Psychic Infinity: Mega Mewtwo-EX Strikes Back!
What’s up, PokeBeach? Steve here, long time no see. The first two weeks of U.S. Fall Regionals have come and gone, and with only one more weekend of Regionals left before the next expansion hits, I thought I’d give you all an early look at the poster child for this new set: M Mewtwo-EX. What makes this version of Mewtwo good, and exactly how good can it be? Which cards can [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”54″ c=”custom”]Mewtwo-EX’s[/card] brand-new Mega Evolution be paired with most effectively, and where exactly will it fit into the meta? Which decks does M Mewtwo-EX fare well against, and which decks will it likely struggle with? These are questions we will be answering in today’s article, as well as taking a look at some different variants of the M Mewtwo-EX deck for both Standard and Expanded as we head into the season of City Championships. But first, I’d like to go over the significance of Cities, and it’s importance along the road to qualifying for the World Championships.
City Championships – They are a Big Deal
[cardimg name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ align=”left” height=”250″ c=”none”][/cardimg]
As some of you may already know, last season was the first time I qualified for Worlds since the first-ever Pokemon TCG World Championships back in 2002. One of the biggest reasons I was able to qualify was my performance at Cities last November through January. Last season, I played in a total of 10 City Championships, placing in the top eight of five of those tournaments, advancing to the top four in three of those five, and becoming a finalist in two of them. Just making it into Top 8 in half of those events alone is pretty good, even if it seems a bit lackluster on paper. One of the major reasons why I feel this was such an accomplishment is because of the ever-changing metagame throughout the span of City Championships, which usually run from late November until at least the middle of January. As different decks continue to win events, the meta shifts each week depending on the meta from the previous week’s tournaments. This means it isn’t as simple as just playing the same 60 cards throughout the entire span of Cities, as the chances of having continued success throughout two months of an ever-changing meta is highly unlikely. Eventually, if a deck continues to do well, someone is going to have a counter ready for that deck, and people playing such a deck will need to make adjustments.
Personally, I played five different decks through last year’s Cities, making it into the Top 8 of at least one City Championship with four of those five decks. Doing so required much more than the cards to build these different decks, but also the ability to play each of them, sometimes with very limited playtesting. Switching decks on a dime is often not a good idea, but having a grasp on the meta is definitely key. It allowed me to focus on the next event as soon as I finished up with the current one. Often times I would finish my last City Championship for a weekend and immediately begin thinking about what deck to play the following week. After going over results from multiple Cities which took place that weekend, I would begin narrowing down deck ideas, and by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest, I’d have my deck idea ready for the upcoming weekend. By Thursday, I tried to have my exact list ready to playtest for a couple days in order to be fully prepared for the next tournament. Fortunately, I had the help of playing in tournaments with accomplished players such as Kevin Baxter, Justin Young, Andrew Mahone, Jason Klaczynski, and Travis Nunlist during last year’s Cities. After seeing the different ideas that these guys had come up with, I was able to incorporate my own ideas with the ideas these guys showed in their own decks, as I got to play at least one match against each of them during the tournaments.
The biggest deck idea I received during this run was a [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] / Water variant that Travis Nunlist played against me during the Indianapolis marathon, which was also being played by Kevin Baxter at the time. After the conclusion of the Indy marathon in late November, I spent the following week preparing my own variant of this deck, and was able to reach the finals of my next two City Championships with the list I’d come up with before the meta shifted heavily enough to force a change. This deck alone earned me 80 Championship Points in two weeks, bringing my season total up to over 200 at the time. Cities earned me a grand total of 130 Championship points last season, which brought me very close to completing my Worlds invite after having been a semi-finalist at last year’s Fort Wayne Regional Championships. As my good buddy and Pokemon TCG mentor Deon Lunsford put it last season, Cities are the bread and butter of the season in terms of qualifying for Worlds. They are a very big deal.
