Pure Dinosaurs with Toronto Regionals Report (Placed 16th of 256)

[~ P O L A R I S ~]

I'm not sure how legitimately this might be called a top as I didn't go home with any of the tangible prizing awarded to the Top 8, but I did earn an invitation to the North American World Championship Qualifier along with the rest of the Top 32, went 6-2 over 8 rounds with a relatively inexpensive deck, and most importantly had a grand old time doing it!

 

Monsters: 31

Armageddon Knight x3

Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring x3

Giant Rex x2

Jurrac Aeolo

Miscellaneousaurus 

Dinowrestler Pankratops x2

Dogoran, the Mad Flame Kaiju

Droll & Lock Bird x3

Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries x3

Overtex Qoatlus x2

PSY-Frame Driver

PSY-Framegear Gamma x3

Souleating Oviraptor x3

Ultimate Conductor Tyranno x3

 

Spells: 9

Fossil Dig x3

Double Evolution Pill x3

Foolish Burial

Twin Twisters x2

 

Extra Deck: 15

Abyss Dweller

Castel, the Skyblasting Musketeer (Very glad I played this! I opted to as an out to Thunder Dragons and ended up Summoning it the most of any of my Extra Deck monsters)

Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss 

Evolzar Dolkka

Evolzar Laggia

Firewall Dragon

Hi-Speedroid Chanbara

Knightmare Cerberus

Knightmare Phoenix

Knightmare Unicorn

Linkuriboh

Heavymetalfoes Electrumite

Sky Striker Ace - Kagari 

Sky Striker Ace - Shizuku

Tornado Dragon

 

Everything came up except Eletrumite, the Sky Strikers, and Tornado Dragon.

 

Side Deck: 15

Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit x3 (Generally pretty ineffectual this format but SUPER GOOD when you hit the Summon Sorceress) 

Hanewata x3 (For FTKs. Kuriphoton is much better in my opinion due to its versatility in also preventing OTKs, but I couldn't find them in time)

Jurrac Titano (alternative Double Evolution Pill option that functions as a pseudo-Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King against Altergeists and Paleozoics.)

Red Reboot x3 (Evenly Matched might be better but I don't have them)

Skull Meister x2 (actually turned out pretty great, hits stuff like Qoatlus, denizens of the Burning Abyss, Gouki monsters, Fairy Tail - Snow, the odd Cyber Dragon Herz, and my YCM costume of yesteryear Destiny HERO - Malicious)

The Winged Dragon of Ra - Sphere Mode x3 (for Thunder Dragons, Gouki will just rip it so you're better off with hand traps)

 

Round 1 vs. Dinosaur Thunder Dragons (1-0)

 

I won the die roll and opted to go second. In Game 1 he opened with a hand that he didn't appear entirely satisfied with. I foiled his attempt to Summon Thunder Dragon Colossus by using PSY-Frame Gamma on Thunder Dragondark's search. I would go on to OTK him the next turn. Game 2 was a little more involved, he Summoned Titan using Instant Fusion into Kaminari Attack with a Conductor behind it. I took out the Conductor using Dinowrestler Pankratops before Summoning my own, and had control of the game from there.

 

Won 2-0

 

Round 2 vs. 55-card Predaplant Fluffal Burning Abyss (2-0) 

 

He won the die roll and went first. I was impressed by the creativity behind this fellow's deck. He'd go into Seraphinite, milling Wings and then mill Toy Vendor with either Foolish Burial Goods or general milling including BA cards for a good amount of draws/searches. He'd also go into things like Naturia Beast using Fluffal Dog and Glow-Up Bulb a couple times and would Summon Saryuja a couple times as well as Frightfur Kraken. Fairy Tail - Snow was also present in his GYs. Pankratops was instrumental in outing Naturia Beast and Ultimate Conductor Tyranno was instrumental in winning the match. I ended up getting hit with Barbar's burn with around 8 minutes left in Game 3, but fortunately he couldn't reasonably eat up the rest of the time.

