OCG 2022.10 Metagame Report #8, #9

Welcome to Week #8, #9 of the OCG 2022.10 format.

This report will tabulate 105 top-performing decks from 22 tournaments that were held in Japan, China Mainland, Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand and South Korea during 19 – 27 November 2022.

• V Jump January 2023 promotional card: Sacred Sheep Tree, Baromet

• 59 Tearlaments (49 Kashtira Tearlaments, 7 Ishizu Kashtira Tearlaments, 1 Branded Kashtira Tearlaments, 1 Ishizu Tearlaments, 1 Grass Ishizu Kashtira Tearlaments)
• 25 Kashtira (24 Kashtira, 1 Invoked Kashtira)
• 2 Floowandereeze
• 2 Labrynth
• 2 Runick
• 1 Branded Bystial Despia
• 1 Branded Cyber Dragon
• 1 Dracoslayer
• 1 Eldlich
• 1 Grass Bystial Dragon Link
• 1 Grass Branded Despia Shaddoll Tearlaments
• 1 Grass Branded Despia Kashtira Tearlaments Shaddoll
• 1 Gravekeeper
• 1 HERO
• 1 Kashtira Rikka
• 1 Kashtira SPYRAL
• 1 Magician
• 1 Mathmech @Ignister
• 1 Tearlaments Phantom Knights
• 1 Tenyi Swordsoul

Potofu (ぽとふ) went 7-1 and finished 1st in “Anniversary Event Oguibento CS Individual Tournament in Aomori” which had 37 participants.

Mudragon of the Swamp makes a return to the Extra Deck of Tearlaments. GenGen mentioned a couple of advantages that Mudragon of the Swamp brings to the table in a recent tweet (@16GenGen_094).

Besides being a Level 4 monster which is useful for making Rank 4 plays, Mudragon of the Swamp‘s Quick Effect to change its Attribute also meant that it could be used to fulfil the requirement of any of the Charmer Link Monsters by changing to the respective Attribute.

Mudragon of the Swamp‘s Continuous Effect affects all monsters on the field, including the opponent’s monster. Against Tearlaments, Mudragon of the Swamp could use its Quick Effect to change its Attribute to DARK, preventing Tearlaments Kitkallos from activating its Ignition Effect by targeting itself. Against Kashtira, Mudragon of the Swamp could use its Quick Effect to change its Attribute to WIND, preventing Kashtiratheosis from being activated by targeting Kashtira Unicorn.

Mudragon of the Swamp is also able to protect your own Tearlaments Reinoheart and Tearlaments Kitkallos from being targeted by opponent’s Infinite Impermanence, Ghost Mourner & Moonlit Chill or Effect Veiler through some clever sequencing. Mudragon of the Swamp‘s original Attribute is WATER, so that by default would prevent Tearlaments Reinoheart from being targeted when it is summoned. Then after Tearlaments Reinoheart effect successfully resolves and sends a Tearlaments monster from deck to the graveyard, the Tearlaments monster Trigger Effect would go on Chain 1, then Mudragon of the Swamp Quick Effect would go on Chain 2 to change its Attribute to DARK. After the chain resolves, Mudragon of the Swamp would now prevent DARK monsters from being targeted, and thus would protect the freshly Fusion Summoned Tearlaments Kitkallos.

Finally, Mudragon of the Swamp is a backup plan to play around Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries banishing Tearlaments Kitkallos. When activating a Tearlaments monster graveyard effect, the opponent could respond by activating Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries in a Chain. Resolving the Chain, Tearlaments Kitkallos would be banished, forcing Tearlaments to Fusion Summon Tearlaments Kaleido-Heart if they have the respective materials in hand, field and/or graveyard, or it would fizzle with no effect if there are no Fusion Monster in the Extra Deck that could be summoned with the available materials. Having Mudragon of the Swamp in the Extra Deck allows it to be Fusion Summoned in such a circumstance, and could later be used as Fusion Material to Fusion Summon Predaplant Dragostapelia.

Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries is seeing a significant rise in usage. Among the 55 decks in Week #8, 9 decks were running 3 Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries in the Main Deck, 13 decks were running 2 – 3 Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries in the Side Deck, and 2 decks were running a 1:2 ratio in the Main Deck and Side Deck. Among the 50 decks in Week #9, 15 decks were running 2 – 3 Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries in the Main Deck, 14 decks were running 3 Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries in the Side Deck, and 3 decks were running a 2:1 or 1:2 ratio in the Main Deck and Side Deck.

From 24/55 in Week #8 to 32/50 in Week #9, Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries has become a fundamental part of the metagame and Tearlaments player have to be prepared to play against it. Besides running Called by the Grave and Crossout Designator in the Main Deck, Tearlaments Cryme has also been moved from the Side Deck to the Main Deck.

Hakua (はくあ) went 7-1 and finished 1st in “Aleister Championship 2022” which had 39 participants.

Sauravis, the Ancient and Ascended is a ‘hand trap’ that has been picked up by Kashtira to protect their opening combo. Sauravis, the Ancient and Ascended can be discarded from hand to negate the activation of a card or effect that targets your monster, such as Ghost Mourner & Moonlit Chill, Mind Control, Infinite Impermanence, Tearlaments Metanoise and Tearlaments Sulliek. Sauravis, the Ancient and Ascended is a Dragon monster and could be added to hand from deck by Bystial Magnamhut effect.

Forbidden Lance is also another tech choice that fulfils a similar role as Sauravis, the Ancient and Ascended. Forbidden Lance has a slightly different range of influence, being unable to stop Monster Effects such as Ghost Mourner & Moonlit Chill and Effect Veiler, but could be used against non-targeting Spells such as Book of Eclipse and Raigeki.

Nearing the end of the OCG 2022.10 format, Tearlaments held steadfast to its dominant lead. Kashtira has picked itself up and is back in a strong second.

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• 2022-11-27 | Anniversary Event Oguibento CS Individual Tournament in Aomori
• 2022-11-27 | Aleister Championship 2022 (ACS) (1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th)
• 2022-11-27 | Tetsu Champion Ship Light 2022
• 2022-11-27 | 2nd Rai Festival
• 2022-11-27 | 3rd Lance CS Team Tournament
• 2022-11-27 | 156th Taiyo CS
• 2022-11-27 | 2nd Tulio CS @ Nabe 2v2 Team Tournament
• 2022-11-27 | 4th Sapporo GCS (Individual Tournament)
• 2022-11-27 | 2nd HKCS (1st | 2nd | 3 – 4th: A, B)
• 2022-11-27 | 1923CS 3v3 Team Tournament
• 2022-11-26 | Anniversary Event Oguibento CS 2v2 Team Tournament in Aomori
• 2022-11-23 | KCS (1st: A, B | 2nd: A, B)
• 2022-11-23 | 9th Tulio CS @ Nabe
• 2022-11-20 | 19th YCCS in Chiba (3v3 Team Tournament) (1st: A, B, C | 2nd: A, B, C)
• 2022-11-20 | 3rd Shachiku Cup
• 2022-11-20 | Thai Festival Series Loy Krathong 2022
• 2022-11-20 | 1923CS Individual Tournament
• 2022-11-19 | 21st RAM Cup
• 2022-11-19 | 11th Fukui CS
• 2022-11-19 | Purgatrio Cup in Nagoya (1st: A, B, C | 2nd: A, B, C)
• 2022-11-19 | Asia Campus League 2022 Philippines
• 2022-11-19 | Champion Card Store Tournament