Exploiting the Decks of Worlds and the Boston Open!
Hey guys, this is Grant Manley with another article for you premium members! Hopefully you are as hyped as I am because right now, we have the most diverse and open Worlds format I have ever seen. This is exciting because there are so many popular decks to choose from, yet it can also prove frustrating for someone like me who usually aims to disrupt the format and prey on the weaknesses of the main decks. Since Nationals ended, I have been thinking and planning for Worlds, trying to figure out just what the meta will be like. It’s somewhat obvious what decks will be front-runners, and I think I have most of the meta figured out.
In this article I’m going to discuss each deck that is relevant in the format and how popular it should be. Then I’m going to talk about how to exploit these decks, which may help you create a rogue or tech your deck to be better prepared for Worlds (or the Boston Open). I’m going to go over each deck in order of expected popularity.
1. M Manectric-EX
It’s no secret that I personally love Manectric, but it’s not first on the list because of bias. [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] is an incredible card. You can build a Manectric deck with answers to just about anything. Paired with [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”], Manectric covers so many bases that it can’t be ignored. Manectric comes with many positive traits, and I imagine that will appeal to many players as it did for me at Nationals. 210 HP, free retreat, a lot of healing, Energy acceleration, and favorable matchups against both [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”name”] decks make it one of the strongest options out there. Manectric is also a versatile deck that can be customized to cover most decks that seem problematic. For example, if you are worried about Fighting decks like [card name=”Landorus-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”89″ c=”name”] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”] or [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”], you can pair Manectric with a few [card name=”Suicune” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”20″ c=”name”] and possibly [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”name”]. Scared of [card name=”Klinklang” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”90″ c=”name”] or Crobat? Add Garbodor! All of the benefits of Manectric will certainly incentivize droves of players to play it at Worlds and the Boston Open.
Maiming Manectric
[cardimg name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ align=”left” height=”250″ c=”custom”]An all-around good guy.[/cardimg]
Another reason [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] is at the top of the list is because it’s difficult to counter, and even harder to tech against. The first main weakness of Manectric decks is its literal Weakness, Fighting Pokemon. While Manectric can be built to easily handle Fighting decks, I believe that [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”] will be the most popular variant. The Garbodor version, even with [card name=”Empoleon” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”29″ c=”name”], suffers tremendously against nearly every Fighting deck. Additionally, [card name=”Primal Kyogre-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”55″ c=”name”] decimates all Manectric variants, unless they choose to hard counter Kyogre by adding Grass-type Pokemon.
I realize that this information is deck-specific and is unhelpful to anyone deciding not to play Kyogre or Fighting. Manectric has a couple of more obscure weaknesses as well. Manectric is linear in a similar fashion to [card name=”Virizion-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”9″ c=”name”] / [card name=”Genesect-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”11″ c=”name”], and can be disrupted in the same way. Manectric absolutely needs to get a Turbo Bolt as soon as possible, which is by the second turn unless you do something to stop it. So there’s this evil little card called [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”]. Head Ringer is possibly the most disruptive card to use against Manectric. It makes Assault Laser and Turbo Bolt require three Energies to use, and denies the ability to Mega Evolve without ending the turn. The Manectric player will have the opportunity to play tools to prevent Head Ringer half the time (when they go first), but Head Ringer can still be used throughout the game to disrupt other Manectrics. Of course, since nearly every other deck relies on EXs and Pokemon Tools, Head Ringer is useful in other matchups as well. You could play [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”111″ c=”name”] instead of Head Ringer, but that usually works better as a four-of, which takes more deck space. I also would rather stay away from flip cards if I can.
