We’re onto the Top 16 here at YCS Sacramento! These players have been Dueling hard all weekend, hoping to be the last Duelist standing when the weekend is over. In this feature match, we have Zachary Anthony Rodriguez taking on Kyle Reece Crofoot: both players are piloting the Fiendsmith Snake-Eye deck that’s been dominant the whole weekend. Who will move on to the Top 8? Let’s find out. It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Rodriguez won the die roll and chose to go first! His opening hand was Metaltronus, Triple Tactics Talent, Snake-Eye Oak, and two copies of Snake-Eye Ash. He started off by Normal Summoning Snake-Eye Ash and activating its effect, getting Snake-Eyes Poplar from his Deck. He activated Poplar’s effect, Special Summoning it and adding Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye to his hand. He activated Temple, placing Snake-Eyes Diabellstar to his Spell/Trap Zone. He then activated Ash’s effect, sending it and Snake-Eyes Diabellstar to the Graveyard, but Crofoot responded with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Rodriguez activated Triple Tactics Talent, drawing WANTED: Seeker of Sinful Spoils and another copy of Snake-Eye Ash. 

WANTED got him Diabellstar the Black Witch to his hand, and Rodriguez Special Summoned it by sending Snake-Eye Ash from his hand to the Graveyard. He activated Diabellstar’s effect, Setting Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye from his Deck. He used Poplar and Diabellstar to Link Summon Moon of the Closed Heaven, and activated Poplar’s effect to place Snake-Eyes Diabellstar to the Spell/Trap Zone. Rodriguez used Moon to Link Summon Requiem, then activated Requiem’s effect to Special Summon Fiendsmith Engraver from the Deck. He use Snake-Eyes Diabellstar’s effect, Special Summoning it by placing Ash to the Spell/Trap Zone, then used Engraver and Diabellstar to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Sequence.

Sequence’s effect let Rodriguez return Requiem and Moon to the Extra Deck to Fusion Summon Fiendsmith’s Lacrima, and he activated Lacrima’s effect to get Engraver from the Graveyard back to his hand. He then activated Engraver’s effect, added Fiendsmith’s Tract to his hand, activated Tract to add to his hand and discard Fabled Lurrie. He activated Lurrie’s effect to Special Summon it. 

Rodriguez then used Lurrie, Sequence, and Lacrima to Link Summon Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess! He activated Lacrima’s effect in the Graveyard, returning Sequence to the Extra Deck to inflict 1200 damage to Crofoot’s Life Points. He activated Original, sending Snake-Eye Ash to the Graveyard to Special Summon Snake-Eye Oak from his hand. Rodriguez activated Oak’s effect, Special Summoning Ash out of the Graveyard, then activated Engraver’s effect in the Graveyard, Special Summoning it by returning Lacrima to the Extra Deck.

Oak’s other effect let Rodriguez send it and Engraver to the Graveyard to Special Summon Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon from the Deck. He used Flamberge and Ash to Link Summon I:P Masquerena, and activated Flamberge’s effect in the Graveyard to Special Summon back Poplar and Ash. He used I:P and Poplar to Link Summon Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames, activated Princess’ effect to Special Summon Flamberge Dragon, and used Flamberge to place I:P in the Spell/Trap Zone. Finally, Rodriguez used Princess and Ash to Link Summon Knightmare Phoenix, banished WANTED to return Original to the bottom of his Deck and draw Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, and Set a card to his backrow, then ended his turn. 

Crofoot started his turn by Special Summoning Diabellstar the Black Witch, sending Snake-Eyes Diabellstar from his hand to the Graveyard. However, when he attempted to activate Diabellstar’s effect, Rodriguez responded by activating Metaltronus! Crofoot knew that with his Diabellstar negated and banished, the remaining cards would not be able to break through Rodriguez’s board, and Crofoot conceded the first Duel. 

Duel 2

Rodriguez’s opening hand was Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay, Diabellstar the Black Witch, Effect Veiler, and two copies of Snake-Eye Ash. 

Crofoot started by Normal Summoning Snake-Eyes Poplar, but when he activated its effect, Rodriguez responded with Effect Veiler! Crofoot then activated Fiendsmith’s Tract, adding Fabled Lurrie to his hand and discarding it, then activated Lurrie’s effect to Special Summon it. He used Lurrie to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem, activated Requiem’s effect to Special Summon Fiendsmith Engraver from the Deck, then used Engraver and Poplar to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Sequence. Here, Rodriguez activated the effect of Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay, Special Summoning it and drawing Fabled Lurrie and Bonfire and returning one of his Snake-Eye Ash to the Deck. 

