Top 8 at EU Nationals: Breaking Down Jiren with Ryougi_Shiki
At this year’s EU Nationals, competitive players brought out some of the most refined, high-pressure lists we’ve seen in the game so far. Among the standout performers was Ryougi_Shiki, who secured a Top 8 finish piloting Jiren—a deck often underestimated in high-stakes environments.
In our interview, he walks through everything from deck construction decisions to technical matchup insights, giving us one of the clearest looks yet at how Jiren can thrive in a meta dominated by strong yellow strategies.
Why Jiren?
According to Shiki, Jiren’s explosive power and ability to convert early pressure into late-game inevitability was a huge factor. Even though other decks can ramp faster or generate value more consistently, Jiren’s combination of aggression, control tools, and flexible awaken timing made it a dark-horse contender.
He discusses how staying at four life for the self-awaken effect allowed him to maintain tempo while keeping defensive options open—even into difficult matchups such as strong yellow lists or heavy midrange decks.
Matchup Highlights
Across the event, Shiki faced a wide variety of archetypes. Some notable takeaways include:
Yellow Aggro (Gomah): Strong pressure but exploitable if you pace removal smartly. Jiren’s ability to clear boards and close quickly remains key.
Ramp & Control lists (Omega + Piccolo): Jiren shines here with its ability to force interactions earlier than opponents want.
Shiki goes in depth on sequencing, when to commit resources, how to adapt based on opponent mulligans, and how to maximize your battle cards without running dry.
Looking Ahead
Shiki shares that he’s still refining tech choices and believes the deck has even more potential in future competitive seasons. With new sets and meta shifts coming, Jiren may become an even more formidable presence—especially in the hands of players who understand its flexible timing windows.
He hopes to attend next year’s EU Nationals and aims to push even further—possibly another Top 8 or even a Top 4 finish.
A huge thanks again to Ryougi_Shiki for taking the time to break down his run and share his insights with the community!
Decklist:
https://www.deckplanet.net/fusion_world/deck/51f381ed-91bc-4002-9ab9-56ded4ef5da1
YouTube Video: