OCG 2025.01 Metagame Report #1

by · 8 January 2025

Welcome to Week #1 of the OCG 2025.01 format.

This report tabulates 169 top-performing decks from 35 tournaments that were held in Japan, China Mainland, Taiwan and South Korea during 1 – 8 January 2025.

Metagame Breakdown

  • 33 Orcust (13 Orcust, 13 Fiendsmith Orcust, 3 Horus Orcust, 2 Horus Fiendsmith Orcust, 1 Azamina Orcust, 1 Grass Labrynth Orcust)
  • 29 Maliss (23 Maliss, 5 Grass Maliss, 1 Grass Horus Bystial Maliss)
  • 27 Primite Blue-Eyes
  • 13 Ryzeal (12 Ryzeal, 1 Magistus Ryzeal)
  • 10 Gem-Knight (6 Gem-Knight, 3 Fiendsmith Gem-Knight, 1 Fiendsmith Ryzeal Gem-Knight)
  • 9 Memento
  • 6 Crystron (4 Crystron, 2 Horus Crystron)
  • 6 Tenpai Dragon
  • 5 White Forest (3 Fiendsmith Azamina White Forest, 1 Azamina White Forest, 1 Horus Fiendsmith Azamina White Forest)
  • 4 Dragon Link (2 Dragon Link, 2 Grass Dragon Link)
  • 3 Fiendsmith Azamina Chimera
  • 3 Fiendsmith White Forest Azamina Snake-Eye
  • 2 Atlantean
  • 2 Centur-Ion
  • 2 Horus Gimmick Puppet
  • 2 Purrely
  • 1 Azamina Snake-Eye Fire King
  • 1 Branded
  • 1 Dragonmaid
  • 1 Fiendsmith Goblin Biker
  • 1 Fiendsmith Rescue-ACE
  • 1 Fiendsmith Yubel
  • 1 Infernoble Knight Flame Swordsman
  • 1 Labrynth
  • 1 Melodious Supreme King
  • 1 Ryzeal Magistus Nekroz
  • 1 Ryzeal Superheavy Samurai
  • 1 Salamangreat
  • 1 Supreme King Z-ARC Magician

Orcust

Quarter Century Trinity Box gave Orcust a boost with 2 new cards in Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton and Enlilgirsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight.

Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton is a new Link-1 monster that greatly improved the Orcust strategy. Opening with Orcust Harp Horror in hand is now playable as it could be Normal Summoned and then used to Link Summon Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton.

Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ① effect adds 1 “World Legacy” monster or Orcustrated Babel from deck or graveyard to hand. World Legacy – “World Crown” is an option to add to hand as it could be Special Summoned to go into Lib the World Key Blademaster which in turn fetches World Legacy Succession.

Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ② effect banishes another Orcust monster from graveyard as cost to Special Summons itself from graveyard. This provides Orcust with an extra body that to be used as Link Material.

A combo opening with Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight and 1 card is as follow:

  1. Normal Summon Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight.
  2. Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight ① effect, send Orcust Harp Horror from deck to graveyard.
  3. Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight ② effect, Special Summon 1 “World Legacy Token” to both players’ fields in Defense Position.
  4. Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight → Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton.
  5. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ① effect, send 1 card from hand to graveyard, add World Legacy – “World Crown” from deck to hand.
  6. Special Summon World Legacy – “World Crown” to the Main Monster Zone that Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton‘s Link Arrow is pointing to.
  7. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton + World Legacy – “World Crown” → Galatea, the Orcust Automaton.
  8. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ② effect, banish Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight from graveyard as cost, Special Summon itself from graveyard.
  9. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton + “World Legacy Token” → Lib the World Key Blademaster.
  10. Lib the World Key Blademaster ① effect, Set World Legacy Succession from deck to Spell/Trap Zone.
  11. Galatea, the Orcust Automaton + Lib the World Key Blademaster → Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess.
  12. Lib the World Key Blademaster ② effect, shuffle opponent’s “World Legacy Token” from field into deck.
  13. Activate World Legacy Succession, Special Summon Galatea, the Orcust Automaton from graveyard to Main Monster Zone that Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess‘s Link Arrow is pointing to.
  14. Orcust Harp Horror ① effect, banish itself from graveyard as cost, Special Summon Orcust Knightmare from deck.
  15. Galatea, the Orcust Automaton ② effect, shuffle Orcust Harp Horror from banished into deck, Set Orcustrated Babel from deck to Field Zone.
  16. Activate Orcustrated Babel.
  17. Galatea, the Orcust Automaton + Orcust Knightmare → Longirsu, the Orcust Orchestrator.
  18. Orcust Knightmare ② effect, banish itself from graveyard as cost, send Orcust Cymbal Skeleton from deck to graveyard, and Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess gains 300 ATK until the end of this turn.
  19. Orcust Cymbal Skeleton ① effect, banish itself from graveyard as cost, Special Summon Galatea, the Orcust Automaton from graveyard.
  20. Galatea, the Orcust Automaton → Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star.
  21. Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star ① effect, attach Orcust Knightmare from banished to itself as Xyz Material.
  22. Longirsu, the Orcust Orchestrator + Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star → Enlilgirsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight.
  23. Enlilgirsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight ① effect, add Orcust Cymbal Skeleton from banished to hand.