The last problem facing Manectric decks is the inability to deal heavy damage. The basic [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”] caps at 120 damage, and the Mega caps at 110. You can capitalize on this by using healing cards to change the tempo of the game. [card name=”Potion” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”132″ c=”name”], [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”94″ c=”name”], [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Flashfire” no=”93″ c=”name”], you name it. Anything that can heal can disrupt Mega Manectric. You can easily turn 2HKOs into 3HKOs or erase attack damage altogether. So long as your deck can naturally deal with Manectrics at a reasonable pace and your attackers have more than 120 HP, you can beat Manectric this way. This strategy isn’t totally reliable because Manectric decks can actually heal too. Max Potions on both ends can turn the game into a war of attrition, and [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”] can put in the work if left in play. One strategy often employed by Manectric players is to get two or three Megas out, and retreat between them to maximize Rough Seas healing. If you can’t OHKO M Manectric or bump Rough Seas from play, you probably lose the game right there (unless you’re running Kyogre).
[cardimg name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”custom”]Inducing headaches since 2014.[/cardimg]
2. Seismitoad-EX
Whether you love it or hate it, [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”] is sticking around for Worlds and the Boston Open. What Seismitoad doesn’t have in matchups it makes up for in sheer disruption. Quaking Punch is a one-of-a-kind attack that can hamper any deck, which can make perceived unfavorable matchups like [card name=”Primal Kyogre-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”55″ c=”name”] and [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] actually winnable. I hate to use such a bland word to describe it, but Seismitoad is just so good. Not many decks can withstand a constant onslaught of [card name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”]s and Hammers. [card name=”Virbank City Gym” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”126″ c=”name”] proves useful not only for its effect, but also as a Stadium bump. Seismitoad wouldn’t have much of a presence if it didn’t have its own Stadium to counter [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”]. This goes perfectly with Item lock, preventing opponents from thinning their deck to find crucial resources to counteract this evil concoction. Seismitoad almost always comes with either [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”] or [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”], but the variants are similar enough that I feel justified in dumping them in one category. I expect both variants to be heavily represented at Worlds and the Boston Open.
Toppling the Toad
From a matchup standpoint, [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”] stands almost no chance against [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”]. [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”] can defeat it, but I’d still put my money on Groudon. Both [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] decks and Metal [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”] decks can defeat Toad as well, but depending on the build I’d find it hard to say either of them win a majority of the time. The obvious solution is to use Grass-types, but ones that work competitively are in short supply. Fortunately, just like with Manectric, Seismitoad has weaknesses that aren’t matchup related.
Seismitoad-EX has a low damage output, starting at a measly 30. It relies on two Items and a Stadium to make its attack power relevant. With all of the pieces in play, it still caps at 80, and can be 110 if you don’t heal the Poison or bump [card name=”Virbank City Gym” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”126″ c=”name”]. Of course, once in a blue moon you will see a Grenade Hammer for up to 180, but we’ll ignore that for now. One thing to keep in mind is that [card name=”Golbat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”32″ c=”name”] and Crobat can jack up these numbers fairly easily, but they won’t be turning Quaking Punch into OHKO material, so the concept is the same. Ignoring Bats, Quaking Punch can deal up to 110 damage after two turns of Poison. Sound familiar? Just like M Manectric with its damage cap of 110, you can hamper the Toad’s progress with healing cards. Unfortunately, most of the healing cards in the format are Item cards, so you’ll have to resort to Supporters like [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Flashfire” no=”93″ c=”name”] and [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”].
[cardimg name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”custom”]It counters itself? Where have we heard that before?[/cardimg]
As mentioned above, Seismitoad relies on two Items ([card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”]) and the Virbank City Gym Stadium to deal damage. It also heavily relies on [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”]. If you can effectively limit any of these pieces, you can severely weaken Seismitoad decks. To deny their Items, you can use your own Seismitoad-EX to buy time while you set up as much as you like. You could theoretically use [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”], but that’s fairly deck specific and its ability is shut down by [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”]. To win the Stadium war you mostly have to get lucky, but against Seismitoad / Crobat, [card name=”Ninetales” set=”Primal Clash” no=”21″ c=”name”] can be an effective solution. Ninetales would make the Toad player rely heavily on Bats for damage. The final piece of the Toad puzzle is [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”], a Special Energy. [card name=”Cobalion-EX” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”93″ c=”name”] can help disrupt those in any deck using Metal or [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”XY” no=”131″ c=”name”], but it is somewhat difficult to mobilize and stay safe from Poison. If you can get a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”] on it early you will likely have a good time against Toad. You can also use [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”], which has utility in many other matchups, and can remove a Tool from Garbodor if you need to use Abilities for a turn. One Xerosic won’t turn the matchup, but two or even three could.