 

Won 2-1

 

Round 3 vs. Thunder Dragons (3-0)
 

Thankfully I only had to deal with either Titan or Colossus at any given time and was able to do so. Titan in general is pretty badly matched against Conductor who can respond to whatever Thunder monster they activate in the hand to prevent Titan from chaining directly to it and using his effect. He also can't protect himself from being destroyed by battle, with Conductor having the strength to do so. In game 1 he had Titan and a couple of face-downs but I managed to power through with Conductor and Laggia. In game 2 he'd Summon the more problematic Colossus, but I was able to establish Ultimate Conductor Tyranno anyway thanks to opening Double Evolution Pill. He'd then use Instant Fusion for Thousand-Eyes Restrict threatening to absorb Conductor and I had to flip him down and was happy to deprive him of his Extra Monster Zone, but he'd then Tribute it to Normal Summon Thunder Dragonroar before going into a Colossus that wouldn't be able to do much more. I sided in my Sphere Modes but didn't see them or need to. 

 

Won 2-0

 

Round 4 vs. Shaddoll Dinosaurs (5-0)

 

I knew my opponent and we had a great rapport between us. I won the die roll and opted to go second. The match was a great one and could've gone either way with many Pills and UCTs on both sides. In Game 1 I'd OTK using PSY-Framegear Gamma's and PSY-Frame Driver's combined 3500 ATK to supplement the rest of my Dinosaur attack squad including Ultimate Conductor Tyranno and the mighty Hi-Speedroid Chanbara. In Game 2 he made me go first and my defences couldn't hold up to Shaddoll Fusion and Double Evolution Pill. In Game 3 he activated 3 Allures! I had Ash but saved it in case of Pill. I used PSY-Framegear Gamma on Armageddon Knight which he Ashed, so I'd then keep Gamma in my hand and use it on the subsequent Qoatlus. He would then Pill and I had my Ash ready. I had an Oviraptor but he had another Ash for it (this in part explained his Ash on Gamma, what with having two). However I'd also be able to use Oviraptor to destroy his Oviraptor and Summon back my Pankratops I'd hold him off for another couple turns with the likes of these before eventually drawing into an Armageddon Knight.

 

Won 2-1

 

Round 5 vs. Gouki ft. Danger! (4-1)

 

Another opponent I knew, who'd been making quite the name for himself of late having won both the 2018 North American World Championship Qualifier in Fort Worth as well as YCS Niagara. He won the die roll and opted to go first. In game 1 he Special Summoned Junk Forward, Normal Summoned Armageddon Knight and dumped Destiny HERO - Malicious. I had no hand traps and conceded straightaway. He didn't know what I was playing and I reckon sided to go second for Game 2. In said Game 2 I drew a sided Ogre as my lone hand trap and it was 10/10, taking out his Summon Sorceress and prompting him to end on a Defense Position Malicious. I'd establish Ultimate Conductor Tyranno and Abyss Dweller to take the duel. Alas, in Game 3 none of the 14 hand traps decided to show up at that point and I was unceremoniously Aqua Dolphined and Gumblared for 6. 

 

Lost 2-1

 

Round 6 vs. Cyber Dragons

 

I won the die roll and opted to go second. He established Cyber Dragon Sieger and Infinity. Alas, I drew three copies of Ghost Reaper without an applicable target and conceded Game 1 without revealing what I was playing. In Game 2 he managed a similar field. I'd kept Twin Twisters in since the Reapers are what I sided out and am glad I did as after forcing Cyber Dragon Infinity's negation with Dinowrestler Pankratops I'd twist away his Cybernetic Overflow, then Summon Ultimate Conductor Tyranno and Castel the Skyblaster Musketeer to deal with Infinity and Sieger for the win. Game 3 I was forced to go first. I had a board of Conductor and Qoatlus and he'd force Conductor's flip with Cyber Dragon and Cyber Dragon Herz, threatening destruction at the hands of Knightmare Cerberus before Summoning a pair of Galaxy Soldiers to overlay into Nova then Infinity and absorb Conductor before beating over Qoatlus and controlling the game from there. Well played, Cyber Dragon player. If there's an Extra Deck card I wish I would've included but didn't it was Chimeratech Megafleet Dragon, which would've made this match so much easier. 

