Table of Contents
Hey everyone!
There’s no UrsiiDay Weekly this time, so we’re taking a look at the biggest event of the week instead—the Magma Cup, which drew in 330 players, still a pretty solid turnout. While the lower player count this week meant less innovation overall, that didn’t stop us from digging into which decks are currently performing best—and spotting a few new developments along the way.
Let’s dive in!
Deck Distribution
Magma Cup (330 players)
Buzzwole has clearly established itself as one of the top decks in the format, with nearly a third of the entire tournament field choosing it. For now, we’ve separated the two main variants—A3a-006 + A3a-007 and A3a-006 + A3a-062—given the lower player count.
A2b-010 + A3a-061 remains the go-to counter to the Buzzwole surge, riding high off its win in the last UrsiiDay Weekly.
A2-110 + A2b-035 continues to trend upward, once again becoming the third most played deck this week. It’s clear this archetype has found a stable following.
A3a-061 + A2-089 saw a notable uptick this time—especially considering its decline last week—suggesting the deck may have finally found its footing in the current meta.
A3a-027 + A3-122 saw a bit of a dropoff, likely due to the increasing presence of Oricorio decks keeping it in check.
The A3a-043 variants are holding steady. While usage remains on the lower side, there are still enough Guzzlord builds near the top to keep the meta honest.
Lastly, the "other decks" this week largely included A3-066 tech to stop the flood of EX attackers dominating the format. While climbing with these rogue builds is tough—since the top decks also pack answers to Oricorio—there were a few standouts. Most notably, A3a-061 + A3-066 and A1-089 + A3-066 made waves again, along with the newly emerging A2-053 + A3a-027 paired with Oricorio, which we’ll take a closer look at later.
Top 64
Magma Cup (Top Cut)
- Conversion rates this week are noticeably higher due to the smaller sample size. Despite being one of the most played decks, A3a-006 + A3a-007 delivered with a strong 41.9% conversion rate. Its sibling variant, A3a-006 + A3a-062, followed with a respectable 30%, showing that both versions weren’t just popular—they were effective. The better performance of the Pheromosa variant may come down to its favorable mirror matchup, especially when paired with A2-150.
- The highest conversion this week came from A3a-043 + A3a-045, with a massive 75%, though from a small pool of players. Meanwhile, A3a-061 + A3a-009 and the newly emerging A2-053 + A3a-027 also posted a strong 50% each—highlighting how well-optimized fringe picks can still punch above their weight when piloted effectively.
- Overall, it’s clear the meta is revolving around Buzzwole. Its sheer numbers and success rate are warping the format, and most of the top-performing decks this week were either Buzzwole builds or decks designed to beat them.
Top 4 Decks
| Tournament | First Place | Second Place | Third Place | Fourth Place |
| Magma Cup $100 | Guzzlord ex Nihilego | Darkrai Giratina ex Nihilego | Magnezone Shiinotic | Buzzwole ex Celesteela |
- And despite the overwhelming presence of Buzzwole decks, the tournament winner was none other than A3a-043 + A3a-042, finishing with a 12-3 record and defeating 4 out of 5 Buzzwole opponents along the way—an impressive feat we’ll break down later in this report.
- Second place went to A2-110 + A2b-035, this time featuring the Nihilego package. It also posted a dominant showing against Buzzwole, taking down 5 Buzzwole builds and reinforcing its status as a consistent, top-tier pick.
- Third place was claimed by the newly emerging A2-053 + A3a-027 build, which not only beat 3 Buzzwole decks, but also overcame 3 different Charizard variants. Its resilience across matchups shows that this archetype may be more than just a surprise rogue—it’s shaping up to be a real contender.
- Rounding out fourth place was a Buzzwole deck after all—specifically the double A3a-008 + A3a-007 version. While we won’t be covering it in detail this time (since we’ve broken down this list in multiple past reports), you can check out the list in the table above.
Guzzlord Nihilego – 1st Place
The deck’s performance against Buzzwole was no fluke—it took down five Buzzwole decks, and it was clearly teched to do so. Running two copies of A2b-070 made it difficult for A3a-007 to chip away at A3a-043 and follow up with A2-150 for a knockout. The list leans toward slower matchups overall, staying standard in its core but carefully tuned for the current meta.
