We’re  heading into Round 4 with another Feature Match! Sebastian Cosentino is a local Duelist from the Sacramento area, and this weekend he’s piloting a Runick Deck! Cosentino’s on a Runick Stun build with Spright cards in the mix. He’s facing Luis Oropeza from Los Angeles, playing Traptrix!

Duel 1

Cosentino started the first Duel with a Runick Freezing Curses during his Draw Phase, letting him Special Summon Sleipnir the Runick Mane. He Set four cards and passed.

Oropeza had a hand of Traptrix Pudica, Effect Veiler, Triple Tactics Talent, Traptrix Arachnocampa, and Infinite Impermanence. He drew Traptrix Myrmeleo, letting Sleipnir’s effect activate to Special Summon a Runick Token. Cosentino flipped Tyrant’s Tirade, Tributing Sleipnir and the Runick Token! That completely locked Oropeza out of his monsters’ effects, so he Normal Summoned Myrmeleo for a direct attack. He Set Impermanence and Talent. Impermanence was in the same column as Tyrant’s Tirade, ready to negate it later.

Cosentino played Spright Starter in the Draw Phase, Special Summoning Spright Carrot in Defense Position. He took 1000 damage and passed.

Oropeza drew another Pudica. He Normal Summoned it, then Xyz Summoned Traptrix Pinguicula. It attacked Carrot, and Cosentino flipped Runick Slumber to protect his monster and banish some Trap Cards from the top of Oropeza’s Deck.

Cosentino Set a back row card.

Oropeza drew Nibiru, the Primal Being – not much help in this matchup. He flipped Infinite Impermanence to negate Carrot and Tyrant’s Tirade, and Cosentino flipped Freezing Curses to negate Pinguicula. Oropeza had to banish a few more cards. He sent Pinguicula to attack and destroy Carrot. In Main Phase 2, he used Pinguicula to Link Summon Traptrix Sera. Oropeza Normal Summoned Picula to add Traptrip Garden to his hand.

Sera’s effect activated to Set Traptrix Holeutea on the field. Oropeza played Traptrip Garden, then used Garden to banish Picula and revive Myrmeleo. Myrmeleo’s effect targeted Tyrant’s Tirade, and Cosentino flipped Runick Smiting Storm. He Special Summoned Hugin the Runick Wings, which banished itself to protect Tyrant’s Tirade. Oropeza Special Summoned Arachnocampa, then used it and Myrmeleo to Xyz Summon Traptrix Allomerus. He used it to revive Myrmeleo once more, which targeted Tyrant’s Tirade. Cosentino flipped Runick Slumber for another Hugin, once more protecting his Trap Card. Oropeza used all his monsters to Link Summon Traptrix Atypus! Atypus banished Impermanence from the Graveyard, finally destroying Tyrant’s Tirade!

Cosentino drew his last card, with no other cards in hand or on the field. He considered his options and passed the turn.

Oropeza drew Angel Statue – Azurune. He flipped Holeutea and used it to Link Summon Sera. He attacked with both his monsters, boosted by Atypus’s effect.

Cosentino played Runick Tip in the Draw Phase, finally finding Runick Fountain. He played the Fountain, and Oropeza responded with the Graveyard effect of Holeutea to revive Myrmeleo. Myrmeleo targeted Fountain, and Cosentino responded with a Runick spell to Special Summon his last Hugin and protect Fountain. Sera’s effect Set Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare on Oropeza’s field.

Cosentino’s Fountain let him shuffle back three Runick Spell Cards and draw three more cards. Oropeza flipped Azurune. Cosentino played another Fountain, then used Runick Golden Droplet to get Munin the Runick Wings in Defense Position. Fountain let him draw another three cards. He played Messenger of Peace, then Runick Destruction to destroy the Set Triple Tactics Talent, banishing four cards. In the End Phase, Cosentino gained 1000 Life Points with Munin’s effect.

