Yesterday, I attend the last Regionals of our wonderful, January 2015 format. Personally, I believe this list of change will be great for the game. The odds of winning the game without relying on a floodgate will truly be tested, resulting is more skillful play. After all, who wants to lose to Skill Drain and Vanity's Emptiness at the same time... (R.I.P Qliphorts, you will not be missed!)
Nekroz was the choice for the Regionals. I learned my lesson from the YOCC last weekend and decided to utilize the best deck of the format, not the most "helmet" deck of the format. Here's a brief tournament report of my run with Nekroz:
Round 1 vs Yosenju (2-0) - Both games I defeated him within a couple turns. He opened no floodgates turn 1 and I had the answers for his floodgate game 2. Yosenjus cannot defeat Nekroz, unless they can maintain multiple floodgates, and a stream of beast-warriors.
Round 2 vs Qliphors (1-1) - Getting a draw round 2 was not fun. Honestly, there was nothing I could do. I lost game 1 rather quickly because I didn't have an answer to Emptiness. When I drew my Armageddon Knight to dump a Shaddoll Dragon, he had the Skill Drain... (Yay for losing to degenerate floodgates!) Game 2 we grinded back and forth. I didn't have the cards to make the strongest plays, but I at least had the answers to his floodgates when I needed them. Time was called when we both had low life points, and he was slightly ahead. I decided to create a risky play to his one set backrow, since I was going to lose if it didn't success. I summoned Trishula and he activated a Skill Drain. Thanks to that, I had game by swinging with a Decisive Armor and Forbidden Lance for enough damage to deplete my opponent's life points, and I won, effectively tieing the match. I don't think I have ever felt so relieved to see a Skill Drain flipped up!
Round 3 vs Nekroz (2-0) - He started with a Djinn lock. I got out of it, and made my Djinn lock which he couldn't break. Game 2 he started and chose to make the lock, again. I answered the lock, didn't make my own lock, and won in a few turns after outplaying my opponent.
Round 4 vs Nekroz (2-0) - He let me start first and I was able to create the Djinn lock with enough protection to keep it on the field the entire game (Gungnir and Lance). Game 2 I wasn't able to open with the lock, but started with a strong Valkyrus play, ending with double Mind Crush set. Let's just say that was enough to ruin his day, since I stopped any form of tempo he was trying to achieve.
Round 5 vs Nekroz (2-0) - He let me start, and my hand allowed me to make a strong Djinn lock, with spare resources for next turn. He had Raigeki for it, then used Mathematician to dump and summon Glow-Up bulb, attacked, and synchro summoned Herald of the Arc Light. After baiting it out with a Kaleidoscope, I OTKed him since he didn't have a Nekroz card in his graveyard so he could use Valkyrus. Game 2 dragged on until time was called. I had him stalled with the Djinn lock, then Emptiness, and he kept re-using Valkyrus until he had an answer to everything (over the course of the game), and proceeded to return the favour to me. However, I drew a Manju, and had enough cards in my hand stocked to finish the job.
Round 6 vs Burning Abyss (2-0) - Game 1 I had to fight through 3 Dantes and 1 Dark Law. Somehow, I went from having seemingly nothing to beating him, without the use of Raigeki or Preparation of Rites. To be honest, I'm not sure how I did it, but my opponent congratulated me in defeating him through such a disgusting field. Game 2 was nothing compared to game 1: I had control of the entire game. We spent a couple minutes before and after the match discussing Burning Abyss theory for the upcoming format, since we knew what we were playing (I'm not surprised, since we were both in the top tables).
Round 7 vs Nekroz (0-2) - I lost both games to the Djinn lock, and game 2 to an Emptiness after I cleared his Djinn lock. I figured it had to happen eventually...
Now I was placed on the bubble for making Top 8, with an X-1-1 record. For some reason, there was a feeling inside me telling me I could do it, and I had the support from others (A.K.A sexy girlfriend of mine, and friends).
Round 8 vs Satellarnights (2-1) - Game 1 I cleared through all his traps with all my resources and defeated him. Game 2 he defeated me with the Triverr/ Anti-Spell Fragrance soft lock. Game 3 he set 5 cards and he had no response to Denko Sekka. I established my board to contain Unicore to negate extra deck monsters, a Clausolas that was just there, and a Valkyrus in hand to protect my Denko and Unicore. I locked him out the game, and proceeded to win next turn. DENKO TOO STRONG!!!
I ended up coming 6th place, achieving my minimum goal of Top 8 and winning a mat. I was a little disappointed in myself, because my ultimate goal is to win, and if not win, make Top 4 (at least I get a deckbox). However, Top 8 is good enough to be proud of myself.
My next post will be one to discuss my Nekroz deck I used this weekend, and what changes I'll need to make, including the mandatory changes due to the format change. Let me know what you guys think, and thanks for reading!
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