1. Starting with the main deck, the lone Compulsory was removed for a copy of Forbidden Dress, which helps protect my monsters against Bottomless (a rather strong counter to some of my best plays). It also helps Guaiba and Dolkka become more playable, and can function similarly to a defensive Trap. Just to be clear, I would have rather played Lance but I don't have one.
2. In the side deck, I removed Compulsory from there as well. It just hadn't been testing quite so amazingly, but I couldn't figure out something to replace it with. So at the last minute, I chucked in a copy of System Down. SD has long been one of my favorite cards, and it's never a bad side choice due to the sheer number of viable Machine decks (Gadget Xyz, Machina Gadget, Machina Geargia, Geargia Karakuri, Karakuri, Morphtronics, the list goes on and on).
3. Also in the Side, I took out a copy of Shadow Mirror for a third Soul Drain. I got really fed up with never drawing Soul Drain when it is absolutely critical to having a chance against Mermails, so I decided to go ahead and try out three. Since it also covers Dark World just like Shadow Mirror does, I figured it'd be a decent swap.
The Extra Deck underwent the biggest changes of all! In the wake of Dark Mist's shocking performance two weeks ago, I realized I couldn't simply kick him out of the Extra once I got Daigusto Phoenix, and that spurred me to start thinking about other cards to cut instead.
4. Gaia Knight is so rarely summoned that I kicked him out for another Level 5 Synchro, T.G. Hyper Librarian. Librarian can earn you some serious advantage or be a strong deterrent against certain decks and Level 5s aren't hard for me to Sync, so I figured why not add another option to that scenario.
5. I wrote a post about why Heliopolis isn't so great for me anymore, and he ended up being replaced with Maestroke the Symphony Djinn. Though I haven't played Maestroke in months, I feel like he's a great secondary option for a Rank 4 in dire times. It's always good to have a mini-toolbox for when you manage to pull Guaiba off.
6. And finally, Leviathan Dragon is almost never summoned so I replaced it with the utility-filled Leviair instead, another past choice. Sometimes it's good to be able to pull back a banished Agent, as this increases the consistency of Hyperion.
With all of these changes and sooo much innovation, would I do well to reflect it? Let's find out.
Round 1 vs Water Structure Deck
This is the same guy I played on December 14. I figured he'd probably have gotten better since then, so I'd have to tighten it up a bit.
G1: He thought Skreech triggered Dragoons and Infantry, and even got a little bit angry when I told him it didn't work. So much for getting better. After a strong opening and even stronger topdecks, I had a field of Venus, Hyperion, Gachi and Laggia. Surprisingly, he broke through it by discarding two Heavy Infantries and Uminotaurus to summon Abyssleed! Laggia and Hyperion died in the ensuing rainstorm, but Leed fell into a Dimension Prison and I won shortly after.
G2: This one started slow for me, but Catastor eventually dealt with his Mermaid Archer and Hyperion started wrecking his shit. I topped Guaiba on the last turn, but realized its effect didn't matter as it was already game.
1-0
Round 2 vs Dark World
My opponent tried to get away with slamming the dice instead of actually rolling them. Not on my watch!
G1: I don't remember, but I won. Huge accomplishment!
G2: Double Shine Ball opening + Dragged Downs
G3: A slow hand and a critical misplay (not chaining Shadow Mirror to his Dealings) almost lost me this one, but Messenger gave me the time to set my Battle Fader, then tribute it and Marshmallon for Hyperion. I swung til I won - no thanks any of the damn Agents. -___-
2-0
Round 3 vs Gravekeepers
A guy I've played three times before, but he used Dino Rabbit each of those times.
G1: Took a long time, but I finally lost. Too many backrows.
G2: I tried to Overwork him, but he chained Deck Devastation Virus and it really killed me. So not fair.
2-1
Round 4 vs Infernity
Another guy I've played three times before as well, except he used to use Inzektors.
G1: I scooped after an early Starlight on my Heavy
G2: I won mainly due to a misplay - thinking my Dress was a Lance, I chained it when he used Fiendish on my Hyperion. We were both so stupid that even after he asked me what it did and I read it out loud, we continued play as if it were a Lance. This enabled Hyperion to swing over his Necromancer which he had stalled with for a while, and let me win through his five backrow.
G3. In time, I overlaid my Reaper with Venus for Zenmaines and there was nothing he could do to get rid of it.
3-1
Feels awesome to win a match you were certain you'd lose!
Round 5 vs Dark World
This is the same guy that I played in Top 8 on January 18. Why is it suddenly okay to play Dark World? It's like this deck is everywhere nowadays.
G1: I literally remember nothing except for Dark Smog fucking with me.
G2: I stalled with Marshmallon for a while, but Dark Smog kept ruining everything for me and double Heliopolis eventually killed me. I'm not that mad about losing though, because I think my opponent saw the sadness in me when I shook his hand. Anything that might help a Dark World player realize that what they're doing is wrong is cool to me.
3-2
Round 6 vs Inzektors
For some reason this guy looked like he generally lacked moral fiber, so I kept my eyes open for any cheating. I didn't have to look very far: He literally asked me after shuffling my deck before the match if I was "playing Herald", because he "saw an Agent card". I know I should've called a judge, but I didn't mostly because I was still in shock that somebody would actually say something like that to me. My bad hearing also made me unsure of what he actually said at first and I also couldn't be sure that a judge would actually do anything.
He also expressly reminded me that his Dragonfly and Centipede were both still level 6 even after losing Hornet, which I of course wasn't going to let go. Then he tried to say that he could still destroy a card with Hornet even though I chained Typhoon to its equip.
I can't even tell you how many seconds or minutes were wasted arguing about these stupid ass details, which made me especially angry because he literally told me before the match he was "glad" I know what Inzektors do because he had to "explain them all day." Maybe you should either stop trying to cheat in my face or explain to your damn self. But I still lost 2-0, mostly due to him topping Centipede at the perfect moment (and in game 2, having Lance to protect it from my Bottomless) and him having 2 Bottomless of his own set G1 which killed both my Venus and Hyperion. Fuck liars, fuck cheaters, and fuck Inzektors.
3-3
Just my luck to play FOUR Dark decks as soon as I take out my second Shadow Mirror... Anybody who says that card isn't necessary in this game either plays Darks or is full of shit. There weren't any Astral Packs this week, but here's the other stuff I got:
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