Things are heating as up, as we’re now in Round 4 of Swiss here at YCS Providence! For this round’s Feature Match, we have Andrew Joseph Sweeney facing off against Brandon Scott Shapleigh. Shapleigh is playing the Maliss Deck, boosted by the Maliss and @Ignister cards from Alliance Insight. Meanwhile, Sweeney is piloting the Tomb Keeper strategy, a relatively new one that debuted in Maze of the Master. Maliss is a very fast-paced deck that likes to push the tempo of the Duel, while Tomb Keeper is a slower, trap-based strategy that aims to wear the opponent down. Let’s find out which one will be victorious! It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Shapleigh’s opening hand consisted of Maliss <P> March Hare, Dimension Shifter, Called by the Grave, and two copies of Dominus Impulse. 

Sweeney won the die roll and chose to go first! He started by Normal Summoning The Man with the Mark and adding Treasures of the Kings to his hand. He activated Treasures and Set Apophis the Serpent from his Deck to his backrow. Next, he Set another card to his backrow, then activated Treasures’ other effect to add Merciless Scorpion of Serket to his hand! He Special Summoned Merciless Scorpion, banishing Anubis the Last Judge from his Deck, then activated Scorpion’s effect to add Temple of the Kings to his hand. Sweeney activated Temple, then activated his face-down Apophis, but Shapleigh responded with Dominus Impulse, and followed it up with Dimension Shifter! Sweeney responded with Called by the Grave to banish and negate the effect of Shifter, then used Scorpion and Man with the Mark to Link Summon Silhouhatte Rabbit, Set another Apophis from his Deck to his backrow, and ended his turn. 

During Shapleigh’s Standby Phase, Sweeney activated his second Apophis, but Shapleigh responded with another Dominus Impulse! However, Sweeney was still able to add Embodiment of Apophis to his hand. Shapleigh Special Summoned Maliss <P> March Hare by banishing Maliss <P> Dormouse, then Special Summoned back Dormouse. He activated Dormouse’s effect, but Sweeney responded with Infinite Impermanence! Shapleigh used Dormouse and Hare to Link Summon Splash Mage, Special Summoned back Dormouse, then used Mage and Dormouse to Link Summon Maliss <Q> Red Ransom! He activated Red Ransom’s effect to add Maliss in Underground to his hand, then activated Underground to banish and Special Summon Maliss <P> White Rabbit! He Special Summoned back White Rabbit and Set Maliss <C> GWC-06 from his Deck, then activated GWC by banishing Red Ransom to Special Summon another Dormouse. He activated Red Ransom’s effect, Special Summoning it back and banishing another March Hare from the Deck, which he then added back to his hand. 

Next, Shapleigh used his White Rabbit, Red Ransom, and Dormouse to Link Summon Maliss <Q> White Binder, banishing his own Dormouse and Sweeney’s Impermanence and Apophis while also Setting Maliss <C> GWC-06 back to the field. He entered the Battle Phase and attacked Silhouhatte Rabbit with White Binder, then went to Main Phase 2. He Normal Summoned March Hare, then used March Hare and White Binder to Link Summon Firewall Dragon. Finally, he Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Sweeney started his turn by activating the effect of Treasures of the Kings, adding The Man with the Mark to his hand. He then Normal Summoned it, but when he activated its effect, Shapleigh Chained Called by the Grave, banishing the other copy of The Man with the Mark from Sweeney’s Graveyard! Sweeney used Silhouhatte Rabbit to Xyz Summon Super Starslayer TY-PHON – Sky Crisis, and in response to the summon, Shapleigh activated Maliss <C> GWC-06, Special Summoning White Binder and activating its effect to banish the Scorpion from Sweeney’s Graveyard and his own White Rabbit and March Hare! He added Hare back to his hand and summoned White Rabbit, Setting Maliss <C> MTP-07 from his Deck. Finally, he activated the effect of Firewall Dragon, returning TY-PHON to the Extra Deck. 

Knowing that he didn’t have a way to stop Shapleigh’s upcoming push, Sweeney conceded the first Duel. 