The rest of this article contains more of the above, for not two, not three, but eight more decks that I expect will be present in the upcoming tournaments. While learning tricks to beat Toad and Manectric is certainly useful, you’re going to have to keep reading to get the inside intel of all the other solutions I’ve come up with to handle the diverse metagame at huge tournaments such as Worlds or the Boston Open. Think of what you’ve just read, multiplied by five!
So are you ready to improve your game right here and right now?
[premium]
3. Bronzong
I would rank [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”name”] lower due to its matchups, but it was probably the most represented deck at U.S. Nationals, and it won Canadian Nationals. This all but ensures that you will see some Bronzong (Rayquaza and Toolbox) based decks at Worlds. Bronzong is easily the most powerful deck mentioned so far. [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”] can attack for up to 240 damage on the second turn, and [card name=”Dialga-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”62″ c=”name”] can deal 170 or disrupt Pokemon-EX with Chrono Wind. This fast damage can overwhelm opponents and make them struggle for a proper response. Left unchecked, Bronzong can somewhat quickly set up a scary board position and accelerate many Energies onto whatever the player wants. Additionally, these decks usually play a few copies of [card name=”Aegislash-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”65″ c=”name”] to capitalize on the meta’s reliance on Special Energies. Aegislash can sweep right through certain decks because it’s not always easy to muster up a response when a deck only runs 4-6 basic Energies.
Beating Bronzong
In terms of matchups, [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”name”] is probably the most exploitable. [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”] walks all over Metal. [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”] wins fairly easily. [card name=”Primal Kyogre-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”55″ c=”name”] destroys the version without Rayquaza, and can even win against Metal Ray. Once the Metal Ray’s Safeguard counters are KO’d by Primal Kyogre, [card name=”Suicune” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”20″ c=”name”] can sweep without opposition. Bronzong doesn’t even have a great time against [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”], though the matchup is definitely winnable. [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”] can also defeat the Rayquaza version as long as they don’t play [card name=”Altaria” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”74″ c=”name”], but [card name=”Aegislash-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”65″ c=”name”] is somewhat of a roadblock for it. Even decks with [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”] can pose a problem if they’re able to use Flying Press for 100+ damage turn after turn.
[cardimg name=”Garbodor” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”119″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”custom”]Keep your metals away from the garbage![/cardimg]
Due to its susceptibility matchup-wise, Bronzong decks aren’t vulnerable in many other places. It is a solid, well-rounded archetype that is difficult to pick on. If you aren’t playing one of the above decks, odds are you won’t have a great Metal matchup. Garbodor is a huge pain for the Bronzong player, but that can’t exactly slide into any deck. Since Metal variants usually run [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”] exclusively as their switching cards, you can use [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”101″ c=”name”] to buy a little time. The only way for the Metal player to lift this lock is by using [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”], which isn’t always readily available early in the game. Snorlax can buy a turn or two for you to set up some attackers, which you can follow up with a KO whenever you want. At that point you will just have to hope that you will win the Prize trade.
4. Primal Groudon-EX
[card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”] is possibly the best anti-meta deck for Worlds and the Boston Open. It easily beats each of the top three decks, which alone makes it a strong play. It is impossible to KO a Primal Groudon equipped with [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”] unless you’re using Bats, and it’s not like you can do much while Groudon is readying an attack on the Bench thanks to Ω Barrier. On top of this, Groudon effortlessly OHKOs everything, meaning that it will probably earn at least half a game’s worth of Prize cards by the time it goes down. Add [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”] into the equation to quickly charge a second Primal Groudon, and you find yourself a wrecking ball of a deck that happens to fit in to this meta exceptionally well. Groudon may be the slowest deck ever, but it hides behind the decently bulky [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”36″ c=”name”] while it sets up. Wobbuffet’s Bide Barricade locks Abilities to slow opposing decks down enough for Groudon to keep up.
