Hey guys, SpoonMan SamM here. I thought people would be interested to see how things have turned out in this new format. Every saturday there is a Yugioh tourney at my local card shop, but this weekend they were hosting the South Australian regionals on sunday too, so I have two reports to deliver.

 

Weekly tourney, Infinity Games, Adelaide, South Australia - 2/9/06

 

With the new forbidden list in place, I was ecstatic about playing new and creative decks that didn't have to include chaos sorcerer. I decided to play my Destiny Hero deck, which focusses on gaining card advantage with Diamond Dude while also swarming the field using Dasher. Fear Monger brings back my two trusty D-Heroes, and if I happen to get 3 monsters on the field, Dogma will almost always ensure victory, especially if I happen to have Destiny Mirage set.

I won't give a complete decklist, but this is the D-Hero lineup:

Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude x 2

Destiny Hero - Dasher x 2

Destiny Hero - Fear Monger x 2

Destiny Hero - Dogma x 1

Destiny Mirage x 1

 

I'll leave the rest up to your imagination (or your intelligence - if you read the report you can probably pick up some more cards in the deck)

 

First Round: D-Hero v E-Hero

What a cool first-round match-up! I couldn't have hoped for a more fitting debut for my D-Hero Deck, even if it was going to be a complete pushover. The E-Hero deck was 100% E-Hero themed: there wasn't a card in it not to do with E-Heroes.

In the first duel my D-Heroes exacted complete control over the field and got massive card advantage (helped by a first turn +2 thanks to Heavy Storm). I won with no probs.

In the second duel, Ring of Destruction graced my opening hand. How angry my opponent got when I Ringed his hard Polymerized E-Hero Wildedge. In rage, he Re-Fusioned it back to the field and ended his turn. I almost feel bad for my next move: summon Mystic Tomato, Creature Swap. He didn't stand a chance.

 

Second Round: D-Hero v Blue-Eyes Paladin

One of the serious duelists in the area was trying out an interesting Blue-Eyes deck focussing on Manju to fetch White Dragon Ritual/Paladin of White Dragon, then slapping any face-down recruiter before summoning Blue-Eyes White Dragon from the deck. Freed the Brave Wanderer was perfect for the large Light lineup.

In the first duel, my opponent suffered what any duelist using a deck based on ritual/big monsters risks: a terrible opening hand featuring rituals with no corresponding mosnter combined with useless tribute monsters. Needless to say, I gained control of the field easily and proceeded to wear my opponent down.

In the second duel it was a similar story. I won the match, and afterwards we had a fun duel while waiting for others to finish. He actually drew Manju and then used the Paladin to pwn my Tomatoes and Fear Mongers, and won the fun duel. Bad luck in the actual match, but that's the risk of running that kind of a deck I guess.

 

Third Round: D-Hero v Burn

I wasn't expecting to see many Burn/Limit decks due to the limiting of Gravity Bind to 1, but this deck put up a fight without the second G Bind.

In the first round, I used my Breaker early to get card advantage, not knowing I was going to be completely locked down by Level Limit Area B for the majority of the duel. With Breaker used, all I had left for face-up Spell/Trap removal was Heavy Storm (Nobleman of Extermination is better than MST in this deck...except in this situation). I struggled to stop Stealth Bird from destroying me while I waited for Heavy Storm, using up almost all of my resources. I didn't see Heavy Storm and was utterly pwned by Lava Golem and Minor Goblin Official.

Luckily I had considered my deck's weaknesses, and built my side deck accordingly. Chiron the Mage punished the stall cards my opponent used, since he was perfectly supported by the large Spell lineup I have for Diamond Dude. I had complete control of the second duel, only taking damage from Meteor of Destruction and Mecha-Dog Marron.

The third duel was slightly more challenging: i was reduced to half my LP by the burn, but Diamond Dude had been gaining me card advantage all game and I managed to come back and overwhelm my opponent.

 

We only had three rounds due to a small number of people, so I won the tournament undefeated. Happy with the results my Destiny Heroes got, I decided to run the same deck (with a couple of adjustments) at the regionals the next day.

 

 

South Australian Regionals, Infinity Games, Adelaide, South Australia, 3/9/06

First Round: D-Hero v Machine

In the first duel I managed to maintain complete control using my Tomatoes to bring out Dude, and using Dasher to swarm once i had a clear shot. I only took 100 damage.

The second duel was a completely different story. In the first duel I had noticed a Barrel Behind the Door got destroyed by my Heavy Storm, so I was going to be careful with my Ring of Destructions. But this duel I didn't stand a chance: he summoned the dreaded Stein, payed the 5 grand to bring out Blue-Eyes Ultimate, set two Traps and ended his turn. I knew I was dead before he even activated his Ring of Destruction followed by his Barrel Behind the Door.

