The Top 5 Plays for Week 1 of Regionals
Hello Beach readers! My name is JW Kriewall and I am delighted to be here writing for PokeBeach! If you haven’t subscribed to our article program yet, don’t let any more time slip by! Not only will we be writing detailed articles for you each week, but we’ll also be helping you one-on-one with your deck lists and giving you advice! So it’s an amazing service for all types of players who want to improve their game. There’s also a full 30 day money back guarantee, so there’s absolutely no risk to you to try it out. Don’t miss out any longer!
That aside, I wanted to open this article with a personal introduction. I’m currently a graduate of Michigan State University and reside in East Lansing. My majors at MSU were in Music Education and Bassoon Performance and I will be headed to the Cleveland Institute of Music for a Masters Degree in Bassoon in 2015. I couldn’t be more excited about learning from one of the greatest bassoon teachers in the world and continuing my education. Moving to Cleveland will also mean I can still attend a significant number of Pokemon tournaments, which I’m very happy about!
My major accomplishments in this game include 3x Regionals top 8 placements as well as a Regionals win. I have numerous top cuts and wins at Cities and States and too many Battle Road and League Challenge wins to remember. I’ve topped three States and am currently sitting at 340 CP, so I can’t wait to see many of you at Worlds!
Regionals are one of my favorite tournaments; there is something about the high level of competition one must face during the course of one that makes these the tournaments I enjoy the most. It is also such a grind to perform well at a Regional. You may play over nine hours of Pokemon in one day, so players with high concentration are going to perform much better. And players will perform even better if they know what to expect!
The Regionals Format
In this article, I am going to give you my top choices for Week 1 of Regionals. I will be attending the Regional Championships in Ontario, Canada during the first week. Sadly, I won’t be able to attend any Regionals the second week, but I know just how important every tournament is. Many people are overlooking the upcoming Regionals in our current format for three reasons:
- They aren’t attending these events
- They would rather get a jump on decks created by the new set
- This format is boring
Reason 1 is legitimate. Why bother testing this format for no reward? If you’re not testing the current format because you aren’t even going, you’re off the hook in my book!
Reason 2 is silly. These are championship points on the table, players! I do not have the opportunity to attend nearly the amount of tournaments that my fellow PokeBeach writers do, yet still have managed to grind an invite out with plenty of time to spare. I’ve managed to earn my invite despite only attending 15 (!) events because I make every tournament count. There are still two big Regional Championship weekends left without [set name=”Roaring Skies”]. We already have such a wealth of information on this current format that it would be a shame to throw that away with so many points still available.
Reason 3 could not be more wrong, but that is truly one man’s opinion. I can see why a person would think this format is boring, with two lock decks controlling the format. It certainly stinks to draw poorly against one of these decks only to be further dismantled when they begin their life-sapping lock and you can’t play half the cards in your deck. But hey, I’ve managed to have some serious success with Night March during this format and if you don’t consider that deck fun, then I don’t think you know how to have fun. :P
In all seriousness, the format is diverse with a wide variety of decks that can win any given tournament. My aim for this article is to give you my top plays for these upcoming Regionals as well as provide the lists I’ve been testing. I will provide the decks in no particular order, as I really am not sure which deck I will be playing this weekend! However, this should give you an idea of a deck choice if you happen to be on the fence about what to play this weekend!
Donphan
I have loved Donphan since it formally became an archetype. I played it in Ft. Wayne at the beginning of the year to a 5-0-4 record through Swiss which was good enough to secure a spot in top 32! It’s such a solid card, and with all the support that has come out for the deck, Donphan continues to be a threat. It’s biggest weakness in this format is itself. This is truly the deck that can run over a lot of the format with minimal effort, but it needs to get going first.