Pounding Primal Groudon
As previously mentioned, [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”] has solid matchups across the board. What it doesn’t like are non-EX attackers that easily deal 120 damage or more. [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”], [card name=”Leafeon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”11″ c=”name”], [card name=”Heatran” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”63″ c=”name”], Night March, and even [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”] with enough damage modifiers can trade favorably with Primal Groudon and win without too much trouble. If you happen to be running a [card name=”Klinklang” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”90″ c=”name”] or [card name=”Hippowdon” set=”Primal Clash” no=”88″ c=”name”] deck, you have an auto-win against Groudon. Decks with [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”] also stand a chance against defeating Groudon because the Crobat line is one of the few that can rack up damage on a Benched Groudon while it’s powering up. Sneaky Bites, Surprise Bites, and Skill Dives can often damage Groudon enough so that it can be KO’d by any attacker once it becomes Active and starts attacking.
[cardimg name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”custom”]Not the most popular, but in my opinion, the best.[/cardimg]
Of the above counters mentioned, only Leafeon can go into most decks. A 2-2 or even a 1-1 line should prove substantially helpful against Primal Groudon. It can deal a minimum of 160 damage against a loaded Groudon for only one Colorless Energy! [card name=”Ninetales” set=”Primal Clash” no=”21″ c=”name”] also works wonders against Groudon, limiting its base damage to a much less threatening 100. Groudon literally gets its power from its Stadiums, so locking those will make trading blows with Groudon much more manageable. This will pressure the Groudon player to constantly find their few switching cards to pivot between [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”36″ c=”name”] and Groudon if they want to keep up the OHKOs (Wobbuffet’s Ability, of course, shuts down Barrier Shrine, allowing the Groudon player to play Stadium cards). I touched on Crobat a bit earlier because it can snipe Groudon on the Bench, but anything that can snipe the Bench for decent amounts of damage would also be helpful against Primal Groudon. Sadly, the only particular thing that comes to mind is [card name=”Zapdos” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”46″ c=”name”], and that only really works with [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”].
5. Primal Kyogre-EX
[card name=”Primal Kyogre-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”55″ c=”name”] might be a slow deck like [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”], but starting on turn three it is just as devastating. Kyogre lacks the OHKO power of its earth-born brethren, but its spread damage makes up for it. Kyogre’s potential for multi-Prize turns is downright frightening, and it comes with the added bonus of putting a timer on the lives of any stray [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”name”]. Not to mention, it completely destroys [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] and Metal Toolbox decks. It can also go toe to toe with [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”] and Metal Ray. I have been playing with Kyogre for some time now, and its consistency and potential for customization impresses me. Due to the lack of deck lists so far, I think now would be a good time to use mine as an example.
[decklist]
[pokemon amt=”12″]
3x [card name=”Primal Kyogre-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”55″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”Kyogre-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”54″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Suicune” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”20″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”deck2″]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”38″]
4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Skyla” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”134″ c=”deck2″]
2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”deck2″]
4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Dive Ball” set=”Primal Clash” no=”125″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Kyogre Spirit Link” set=”Primal Clash” no=”132″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Professor’s Letter” set=”XY” no=”123″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Energy Retrieval” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”80″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”deck2″]
1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″]
3x [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”deck2″]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”10″]
10x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”Call of Legends” no=”90″ c=”deck2″]
[/energy]
[/decklist]
The first unusual thing about my list is that I run three [card name=”Suicune” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”20″ c=”name”]. This might seem like overkill, but I like to use Suicune as a win condition against decks such as Metal Ray, [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”], and the mirror match. Once the Safeguard counters of each of those decks are no longer available, a single Suicune can win the game. Three Suicune provides some leeway for one or two to get Knocked Out. The aforementioned decks can usually Knock Out one or two Suicune, but can rarely deal with three. I also choose to run two [card name=”Skyla” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”134″ c=”name”] and three [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”] for added consistency. I have found these cards to be absolutely wonderful in the deck because there are many specific Trainer cards you need at specific times.
