BREAKing Even – The Last of BREAKthrough and Revamping Decks for Cities
Hey PokeBeach! Regionals are over for the U.S. and BREAKthrough Prereleases are upon us, while over in the U.K. our first Regional circuit begins in a week. Due to our formats being out of alignment, we have a strange, new situation where there’s very little information on the Standard metagame which we will be playing in, with results being limited to small League Challenges around the globe. Usually I would have been preparing my choices for Regionals based off the results from U.S. Regionals, choosing a deck that had been proven by boasting multiple placements; however, this year the Expanded format has had very little effect on Standard and being able to see accumulative results hasn’t affected my deck choice at all. It will be interesting to see how people’s deck choices change due to the little influence from global tournaments, which seldom happens on our little island.
Even though I will be playing in the less explored XY-AOR Standard format for half the Regionals, we do gain BREAKthrough for the next half, and finally have some similarities with the States as Cities can be played in XY-BT Standard. Today I’m going to look over some other cards from Red Flash / Blue Impact and the two BREAK theme decks that I couldn’t fit in my last article, and then piece some of these cards together into updated builds. If you haven’t already yet, make sure give that article a read through. Getting a good look on how the formats will change with the inclusion of BREAKthrough is important, so having some idea about what new decks are created, such as the M Mewtwo-EX Y build that Steve Guthrie looked over, or updating old-format decks certainly won’t hurt.
The Stragglers of Red Flash / Blue Impact
Glalie EX / M Glalie EX
Glalie-EX – Water – HP170
Basic Pokemon[W] Ice Breath: Flip a coin. If heads, your opponent’s Active Pokemon is now Paralyzed.
[W][C][C] Instant Cooling: 50+ damage. If you have the same number of cards in your hand as your opponent, this attack does 100 more damage.
When a Pokemon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Metal (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 3M Glalie-EX – Water – HP220
Mega Evolution – Evolves from Glalie-EXWhen 1 of your Pokemon becomes a Mega Evolution, your turn ends.
[W][C][C] Cryomouth: 100+ damage. If there are 10 or more damage counters on this Pokemon, this attack does 150 more damage.
When a Pokemon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Weakness: Metal (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 3
Looking over the final EX and Mega EX pair from Blue Impact, Glalie-EX does a mediocre 50 for a Water and two Colorless, but deals out an extra 100 damage if you can match your opponent’s hand size, which alongside a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] hits for 170. M Glalie-EX gains 50 HP when it goes Mega, gaining an interesting attack. Cryomouth has the same Water and two Colorless attack cost to do 100, but if M Glalie-EX was able to survive an opponent’s attack that put 10 or more damage counters on it, Cryomouth goes above and beyond to hit 250, which OHKOs every Pokemon in both formats.
Standard
Glalie-EX and its Mega Evolution might be able to form some sort of new deck. The reprint of [card name=”Judge” set=”Unleashed” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] makes it easier to get consistent boosts with Glalie-EX’s Instant Cooling attack, hitting for 170 with a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], and then if Glalie EX is able to survive with 70 or less HP it can Mega Evolve with a Spirit Link and go for the massive 250 damage with Cryomouth. The attack cost is reasonable to use, for just a Water and [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] for both, but doesn’t have any acceleration at the moment, bar [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], so using the Basic Glalie would require it to be powered up manually. Getting all these combos working together might just be too hard compared to other decks however, needing to get consistent setups and hope your opponent cannot counteract any of your big plays, such as only doing 90 damage to Glalie-EX, lowering Cryomouth’s damage output. If your opponent is able to take OHKO’s, consistently finding other energized Glalie is also going to be a problem.
Expanded
M Glalie-EX isn’t good enough to make a splash compared to better Megas like [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] or the new M Mewtwo-EX Y. Glalie-EX could find a spot in Water-based decks like [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”157″ c=”custom”]Archie’s[/card] [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”16″ c=”name”][/card] as a Pokemon with an alternative Weakness, but only getting out 150 damage as long as you match hand sizes is too much effort just for a different Weakness at the moment.