 

Lost 2-1

 

Round 7 vs. Sekka's Burning Abyss

 

He won the die roll and opted to go first. In Game 1 I was fortunate to have drawn Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries right off the bat to deprive him of Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. I was surprised at how much he could accomplish without it, including overlaying Destiny HERO - Malicious and Fabled Soulkius for Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal. We'd both end up low on resources but a top-decked Oviraptor would win me the game. In Game 2 he had me go first. I drew Gamma and Conductor among other things but no starter so my hand wasn't particularly fluid and I opted to pass my turn so Gamma could be live. To my surprise, he'd then pass his turn after squirming at his hand. I'd then draw the starter I needed and OTK with two Conductors and Abyss Dweller. He told me after the match that he feared another Cherries and wanted to play around it, though that time I hadn't drawn it. Cherries is the best card. 

 

Won 2-0

 

Round 8 vs. Danger! Dark World FTK

 

I knew this fellow too, and had a practice match against him just days before. A nice fellow in spite of his deck choice. I won the die roll and opted to go...second! I figured I stood a better chance depending on drawing either Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries or Droll & Lock Bird than putting up a fragile board to be overwhelmed by a slew of beatsticks. In Game 1 I drew Ghost Reaper & Cherries just as planned and activated it to banish Firewall Dragon. There was a notable omission of Topologic Gumblar Dragon in his Extra Deck. He'd continue into his combos and I think by rote wanted to set up Cannon Soldier using Curious, the Lightsworn Dominion before laughing to himself that he forgot I'd banished his Firewall Dragon. I wasn't out of the woods yet though, as he still had Soul Charge to revive several of the Danger! monsters he'd used and Link Summon Knightmare Gryphon to a Main Monster Zone co-linked to a Knightmare Phoenix and Knightmare Cerberus. By that point though, he'd used Instant Fusion, Zephyros's effect, and Soul Charge for four to reduce his own Life Points to 2600. I was able to Summon Ultimate Conductor Tyranno during my turn and attacked everything, an effect that Knightmare Gryphon couldn't obstruct as it was a continuous effect and I'd go on to win the duel. In Game 2 he'd go first again and FTK'd me using the loop of Grapha, Dragon King of Dark World, another Dark World monster (either Snoww, Unlight of Dark World or Broww, Hunter of Dark World would do, in this case it was Broww), Firewall Dragon, and Cannon Soldier. I'd sided in three copies of Hanewata for Game 2, bringing my number of hand traps that could prevent the FTK to 9 but didn't see any. For Game 3, I gambled on that not happening twice in a row and opted to go second again, looking like a madman. The gamble paid off, as I'd draw Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries once again! This time, he drew Armageddon Knight, Danger! Dogman, Danger! Thunderbird, Infinite Impermanence and Danger!? Jackalope. Dogman and Thunderbird are not the best Danger! monsters, and successfully rolling to hit both in a row was a dagger to his odds. He'd use Jackalopes effect to conjure a Danger! Nessie in Defense Position and set Impermanence, but it would succumb to a pair of Ultimate Conductor Tyrannos and Hi-Speedroid Chanbara. 

 

Most of these summaries omit a few summons here and there, but Armageddon Knight and Oviraptor of course were Summoned a whole lot, and Dolkka and Laggia each had the odd stellar moment as to be expected. A final record of 6-2 was good enough for 16th place and the opportunity to fill out a form to attend the 2019 NAWCQ that I doubt I'd be able to travel to let alone compete in, but I was happy to have the enthusiastic congratulations of a good number of people who were either approved of my rogue deck theme or were familiar with me locals/banter between rounds. Among these people was the Shaddoll Dinosaur player I'd played in Round 4, who placed 17th after rallying to defeat almost everyone in his path. Admittedly I was happy to dodge the Altergeist, Sky Striker, and Paleozoic match-ups that were less phased by hand trap disruption than decks that invested more into monsters, though I thought it was cool how I got to see how my Dinosaur build measured up against a couple of others. 

 

I tried playing around with Dino Thunder, both with a full version online and a lite version  with 2 Thunder Dragondarks, 2 Thunder Dragonroars, one Thunder Dragonhawk and one Thunder Dragon Colossus with 3 Gold Sarcophagus-and I found that I'd much rather have more hand traps and a clearly defined "going second" build than a build that could put up a serviceable-but-still-very-much-below-meta-standard first turn board. Hand traps to me are the entire point and appeal of Dinosaurs, and with Danger Dark World FTK and Gouki being the best decks of the format, this is what I decided to go with. After my Dino Thunder experiments, I just kept thinking "why play these silly Thunder cards when I can just play more hand traps?) with the same applying to Shaddolls, True Kings, Paleozoics, and cards like Babycerasaurus and Lost World. Admittedly I do play cards Jurrac Aeolo, but it's pretty great to just know you have 8100 damage if you have Oviraptor and either Conductor or a live Pill in hand. Dogoran was kind of shite. Pankratops was a lot better in most cases as it can apply pressure and fuel your GY immediately in addition to outing stuff while also hitting backrow mysteries and floodgates, and if there's a card you want to Kaiju nowadays it's Colossus which you can't search Dogoran to deal with anyway.