That said, it’s worth noting that it only faced one A3a-061 deck—and lost. Another interesting inclusion is A3a-066, which feels a bit off if the deck were built solely for Buzzwole. Personally, I’d prefer A2b-071 in that slot for a more direct counter. This suggests the pilot was aiming for broader coverage, not just Buzzwole.
If you want a deeper breakdown of how the deck works, check out the full guide.
Darkrai Giratina Nihilego - 2nd Place
Second place was taken by a A2-110 + A2b-035 deck featuring the Nihilego package, which is quickly becoming standard given the rise of A3-066 across the meta. Interestingly, it didn’t face much Oricorio throughout the tournament—only encountering it once in Top 4 against the Magnezone Shiinotic deck.
The list itself is fairly standard, but one notable choice is the inclusion of two A2b-070 instead of the more common PROMO-001. This may suggest the pilot was more concerned about lingering Poison effects, or simply preferred more consistent healing over burst.
Magnezone Shiinotic – 3rd Place
Third place went to a new and surprisingly effective deck. It runs a wide mix of Pokémon, but everything fits together cleanly. We already know how strong A3a-027 can be thanks to its success with Solgaleo—and this deck follows a similar gameplan, except it uses A2-053 as the main attacker.
You’ll often have to sacrifice a Shiinotic early, especially since it can’t reliably retreat, but that’s a small price to pay. Your opponent then has to deal with a fully powered Magnezone, and usually another one right after—possibly backed up by A3-066. Since the deck runs only Lightning Energy, A2-053 is nearly impossible to starve out unless it’s knocked out directly.
Charizard Wigglytuff – 7th Place
Since we’ve already covered Buzzwole extensively in past reports, let’s take a look at a different variant of A2b-010—this one featuring A2b-061. The strategy revolves around keeping Charizard alive as long as possible. With two Wigglytuff in play and support from A3-155, it becomes surprisingly tanky and difficult to deal with.
This list finished in 7th place, which is an impressive feat. While Charizard still does most of the heavy lifting, the Wigglytuff package clearly plays a meaningful role. The deck also went 5-0 against Buzzwole, further proving that Charizard remains a top-tier pick in the current meta.
The only curious inclusion was the use of the non-promo A2b-060—likely due to availability. That said, the Promo version’s guaranteed Sleep effect would’ve better supported the deck’s stall-oriented plan while waiting for Charizard to take over.
Regardless, Charizard continues to shine in a Buzzwole-heavy environment and remains one of the safest high-tier choices in the game right now.
Best Decks for Ranked
And finally, let’s talk about what to bring into Ranked. Keep in mind—Ranked ends on June 23, so there’s only about a week left. Hopefully, you're closing in on that lovely emblem!
There aren’t too many changes from last week, but the Buzzwole surge is very real now, and Oricorio decks are popping up more frequently as counters. These two are the most important matchups to prepare for as you make your final push.
Just a few weeks ago, this expansion felt underwhelming—but with Buzzwole now dominating, the Ultra Beasts have more than proven their worth.
Buzzwole ex Celesteela
With Ranked ending soon, we can safely say that Buzzwole has been the best deck of the expansion. Even with numerous counters trying to stop it, the deck continues to post strong conversion rates thanks to its consistency, aggression, and flexibility. It’s simply the best all-around deck—and the only real challenge is the mirror match.
If you want to learn how to navigate those matchups and optimize every turn, check out the full guide.
Shiinotic Solgaleo ex
Still one of the scariest threats in the format. The A3a-027 engine gives you access to one of the strongest tempo setups, and A3-122 hits hard and fast. However, the rise of A3-066 has slowed this deck down quite a bit, so having a A1-225 is now a must to deal with Oricorio.
Most decks only run one Oricorio, which Shiinotic can handle. But if your opponent runs two, things can get tricky. Still, if piloted well, this deck remains a powerhouse. Full guide linked!
Charizard ex Silvally
With how dominant Buzzwole and Solgaleo have become, Charizard remains one of the few decks that can even the playing field. It doesn’t beat Buzzwole reliably—but it’s one of the only decks that even stands a chance consistently.
