Tier List Update

Tier 1

Branded

↑

Branded is still a very strong deck, even after the multiple Limit 3 nerfs in the latest banlist. Its Turn 1 is almost unchanged.

Tier 2

Memento

Vaalmonica

↓

Snake-Eye

↓

Centur-Ion

↑

Memento looks very promising. It's solid, with multiple non-targeting destruction effects supported by a 5000 ATK direct attacker.

Its Turn 1 is very good, ending on 7-8 interruptions with access to strong Xyz monsters such as Loading... and Loading... . It can also play through handtraps and OTK going second.

Even without the Dragon package, I honestly think this deck deserves Tier 1 more than Branded.

Vaalmonica remains strong and can still reach the same end board with three set cards. However, the hit to Loading... leaves it more vulnerable to Loading... , which has become considerably more common. Shining Sarcophagus makes things even harder, as it can challenge Vaalmonica both going first and going second. Going first, it can search Loading... or any other handtrap. Going second, its Skill gives it access to Loading... , which negates Vaalmonica's Pendulum Scales and resets their counters to 0.

I'm not sure why we voted Vaalmonica into Tier 2. The reason no one is playing it is that everyone is testing the new decks.

You still have a coin-flip matchup against Centur-Ion, but you consistently beat the rest of the meta. With the new addition of Loading... , you don't care too much about Loading... going second.

Vaalmonica has gained a lot of coin-flip matchups with the new BOX, and since it already had a very poor Centur-Ion matchup, the deck feels weaker.

Even against Branded Bystial, which was favored before, it's much harder to win going second with the addition of Loading... , since it can destroy your Pendulum Scales.

Additionally, the deck can no longer ignore Loading... by activating Loading... , so there's a modest chance you won't even win going first.

Snake-Eye is still strong after the latest hit and reaches the same end board with Loading... . It plays very well around popular handtraps such as Loading... , giving the opponent only one or two draws.

The only problem with the deck, in my opinion, is that it has lost consistency in grind games.

Centur-Ion plays itself. It doesn't matter what you do: the deck gives you a full board and three handtraps, making it almost impossible to lose going first.

Going second, you pray your handtraps make the opponent end on nothing, or you lose immediately.

Tier 3

High Potential

Off the Tier List