Events:
- 162nd Next Play Cup (36 players)
- 248th Taiyo CS (36 players)
- Duel Spark Opening Celebration Year-End (66 players)
- Hanekawa Cards (48 players)
- Dragon Road Card OCG (38 players)
- 4th Ochikage CS (39 players)
- Hengyang Zero Moment Card New Year (35 players)
- MSCS/HSCS (60 players)
- Xinxiang Coolpin Trendy 2023 New Year (37 players)
- Haikou Champion Card (39 players)
- 1923CS (43 players)
Meta Report: 59 Decks (Only top 3/4):
- 22 Fire King (38.6%)
- 7 R-ACE (12.3%)
- 5 Branded (8.8%)
- 3 Silenforc (5.3%)
- 2 Labrynth (3.5%)
- 2 Infernoid (3.5%)
- 2 Runick (3.5%)
- 2 Floowndereeze (3.5%)
- 2 Ritual Beast (3.5%)
- 2 Naturia Horus (3.5%)Other:
- 1 Snake-Eyes (1.8%)
- 1 Pendulum Magician (1.8%)
- 1 Superheavy Samurai (1.8%)
- 1 Dragonlink (1.8%)
- 1 LL-Tri-Brigade (1.8%)
- 1 Sky Striker (1.8%)
- 1 Shaddoll (1.8%)
- 1 Earth GS (1.8%)
- 1 Horus (1.8%)
- 1 Mikanko (1.8%)
Fire King
The deck remains untouched by the January Banlist, continuing to perform and dominate the competitive scene with some slight variations in the main deck, side deck, and extra deck options. The winning list from the 248th Taiyo CS features 18 flex spots out of 40, making strategic choices such as omitting cards like Snake-Eye Oak, WANTED: Seeker of Sinful Spoils, and multiple copies of Fire King Sanctuary and Fire King Island. This list adopts a more conservative playstyle compared to others seen previously.
In the extra deck, Garunix Eternity and Hyang of the Fire King make appearances. Some lists had opted to exclude the latter, focusing their end-board more on Fire King Avatar Arvata rather than Fire King High Avatar Kirin, which provides more gameplay options to counter Nibiru, the Primal Being.
It’s interesting to note the exponential increase in Anti-Spell Fragrance in the side decks of many Fire King players to counter board breakers like Soul Release, Change of Heart, Triple Tactics Talent, etc. Additionally, Artifact Lancea is included to counteract Called by the Grave, Crossout Designator, Evenly Matched, and Soul Release.
R-ACE
Diabellstar Snake-Eye
Pure Snake-Eye is gaining popularity, thanks to the versatility of its Snake-Eye sub-engine, which not only provides crucial support but also forms the core of the deck’s strategy.
The deck relies on key interruptions, with standout moments featuring cards like I:P Masquerena and Formula Synchron. Notably, Jet Synchron plays a pivotal role, acting as the glue to summon Borreload Savage Dragon and Formula Synchron enhancing the overall strategy.
Other important cards in different plays include Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon, Amphibious Swarmship Amblowhale, and/ or Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess. Formula Synchron is then smoothly utilized to bring out Baronne de Fleur using its quick effect.
To navigate potential obstacles like Nibiru, the Primal Being, and Droll & Lock Bird, the deck cleverly employs Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye.
This simplicity and adaptability contribute to the deck’s success in the current metagame.
Branded
In a metagame where strategies often revolve around disrupting and destroying the opponent’s monsters, a deck that is subtly making a comeback is Branded.
This deck boasts a highly aggressive gameplay style, enabling it to navigate through different end board scenarios effectively.
It excels, especially when facing interruptions like Droll & Lock Bird. Notably, dealing with Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon proves to be a formidable challenge in this current metagame.
The proposed decklist incorporates Gimmick Puppet Nightmare. When combined with Albion the Sanctifire Dragon and/ or Branded Expulsion, this duo creates a devastating lock, rendering any opposing strategy virtually useless once resolved. Additionally, the deck features various board-breaking cards that seamlessly align with its gameplay strategy, including Triple Tactics Thrust and Super Polymerization. This versatility enhances its adaptability to different gameplay scenarios.