[cardimg name=”Suicune” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”20″ align=”left” height=”250″ c=”custom”]When is Safeguard ever a bad thing?[/cardimg]
The final quirks are the inclusions of [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”]. These cards swing the matchup against decks like [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”] and Night March, which makes them a sound two-card investment of deck space. They are also useful from time to time against Metal and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”]. Some other options for Kyogre that people might use are: [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”], healing cards, [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”], [card name=”Absol” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”40″ c=”name”], [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Flashfire” no=”99″ c=”name”], [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”], [card name=”Kyurem” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”31″ c=”name”], [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”], and more. Like I said, there are quite a bit of options to customize Kyogre decks. I expect it to be popular at Worlds and the Boston Open.
Killing Kyogre
As for matchups against main decks, [card name=”Primal Kyogre-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”55″ c=”name”] is well-rounded and difficult to exploit. [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”] decks usually beat Kyogre if they run as many [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”] as Kyogre runs [card name=”Suicune” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”20″ c=”name”]. Otherwise, Kyogre wins. [card name=”Klinklang” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”90″ c=”name”] decks practically auto-win Kyogre. The only chance I see for Kyogre is if it runs both [card name=”Kyurem” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”31″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”], and [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”] KOs the only available Klinklang with Blizzard Burn. [card name=”Hippowdon” set=”Primal Clash” no=”88″ c=”name”], while not so much of a main deck, is also an unfavorable matchup. [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”] is great against Kyogre, but the only prominent decks that use it right now are [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”] and [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”], both of which aren’t too naturally effective against Kyogre.
Opposite to Metal, Kyogre has a plethora of other weaknesses to make up for its diversity in covering matchups. [card name=”Leafeon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”11″ c=”name”] shines in this matchup for the same reason it does against Groudon, though one trick the Kyogre player can employ against Leafeon is to use Tidal Storm to move Energies to Suicune. This way, Safeguard discards the Energies and limits Energy Crush’s damage. Similarly to Manectric, [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”] is hugely crippling to Kyogre. Head Ringer on a [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”] is absolutely devastating if the Kyogre player cannot get another Keldeo-EX with [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”] out quickly. Head Ringer on [card name=”Kyogre-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”54″ c=”name”] is also bothersome. It prevents Kyogre from Primal Reverting (Mega Evolving) without ending the turn, and makes the four Energy attacks become five. This messes up the tempo of Kyogre’s game so much it could swing the matchup. [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”101″ c=”name”] can also be used in the same way as it is against Metal, though Kyogre is slow enough that you won’t usually need to stall.
[cardimg name=”Leafeon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”11″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”custom”]Surprisingly, it’s good against many of the top decks.[/cardimg]
The real kicker is [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”47″ c=”name”]. With Mr. Mime in play, Kyogre is only doing 150 damage for four Energies. That’s just not threatening. Of course the Kyogre player can use [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”] and kill the Mime with ease, but then they leave your important Pokemon alone and only gain a single Prize card. Mr. Mime still prevents Bench damage on the turn it is Knocked Out, which is an nice bonus.
6. Klinklang
[card name=”Klinklang” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”90″ c=”name”] is an interesting deck that is the definition of “hit-or-miss.” Klinklang looks much like the typical Metal Toolbox deck with the glaring exception of Klinklang being included. This makes the deck slower and slightly less consistent than your cookie-cutter Metal build, but adds a permanent Safeguard for Metal-types that cannot be turned off by [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”]. Combined with [card name=”Aegislash-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”65″ c=”name”], you have a defensive deck that your opponent can (normally) only defeat by using non-EX attackers that run on basic Energy, which are few and far between. Unfortunately for Klinklang, [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”] exists. Garbodor completely ruins the deck, as all of the main Pokemon have an important Ability. When you deprive the deck of Plasma Steel, Metal Links, Set Up, Rush In, and Mighty Shield, it becomes nothing. This is why Klinklang is at no. 6. Two of the top decks, [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”], all but auto-win Klinklang. Klinklang may still entice players because it has a powerful lock, and easily defeats anything lacking Garbodor and non-EX attackers that use basic Energy, but I don’t expect it to be overly popular.
