Table of Contents
Introduction
Welcome to Lorcana.gg's meta report! Here we will analyze the state of the meta using data from the previous weeks of tournament play. Our tier list will be updated with the latest data, while this meta report will go over what it all means, as well as highlighting some particularly strong and interesting decks in each archetype.
The tier list is separated into three tiers. Tier 1 has the strongest decks, usually with multiple top 8 performances in major tournaments. Tier 2 and Tier 3 decks are a notch below the top tier, with these decks usually having one or two weaknesses keeping them from dominating the meta.
Meta Overview
It's been a loooong hiatus for the meta report, but we are finally back! The lack of data since the shutdown of Pixelborn has made it harder than ever to accurately assess the meta. Especially around the launch of a new set. I've also been busy in my personal life (moved halfway around the world to start a new job), so haven't had the time recently to dedicate to poring over tournament results and deck lists to come up with a proper tier list. But finally things are settling down, both personally and in the Lorcana space, so it's time to get back to it!
Shimmering Skies landed at local game stores and big box retailers over a month ago and since then we've had a good amount of large tournaments taking place, so we can see how the meta has evolved with another 200 plus cards added to the pool. We are still waiting for our first Disney Lorcana Challenge event where Skies is legal however, although that will change tomorrow, when DLC Las Vegas kicks off. So let's take a look at where the meta stands going into that big event.
The Steelsong deck looks to be the biggest winner from the newest set release. The archetype tops our initial Shimmering Skies tier list with many strong showings in tournaments over the past few weeks. Ruby/Sapphire Pawpsicle Control has also bounced back from its disappointing performance at the end of the Ursula's Return meta and looks to be a top deck once again. Unsurprisingly, we also find Amethyst/Ruby Bounce continuing to perform very well, despite getting very little cards from the new set to help it out.
In tier 2, Amethyst/Emerald Tempo is performing well and arguably could have snuck its way into the backend of tier 1. The rest of the decks in tier 2 have all had some solid showings, with a handful of top 8 showings each, but don't seem to be as universally as strong as the top tier decks. While in tier 3, we have a few old archetypes still looking for their big breakthrough, as well as a new build in Ruby/Sapphire Items Cheat that has been experimented with thanks to the introduction of some powerful new Skies cards.
Anyway, without further ado, the tier list!
Tier List
Tier 1
Amber/Steel Steelsong
Amber/Steel seems to be the big, early winner of Shimmering Skies. The addition of Daisy Duck - Donald's Date has allowed it to get off to some very fast starts. Prince Naveen - Ukulele Player helps get A Whole New World off more consistently. And Pete - Games Referee can ensure your early, aggressive board stays protected. All of these additions have significantly improved Amber/Steel's worst matchups and now it finds itself atop the tier list.
Here was a list from Brennan DeCandio which took home the win in a 186-player $10k tournament at Charlie's Collectible Show. Brennan's deck is definitely built to get out to some fast starts with Daisy, Piglet - Pooh Pirate Captain and, of course, Lantern.
Ruby/Sapphire Pawpsicle Control
The Pawpsicle deck was fading from the meta at the end of Ursula's Return, but has now stormed back and is one of the top tier decks once again. 005-146 and 005-157 have both been added to the deck, providing more consistent draw and ramp, respectively. While 005-150 is proving to be a powerful finisher alongside the usual 001-159.
Jose Feliciano took this Pawpsicle list to 2nd place at the $10k CCS tournament. As mentioned, we see Mufasa being added as a new finisher as well as a way to refill your hand with more late game options that you may have inked earlier in the game. We also see 005-160 effectively replacing 001-161 as a way to dig even deeper for the card you need.
Amethsyt/Ruby Bounce Control
The ubiquitous Bounce Control deck has virtually never dropped outside of tier 1 on these lists. And for good reason. The combination of Amethyst's bounce package married with Ruby's control tools is such a strong core. The deck doesn't even need new cards to keep it competitive in the meta.
That is evident in this list from Noimnot which came in 3rd place at the CSS $10k tournament. It runs barely any new cards, with two copies of 005-068 being the only addition to the deck to come from Shimmering Skies.
Tier 2
Amethyst/Emerald Tempo
Amethyst/Emerald Tempo looks like a strong contender in the Skies meta and is already knocking on the door of tier 1. We already know Amethyst's bounce package provides strong tempo but Emerald continues to provide tempo tools of their own. 005-089 is one such card. It can be played early as a decent body or in the mid-game to bounce something of your opponent's. And then there is 005-092, which is a great follow-up play to the smaller Gothel or just as a turn 6 tempo play.
Here is an Amethyst/Emerald Tempo list that won a 64-player tournament in Sweden. The list comes from Sander "Sand2636" Boss and includes not only the Mother Gothel package mentioned above, but what is quickly becoming a staple in Emerald lists, 005-084. This card is arguably the best new draw engine in Disney Lorcana (and has the price tag to prove it!)
Sapphire/Steel Ramp Wheel
Sapphire/Steel Ramp has always been the scrappy little upstart to Ruby/Sapphire Pawpsicle. They have the same playstyle and many of the same cards, yet Sapphire/Steel never quite has reached the heights of its more successful counterpart. That appears to be the case yet again in Shimmering Skies. This deck includes some of the same new cards that the Pawpsicle deck does in 005-150 and 005-157 but without quite as much success.
