For this Round 3 Feature Match we have Sebastian Chen from Los Angeles, CA. He’s using a Crusadia Guardragon Deck, capable of making some incredibly powerful Link Summon plays. His opponent is Mark Campos from Chico, CA. He’s playing Salamangreats, another Link Summon strategy that focuses more on consistency and card advantage than big pushes.

Duel 1

Campos won the dice roll and chose to play first. He led with Salamangreat Circle to add Salamangreat Gazelle to his hand. He Normal Summoned Gazelle and sent Salamangreat Spinny to the Graveyard, then Special Summoned Spinny. He Xyz Summoned Salamangreat Miragestallio, which Special Summoned Salamangreat Jack Jaguar. He used Miragestallio and Jack Jaguar to play Salamangreat Sunlight Wolf. He used Jack Jaguar’s effect, sending Miragestallio back to his Extra Deck to Special Summon the Jaguar. He then used his Wolf to add Gazelle to his hand. He used Jack Jaguar to play Salamangreat Balelynx, which added Salamangreat Sanctuary to his hand. He played Sanctuary and used Sunlight Wolf to play another Sunlight Wolf, adding Salamangreat Circle to his hand. He Set three back row cards.

Chen had a hand of Called by the Grave, Crusadia Draco, Crusadia Maximus, World Legacy – “World Crown”, and Thunder King, the Lightningstrike Kaiju. He drew Kyoutou Waterfront. He thought over his options for a moment, and conceded the first Duel! Campos had gotten a very strong opening, and Chen knew he probably wouldn’t be able to play through it. It was in his best interest to move to the second game without Campos knowing how to properly Side Deck, since Chen hadn’t revealed any cards yet.

Duel 2

Chen started with Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, Black Dragon Collapserpent, World Legacy Guardragon, Crusadia Leonis, and Crusadia Maximus. He played Maximus and used it to Link Summon Crusadia Magius. He Special Summoned Leonis from his hand, and Magius added Crusadia Draco to his hand. He used Magius and Leonis to play Crusadia Spatha. He Special Summoned Draco, which added Maximus back to his hand. He used Draco to play Guardragon Elpy, and Spatha moved Elpy over one zone. He used Elpy’s effect to Special Summon Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, which Special Summoned Draco. He used all his monsters to play Saryuja Skull Dread, but Campos had Infinite Impermanence to negate it. Chen banished Magius to play Black Dragon Collapserpent, then used Collapserpent to play Guardragon Pisty. Collapserpent searched out a White Dragon Wyverburster. Pisty’s effect revived Red-Eyes which revived Draco. He used the two new dragons to play Guardragon Agarpain! It Special Summoned Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon! Then Chen played Wyverburster. He used all his monsters (except Crystal Wing) to play another Saryuja Skull Dread! Wyverburster added another Collapserpent to his hand. Then Skull Dread let him draw Collapserpent, Called by the Grave, Kyoutou Waterfront, and Crusadia Arboria. He returned to his Deck both of his Collapserpent and Waterfront. He Special Summoned Arboria and Maximus, using both to play F.A. Dawn Dragster, boosted by Saryuja. He Set Called by the Grave to finish the turn.

Campos Normal Summoned Salamangreat Jack Jaguar and Link Summoned Salamangreat Balelynx. He activated Balelynx as Chain Link 1, then Gazelle as Chain Link 2. Chen used Crystal Wing as Chain Link 3, negating Gazelle; Balelynx searched for Sanctuary and Campos played it. He used Spinny’s effect to give Balelynx 500 ATK, and Chen used Called by the Grave to banish Spinny from the Graveyard. Campos shuffled Gazelle back into his Deck to Special Summon Jack Jaguar from the Graveyard. He used Jaguar and Balelynx to play Salamangreat Sunlight Wolf. Then, thanks to Sanctuary, he used the Wolf to play another Wolf. He Set two cards in his back row.

Chen drew Crusadia Reclusia. He played World Legacy Guardragon, Campos flipped Salamangreat Rage, and Chen negated it with F.A. Dawn Dragster. World Legacy Guardragon resolved and revived Draco, and Chen added Arboria to his hand. He Special Summoned Reclusia, destroying it and Campos’s Set Artifact Scythe. Chen negated Scythe with Crystal Wing. He then Special Summoned Arboria, using Arboria and Draco to play Cyberse Quantum Dragon! Quantum attacked and bounced Sunlight Wolf, then attacked directly! Dawn Dragster, Saryuja, and Crystal Wing attacked directly to take the second Duel!

Duel 3

Campos chose to play first, and started with Lady Debug, but Chen used Infinite Impermanence. Campos Link Summoned Balelynx, which added Salamangreat Sanctuary to his hand. He played it, then used Balelynx to play another Balelynx. He Set two back row cards.

Chen had an opening hand of two Draco, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, and Twin Twisters. He drew Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju. He started with Twin Twisters, discarding Dogoran. Campos flipped Artifact Sanctum, and Chen used Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate it. Campos lost Sanctum and Infinite Impermanence. Chen continued by Normal Summoning Draco, then using it to Link Summon Magius. Campos Special Summoned Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay, using it to filter his hand. Chen Special Summoned his other Draco, and used Magius’s effect to search his Deck – Campos had Ash Blossom! Chen sighed and moved to the Battle Phase. He attacked Balelynx with Magius, and Campos used Balelynx from the Graveyard to protect the one on the field.

Campos Normal Summoned Salamangreat Foxy, excavating two Salamangreat Circle and Salamangreat Spinny. He took Circle and used it, adding Gazelle to his hand. He used Balelynx and Foxy to play Sunlight Wolf, and Special Summoned Gazelle. Sunlight Wolf added Ash Blossom to his hand, and Gazelle sent Spinny to the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Spinny with its own effect, using it and Gazelle to play Miragestallio. It Special Summoned Salamangreat Falco. Falco and Sunlight Wolf were used to play Salamangreat Heatleo, and Falco Set Salamangreat Circle on the field. Phantazmay attacked and destroyed Magius, Heatleo attacked Draco, and Miragestallio attacked directly.

Chen had no cards at all, and drew… his third Crusadia Draco! He dramatically Special Summoned it to the zone Heatleo pointed to, and returned Magius to his Extra Deck. He passed, and Campos finished the Duel on his turn!

Mark Campos takes the Match with Salamangreats!