OCG 2025.01 Metagame (1 Jan – 31 Mar 2025)

The OCG 2025.01 Limit Regulation dished out some hits to Ryzeal and Maliss, putting them more in line with Blue-Eyes and Orcust.

However this balance was short-lived when the release of Alliance Insight gave a boost to Maliss and Ryzeal, bringing them back to the top.

Compiled from a total of 1726 top-placing decks from 334 competitive tournaments held in Japan, China Mainland, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and Vietnam, here is the final metagame breakdown of the OCG 2025.01 format.

• 416 Maliss (361 Maliss, 44 Grass Maliss, 5 Grass Horus Maliss, 4 Grass Horus Bystial Maliss, 1 Bystial Maliss, 1 Grass Orcust Maliss)
• 333 Ryzeal (327 Ryzeal, 1 Dogmatika Ryzeal, 1 Exosister Ryzeal, 1 Kashtira Fiendsmith Ryzeal, 1 Madolche Ryzeal, 1 Magistus Ryzeal, 1 Primite Harpie Ryzeal)
• 211 Blue-Eyes (206 Primite Blue-Eyes, 3 Buster Blader Primite Blue-Eyes, 1 Bystial Primite Blue-Eyes, 1 Regenesis Primite Blue-Eyes)
• 146 Orcust (93 Orcust, 34 Fiendsmith Orcust, 3 Grass Orcust, 3 Horus Orcust, 3 Horus Fiendsmith Gem-Knight Orcust, 2 Horus Fiendsmith Orcust, 2 Azamina Fiendsmith Orcust, 1 Azamina Orcust, 1 Grass Cyber Dragon Orcust, 1 Labrynth Orcust, 1 Mekk-Knight Orcust, 1 Millennium Fiendsmith Orcust, 1 P.U.N.K. Orcust)
• 114 White Forest (80 White Forest, 27 Fiendsmith White Forest, 3 Kashtira White Forest, 2 Horus Fiendsmith White Forest, 1 Fiendsmith Toy White Forest, 1 Toy White Forest)
• 60 Memento (58 Memento, 2 Fiendsmith Memento)
• 45 Gem-Knight (23 Fiendsmith Gem-Knight, 20 Gem-Knight, 1 Fiendsmith Ryzeal Gem-Knight, 1 Melodious Gem-Knight)
• 36 Tenpai Dragon (32 Tenpai Dragon, 4 Diabell Tenpai Dragon)
• 35 Crystron (31 Crystron, 2 Horus Crystron, 1 Fiendsmith Crystron, 1 Kashtira Azamina Crystron)
• 32 Atlantean
• 20 Evil★Twin (12 Fiendsmith Evil★Twin, 8 Unchained Fiendsmith Evil★Twin)
• 18 Snake-Eye (13 Fiendsmith White Forest Azamina Snake-Eye, 3 Fiendsmith Azamina Snake-Eye, 2 Kashtira Fiendsmith Azamina Snake-Eye)
• 17 Branded (13 Grass Branded, 4 Branded)
• 17 Chimera (16 Fiendsmith Azamina Chimera, 1 Azamina Chimera)
• 17 Regenesis (7 Dogmatika Regenesis, 2 Diabell Regenesis, 2 Ryzeal Regenesis, 2 White Forest Dogmatika Regenesis, 1 Regenesis, 1 Metalmorph Dogmatika Regenesis, 1 Primite Dogmatika Regenesis, 1 White Forest Regenesis)
