Patrick Hoban is no stranger to the Feature Match area, having won multiple YCS Championships and the WCQ in 2013! Dylan Fox is no stranger to Top Cut competition having finished in the Top Cut of a YCS as well! This is a bubble match, a loss entirely throws them out, so it all counts, this is it.

It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Going second, Hoban drew a hand of Triple Tactics Talent, Tearlaments Scream, Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard, King of the Swamp, and Kashtira Unicorn. Fox opened by Normal Summoning Nimble Beaver and using it to Summon a copy of Nimble Angler from his Deck as well! The 2 monsters were used to make Gigantic Spright, Summoning Tri-Brigate Kitt and locking both Duelists into 2’s for the turn. Tri-Brigade Kerass was Summoned next by discarding another Nimble Beaver, and the Kitt/Gigantic linked into I:P Masquerna. Kitt sent Tri-Brigade Nervall which added Kitt to hand giving Fox more follow-up. Kerass banished 2 monsters to Summon Tri-Brigade Ferrijit the Barren Blossom, which Summoned Tri-Brigade Kitt, then the 2 were linked together into Tri-Brigade Bearbrumm the Rampart Rampager! The card that he drew was immediately placed at the bottom, and Kitt on field then banished 2 monsters from the Graveyard to Summon Ancient Warrior’s Oath – Double Dragon Lords.

Spright Jet was Summoned afterward, adding Spright Starter to hand and then the Bearbrumm was linked with the Kitt to make Pitknight Earlie as well! Fox was off to a fantastic start and added Tri-Brigade Revolt as well giving him even more layers of interaction. 2 back rows were set and with that, play was passed to Hoban.

He opened by drawing another Tearlaments Scream and led his turn by Summoning Kashtira Unicorn. Fox gave the nod to the Summon, and on the activation of the Unicorn, I:P Masquerena was chained, allowing Pitknight Earlie to be used, negating Unicorn and Summoning an Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess thanks to I:P (1600 ATK). Triple Tactics Talent was activated next, giving Hoban the ability to take any of Fox’s monsters, causing him to ponder his options. Ultimately, Hoban would choose to take the Apollousa, giving him 2 negations hindering the power of Tri-Brigade Revolt and Double Dragon Lords.

King of the Swamp was activated next, adding Polymerization to Hoban’s hand. Fox activated Revolt on resolution, Summoning Bearbrumm, Kitt, and Nerval to Link into Tri-brigade Shuraig the Ominous Omen. Ordering his Chain Links, he used Shuraig as Chain Link 1, Nervall as 2, and Kitt as 3 to force Apollousa, then the Apollousa was banished by Shuraig. Kerass was added off Nerval and then Fox used Spight Starter to Summon Spright Carrot reducing his LP by 1000 in the process. In the Battle Phase, Hoban attacked into the Double Dragon Lords not realizing earlier it had reduced it to 0 and conceded.

Duel 2

Hoban opened with 2 Pressure Planet Wraitsoth, a Primeval Planet Perlereino, Kashtira Unicorn, and Tearlaments Metanoise. He led the game with Kashtira Unicorn grabbing Kashtira Birth and activated Pressure Planet to add Kashtira Fenrir to hand as well. Birth was used and Fenrir was Normal Summoned, searching for a copy of Kasthira Riseheart as well. Perlereino was activated next, getting Hoban Tearlaments Kashtira, showcasing the synergy available. The 2 on field Kashtiras were overlaid into Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack giving him 2 Tokens that were linked into Cherubini, Ebon Angel of the Burning Abyss. Cheruini then sent King of the Swamp to the Graveyard before linking the Dracossack and Cherubini into Spright Sprind! Sprind’s effect was used next, sending Tearlaments Merrli to the Graveyard and allowing Hoban to fuse it with King of the Swamp to make Grapha Dragon Overlord of Dark World! King of the Swamp, coming in handy as a servant, was used to substitute for Grapha, Lord of Dark World.

Kashtira Birth brought back Kashtira Unicorn thanks to its effect next, and Tearlaments Kashtira was Special Summoned by banishing Kashtira Fenrir, sending Triple Tactics Thrust, King of the Swamp and Tearlaments Scheiren to the Graveyard. Choosing not to use Scheiren, Hoban overlaid his 2 Kashtrias for Kashtira Shangri-Ira, before using Kashtira Riseheart from his hand and banishing 3 cards from his opponent’s Deck. He banished Kashtratheosis from his Deck which then added back Fenrir. That triggered Shangir-Ira and locked out Fox’s middle Zone before making Riseheart into Kashtira Arise-Heart, with a facedown card.