[decklist]
[pokemon amt=”12″]
4x [card name=”Phanpy” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”71″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Donphan” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”72″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”deck2″]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”37″]
4x [card name=”Professor Juniper” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”116″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Korrina” set=”Furious Fists” no=”95″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Lysandre’s Trump Card” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”118″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Robo Substitute” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”102″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Silver Bangle” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”88″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Repeat Ball” set=”Primal Clash” no=”136″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Professor’s Letter” set=”XY” no=”123″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Fighting Stadium” set=”Furious Fists” no=”90″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”deck2″]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”11″]
5x [card name=”Fighting Energy” set=”Expedition” no=”160″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Furious Fists” no=”104″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Base Set” no=”96″ c=”deck2″]
[/energy]
[/decklist]
[cardimg name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ align=”right” height=”200″ c=”custom”]Small but mighty![/cardimg]
This deck list is designed for quick and heavy hitting. Notice the 4 [card name=”Fighting Stadium” set=”Furious Fists” no=”90″ c=”name”], high counts of [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Silver Bangle” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”88″ c=”name”], and the 4 [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”]. These cards are crucial to the [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”] matchup. Added with [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Furious Fists” no=”104″ c=”name”], one can easily get a Hawlucha swinging for upwards of 100 damage for one Energy attachment. If you’re able to get out enough Hawluchas with Energy, you can easily overpower a Toad deck which will have to constantly search for [card name=”Virbank City Gym” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”126″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”] if they want to set up.
One card I want to make a particular mention of is [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”]. Getting out Silent Lab can increase your odds of winning certain matchups exponentially. Take [card name=”Virizion-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”9″ c=”name”]/[card name=”Genesect-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”11″ c=”name”] for example. It is so satisfying to shut down their Red Signal and therefore protect the Donphans that are slowly accumulating energy on the Bench. Silent Lab is also great against things such as [card name=”Exeggutor” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”5″ c=”name”] and Night March which rely on Abilities like [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”46″ c=”name”]’s Versatile, [card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”name”]’s Propagation, and [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”name”]’s Stellar Guidance. It is a card that I could see myself increasing in counts were I to expect a significant amount of Virizion/Genesect.
Lastly, a card I’ve omitted that I have seen a lot of decks include is [card name=”Dedenne” set=”Furious Fists” no=”34″ c=”name”]. This little cutie can swing for heavy damage against [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”] based decks, but just hasn’t won me over. If you’re expecting to face Yveltal two or more rounds during Regionals, I’d advise you to play one copy. If not, there are better options!
Matchups:
Mirror
I just want to say something small about the Donphan mirror matchup. It’s such a close contest the whole way through, but the best players know when to use [card name=”Robo Substitute” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”102″ c=”name”]s and when to use Hawlucha. So often I see people Spinning Turn into a Robo Substitute without even thinking! When the opponent doesn’t have two Strong Energy and a Muscle Band on their Donphan, there’s no reason not to switch into Hawlucha. Hawlucha in the mirror match can be your greatest asset if you can use him to soak up some of the damage you might otherwise have sacrificed a Robo Substitute for.
Virizion/Genesect – Favorable
Virizion/Genesect has to play a significant amount of techs to beat my list. If they aren’t running any counter Stadium, a single copy of Silent Lab ensures you won’t have to worry about them taking down Benched Donphan. Further, with my high count of Silver Bangle, you can easily two-shot their EX’s without having to worry about getting Fighting Stadium down. Hawlucha are also hard to beat.
Night March – ???
[cardimg name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ align=”right” height=”200″ c=”custom”]One of Donphan’s biggest hurdles[/cardimg]
How can you put ??? as a matchup indicator, JW?! Well, before [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Empoleon” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”29″ c=”name”] found their way into Night March, the matchup was highly favorable for Donphan. If the Night March player is able to get an early Empoleon, then they are able to stream Lysandre for KOs on your Benched Donphan without much fear of KOs. If the Night March player isn’t playing Empoleon, the matchup is clearly in Donphan’s favor.
[card name=”Exeggutor” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”5″ c=”name”] – Slightly Unfavorable
This matchup can go a number of different ways, but I’ve found that if Donphan can survive an early onslaught of Hammers, they can pull games out. The biggest strength Donphan has against Eggs is the ability to switch out the main attacker. Since Exeggutor decks usually don’t run [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”], it’s possible to build up Donphans on the Bench with a Muscle Band and two Strong Energy. As soon as you can do that, you will be OHKOing Exeggutor and should seal the match, however, that will be difficult to do under Hammer and Supporter lock.
Seismitoad/Yveltal – Unfavorable
This is the matchup you need Dedenne for. Seismitoad is such a Donphan killer and Yveltal is an easy way to get OHKOs on your Donphan. The game plan here is to get out as many Hawlucha as possible and start racking up as much damage as you can on Seismitoad-EXs. If you can take down two Seismitoad with Hawluchas, you might be able to finish the game with Donphan.