Gengar
Gengar – Psychic – HP130
Stage 2 – Evolves from Haunter[P] Ominous Fog: Your opponent’s Active Pokemon is now Poisoned. Place 1 damage counter on each of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon.
[P][C] Creep Show: If your opponent’s Active Pokemon has at least 3 damage counters on it, that Pokemon is Knocked Out.
Weakness: Darkness (x2)
Resistance: Fighting (-20)
Retreat: 0
It’s always interesting to see what Gengar cards are released as they usually have interesting effects, such as [card name=”Gengar” set=”Stormfront” no=”18″ c=”from”][/card], which made waves alongside Vileplume in 2011. Ominous Fog for a single Psychic Energy Poisons your opponent’s Active Pokemon and then puts a single damage counter on their Benched Pokemon, setting up for its next attack, Creep Show. Creep Show KO’s your opponent’s Active as long as it has three damage counters on it, be it a 50 HP [card name=”Spritzee” set=”Flashfire” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] or a 240 HP [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card].
Standard
The obvious pairing would be with either a [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] line to get the three damage counters needed for a OHKO or multiple [card name=”Forretress” set=”Flashfire” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] to spread damage on all of your opponent’s Pokemon. Gengar is a Stage 2, so it would need [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] alongside its Basic Gastly to get into play, which could also help get a quick 30 damage from evolving a [card name=”Zubat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] straight into Crobat. [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] really helps out with Creep Show’s attack cost, letting you use it for just a single Psychic Energy as long as [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] is in play. Since Gengar uses Psychic Energy, [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] is another good pairing to put in the deck.
Due to the relatively low 130 HP Gengar has, problems will arise with decks that can OHKO. In an ironic contrast, Gengar certainly wouldn’t want to see its old pal Vileplume stopping it from evolving with Rare Candy either. Wobbuffet might be able to help against both of these problems, slowing down speedier decks that can OHKO like [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] or re-activating the use of Items. Needing all these cards to get constant streams of both Gengar and Crobat seems unjustifiable compared to other decks which are more consistent in their damage output and need less.
Expanded
Being only a mediocre Stage 2 really seals Gengar’s fate right now, and only having 130 HP in a fast format doesn’t help either. Just to make it worse, [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] builds are popular right now, which can rip apart any Gengar builds through it’s Weakness.
Florges / Florges BREAK
Florges – Fairy – HP110
Stage 2 – Evolves from FloetteAbility: Relaxing Scent
The attacks of each of your Pokemon is [Y] less.[Y][Y][Y] Wonder Shine: 70 damage. Your opponent’s Active Pokemon is now Confused.
Weakness: Metal (x2)
Resistance: Darkness (-20)
Retreat: 1Florges BREAK – Fairy – HP140
BREAK EvolutionFlorges BREAK retains the attacks, Abilities, Weakness, Resistance, and Retreat Cost of its previous Evolution.
Ability: Flower Breeze
Once during your turn (before your attack), you may heal 30 damage from your Active Pokemon and remove 1 Special Condition from it.
Florges lowers the attack cost of every Pokemon by one Fairy Energy (this doesn’t count towards reducing Colorless Energy costs however), meaning Pokemon like [card name=”Xerneas-EX” set=”XY” no=”146″ c=”name”][/card] could use Break Through for one [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Florges-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] could use Bright Garden with any Energy attached. Relaxing Scent stacks as well. When Florges BREAK Evolves, it gains 30 HP and a new Ability, making it the first dual-Ability Pokemon we have ever had.
Standard / Expanded
In Standard Florges and its BREAK Evolution are unfortunately very weak, needing so much to get into play to reduce a single, specific Energy cost and heal 30 damage. There’s a small use in Fairy decks to reduce costs by one to use attacks like [card name=”Xerneas” set=”XY” no=”96″ c=”custom”]Xerneas'[/card] Geomancy for zero, but attaching an Energy is much, much easier than getting Florges into play. Florges BREAK could fit in a [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] build alongside [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] to constantly heal 60 damage and a Special Condition, but getting a technical Stage 3 Florges BREAK into play just for that isn’t likely. In Expanded the same problems echo through, but with the added problem of increased speed and Item lock.
