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As we move further into Season 2 of Regionals, the meta is beginning to show clearer signs of consolidation. As players gain access to the cards they need and successful lists become more established, the strongest-performing archetypes are attracting more representation. Results themselves are now becoming a significant driver of deck choice, with consistent top finishes providing a clearer indication of which strategies are performing reliably.
At the same time, the rise of these established decks creates opportunities for targeted counterplay. As players identify the strategies defining the current format, decks with favourable matchups into those archetypes should begin to gain representation themselves. This creates a cycle of adaptation that will shape the next stage of the format.
With the current card pool now becoming increasingly understood, we may be approaching a more stable point in the EX12 meta, where established strategies and their counters make up the majority of competitive play.
That stability may not last for long, however. BT26 is looming on the not too distant horizon and is likely to introduce another significant shift in the competitive landscape.
But without further ado, let's delve into the numbers.
The Rising Decks
Share: 8.40% ↑1.59%
Whilst TB isn't at its peak representation, it has still managed to unseat Glowing Dawn as the most represented deck of the format, and its results make it easy to see why. The archetype continues to appear consistently in Top Cuts, demonstrating that its lower representation does not reflect a lack of competitive performance. More importantly, TB sits at just 8.40% of the meta. Compared to other leading decks we've seen this year, including Styracomon, this is a much lower level of concentration at the top, pointing towards a significantly more diverse format.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, TB is increasingly feeling like a solved deck. Successful lists show very little variation, with the main point of difference being whether players choose to run three or four copies of Susanoomon - EX12-076 . Beyond that, players have largely converged on the same core configuration, suggesting that the archetype's optimisation is already well established.
What makes TB particularly interesting is that its position at the top doesn't appear to be driven by overwhelming representation. Instead, it is maintaining that position through consistent competitive results. That distinction is important: the current data suggests we're looking at a format where strong performance isn't necessarily tied to one dominant strategy, giving a wider range of archetypes room to compete at the highest level.
Share: 4.77% ↑1.53%
Vulcanusmon has seen a notable increase in representation this week after remaining relatively stable over the previous few weeks. This kind of movement is often closely tied to recent tournament results, and its win at Gen Con Regionals provides a clear explanation for the spike. Strong finishes can quickly influence player confidence and encourage more players to adopt an archetype, particularly when the result validates an existing strategy.
The more interesting metric will be whether this increase translates into sustained representation. If Vulcanusmon remains elevated over the next few weeks, it would suggest that the Gen Con result has created a lasting shift in player adoption. If representation falls back towards its previous level, this week's movement is more likely to be a short-term reaction to the result rather than a genuine change in the deck's position within the meta.
Share: 4.56% ↑0.88%
Whilst Vemmon has had a relatively turbulent journey, its overall trajectory is clearly upward. The recent data does suggest that this growth may be approaching a plateau, but maintaining its current level of representation will be just as important as reaching it in the first place. The combination of Unique Emblem: Ragnarok Attainer - P-244 and a strong matchup into TB has given the deck a clear competitive advantage, and its increasing presence appears to be a reflection of that.
The key question now is whether Vemmon can turn this recent growth into sustained representation. If its numbers stabilise around their current level, it would suggest the deck has established itself as a consistent part of the meta rather than simply benefiting from a short-term spike. The coming weeks should give us a much clearer picture of just how stable this newfound position really is.
Share: 4.19% ↑1.25%
Having been on the rise for some time now, SW continues to build momentum. The deck is performing well and has established itself as a strong competitive option, with its increasing representation suggesting that players are continuing to gain confidence in the archetype. The main point of variation remains whether to include Susanoomon - EX12-076 , with successful lists emerging both with and without the Level 7.
For now, the data continues to point upwards, making SW one of the more interesting decks to watch. The key question is how far this growth can continue before representation begins to level off, particularly as more players adopt the archetype and the wider meta begins to adjust to its presence.
The Falling Decks
Share: 7.63% ↓3.51%
A major drop for Glowing Dawn this week. Since the release of EX12, we've seen a gradual decline in representation followed by a minor recovery, but this latest movement is significantly more pronounced. That said, the drop in representation shouldn't be confused with a decline in performance. Glowing Dawn continues to put up strong results, suggesting that the deck remains highly competitive despite fewer players choosing to bring it.
It's too early to interpret this as a mass exodus from the archetype. Players tend to follow proven results, and Glowing Dawn continues to demonstrate that it can compete at the highest level. If those results continue, we could easily see representation recover over the coming weeks as players return to an archetype that has already established itself as a reliable option.
Share: 4.78% ↓3.68%
And somehow, Three Musketeers has overtaken Glowing Dawn for the biggest change of the week. Its representation has followed a similar trajectory, with a gradual decline followed by a sharper drop, a brief recovery, and now another significant fall. This could be a reflection of the wider meta. As unfavourable matchups become more popular, or more players begin including targeted answers to the archetype, its representation can quickly decline as players look elsewhere for more favourable options.
As with Glowing Dawn, it's difficult to determine whether this represents a sustained exodus or simply a short-term correction. However, Three Musketeers doesn't currently have quite the same level of recent results to support a rapid return. If its tournament performance begins to improve, we could see players return to the archetype, but for now its downward trajectory is more concerning than Glowing Dawn's.
Share: 3.68% ↓0.70%
Jupiter remains on a rather rocky downward trajectory, although the curve appears to be plateauing over the last few weeks. The deck's results have also taken a dip this week, but that shouldn't be interpreted as a sign that Jupiter has suddenly become a weaker strategy. Its underlying performance remains strong, and the recent reduction in representation is more likely a reflection of the shifting meta than a fundamental problem with the deck.
Looking ahead to BT26, I expect we may see some artificial inflation in Jupiter's representation. As players prepare for the new support, many will return to the deck to put in reps and familiarise themselves with its playstyle before the new cards arrive. If that happens, it will be interesting to separate genuine renewed interest from players simply preparing for the next format.
Overall Takeaway
This week paints a picture of a remarkably diverse and increasingly fluid meta. No single archetype is dominating representation, with TB leading at just 8.40%, while several decks are moving in opposite directions as players respond to recent results and the evolving matchup landscape. Vulcanusmon, Vemmon and SW are all showing upward momentum, while Glowing Dawn, Three Musketeers and Jupiter have seen their representation decline despite several of them continuing to perform well.
The most important trend to watch is whether these movements become sustained shifts or simply short-term reactions to recent results. Players are clearly responding to successful tournament finishes, but increased representation also gives opponents more reason to prepare for those strategies. That creates a constantly shifting balance between results, counterplay and player adoption. With BT26 approaching, we should expect some additional movement as players begin testing and revisiting established archetypes, making the weeks ahead particularly interesting for understanding which decks have genuinely established themselves and which are simply benefiting from temporary momentum.
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