Countering Klinklang
Most of the ways to defeat [card name=”Klinklang” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”90″ c=”name”] are covered above. If you have [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”] or non-EX attackers that use basic Energy, you should win. Otherwise you lose. Klinklang does have other weaknesses, but they’re harder to exploit. It is about as slow as [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”], so you can win with fast Basics if you can deny the opportunity for Klinklang to ever come in play. This is easier said than done, because you have to draw what you need at the right time to KO every [card name=”Klink” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”88″ c=”name”]. Bats can also help prevent Klink from turning into Klinklang.
[cardimg name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”custom”]The mouse gets nervous under pressure.[/cardimg]
Another thing to note is that Klinklang usually plays down a [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”] and a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”] at some point in the game. These are Pokemon-EX that are not protected by Plasma Steel. This means that if you can take two quick Prizes before Klinklang achieves its full setup, you can finish up the game by KO’ing those two EXs that are unprotected. Once again, this is easier said than done, because Klinklang can still apply pressure with attacks or remove Energies with [card name=”Cobalion-EX” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”93″ c=”name”]’s Righteous Edge.
7. Raichu
After dominating the [set name=”Roaring Skies”] format and flopping spectacularly at U.S. Nationals, I myself wonder if [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”] deserves the no. 7 spot. Raichu is a consistent deck that can hit for absurdly high amounts of damage, using only low-maintenance non-EX attackers. Raichu can hold its own against Metal, Toad, and Primals, but barring [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”] its chances of winning aren’t phenomenal. The main problem Raichu faces is its struggle against [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] decks (especially those with [card name=”Ninetales” set=”Primal Clash” no=”21″ c=”name”] or [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”]). It’s not an auto-loss by any means, but if I’m correct in predicting swarms of Manectric decks, Raichu is a deck that is just going to have to sit this one out. I’m sure it will see a bit of play due to how strong of a card it is, but it’s not well-positioned in this meta.
Wrecking Raichu
If you’re playing Metal, a pair of [card name=”Aegislash-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”65″ c=”name”] should be able to sweep right through the deck if you don’t provide many Pokemon-EX targets for [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”]. [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] with [card name=”Ninetales” set=”Primal Clash” no=”21″ c=”name”] or [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”] should also be able to defeat [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”] with ease. Even if the Raichu deck runs [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”] it still shouldn’t win a majority of the time. Fighting decks that can attack quickly such as Landy / Bats and [card name=”Donphan” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”72″ c=”name”] easily defeat Raichu as well. Anything else besides [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”] and Night March has at least a decent chance at winning.
[cardimg name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ align=”left” height=”250″ c=”custom”]Keep this in play or lose.[/cardimg]
Raichu’s main weaknesses are its reliance on [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”]. While it’s not always true, I find myself thinking that I don’t need to kill six non-EXs, I only need to kill four DCEs. You might be KO’ing Raichus turn after turn (along with the Energies), but a well-timed [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”] or [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”111″ c=”name”] can sometimes turn the tides just as much. As for its reliance on Sky Field, I once again have to refer to [card name=”Ninetales” set=”Primal Clash” no=”21″ c=”name”]. It is the epitome of a Stadium counter and limits Raichu’s base damage to a measly 100. Running three or four of your own Stadium cards is occasionally enough to swing the matchup. It’s not a guarantee that the Raichu player will draw into Sky Field every turn, and each time you bump Sky Field against a loaded Bench they have to discard three Pokemon. In order to bounce back from this, the Raichu player has to find another Sky Field and more Basic Pokemon, which is not an easy task when factoring in the occasional [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”name”] disruption.
