OCG 2022.07 Metagame Report #5, #6

Welcome to Week #5, #6 of the OCG 2022.07 format.

This report will tabulate 104 top-performing decks from 17 tournaments that were held in Japan, China Mainland, Taiwan, and South Korea during 30 July – 7 August 2022.

• Structure Deck R: Devil’s Gate

• 43 Tearlaments (36 Ishizu Tearlaments, 5 Grass Ishizu Tearlaments, 1 Branded Tearlaments, 1 Tearlaments)
• 28 Spright
• 4 Exosister
• 3 Dragon Link (2 Bystial Dragon Link, 1 Grass Bystial Dragon Link)
• 3 Magician
• 3 Runick (2 Spright Runick, 1 Runick)
• 2 Adamancipator (1 Grass Adamancipator, 1 Ishizu Adamancipator)
• 2 Chaos Bystial Thunder Dragon
• 2 Endymion
• 2 Floowandereeze
• 2 Virtual World (1 Adventurer Virtual World, 1 Swordsoul Virtual World)
• 1 Branded Bystial
• 1 Grass Branded Bystial Despia
• 1 Grass Infernoid
• 1 Grass Tearlaments Shaddoll
• 1 Grass Tearlaments Thunder Dragon P.U.N.K. Bystial
• 1 Ishizu Naturia
• 1 Labrynth
• 1 Odd-Eyes Performapal Dracoslayer
• 1 Tenyi Swordsoul
• 1 Tri-Brigade Lyrilusc

Tsang Pok Man went 8-1 and finished 1st in “Duelist Cup 2022 Taiwan” which had 69 participants.

Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax that was Link Summoned using I:P Masquerena cannot be targeted and cannot be destroyed by opponent’s card effects, and could boost its own ATK when battling with a Special Summoned monster, making it difficult to be taken out.

Underworld Goddess of the Closed World is an answer to the untargetable and indestructible Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax. Using Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy to Special Summon I:P Masquerena from opponent’s graveyard, then together with another monster and opponent’s Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax, they are used as materials to Link Summon Underworld Goddess of the Closed World. This would trigger Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax ③ effect (relevant ruling is If “Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon” on my field leaves the field due to opponent’s Normal Summoning or Special Summoning procedure). However, as Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax ③ effect does not target, but shuffles 1 card to deck during resolution, it could not return Underworld Goddess of the Closed World back to deck. A Link Summoned Underworld Goddess of the Closed World is unaffected by opponent’s non-targeting activated effects.

Borreload Dragon is another answer to the untargetable and indestructible Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax. Using the same method of Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy to Special Summon I:P Masquerena from opponent’s graveyard, then together with another monster, they could be used to Link Summon Borreload Dragon. Borreload Dragon would then attack Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax and activate its effect to take control of Avramax. Now the opponent has to face against an untargetable and indestructible Borreload Dragon and an untargetable Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax. The effect of I:P Masquerena which prevents the Link Monster from being destroyed by opponent’s card effects is always applied to the player that performed the Link Summon. Although you gained control of the opponent’s Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax, you still cannot destroy Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax by card effect, while the opponent could destroy it (relevant ruling is If opponent gained control of the monster Link Summoned using “I:P Masquerena”).

Taking control of the opponent’s Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax is often a game winning play, making Borreload Dragon the preferred choice over Underworld Goddess of the Closed World for many players. Borreload Dragon is also more resilient against targeting removal such as Kashtira Fenrir.

Xingzhikabi9 (性之卡比9) finished 2nd in “China City Tournament Ningbo 2022” which had 344 participants.

Spright’s opening board is now much more vulnerable to Spell removal such as Raigeki, and could only rely on Spright Carrot or Solemn Judgment to negate Spell cards. More often when unable to negate Raigeki, the Spright player would have to chain with I:P Masquerena effect to Link Summon a Link Monster. A Link Monster summoned using I:P Masquerena cannot be destroyed by opponent’s card effects, and it would remain after Raigeki.

Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax was one of the popular Link Monster to summon with I:P Masquerena among early Spright deck builds, but has fallen recently as many opponents are now prepared with Borreload Dragon or Underworld Goddess of the Closed World and could clear it with ease. Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess becomes the next popular option, being able to negate monster effects and disrupt their plays.

Raigeki is a powerful removal against Spright, but it does not wipe out Spright’s opening board completely as they could still chain with I:P Masquerena. Hence some players have opted to run The Winged Dragon of Ra – Sphere Mode instead, to cleanly take out Gigantic Spright equipped with Dragon Buster Destruction Sword, Spright Elf and I:P Masquerena by tributing them all.

Tearlaments and Spright are still running in first and second respectively, but the gap between them has narrowed slightly.

Besides Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy, some players are also running Aussa the Earth Charmer, Immovable in the Extra Deck. Functionally useful EARTH monsters that could be Special Summoned by Aussa the Earth Charmer, Immovable are the old classic Dinowrestler Pankratops and the newcomer Kashtira Fenrir.

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• 2022-08-07 | 3rd Tulio CS @ Nabe with Peco CS
• 2022-08-07 | 130th Taiyo CS (2v2 Team Tournament)
• 2022-08-07 | China City Tournament Ningbo 2022
• 2022-08-07 | Xingyiyuan Ranking Tournament
• 2022-08-07 | DDD Different Dimension Cards Ranking Tournament
• 2022-08-07 | 1923CS 3v3 Team Tournament
• 2022-08-06 | 15th kinta CS (2v2 Team Tournament)
• 2022-08-06 | 5th Kurai Taiyo CS Puchi
• 2022-08-06 | Duelist Cup 2022 Taiwan
• 2022-08-06 | Qidian Card Ranking Tournament
• 2022-08-03 | 98th Next Play Cup
• 2022-07-31 | 5th Shuto CS (1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th)
• 2022-07-31 | 2nd Yosuga CS
• 2022-07-31 | 5th Saiya CS
• 2022-07-30 | 128th Taiyo CS (2v2 Team Tournament)
• 2022-07-30 | Mirin CS 3v3 Team Tournament
• 2022-07-30 | NcM Card Store Tournament