Yugioh January 2015 Tier List

1.  Shaddoll

This deck has a huge engine, with Shaddoll cards activating after being sent to the grave.  It can be combined with decks like Lightsworn, which have strong beasts but tend to be a bit slow.  Its fusion monsters can be summoned with Shaddoll fusion, which also activates the Shaddoll effects while bringing out major beatsticks like Construct (see above) and they also funnel shaddoll fusions back to hand.

2. Qliphort (Qli)

This deck is the only deck with major pendulum support, automatically bumping Qli up our list as Pendulum is OP and breaks the game.  Pendulum monsters are indestructible, as they never get destroyed, and you can easily summon 5 lv 8+ monsters with pendulum summoning.  Plus, cards like scout (see above) and saqlifice fix pendulum's only disadvantage: getting pendulums to the hand.

3. Burning Abyss

This deck is Mermail 2.0, and its stronger than ever due to Dante's milling abilities (see above) which fuel the rest of the deck.  Cards like Cir or Scarm are stronger versions of their Mermail equivalents, while the Mermail deck is stuck due to the banlist, Burning Abyss is literally on fire (no pun intended.)  As I mentioned with Shaddoll, this can also be used as an engine for other decks, but Shaddoll monsters have slightly better mill effects...

4.  SatellarKnight

SatellarKnight drops from 1st to 4th after the new banlist, but still is incredibly strong, with graveyard funneling like Vega and Altair (see above) which gurantee at least 4 satellarknights on the field per turn.  Combine this with a pretty strong spell support, and you find SatellarKnight can crush opponents pretty fast.

5. Ritual Beast

Ritual Beast monsters really on Contact fusion, or fusion with polymerization, to run their decks.  They can fusion summon a monster, use its effect (like Ulti-Cannahawk above) use its effect, then return the fusion material to the field, and summon another monster endlessly.  This leads to quick OTKs.

Honorable Mention. Dragon Rulers

Dragon Rulers are back ... with the new emphasis on card shifting, Dragon Rulers are used by almost any top player in addition to one of the top decks in order to get some more firepower during the OTKs.  This makes for an ultra-dangerous combo, with cards like El Shaddoll Winda already wrecking enough damage.

Analysis and Counters for top decks:

These top decks are strong basically because they haven't been touched by the banlist as they are being promoed.  Keeping this in mind, there isn't much we can do against them.  But here are 4 counter decks

4. Exodia

This classic is a troll, lengthening duels to piss off cookie cutter opponents who want OTKs.  Cards like Battle Fader buy time, and LP doesn't matter too much as long as you survive the onslaught...

3.  Macro-Rabbit

This deck will defend against decks like Shaddoll, SatellarKnight, and Burning Abyss, which rely on graveyard funneling, punishing them by banishing their cards instead.  This doesn't affect the others as they bounce right back from being banished or even worse, they don't get banished!

2. Special Summon Shut Down

Using cards like the Seal of Orichalcos and vanity's emptiness really slow down opponents decks, shutting down all their options.  The only flaw with this deck is that you have to draw the right cards, which is why this is #2.

1. Grave Banning/ MST

This is probably the best counter against the main decks. Use cards like the End of Anubis, Shadow Imprisoning Mirror, and Necrovalley in order to ban all effects, shutting down the crazy effects of the top decks, and put in cards like Horus of the black flame, which will block all spells (shutting down Qli) or MST, which is more instable (because you need to draw it).  Finally, you can combine this deck with the Orichalcos/Vanity combo, and you've got a great counter deck.  Plus, use decks like Vampires, which benefit from cards sent to grave.

This Banlist is pretty crappy, and I hope it resolves soon.  Personally, my favorite troll deck this season is firekings, as they wreck spec summons (although they don't prevent them from coming back.)  Have fun and don't be a cookie cutter!

Edit: I was only considering OCG decks.  The real banlist would look like this:

1. Nekroz

This deck is INSANELY FAST.  NO OTHER DECK COMES CLOSE TO THIS.  For comparision's sake, it took 90% of the world championship titles recently.  The engine is huge and recycling, posing no issues, and the deck can easily summon huge beatsticks, each with insane effects.  This ritual deck puts pendulum to shame.  THIS IS TIER 0. THE ONLY OTHER DECK TO BE TIER 0 WAS DRAGON RULERS.  (Note: this deck is guarenteed to get hit by the new banlist)

2. Qliphort

Discussed earlier, but Apoqliphort Towers also posses a major threat to decks like Nekroz, which is helpful.

2. Burning Abyss

No, I did not make a mistake, Qliphorts and BA are tied for second.  Both are utterly destructive, and can float the field as well as wipe it.  Both are insane (they pale in comparision to nekroz though.)  Both decks are Tier 1

4. Shaddoll

Discussed earlier, but it is currently at Tier 2

4. Satellarknight, Yosenju

Both of these decks are Tier 2 due to their nice engines and speed, but they aren't ridiculous, which drops them to tier 2.