Gazelle to draw a card. He activated the effect of the Tsuchinoko to discard it and Special Summon it to the field, and then sent it to the Graveyard along with Vampire Sucker to Link Summon The Phantom Knights of Rusty Bardiche. He used its effect to send The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak to the Graveyard and Set The Phantom Knights of Shade Brigandine from his Deck. He then banished Ancient Cloak from his Graveyard to add The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots to his hand. He Special Summoned it to the field. He attacked Sunlight Wolf with Savage Dragon to destroy it, and then attacked Falco with Rusty Bardiche; but Martinov protected Falco by banishing Balelynx from his Graveyard. Wathuthantrige Link Summoned Vampire Sucker in Main Phase 2 after flipping his Shade Brigandine and then Special Summoned Balerdroch from his Graveyard.

Martinov activated the effect of Will of the Salamangreat, but when Wathuthantrige negated the activation of its effect with his Borreload Savage Dragon, Martinov immediately conceded.

Wathuthantrige takes a big first turn to lock in the victory in Duel 1!

Duel Two

Martinov Set a card to his back row and passed.

Wathuthantrige opened up Duel 2 with Danger! Thunderbird!, Destrudo, Uni-Zombie, Danger! Nessie!, Dark Grepher, and Mezuki.

He discarded Danger! Thunderbird! to Special Summon Dark Grepher, and activated the Thunderbird’s effect; but Martinov Chained his targeted Artifact Sanctum to Special Summon Artifact Scythe and activate its effect. Sanctum’s effect then destroyed Grepher. Martinov Summoned Uni-Zombie and then activated the effect of the Nessie in his hand. He randomly discarded it and added a Danger! Jackalope! from his Deck to his hand. He activated its effect and randomly discarded Mezuki. He Special Summoned the Jackalope to the field and drew “World Wand”. He then used Uni-Zombie’s effect to send Necroworld Banshee from his Deck to his Graveyard and banished it from the Graveyard to activate Zombie World from his Deck. He banished Mezuki from his Graveyard to Special Summon Thunderbird and then attacked Scythe with Thunderbird to destroy it. Uni-Zombie attacked directly, dropping Martinov down to 6100 Life Points.

Martinov Set a monster and passed his turn.

Wathuthantrige used the effect of his Uni-Zombie to send Mezuki from his Deck to his Graveyard and then Martinov Tributed Artifact Lancea from his hand to activate its effect. Wathuthantrige activated the effect of a Jackalope in his hand next. He randomly discarded a Destrudo, Special Summoned the Jackalope, and drew a Banshee. Next, he Normal Summoned the Necroworld Banshee and sent it to the Graveyard along with the Jackalope to Link Summon Vampire Sucker. He sent Thunderbird and Vampire Sucker to the Graveyard to Link Summon Summon Sorceress, and Martinov Special Summoned Fantastical Dragaon Phantazmay. He drew 2 cards and shuffled 1 from his hand back into his Deck, and then Wathuthantrige used his Sorceress’s effect to Special Summon Balerdroch to his field. He Tuned Jackalope with Uni-Zombie to Synchro Summon Borreload Savage Dragon and equipped it with Vampire Sucker from his Graveyard and gained 2 Borrel Counters. He cleared Martinov’s field in battle, Link Summoned another Vampire Sucker, and then passed his turn. He Special Summoned Balerdroch from his Graveyard in Martinov’s Standby Phase and Martinov instantly conceded.

Esala Wathuthantrige defeats Salamangreats to advance with a 2-0 record in the UDS Invitational – Winter 2019!