Why Odion’s “Temple of the Kings/Apophis” Deck Is the Control Choice of 2026? Why is Odion’s deck suddenly the talk of the format? With the January 2026 Asian English banlist shaking up the meta, duelists are searching for strategies that combine nostalgia with competitive control. Odion’s Temple of the Kings/Apophis deck — straight from Yu‑Gi‑Oh! Duel Monsters — finally gets its spotlight in Creation Pack 10. Here’s why this deck deserves your attention. Card Reviews (Quick Insights) Here’s a concise look at each card in the Odion lineup: Anubis the Last Judge – Your searcher for your starter “The Man with a Mark” and also offers some beatstick power and card removal. The Man with the Mark – Sets the tone for Odion’s trap-centric playstyle, offering consistency by searching cards necessary for your combo as well as providing protection to your backrows. Mystical Beast of Serket – Classic summon enabler tied to Temple of the Kings; iconic and functional. Merciless Scorpion of Serket – Aggressive attacker that punishes opponents who leave openings. It also acts as your secondary searcher for your Temple of the Kings spell cards. Divine Serpent Apophis – Act as an instant boss monster that could help reuse your “Apophis” traps for further negation and card removal.  Divine Scorpion Beast of Serket – Modernized Serket evolution, bridging old mechanics with new synergy. Offers monster removal and huge damage output. Treasures of the Kings – Resource engine that keeps Odion’s grind game alive. It can provide +2 on its own making it the centerpiece of the strategy. Defense of the Temple – Your theme fusion spell that could also act as a removal in combination with your Serket fusion monsters. Temple of the Kings – The classic spell that helps speed-up the activation of your trap cards. Apophis the Serpent – Trap monster utility; flexible body for both offense and defense. This searches your Apophis monster traps and allows them to be activated the turn they are set. Embodiment of Apophis – The classic Apophis monster that you can also incorporate in your strategy. Apophis the Swamp Deity – It provides card negation for additional control. Verdict of Anubis – Reactive counter that punishes spell-heavy strategies searchable by “The Man with a Mark”. Sample Decklists (Post January 2026 Asian English Format) 1. Pure Odion Build Focuses on Temple of the Kings synergy. Trap-heavy, grind-oriented, with Apophis forms as finishers. 2. Odion + Primite Engine (Control Build) Competitive variant leveraging Primite’s control factor. Stronger against meta decks post-banlist, offering layered disruption.   Final Thoughts Odion’s Temple of the Kings/Apophis deck is more than nostalgia — it’s a genuine control contender in the new meta. With Creation Pack 10 Asian English now available, duelists can explore Odion alongside the pack’s other fresh themes, all ready at TCG-Corner. This has been ArcKnight of RespectYGO. Happy Dueling!

Top Decks Nerfed! Asian English January 2026 Banlist Breakdown The January 2026 Asian English Forbidden & Limited List is here, and it’s one of the most impactful updates we’ve seen in a while. No Forbidden cards this time, but the hits to top decks and staples are enough to shake up the format. Let’s recap what happened in the latest AE Banlist!  A. Banlist Recap NEWLY FORBIDDEN No changes. 