OCG 2020.07 Metagame (1 Jul – 30 Sep 2020)

The OCG 2020.07 Limit Regulation hit only Linkross, weakening the combo decks, but left the previous top 3 decks unaffected. Orcust took a strong lead at the start of the format, but they were gradually overtaken by Dogmatika Invoked. Shaddoll grew in presence towards the end of the format, using Shaddoll Fusion to gain advantage against Orcust and Dogmatika Invoked. Eldlich served as a check against both Dogmatika Invoked and Shaddoll.

Phantom Rage gave Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder to Zoodiac and propelled them back into top contenders. Prank-Kids also received Prank-Kids Meow-Meow-Mu, a new Link-1 monster that improved their consistency by allowing them to combo without Polymerization.

Compiled from a total of 515 top-placing decks from 94 competitive tournaments held in Japan, China Mainland, Taiwan and Thailand, here is the final metagame breakdown of the OCG 2020.07 format.

• 75 Orcust (40 Dragoon Orcust, 17 Orcust, 9 Mekk-Knight Orcust, 8 Machina Orcust, 1 Dragoon Grinder Orcust)
• 55 Dogmatika Invoked (53 Dogmatika Invoked, 2 Dragoon Dogmatika Invoked)
• 48 Eldlich (15 Eldlich, 12 Numeron Eldlich, 10 Dogmatika Eldlich, 3 Grass Zombie Eldlich, 2 Dragoon Numeron Eldlich, 2 Dragoon Grinder Eldlich, 1 Demise Eldlich, 1 Grinder Numeron Eldlich, 1 Invoked Eldlich, 1 Marincess Eldlich)
• 36 Zoodiac (22 Zoodiac, 11 Dogmatika Zoodiac, 1 Dogmatika Time Thief Zoodiac, 1 Dragoon Zoodiac, 1 Tri-Brigade Zoodiac)
• 33 Shaddoll (21 Dogmatika Invoked Shaddoll, 11 Dogmatika Shaddoll, 1 Dragoon Dogmatika Invoked Shaddoll)
• 32 Thunder Dragon (30 Thunder Dragon, 2 Invoked Thunder Dragon)
• 28 Sky Striker (22 Sky Striker, 5 Dragoon Sky Striker, 1 Dogmatika Sky Striker)
• 21 Prank-Kids
• 19 Zefra
• 18 Tempest Magician FTK (10 Danger Dark World Tempest Magician FTK, 6 Hedgehog Tempest Magician FTK, 2 Danger Tempest Magician FTK)
• 16 Code Talker (14 Code Talker, 2 Salamangreat Code Talker)
• 15 Infernoble Knight
• 14 Altergeist
• 12 Mekk-Knight (4 Mekk-Knight, 4 Orcust Mekk-Knight, 2 World Chalice Mekk-Knight, 1 Artifact Mekk-Knight, 1 Sacred Beast Mekk-Knight)
• 10 SPYRAL
• 9 Virtual World
• 8 Adamancipator (6 Dragoon Adamancipator, 2 Adamancipator)
• 8 Salamangreat
• 7 Magician
• 6 Numeron
• 6 Phantom Knights, (3 Dragoon Phantom Knights, 2 Phantom Knights, 1 Grass Lightsworn Phantom Knights)
• 6 Subterror (4 Numeron Subterror, 2 Dragoon Numeron Subterror)
• 4 Cyber Dragon (3 Dragoon Cyber Dragon, 1 Cyber Dragon)
• 4 Mythical Beast Endymion
• 3 Dragonmaid
• 3 Infernoid (2 Grass Infernoid, 1 Infernoid)
• 3 WATER Synchro
• 2 Dogmatika Traptrix
• 2 Gizmek Orochi Da Eiza
• 1 Danger Dark World
• 1 Dragon Link
• 1 Dragoon Dinosaur
• 1 Dragoon Invoked
• 1 Dragunity
• 1 Fluffal
• 1 Generaider
• 1 Junk Doppel
• 1 Madolche
• 1 Mathmeth
• 1 Rikka
• 1 Six Samurai

Dragoon Orcust is the dominant build and it crushed the early format with Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon.

The release of Phantom Rage came with Alpha, the Master of Beasts and Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder, two new non-targeting, non-destruction removal against Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon. As most decks are able to answer Dragoon efficiently, this saw the onset of Orcust’s decline.

OCG 2020.07 → OCG 2020.10 Limit Regulation changes:

• Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight 3 → 1
• Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon 1 → 0
• Called by the Grave 3 → 2
• Red-Eyes Fusion 1 → 3

The OCG 2020.10 Limit Regulation has Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight limited, but Orcust could plainly replace with Dark Grepher, Scrap Recycler or Mathematician. Although Orcust might still be able to compete due to its consistency, having Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon forbidden is a significant drop in power level.

Dogmatika Invoked was visibly missing from the tops in the initial weeks, but made a strong return by taking down Orcust. They remained consistently around the top for the rest of the format.

OCG 2020.07 → OCG 2020.10 Limit Regulation changes:

• Nadir Servant 3 → 2
• Called by the Grave 3 → 2

The OCG 2020.10 Limit Regulation has Nadir Servant semi-limited, slightly lowering the consistency of Dogmatika Invoked, but its power level remained the same and would continue to perform in the new format.

The initial hype was around Numeron Eldlich, but it quickly lose steam as many players started running Forbidden Droplet in the Main Deck to answer Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon and Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL.

Mono Eldlich and Dogmatika Eldlich became the more popular choice later in the format to beat Dogmatika Invoked and Shaddoll.

OCG 2020.07 → OCG 2020.10 Limit Regulation changes:

• Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL 3 → 0

With Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL forbidden, there is no more reason to run the Numeron package. Mono Eldlich and Dogmatika Eldlich would continue to perform well in the new format.

Dogmatika, Dragoon and Numeron are the top 3 popular packages ran in various decks. Out of all 515 decks, 113 decks were running Dogmatika, 70 decks were running Dragoon, and 27 were running Numeron. There were a few overlapping sets, 3 decks were running both Dogmatika and Dragoon, and 4 decks were running both Dragoon and Numeron.

312 decks ran neither Dogmatika, Dragoon nor Numeron.

OCG 2020.07 → OCG 2020.10 Limit Regulation changes:

• Nadir Servant 3 → 2
• Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon 1 → 0
• Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL 3 → 0

The OCG 2020.10 Limit Regulation gave Dogmatika a slight hit by semi-limiting Nadir Servant. Dogmatika is still strong and will continue to see much play in the format. Dragoon was taken out completely with Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon becoming forbidden. Although Numeron itself is untouched, opening with Infinitrack Fortress Megaclops, Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess or Saryuja Skull Dread is not on the same level as Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL.

With Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon and Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL out of the scene, there is little reason to run Forbidden Droplet. Book of Moon fulfills a similar role but without the hefty activation cost. Flipping El Shaddoll Winda, Thunder Dragon Colossus face-down turns off their Continuous Effect, and flipping Invoked Mechaba, Zoodiac Drident, Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder face-down denies their Quick Effect.

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