• 15 Dracotail (14 Dracotail, 1 Magistus Dracotail)
• 15 Ryu-Ge (14 Ryu-Ge, 1 Regenesis Ryu-Ge)
• 14 Yummy
• 11 Voiceless Voice (7 Voiceless Voice, 4 Regenesis Voiceless Voice)
• 10 Centur-Ion (5 Centur-Ion, 4 Magistus Centur-Ion, 1 Fiendsmith Centur-Ion)
• 10 Dragonmaid (5 Dragonmaid, 3 Tenpai Dragon Dragonmaid, 2 Bystial Dragonmaid)
• 9 Gimmick Puppet (5 Horus Gimmick Puppet, 4 Gimmick Puppet)
• 7 Fire King (4 Azamina Snake-Eye Fire King, 2 Fiendsmith Azamina Snake-Eye Fire King, 1 Snake-Eye Fire King)
• 7 Labrynth
• 6 P.U.N.K. (3 Fiendsmith P.U.N.K., 2 P.U.N.K., 1 Azamina P.U.N.K.)
• 5 Dragon Link (2 Dragon Link, 2 Grass Dragon Link, 1 Centur-Ion Dragon Link)
• 5 Goblin Biker (4 Fiendsmith Goblin Biker, 1 Goblin Biker)
• 5 Grass Tearlaments Shaddoll Branded
• 4 Code Talker (2 Maliss Code Talker, 2 Mathmech Code Talker)
• 4 Fiendsmith Unchained
• 4 K9
• 4 Purrely
• 4 Tri-Brigade Lyrilusc
• 3 Eldlich (1 Eldlich, 1 Fiendsmith Eldlich, 1 Primite Eldlich)
• 3 Melodious
• 3 Salamangreat
• 3 Sky Striker
• 3 Supreme King Z-ARC Magician
• 3 Yubel (2 Fiendsmith Yubel, 1 Yubel)
• 3 @Ignister (2 Mathmech @Ignister, 1 @Ignister)
• 2 Adamancipator (1 Vernusylph Adamancipator, 1 Grass Vernusylph Naturia Adamancipator)
• 2 Ancient Gear
• 2 Fiendsmith Scareclaw
• 2 Mathmech
• 2 Melodious Supreme King
• 2 Primite Fiendsmith
• 2 Raidraptor
• 2 Rikka (1 Ragnaraika Sunavalon Rikka, 1 Primite Ragnaraika Sunavalon Rikka)
• 2 Runick
• 2 Ryzeal Heraldic Beast
• 2 Six Samurai (1 Six Samurai, 1 Fiendsmith Six Samurai)
• 2 Tachyon (1 Tachyon, 1 Dragon Ruler Tachyon)
• 2 Vaylantz
• 1 Allure Queen Nekroz Magistus
• 1 Argostars
• 1 Bystial Branded Buster Blader
• 1 Cyber Dragon
• 1 Diabell Labrynth Centur-Ion Plunder Patroll
• 1 Dinomorphia
• 1 Fiendsmith Evil Eye
• 1 Fiendsmith Plunder Patroll
• 1 Fiendsmith Primite Harpie
• 1 Fiendsmith Rescue-ACE
• 1 Fiendsmith Tellarknight
• 1 Grass Tenpai Dragon Dragon Ruler
• 1 HERO
• 1 Horus Bystial Thunder Dragon
• 1 Infernoble Knight Flame Swordsman
• 1 Ice Barrier
• 1 Jurrac
• 1 Nekroz Magistus
• 1 Regenesis Vanquish Soul
• 1 Runick Azamina
• 1 Ryzeal Magistus Nekroz
• 1 Ryzeal Superheavy Samurai
• 1 Vernusylph Adamancipator Magnet Warrior