「NEWLY LIMITED」Cupsy Yummy (3⇒1)K9 66A – Jokull (3⇒1)Maliss March Hare (3⇒1)Maliss White Rabbit (3⇒1)Herald of Arc Light (3⇒1)Ketu Dracotail (3⇒1)Maliss in Underground (3⇒1)Obedience Schooled (3⇒1)Pre-Preparation of Rites (3⇒1)Gozen Match (3⇒1)Rivalry of Warlords (3⇒1) 「SEMI LIMITED」Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring (3⇒2)Ice Ryzeal (3⇒2)K9-17 Izuna (3⇒2)Maxx “C” (3⇒2)Vanquish Soul Razen (3⇒2)Yummy Snatchy (3⇒2) 「UNLIMITED」 Cyber Jar (0⇒3)Pot of Desires (2⇒3)Purrely Sleepy Memory (2⇒3)Snatch Steal (0⇒3) Source: Official Asia Yu-Gi-Oh! Facebook Page   C. Banlist Highlights 1. Top Tier Deck Major Hits Maliss took the biggest blow this round, with three of its core cards limited: Maliss March Hare, Maliss White Rabbit, and Maliss in Underground. That’s a huge consistency cut. Yummy also got trimmed down. Cupsy Yummy, Obedience Schooled, and Arc Light are now limited, while Yummy Snatchy is semi-limited. Still, the deck feels playable thanks to the new Marshmao Yummy from DOOM OF DIMENSION AE. Vanquish Soul and K9 weren’t spared either. The K9 engine lost steam with K9 Jokull limited and Izuna semi-limited, which definitely lowers its firepower. 2. Top Tier Deck Minor Hits Dracotail only saw Ketu Dracotail limited, but with three Branded Fusion still available in AE, it remains a top contender. Mitsurugi took a consistency hit with Pre-Preparation of Rites limited. Ryzeal continues to be chipped away, now with Ice Ryzeal semi-limited, weakening its starter options. 3. Staple Hits Big staples finally got touched. Maxx “C” and Ash Blossom are now semi-limited. This feels like a shift we’ve been prepared for, especially with the Tactical Try Decks showing us new play patterns. Floodgates like Gozen Match and Rivalry of Warlords were limited, weakening stun strategies and opening space for more interactive gameplay. 4. Major Comeback Purrely is back at full power with Purrely Sleep Memory now unlimited. Pot of Desires returns to 3, alongside nostalgic classics like Cyber Jar and Snatch Steal. Cyber Jar and Snatch Steal has a modern AE print yet, which raises the question: are reprints coming soon?   D. Final Thoughts This January 2026 update is a big step forward for Asian English. By hitting the top meta decks hard, the format opens up space for new strategies to shine. With upcoming AE events like the Rank-Up League and 3-on-3 Tournament, deck building is about to get very interesting. If you’re looking to power up your AE decks, don’t forget to check out TCG-Corner for the latest card options. Once again, this has been ArcKnigt of RespectYGO, wishing you happy holidays and an exciting start to the new dueling year!  

New Year, New Meta: Breaking Down the January 2026 OCG Banlist The start of a new year always brings fresh changes to the competitive scene, and the January 2026 OCG Forbidden & Limited List is no exception. Several top decks took direct hits while staple cards were adjusted, setting the stage for a very different meta. Players are already talking about how these changes will shape their builds and strategies moving forward. Let’s recap what happened in the latest OCG Banlist! RespectYGO A. Banlist Recap FORBIDDEN ● Newly Restricted [4 Cards] Moon of the Closed Heaven 【Unlimited ⇒ Forbidden】 Splash Mage 【Unlimited ⇒ Forbidden】 Number 41: Bagooska the Terribly Tired Tapir 【Unlimited ⇒ Forbidden】 Maliss <Q> Red Ransom 【Unlimited ⇒ Forbidden】 LIMITED ● Newly Restricted & Increased Restriction [7 Cards] Ice Ryzeal 【Unlimited ⇒ Limited】 Maxx “C” 【Semi-Limited ⇒ Limited】 Dracotail Mululu 【Unlimited ⇒ Limited】 Marshmao☆Yummy 【Unlimited ⇒ Limited】 Yummy★Snatchy 【Semi-Limited ⇒ Limited】 Pre-Preparation of Rites 【Unlimited ⇒ Limited】 Called by the Grave 【Semi-Limited ⇒ Limited】 Toadally Awesome 【Forbidden ⇒ Limited】 Metamorphosis 【Forbidden ⇒ Limited】 SEMI-LIMITED Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring 【Unlimited ⇒ Semi-Limited】 Solemn Judgment 【Unlimited ⇒ Semi-Limited】 Dominus Impulse 【Unlimited ⇒ Semi-Limited】 Spright Starter 【Limited ⇒ Semi-Limited】 UNLIMITED  Astrograph Magician 【Semi-Limited ⇒ Unlimited】 Eclipse Wyvern 【Limited ⇒ Unlimited】 Bystial Baldrake 【Semi-Limited ⇒ Unlimited】 EMERGENCY! 