During opponent’s turn:

  1. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ② effect, banish Galatea, the Orcust Automaton from graveyard, Special Summon itself from graveyard.
  2. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ① effect, send Orcust Cymbal Skeleton from hand to graveyard, add World Legacy – “World Crown” from graveyard to hand.
  3. Orcust Knightmare ② effect, banish itself from graveyard as cost, send World Legacy – “World Wand” from deck to graveyard, and Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess gains 800 ATK until the end of this turn.
  4. World Legacy – “World Wand” ② effect, Special Summon World Legacy – “World Crown” from hand.

The end board consists of 6 disruptions:

  • Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess negates 3 monster effects.
  • Enlilgirsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight adds Orcust Knightmare from banished to hand, then shuffle Orcust Knightmare from hand into deck and take control of 1 face-up monster that opponent controls.
  • World Legacy – “World Crown” negates the activation of 1 monster effect of a monster which was Special Summoned from Extra Deck and destroy that monster.
  • Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star sends 1 card opponent control to the graveyard. (use Orcust Cymbal Skeleton ① effect to Special Summon Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star from graveyard)

GenGen went 5-2 and finished 3 – 4th in “Pvt.Workshop CS vol.13” which had 41 participants.

Besides the mono variant, the Fiendsmith variant has also been gaining popularity among Orcust builds. Similarly, the Fiendsmith package is able to setup Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess first before committing into the rest of the Orcust combo.

A combo opening with Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight and 1 card is as follow:

  1. Normal Summon Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight.
  2. Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight ① effect, send Orcust Harp Horror from deck to graveyard.
  3. Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight ② effect, Special Summon 1 “World Legacy Token” to both players’ fields in Defense Position.
  4. “World Legacy Token” → Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton.
  5. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ① effect, send 1 card from hand to graveyard, add Orcustrated Babel from deck to hand.
  6. Activate Orcustrated Babel.
  7. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton + Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight → Moon of the Closed Heaven.
  8. Moon of the Closed Heaven → Fiendsmith’s Requiem.
  9. Fiendsmith’s Requiem ① effect, tribute itself as cost, Special Summon Lacrima the Crimson Tears from deck.
  10. Lacrima the Crimson Tears ① effect, send Fiendsmith Engraver from deck to graveyard.
  11. Fiendsmith Engraver ③ effect, shuffle Fiendsmith’s Requiem from graveyard into deck as cost, Special Summon itself from graveyard.
  12. Fiendsmith Engraver + Lacrima the Crimson Tears → Fiendsmith’s Sequence.
  13. Fiendsmith’s Sequence ① effect, Fiendsmith Engraver + Lacrima the Crimson Tears → Fiendsmith’s Lacrima.
  14. Fiendsmith’s Lacrima ① effect, Special Summon Moon of the Closed Heaven from graveyard.
  15. Fiendsmith’s Sequence + Moon of the Closed Heaven → Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess.
  16. Orcust Harp Horror ① effect, banish itself from graveyard as cost, Special Summon Orcust Knightmare from deck.
  17. Orcust Knightmare + Fiendsmith’s Lacrima → Galatea, the Orcust Automaton.
  18. Fiendsmith’s Lacrima ② effect, shuffle Moon of the Closed Heaven from graveyard into deck as cost, inflict 1200 damage to opponent.
  19. Galatea, the Orcust Automaton ② effect, shuffle Orcust Harp Horror from banished into deck, Set Orcust Crescendo from deck to Field Zone.
  20. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ② effect, banish Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight from graveyard as cost, Special Summon itself from graveyard.
  21. Galatea, the Orcust Automaton + Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton → Longirsu, the Orcust Orchestrator.
  22. Orcust Knightmare ② effect, banish itself from graveyard as cost, send Orcust Cymbal Skeleton from deck to graveyard, and Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess gains 300 ATK until the end of this turn.
  23. Orcust Cymbal Skeleton ① effect, banish itself from graveyard as cost, Special Summon Galatea, the Orcust Automaton from graveyard.
  24. Galatea, the Orcust Automaton → Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star.
  25. Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star ① effect, attach Orcust Knightmare from banished to itself as Xyz Material.
  26. Longirsu, the Orcust Orchestrator + Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star → Enlilgirsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight.
  27. Enlilgirsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight ① effect, add Orcust Cymbal Skeleton from banished to hand.