Xerneas
Xerneas – Fairy – HP120
Basic Pokemon[Y][C][C] Rainbow Force: 10+ damage. This attack does 30 more damage for each type of your Benched Pokemon.
[Y][Y][C][C] Power Creation: 80+ damage. If this Pokemon recovered any HP during your turn, this attack does 80 more damage.
Weakness: Metal (x2)
Resistance: Darkness (-20)
Retreat: 2
Rainbow Force for a Fairy and two Colorless does a base of 10 damage and 30 more for each differently-typed Pokemon on your Bench, meaning if you had five Pokemon on your Bench with different types, Rainbow Force would be hitting for 160, or 180 with a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] attached. Power Creation does a weak 80, and can double to 160 if you were able to heal Xerneas on that turn using cards like [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card].
Standard / Expanded
In both Standard and Expanded Fairy Box decks have gone out of fashion at the moment, but Xerneas could give it a chance at coming back. Since these decks try to cover multiple Weaknesses using Pokemon with different typing, filling your Bench up with all these different Pokemon, even increasing the amount of Pokemon you can Bench with [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], leads to Xerneas being able to hit for a massive amount of damage. For example, having seven different typed Pokemon on the Bench nets you 220 damage for just a Fairy and two Colorless, Knocking Out the majority of Mega EX’s. Getting out these different Pokemon might seem hard, but a single [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] can get you a Hoopa-EX, and then search out three Pokemon EX with different types, instantly getting you an extra 120 damage with Rainbow Force. The difference between Standard compared to Expanded is the amount of Pokemon you have at your disposal in Expanded, such as [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card], making it easier to fill your Bench up with different types.
Float Stone
[cardimg name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW61″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”none”][/cardimg]
Float Stone – Trainer
ItemThe Pokemon this card is attached to has no Retreat Cost.
You may play as many Item cards as you like during your turn (before your attack).
Standard
At the moment Standard is really just limited to [card name=”Switch” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card], so bringing back a card that’s had a massive impact on formats since it was released in Plasma Freeze is nice to see. [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] replaces the need for switching cards that don’t stick, and pairs well with the recently released Zoroark that has [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”custom”]Keldeo-EX’s[/card] Rush In Ability, giving decks such as [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and Metal builds a better option for consistent switching. [card name=”Gengar-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] builds cannot function without the use of Float Stone to retreat from Trevenant into Gengar-EX, meaning this deck might be able to show up again with the reprint. So many decks can use Float Stone’s effect to good use, so expect to see this reprint being one of the biggest out of BREAKthrough.
Brigette
Brigette – Trainer
SupporterSearch your deck for 1 Basic Pokemon-EX or up to 3 Basic Pokemon (excluding Pokemon-EX) and put them onto your Bench. Shuffle your deck afterwards.
You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn (before your attack).
Brigette is another choice-based Supporter like Giovanni’s Scheme. Brigette lets you pick either a single Pokemon-EX or three non-EX Basic Pokemon and put them on the Bench, an effect similar to Pokémon Collector from the HGSS era, except this time the Pokemon have to be Benched.
Standard
Even though Brigette has two options, and searching for a single EX might be handy under Item lock, the main use would be to search out the three Basic Pokemon you want, most likely support Pokemon like [card name=”Bronzong” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY21″ c=”name”][/card] or the new Zoroark. The first deck that seems to benefit would be Metal builds, getting two [card name=”Bronzor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] and another supporting non-EX like Zorua. Metal [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] builds could also gain the same effect, with the option of grabbing a [card name=”Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] if you’ve already found enough supporting Pokemon. Vespiquen could set up their first turn by searching for two Combee and an Eevee, but that would mean you would have a lower amount of draw on that turn to get off quick [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”custom”]Battle Compressors[/card]. The new Magnezone being released in BREAKthrough could use Brigette for setting up, getting out two Magnemite (which would give your Magnemite in play free retreat due to its Sparkling Induction Ability) and another supporting Pokemon. Since Brigette cannot get EX’s, and has to bench the Pokemon straight away, the effect may be outclassed by [card name=”Pokémon Fan Club” set=”Flashfire” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] in Standard, where EXs can also be chosen and Pokemon don’t have to be benched, so effects like [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”custom”]Shaymin-EX’s[/card] Set Up can be triggered.