Raichu also is reliant on multiple copies of [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”]. While it is sometimes a good call to bump Sky Field to limit Raichu’s damage output, you might want to consider keeping Sky Field, and consequently extra Shaymin-EX, in play. Shaymin-EX can prove a valuable source of Prize cards amidst the non-EX onslaught. Nothing can trade favorably with a Raichu deck running hot, so you could focus on using Lysandre to pick off Shaymin-EX as your main way of earning Prize cards. You don’t need to hit Lysandre every turn, just every other turn or so. It isn’t too difficult to KO two Raichu normally and play two Lysandre on Shaymin for two KOs throughout the game. Of course, if you want to benefit from your own Stadium card at any time, you must bump Sky Field, giving your opponent the chance to discard their Shaymins to safety.
8. Fighting / Crobat
I’ve mentioned a few decks being slow so far, but Fighting / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”] (aka Landy / Bats) is just the opposite. It’s not uncommon to see a [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”] hitting for 120 on the first turn, and this appeals to players. [card name=”Landorus-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”89″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”54″ c=”name”] are powerful, low maintenance attackers in their own right, and the amount of supplemental damage that a heavy Bat line provides is absurd. Landy / Bats also could be a decent meta call if there turns out to be a majority of [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”] decks, both of which it has a completely lopsided matchup against. It also wouldn’t mind running into a few [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”] decks here and there. The reason Landy / Bats is so low on the list is because it’s extremely poorly positioned in the current meta. I did say it beats Manectric, Groudon, and Raichu, but it desperately struggles to beat anything else. [card name=”Primal Kyogre-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”55″ c=”name”], [card name=”Klinklang” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”90″ c=”name”], Metal Ray, and the soon-to-be-mentioned [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Wailord-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”38″ c=”name”] decks are essentially auto-losses. I expect that precious few players will take this risk at Worlds and the Boston Open.
[cardimg name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”custom”]Are Bats finally on the decline?[/cardimg]
Conquering Crobat
Matchup-wise, I rattled off most unfavorable matchups above. Relying on Pokemon-EX attackers and [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”] make the deck exceptionally vulnerable to Safeguard. [card name=”Hippowdon” set=”Primal Clash” no=”88″ c=”name”], [card name=”Suicune” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”20″ c=”name”], and [card name=”Klinklang” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”90″ c=”name”] all make life difficult for Landy / Bats. [card name=”Sigilyph” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”66″ c=”name”] isn’t much of a problem because of its lower HP and Weakness to [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”]. Bulky non-EX Pokemon in general can annoy the deck as well, especially those with a Resistance to Fighting. Examples would be [card name=”Zapdos” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”46″ c=”name”], [card name=”Tornadus” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”108″ c=”name”], [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”], this [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”name”], this other [card name=”Articuno” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”32″ c=”name”], etc. These Pokemon typically aren’t capable of winning the match by themselves no matter how many you play, so you’ll need something to back them up. [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”] happens to have quite a bit of utility here, though it’s nowhere near as disastrous as it is for [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Primal Kyogre-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”55″ c=”name”] decks.
9. Wailord-EX
[card name=”Wailord-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”38″ c=”name”] is a solid deck, but the way I expect the meta to shape up doesn’t do it any favors. Boasting 250 HP, a seemingly endless supply of healing cards, and the ever-helpful Safeguard option makes Wailord a worthy contender. It is one of the few decks with a great Toad / Garb matchup, and it also defeats things like [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”] and Landy / Bats with ease. It can also compete fairly well with Metal and [card name=”Primal Kyogre-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”149″ c=”name”] decks. I think that some players will definitely find favor with this deck and use it due to all the unique traits it possesses. I chose to place Wailord all the way down at no. 9 because I haven’t heard any talk of it since the initial post-Nats hype died down, and its matchups aren’t fantastic.
