Notes & Combos
This list is what I used to reach stage 2. I had a lucky 9 winstreak from 17 to 20.
I don't own Maxx C lol.
Initially, I used a fun 60 card deck with Temple of the Kings + adventure, mathmech, and psy-frame engines. Due to tear matches being 20 min slogs to play through, I opted for a slimmer deck to maximize the chances of getting tear specific outs like Evenly/CBTG/Ishizus instead of Ash baits and generic extenders.
Spright Elf and Avramax never got used. IP > Underworld came up like 2-3 times over the run, but IP could be cut too. The theory was any 3 bodies could turn into Avramax (IP > Elf > IP), but in practice if I had that many mons without being locked into Madolches, I was able to do Underworld into Madolche wombo combo for game or Abyss Dweller + Madolche endboard.
Gravekeeper's Trap is free win vs tear if you can mill/discard Exchange of the Spirit. Even if you don't, including it gives you the ability to search for your starters, kelbek for enemy turn interrupts, ishizu shufflers, and a chance to block their draw (or taunt them by calling "Little D" lol). It can also serve as Ash bait and dump a monster in the GY for Hootcake. If you discard a Madolche spell/trap, you can get an extra Chococess proc by shuffling it instead of a monster (also can't be blocked by D.D. Crow).
I included Madolche Nights for fun and it came in clutch multiple times. Turn 1 endboards would often have 4/5 Madolche S/T, and the extra interrupt usually gave me the W. The odds of topdecking it are pretty slim and I was never sad to see it in my opening hand.
Skull Meister shuts down grave effects and is a 4 star body in a pinch. Vera and Pankratops are fun alternate boss monsters. Vera being a brick sometimes was slightly outweighed by it's ability to close out games (I won maybe 1-2 more than I lost with it overall).
PS: Don't block yourself from being able to summon Kelbek on their turn with Ticket/Petingcessoeur. Don't be like me.