Expanded
The first few decks that comes to mind would also be Metal builds, and with the inclusion of Expanded, [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] decks can search for three [card name=”Tynamo” set=”Noble Victories” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] to get a strong setup on turn one. Like in Standard, Vespiquen builds paired with [card name=”Flareon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] could opt to use Brigette to get a good setup turn one, but would still sacrifice the amount of draw the deck would usually have on early turns. Again, [card name=”Pokémon Fan Club” set=”Flashfire” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] may still be favored due to Brigette’s limiting factors.
Parallel City
Parallel City – Trainer
StadiumTop Effect (Text Upside Down): The player this side of the card is facing can only have 3 Benched Pokemon.
Bottom Effect (Text Right-Side Up): The player this side of the card is facing’s Fire, Water, and Grass Pokemon’s attacks do 20 less damage.
This card stays in play when you play it. Discard this card if another Stadium card comes into play. If another card with the same name is in play, you can’t play this card.
Parallel City is the final “choice card” released in BREAKthrough, and is possibly the strongest of the three. Since Parallel City is a Stadium, it can be played in two ways, depending on which effect you would like. Unlike other Stadium cards that have the same effect for both players, playing down a Parallel City means that while one player would be forced to only have three Benched Pokemon, the other player would have its elemental attacks reduced by 20 without having to adhere to the other effect on the opponent. A final thing to note is that another Parallel City cannot be played down to change the effect of an existing one.
Standard
Parallel City’s obvious use would be forcing [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] builds to go down to three Benched Pokemon, making Emerald Break do a weak 90 damage and forcing the deck find another Stadium and an extra three-five Pokemon to start hitting big OHKOs. Limiting Energy acceleration decks like Metal builds to a Bench of three would really limit the amount of attackers an opponent could play down. They need to keep at least one-two [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card], leaving little space for other Pokemon. Parallel City’s problem in Standard is what to play it in. M Sceptile-EX builds that haven’t had too much hype could play a couple copies to have a better chance against M Rayquaza-EX builds, but unfortunately would really limit the deck’s damage output due to most of the attacks being reduced by 20 damage. Maybe [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] builds could see a new resurgence alongside Parallel City and [card name=”Ninetales” set=”Primal Clash” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] to improve its M Rayquaza-EX matchup and limit opponent’s Bench sizes without negative effects, since the deck doesn’t play any elemental types.
Expanded
Parallel City could again be used against [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] builds for the same effect as Standard, but would have a lesser impact if the opponent could find another Stadium, since many M Rayquaza-EX decks include one or two copies of [card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”name”][/card] as a backup for big discards after a Stadium has been replaced. [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] could get some use out of Parallel City to either limit their Bench to three, discarding the needed setup Pokemon like [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] to get Blastoise into play, or try and help their M Rayquaza-EX matchup slightly, although this does lower the deck’s damage output by 20. A chunk of viable decks in Expanded right now like [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] or Vespiquen can survive off a low three Bench, opting to discard any unneeded or support Pokemon that these decks play, which will probably limit the amount of use Parallel City will see right now.
[premium]
Noivern / Raichu BREAK Decks
We also get some cards from the Japanese BREAK decks in our new set, mainly Trainer cards that have been reprinted from the past.
Raichu BREAK
Raichu BREAK – Lightning – HP130
BREAK Evolution
Raichu BREAK retains the attacks, Abilities, Weakness, Resistance, and Retreat Cost of its previous Evolution.
[L][C][C] Grand Bolt: 170 damage. Discard all Energy attached to this Pokemon.
Standard/Expanded
Raichu BREAK at the moment would be paired with [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”from”][/card] over the one released in the BREAK deck, which, even though it has a nice spread attack, is easy to play around and very weak against non-EXs. The main purpose of playing the BREAK would be the extra HP and, if you opt to play Lightning Energy, the Grand Bolt attack with a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] is a nice option to hit for a OHKO on 170 / 180 HP EXs in a pinch if you’re unable to get enough Pokemon or cannot get a [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] into play. Raichu builds are slightly out of favor in both formats right now due to its low HP and need for Evolution in Expanded, and in both formats the reliance on [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] creates problems, so Raichu’s BREAK Evolution might not see play anytime soon.