【Semi-Limited ⇒ Unlimited】 Pot of Desires 【Semi-Limited ⇒ Unlimited】 Purrely Sleepy Memory 【Semi-Limited ⇒ Unlimited】 Pressured Planet Wraitsoth 【Semi-Limited ⇒ Unlimited】 Source: Official JP Site   C. Banlist Highlights 1. Maliss Maliss has been one of the format’s most consistent decks, but this time it took heavy hits. Both Maliss Red Ransom (Forbidden) and Splash Mage (Forbidden) were removed, cutting into the deck’s consistency and swarming potential. While the core remains intact aside from Maliss Doormouse being Limited still, these changes undeniably reduce the deck’s firepower and make it harder to maintain its dominance. 2. Ryzeal Ryzeal received a direct blow with Ice Ryzeal Limited, reducing its starter options, and Number 16: Bagooska Forbidden, stripping away a key defensive tool. This makes it tougher to stabilize after cards like Maxx “C” or Mulcharmy. The Onomat Ryzeal variant should still hold ground, but players will need to rethink their builds to compensate for the lost consistency. 3. Yummy Yummy decks were hit hard, losing grind and recovery power with Yummy Snatchy and Marshmao Yummy each reduced to one copy. This weakens their mid-to-late game and leaves them more vulnerable to hand traps. Consistency takes a big dip here, making Yummy less reliable as a competitive choice. 4. Dracotail Dracotail’s flexible starter, Dracotail Mululu, was Limited, slowing down its ability to kick off plays with minimal resources. Even so, Branded Dracotail variants remain strong contenders, showing that the archetype still has room to thrive despite the setback.   5. Maxx “C” and Called by the Grave The OCG’s decision to limit Maxx “C” and Called by the Grave is game-changing. Maxx “C” has long been a momentum-shifting card, often deciding matches outright when resolved. Restricting it reduces its oppressive nature but still keeps it relevant. Meanwhile, Called by the Grave at one copy gives go-second players more chances to land their hand traps, balancing out the duel dynamics. 6. Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring and Dominus Impulse Ash Blossom being semi-limited means consistency cards and draw effects have a better chance of resolving, shaking up how duelists plan their defenses. Dominus Impulse also moves to semi-limit, reducing its ability to counter summon-heavy strategies. Both changes open up the format for more diverse deckbuilding.   7. Moon of the Closed Heaven The generic bridge to Fiendsmith is now Forbidden, removing an easy route to connect into the powerful LIGHT Fiend strategy. This limits Fiendsmith to decks that already run main deck LIGHT Fiend cards such as Magical Musket, Evil Twin, and even Elvennotes to some extent. With this change, there’s a chance the Fiendsmith engine could slowly return from limitation in the future. Who knows? 8. Mitsurugi Mitsurugi received a slight consistency hit with Pre-Preparation of Rites reduced, lowering the chances of accessing the powerful Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi. With anticipation building for its wave 2 OCG support in the upcoming set, players are eager to see if new cards will push Mitsurugi’s standing even higher in the meta.   D. Final Thoughts This January 2026 OCG Banlist feels like a step toward aligning formats, especially with Maxx “C” now at one copy — just a single adjustment away from matching the TCG. The hits to Maliss, Ryzeal, and Yummy will reshape the competitive landscape, while staple adjustments like Ash Blossom and Called by the Grave create new opportunities for creative deckbuilding. Overall, the outcome looks promising and it’s exciting to see which decks rise to the top in the coming meta. Speaking of top decks, be sure to check TCG Corner to grab the cards you need — maybe even the missing piece of your next tier-one build. This has been ArcKnight from RespectYGO, wishing you a happy holidays and a strong start to the dueling year!