Creativity – Why It Works and How to Use It
As I went over during my last article, the element of surprise is a huge factor in the Pokemon TCG, and creativity is almost always what fuels rogue decks to do well, as people continuously come up with new ideas to incorporate into the existing meta and ways to make them successful. Often, this is the result of lots of playtesting, and sometimes new decks are the result of simply being willing to experiment at a tournament. After I completed my Worlds invite at a League Challenge up in Sandusky, Ohio last February, I decided to play what I thought would be merely fun decks until the May 2015 set was legal for play while helping other local players get the testing necessary so they could continue chasing their Worlds invites. I told Deon Lunsford that I was merely there to help him and the rest of our crowd in their playtesting until Nationals, to which he responded “No Steve. Your job now is to break the format.” Little did I know that the “fun deck” I was about to create would bring me one game away from achieving a Day Two invite to the World Championships.
[cardimg name=”Flareon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”12″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”custom”]Vengeance is mine![/cardimg]
Last February, I spent the better part of one weekend watching the stream from the Florida Regional, which was the first major tournament in the U.S. where Primal Clash was legal for play. Throughout the tournament, I was able to watch decks like [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] in action. However, no deck from that tournament had a bigger impact on me than Orion Craig’s tournament-winning [card name=”Flareon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Empoleon” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] variant. Just one month prior to the Florida Regional, I had been hanging out with Carl Scheu at a Primal Clash Prerelease when he claimed he was going to spend forever trying to make Archie’s Ace in the Hole work with [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card], only to fail every single time and eventually give up on the idea. Well, not long after watching the Florida Regionals stream, I stumbled across Orion’s Flareon list and had a little spare time, so I decided to challenge Carl’s idea of making Archie’s Blastoise competitive and see if I could have a little fun with the concept we both felt would be impossible to mold into a tournament level deck. I decided to use the turbo engine which Orion had played in his Flareon deck to set up a first turn Archie’s Ace in the Hole as often as possible, getting Blastoise into play the same way he had done with Empoleon.
Here is Orion’s Flareon list for reference:
[decklist]
[pokemon amt=”24″]
4x [card name=”Flareon” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”12″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Leafeon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”11″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Eevee” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”90″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Eevee” set=”Furious Fists” no=”80″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Ditto” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”108″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Audino” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”126″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”47″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Slurpuff” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”69″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Swirlix” set=”XY” no=”94″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Empoleon” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”29″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”29″]
3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”157″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Lysandre’s Trump Card” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”118″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Silver Bangle” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”88″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Town Map” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”136″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Training Center” set=”Furious Fists” no=”102″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”7″]
4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”XY” no=”134″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”XY” no=”132″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/energy]
[/decklist]
The draw engine from this deck is built around Item cards and Pokemon Abilities more than Supporters. Orion had used cards such as [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Slurpuff” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card] to set up his hand and field much quicker than if he’d used the conventional 8-11 draw Supporters as his deck’s engine. Since he was able to attack after only one turn of attaching Energy, it wasn’t a problem to be ripping through his cards at such a brisk pace. Even if he ran into the Item-locking [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card], he was still guaranteed at least one turn of Items, which was often all he needed to set up what he needed for the remainder of the game.
The final piece of this puzzle was the most important, however, when translating this engine over to [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”157″ c=”custom”]Archie’s[/card] [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] – managing to score a first turn Archie’s Ace in the Hole. Cards like Battle Compressor, [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] help to send cards to the discard pile as well as empty out your hand, allowing you to meet the necessary conditions to play Archie’s Ace in the Hole and put Blastoise onto your Bench directly from the discard pile, thus skipping the chore of having to evolve it from [card name=”Squirtle” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card]. The question was: could this be done consistently enough to make the deck work in a format full of Seismitoad-EX?
Here is my first draft of Archie’s Blastoise, translated directly from Orion’s Flareon list.
