Hello once again!
Last week I took a break from writing the meta report as I was over in Rotherham competing at the OPE Regionals. It was great being able to watch the event unfold in real time, with Xros eventually taking the win over Toho Braves in the finals. Weekends like these can be exhausting, but they're also a reminder of how much this community has grown.
I also want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who came over to say hello, whether it was to talk about the site, the reports, or just to say some kind words. It's always great hearing that people are enjoying what we're building with Nexus, and moments like that are a great reminder that we're heading in the right direction.
We'd also like to give a shout out to the Misplay for Game team for streaming the event and giving us even more great coverage of the Digimon Card Game.
Now, onto the meta.
We're well and truly into the EX12 format, and Toho Braves continues to be the deck to beat. While it has only managed a single Regional victory at the time of writing, it's absolutely dominating top cuts, claiming 17 Top 16 finishes across the last four Regionals. That level of success has also led to a resurgence of Vemmon, a deck that has positioned itself well against both Toho Braves and Three Musketeers.
We're now less than five weeks away from BT26, which should shake things up once again. Even so, I don't expect Toho Braves to disappear any time soon. Alongside the new support for Time Stranger decks, it'll be interesting to see whether the rest of the format can finally catch up, or if Toho Braves can continue its dominance.
With that said, let's take a look at the stats.
The Rising Decks
Share: 11.14% ↑1.41%
After a few weeks of steady decline, Glowing Dawn has started to recover this week, retaining its position at the top of the format. While Susanoomon - EX12-076 has been a major threat to the deck, Atratusmon - ST23-09 continues to be a key part of its success, giving Glowing Dawn the tools it needs to remain competitive in the current meta.
Interestingly, this increase in popularity is also being backed up by improved performance. The deck is currently converting from Top 8 to Top 4 in 2 out of 3 appearances, showing that it isn't simply benefiting from a favourable matchup spread, but is still capable of pushing deep into events.
Share: 8.46% ↑1.99%
Last week we saw Three Musketeers take a dip, but that decline appears to have been short lived, with this week's increase almost completely reversing the previous drop. This suggests that last week's movement was more of a temporary fluctuation rather than a sign of a wider decline for the archetype.
At this point, Three Musketeers feels like a very solved deck. While we are still seeing small adjustments and individual card choices changing between lists, the overall structure of the deck has remained largely consistent. As a result, the average Three Musketeers list is becoming easier to predict, with most builds sharing a very similar core.
For players facing the deck, this means understanding the common lines of play and key cards is becoming increasingly important, as there is less variation between lists compared to earlier in BT25.
Share: 5.15% ↑0.73%
We return to Jupiter, where the volatility of the deck appears to be settling, with the peaks and troughs becoming less extreme over recent weeks.
A major challenge for the deck continues to be Susanoomon - EX12-076 , with DP reduction directly targeting one of Jupiter's biggest strengths, its ability to maintain a sticky board state. As a result, players are experimenting with different tech choices to help improve the matchup and find that extra edge against the current meta.
So far, these adaptations have seen varying levels of success, and it remains to be seen which solutions the community will settle on as the format continues to develop.
Share: 5.01% ↑1.78%
Whilst Bears has seen a rise this week, we are starting to see a wider downward trend that has been developing since the start of the EX12 format. However, the deck's results have been improving, which could indicate that we are beginning to see a shift back upwards, or at the very least a stabilisation of the decline.
At the moment, players are continuing to experiment with different tweaks and adjustments, but unlike some other archetypes, no single change has emerged as the clear direction for the deck. For now, Bears remains in a position where players are still refining the list and looking for the optimal configuration in the current meta.
The Falling Decks
Share: 6.81% ↓1.94%
Seeing a fall in Toho Braves is certainly a surprise following its recent string of successes at Regionals. However, with the deck continuing to put up improving results, this decline looks more likely to be a temporary fluctuation rather than the start of a lasting trend.
The deck remains incredibly strong and, within a matter of weeks, could become the main challenger to Glowing Dawn for the top spot of the format. One of the more interesting changes we've seen recently is the shift in deck construction around Susanoomon - EX12-076 . Previously, many players were consistently opting for three copies, but more lists are now moving towards the full playset.
The additional copy increases the chances of seeing Susanoomon when it matters most, and in some matchups, the difference between finding that extra extension or missing it can be the deciding factor in the game.
Share: 4.51% ↓0.31%
Barely falling this week is Time Stranger Angels. The deck has maintained a relatively consistent share of the meta for some time now, but we are continuing to see improvements in its overall performance.
Not unlike some other archetypes in the format, TS Angels appears to have reached a fairly settled point in its deck construction. While there are still some players experimenting with alternative builds, the majority of lists share a very similar core, suggesting that the optimal direction for the deck is becoming clearer.
Share: 3.68% ↓0.93%
Following the release of the new emblem and the rise of Toho Braves, Vemmon has seen an increase in representation, although its share has remained relatively volatile week to week.
The deck has positioned itself well against several of the format's stronger contenders, with Galacticmon - EX11-046 playing a key role in allowing Vemmon to act as a counter to the current meta. The protection from effects helps the deck navigate many of the interaction-heavy strategies currently seeing play, giving it a strong position into some of the format's most popular decks.
However, despite these favourable matchups, Vemmon has yet to convert this positioning into a consistently high representation, with results continuing to fluctuate week to week.
Currently, Vemmon's performance appears closely tied to the wider format. As Toho Braves and other interaction-heavy decks continue to shape the metagame, it will be interesting to see whether Vemmon can maintain its recent momentum.
Overall Takeaway
The EX12 meta continues to be shaped by a small group of highly competitive archetypes, with Glowing Dawn, Three Musketeers, and Toho Braves maintaining strong positions despite weekly shifts in representation. Glowing Dawn has regained momentum after a period of decline, while Three Musketeers continues to show consistency as the archetype becomes increasingly refined. Meanwhile, Toho Braves continues to produce some of the strongest results in the format, with its recent drop in share appearing more likely to be a temporary fluctuation than a decline in performance.
Beyond the established top decks, the format is continuing to adapt as players look for ways to position themselves against the current leaders. Vemmon has emerged as a strong counter-meta option thanks to its ability to navigate the interaction-heavy strategies currently dominating the format, while Jupiter and Bears continue to see experimentation as players search for the optimal builds. With BT26 approaching, the key question is whether these adaptations will be enough to challenge the current hierarchy, or if the established leaders will continue to define the format.
Submit Your Decklists
Every decklist submitted to DCG Nexus helps paint a clearer picture of the metagame. Whether you're playing the latest EX12 deck or sticking with an established favourite, your list contributes to the stats that make these snapshots possible.
As a thank you, every submitted deck also receives its own Deck Fingerprint. Fingerprints compare your list against similar decks in the database, highlighting what makes your build unique through metrics such as level distribution, colour ratios, card types, play cost curve, and more. It's a great way to see how your deck stacks up against the wider metagame and spot the subtle differences that make your build your own.
You can submit your own decklists, or create an event and invite your local community to submit theirs too. The more data we collect, the better the insights become for everyone.
Submit your decklists here: https://dcg-nexus.com/Event/Submit