Reasons why I would play this deck:
- Solid overall matchups
- The deck has early game firepower and late game finishing power
- Supporter based draw and high counts of Hawlucha make Seismitoad a winnable matchup
Reasons why I wouldn’t play this deck:
- Can be clunky at times with a high count of supporters
- Plan on playing long rounds! The deck can take a while to win games
- Susceptible to Crushing and Enhanced Hammer spam
And now on to the other four top decks!
[premium]
Virizion/Genesect
Will this deck ever die? I’m guessing that as long as these bad boys are in format, they will reign as among the top decks. These two solid cards always seem to overcome the doubt cast upon them by dissenters. One of the greatest things about this deck is its highly positive matchups against Exeggutor and Seismitoad – the two big lock decks in our format. These decks aim to wipe energy off the board and play a very slow game. Virizion/Genesect, if it is able to accelerate energy like it does a majority of the time will have no problems against these decks.
Virizion/Genesect’s consistency is what will keep it among the top archetypes, but it’s hidden tricks will propel it to a successful finish at this upcoming Regionals. Here’s the list I would use if I were to play Virizion/Genesect this weekend:
[decklist]
[pokemon amt=”10″]
4x [card name=”Virizion-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”9″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Genesect-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”11″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Deoxys-EX” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”53″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”deck2″]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”36″]
4x [card name=”Professor Juniper” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”116″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”N” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW100″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Skyla” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”134″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Shadow Triad” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”102″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Furious Fists” no=”89″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Switch” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”91″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Professor’s Letter” set=”XY Trainer Kit” no=”28″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”G Booster” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”92″ c=”deck2″]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”14″]
10x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”Base Set” no=”99″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Plasma Energy” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”127″ c=”deck2″]
[/energy]
[/decklist]
There are a few quirks to this deck that I really like. The first card that might jump out at you is [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”]. This card allows you to steal games you otherwise might not win. Virizion/Genesect is the type of hard hitting, consistent deck that can lose some steam if disrupted by the opponent and Target Whistle allows you to take a cheap KO on a weak EX when you’re unable to deal with the main threat. Target Whistle allows one to put an EX on the Bench for an easy Red Signal Knock Out. Prime targeting options would be [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”name”], [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”], or [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”45″ c=”name”]. These Pokemon-EX all either have less than 100 HP or are weak to Grass and thereby threatened by a powered up Genesect-EX. Combine Target Whistle with Teammates and you have an easy way to end games. Teammates into Target Whistle and Plasma Energy, then sign the slip! I love this little element of surprise and it has won me quite a few matches!
[cardimg name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ align=”right” height=”200″ c=”none”][/cardimg]
Head Ringer may be another card that makes you scratch your head. Sometimes, it makes me wonder why I included it, however, there are a significant amount of Pokemon-EX that can create havoc on this methodical deck. Head Ringer is an invaluable asset in the mirror where getting a turn one Head Ringer down on an opposing Virizion-EX can turn an even mirror into a lopsided one. Head Ringer is also a valuable tool against Pokemon like [card name=”Landorus-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”89″ c=”name”], Mew-EX, and Yveltal-EX. Sometimes, that one extra turn of attachments can really make all the difference and Head Ringer can force your opponent into some pretty awkward situations.
I do really like Dedenne in here as well as a single non-EX attacker, but there simply isn’t room and I don’t feel Yveltal decks are a big enough threat in the metagame to warrant running one Dedenne. However, it is worth mentioning – again, if you expect to see two or more Yveltal based decks, I would include one copy of this card!
A big problem I have with Virizion/Genesect as a deck is that there is a long list of cards waiting for you to include them in the deck. Dedenne is a card I’d love to have, but what about a counter Stadium to get rid of Silent Lab, Fighting Stadium, Dimension Valley, and Virbank City Gym? Or how about adding a Tool Retriever to get rid of the opponents pesky Head Ringers? The deck can always use another Switch… and what about Lysandre for the Donphan matchup? Sadly, the deck always seems to want different cards for different matchups. I would advise you to know the meta game you’re walking into very well so you can make the optimal tech choices for that day.
