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Dark Paladin's Yu-Gi-Oh! Dimension
Dark Paladin Needs YOUR HELP! (Interview #1) Preston of Macon, Georgia
9.08.05

Today I bring you the first of what I hope to be a series of interviews. I'm interviewing random duelists across the country just to find out about them and their Yugioh "careers."


I hope this to be successful, and if possible, I'd like to interview one duelist from ALL 50 states. So, I NEED YOUR HELP! The first duelist to e-mail me from a state will be interviewed.

Today I interview Preston of Macon, Georgia.

Dark Paladin: What is your first and last name?

Preston: Preston Caudill

Dark Paladin: How old are you?

Preston: 18

Dark Paladin: What city and state do you live in?

Preston: Macon, GA

Dark Paladin: Georgia, cool. I love it down south.

Preston: Yeah, it's great. ^_^

Dark Paladin: What decktype do you run and why?

Preston: Fiend-theme...with an emphasis on control. I play it because Fiends are a powerful yet underrated type. They are full of debilitating effects, and several make powerful beatsticks in a pinch.
They have always been my favorite monster type, and I really enjoy playing with them, even when I lose.

Dark Paladin: That's true. Fiends are cool and can be dangerous to run.

Preston: They are one of the underdog types--true sleepers.

Dark Paladin: True again.

Preston: I'm working on getting a couple of Goblin Elite Attack Force.
They work wonders with Virus.

Dark Paladin: What's your favorite card and booster and why?

Preston: Ooh...tough one, can I pick an OCG card?

Dark Paladin: Sure, just pick one real card also, if you don't mind.

Preston: My favorite TCG card is Yata-Garasu. I like it because it helped to turn the entire metagame upside down in the 1st World Championship. Also, it manages to break the most important aspect of the game: card advantage. Most people hate it and call it cheap, but those people use Ring, BLS, Phoenix, and tons of other over-powered cards. I feel it deserves some respect, being the best card in the game. That, and it's a Fiend. =)

Dark Paladin: True, all who used Yata loved it when using it and loathed it when being beaten by it. It was incredibly game-breaking.

Preston: My favorite card of al time is the Japanese Gemini Elf, because they are just so darn cute. I was waiting for it to be released for 10 months.

Dark Paladin: I like Gemini Elf as well...being a Spellcaster and everyone knows how I love them so much.

Preston: My favorite booster is LON. I feel that it had a tremendous impact on the metagame, and it included several cards from my favorite character, Bakura.

Dark Paladin: LON is a great set, and it did impact the game greatly.
It's my third favorite behind IOC and MFC respectively.

Preston: I feel we could have done without IOC. Yata takes some skill, but anyone can pwn with Envoys.

Dark Paladin: That's a great point right there, and some people don't realize it. Yata DID take skill to use. Next question, what are your thoughts on this summers tins?

Preston: I collect OCG promos, so I'm elated when they are released in English. With the downfall of Goat Control, Igxarion Universe will be unnecessary, and Gilford is too costly for serious decks, even LIGHT and Warrior-type. I'm sure Joey fans will be pleased, since 4 of the tins feature his cards. I'm quite happy to see the Yuugi Structure-art Dark Magician Girl, personally. All in all, these tins are more for fans and collectors than tournament duelists.

Dark Paladin: Well put...I agree with that almost completely. Just one more question about the tins. So many people are so excited about Exarion being released. Do you think he's all that he's cracked up to be?

Preston: He will be until Oct 1st. Once Scapegoat is limited, I predict that play will shift back to Beatdown and Swarm, often with a good amount of control. Exarion is great against anything defensive, but only when people actually play defensive decks.

Dark Paladin: That's very true. Anyway, next question. What's the most success you've ever had in a tournament, and what's your most recent tournament placement?

Preston: I rarely attend large tournaments, but my local card shop hosts several serious players. Three were top-ranked in the state at least once each, and two regularly made Top 8 at Regionals. I usually place around second to fourth there, and I have won at least one tournament with them.

Dark Paladin: Congrats, that's awesome. So, do you think the new Ban list will help or hurt the game, and why?

Preston: To be honest, my skills lie in deckbuilding and judging more than dueling.

Preston: I agree totally with all their choices, it will definitely help smooth out the wrinkles in the metagame. That said, I think that it could have gone a lot further. It seems to me like they are just patching up holes, rather than nipping new ones at the bud. On a selfish note, I'm sad that they limited Night Assailant, some of my best combos worked with him.

Dark Paladin: Yeah, limiting Night Assailant does hurt Fiends, but
Konami does seem to be trying to let new original decks out. They
can't fix EVERYTHING, now can they? Last question...where do you see the general direction of the game going, and why?

Preston: If you had asked me that question 3 months ago, I would've told you straight down the drain. The top 4 at Worlds, however, truly inspired me. In an environment thick with Goat Control and Chaos, three OTK's managed to fight their way to the top. To my knowledge, this kind of thing is unheard of in Yugioh. Also, I was happy to see that the winner used Phoenix, which I was playing even when most people wouldn't think of running one. These results give me new hope that someday, maybe very soon, the cookies will be done baking. And that day, I shall feast.

Dark Paladin: Excellent, I can't wait for that day myself...I'm getting fat and it's great to talk to someone who shares my views.

Dark Paladin: Well, thanks for your time!

That does it for this interview, and as I said...E MAIL ME I NEED YOUR HELP, and the first duelist from a state will be interviewed.

You stay classy, Planet Earth :)

~Dark Paladin~