Welcome to YCS San Jose! For Round 1, we’ve got two Georgia Duelists: WCQ and YCS winner Patrick Hoban, and Dragon Duel World Championship competitor Zachary Leverett! Hoban is using a hybrid Shaddoll Deck today, while Leverett brought Nekroz. Both of these Decks will be drastically affected by the new Forbidden & Limited List, so many Duelists are getting as much mileage out of them as they can this weekend.

Duel 1

Hoban won the dice roll and chose to play second.

Leverett discarded Nekroz of Clausolas to add Nekroz Cycle to his hand. He played Reinforcement of the Army to get Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz, then used Cycle and Shurit to play Nekroz of Valkyrus. Shurit put Nekroz of Brionac in his hand, and he discarded Brionac to get Great Sorcerer of the Nekroz. Valkyrus Tributed itself and Sorcerer to draw two cards. Sorcerer got Nekroz of Unicore, which returned Valkyrus from the Graveyard to the hand. Leverett banished Cycle and Clausolas to add Nekroz Kaleidoscope to his hand.

Hoban’s hand was 2 Shaddoll Fusion, Shaddoll Squamata, Instant Fusion, Reinforcement of the Army, and Shaddoll Hedgehog. He played Reinforcement to get Photon Thrasher and Special Summoned it. He played Shaddoll Fusion, combining Trasher and Squamata for El Shaddoll Construct. Squamata’s effect sent Shadoll Core to the Graveyard, and Construct sent El Shaddoll Fusion. Core’s effect returned El Shaddoll Fusion to Hoban’s hand. Instant Fusion brought down Elder Entity Norden, which returned Squamata to the field. Construct attacked, and Leverett used Nekroz of Valkyrus to block the attack. Hoban Chained El Shaddoll Fusion, fusing Construct with the Hedgehog in his hand for a new Construct! Valkyrus was unable to resolve its effect, so the Battle Phase was not ended. The new Construct sent Shaddoll Falco to the Graveyard (which returned to the field), and Hedgehog searched out Shaddoll Beast. The old Construct’s effect returned El Shaddoll Fusion to Hoban’s hand. Squamata and Construct attacked directly, leaving Leverett with 3400 Life Points. Next, he stacked Norden and and Squamata for Minerva, the Exalted Lightsworn!





Its effect sent Upstart Goblin, Falco, and Hedgehog to the Graveyard. He Tributed Construct to Set Shaddoll Beast, and Construct’s effect returned Shadoll Core to his hand. Finally, he Set El Shaddoll Fusion and Shadoll Core.

Leverett played Senju of the Thousand Hands, getting Unicore. He activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope, Hoban Chained El Shaddoll Fusion, then Chained Shadoll Core, and Leverett Chained Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Core! Hoban fused his face-down Beast and Falco for El Shaddoll Winda. Kaleidoscope brought down Unicore, sending Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard. Hoban’s Falco revived itself, and he drew another Falco with Beast’s effect. Herald’s effect gave Leverett Nekroz Mirror. He played it, banishing Shurit from the Graveyard, to Summon Nekroz of Trishula! In the face of Trishula’s effect, Leverett’s field of monsters, and the remaining Ritual Spells Leverett had, both players knew the game was over!

Duel 2

Hoban chose to have Leverett play first. He played Nekroz of Clausolas to get Nekroz Cycle and passed.

Hoban’s hand consisted of Reinforcement of the Army, El Shaddoll Fusion, Instant Fusion, Dark Hole, Shaddoll Fusion, and Performage Trick Clown. He led with Instant Fusion to bring out El Shaddoll Winda. Shaddoll Fusion combined Trick Clown and Winda into El Shaddoll Construct. Trick Clown came back to the field, Winda got back Shaddoll Fusion, Construct sent Shaddoll Hedgehog to the Graveyard, and Hedgehog put Shaddoll Squamata in his hand. He used Reinforcement to get Elemental HERO Blazeman, and played it to grab Polymerization. Construct and Blazeman attacked directly, dropping Leverett to 4000 Life Points. In Main Phase 2 he stacked Blazeman and Trick Clown for Abyss Dweller. He played Polymerization to fuse Squamata and Abyss Dweller into Shaddoll Anoyatyllis! Squamata sent Shaddoll Beast. He drew Upstart Goblin with Beast, and used that to draw Mistake. Finally, he Set all four of the cards in his hand to his back row.

Leverett played Raigeki! Hoban chose not to use Construct, keeping his hand empty to avoid the effect of Nekroz of Trishula. Leverett Set a back row card.

Hoban drew Trick Clown and sent it to attack directly.

Leverett played Senju of the Thousand Hands. Hoban Chained Mistake, but Leverett flipped Mystical Space Typhoon! Senju’s effect got Nekroz of Brionac. Leverett Special Summoned Performage Hat Tricker and Xyz Summoned Diamond Dire Wolf. It destroyed itself and Hoban’s Set Shaddoll Fusion. Leverett discarded Brionac to add Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz to his hand. He played Cycle, Tributing Shurit, to bring Brionac back from the Graveyard. Shurit’s effect added another Brionac to Leverett’s hand. He sent Brionac to attack Trick Clown, which returned to the field.

Hoban drew and Summoned D.D. Warrior Lady, and Xyz Summoned Minerva, the Exalted Lightsworn! He used Minerva to send Raigeki, Dark Hole, and Squamata to the Graveyard, by detaching Trick Clown. Trick Clown returned to the field, and Squamata sent Hedgehog. Hedgehog put Shaddoll Falco into Hoban’s hand. He flipped El Shaddoll Fusion, and Leverett responded with Retaliating “C”! He fused Trick Clown and Falco for Construct. Construct destroyed Brionac, but Minerva did not attack. Hoban wanted to leave Retaliating “C” on the field for Leverett’s turn.

Leverett sent Retaliating “C” to attack Minerva. With Retaliating “C” out of the way, he banished Cycle from the Graveyard to get another Cycle. Next, he discarded Brionac to get Unicore, and discarded that to get Shurit. He Ritual Summoned Brionac from the Graveyard with Cycle and Shurit. With Brionac’s effect, he cleared Hoban’s field of monsters! Hoban saw his next card and knew it was all over!

Zachary Leverett is victorious with Nekroz!