Matchups:
Mirror – Even
Win the coin flip! The person who goes first has such an advantage. If you go second, don’t worry. There are Head Ringers to help you slow your opponent down. G Booster is very useful in this matchup for getting a OHKO on an opponent’s built up Genesect.
Donphan – Unfavorable
If you expect a lot of Donphan, you will need to tech for it. This matchup can go sour fast as they can put early pressure on you with Hawlucha and put late game pressure on you with Donphan. Hope they don’t find their Silent Lab and try to KO as many Donphan as you can with Genesect. Power up Virizions for KOs on Hawlucha.
Night March – Highly Unfavorable
Night March is one of the worst matchups for Virizion/Genesect. There’s little hope for you unless the Night March player misplays or runs poorly. Because Night March can deal so much damage for so little energy, it eats decks like Virizion/Genesect which don’t run many non-EX Pokemon. The Night March player can attack three times for the win while the Virizion/Genensect will have to Knock Out a bunch of non-EXs. Add on to that the fact that the Night March player can get Turn One OHKOs while the Virizion Genensect play has to wait until at least their second turn to KO anything on Night March’s field and you can see why this matchup can get ugly.
Exeggutor – Favorable
[cardimg name=”Virizion-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”9″ align=”right” height=”200″ c=”none”][/cardimg]
This is a matchup you’d want to see. Granted, they can still steal wins from you with positive Crushing Hammer flips, but for the most part, they need to get lucky while you just do your thing. Because Virizion/Genesect can accelerate energy so efficiently, they will usually be able to attack, even under supporter lock and Crushing Hammer spam. The deck is largely imperceptible to Supporter lock and Hammer spam, so the matchup is quite favorable.
Seismitoad/Yveltal – Slightly Favorable
Try to KO as many Seismitoad-EXs as possible. It is especially important to make use out of your Target Whistle as well as to slap Head Ringers on their Yveltals for damage control.
Reasons why I would play this deck:
- Consistency is king; you always know what you’re going to get
- Spooky techs can be added to throw an opponent off guard
- Favorable matchups against Seismitoad and Exeggutor
Reasons why I wouldn’t play this deck:
- Some weak matchups across the field (Flareon/Night March/LandyBats)
- Can be thrown off a game plan early
- Too little space to include tech cards needed to win certain matchups
Night March
This is my favorite deck from this season and I can’t give enough credit to Andrew Wamboldt for introducing the concept and original deck list to me. Few people were crazy enough to play the deck for St. Louis Regionals and it turned out to be a great call as we both Andrew and I made Day 2! From there, I played in a few League Challenges with the deck as well as narrowly missing Top 8 at Canadian Provincials with a 5-1-1 record (good enough for 9th on the day). I rarely have a bad word to say when people ask me about this deck – its sheer quickness makes it possible to out-muscle even the mightiest Pokemon-EX which is why I’ve included it on my list of deck options for Regionals. As an added bonus, the deck is so quick that you will rarely tie which is such a huge advantage in a Regionals format. Ties are almost as bad as losses, so the less you put yourself in that compromising position, the better.
[decklist]
[pokemon amt=”19″]
4x [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Lampent” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”42″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”RC24″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Empoleon” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”29″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”deck2″]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”34″]
4x [card name=”Professor Juniper” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”116″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Switch” set=”XY Trainer Kit” no=”4″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”7″]
4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Base Set” no=”96″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”Base Set” no=”100″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”XY” no=”131″ c=”deck2″]
[/energy]
[/decklist]
You’ll notice a lack of [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”47″ c=”name”]! I didn’t play one for Canadian Provincials as I didn’t expect any Landorus-EX because of the prevalence of Seismitoad EX in the format. I think the same assumption of few Landorus-EX based decks in the metagame will hold true for this weekend’s Regional tournaments. For this reason, I’d much rather include cards like [card name=”Empoleon” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”29″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”]!
The Empoleon engine works very well in here and takes this deck to a new level. In my Canadian list, I included two copies of Empoleon. Here I just have one, but two is also perfectly acceptable, however, I just never found myself getting out more than one Empoleon a game. [card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”name”] is crucial to any decks that try to include the Empoleon/[card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”name”] combo. Exeggcute’s Propagation Ability can allow you to manipulate hand size in a way that allows you to keep resources you may need later on. Overall, I am very pleased with the Exeggcute’s performance for me in this deck and I would highly recommend you try it out if you haven’t been playing one.