[decklist]
[pokemon amt=”12″]
4x [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Kyurem” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”31″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”54″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”37″]
3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”157″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Lysandre’s Trump Card” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”118″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Bicycle” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”117″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”103″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Furious Fists” no=”100″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Town Map” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”136″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”11″]
11x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”XY” no=”134″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/energy]
[/decklist]
[cardimg name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”157″ align=”left” height=”250″ c=”custom”]First turn Blastoise, anyone?[/cardimg]
As you can see, a whopping 31 cards in this first list of [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”custom”]Archie’s[/card] [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”16″ c=”name”][/card] were identical to Orion’s Flareon deck – that’s over half the deck! Factor in that Archie’s Blastoise is an entirely different deck from Flareon, and you’re left with almost an identical engine between the two lists. Although the two decks were different, the concept was nearly identical: play Archie’s Ace in the Hole as quickly as possible, then charge up an attacker (in this case, [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card]) in a single turn and start OHKO’ing your opponent’s Pokemon left and right. If your attacker gets KO’d, simply use [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] to bring back your Energy and charge up another one with Blastoise’s Deluge Ability! In a format ruled by decks that either required a more complex setup or relied on locking down your opponent’s resources, Archie’s Blastoise simply went for the kill — with no questions asked and very little time necessary. This deck was fun to play and caught many people by surprise at the time, since so few people had seen it when Brad Weyers and I brought it to the Kentucky State Championships back in March. Because it was not a widely played deck at the time, it also enjoyed the luxury of not having to play mirror matches the way most players running meta decks do at big tournaments, and thus allowed me to focus on other matchups instead of worrying about outspeeding an opponent who was playing the exact same deck. Although the list changed over the spring and summer, the core of this deck remained intact and ultimately led me to a 15th place finish at the U.S. National Championships in July. After all I’d been through with Archie’s Blastoise, I couldn’t have been happier to see Jacob Van Wagner win the 2015 World Championships with his version of the deck. Mission accomplished!
Using this Experience to Our Advantage
I learned a lot from [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”custom”]Archie’s[/card] [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card], and because I learned so much, I want learn that much more about the Pokemon TCG and how to be the best player I can be. Archie’s Blastoise taught me how valuable it is to be able to avoid mirror matches, especially in large tournaments like States and U.S. Nationals. This deck also taught me how sticking with one deck for an extended period of time can be effective when the meta doesn’t change to counter it. While I was constantly switching decks between tournaments until I completed my Worlds invite last season, I almost exclusively played Archie’s Blastoise from the Kentucky State Championships right up through Worlds. Another interesting fact here is that until Worlds, I was playing Archie’s Blastoise for the fun factor, with very little intention to actually do well at an event. This helped me remain relaxed and focused on enjoying the game, and took a lot of the extra stress off of me when I was playing in an event. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying you shouldn’t try to do well. Just remember that Pokemon is a game just like any other TCG, and to prioritize the fun factor when playing just as much as the competitive aspect of the game.
Anyway, now that my little story is out of the way, let’s talk about a big, bad behemoth that will be looking to show its face come Cities. I am referring to none other than Mega Mewtwo Y in its brand new form: M Mewtwo-EX.
[premium]
How does M Mewtwo-EX work?
Well, for starters, let’s look at a translation for this brand-new card. It is part of the Japanese Red Flash expansion, and has been confirmed to be part of the English BREAKthrough expansion.
M Mewtwo-EX – Psychic – HP210
Mega Evolution – Evolves from Mewtwo-EXWhen 1 of your Pokemon become a Mega Evolution, your turn ends.
[C][C] Psychic Infinity: 10+ damage. This attack does 10 damage plus 30 more damage for each Energy attached to each player’s Pokemon both player’s Active Pokemon. This attack’s damage isn’t affected by Weakness.
