Round 5 Feature Match: Michael Alan Matula vs. Christian Tanner Flora
We’re almost halfway through Day 1 here at the NAWQ! Both Michael Alan Matula and Christian Tanner Flora are still undefeated, each with a spotless 4-0 record. Matula is playing the popular Fiendsmith Snake-Eye deck that many players have chosen to bring to the event, while Flora is playing a combination of Centur-Ion and White Forest. Each of these decks is a hybrid of an older archetype and a new theme introduced in The Infinite Forbidden, and they both have performed extremely well thus far. Let’s find out who will come out on top with a 5-0 record!
Duel One
Flora’s opening hand contained Elzette of the White Forest, Droll & Lock Bird, Effect Veiler, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, and Astellar of the White Forest. He ended his turn without making a play.
Matula started his turn by Normal Summoning Snake-Eye Ash, activating its effect to search for Snake-Eyes Poplar. He activated its effect to Special Summon it, but Flora responded with Droll & Lock Bird. Matula then activated Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye, placing Snake-Eyes Diabellstar to the Spell/Trap Zone. Matula activated the effect of Snake-Eye Ash, sending it and Snake-Eyes Diabellstar to the Graveyard to summon a monster from his Deck. Flora attempted to negate the effect with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, but Matula responded with Called by the Grave, negating Ash Blossom! Matula Special Summoned Snake-Eye Oak and activated its effect, but Flora used Effect Veiler to negate its effect. Matula used Poplar and Oak to Link Summon Moon of the Closed Heaven, and used Poplar’s effect to place Snake-Eyes Diabellstar in the Spell/Trap Zone. He used Moon to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem, then activated Requiem’s effect, Special Summoning an Fiendsmith Engraver from the Deck.
Realizing that Matula still had a lot of plays available to him, Flora chose to concede the first Duel.
Duel Two
Flora chose to go first, opening with Crossout Designator, Skill Drain, Toy Box, Stand-Up Centur-Ion, and Effect Veiler. He started by activating Stand Up Centur-Ion, activating its effect by discarding Toy Box to place Centur-Ion Trudea to the Spell/Trap Zone. He activated Trudea’s effect to Special Summon it, and then used its other effect to return it to the Spell/Trap Zone alongside a copy of Centur-Ion Primera from his Deck. Next, he activated Primera’s effect to Special Summon it and search for Wake Up Centur-Ion! On resolution, Matula activated Droll & Lock Bird. Flora activated Wake Up to Special Summon a Level 8 Token, then used the Token and Primera to Synchro Summon Centur-Ion Auxila. He banished Wake Up from his Graveyard to send Centur-Ion Phalanx from his Deck to the Graveyard, Set a card, and then during the End Phase, used Auxila to place Primera to his Spell/Trap Zone.
Matula started his turn by activating WANTED: Seeker of Sinful Spoils in the Draw Phase, adding Diabellstar the Black Witch from his Deck to his hand. In the Main Phase, he Special Summoned Diabellstar by discarding Droll & Lock Bird, activating its effect. Flora responded by activating the Primera and Trudea in his Spell/Trap Zone, as well as Effect Veiler to negate Diabellstar’s effect. In the following Chain, Flora activated Primera’s effect to search for another Stand Up, as well as the effect of the Stand Up on the field to Synchro Summon Crimson Dragon. He then activated Crimson Dragon’s effect to return it to the Extra Deck and Special Summon Hot Red Dragon Archfiend King Calamity! Matula was forced to Set two cards to his backrow and end his turn, as Flora used Auxila to place Trudea to his Spell/Trap Zone.
Flora drew Toy Tank. He switched Auxila to Attack Position and then entered the Battle Phase. He attacked Diabellstar with King Calamity, dealing a total of 4000 damage to Matula’s Life Points, though Matula was able to Special Summon Diabellstar back to the field by sending a Set WANTED to the Graveyard, and Matula used Diabellstar to Set Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye from his Deck. Flora then used Auxila to destroy Diabellstar. In the End Phase, Flora used Auxila again to place Trudea in the Spell/Trap Zone.
Matula began by activating Bonfire. Flora responded by activating the effects of Primera and Trudea, summoning both of them. Matula added Snake-Eyes Poplar to his hand, while Flora activated Stand Up’s effect to Synchro Summon Crimson Dragon once again, and then activated its effect, tagging it out to this time Special Summon Cosmic Blazar Dragon. Meanwhile, Matula Special Summoned Poplar and used its effect to add Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye from his Deck to his hand. He then activated Divine Temple, placing Snake-Eyes Diabellstar to the Spell/Trap Zone, then he activated Original, sending Snake-Eyes Diabellstar to the Graveyard to Special Summon Snake-Eye Ash from his Deck, but when he attempted to activate its effect, Flora responded by activating Skill Drain. Next, Matula activated Triple Tactics Thrust, adding Triple Tactics Talent to hand. He banished WANTED from his Graveyard to return Original to the bottom of the Deck and draw a card, then activated the effect of Snake-Eye Ash, sending it and Divine Temple to the Graveyard to Special Summon Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon from the Deck. He attempted to activate its effect, targeting Cosmic Blazar Dragon, but it was negated by Skill Drain! Matula then used Flamberge and Poplar to Link Summon Moon of the Closed Heaven, and used Poplar to place Snake-Eyes Diabellstar in the Spell/Trap Zone while he used Flamberge Dragon to Special Summon Ash and Poplar from the Graveyard. He used Moon as a Link Material to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem, then activated Requiem’s effect to Special Summon Fiendsmith Engraver from his Deck.
