OCG 2021.01 Metagame Report #9

by Akira · 6 March 2021

Welcome to Week #9 of the OCG 2021.01 format.

This report will tabulate 94 top-performing decks from 14 tournaments that were held in Japan, China Mainland and Taiwan during 27 – 28 February 2021.

Metagame Breakdown

14 Zoodiac
12 Drytron
10 Virtual World
6 Shaddoll (2 Grass Shaddoll, 1 Shaddoll, 1 Dogmatika Shaddoll, 1 Invoked Shaddoll, 1 Grass Invoked Shaddoll)
5 Adamancipator
5 Eldlich (3 Eldlich, 1 Dogmatika Eldlich, 1 Grass Zombie Eldlich)
5 Tri-Brigade (2 Zoodiac Tri-Brigade, 1 Tri-Brigade, 1 Ancient Warriors Tri-Brigade, 1 Lyrilusc Ancient Warriors Tri-Brigade)
4 Endymion
4 Phantom Knights (3 Phantom Knights, 1 Grass Amazement Lightsworn Phantom Knights)
4 @Ignister
3 Dragonmaid
3 Orcust
3 Prank-Kids
3 SPYRAL
3 Thunder Dragon
2 Sky Striker
2 Zefra
1 Altergeist
1 Code Talker
1 Dogmatika Invoked
1 Dogmatika Traptrix
1 Gizmek Orochi Da Eiza
1 Magician

Zoodiac

Ningen (人間) went 7-0-1 and finished 1st in “2nd Fukui CS” which had 40 participants.

Retaliating “C” is seeing a slight resurgence in the Side Deck among Zoodiac builds.

Against Drytron, Retaliating “C” can be chained to the activation of Drytron Nova and Meteonis Drytron. Retaliating “C” would disrupt their plays as Drytron and Herald monsters relies on utilizing the graveyard. Because the activation cost of sending 1 Fairy monster from hand to the graveyard could not be fulfilled, Herald of Ultimateness would be unable to activate its negation effect.

Against Virtual World, Retaliating “C” can be chained to the activation of Virtual World City – Kauwloon and Emergency Teleport. As Retaliating “C” would make any card sent to the Graveyard to be banished instead, Virtual World monsters would be unable to fulfill the effect of sending 1 “Virtual World” card of a different type (Monster, Spell, Trap) from the deck to the graveyard, and in turn could not be Special Summoned from hand.

Retaliating “C” is also useful against Shaddoll, Eldlich builds using Reasoning, and Prank-Kids builds using Polymerization.

Drytron

Kazuki (和希) went 10-1 and finished 1st in “China City Tournament Guangzhou 2021” which had 250 participants.

Some Drytron builds have been cutting out Crossout Designator from the Main Deck. Different opponents are running different choices of ‘hand traps’ against Drytron, with no common consensus on a single approach, this makes it difficult to run the appropriate complement for Crossout Designator.

Instant Fusion for Millennium-Eyes Restrict functions as an additional Called by the Grave, but comes with an Level 1 monster that could be used to for Xyz Summoning Drytron Mu Beta Fafnir.

Virtual World

Hajime (甫) went 6-2 and finished 2nd in “2nd Fukui CS” which had 40 participants.

Although it is plausible to answer Retaliating “C” with Virtual World Gate – Qinglong or Virtual World Gate – Chuche, it still depletes a lot of resources in doing so, and there is a Maxx “C” following up after sending Retaliating “C” to the graveyard. Tt is better to play around Retaliating “C” when possible, notably against Zoodiac after Side Decking.

Conclusion

Zoodiac, Drytron and Virtual World takes the lead towards the end of the OCG 2021.01 format.

It is interesting to note that there is a divergence in the OCG metagame among the different regions.

Drytron has been underperforming in Japan, taking only 4 top finishes across 10 tournaments. Whereas in China Mainland and Taiwan, Drytron took 8 top finishes across 4 tournaments. Remarkably, Drytron won the “China City Tournament Guangzhou 2021”, the largest tournament in the current OCG 2021.01 format with 250 participants.

On the contrary, Virtual World continues to dominate in Japan, taking a total of 9 top finishes across 10 tournaments. Whereas China Mainland saw only a single Top 16 finish in the “China City Tournament Guangzhou 2021”.

If you enjoyed these Weekly Metagame Reports, consider supporting Road of the King on Patreon. Cheers!