During opponent’s turn:

  1. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ② effect, banish Galatea, the Orcust Automaton from graveyard, Special Summon itself from graveyard.
  2. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ① effect, send Orcust Cymbal Skeleton from hand to graveyard, add World Legacy – “World Crown” from graveyard to hand.
  3. Orcust Knightmare ② effect, banish itself from graveyard as cost, send World Legacy – “World Wand” from deck to graveyard, and Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess gains 800 ATK until the end of this turn.
  4. World Legacy – “World Wand” ② effect, Special Summon World Legacy – “World Crown” from hand.

The end board consists of 7 disruptions:

  • Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess negates 3 monster effects.
  • Enlilgirsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight adds Orcust Knightmare from banished to hand, then shuffle Orcust Knightmare from hand into deck and take control of 1 face-up monster that opponent controls.
  • World Legacy – “World Crown” negates the activation of 1 monster effect of a monster which was Special Summoned from Extra Deck, and destroy that monster.
  • Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star sends 1 card opponent control to the graveyard. (use Orcust Cymbal Skeleton ① effect to Special Summon Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star from graveyard)
  • Orcust Crescendo negates the activation of 1 Spell/Trap or 1 monster effect, and banish that card.

Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ① effect adding Orcustrated Babel from deck to hand allows Galatea, the Orcust Automaton ② effect to Set Orcust Crescendo from deck to Field Zone, enabling the setup of both Orcustrated Babel and Orcust Crescendo.

The Fiendsmith package also opens up a line for Orcust to play when hit by the opponent’s Artifact Lancea.

A combo opening with Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight and 1 card is as follow:

  1. Normal Summon Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight.
  2. Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight ① effect, send Orcust Harp Horror from deck to graveyard.
  3. Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight ② effect, Special Summon 1 “World Legacy Token” to both players’ fields in Defense Position.
  4. “World Legacy Token” → Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton.
  5. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ① effect, send 1 card from hand to graveyard, add Orcustrated Babel from deck to hand.
  6. Activate Orcustrated Babel.
  7. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton + Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight → Moon of the Closed Heaven.
  8. Moon of the Closed Heaven → Fiendsmith’s Requiem.
  9. Fiendsmith’s Requiem ① effect, tribute itself as cost, Special Summon Lacrima the Crimson Tears from deck.
  10. Lacrima the Crimson Tears ① effect, send Fiendsmith Engraver from deck to graveyard.
  11. Fiendsmith Engraver ③ effect, shuffle Moon of the Closed Heaven from graveyard into deck as cost, Special Summon itself from graveyard.
  12. Fiendsmith’s Requiem ② effect, equip itself to Fiendsmith Engraver.
  13. Fiendsmith Engraver ② effect, send Fiendsmith’s Requiem and opponent’s “World Legacy Token” from field to graveyard.
  14. Fiendsmith Engraver + Lacrima the Crimson Tears → Fiendsmith’s Sequence.
  15. Fiendsmith’s Sequence ① effect, Fiendsmith’s Requiem + Lacrima the Crimson Tears → Fiendsmith’s Lacrima.
  16. Fiendsmith’s Lacrima ① effect, add Fiendsmith Engraver from graveyard to hand.
  17. Fiendsmith Engraver ① effect, discard itself as cost, add Fiendsmith’s Tract from deck to hand.
  18. Activate Fiendsmith’s Tract, add Fabled Lurrie from deck to hand, then discard Fabled Lurrie.
  19. Fabled Lurrie ① effect, Special Summon itself from graveyard.
  20. Fiendsmith’s Lacrima + Fabled Lurrie → I:P Masquerena.
  21. Fiendsmith’s Lacrima ② effect, shuffle Fabled Lurrie from graveyard into deck as cost, inflict 1200 damage to opponent.