[cardimg name=”Empoleon” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”29″ align=”right” height=”200″ c=”none”][/cardimg]
Manectric-EX is a no-brainer if you expect to beat any Seismitoad-EX decks. Mew can copy Manectric-EX’s Assault Laser attack to do 120 damage for one energy. The ability to lay a 120 damage smack down on an opposing Seismitoad-EX at the cost of one Energy (and Dimension Valley) is quite strong against Seismitoad. Manectric-EX can also be useful to OHKO Exeggutors and even Yveltal-EXs if you manage to get two Energy on Manectric-EX. Manectric-EX, when paired with Mew-EX gives the deck a solid attacking option even if you get locked into a situation where you aren’t able to get Night Marchers into the discard pile. It’s also a great attack for when the opponent Trump Cards you late in the game!
As a final word on the deck, it beats much of the field but struggles against Seismitoad-EX decks and Exeggutor (to a lesser extent). I believe this is a great deck option for those of you who may not be playing for Championship Points or have already secured an invite. If this deck hits the right matchups, you’ll breeze through the tournament and could find yourself on the way to an impressive finish. If you happen to hit 3 or 4 Seismitoad decks, you might be in for a rough time. However, the Manectric-EX makes the matchup more winnable than you’d initially think. Night March is the best all-or-nothing deck right now, and has the potential to make some noise this weekend.
Matchups:
Mirror – Even
Hope you win the flip! Try to start attacking with Mew-EX and transition into non-EX attackers. Conserve Double Colorless Energy for the late game and make sure you think before you lay down Jirachi-EX.
Donphan – Slightly Favorable
If you play Empoleon in your list, try to get it out ASAP. If Empoleon comes out and starts attacking reasonably early, you should have no troubles. You may want to include another Rainbow Energy in the original list if you’d like to use Empoleon as an attacking option.
Virizion/Genesect – Highly Favorable
[cardimg name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ align=”right” height=”200″ c=”custom”]Hits like a truck. And just as fast![/cardimg]
This is the deck you want to be paired against every round! You KO them before they can accelerate enough Energy. On top of that, non-EX attackers means they have to go through a lot of Pokemon to pull out the win.
Exeggutor – Slightly Unfavorable
I won’t say Eggs is a great matchup, but it isn’t terrible for Night March. Copying Blockade with Mew-EX will be a huge benefit for you as they will struggle under their own lock. If you can get a Muscle Band down on your Mew-EX and copy their Blockade, you should do alright. Getting out Empoleon early helps as well. If you don’t do either of those things, you’re in for a struggle.
Seismitoad/Yveltal – Slightly Unfavorable
More times than not, the Seismitoad/Yveltal player will get a Seismitoad-EX going early and cripple your set up. However, there are a good number of times that they can’t get it going and struggle to KO Mews. Copying Quaking Punch with Mew-EX is vital, as is getting out Empoleon and Manectric-EX as soon as you can. Manectric will allow you to do big damage if you don’t happen to get enough Night Marchers in the discard and Empoleon will help you recover after the inevitable Lysandre’s Trump Card they will play to slow you down.
Reasons why I would play this deck:
- Can out-speed the entire format
- Best non-EX based deck in the format
- Who doesn’t love a Turn 1 180?
Reasons why I wouldn’t play this deck:
- Struggles against the lock decks of the format
- Lots of Low HP basics that are susceptible to a first turn Virbank/Laser donk
- Friendships can be broken when you KO their big EXs with a 30 HP menace
Exeggutor
Where did this deck come from? I can say that I never saw the potential in this card, but after playing games with the deck it certainly has a lot of it. Mees Brenninkmeijer posted a great article here recently about this deck with his list and I’d wholeheartedly recommend you check it out. He provides some stellar insight to a deck I’ve just recently got into playing! Here’s the list I would consider playing this weekend. It’s a few cards off from Mees’ list and I will explain my choices.