When a Pokemon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Psychic (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2
By looking at M Mewtwo-EX’s Psychic Infinity attack, you’ve probably realized that this is just a bigger version of the “Ball” attacks seen on [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], and Lugia-EX. The additional 10 damage per Energy might not seem like much at first, but as you might be able to imagine, it adds up very quickly. With a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card] you are hitting for a base of 70 damage, and that’s before adding any additional Energy or damage modifiers, or having any Energy attached to your opponent’s Active Pokemon. This number shoots up into the stratosphere without much effort, and can even take out the mighty [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] while it’s up there! Now, as one would expect, an all Colorless attack cost means that there are several potential partners for M Mewtwo-EX, and many different ways to build a deck with it. We could easily incorporate it into a deck with built in Energy acceleration from something like [card name=”Bronzong” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY21″ c=”name”][/card] in Standard, or [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Emboar” set=”Next Destinies” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Gardevoir” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] in Expanded. However, for now we’re going to stick with a much more recent card to accelerate our Energy: [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card]. I’m going to post a Standard list here, and an Expanded list below.
Mega Mewtwo Y – Standard
[decklist]
[pokemon amt=”14″]
2x Zoroark (BT)
2x Zorua (BT)
3x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”36″]
3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Judge” set=”Unleashed” no=”78″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x Giovanni’s Scheme (BT #138)
1x [card name=”Pokémon Fan Club” set=”Flashfire” no=”94″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”10″]
6x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”XY” no=”138″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/energy]
[/decklist]
As you can see, there are no less than three copies of any Trainer card in the deck except Supporters, which can be fished out of the deck via [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and then retrieved and reused with [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]. Pokemon can be searched with [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. Any of your Mewtwo-EX, M Mewtwo-EX, and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] can be pulled from the deck with Hoopa-EX’s Scoundrel Ring Ability. Zoroark serves as both a free switch-out option with [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] as well as an alternative attacker that can deal a lot of damage with its [card name=”Absol” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card]-esque Mind Jack attack. I’ve opted to include Darkness Energy instead of Psychic due to the easy access to Zorua’s attack, which seems more useful than trying to pile Energy onto a basic Mewtwo-EX for a Psyburn. So what about the rest of the deck? Why did I choose these 60 cards exactly? Let’s find out!
The Pokemon
Mewtwo-EX
I chose the Mewtwo-EX with the Colorless attack here for exactly that reason — it swings for Colorless Energy. While it would’ve been very easy to run Psychic Energy instead and play the Mewtwo-EX from Red Flash, that Mewtwo’s first attack would rarely hit for more than 60 damage, while the defensive effect of the Mewtwo-EX from Blue Impact makes its first attack a 60 damage advantage in its own way. The second attack is meaningless in this situation, since you’ll be aiming to Mega Evolve rather quickly, so the only attack of Mewtwo’s that will matter down the stretch should be M Mewtwo-EX’s Psychic Infinity attack, which is the centerpiece of the entire deck.
Hoopa-EX
I really considered running two copies of this guy, but due to space issues with this list (Zoroark is a Stage 1), I had to cut down to a single copy. Regardless, Hoopa-EX is insane. This guy lets you go grab three Pokemon-EX from your deck. This means you’re probably grabbing either a Mewtwo-EX, a M Mewtwo-EX, and a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], or two Mewtwo-EX and a Shaymin-EX. There isn’t really much else to say other than you’ll likely be searching for this guy via [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] on the first turn of most games.
Zoroark
So [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] is now being Impersonated (don’t you love puns?) by a brand-new Zoroark card, whose Impersonate Ability functions exactly the same way as Keldeo-EX’s Rush In Ability! Now, it’s worth noting that Zoroark is a Stage 1 Pokemon rather than a Basic, so he’s almost as splashable as his Colt counterpart. Zoroark also has one more thing going for him, and that’s a beastly version of Mind Jack, an attack that deals 10 damage plus an additional 30 damage for each of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon. Oh, and did I mentioned that this attack costs only two Colorless Energy? Yes, that’s correct people, your [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card] can be used for yet another utility attack if / when necessary, and the Pokemon using it only gives up a single Prize! Isn’t that convenient?