Matula activated Triple Tactics Talent, attempting to take control of one of Flora’s monsters, but Flora chose to negate it with Cosmic Blazar Dragon. He then Normal Summoned Snake-Eye Ash, and used two copies of Ash and the Engraver to Link Summon Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames. He then used Princess and Poplar to Link Summon Salamangreat Raging Phoenix! He used the Raging Phoenix to Link Summon Worldsea Dragon Zealantis, then entered the Battle Phase. He attacked Centur-Ion Auxila with Zealantis and Diabellstar, with both monsters being destroyed in battle, and activated the effect of his Raging Phoenix in the Graveyard to Special Summon it back to the field. However, it did not gain any Attack Points because of Skill Drain, and he was unable to destroy either of Flora’s monsters, and so he conceded the second Duel.
Duel Three
Matula started by Normal Summoning Snake-Eyes Poplar, activating its effect to add Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye from Deck to hand. He then activated the effect of Fiendsmith Engraver, adding Fiendsmith’s Tract to his hand, then activated Tract, adding to his hand and then discarding Fabled Lurrie. He activated Lurrie’s effect in the Graveyard, Special Summoning it to the field. He used it as Link Material to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem, then activated Requiem’s effect to Special Summon another Fiendsmith Engraver from the Deck. He used Engraver and Poplar to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Sequence, and activated Poplar’s effect to place itself to the Spell/Trap Zone. He activated the effect of Sequence, returning Lurrie and Requiem to the Deck to Fusion Summon Fiendsmith’s Lacrima, and activated its effect to Special Summon Engraver from the Graevyard. He used Lacrima and Engraver to Xyz Summon Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal.
Next, Matula activated Original, sending Poplar to the Graveyard to Special Summon Snake-Eye Ash from the Deck, and activated its effect to add another Poplar to his hand, then activated Poplar’s effect to Special Summon it. Here, Flora chose to activate the effect of Nibiru the Primal Being! Matula responded by activating Beatrice’s effect, sending The Black Goat Laughs to the Graveyard, before all of Matula’s monsters were Tributed and replaced with a Primal Being Token. Matula activated Lacrima’s effect, returning Sequence to the Extra Deck to inflict 1200 points of damage to Flora’s Life Points. Matula was now able to activate Triple Tactics Thrust, adding Triple Tactics Talent from his Deck to his hand. He activated the effect of the Engraver in his Graveyard, returning Lacrima to the Deck, then used Engraver and the Primal Being Token to Link Summon I:P Masquerena. Next, Matula activated Talent to take control of Flora’s Nibiru, then used Nibiru and I:P to Link Summon Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames. He activated Princess’ effect, Special Summoning Snake-Eye Ash from the Graveyard, then activated Ash’s effect to Tribute itself and Princess to Special Summon Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon from the Deck. He activated Flamberge Dragon’s effect to place I:P Masquerena in the Spell/Trap Zone, Set two cards to his backrow, and then ended his turn.
Flora’s opening hand consisted of Toy Tank, Toy Soldier, Nibiru the Primal Being, and two Silvy of the White Forest. He drew Centur-Ion Primera for turn. He started by Normal Summoning Silvy of the White Forest, but Matula negated its effect with Infinite Impermanence. Flora Set two cards to his Spell/Trap Zone, and proceeded to the End Phase. During the End Phase, Matula activated Flamberge Dragon’s effect to Special Summon I:P.
Matula started his turn by activating the effect of the Engraver in his Graveyard, shuffling another Engraver to his Deck. He used the Engraver to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem, then activated its effect to Summon another Engraver out of the Deck. He activated Requiem’s effect in the Graveyard, equipping it to Engraver, then activated Engraver’s effect to send Requiem and Sillvy to the Graveyard. He used Engraver and I:P to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Sequence, then activated Sequence’s effect to return Requiem and two Engraver to the Deck to Special Summon Fiendsmith’s Desirae.
Next, Matula banished Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye from his Graveyard to return Poplar to the Deck and add Snake-Eye Oak to his hand. He Normal Summoned Oak, and used its effect to Special Summon Snake-Eye Ash, activated Ash’s effect to search for Snake-Eyes Poplar, then Special Summoned Poplar and added Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye from his Deck to his hand. Matula used Ash, Poplar, and Sequence to then Link Summon Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess! He used Sequence’s effect in the Graveyard to equip it to Desirae and switched Flamberge Dragon to attack mode, then activated Divine Temple, placing Snake-Eyes Diabellstar in the Spell/Trap Zone. With enough monsters to push for huge damage on the field, Matula was able to win the third Duel.
Matula wins round 5 and remains undefeated here at the NAWCQ!