Gameplan depends on your opener:
- If you start with A2b-008 and have A3-144, you can quickly evolve into A2b-010 for early pressure.
- Most of the time, you’ll want to open with A3a-060, evolve into A3a-061, and swing for 100 on Turn 2.
- Then transition into A2b-010 to clean up what Silvally softened.
A solid deck with a high skill ceiling—and definitely worth having in your arsenal.
Silvally Oricorio
Silvally Oricorio has been a standout since emerging last week. It's explosive and high-reward, but can feel a bit swingy depending on your opener. Ideally, you want to start with A3a-021, and even A2-154 relies on it to generate early pressure. Still, thanks to A3a-061’s raw power, the deck can go toe-to-toe with anything.
Gameplan breakdown:
- Going second: Start with A3a-060, evolve into A3a-061, and swing for 100 damage on Turn 2 with any Supporter.
- Going first: Open with A3a-021, use its Ability + manual attach, and with help from A2-154, swing with Silvally or Oricorio by Turn 2.
Fast, powerful, and capable of free wins—just don’t expect every game to go your way.
Guzzlord ex Nihilego
Now with a tournament win under its belt, this deck has cemented itself as one of the strongest picks going into the final stretch of Ranked. That said, the Buzzwole matchup can still be brutal unless you’re teched specifically for it—running two A2b-070 and a A2b-071 goes a long way.
Outside of that, the deck has favorable matchups across the board—including into A3-066. If you’ve got the pieces and are willing to learn the deck’s nuances, Guzzlord Nihilego is a solid meta call. Be sure to check the guide if you're diving in for the first time!
Silvally Blacephalon
While it may not top the charts in popularity, Silvally Blacephalon continues to post strong win rates, especially against Buzzwole. This was one of the few decks that made Buzzwole’s rise difficult during early Ranked weeks, and now that its popularity has dipped, it might be the perfect time to bring it back.
If you’re looking for a counter deck with explosive potential, this one’s worth a shot. Full guide is available above.
Darkrai ex Giratina ex Nihilego
This deck has been consistently performing well over the past few weeks. Lately, though, it’s shifted toward including Nihilego as a response to the rising Oricorio meta. If you’re already comfortable with Darkrai Giratina, this build won’t feel too different—but you may find it a bit more inconsistent due to the new pieces.
It does get a little inconsistent with the addition of Nihilego now and people are running Guzma too.
Silvally Rampardos
While no longer dominating the meta, Silvally Rampardos has stabilized and remains a viable, fast, and easy-to-pilot option. It’s especially popular in the lower Ultra Ball ranks, where it can tear through less optimized decks.
For a full breakdown of how the deck plays and why it’s still relevant, check the guide linked.
Magnezone Shiinotic
This is one of the new breakout decks from the Magma Cup, and it's already showing up frequently in Ranked matches. The core idea is to use A3a-027 to search out pieces for A2-053 and A3-066, who act as your main attackers.
You evolve from A2-051 into A1-098, then into Magnezone, which fuels itself with Lightning Energy. Once powered up, Magnezone can take over the game, especially since it never runs out of Energy unless it’s KO’d. A really clever, resilient build worth trying out.
Tapu Lele Giratina ex Stoutland
This deck had a respectable tournament showing and continues to be a strong off-meta choice. It plays a bit more methodically than most top decks, with many small decision points that reward experienced pilots.
If you're looking for a skill-intensive deck that punishes misplays and rewards optimization, this is the one. Make sure to check the full guide to understand its lines and sequencing.
Final Thoughts
As we enter the final week of Extradimensional Crisis, the meta has clearly settled—but that doesn’t mean it’s stale. Buzzwole continues to dominate both in numbers and performance, forcing the rest of the format to adapt. Whether it's A3-066 counterplay, healing tech like A2b-070, or surprise rogue decks like Magnezone Shiinotic, the best players are finding creative ways to keep up.
If you're still grinding for the Ranked emblem, now’s the time to lock in your comfort deck—or bring something that can handle the Buzzwole-heavy ladder. And don’t forget: with just a week left, consistency matters more than innovation. Play what you know, respect the meta, and finish strong.
Good luck, and see you at Masterball!