[decklist]
[pokemon amt=”13″]
3x [card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Exeggutor” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”5″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Virizion-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”96″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Genesect-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”11″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”47″ c=”deck2″]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”40″]
4x [card name=”Professor Juniper” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”116″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”XY” no=”129″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Lysandre’s Trump Card” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”99″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”92″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Virbank City Gym” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”126″ c=”deck2″]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”7″]
4x [card name=”Plasma Energy” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”127″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”Base Set” no=”99″ c=”deck2″]
[/energy]
[/decklist]
I really like having only three Exeggcute. That may seem unusual, but I just always seem to find myself in scenarios where starting lone egg loses me the game. I also felt that, because of Exeggcute’s Propogation ability that I don’t have to worry about trying to get the eggs out at any point in the game. I think Mees would probably disagree with me on the egg count, but I feel like the fourth egg is cuttable because of how reusable one Exeggcute can be.
[cardimg name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ align=”right” height=”200″ c=”custom”]Guiding me from the bench[/cardimg]
I really like three Jirachi-EX in here. “But it’s such a liability!” you say. Think about it, if your already blocking your opponents Supporters, how are they going to bring up that Jirachi? The only way would be to use an effect like Genesect-EX’s Red Signal or Ninetales’ Bright Look, but those decks won’t comprise a majority of your matchups this weekend. Three Jirachi keeps the deck running smoothly from start to finish and allows you easier access to your energy removal supporters. I’ve even thought about upping the count to four because I feel it is also a much better starter than an Exeggcute, but that might be crazy talk.
Mr. Mime is crucial in this deck. It’s a card that makes impossible matchups highly favorable. Even though I don’t expect to see much Landorus-EX this weekend, it’s still nice to have that base covered by playing a Mime. Because I’m only playing three Exeggcute, I want to ensure they survive to my turn. Having a way to block bench damage is crucial to when facing a Landorus-EX deck and the matchup can be a fairly easy one with the inclusion of Mr. Mime.
I love Head Ringer in here if only for the Virizion/Genesect matchup. I feel that Virizion/Genesect is by far Execcutor’s worst matchup but with a couple of Head Ringer and a few positive Crushing Hammer flips you can guarantee the opponent will never get an Emerald Slash off. It also has use in other matchups – particularly against Seismitoad EX decks where an early Quaking Punch can cripple Exeggutor’s item based draw.
This is the deck I’m leaning towards playing for Ontario Regionals and am trying hard to perfect a list. However, I wouldn’t want to see a Virizion/Genesect sit across from me so I will need to weigh whether or not I believe Virizion/Genesect to be a serious contender this weekend. Donphan is also not the greatest matchup if they are able to stream energy attachments.
Matchups:
Mirror – Even
Ugh. This mirror might be worse than the Seismitoad-EX mirror. Get out Virizion early to mitigate poison damage and hope you can stream Energy.
Donphan – Slightly Favorable
[cardimg name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Kalos Starter Set” no=”34″ align=”right” height=”200″ c=”custom”]The real star of the deck[/cardimg]
You set up better than they do and you can use supporters and trainers for the entire game! Make sure you keep their Donphans in check with Hammers and try to Red Signal around their Robo Substitutes.
Virizion/Genesect – Unfavorable
This is the matchup you do not want to see. Virizion/Genesect is the best at accelerating energy and also has built in immunity to Hypnotoxic Laser. You better hope you get the early lock and hit your Crushing Hammer flips during the first few turns of the game.
Night March – Slightly Favorable
If you can deny them energies, you’ll be okay. Try to save your Virbanks to counter their Dimension Valley and don’t play down Exeggutor’s unless you can attack. Don’t give them opportunities to copy Blockade with Mew-EX!
Seismitoad/Yveltal – Favorable
This is a matchup that I would be fine with playing. Try to get as many Muscle Bands down on Eggs as possible and do what the deck does best: completely lock down your opponent.