Trainers
Judge / Giovanni’s Scheme / Ace Trainer
[cardimg name=”Judge” set=”Unleashed” no=”78″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”custom”]Judge![/cardimg]
BREAKthrough introduces a pair of new draw-based Supporters: [card name=”Judge” set=”Unleashed” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] (an old favorite from the HGSS era) and Giovanni’s Scheme. There is also Ace Trainer, which I’ve chosen to leave out of this deck in favor of Judge. While Ace Trainer draws you six cards and drops your opponent down to three, you must be behind on Prizes to play it. Judge puts both players at four cards and can be played regardless of the Prize situation, making it much more versatile. Of course, it still plays second fiddle to [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card], and I don’t see that changing any time soon. Giovanni’s Scheme is the other draw Supporter I included in this list. It might seem a bit underwhelming at first, but this is again a choice I’ve made because of the versatility offered by this card. While Giovanni’s Scheme draws your hand up to only five cards (one fewer than a Shaymin-EX), the leader of Team Rocket can also offer a completely different effect if you choose — adding 20 damage to your Pokemon’s attacks during the turn it is played. This acts as a pseudo [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] for the turn and can be clutch when you need to get a major threat off the field to take control of the game or draw your final Prize(s).
Pokemon Fan Club
[card name=”Pokémon Fan Club” set=”Flashfire” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] is another Supporter card that offers utility by allowing you to pull any two Basic Pokemon from the deck directly to your hand. This allows you to pull off Hoopa-EX plays while simultaneously searching for that Zorua in the early game, or another Pokemon-EX if you really need it. Getting Zorua on the Bench during the first turn is a solid way to ensure that you have your Zoroark ready whenever you need it, and will be essential against a lot of decks, as the combination of Zoroark and Float Stone will allow you to switch out freely as long as they’re in play together.
Dimension Valley
[cardimg name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ align=”left” height=”250″ c=”none”][/cardimg]
Now you might be thinking “why [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]? Don’t you want more Energy on your Pokemon anyway?” You would be right, too. However, Dimension Valley can serve a couple purposes here. Obviously it lets your Mewtwo-EX and M Mewtwo-EX attack for one less Energy, but let’s look at one other very simple thing this card has to offer — it’s a Stadium card. Yes, it’s that simple, folks. Why, you ask, do we need four copies of a Stadium card as a counter Stadium? Well, typically you don’t, and the benefit of Dimension Valley’s effect is a big part of why I’ve chosen to max out on this card. But let’s look at the newest Stadium card that will be joining us: Parallel City. This card will essentially play as an inverted version of [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] when your opponent plays it, dropping your Bench count to no more than three. When you’re relying on bench-sitters like Hoopa-EX, Zoroark, and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] to help you set up and to keep you from being locked down by your Pokemon’s Retreat Costs and any status conditions or attack effects from your opponent, you don’t want to be limited to only three Benched Pokemon. Especially since you’ll always want to have a second Mewtwo-EX ready on the Bench in case your attacking Mewtwo gets KO’d. While we could try to corner our opponents with Parallel City ourselves, it is important to remember that you won’t be able to play your copy if your opponent’s is in play, and because of the unique nature of the card, you won’t be able to lock down your opponent’s Bench if yours is already being held to three spaces. So yes, we definitely need Dimension Valley.
Mega Turbo
This is your Energy acceleration card. Sure, it can only be used to charge up a M Mewtwo-EX in this deck, but what else were you going to charge up with it anyway? [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] acts like a universal [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] for Mega Evolutions, and will allow you to recycle your basic Energy from one Mewtwo to the next. It will also allow you to use [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] to drop Energy into the discard pile in the same manner as an Expanded Darkness-type deck would do in conjunction with [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] and the aforementioned Dark Patch. Four copies might seem a bit risky if you draw too many of them early, but my playtesting results will argue that the consistency is as high as it’s ever been for this type of thing, and you might even be able to transfer this type of engine over to something like [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card] too! Of course, the usefulness of this card is heavily connected to the next card, which is…
Battle Compressor
Man, oh man, what were the designers thinking when they made this card? Sure, [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] doesn’t do much on its own except thin the deck, but the combos are virtually endless! In this deck, we’ll be combining Battle Compressor with the previously mentioned Mega Turbo, as well as the obvious combo of dropping Supporters and retrieving them with [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], a combo which any deck in the game can benefit from. It’s a pretty simple card otherwise, allowing you to pitch cards you don’t want to draw, as well as Supporters and basic Energy to use with VS Seeker and [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card][card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] respectively, but it’s a very powerful card nonetheless.