Duel 2

Shapleigh’s opening hand consisted of Dominus Impulse, Maliss <C> GWC-06, Bystial Magnamhut, and two copies of Droll & Lock Bird. 

Sweeney Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Shapleigh drew Infinite Impermanence for turn! During the Draw Phase, Sweeney activated the effect of Artifact Lancea, preventing cards from being banished for the rest of the turn. In response, Shapleigh Set two cards to his backrow and ended his turn. During the End Phase, Sweeney attempted to activate Apophis the Serpent, but Shapleigh Chained Dominus Impulse, destroying Apophis and sending it to the Graveyard, and Sweeney was able to search for Embodiment of Apophis from his Deck. 

During Sweeney’s turn, he Set two cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Shapleigh drew Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring for turn! During the Draw Phase, Sweeney activated Embodiment of Apophis. Shapleigh Set a monster in face-down Defense Position and ended his turn. 

Sweeney began his turn by Normal Summoning Mulcharmy Fuwalos! He used Fuwalos and Embodiment to Xyz Summon Gallant Granite, but when he attempted to activate its effect, Shapleigh responded with Infinite Impermanence. He then entered the Battle Phase and attacked Shapleigh’s face-down Droll & Lock Bird and ended his turn. 

Shapleigh Set another monster in face-down Defense Position and ended his turn. 

Sweeney activated Gallant Granite’s effect again, but Shapleigh responded with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! Sweeney then activated Apophis and entered the Battle Phase, attacking over Shapleigh’s face-down Ash. Realizing that Sweeney’s Deck was getting going while his own was stuck, Shapleigh conceded. We’re onto the all-important game 3! 

Duel 3

Shapleigh chose to go first in the pivotal game three! His opening hand consisted of Maliss in Underground, Called by the Grave, Droll & Lock Bird, and two copies of Maliss <P> March Hare. He started by activating Underground, banishing Maliss <P> Dormouse from his Deck and then Special Summoning it back to his field. He activated Dormouse’s effect, banishing Maliss <P> White Rabbit from his Deck, then Special Summoned it back and Set Maliss <C> GWC-06. He used Dormouse and White Rabbit to Link Summon Splash Mage, activated Splash Mage’s effect to bring back Dormouse, then used Splash Mage and Dormouse to Link Summon Maliss <Q> White Binder and banish both Dormouse and White Binder from his own Graveyard. Next, he activated Maliss <C> GWC-06, banishing White Binder and Special Summoning another White Rabbit from his Deck. However, when he attempted to activate White Binder’s effect, Sweeney responded with Dominus Purge! 

Next, Shapleigh Special Summoned Maliss <P> March Hare by banishing the other March Hare from his hand, then activated the effect of the banished March Hare to add itself back to his hand. He then Normal Summoned the March Hare, and used the two March Hares and one White Rabbit to Link Summon Maliss <Q> Hearts Crypter! He activated Crypter’s effect, returning White Binder to the Extra Deck and banishing Crypter, then Special Summoned Crypter back to the field. Finally, he Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Sweeney started his turn by Special Summoning Kashtira Fenrir! Next, he activated Treasures of the Kings and Set Apophis the Serpent to his backrow.  Sweeney activated Treasures’ second effect to add Merciless Scorpion of Serket from his Deck, as Shapleigh activated Crypter’s effect to return Dormouse to the Deck and banish Sweeney’s Fenrir. On resolution of the effect of Treasures, Shapleigh activated the effect of Droll & Lock Bird! Sweeney Special Summoned Scorpion by banishing Anubis the Last Judge from his Deck, then entered the Battle Phase and attacked Shapleigh’s Hearts Crypter. Finally, he activated Temple of the Kings, Set two cards to his backrow, and ended his turn. 

Shapleigh drew Infinite Impermanence for turn! During the Standby Phase, Sweeney activated Apophis the Serpent. Shapleigh realized that he had committed all of his resources the turn prior, and now that Sweeney had broken through his board, Shapleigh didn’t have enough follow-up to make another push, and so he conceded. 

Sweeney wins the Match and moves on with a 4-0 record here at YCS Providence!