Winning against the Wail
There’s not much to say here. [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”] beats it, [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] with [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”name”] or a similarly strong non-EX beats it, anything with [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”] beats it, and Metal has about a 50-50 shot at beating it (though many will disagree with me on that). In any deck playing [card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”name”], you can play a tech [card name=”Exeggutor” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”5″ c=”name”] to help, but at that point you could easily just run Bunnelby instead. Bunnelby’s progress isn’t hampered by [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”] or [card name=”Hard Charm” set=”XY” no=”119″ c=”name”], and is definitely a safer option, despite Exeggutor’s disruption potential in other matchups.
10. Blastoise / Keldeo-EX
[cardimg name=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”137″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”custom”]The ‘Immortal Tortle,’ it just doesn’t go away![/cardimg]
It wasn’t easy to determine which fringe deck should go here. Night March, [card name=”Donphan” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”72″ c=”name”], [card name=”Hippowdon” set=”Primal Clash” no=”88″ c=”name”], etc. could easily see more play than [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Wailord-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”38″ c=”name”] combined. This far down the list though, you probably won’t have to worry about playing any of these more than once. Back to the topic, Blastoise is one of the more fun decks to play in my opinion, and its speed surpasses that of even Landy / Bats. While its consistency may be questionable, there’s no denying that the prospect of a turn one Secret Sword for over 9000 is quite attractive. The deck is extremely fast and powerful, but a few glaring weaknesses keep it back.
Bulldozing Blastoise
If [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”] happened to not exist, [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”] would absolutely be the best deck in format. Unfortunately for the Immortal Tortle, [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”] is now in its prime and shows no signs of stopping. The frustrating lock deck takes advantage of Blastoise’s reliance on both Items and Abilities, and completely shuts down the deck. If lists start including just one [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”54″ c=”name”], it becomes even more of an uphill battle. Blastoise can struggle against [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”] too, though that matchup is not nearly as difficult as Toad / Garb. Blastoise doesn’t appreciate [card name=”Klinklang” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”90″ c=”name”] decks either, which limits its viable attacking options to a tech [card name=”Kyurem” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”31″ c=”name”] and as many Blastoises manage to hit the field. [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”] decks also happen to have a favorable matchup against the ‘Stoise Squad (I would say Squirtle Squad, but nobody actually uses [card name=”Squirtle” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”29″ c=”name”]).
Another flaw of the deck is that it usually needs to load bunches of Energies in play. Mewtwo-EX can be an effective card in this matchup, as it can KO a loaded [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”45″ c=”name”] for only a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”]. A pair of [card name=”Leafeon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”11″ c=”name”] with a supplemental attacker in case of Kyurem also tears the deck apart. Finally, the deck relies on Blastoise itself. If you can Knock Out the Blastoise a turn or two following its appearance via [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”name”], it is likely that the Blastoise player won’t get another one, crippling them for the rest of the game. This doesn’t always work, as the Blastoise could possibly have Deluged enough Energies by that time to not really need Blastoise anymore. Thus when you have the option to KO Blastoise, it is crucial you judge correctly how much that will really damage your opponent.
Conclusion
After looking at the top 10 decks and their weaknesses, there are definitely a few cards that stand out as very powerful against the current meta. For example, [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”] is looking like an extermely important card, and I have been messing around with it a lot recently. As far as I can tell, it’s just as powerful as I make it sound. Aside from that, [card name=”Ninetales” set=”Primal Clash” no=”21″ c=”name”] and [card name=”Leafeon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”11″ c=”name”] are looking like powerful tech options that cover many bases, despite them being Stage 1s.
Well, that about wraps it up for me. I think and hope that this article helped you figure out what you need in your deck to improve your matchups. In fact, I even helped myself with some of this stuff that I hadn’t even thought about before truly analyzing the weaknesses of these decks! If you’re participating in Worlds or the Boston Open, make sure to test against a portion of these decks and become familiar with them! As always, questions and comments are welcome. If you see me in Boston, feel free to say hi. Thanks for reading and good luck!
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