Trainers’ Mail
Ah, [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], one of the cards that helped push my first turn [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] rate past the 80 percent mark. Well, we won’t be putting Blastoise into play with this deck, but we will be pulling the necessary Trainer cards all the same. Whether it’s another Item card you need, a copy of Dimension Valley, or that elusive Supporter card you’re desperately in need of, Trainers’ Mail can help you get what you need, either by itself or through another card like [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]. It can get you an Energy through the use of Mega Turbo, or a Pokemon through the use of [card name=”Pokémon Fan Club” set=”Flashfire” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. This card is as good as the card it pulls out of the deck for you, and can also grab nothing in a pinch if you need to draw one more card off of that Shaymin-EX you’ve been sitting on.
Float Stone
[card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] is another card that will be returning to Standard, even though it’s only been rotated out for two months, and looks to like it’ll have just as big of an impact on the meta as it did last season. Much like it did with [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card], Float Stone looks to be paired with the brand-new Zoroark in order to Impersonate and then freely retreat into whichever Pokemon you like. There isn’t much of a merit to Float Stone besides that, although it can be attached to a Pokemon-EX as a way to protect you from an opponent’s [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card].
Now that we’ve gone over a bit of the Standard M Mewtwo-EX deck, let’s take a look at an Expanded version!
Mega Mewtwo Y – Expanded
[decklist]
[pokemon amt=”13″]
3x [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”54″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Sigilyph” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”52″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”37″]
3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”135″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”10″]
6x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”XY” no=”136″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/energy]
[/decklist]
[cardimg name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”98″ align=”left” height=”250″ c=”custom”]Mewtwo Strikes Back![/cardimg]
Right off the bat, we have access to our longtime friend from Next Destinies, the original [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card], and what a difference maker he is! Okay, so his attack isn’t as powerful as M Mewtwo-EX’s Psychic Infinity, but X Ball is an attack we’ve come to know and love since the release of Next Destinies in February of 2012. Being able to deal 20 damage for each Energy attached to both Active Pokemon is nothing to scoff at, even though dealing 10 damage plus 30 more damage for each Energy attached to both Active Pokemon makes it look subpar in comparison. The original Mewtwo-EX does allow us to do a couple things we couldn’t do very effectively with the Standard version of the deck, however. First and foremost, it allows us to hit Pokemon that are weak to Psychic for some pretty heavy damage (which cannot be done by M Mewtwo-EX). This is where X Ball really shines, especially against another Mewtwo-EX, M Mewtwo-EX, or perhaps a [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card]. The other thing to note here is that because the Expanded version of this deck is able to run [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] instead of Zoroark, there is no reason not to run Psychic Energy. This means we also have access to Mewtwo-EX’s second attack, Psydrive, which is made even more accessible through the use of [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. Psydrive will cost only two Psychic energy to use, with one Energy being discarded to fulfill the attack’s requirement. Of course, the deck’s focus remains on the much more powerful M Mewtwo-EX, but having a more powerful Basic to evolve from is always a good thing.
Other Pokemon
Keldeo-EX
Ah, the quarterback of the Indianapolis Keldeos football team (okay, so that’s Andrew Luck), but in all fairness, [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] is the “Colt” Pokemon. As is the case with any deck that isn’t [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card], Keldeo-EX is used exclusively for its Ability, Rush In. This becomes incredibly useful if Keldeo-EX has a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] attached, as it can then retreat for free, offering a free switch effect every turn and easily eliminating Special Conditions and other lingering effects of attacks. You can also attach three Energy to Keldeo-EX and use Secret Sword for 50 damage if you really want to, but I’d advise against doing so unless it becomes absolutely necessary. After all, we have better things to attack with.