 

I think Dinosaurs are pretty underrated/underrepresented and in good hands could do more things. I love seeing Dinosaurs do well and encourage anyone interested to give the deck a try! There're so many different variations on the theme too, with each seeing roughly equal successes. As a type rather than an archetype, they're never going to stop getting support either (ironic what with extinction and all that) so they make for a good investment down the road. 

 

Thanks for reading, I hope you found something worth your while to take away from all this lol!

[Darj]

This really encourages me to jump into IRL gaming with Dinosaurs. I assume they are not terribly expensive except for the hand traps?

How do you think you would have done if you had encountered Altergeist and Sky Strikers? Got any experience dueling against them? Seems you were prepared with stuff like Cherries and Titano.

 

Regarding the deck build:

Why not x3 Pankratops and Qoatlus? I would think the former is always good, and the latter, well, it doubles as an extra copy of the pill.

Just asking to be sure: I assume your Rank4 plays were made with Armageddon/Oviraptor + Giant Rex? because I don't see another way to get 2 Level4s on board.

I'm curious on Aeolo. You don't run many Synchros to make use of its Tuner subtype, except for Chanbara for the OTKs. Are there other Synchro options you have considered and/or tested? Also, looking forward to Needlefiber? xD

No ROTA to grab Armageddon?

[~ P O L A R I S ~]

I'm glad this was a source of encouragement! Right, the deck is one of the more inexpensive decks that can compete thanks to the core of it being three structure decks, so that was definitely a plus. 

 

Pankratops is fantastic but both its Summoning effect and destruction effect have a hard once per turn on them so I didn't particularly want to see more than one at once and could search one in a pinch. Qoatlus is also great but can be a fairly notorious brick if drawn, so I felt 2 was just the right amount so I could both send Qoatlus to the GY and then Summon another with the retrieved Pill if necessary. 

 

Right, Giant Rex would generally be involved for Rank 4 Summoning plays and if I already had access to Pill I would sometimes search Giant Rex off Fossil Dig or something to use it as Pill fodder for a Rank 4 and a large dinosaur. 

 

Needlefiber would be very useful and could replace Hi-Speedroid Chanbara as with the inclusion of Glow-Up Bulb, Oviraptor can lead directly to Borrelsword Dragon by searching for Miscellaneousaurus, discarding it, banishing it for Aeolo, Linking for Needlefiber, searching Glow Up Bulb, Linking it for Linkuriboh, reviving Glow-Up Bulb and Linking for Borrelsword, a card that can apply tremendous pressure. I'm not looking forward to how expensive it might be though. :S Trishula is another option with Aeolo I've played in the past, but it comes up a lot less frequently and is more useful in the True King Dino builds for overlaying into True King of All Calamities. 

 

Sky Strikers and Altergeists are a bit scarier than most monster-based decks as I can't control them with Tyranno's flip effect to the same extent, but I'd say they're about a 50/50 chance from the ones I've run into in the past while playing Dinosaurs. The ability to search Miscellaneousaurus and turn their things off at the right time or get a timely Twin Twister in can determine the outcome. 

[Dad]

>relatively inexpensive
>3 ash
>*stares in broke college student*

Congrats on the invitation!  Looks like you earned it.  What was the harder matchup between Cyber Dragons and Abyss?

[~ P O L A R I S ~]

Thank you sir! I would say Burning Abyss is the better deck but Cyber Dragons are generally a tougher matchup for this deck because we both always want to go second. I suppose some BA players like going second too but haven't run into many of those. 

 

The hit to Armageddon Knight is kind of awkward for this deck and countering Firewall turbo was sort of this deck's forté so will probably have to go back to the drawing board. I doubt so many hand traps will be effective in a format leaning more towards heavy backrow and such.