Tier 1
Tier 2
Even though Dino FTK is a threat that shouldn't be underestimated, most meta decks have found reliable ways to deal with it when going first. On top of that, Loading... is very popular in the current metagame, and it’s one of the few hand traps that can usually stop the FTK. This is how some meta decks deal with it:
- Shinobird: Can make Loading... to shut off GY effects
- Blue-Eyes: Can make Loading... to deny summoning from the GY.
- Swordsoul: Can make Loading... which turns all Dinosaurs into Dragons, denying Loading... protection
- Exosister: Makes Loading... on the opponent's turn (which is functionally Loading... )
- Beetrooper: Pushes itself out of FTK range with the LP Gain provided by Beetrooper Raid
Tier 3
TPC Comments
Beetrooper is a new guest on the Tier List, with its access to the oft-forgotten Insect toolbox, including:
- Loading... : A searcahble floodgate (via Loading... ) for Fusion-based decks like Chimera and Predaplant that can also search EARTH Insects itself.
- Loading... : A boss monster that's untargetable and indestructible while its 3000 ATK or less)
- Loading... : A quick-effect banish for 1 monster from each side of the field.
- Loading... : A Quick-Effect pop for the monster with the highest DEF (especially effective against Loading... after it is Flip Summoned).
- Loading... - Quick-Effect GY Disruption that also serves as a way to recover resources.
- Loading... - Can search Loading... on Normal
- Loading... - A recurrable monster-effect Negate if you control a Beetrooper
Last but not least, it received a SKill in Beetrooper Raid which gets your plays started with a free double foolish + Loading... , a free 3000LP for survivability, and either a free Beetrooper S/T or Level 5+ Insect (including Loading... for going second).
Exosister is one of the biggest beneficiaries from the latest Marik skill, Makyura’s Judgement . The deck is essentially an anti-GY strategy, mostly having multiple 1-card starters for a full board while carrying a ton of techs.
Its Turn 1 is one of the best in the game, and the Turn 2 seems good enough as it can break most boards right now with the right techs. Exosister feels like it's favorable against literally every meta deck aside from Blue-Eyes.
Why Blue Eyes specifically? Two major things:
- Loading... , since Exosister has no destruction protection within its engine
- Loading... which shuts down your two best starters in Loading... and Loading... (since they summon 2 monsters at the same time).
This makes the Blue-Eyes matchup kind of hard going first and second (especially if Blue-Eyes is playing the right techs). As such, Exosister's success is highly dependent on the popularity of Blue-Eyes in the meta.
Predaplant has had a solid boost from the new BOX by receiving Loading... , Loading... , and Loading... (which distributes Predator counters that mess with Ritual, Xyz and Synchro lines by making monsters Level 1). Despite receiving a new Skill in Predaprime Invasion , there is still a debate between Skills:
On one hand, we have Starving Venom Invasion , which has:
- The ability to play Loading... for better Turn 2 Disruption.
- An additional avenue of distributing Predator Counters.
- A Free Loading... and the ability to search any "Predap" card.
- Less-restricted Extra Deck.
But has to deal with:
- A huge Loading... vulnerability
- A Weak going-first board if it has to deal with hand-traps
- A lack of Skill-provided Extra Deck Monsters.
On the other hand, we have Predaprime Invasion which grants:
- A Free Loading... (which basically acts as Loading... if youre up against DARK monsters.
- The ability to cheat out Predaplant Fusions like Loading...
- A stronger going-first board (even if against hand-traps)
While having to deal with:
- Needing to play Loading... and multiple "Fusion Dragon" monsters, which makes the Extra Deck incredibly tight.
- Worse going-second capabilities
- No free Loading...
- Only being able to search Level 1 or 8 Predaplants specficially.
Regardless of Skill choice, Predaplant as a whole has seen enough success to warrant tiering, and we will have to see how it will perform in the upcoming weeks.