One powerful new card it does have access to that Ruby/Sapphire doesn't is 005-195. This card, when played right, can be a complete gamewrecker for your opponent. Definitely one of those high skill cap cards that will shine in the right hands.
Here is a Sapphire/Steel list from Monteillet Sebаstien that took home a top 4 at a 241 player tournament in Lyon. In addition to the aforementioned cards, he also includes three copies of Hide Away, a very good new item and location removal tool.
Amber/Emerald Discard Control
The Amber/Emerald Discard Control deck came on strong at the end of the last meta and looks to continue its winning ways here in Shimmering Skies. Of course, its big splash play of Under the Sea paired with 003-007 can get it out of many a sticky situation. But it's actually its consistent card draw and discard in the early to midgame that powers the deck. 002-089 remains a very good card.
This list from CJgambit won first place in a recent $2k tournament at Star City Games Con in Tampa, knocking off Brennan DeCandio and his Steelsong deck in the final. While this build has only one new card in it in 005-096, it's a very synergistic one. It's combo potential with 004-090 is obvious. But the card's drawback of giving your opponent extra card draw can be flipped to a positive if you have a Prince John on board and some discard cards in hand, turning those cards your opponent just drew into more card draw for you.
Emerald/Steel Discard
Emerald/Steel Discard is attempting to refind itself now that 002-073 is out of the picture. A more aggro oriented version is being experimented with and still could be the deck of choice. But all the cards that enabled Bucky to be so oppressive are still good cards in their own right, so just running the same or similar deck sans Bucky could still be viable?
That's what Pieter Dewаchter did with this Emerald/Steel list that came top 8 in a 69-player tournament in Belgium. The one new card he runs is the other Emerald Legendary, 005-085. She provides a lot of flexibility, allowing you to play her as a discard or tempo option.
Amethyst/Sapphire Blurple Control
Not exactly a new archetype, Amethyst/Sapphire Control (or, as it is affectionately known, "Blurple") is at least new to the tier list. The deck has floated on the edge of viability for a set or two now, but looks like it may finally have broken through with some key new additions from Skies.
The deck is a controlling ramp deck, through and through. You've got Sapphire's ramp stuff in 005-157 and 001-154. And then you back it up with Amethyst's bounce package. The bounce stuff can even accelerate your ramp even further by bouncing your ramp cards back to hand to play them again. Once you are sufficiently ramped, you have bomb after bomb that you can play to control the board and close out the game. 005-150 finds another home in this deck archetype, alongside other late game power plays such as 001-147 and 001-042.
This Blurple deck from Lаmbert Victor managed a top 4 spot at the 241-player tournament in Lyon. Another key card from the new set that has unlocked this deck's potential is 005-048. Not only does she provide good mid-game board control, she works as an excellent Shift target for your Spirit of Winter. With some future refinement ahead, this is definitely one deck archetype to watch.
Tier 3
Amber/Ruby Red Mufasa
002-014 decks are still kicking. Although they have yet to breakthrough into the top of the meta, they remain solid decks that can still bring home a cheeky top 8. The deck didn't get too many additions in Shimmering Skies, with the notable exception of 005-029. Yes, it's an action card but it's an action that wants to go in a character-heavy deck such as the Mufasa decks.
We can see that Jeremie "Vizrony" Nadeau utilized that new card in his Mufasa list, which came in 3rd place in a 170-player side tournament at the Toronto DLC. The deck also runs 4 004-130s and 002-130s, which reduces your Mufasa value but probably increases the deck's performance across all matchups.
Amethyst/Steel Aggro
Also in tier 3 we find Amethyst/Steel Aggro, another familiar deck from metas past. Once again, the Amethyst bounce package is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. I'm honestly a bit surprised that Amethyst/Steel isn't doing better as it was the build that I thought could abuse 005-195, a card I pegged as one of the best in the set. But without much else to boost the deck's performance, I suppose it has fallen a bit behind.
Here is the deck's best performing list so far this meta, a deck from Roy Diepstrаten that came in the top 8 at the 69-player tournament in Belgium. In addition to Pete, this deck also runs a couple other new cards in 005-037, a card that works well with the bounce stuff, and 005-176, who is just a hard-to-remove early game character.
Ruby/Sapphire Items Cheat
We close out the tier list on a wholly new and very unique deck archetype. It's Ruby/Sapphire Items, but instead of trying to ramp and control the opponent, the idea is to get items out cheaply (or for free with 005-147) and then use 004-159 to banish those items and gain lore. It's a fun combo deck although we will have to see whether it has any staying power.
Here is the breakthrough list for this deck archetype, crafted by Micah E. and piloted to a 1st place finish in a 62-player tournament in the US. To help power the combo even further, the deck runs a few copies of 001-112, allowing you to ready your Prince John or Triton and then exert them again.
And that's it for our first Shimmering Skies meta report. While this set hasn't shaken things up too much, it has introduced some powerful new options for existing decks while also unlocking the potential of some decks that had been on the fringes before. In time, we will hopefully see even more of these decks rise up and land a spot on the tier list.
Moving forward, we'll be doing these reports a bit more infrequently, simply because the data for weekly reports is just not there right now. With only 2 or 3 large tournaments on most weekends, it's hard to get a representative sample of how decks are performing with just a week's worth of data. So we are going to be trying bi-weekly or maybe even monthly reports, depending on how things shake out. Although we are also experimenting with a more dynamic tier list, that would be updated more frequently, in between the meta reports. So stay tuned!
And, until next time, good luck and have fun!