Fox drew for turn and considered his options in the Draw Phase. During the Standby Phase, Shangri-Ira was used to Summon a copy of Tearalaments Kashtira from his Deck. Fox led by Normal Summoning Tri-Brigade Kitt, and Special Summoning Spright Blue. Hoban conferred with his teammates on whether to respond to the Summon, and used Spright Sprind to return Kitt to hand, then the material detached from Shangri was attached to Arise-Heart and banished Fox’s facedown Blue. In a new chain, Chain Link 1 was Arise-Heart attaching, Chain Link 2 was Shangri-Ira to lock a Zone, and Chain Link 3 was Kashtiratheosis to add back Kashtira Tearlaments to hand, absolutely demolishing Fox’s setup.

Tri-Brigade Kerass was used discarding Tri-Brigade Nervall, and Hoban used Grapha’s effect to change the Summon effect to make himself discard Kashtira Fenrir. With that, Fox had seen enough, and Hoban was heading to Match Point!

Duel 3

Fox chose to go first, and after seeing all the power of Hoban’s Deck, you can’t blame him.

Hoban opened with Triple Tactics Thrust, Kashtiratheosis, Volcanic Scattershot, Kashtira Unicorn, and Tearlaments Havnis! Pretty good. Fox led with Nimble Angler, then Summoned Spright Jet to add Spright Starter to his hand. His 2 monsters were used to make Gigantic Spright, which Summoned Tri-Brigade Kitt from his Deck. Starter was used next, Summoning Spright Blue reducing his Life Points by 1100 and Blue added Spright Carrot to his hand. Blue and Kitt were linked together to make Spright Sprind, Kitt would be sending Nervall and Sprind would send Angler, Nerall added Kerass and Angler gave Fox 2 more Nimble Beaver to work with. The 2 Beavers were used to make Tri-Brigade Ferrijit, the Barren Blossom, which Summoned Tri-Brigade Kerass from Fox’s hand! Gigantic and Ferrijit were linked to make a Pitknight Earlie, and Fox drew and replaced a card thanks to Ferrijit. Spright Carrot was Summoned in Defense Position next, and Kerass banished 2 monsters to Summon Ancient Warrior’s Oath – Double Dragon Lords, with 3 facedowns it was over to Hoban.

Hoban drew Kelbek, the Ancient Vanguard for turn, leading with Kashtira Unicorn once again! Fox considered his facedowns on the Summon, choosing to let the Summon go uninterrupted. Hoban activated Unicorn’s effect and was met with Infinite Impermanence! Kashtiratheosis was activated next, and Carrot was Chained to Tribute the Spright Sprind. Thrust was used next, which added Triple Tactics Talent to hand. Talents was activated to take a monster, prompting Fox to consider a response, Chaining Double Dragon Lords tributing itself targeting Unicorn giving Hoban the opening to chain Havnis to the effect! Havnis discarded Kashtira Riseheart, Terraforming, and Evenly Matched, then Unicorn was returned from Double Dragon Lords and Talents took Spright Carrot.

Hoban Normal Summoned Volcanic Scattershot and Fox conferred with his team regarding his response before activating Book of Eclipse! Hoban used Spright Carrot Tributing Scattershot to negate the effect. Then Linked Carrot with his Havnis to make Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy. Spright Starter was activated, grabbing Spright Blue and reducing his Life Points by another 1100, Blue was activated to get Spright Jet and Earlie was used to negate Dharc. Hoban attacked into the Kerass taking 1200 and added a copy of Tearlaments Scheiren to his hand.

Unicorn was Summoned and then Scheiren was used, discarding Kelbek. Hoban sent 8 cards while Fox sent 5. Agido the Ancient Sentinel was used as Chain Link 1 and Kitt was Chain Link 2 sending Tri-Brigade Nervall before both duelists sent 5 more cards to grave. In a new chain Unicorn was used as Link 1, and Nervall was used as Link 2 adding Kerass to hand. Off the Unicorn, Hoban banished the Number 2: Shadow Mosquito. Keldo the Ancient Sentinel was used to target Dharc, Riseheart, and Theosis back into the deck. The Unicorn and Scherien were used to link into Dharc again! Since it wasn’t previously used, Hoban was able to continue pressing forward. Summoning back Fox’s Spright Blue and making Spright Sprind. Sprind’s effect was used to send Tearlaments Merrli to the grave, giving Hoban the ability to Fusion Summon finally. Merrli was used with King of the Swamp to make Tearlaments Rulkallos.

With that, play was back to Fox! He drew for turn, Summoned Spright Jet and added Spright Smashers, used Smashers to banish his Blue from the Graveyard and use the copy on the field to banish Rulkallos, then used Kerass to Summon Tri-Brigade Shuraig the Ominous Omen, banished Rulkallos with Shuraig, overlaid Pitknght Earlie and Kerass for Gigantic Spright for game!

The Tennessee Titans move on, with a chance of making Top Cut!