Sigilyph
[cardimg name=”Sigilyph” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”118″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”none”][/cardimg]
This was an idea that was given to me by my buddy Trey Reese during a discussion we were having about this deck and the upcoming format for Cities in general. Upon mentioning the deck to him and explaining most of the list, he asked me if I ran a [card name=”Sigilyph” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card]. We talked about it for a bit, and he brought up some great points about how it would not only help out against opposing Pokemon-EX, but it could also force what is essentially a seven-Prize game, as well as being able to attack for a mere two Energy with the presence of [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. This is especially useful against other Mewtwo-EX decks, whether they run off of M Mewtwo-EX or just the Basic version. Another benefit of Sigilyph is that because he is a non-EX Pokemon, he can attack other Pokemon with the Safeguard Ability without the use of Hex Maniac in order to lay down some damage or score a KO. Sigilyph makes a fantastic opening Pokemon for this deck as well as providing a favorable Prize trade against EX-heavy decks and a fair Prize trade against decks such as Night March and Vespiquen, which tend to be difficult matchups for M Mewtwo-EX to deal with on its own.
Supporters
Colress / N
I love [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card]! Okay, not really, but I happen to like this card very much. While I have no problem with [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] being rotated out of Standard, I really wish Colress had stuck around. While an N to one can be far more devastating than just about any play in the game that doesn’t immediately end said game, Colress can do the exact opposite and draw you up to 10 cards! Or he can draw you up to 16 cards if [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] is in play! So while Colress is very good in the mid-game, and both Colress and N are great late-game, N is definitely the early game choice — allowing you to shuffle your hand back and draw a fresh six cards from your deck (and doing the same to your opponent). Back on the subject of N, however, I think all of us have won and lost quite a few games as a result of somebody playing an N to one. Personally, I’ve gotten a bit sick of this, but the recently developed turbo engine ([card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], etc) has definitely helped with this sort of thing. Overall, both of these cards are very straightforward, and while N has more utility, Colress has more sheer power and is a much more aggressive play. (That’s probably why I like Colress so much.) In any case, while these two cards are in format, I’d recommend playing at least one copy of each in your M Mewtwo-EX deck.
Matchups
M Rayquaza-EX
Initially I thought this deck’s matchup with [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] would be awful. As it turns out, this is one of M Mewtwo-EX’s best matchups. Simply put, a M Rayquaza-EX with three Energy attached (the requirement for its attack) means you’ll need four Energy attached to your M Mewtwo-EX for a OHKO. That might seem like a lot at first, but with [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], this isn’t nearly as difficult to pull off as it might seem. After that, it’s just math: (3 + 4 = 7, 7 x 30 = 210, 10 + 210 = 220, 220 = a dead M Rayquaza-EX). Of course, you can always use [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] to bring up a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] from your opponent’s Bench and take an easy KO too, which is especially useful for ending the game. Overall, this matchup was a very pleasant surprise for me, with M Mewtwo-EX reigning supreme over M Rayquaza-EX.
Seismitoad-EX / Giratina-EX
[cardimg name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”none”][/cardimg]
Ah, the dreaded [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / Giratina-EX matchup. To be fair, Giratina-EX is a royal pain for this deck to deal with, but since you’re facing a lockdown deck, you probably won’t manage to Mega Evolve more than once in this match to begin with. That means you’ll be focusing on attacking with your Basic [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] for the majority of the match. This means using X Ball or Photon Wave in combination with [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] for the majority of the game. Being able to deal 60 damage to a Seismitoad-EX with X Ball before potentially putting up a Psydrive for 120 damage and a KO is pretty good, while the Standard version of the deck will be able to deal 30 damage with Photon Wave and drop Seismitoad-EX’s Quaking Punch damage done to zero during your opponent’s next turn. However, as I stated before, the big problem here is Giratina-EX, which can lock you out of both your Dimension Valley and your [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card]. This can be a tough matchup, but you do have the advantage that you won’t be taking too much damage in any one turn, so you’ll almost always be able to swing back at them. If you can get your [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] or Zoroark into play and a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] attached to it, you should be able to avoid the lingering effects of something like [card name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card].