Noivern BREAK
Noivern BREAK – Dragon – HP130
Break Evolution
Noivern BREAK retains the attacks, Abilities, Weakness, Resistance, and Retreat Cost of its previous Evolution.
[P][D][C] Synchro Woofer: 70+ damage. If the number of cards in your hand and your opponent’s hands are the same, this attack does 80 more damage.
[cardimg name=”Noivern” set=”Furious Fists” no=”77″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”none”][/cardimg]
Noivern gains 30 HP upon BREAK Evolving and gets one neat attack. Synchro Woofer for an awkward cost of a Psychic, Darkness, and Colorless Energy (which can be partially fulfilled with [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], leaving only the Colorless cost) does a mediocre 70 damage. However, if you and your opponent’s hand sizes match, the attack’s damage is boosted by another 80, hitting for 150 (or 170 with [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]).
Standard
Noivern BREAK seems pretty mediocre, requiring you to evolve into a technical Stage 2 to get an attack dependent on hand sizes. The main reason I think Noivern BREAK has slight potential is because of its pre-Evolution, [card name=”Noivern” set=”Furious Fists” no=”77″ c=”from”][/card], which has its pesky Echolocation Ability for the opponent to deal with. This Ability gives you more chances at using Synchro Woofer to hit for OHKOs on 170 HP EX’s. This does require you to match hand sizes however, or be limited to 2HKOs. Luckily for us, [card name=”Judge” set=”Unleashed” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] has been reprinted, letting you both shuffle in and draw four cards. [card name=”Battle Reporter” set=”Furious Fists” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] might finally have a small use, also being able to match your opponent’s hand size. Noivern BREAK shouldn’t have too much of a problem getting its Energy using [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], even playing a slim line of [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] to get the last Energy needed to attack, or possibly [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”from”][/card]. Boomburst on the pre-BREAK Noivern is nice to set up KOs on higher HP Pokemon or finish EXs off when you couldn’t find a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] to hit 170.
The main problem Noivern and its BREAK will have is flips, needing to get lucky over the course of a game to get maximum damage from each Noivern BREAK you use. Hex Maniac totally nullifies Echolocation, and if your opponent is able to keep a constant stream of the Supporter alongside a strong attacker, it would cause serious problems over the match. Constantly keeping your hand size the same as your opponent’s will also be hard, even with the couple of hand-matching Supporters Noivern BREAK has at its disposal. Finally, getting multiple Noivern BREAK will take time, relying on Echolocation for the early turns to soak up fast damage from your opponent. I do think Noivern BREAK might see some sort of play in Standard however, as the ability to do 170 damage while your opponent won’t be dealing damage half the time is viable.
Expanded
Standard is a much slower format that has strong decks with lower damage outputs and less Item lock compared to Expanded. Getting technical Stage 2’s set up in Expanded, even with Echolocation, just for a [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] build to easily use Hex Maniac and Evil Ball for a KO on the second turn would make it very hard to justify playing Noivern BREAK in Expanded unfortunately.
Buddy-Buddy Rescue
Buddy-Buddy Rescue – Trainer
ItemBoth players choose 1 Pokemon in their discard pile and put it in their hand. (Your opponent picks first.)
You may play as many Item cards as you like during your turn (before your attack).
The aptly named Buddy-Buddy Rescue is a weaker version of the old [card name=”Pokémon Rescue” set=”Platinum” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card], which allowed you to just take a single Pokemon from your discard and put it into your hand, compared to Buddy-Buddy Rescue which also lets your opponent do the same.
Standard/Expanded
In a lot of cases Buddy-Buddy Rescue is outclassed by [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Noble Victories” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Revive” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card]. Super Rop triples the amount of Pokemon you can get back into the deck and gives the option of Energy as well, and Revive’s downside of putting the Pokemon directly onto the Bench is usually preferred to letting your opponent get a Pokemon back. For example, a Night March build wouldn’t want to get back a [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] from the discard just for the opponent to pick up their last [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] to evolve into next turn.
