OCG 2023.07 Metagame Report #1, #2

by · 17 July 2023

Welcome to Week #1, #2 of the OCG 2023.07 format.

This report will tabulate 176 top-performing decks from 36 tournaments that were held in Japan, China Mainland, South Korea and Vietnam during 1 – 12 July 2023.

Metagame Breakdown

  • 25 Tearlaments (17 Ishizu Tearlaments, 6 Ishizu Kashtira Tearlaments, 1 Danger Ishizu Tearlaments, 1 P.U.N.K. Ishizu Tearlaments)
  • 18 Labrynth (13 Labrynth, 5 Unchained Labrynth)
  • 18 Rescue-ACE
  • 16 Branded (9 Branded, 6 Grass Branded, 1 Grass Predaplant Branded)
  • 15 Purrely
  • 7 Adamancipator (5 Grass Superheavy Samurai Ishizu Vernusylph Adamancipator, 1 Fossil Vernusylph Adamancipator, 1 Superheavy Samurai Adamancipator)
  • 6 Dinosaur
  • 6 Unchained
  • 5 Dragon Link (3 Grass Bystial Dragon Link, 2 Bystial Dragon Link)
  • 5 Mathmech (3 Mathmech, 2 Code Talker Mathmech)
  • 4 Spright Tri-Brigade
  • 3 HERO
  • 3 Magician
  • 3 Runick
  • 3 Sky Striker
  • 2 Beetrooper
  • 2 Exosister
  • 2 Marincess
  • 2 Mikanko
  • 2 Necroface (1 Grass Ishizu Kashtira Thunder Dragon P.U.N.K. Necroface, 1 Grass Superheavy Samurai Thunder Dragon Bystial P.U.N.K. Necroface)
  • 2 Phantom Knights (1 Phantom Knights, 1 Mikanko Phantom Knights)
  • 2 Salamangreat (1 Salamangreat, 1 Mathmech Salamangreat)
  • 2 Sunavalon Rikka
  • 2 Superheavy Samurai (1 Superheavy Samurai, 1 Bystial Superheavy Samurai)
  • 2 Synchron (1 Adventurer Synchron, 1 Adventurer Kashtira Synchron)
  • 2 Tenyi Swordsoul
  • 2 Virtual World
  • 1 Adventurer Plunder Patroll
  • 1 Blackwing
  • 1 Branded Chimera
  • 1 Chaos Bystial Galaxy-Eyes
  • 1 Dogmatika
  • 1 Dogmatika Invoked
  • 1 Dracoslayer
  • 1 Evil Eye
  • 1 Red Dragon Archfiend
  • 1 Scareclaw Mannadium
  • 1 Spellbook Dracoslayer Endymion Zefra
  • 1 Superheavy Samurai Prank-Kids
  • 1 Traptrix
  • 1 Tri-Brigade Lyrilusc
  • 1 Vanquish Soul

Tearlaments

Mac went 12-1-1 and finished 1st in “China City Tournament Beijing II 2023” which had 700 participants.

He ran a P.U.N.K. package to Synchro Summon Chaos Ruler, the Chaotic Magical Dragon to excavate 5 cards, and could also Xyz Summon The Zombie Vampire to further send another 4 cards to the graveyard. This build has maxed out on the various effect to send cards from deck to graveyard, even running Helshaddoll Hollow in addition to the standard Tearlaments and Ishizu monsters, making it possible to send over 20 cards from deck to graveyard in a single turn for an explosive play.

Labrynth

Verrun (ばーらん) went 5-2 and finished 3 – 4th in “8th Alo CS” which had 36 participants.

Tackle Crusader could be used to disrupt the opponent when discarded to activate Labrynth Chandraglier or Labrynth Stovie Torbie effect. When Tackle Crusader is sent to the graveyard, its effect could be activated to change 1 opponent’s face-up monster to face-down Defense Position. This effect could be used on Rescue-ACE Turbulence before its effect could be activated to set 4 up to 4 “Rescue-ACE” Quick-Play Spells / Normal Traps from deck, or on a =Purrely monsters so it could not be used for Xyz Summon.

Transaction Rollback has also greatly boosted Labrynth, allowing Labrynth to continue with their play even after being hit by the opponent’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. If Welcome Labrynth or Big Welcome Labrynth is negated, then Transaction Rollback graveyard effect could be activated to copy their effect to Special Summon 1 “Labrynth” monster.

Rescue-ACE

Baya (バヤ) went 7-1 and finished 1st in “9th Colorful Cup” which had 32 participants.

He ran Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon and various Synchro Monsters in the Extra Deck for access to effects that can negate Spell/Trap cards. Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon requires Machine monsters for its Link Material, non-Machine Effect Monsters can be used to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Camellia first, before being used with another Rescue-ACE Machine monster to Link Summon Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon.

After Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon is Link Summoned and 3 “Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens” are Special Summoned, Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon effect is activated by tributing itself and 1 “Mecha Phantom Beast Token” to Special Summon Mecha Phantom Beast O-Lion from deck. Mecha Phantom Beast O-Lion and 1 “Mecha Phantom Beast Token” are used to Synchro Summon Accel Synchron, and Mecha Phantom Beast O-Lion effect will Special Summon 1 “Mecha Phantom Beast Token”. Accel Synchron effect is activated by sending Jet Synchron from deck to graveyard, reducing its Level by 1. Accel Synchron and 1 “Mecha Phantom Beast Token” are used to Synchro Summon F.A. Dawn Dragster. Jet Synchron graveyard effect is activated to Special Summon itself and together with 1 “Mecha Phantom Beast Token” they are used to Synchro Summon Herald of the Arc Light.

F.A. Dawn Dragster effect can be used to negate Infinite Impermanence, while Herald of the Arc Light prevents Effect Veiler from being activated. Together they ensure that Rescue-ACE Turbulence effect will resolve successfully to set 4 up to 4 “Rescue-ACE” Quick-Play Spells / Normal Traps from deck. During the opponent’s turn, F.A. Dawn Dragster and Herald of the Arc Light are also useful for negating the opponent’s Evenly Matched or Lightning Storm.

Borreload Savage Dragon and Baronne de Fleur are also other options that could be Synchro Summoned, and their negation effects help to cover up Rescue-ACE’s weakness of being unable to deal with Spells/Traps.

Branded

Yanxia (炎夏) went 10-2-1 and finished 3 – 4th in “China City Tournament Beijing II 2023” which had 700 participants.

Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion is a good tech in the current metagame, having wide usage such as negating Tearlaments monster graveyard effect, Big Welcome Labrynth ① effect, My Friend Purrely ② effect, and Branded in Red, Lubellion the Searing Dragon, Albion the Sanctifire Dragon effect. As Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion negates activation, Branded Lost would be able to protect Branded in Red and Lubellion the Searing Dragon from being negated by Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion.

If at least one of the targets is from the graveyard, then Branded Expulsion could be negated by Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion. To play around Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion, Albion the Branded Dragon effect could be used to banish Gimmick Puppet Nightmare and Fallen of Albaz / Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous. Then since both targets of Branded Expulsion are from banished, Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion cannot be used to negate it.

Purrely

In Week #1, Raito (ライト) went 8-0 and finished 1st in “14th Droplet Cup” which had 32 participants. Then on Week #2, he went 8-0 and finished 1st in “17th Tulio CS @ Nabe Individual Tournament” which had 32 participants.

The OCG 2023.07 Limit Regulation has weakened Superheavy Samurai and Adamancipator decks, and their decline resulted in a drop of Droll & Lock Bird usage. Monster Effect negations ‘hand traps’ such as Infinite Impermanence and Effect Veiler are seeing an uptake instead as a counter to Rescue-ACE.

To play around the opponent’s Infinite Impermanence and Effect Veiler, Purrely deck builds are running the full 3 copies of Stray Purrely Street. During the End Phase, Stray Purrely Street is also useful for attaching the newly limited Purrely Sleepy Memory.

The limitation of Purrely Sleepy Memory also meant that it is no longer reliable to depend on Epurrely Noir to fetch Purrelyeap!?. Running the full 3 copies of Purrelyeap!? becomes necessary to see it in the opening hand or to be able to fetch it reliably with My Friend Purrely by revealing 3 copies.

Pot of Desires is also being played to supplement the loss of Purrely Sleepy Memory for generating card advantage.

Conclusion

The metagame remains diverse with Tearlaments, Labrynth, Rescue-ACE, Branded and Purrely in the lead.

The OCG 2023.07 Limit Regulation weakened Superheavy Samurai and Adamancipator, and as a result the metagame is shifting towards a relatively slower format dominated by midrange decks.

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

References

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8 Responses

  1. 13thMu says:
    17 July 2023 at 5:12 pm

    @Tearneverdies

    Reply
  2. Jav says:
    17 July 2023 at 10:44 pm

    😂😂😂😂 Wtf is OCG

    Reply
  3. Flapli says:
    18 July 2023 at 7:44 am

    Guess who’s back! Dun Dun! Back Again! Dun Dun! Tear is back!Dun Dun! Tell your friends. Guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back guess who’s back duuuuu. Tear is back to take the Meta from the upside, Sprite is gone? Well looks like he’s dead. As long as it exists – it’s the strongest deck in history, never mess whit a mermaid on her period! Guess who’s back, guess who’s back , guess who’s back duuuuu.. – Eminem OCG2023

    Reply
  4. PepsiMan says:
    20 July 2023 at 9:18 pm

    zero Infernoble Knights? nice support konami :] keep giving more unplayable noble knights maybe in 2030 the deck will start to top tournaments when Ignoble Knight Medraut wakes up from his coma.

    Reply
  5. Leonidz says:
    24 July 2023 at 10:10 am

    Can anyone point me to where I could find the Deck Profile for the Pure Mikanko? Thanks

    Reply
  6. hcend says:
    28 August 2023 at 12:30 am

    Did anyone fibd the Red Demon Archifiend decklist? I looked all the references but i didnt see it

    Reply

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