Oropeza drew Parallel eXceed, unfortunately after just banishing a Parallel eXceed from Runick effects. He stacked Myrmeleo and Azurune for Time Thief Redoer. He activated its effect, and Cosentino destroyed it in response with Runick Flashing Fire. That let him draw another three cards with Runick Fountain. Oropeza Normal Summoned Effect Veiler, banishing it for Traptrip Garden. Cosentino responded with Runick Tip to get Freezing Curses. Garden’s effect revived Myrmeleo, targeting Messenger of Peace, and Cosentino negated it with Freezing Curses.

Despite Myrmeleo being negated, Sera’s effect could still to Set Holeutea. Oropeza used Myrmeleo and Sera to Link Summon S:P Little Knight, targeting Fountain. Cosentino responded with Munin to negate it, and Oropeza responded with S:P Little Knight to banish itself and Munin. In the End Phase, both monsters returned, and Munin gave Cosentino another 1000 Life Points.

Cosentino paid 100 Life Points to keep Messenger of Peace in play. He Set two back row cards. He used Flashing Fire to Summon Freki the Runick Fangs, and Fountain let him draw another three cards. He played Slumber on Freki, banishing more cards from Oropeza’s Deck – he had just six cards left before he’d run out. Cosentino Set a monster and another back row card. In the End Phase, Munin gave another 1000 Life Points, and Oropeza flipped Holeutea.

Oropeza drew Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Cosentino flipped Tyrant’s Tirade, Tributing Freki and his Set Spright Jet. Then he flipped Rivalry of Warlords! Oropeza kept his Insect monsters. After a moment’s thought he knew he wouldn’t last another turn, and conceded!

An incredible comeback from Cosentino, after going down to zero cards! That Duel took up a lot of the clock, so both Duelists were quick to move to their Side Decks.

Duel 2

The second Duel started with just 12:25 on the clock. Oropeza had Bottomless Trap Hole, Mind Crush, Infinite Impermanence, Pudica, and Ash Blossom. He Normal Summoned Pudica to find Traptrip Garden. He Link Summoned Traptrix Sera, played Garden, and finally Set Impermanence and Mind Crush.

Cosentino drew his card and went directly to the Battle Phase. He started exiting the Battle Phase, but his plan was too transparent – Oropeza flipped Mind Crush to discard Cosentino’s Evenly Matched! Sera’s effect let him Special Summon Myrmeleo, and its mandatory effect activated with no legal targets. That still let Sera activate its other effect, and it Set Holeutea. Cosentino played Terraforming, and Oropeza negated it with Ash Blossom. He had Runick Tip, so he still got to find Fountain. Cosentino played it and used Flashing Fire to Special Summon Hugin in Defense Position.

Fountain let Cosentino draw two new cards, and he Special Summoned Spright Blue: Oropeza negated it with Infinite Impermanence. Cosentino Xyz Summoned Gigantic Spright, which Special Summoned Ipiria from the Deck. Ipiria let him draw another card. He played Runick Slumber to Special Summon Geri the Runick Fangs. He used it and Ipiria to Link Summon Haggard Lizardose. It banished Ipiria to let him draw another card. He played Card Scanner, naming Spell Card, revealing Skill Drain from his own Deck and Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare from Oropeza, putting both cards on top.

Oropeza drew Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare and Cosentino flipped Tyrant’s Tirade. Oropeza responded with Holeutea, and Cosentino had There Can Only Be One to keep Holeutea from becoming a monster! Oropeza kept Sera and Myrmeleo in play. He attacked with Myrmeleo, but Cosentino had Flashing Fire to Special Summon Munin in Defense Position, and drew two cards with Fountain. Oropeza Set Bottomless Trap Hole and Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare.  

Cosentino played Runick Smiting Storm to banish five of Oropeza’s cards, then drew a card with Fountain by putting Smiting Storm on the bottom of the Deck. Card Scanner put Smiting Storm back in his hand.

Oropeza drew Traptrix Mantis and passed. In the End Phase, Smiting Storm banished another five cards, and Fountain let him draw one card by recycling Smiting Storm. Cosentino was going to continue using Smiting Storm to banish cards, then place Smiting Storm on the bottom of the Deck and get it back with Card Scanner. Oropeza saw the lock he was in, unable to interact thanks to Tyrant’s Tirade and There Can Only Be One. He offered the handshake!

Sebastian Cosentino takes the Match with Runicks!