The third duel was much more close: he even managed to bring out Chimeratech Overdragon, but it fell to my Torrential Tribute (at the loss of three of my monsters - but it was worth it to kill that behemoth). Diamond Dude absolutely went off here, getting Graceful Charity and Reinforcement of the Army on consecutive turns with his effect. With such card advantage and a knowledge of the opposing deck strategy I was able to win the match.

 

Second Round: D-Hero v Weird Stall Mill Kinda Deck

The definite strategy of this deck was unclear to me, but it seemed like its goal was to stall and reduce my deck to zero, as well as packing some burn. As before, i met some trouble trying to break through the limit, but thanks to Diamond Dude whipping out Heavy Storm with his effect i was able to break through and win the first duel.

Confident I could win the second easily with my side deck, I think I played less than optimally. I also believe that my opponent was extremely lucky to get two Wave-Motion Cannons on the field and not have me draw any of my S/T removal, one Cannon gaining four counters, the other three. I had already taken 2000 damage: the 7000 from Wave Motion decimated me.

The third duel was one of the most intense duels I have ever played. Because of the stall of his deck, we had about 9 minutes for the final duel. I could not believe it when I attacked into his Nimble Momonga, trying to push through and gain some early field control to deal some damage with. I was forced to Exiled Force one Nimble and attack another in my endeavors to cause damage, but then Level Limit Area B hit the field. I couldn't believe it: I was going to lose because of Nimble when time was called. I had no choice but to set monsters for a few turns until I drew the almighty DOGMA! I had four monsters on the field, he had three. I summoned a Fear Monger, tributed him and two others to summon the ultimate D-Hero, and ended my turn. Dogma sliced my opponent's LP in half, bringing him from 10000 to 5000, equal to me. We were on equal LP, with 5 minutes to go. Shocked by this sudden leveling of the scores, my opponent went on the offensive to try and get a hit in on my LP. My Dogma fell foul of a smashing ground, and my set monsters came under attack. Level Limit was lifted by Giant Trunade, and my opponent summoned DD Assailant as well as flipping Sangan. Assailant hit my Sangan, while my opponent’s Sangan attacked…this is the good bit…my Mystic Tomato! LOL! My opponent takes 100 damage and I keep my monster. I manage to hold out until time, winning by 100 LP, all thanks to the mighty Dogma!

 

Round 3: D-Hero v Dirty Tomato Control

It had to happen. While everyone else is using this golden opportunity to play fun and creative deck, some idiot is only in it to win, and plays the done-to-death tomato control deck with not a single new trick. This guy beat my brother’s Macro Cosmos deck in the first round, and he beats me as well. It turns out that he wins the regionals: whoopee, I’m sure he had lots of fun with that deck.

I win the first duel: my opponent complains of a bad hand and says I that double sleeving is illegal at regionals. I inform him that I checked with the owner of the store before the tournament and he said it’s fine. The second duel is a close one but I lose, and the third duel is all too easy for my opponent when I draw two Fear Mongers and a bunch of other monsters that are un-useful. Oh well. Hopefully he goes well at the nationals next year (he hopes Black Luster Envoy of Beginning comes back in with the next ban list – I shake my head in puzzlement).

 

Round 4: D-Hero v Random Aggro deck

Well, I’ve heard that for the first 2 months of any new ban list, aggressive decks will be the strongest. And in this instance, that was very true. It was just a standard aggressive lineup with Bazoo’s and a Return or two. I was unable to get any of my Destiny Heroes going in the first round and lost dismally, and in the second round my opponent drew an insane first hand including Graceful Charity, Premature Burial, Dark Magician of Chaos and Magician of Faith. Guess what happened? He used Graceful Charity three times. I didn’t stand a chance.

 

Round 5: D-Hero v Random

I can’t really remember any defining features of this deck, probably because I beat it rather quickly. In the second game Diamond Dude absolutely went off, getting Graceful, Nobleman of both kinds and a ROTA to gain me massive advantage which my opponent could not beat.

 

So at the end of the regionals I was 3:2 with my super-cool Destiny Hero deck. I was pretty happy with this result, considering it is a rather new decktype and will need lots of development. I was thrilled when I came in 7^th overall! My first regionals Top 8 ever, and in a new list with an awesome new deck! My brother came in 9^th with his Macro Cosmos deck with 3:2 also and pulled a Chimeratech Overdragon in one of his boosters, so we both left with a spring in our step. It was a good day, and I hope my reports have given people an insight into what this grand new list has in store for us (I beat the big bad chimeratech: it's not as bad as everyone thinks!).

Cheers,

SpoonMan SamM