Who would win these duels?

[Animelover5487]

Bandit Keith vs Mai Valentine (Duelist Kingdom)

Mai Valentine vs Dark Bakura (Battle City)

Rafael vs Dark Marik

Weevil Underwood vs Rebecca Hawkins

 

[Papasmurf]

Mai probably stomps because Metalmorph doesn't allow one to resist Trap effects like Mirror Wall, and I doubt Keith is smart enough to figure out how to destroy Mirror Wall with Duelist Kingdom's bullshit ass rules.

Bakura mentioned that he had de-spell (which seems to work like a no-cost Magic Jammer in the Battle City arc), which I think plot would allow him to have in order to counter Harpie's Feather Duster. Mai also acted like Bakura's combo was completely unbeatable, so yeah Bakura should win here.

Marik loses without Ra but stomps with Ra.

Probably Rebecca seeing as she wasn't laughed out of the KC Grand Championships like Weevil and Rex were.

 

[Animelover5487]

Probably Rebecca seeing as she wasn't laughed out of the KC Grand Championships like Weevil and Rex were.

Weevil and Rex were up against an opponent who even Kaiba struggled against though, and their opening with them summoning their ace monsters on the first turn was kind of impressive and everyone was jaw dropped by Zigfried otk'ing them.

 

[Papasmurf]

Probably Rebecca seeing as she wasn't laughed out of the KC Grand Championships like Weevil and Rex were.

Weevil and Rex were up against an opponent who even Kaiba struggled against though, and their opening with them summoning their ace monsters on the first turn was kind of impressive and everyone was jaw dropped by Zigfried otk'ing them.

Zigfried's little brother was >> Zigfried himself and Rebecca seems to have put up a better fight against him than Rex and Weevil did 2 on 1.

 

[Animelover5487]

Probably Rebecca seeing as she wasn't laughed out of the KC Grand Championships like Weevil and Rex were.

Weevil and Rex were up against an opponent who even Kaiba struggled against though, and their opening with them summoning their ace monsters on the first turn was kind of impressive and everyone was jaw dropped by Zigfried otk'ing them.

Zigfried's little brother was >> Zigfried himself and Rebecca seems to have put up a better fight against him than Rex and Weevil did 2 on 1.

When was Leon stated to be better than Zigfried? It was just that castle guard Zigfried put in his deck that made Yami Yugi struggle otherwise Yugi would have taken him out.

The fact that Rebecca can put up a descent fight against Leon shows he's nowhere near his big brother who defeated Joey who's stronger than a Valon, a guy who effortlessly defeated Rebecca with Duke and Hermos didn't seem to give Joey too much of a power boost.

 

[Papasmurf]

The anime generally implies that Joey's skill worsens considerably when stakes aren't high (like in the duel against Duke), and the KC prix had almost no stakes at all. Joey showed much more skill against Bandit Keith than he did against Duke, and he'd likely have been weaker than his Battle City and Doma selves due to there being little to no stakes. And Zigfried barely won against him and due to dumb luck; he would've gotten stomped by Yami Yugi imo. Yami also seemed to acknowledge Leon as a true Duelist moreso than Zigfried.

The whole Doma arc seemed to paint the picture that the only things guys like Valon and Rafael have to worry about in their opponents' decks would be the legendary dragons, Joey was far weaker in this season both due to there being no stakes and him not being a chosen duelist anymore imo.

 

[SSJ2]

I think Mai would lose to Bandit Keith unless she pulls Mirror Wall. If she does he has no chance.

 

[Animelover5487]

Joey was dueling with a deck built out of booster pack cards that he wasn't used to against Duke, which Yugi pointed out. The anime makes it a point that a duelist skills drops considerably when using a deck they aren't used to, ala Jaden vs Aster's first duel.

Is it ever stated that the stakes thing makes a duelist weaker or is that just an unspoken rule thing? Zigfried being able to pressure an Obelisk-less Kaiba I would say puts him st least more-or-less on Noah level who ought to be above the Big Five who Yugi and Joey had to team up agaist their Five Headed Dragon's combined might.

Yami Yugi's stance on Leon compared to Zigfried seems rather vague as while Leon is the final threat the threat mostly comes from the banned card Zigfried slipped in his deck vs Leon's own skills.

 

[Papasmurf]

Yugi still managed to beat an expert duel robot while using a nobody kid's deck though, so it seems Joey's lack of concentration due to Duke being a noob at Duel Monsters was a bigger reason for his loss than the lack of familiarity he had with the deck.

Yugi mentions that he can't lose because of what's at stake quite often and made it a point to put emphasis on the fact that Kaiba's hate-filled obsession couldn't defeat his faith in his friends or whatever, so whether it's stakes or plot armor mindset that plays into a Duelist's concentration, what you're fighting for and what your goals are seem to play heavily into plot-driven skill.

