"The Last Stand!" | Week 2 - Dec 2021 OCG Metagame Report + January 2022 Banlist Review

Hey RespectYGOers! Arcknight here and welcome to our Metagame Report covering the top 22 players out of 60 participants on week 2 of Dec 2021. This is the last week tournament before any banlist announcements (which happened yesterday). Yesterday was pretty earth shattering and aside from the usual metagame chart and deck profile, I'll also do a quick January 2022 Banlist reaction. Without further ado, here's last week's chart:

New Products: 

None ( SD43 Delay )

Let's begin!

Tournament Venues: Hyuray Trading, FT Duel Grounds and Toy Shogun 

Dates Covered: Dec 8-12, 2021

Deck Breakdown: 22 Topping lists out of 60 participants

3 Phantom Knight

3 Brave Token (2 Good-Stuff , 1 Anti Meta)

3 Tri-Brigade

2 Fluffal

2 Nordic

1 True Draco

1 Subterror

1 Megalith FTK

1 Shark

1 Infinitrack

1 Kozmo

1 Kaiju Kuna

1 Salamangreat

Deck Profile: Brave Token

This is the Good-Stuff Brave Token list I piloted yesterday at Toy Shogun that won 1st Place in two different tournaments. This is the latest version I did by doing minimal changes such as modifying my side deck to have an upperhand against Phantom Knights in a form of Super Polymerization, Artifact Lancea and Droll & Lock Bird. 

Super Polymerization is great against Phantom Knights as their complete board of Wandering Rider Gryphon, Destiny Hero Destroy Phoenix Enforcer and the Phantom Knight of Rusty Bardiche can be eaten by Starving Venom Fusion Dragon which can gain the ATK of 1 monster and will threaten any destruction negation with its Raigeki-Like effect. While Phantom Knight Fog Blade can easily care the ATK gain of Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, that also means you also took care of the more problematic card in the name of DPE. Artifact Lancea and Droll & Lock Bird can ensure that Phantom Knight is either stopped the entire turn or their card advantage will be lackluster.

As a result of January 2022 Banlist, Phantom Knight, Brave Token, and Fusion Destiny got hit by the banhammer. 

Deck Profile: Megalith FTK

We got a new challenger who topped using Megalith FTK. This deck has been gaining popularity in OCG as an easy FTK with a one card combo (Diviner/Gale Dogra) or two card (Chalicelime + Hagith or Ophiel). The deck aims to utilize Phantasm Lord Ultimitl Bishbaalkin and Number 33: Chronomaly Machu Mech to inflict a massive burn damage. Some said that Machu-Mech should have been affected by the banlist but it looks like it hasn't made that much impact yet compare to PK, Punk and Brave.

Magician of Black Chaos MAX has sought attention as a tech card in his build. This card has an effect to work like the previously forbidden Outer Entity Azathoth preventing monster effect activation for the rest of the turn after tributing 1 monster. The downside of this card unlike Outer Entity Azatoth is this requires to activate first before preventing activation. This card though when it pulls thru can ensure your FTK is almost unstoppable. Targeting effects are mitigated with the help of Sauravis, the Ancient and Ascended. 

Post-January 2022 OCG Banlist, this deck could see more shine in the limelight as the new consistent FTK deck this format. (Then there's Drytron)

Deck Profile: Shark

This is the Shark deck who won 1st place last week utilizing the new Shark from Duelist Pack 26: Duelist of the Abyss. The combo revolves using cards that can summon Buzzsaw Shark and Abyss Shark to land on an end board with 3 or more disruptions. Buzzsaw Shark alone can easily summon Bahamut Shark which can summon the crowd's favorite, Toadally Awesome. Dark Ruler No More is in the main deck as an established board of opponent could easily hinder this deck's ability to fulfill its combos.

Banlist Review

So banlist was released yesterday and it took the OCG region by storm. Let's have a quick recap:

Forbidden:

Fusion Destiny - for the benefit of the doubt, this is an old card released in Dark Neostorm (DANE) where Mystic Mine (Now Forbidden) and Ib, the World Justice Justiciar (Also Forbidden) are also included. Majority of the OCG players predicted a Semi or Limit on this card to let it survive for the next 3 months following the 6 month rule. Apparently, it's not the case. The enabler which opens doors to the infamous and broken Destiny Hero Destroy Phoenix Enforcer and Destiny Hero Celestial is now in the shadow realms and as a result, 7 cards (3 Fusion Destiny, 1 Dasher, 1 Celestial, and 1 Predaplant Verte Anaconda) may now open slot for other techs. 'Til next time green snake!

Limited:

Prank-Kids Meow Meow Mu, Phantom Knights of Torn Scales and Crossout Designator - Meow Mu and Torn Scales hit are expected to slow the deck's consistency and recovery but still allowing the deck to become playable in the very least. This greatly impacts both PK and Prankkids as this format's Tier 0/1 deck and without DPE, the infamous Artifact Scythe lock is less achievable. Crossout Designator on the other hand is pretty expected as it's quite strong againts hand traps or even the mirror. The limiting of Crossour Designator could also mean an even more prone situation to hand traps if you play combo-reliant decks next format. 

Semi-limited:

Aquamancer of the Sanctuary, Rite of Aramesia, Altergeist Multi-Faker, Swordsoul Emergence and Metaverse - Brave Token, which was released August 28th in OCG quickly gained popularity upon release not a pure deck but as an engine to almost all tier 0 decks this format. The engine itself can literally say no to any possible hand traps there is to disrupt your combo. While being a strong engine, few predicted a hit considering the cards are relatively new but looks like the 6 month rule is not applied as they faced an instant semi-limit reducing its consistency at the very least. The engine itself is very much playable but it greatly affects the engine's consistency. Swordsould Emergence is another unexpected hit to tame Swordsoul and Brave Tenyi the slightest. Swordsoul can be a great contender next format as I can foresee. Altergeist Multifaker and Metaverse comeback to semi-limited could mean a rise of another meta beat contender. Secret Villages of Spellcaster is a great target right? 

No longer in the list:

Performapal Skulcrobat Joker, Soul-Eating  Oviraptor, REDMD,Scapegoat - Peformapal Skullcrobat Joker is another expected release as DIFO will include more Performapals and Odd-Eyes. Soul-Eating Oviraptor means Dinosaur is at full power. REDMD (With the errata) and Scapegoat are great additions. 

Summary:

The banlist did took everyone by storm and even I was very shocked (The picture above though is pre-banlist lmao). I'm glad that I was able to maximize Brave Token and Enforcer engine while it lasted and one great skill of YGO players is the ability to adapt (and save extra $$$ for the next set and boxes). While there won't be any 3-month rule to move on here, we have to ensure that we are prepared for what's next. Will I still play Brave Token next format? That's something that you'll find out soon. 

Thank you so much for reading 'til the end and kudos to all thriving players out there with great passion to the game we love! 'Til next time! (After I moved on lmao)

Decklist Source: click here

~Arcknight