Next, Crofoot activated the effect of Sequence, returning Lurrie and Requiem to the Deck to Fusion Summon Fiendsmith’s Lacrima, then used Lacrima’s effect to Special Summon Fiendsmith Engraver. He used Engraver and Lacrima to Xyz Summon Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal, then activated Beatrice’s effect to send Snake-Eye Ash to the Graveyard. He then used Beatrice and Sequence to Link Summon Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames! Crofoot activated Lacrima’s effect, returning Sequence to the Extra Deck to inflict 1200 damage to Rodriguez’s Life Points, activated Princess’ effect to Special Summon Snake-Eye Ash from the Graveyard, activated Ash’s effect to add Poplar to his hand, then activated Poplar’s effect to Special Summon it. 

Crofoot activated the effect of Snake-Eye Ash, sending it and Princess to the Graveyard to Special Summon Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon from the Deck. He activated Flamberge’s ability to try and place Phantazmay to the Spell/Trap Zone, but Rodriguez discarded Fabled Lurrie to negate Flamberge’s effect and destroy it. Rodriguez Special Summoned Lurrie to the field, while Crofoot activated Flamberge’s effect in the Graveyard, Special Summoning Ash and Poplar back from the Graveyard. Crofoot also activated the effect of Princess in his Graveyard, destroying one of his Poplar’s and Rodriguez’s Phantazmay to Special Summon Princess to the field.

Crofoot used Princess and Ash to Link Summon Knightmare Phoenix, then Special Summoned Engraver out of the Graveyard by returning Lacrima to the Extra Deck. Finally, he used Engraver and Phoenix to Link Summon S:P Little Knight, and activated its effect to banish Rodriguez’s Lurrie! He Set two cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Rodriguez drew Fiendsmith Engraver for turn! He started by Normal Summoning Snake-Eye Ash, but when he activated its effect, Crofoot responded by activating S:P’s ability, banishing it and Ash! Rodriguez resolved Ash, adding Snake-Eyes Poplar from his Deck to his hand. He then activated Poplar’s effect, adding Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye from his Deck to his hand, as Crofoot activated the effect of the Princess in his Graveyard, destroying Poplar on each players’ side of the field. Crofoot activated the effect of the destroyed Poplar placing it in the Spell/Trap Zone. 

Next, Rodriguez activated the Divine Temple, placing Snake-Eyes Diabellstar to the Spell/Trap Zone. He activated Diabellstar’s effect, Special Summoning it and placing Poplar from his Graveyard to the Spell/Trap Zone. He then Special Summoned Diabellstar the Black Witch by sending Poplar to the Graveyard, and activated Diabellstar’s effect to Set Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye from his Deck to his side of the field. He activated Original, sending Poplar to the Graveyard to Special Summon Snake-Eye Oak from his Deck, and activated Oak’s effect, but Crofoot responded with Crossout Designator, banishing his own Oak from his deck to negate Rodriguez’s Oak’s effect. Rodriguez used Oak and Diabellstar to Link Summon Knightmare Phoenix and discarded Bonfire to destroy Crofoot’s other face-down card, which was another Crossout Designator. 

Rodriguez used Snake-Eyes Diabellstar and Knightmare Phoenix to Link Summon Selene, Queen of the Master Magicians, activated Selene’s effect to Special Summon Snake-Eyes Diabellstar from the Graveyard, then used Selene and Diabellstar to Link Summon Accesscode Talker! He activated the effect of Fiendsmith Engraver, adding Fiendsmith’s Tract from his Deck to his hand, then activated Tract, getting another Engraver to his hand and then discarding it. He activated the effect of one of the Engravers in his Graveyard, returning the other to the Deck to Special Summon it, then used Engraver to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem.

Requiem’s effect let him Special Summon Engraver from the Deck, then activated Accesscode’s effect, banishing Selene to destroy Crofoot’s Princess. Rodriguez used Accesscode and Engraver to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Sequence, then activated Sequence’s effect, returning Engraver and Requiem to the Deck to Fusion Summon Fiendsmith’s Lacrima. He activated Lacrima’s effect, Special Summoning Engraver from the Graveyard, then used Sequence and Engraver to Link Summon Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames.

Rodriguez activated Princess’ effect to Special Summon Oak and entered the Battle Phase, attacking Crofoot’s Life Points directly with Oak, Princess, and Lacrima! Finally, Rodriguez used Lacrima and Princess to Link Summon Hiita the Fire Charmer, Ablaze, and activated the effect of Lacrima in the Graveyard, returning Engraver to the Deck to reduce Crofoot’s Life Points to zero!

Rodriguez is the winner and will be moving on to the Top 8, one step closer to winning YCS Sacramento!