THE CALL OF THE KEEPER
Nathan E.
August 9, 2003
Autographs and Collectibles, Lewisville, TX

Participants: Around 40
First place: $20 store credit, and 4 boosters of their choice
Second place: $10 store credit, and 2 boosters of their choice
consolation: one booster pack, or one tournament pack

DECK:42

Monsters: 16
2x Gravekeeper's Chief
3x Gravekeeper's Guard
2x Gravekeeper's Spy
3x Gravekeeper's Curse
1x Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier
2x Gravekeeper's Cannonholder
1x Magician of Faith
1x Sinister Serpent
1x Cyber Jar

Magic: 17
2x Dark Room of Nightmare
2x Necrovalley
1x Terraforming
1x Harpie's Feather Duster
1x Heavy Storm
1x Mystical Space Typhoon
1x Raigeki
1x Dark Hole
1x Royal Tribute
1x Magic Reflector
1x Pot of Greed
2x Graceful Charity
1x Change of Heart
1x Monster Reborn

Traps: 9
1x Solemn Judgement
1x Mirror Force
1x Trap Hole
3x Rite of Spirit
1x Magic Jammer
1x Magic Drain
1x Raigeki Break

SIDE DECK:
1x Fissure
2x Swarm of Locusts
1x Trap Hole
1x King Tiger Wanghu
1x Robbin' Goblin
1x Different Dimension Capsule
1x Cat of Ill Omen
1x Mystical Space Typhoon
1x Messenger of Peace
1x Offerings to the Doomed
1x Solomon's Lawbook
1x Dark Snake Syndrome
1x Swarm of Scarabs
1x Spear Cretin

I was pretty excited this week coming to the tournament, as it was my first week playing with my new Gravekeeper deck.
I'd been playing earlier that day and noticed that a lot of people didn't really give my deck any regard because they
don't understand the power of the Gravekeeper's effects along with the effect of Necrovalley.  So anyway, as I stepped up
to the tournament, bright eyed and hoping for success, I checked out the crowd, noticing the same faces as usual.  I was
ready for some challenges.

ROUND 1: Nathan E. (Gravekeeper) vs. Taylor S. (Last Turn/Stall/Burn)

Taylor, a friend of mine, runs a pretty interesting deck.  He runs mostly stall and burn, but when things get heavy,
he tries to work the Last Turn/Jowgen the Spiritualist combo.  Like me, he's a budget player, so I understand.

Duel 1:
Traded hits for a little bit, him taking damage from my Gravekeeper's Curses and Cannholders, and me taking damage from his Ominous Fortunetelling.  But without good pulls, he couldn't hold off my barrage.  I eventually swarmed him using Gravekeeper's Spy and Gravekeeper's Chief.

WINNER: Nathan

Duel 2:
This duel was a tadbit more lopsided.  He flipped Ordeal of a Traveler with only one card in his hand, and I called it
wrong on my Gravekeeper's Curse, which allowed me to continue summoning it and doing damage, while attacking with my
Cannonholder and Chief.  It went fast.

WINNER: Nathan


ROUND 2: Nathan E. (Gravekeeper) vs Giovanni (Beatdown Variant)

Giovanni's got skill.  He beat me last week, and was somewhat unsure if I would be able to come back with my new deck.

Duel 1:
I had things working well for a little, until my Necrovalley was destroyed, and everything went to crap.  He ended up
just beating me down with a Hayabusa + Axe of Despair.

WINNER: Giovanni

Duel 2:
My Necrovalley came early, got destroyed again, but I was able to draw Terraforming and get some advantage back.  I was
running over his Nimbles with my Spear Soldier, and launching off Curses for huge damage.  This was the Call of the
Keeper at work.

Winner: Nathan

Duel 3:
This game was heavy.  A first turn Change of Heart brought me down to 2500 life points.  I played Necrovalley and kept
my defenses up while my deck thinned out.  I had to use Solemn Judgement on a Heavy Storm, which put me down to 1250.
A Cyber Jar put things in my advantage, then I attacked for 4600.  He left his field open, I though I saw victory, and
as I attack he flips CEASEFIRE!  I had 4 Gravekeeper's on the field, it was over.  I couldn't believe it, but Giovanni
was respectful, and the match was awesome, so it was no big deal.

Winner: Giovanni

I chose to get a tournament pack on the hope that I might get a Needle Worm, but it was a Kwagar Hercules. (sigh)

Props:
Giovanni for having an awesome match and being cool
Taylor S. for sticking with it and keeping hope alive for budget duelists
My friend Wes for deciding out of nowhere to build an Exodia deck
Autographs and Collectibles for holding awesome tournaments
and Pojo.com, for making the most awesome gaming site in the world

Slops:
To Kwagar Hercules, for being a horrible insect fusion


E-mail me with any questions, comments, tips, or whatever at druidpriest42@yahoo.com
IM me with any of the above at theycallmeMELON