Reserved Ticket
Reserved Ticket – Trainer
ItemFlip a coin. If heads, search your deck for any card, shuffle the rest of your deck, and put the chosen card on top.
You may play as many Item cards as you like during your turn (before your attack).
Reserved Ticket is the reverse of [card name=”Recycle” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card], flipping a coin, and, if heads, choosing a card from the deck and putting it on top, instead of the discard.
Expanded/Standard
Flip Trainers need strong effects like [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Kalos Starter Set” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card] to see some use, and Reserved Ticket is lacking in effect, only giving the chance of getting a specific card to the top of your deck. Since Reserved Ticket would probably need to be played in three-four counts, a deck that wants to choose what its next top-deck is would be is better off playing an [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Swampert” set=”Primal Clash” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] combo, which doesn’t require any flips, works under Item lock, and stays in play.
Skyla
[cardimg name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”custom”]Phew…[/cardimg]
[card name=”Skyla” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] is a (lazy) reprint from Boundaries Crossed. The real reason Skyla is back is due to a promotion in Japan where the country chose Skyla to be reprinted as she was a “popular Gym Leader.” We probably dodged a bullet there however, considering they could of chosen [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] instead…
Standard
In Expanded tournaments right now [card name=”Skyla” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] hasn’t really seen much play, which doesn’t bode well for her reprint in Standard. Even in a format lacking in Supporters, Skyla doesn’t have much of a place right now, either not being needed in speedier decks like [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], or outclassed in others by cards like [card name=”Korrina” set=”Furious Fists” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card]. Having Skyla could be good for Stage 2 decks like the newly released Magnezone, making it easier to find [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] early on.
Fisherman
Fisherman is a reprint from the HGSS era. In the past it has seen some play, such as in 2011 when it was in David Cohen’s Worlds winning [card name=”Magnezone” set=”Triumphant” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Emboar” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”27″ c=”name”][/card] deck.
Standard
Fisherman, as shown in the past, works best with decks that can bypass the one-Energy-attachment-per-turn rule, such as [card name=”Emboar” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”27″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”16″ c=”name”][/card]. In Standard there is only one archetype that can bend this rule, and that’s the newly released Magnezone. Alongside [card name=”Energy Retrieval” set=”Primal Clash” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card] a couple of Fisherman wouldn’t go amiss in a Magnezone deck, letting you turn any [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] you have into four Energy from the discard pile.
Expanded
The main deck that would benefit from this card is [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], which could play one-two Fisherman so that a [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] could turn into four Energy, putting less strain on [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], and give you an out to Energy under Item lock.
Town Map
[card name=”Town Map” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] is another reprint from Boundaries Crossed, letting you see your Prizes to plan accordingly and choose what you want each time you KO a Pokemon.
Standard
[card name=”Town Map” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] will most likely be used for the same decks as in Expanded, such as Vespiquen and Night March builds that take KOs quick and want to choose certain cards from the Prizes for the next turn, such as [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card].
Super Rod
[card name=”Super Rod” set=”Dragon Vault” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] is an ongoing reprint that was left out of Standard for the last season but was kept in Expanded, and is now being reprinted again in BREAKthrough. [card name=”Sacred Ash” set=”Flashfire” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] and Energy Recycler get five Pokemon or Energy cards back into the deck respectively, but Super Rod is right smack in the middle, letting you choose any combination of three to put back.
Standard
Having [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Noble Victories” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] in the format means that decks playing high Pokemon counts, usually Evolutions and a couple of basic Energy, will likely fit in a single Super Rod in their builds to have some recovery. Night March may end up cutting one or all [card name=”Revive” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] for Super Rod to have the option to shuffle Energy into the deck, or just get back multiple [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] and search for them later compared to putting the Night Marchers straight onto the Bench. Evolution-based decks like the new Magnezone can get back crucial Evolution pieces and Energy, or “Bat” builds like [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] that use low basic Energy counts and end up discarding pieces of the Crobat line before being able to evolve them would definitely like a single Super Rod to offset these problems. Super Rod is another card that’s great to see reprinted and seems to always have a place in the formats it’s in.
