The Champions: Andrew Tan - WTF Gladi

I just remebered that there was the UkayPro Championship this weekend, and checked The Irish Duelist for the couverage. My first article to read was the Final Featured Match.
I was realy happy when I saw Gladiators against Blackwings as both aren't considered as top-decks at the moment. Both palyers made some creative choices in their decks, the Blackwing player ran Gorz, and the Gladiator player played this:

Monsters: 14
3 Gladiator Beast Laquari
3 Gladiator Beast Andal
1 Gladiator Beast Equeste
1 Gladiator Beast Bestiari
1 Gladiator Beast Murmillo
3 D.D. Warrior Lady
1 Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer
1 Neo-Spacian Grand Mole

Spells: 11
1 Smashing Ground
1 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 My Body as a Shield
2 Book of Moon
3 Gladiator Proving Ground
3 Dimensional Fissure

Traps: 15
1 Solemn Judgment
1 Mirror Force
2 Dimensional Prison
2 Bottomless Trap Hole
3 Gladiator Beast War Chariot
3 Dark Bribe
3 Royal Oppression




Extra Deck: 15
3 Gladiator Beast Gyzarus
3 Gladiator Beast Heraklinos
1 Ally of Justice Catastor
1 Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier
1 Thought Ruler Archfiend
1 Black Rose Dragon
1 Goyo Guardian
1 Colossal Fighter
1 Stardust Dragon
1 Red Dragon Archfiend
1 Magical Android

Side Deck: 15
3 Breaker the Magical Warrior
2 Zombyra the Dark
1 Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer
1 My Body as a Shield
1 Lightning Vortex
1 Heavy Storm
3 Compulsory Evacuation Device
2 Trap Hole
1 Torrential Tribute

My first thought when I saw this Deck was "What the f*** is this?"
Ultimately, I called it "WTF Gladiators" because "Dimensional-Royal-Oppression-Gladiator-Beasts" was to long for my taste xD

The first thing you see when you look at this decklist is 3 Laquai along with 3 Gladiator Beast Andal



Andal is quite simple to explain: It is the biggest Gladiator out there. It will run over every other Level 4 Monster out there without beeing summoned by an effect.

After some 0-8-15 bla, you read " 3 D.D. Warrior Lady"


This is the realy most inovative choice I saw in this deck. DDWL just takes out every bigger problem you could have.

The Kycco and the Mole are quite obvisous choices, Kycco can kill Lightsworns on it's own, and Mole will take care of your opponets Synchros.

In the spell Lineup,you can see that Tan choose to add Dimensional Fissures. This is also a more obvisious choice, as this card also disturbes the top 2 decks.
The last realy inovation is also the last card on the list: 3 Royal Oppression.
This card makes Andal's 1900 ATK realy worthful. If you just put down Laquari and D-Fissure /Oppression, there are still soem monsters that can run over your Gladiator and leave you without defense. If you put down Andal, there is only one single monster that can destroy your Gladiator by attacking: Jain.
If you can setup with one of your 2 anti-meta cards, a strogn Gladiator and a Chariot, your opponet will be in a realy close position if he wants to beat you.
Sounds like a rare opening?
You play 3 Laquari, 3 Andal and 3 Proing Ground
You play 3 Dimensional Fissures and 3 Royal Oppressions.
As we know from the "Ten Numbers To Make You A Better Duelist" article by Jason Grabher-Meyer, the chance to open with a large Gladiator and one of your Metakillers is realy high (65%), abou 2 of 3 games. The same article says that the chance to open with one copy of a card we play 3 copies of is 39%, about 2 of 5 games.

Basicly,this means you open with a big Gladiator, a Metakiller and a Chariot about once each two matches in you first 6 cards. The probability of having it in the first 7 or 8 cards is much higher, I would guess about 2 of 3 games.

I was looking forward to see more inovation in Tan's side, but the only think that made me think "What the f***" were the 2 copies of Zombyra.
Am I think only one out here who realy has absolutely no idea what this card is useful for? =(