Yveltal-EX
The [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] matchup is more of a chess match than anything. Evil Ball will hit you for more than X Ball will in Expanded, but Psychic Infinity will hit heavier than anything the Yveltal player can muster up in either format, meaning you’ll need to resist going too aggressive with X Ball early on. It’s also important to remember that even when your M Mewtwo-EX gets going, [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] is a thing in Expanded, and it can easily lead to an Yveltal-EX scoring a revenge KO on your Mega Mewtwo. In Standard, this isn’t a problem. Then again, you probably won’t see many Yveltal-EX decks in Standard. Overall this is a pretty good matchup that just requires a bit of thinking and knowing when to make certain plays. If you can keep a second M Mewtwo-EX ready to go at all times, you should be able to win this matchup without too much trouble.
Blastoise
Ah, Archie’s [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card], the great footrace to the first two Prizes. No, literally, that’s all this matchup is; whoever takes two Prizes first is going to win this contest almost every time. Sure, an [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] to one / two cards could potentially change that, but more often than not, it won’t have much effect on either of these decks by that point in the game. If the Blastoise player whiffs the turn one [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card], you should have no trouble here. Otherwise it’s game on, so use your [card name=”Sigilyph” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] wisely, my good friends – you’re going to need the Avianoid Pokemon in this match. Fortunately, you might not need to Mega Evolve every one of your [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] to win here. Maybe just one or two will get the job done.
Vespiquen / Flareon
This is where the going gets tough, with one-Prize attackers coming down all across your opponent’s board. If you get the opportunity to KO a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] for two Prizes, take it. That extra Prize is worth quite a bit of value in a matchup that requires you to draw your Prizes one by one (instead of in pairs) for the majority of the game. Vespiquen and [card name=”Flareon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] may, however, have difficulty knocking down a M Mewtwo-EX in one shot before the late-game phase arrives, so take advantage of that while you can. If you can go ahead by 2-3 Prizes early, you just might be able to pull this one out. This is still a bad matchup for M Mewtwo-EX, but it certainly isn’t an auto-loss.
Night March
If you were looking for M Mewtwo-EX’s auto-loss, this is going to be it. Where to begin? Like the Vespiquen / [card name=”Flareon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, Night March almost exclusively offers single-Prize attackers to deal with, meaning life just got that much more difficult for our EX-based deck. As if that weren’t enough, our Mewtwo lines are weak to Psychic, meaning [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] will smack us right upside the head for Weakness. Finally, if the Night March player is running [card name=”Archeops” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card], there will be no Mega Evolving once the Ancient Bird hits the table. The good part here is that we probably won’t need to Mega for this matchup, since Pumpkaboo is going to OHKO us regardless. Maybe we should tech a [card name=”Latios-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card] and just try to donk these guys. What do you think?
Conclusion
After going over all of this, I feel that the M Mewtwo-EX deck is a decent option for Expanded and a stellar option for Standard. This is definitely a deck to keep an eye out for during the upcoming City Championships, and it will also be important to remember that the lists posted above aren’t the only ways to run the Mega Evolved Genetic Pokemon. I do feel that these lists offer the most effective way for it to deal with the current meta, however, and my playtesting has only made that more clear to me over the past three weeks.
Thank you all for checking out my article! For those of you attending any tournaments soon, I wish you all the best of luck. If you have any questions about the article or just want to talk to me, make sure to comment or post in the Subscriber’s Secret Hideout forum. It’s a pleasure of mine to talk to you guys. I hope to see everyone very soon! Cheers!
[/premium]