In Conclusion
That wraps up everything from BREAKthrough that I want to look at, and even though the set doesn’t look as extravagant as ones such as Phantom Forces, there is definitely some potential for the cards released, so let’s put some of these cards to the test in the Standard format. These two lists will be perfect as starting points for Cities to test and expand upon over time.
A New Illusion in Yveltal
Darkness builds containing the dominant [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] have been around for almost two years now, and it feels like [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] is always a contender in the format, bar its short vacation from Standard in the Worlds 2015 format. However, Yveltal is back (again) with the help of new Stadium cards and the inclusion of BREAKthrough’s Zoroark!
[decklist]
[pokemon amt=”14″]
2x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”33″]
4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Judge” set=”Unleashed” no=”78″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Flashfire” no=”99″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Dragon Vault” no=”20″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Professor’s Letter” set=”XY” no=”123″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”11″]
7x [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]
Open slots: 2
I left two open slots as there’s a couple of options you could choose from to round off the deck, which I’ll come to later. The main concept is the same but really capitalizes on some of Yveltal’s biggest weaknesses right now by including Zoroark and its BREAK, providing a different Weakness against [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] and a Bench-limiting option against [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. I’m pretty glad and excited to see Yveltal coming back to Standard, as it’s one of my all-time favorites that I’m itching to play again. Since the deck has changed slightly, we need to look over some of the new inclusions and counts.
2 Zoroark BREAK / 3 Zoroark / 3 Zorua
BREAKthrough actually has two different Zorua to choose from, and even though the option of removing a random card from the opponent’s hand is tempting, playing the Zorua that can Confuse the opponent’s Active for a single Darkness will have a greater use throughout the game. Zoroark is one of our main attackers, being able to dish out consistent damage for a single [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card], hitting for a base 100 damage if your opponent has a Bench-size of three or 160 with a Bench-size of five. Add [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] into the mix and Zoroark is able to hit for OHKOs on 180 HP EX’s if your opponent has a full Bench, forcing your opponent to watch their Bench at all times. Against decks that use [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] Zoroark’s damage cap is even higher, hitting for a maximum 250 if your opponent has a full eight Bench, OHKO’ing anything in the format right now. Another neat thing Zoroark has is Stand In, letting you switch your Active with Zoroark, and alongside [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] lets you Stand In and retreat to remove any Special Conditions or replace your Active with a different Pokemon.
I originally wasn’t sold on using more than a single tech of Zoroark’s BREAK Evolution, but a chat with my fellow writers changed my outlook totally. Using Foul Play for a single Darkness Energy lets you copy [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”custom”]M Manectric-EX’s[/card] Turbo Bolt, and combined with a Muscle Band gives you favorable two-for-one trades, even when [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] is in play, all the while attaching two basic Energy from the discard pile to power up a big [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] or another Zoroark! Zoroark BREAK can also copy Giratina-EX’s Chaos Wheel or [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”custom”]Seismitoad-EX’s[/card] Quaking Punch for a single Darkness, letting you abuse their lock attacks as well. I opted for a 3-3-2 line paired with [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Noble Victories” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] to have a consistent stream of Zoroark to attack with, and finding at least one Zorua on turn one shouldn’t be too hard.
2 Yveltal / 2 Yveltal EX
[cardimg name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”144″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”custom”]Old Faithful[/cardimg]
I opted to keep the same amount of “baby” [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] to get some form of Energy acceleration on turn one / two, and having a high-HP non-EX that can be benched as soon as it’s found. I included just two [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] since Zoroark takes up a big role in attacking, meaning the need for Yveltal-EX is slightly less.
Judge
Playing a single [card name=”Judge” set=”Unleashed” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] in place of another shuffle-draw Supporter like [card name=”Shauna” set=”XY” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] is to have some sort of hand disruption at any point throughout the game, and reducing your opponent’s hand size to four on turn one if you’ve been able to set up via Items or [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] should give you a slight edge opening the game.
