OCG 2017.10 Metagame Report #3

by Akira · 20 October 2017

Welcome to Week #3 of the OCG 2017.10 format.

This report will tabulate 48 top-performing decks from 7 tournaments that were held in Japan and China during 14 – 17 October 2017.

New Product Release

Extreme Force

Metagame Breakdown

34 SPYRAL
3 Dinosaur:
- 2 Yang Zing Dinosaur
- 1 True King Dinosaur
2 Zefra
1 Meta Beat
1 Artifact Star Seraph Parshath
1 Burning Abyss
1 Darklord
1 Greener Kaiju Infernoid
1 Infernity
1 Kaiju Cyber Dragon
1 Magical Musketeer
1 Subterror

SPYRAL

Borreload Dragon has become a main stay in the Extra Deck of a SPYRAL deck. Its main purpose is to answer SPYRAL Sleeper.

The (1)st effect of SPYRAL Sleeper is a targeting effect, so playing SPYRAL Resort would often force SPYRAL Sleeper to respond by destroying it. If the opponent chose not to destroy SPYRAL Resort, then SPYRAL Resort would protect your SPYRAL cards from being targeted by SPYRAL Sleeper.

A common combo like SPYRAL GEAR – Drone + SPYRAL Super Agent would Link Summon SPYRAL Double Helix, and its effect would Special Special SPYRAL Quik-Fix. SPYRAL Quik-Fix would fetch for SPYRAL GEAR – Big Red to revive SPYRAL Super Agent. Use SPYRAL Double Helix + SPYRAL Quik-Fix + SPYRAL Super Agent to Link Summon Borreload Dragon.

Borreload Dragon cannot be targeted by monster effects, rendering SPYRAL Sleeper useless in the face of it. When Borreload Dragon attacks SPYRAL Sleeper, triggering its (3)rd effect would take control of SPYRAL Sleeper, and now the opponent has to fight against their own SPYRAL Sleeper. And if SPYRAL Sleeper was destroyed and sent to the graveyard, its mandatory (3)rd effect would trigger and destroy your opponent’s board.

The 3rd Duel of the Hatti Grand Championship 2017 Final Match is the perfect illustration of how Borreload Dragon could turn the tables when going second.

In this match, we have Raker (レイカー) on the left playing against JOE on the right. JOE had already won the first 2 Duels, and in this best-of-5 series, winning the 3rd Duel would mean winning the Hatti Grand Championship 2017 for JOE.

Raker went first and was able to pull off his combo without any disruptions from JOE.
He ended with 4 threats on the field:
a 3 co-linked Tri-Gate Wizard,
a 1 co-linked Firewall Dragon,
a SPYRAL Sleeper equipped with SPYRAL GEAR – Last Resort,
and a set SPYRAL GEAR – Utility Wire.

JOE had a Harpie’s Feather Duster which managed to force a negation from Tri-Gate Wizard, and it was followed by a Dark Hole. That left Raker with only SPYRAL Sleeper as the remaining threat.

JOE then Special Summoned Blackwing – Gofu the Vague Shadow, and with its Tokens, they became Linkuriboh and Proxy Dragon. That forced Raker to destroy them with SPYRAL Sleeper‘s effect.

With all of Raker’s threats exhausted, JOE had free rein to pull off his SPYRAL combo. JOE Normal Summoned SPYRAL Quik-Fix, fetching SPYRAL GEAR – Big Red. One for One Special Summoned another SPYRAL Quik-Fix, adding SPYRAL GEAR – Drone to hand. Both SPYRAL Quik-Fix were used to Link Summon SPYRAL Double Helix. SPYRAL Quik-Fix then revived itself by discarding SPYRAL GEAR – Drone, and SPYRAL GEAR – Last Resort was added from deck to hand.

When SPYRAL GEAR – Big Red was activated, targeting SPYRAL GEAR – Drone, Raker responded with D.D. Crow. At this point, JOE took a risk and declared “Monster” for the effect of SPYRAL Double Helix, and Lady Luck was smiling down on him – Raker flipped over the top of his deck to reveal Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit.

This is the critical point in the game. JOE could have Special Summoned SPYRAL Master Plan, and Link Summon Borreload Dragon. Borreload Dragon would take control of Raker’s SPYRAL Sleeper, allowing JOE to develop his board further and clear his opponent’s board.

There is the possibility that JOE had sided out SPYRAL Master Plan, so an alternative play is to Special Summon SPYRAL Super Agent to destroy the opponent’s SPYRAL Resort. This follow-up might be weaker, but it would still lead to Link Summoning Borreload Dragon and taking control of SPYRAL Sleeper.

However, JOE went for a very underwhelming play. He added SPYRAL Sleeper to hand, and then Link Summon Ningirsu the World Chalice Warrior to trade with Raker’s SPYRAL Sleeper. JOE then played his own SPYRAL Sleeper equipped with SPYRAL GEAR – Last Resort, but that was easily answered by Raker in the next turn. JOE would go on to lose that Duel.

The new Link-4 monster from Extreme Force, Saryuja Skull Dread, is gaining popularity in SPYRAL.

Link Summoning Skull Dread using 4 monsters would very often lead to a win since you could improve your hand by swapping away the weaker cards, but the cases of having 4 monsters with different names are quite uncommon. Blackwing – Gofu the Vague Shadow + SPYRAL Quik-Fix is the most popular combination to Link Summon Saryuja Skull Dread.

Conclusion

The debut of Extreme Force has minimal impact on the current SPYRAL metagame, but it brought along a couple of new interesting cards for the rogue decks.

Inspect Boarder is a great addition for Control decks such as Meta Beat and Artifact Star Seraph Parshath to limit the amount of Monster Effects that can be activated per turn.

Overtex Coatls is played in the new Yang Zing Dinosaur deck. Armageddon Knight + Miscellaneousaurus would produce the usual Denglong, First of the Yang Zing + Nine Pillars of Yang Zing opening, but with an additional Double Evolution Pill to Special Summon Overtex Coatls or Ultimate Conductor Tyranno.