Leon's skill is hard to measure, but Yugi calling him a true duelist tells me he isn't weaker than his brother at least.

 

[Pyro]

Keith's biggest advantage was his beatstick monsters and general tomfuckery. Without Mirror Wall, shit like Blast Sphere and Metalzoa would run right over Mai, even if she got Harpie's Pet Dragon out and boosted its ATK to 2900. 7 Completed could also make his monsters too powerful for her to stop. However, if she did get Mirror Wall, there'd be nothing he could do to win. Based on how Keith fought Joey at the castle, I think he would beat Mai.

I'd hand it to Mai. She could swarm the field too quickly for Bakura to get his Destiny Board out.

Marik would beat Rafael, with or without Ra. The strategy he used against Joey would work just fine on Rafael, and of course Ra would fucking stomp a mudhole in him and walk him dry.

Other than her first duel with Yugi, Rebecca's been treated as a good duelist, exceeding the likes of joke duelists such as Weevil and Rex. I don't think she would stomp him, but she'd win in the end.

 

[Animelover5487]

I'd hand it to Mai. She could swarm the field too quickly for Bakura to get his Destiny Board out.

Swarming would be useless against that Dark Door + Dark Sanctuary combo and Bakura seemed to have plenty of back-up combos for things that could disrupt his own such as Feather Duster.

Marik would beat Rafael, with or without Ra. The strategy he used against Joey would work just fine on Rafael, and of course Ra would fucking stomp a mudhole in him and walk him dry.

Really? With or without Ra? Yami with both Timeus and Hermos nearly lost to him and only won because Raf forfeited. I haven't rewatched either of the two duels he had with Yami recently yet but I don't think a combo that a far weaker Joey was able to overcome would be too hindrance for someone at Rafael's skill, though I do agree that his deck is shit especially with real life card ruling.

Other than her first duel with Yugi, Rebecca's been treated as a good duelist, exceeding the likes of joke duelists such as Weevil and Rex. I don't think she would stomp him, but she'd win in the end.

I have to disagree with Weevil and Rex being joke duelists. It is just everyone they duel is either a main character, main villain, has plot armor, or in the case of Gurimo has a god card.

They got considerable praise in the Duelist Kingdom and Battle City arc and Weevil put Yami through the ringer after his Orichalcos power up and Rex was in control of his duel with Joey until he made the brilliant move of reviving his Red-Eyes back.

Them being one-shotted by Zigfried was treated as jaw dropping by everyone, even Kaiba.

 

[Pyro]

I'd hand it to Mai. She could swarm the field too quickly for Bakura to get his Destiny Board out.

Swarming would be useless against that Dark Door + Dark Sanctuary combo and Bakura seemed to have plenty of back-up combos for things that could disrupt his own such as Feather Duster.

Like what?

Marik would beat Rafael, with or without Ra. The strategy he used against Joey would work just fine on Rafael, and of course Ra would fucking stomp a mudhole in him and walk him dry.

Really? With or without Ra? Yami with both Timeus and Hermos nearly lost to him and only won because Raf forfeited. I haven't rewatched either of the two duels he had with Yami recently yet but I don't think a combo that a far weaker Joey was able to overcome would be too hindrance for someone at Rafael's skill, though I do agree that his deck is shit especially with real life card ruling.[/quote]
OK, I was overestimating Marik without Ra. Reading Rafael's card's effects (anime versions), he's got too much stuff that would counter Marik's attacks and effects. But nothing he has would stand up to Ra since it can't be stopped.

Other than her first duel with Yugi, Rebecca's been treated as a good duelist, exceeding the likes of joke duelists such as Weevil and Rex. I don't think she would stomp him, but she'd win in the end.

I have to disagree with Weevil and Rex being joke duelists. It is just everyone they duel is either a main character, main villain, has plot armor, or in the case of Gurimo has a god card.

They got considerable praise in the Duelist Kingdom and Battle City arc and Weevil put Yami through the ringer after his Orichalcos power up and Rex was in control of his duel with Joey until he made the brilliant move of reviving his Red-Eyes back.

Them being one-shotted by Zigfried was treated as jaw dropping by everyone, even Kaiba.
[/quote]

I meant joke more in comparison to the main trio and villains. Their whole reason for the Orichalcos undertaking was because they weren't taken seriously anymore by anyone, and it was only after they got upgraded that they were somewhat formidable again. Even then, Joey didn't have that much trouble with Rex, and Atem was severely hindered by recently losing Yugi.

HOLD ON, GOTTA POOP

I'll finish this post later. I got drama in my life.