During opponent’s turn:

  1. Orcust Harp Horror ① effect, banish itself from graveyard as cost, Special Summon Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight from deck.
  2. Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight ① effect, send Orcust Crescendo from deck to graveyard.
  3. Orcust Crescendo ② effect, add Orcust Knightmare from deck to hand.
  4. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ② effect, banish Galatea, the Orcust Automaton from graveyard, Special Summon itself from graveyard.
  5. Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton ① effect, send Orcust Knightmare from hand to graveyard, add World Legacy – “World Crown” from deck to hand.
  6. Orcust Knightmare ② effect, banish itself from graveyard as cost, send World Legacy – “World Wand” from deck to graveyard, and I:P Masquerena gains 800 ATK until the end of this turn.
  7. World Legacy – “World Wand” ② effect, Special Summon World Legacy – “World Crown” from hand.
  8. I:P Masquerena ① effect, I:P Masquerena + Fiendsmith’s Sequence + Galatea-i, the Orcust Automaton → Enlilgirsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight.

The end board consists of 2 disruptions:

  • Enlilgirsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight adds Orcust Knightmare from banished to hand, then shuffle Orcust Knightmare from hand into deck and take control of 1 face-up monster that opponent controls.
  • World Legacy – “World Crown” negates the activation of 1 monster effect of a monster which was Special Summoned from Extra Deck, and destroy that monster.

If Enlilgirsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight is sent from the Extra Monster Zone to the graveyard, then during the same turn, its ② effect can be activated by banishing itself from graveyard as cost, to send 1 card on the field to the graveyard.

Lu Chen-Pang (盧震邦) went 6-1 and finished 3 – 4th in “iCard Cup” which had 118 participants.

Maliss

The Fourteenth Musician ran almost the build as his Top 32 build in “China City Tournament 2024 Chengdu”, but with some minor adjustments to compensate for Allure of Darkness and Gold Sarcophagus becoming limited under the new OCG 2025.01 Limit Regulation. He replaced 2 Allure of Darkness, 1 Gold Sarcophagus with 1 Nibiru, the Primal Being, 1 Triple Tactics Talent, 1 Triple Tactics Thrust

The decline of Ryzeal, and the rise of Orcust and Blue-Eyes as top contenders, makes Dimension Shifter and Dominus Impulse viable in the Main Deck again.

The Fourteenth Musician (第14位奏者) went 7-0-2 and finished 1st in “Top Deck Vis QCKOC Season 4 Tournament” which had 57 participants.

Blue-Eyes

With Orcust and Maliss as the top contenders in the current OCG format, running 3 Nibiru, the Primal Being in the Main Deck has become a common trend. Tzu-Hsien went a step further, in addition to 3 Effect Veiler and 3 Infinite Impermanence, he also has 3 Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit in the Main Deck, to ensure that his Nibiru, the Primal Being would resolve even if the opponent sets up Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess.

Most Primite Blue-Eyes build chose not to run Called by the Grave as the deck could play around Maxx “C” and Mulcharmy Fuwalos by going for the Primite Drillbeam and Hieratic Seal of the Heavenly Spheres setup. The increase of Maliss running Dimension Shifter in the Main Deck makes Called by the Grave a good counter tech, and could also double as a disruption against Orcust.

Chuang Tzu-Hsien (莊子賢) went 8-1 and finished 1st in “iCard Cup” which had 118 participants.

Conclusion

The OCG 2025.01 Limit Regulation weakened Ryzeal and took out Abyss Dweller, opening up the format for Orcust, Maliss and Blue-Eyes to take the top spots.

With Orcust and Maliss as top contenders, many players are running 3 Nibiru, the Primal Being in the Main Deck, and 3 Artifact Lancea in the Side Deck against them. Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay is also a good option in the Side Deck to help dig for ‘hand traps’, while also being able to attack over the opponent’s Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess.

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References

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1 Response

  1. Amgutz says:
    9 January 2025 at 7:40 am

    Orcust…

    Again…

    5 years later…

    Reply

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