Reasons why I would play this deck:
- Total, utter, soul-crushing lock
- The deck is fairly consistent
- Solid overall matchups
Reasons why I wouldn’t play this deck:
- Struggles with Virizion/Genesect and to a lesser extent, Donphan
- Exeggcute’s are susceptible to a first turn Laser/Virbank donk
- Be prepared to play some lengthy rounds as this deck can go to time frequently
Seismitoad/Jynx
What tournament preparation testing would be complete without Seismitoad-EX? This deck has dominated the landscape since its release in large part due to Seismitoad’s most useful tool, Hypnotoxic Laser. This poisonous combination helped me have a great Cities season with a win, and two top 2’s with the a variation of the deck! I feel like Seismitoad is still format defining and can shut down a ton of decks at the moment. It’s strength against a wide open field might be the biggest reason to play this deck for Regionals this weekend. I feel that Seismitoad/Jynx is the best way to pilot the deck at the moment, simply because of how fast the format has gotten. Decks like Night March can quickly sneak up on you if you miss a turn one energy drop and for this reason, speed is key. Here’s my list:
[decklist][pokemon amt=”10″]
4x [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Jynx” set=”Furious Fists” no=”37″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”deck2″]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”46″]
4x [card name=”Professor Juniper” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”116″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Lysandre’s Trump Card” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”99″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Random Receiver” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”99″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Roller Skates” set=”XY” no=”125″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Furious Fists” no=”100″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Bicycle” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”117″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Virbank City Gym” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”126″ c=”deck2″]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”4″]
4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”deck2″]
[/energy]
[/decklist]
[cardimg name=”Jynx” set=”Furious Fists” no=”37″ align=”right” height=”200″ c=”custom”]Kiss me![/cardimg]
As you can see, this list has a huge amount of Item-based draw which is perfect for when you’re facing an Exeggutor deck. The biggest advantage I can see in playing a deck like this is the strength you have against other Seismitoad-EX decks that are playing more Supporter based draw. With this version, you can have a better turn one by getting out Keldeo with Float Stone to deny Laser opportunities by an opponent as well as getting out multiple Seismitoad-EX with Muscle Bands attached. Getting Muscle Bands down early ensures you will be doing the maximum amount of damage possible with Seismitoad-EX at any time which is crucial for the mirror. With heavy item based draw, you also get through much of your deck quickly and have more opportunities to find the ever important Double Colorless Energy. Finally, Jynx gives you an incredible edge allowing you to heal up to 30 damage if you’re able to get all three in play. The only reason I didn’t include four Jynx in this list is because it’s not the best starter and that bench space is at a premium.
Matchups:
Mirror – Even
This mirror is terrible. Try to get as many Seismitoads down with Muscle Bands as possible. Then grab Jynx and put Float Stones on them so they won’t be in danger of Lysandre. You don’t need to worry about getting out Keldeo too much because, ideally, the opponent will only have one turn to play Hypnotoxic Laser!
Donphan – Favorable
You outspeed them. Go through your deck as fast as possible and get as many Jynx down as you can. Quaking Punch til it hurts and you’ll secure victory.
Virizion/Genesect – Highly Unfavorable
Sign the slip right now. This is your worst matchup by far. Genesect-EX can OHKO anything on your board because of either HP or weakness. This deck doesn’t run any Hammers, so the only way to prevent them from getting a turn two Emerald Slash is to hope they run poorly.
Night March – Favorable
This list will be just as fast as they are and if you can get a turn one lock going, you can Trump Card their Night Marchers the next turn. This matchup has a few quirks, but Seismitoad will win more often than not.
Exeggutor – Slightly Unfavorable
You have a ton of Item based draw power, but the deck can get denied energy by the Exeggutor player. As you only play four Double Colorless, it is very likely that you will miss an energy drop. Try to conserve your DCEs as much as possible.
Seismitoad/Yveltal – Favorable
[cardimg name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ align=”right” height=”200″ c=”custom”][/cardimg]
Their Seismitoads will be rendered useless if you’re able to get a few Jynx out early enough. When they transition to Yveltal-EX, you can now unleash your Hypnotoxic Lasers against them. This is a matchup I’d love to see every round.
Reasons why I would play this deck:
- Strong turn one
- Locks down much of the format
- Has good advantages against Supporter based Seismitoad EX decks
Reasons why I wouldn’t play this deck:
- If Virizion/Genesect is a prevalent deck
- No late game finishing power
- Can get out muscled early due to lack of high damage attacks
Conclusion
So there you have it! I’m leaning at this point towards Exeggutor for Ontario Regionals, but that doesn’t mean I’ve counted the other decks out just yet. I will be doing some serious testing this week, as should you! These tournaments are just as important as previous tournaments and it would be a wasted opportunity to start looking ahead for the Regionals that include Roaring Skies.
Please feel free to ask questions in the comments. If one of the decks you are thinking about playing didn’t make my list, let me know and we can talk about it. I hope this article has helped you get a better feel for the upcoming Regional Championships.
Best of luck this weekend![/premium]