The OCG 2025.01 Limit Regulation weakened Maliss by having Gold Sarcophagus and Allure of Darkness go to limited, effectively reducing their consistency. Then Alliance Insight gave Maliss 5 new cards and propelled Maliss back to the top.

Maliss <P> March Hare functions similar to the Bystial monsters, an extender that Special Summons itself from hand by banishing your Maliss monster, but having Maliss in the name allows it to be searched out. Maliss in the Mirror is an option to banish with Maliss in Underground, which then in turn could banish Maliss <Q> Red Ransom from the graveyard. This accomplish the same purpose of using Maliss in Underground to banish Maliss <Q> Red Ransom directly, but adds a Maliss monster to hand in the process, which could then be banish for Maliss <P> Chessy Cat ① effect to draw 2 cards.

Backup @Ignister and Wizard @Ignister are extenders that allows Maliss to play under Artifact Lancea to a certain extend. Their effects work on DARK Cyberse monsters which allows Backup @Ignister to add Maliss monsters from deck to hand, and Wizard @Ignister to Special Summon Maliss monsters from the graveyard.

Allied Code Talker @Ignister is a new end board for Maliss that has largely replaced Firewall Dragon Darkfluid – Neo Tempest Terahertz. Allied Code Talker @Ignister ① effect could Special Summon Maliss <Q> Red Ransom and Maliss <Q> White Binder from the graveyard as they are Cyberse Monsters with 2300 ATK. In addition to the Maliss Link Monsters, some players are also running Decode Talker Heatsoul and/or Transcode Talker that could be Special Summoned by Allied Code Talker @Ignister. Decode Talker Heatsoul provides additional draws while Transcode Talker could make Allied Code Talker @Ignister untargetable when co-linked. Having an untargetable Allied Code Talker @Ignister would prevent it from being negated by the opponent’s Metaltronus.

OCG 2025.01 → OCG 2025.04 Limit Regulation changes:

• Maliss <P> Dormouse 3 → 1

The limitation of Maliss <P> Dormouse is another hit to Maliss consistency, but its power level remains the same. Most players would simply play more copies of Maliss <P> Chessy Cat and Maliss <P> March Hare to maintain a certain Maliss monster count in the Main Deck.

The OCG 2025.01 Limit Regulation had Ext Ryzeal limited which made Ryzeal fell off as top contender. Having Ext Ryzeal limited made meant that Ryzeal would not have follow up plays unless Ext Ryzeal is shuffled back to the deck with Ryzeal Cross. Ryzeal Duo Drive became an even bigger chokepoint since without access to Ryzeal Cross to recycle Ext Ryzeal, Ryzeal would eventually peter out as the game goes on.

Star Ryzeal from Alliance Insight solved this problem as it gave Ryzeal a second method to fetch Ryzeal Cross. The play now would be to first make Infernal Flame Banshee and use its effect to get Star Ryzeal so Ryzeal could set up Ryzeal Cross first before making Ryzeal Duo Drive.

OCG 2025.01 → OCG 2025.04 Limit Regulation changes:

• Sword Ryzeal 3 → 1
• Seventh Tachyon 2 → 1

Sword Ryzeal and Seventh Tachyon going to limited are further hits to Ryzeal, and that eventually spelt the end of Ryzeal’s run. With only 1 Ext Ryzeal and 1 Sword Ryzeal, Ryzeal has lost too many extenders, and a negation on Ice Ryzeal would often end Ryzeal’s play.

After 9 long years since its golden days in 2016, Blue-Eyes is finally back as a top contender in the early OCG 2025.01 format. With the new Blue-Eyes cards from Structure Deck: Advent of the Eyes of Blue and the Primite cards, Blue-Eyes became one of the best midrange deck in the metagame. Blue-Eyes has a really powerful grind game. Every turn, Blue-Eyes could retrieve Primite Dragon Ether Beryl and Primite Drillbeam from the graveyard, Blue-Eyes Tyrant Dragon could loop back Trap cards from the graveyard, while True Light and Primite Lordly Lode could keep bringing out Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

However the glory days were not for long as Blue-Eyes could no longer compete against Maliss and Ryzeal boosted by Alliance Insight. The consistency gained by Maliss and Ryzeal outclassed Blue-Eyes by a good margin.

The early OCG 2025.01 format was rather exciting for many as the the top decks Maliss, Blue-Eyes and Orcust were not that much more powerful than the rest. The release of Alliance Insight saw the format reverted back to a competitive scene dominated by Maliss and Ryzeal.