Parallel City
Parallel City seems slightly out of place since Zoroark’s damage output is based off opponents having a full five Bench. The main reason for Parallel City is to have some counter against [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], which can sweep Yveltal builds due to its high HP and damage output. Reducing their six-seven Bench size to three really strains their next turn to find enough Pokemon and another [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] to get a KO on the next turn compared to just using Emerald Break for a weak 90 damage. Another use of Parallel City is against any Vespiquen decks you face, where you can change the orientation of Parallel City to reduce Vespiquen’s Bee Revenge by 20, but would force you to have a limited Bench of three. Reducing the damage by 20 might just be enough to stop a quick OHKO, giving you some more momentum in the match.
Options
Unown
Dropping your two Parallel City and adding in a suit of three-four Unown is an option to increase your draw and also have a different way to deal with [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. Since Zoroark BREAK can copy your opponent’s Active attack for a single Darkness Energy, Zoroark could use Emerald Break with a full eight Bench when your opponent’s [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] is in play to get a OHKO on the 220 HP Mega Evolution if you’re unable to get a KO with Zoroark’s Mind Jack attack. Getting a full eight Bench is hard however, so playing Unown as an extra utility Pokemon seems like a good bet. If you opt to go down this route with the deck, I would also try and find a space for the third Zoroark BREAK to make sure you aren’t hurt by Prizes or discard your others too early.
Octillery / Brigette
Playing a 1-1 line of Octillery for a consistent draw option could be a good idea, and would increase the consistency of the deck and help against any bad draws. Playing Octillery could also warrant the use of Brigette. It can search out two Zorua and an Remoraid on turn one, giving the deck a strong setup option.
Ninetales / Shadow Circle
A 1-1 line of [card name=”Ninetales” set=”Primal Clash” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] to lock in a Parallel City against [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] would almost certainly swing the matchup in your favor. [card name=”Shadow Circle” set=”XY” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card] as a single copy wouldn’t go amiss, either to remove your Weakness against Fighting decks for Zoroark, or help [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] survive another turn versus [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card].
Maxies Hidden Ball Trick / Gallade
If Lightning-type Pokemon are still giving you problems, adding the new Gallade gives you a great option for Knocking them Out. Due to its Fighting typing, its Sensitive Blade would OHKO a [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] for a single [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] with damage to spare. This would require the use of [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] to get into play, but luckily the deck’s engine is based around [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] to get crucial cards into the discard anyways. Gallade’s Premonition Ability is also nice to have in play. giving you a slight advantage in draw each turn.
Overall…
The main problem Yveltal might face right now is Vespiquen builds, which can efficiently trade versus the deck’s attackers early on and get favorable Prize trades versus [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. I would say the best way beat Vespiquen decks is to try to keep up to their pace by using Zoroark, and if you are unable to find [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card], a neat play is to BREAK Evolve and Bee Revenge for a KO on Vespiquen, costing only a single Darkness Energy, as long as you have seven Pokemon in the discard. Even with that small hurdle to leap, Yveltal is definitely coming back as a high-tier force in Standard to watch out for and test against.
Floating Metal
With the reprint of [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] and addition of Zoroark, Metal builds finally have an easy way to switch between attackers. This makes it much easier to move from the Bench to the Active, getting the most use out of [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”custom”]Bronzong’s[/card] Metal Links. I chose to still include [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] due to already using [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] and wanting a big OHKO attacker.
[decklist]
[pokemon amt=”19″]
2x [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”60″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”75″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Bronzor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”60″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Aegislash-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”65″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Heatran” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”63″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”32″]
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 [card name=”Pokémon Fan Club” set=”Flashfire” no=”94″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ 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=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Rayquaza Spirit Link” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”87″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Sacred Ash” set=”Flashfire” no=”96″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”9″]
5x [card name=”Metal Energy” set=”XY” no=”139″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/energy]
[/decklist]
The majority of the deck’s build is the same as I talked about in my first article, but with a couple of new inclusions and changes to suit the new format. Let’s have a look at these differences.
1-1 Zoroark / 2 Float Stone
Like in Expanded, Metal Rayquaza builds thrive off using [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”custom”]Keldeo-EX’s[/card] Rush In Ability alongside [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] to make the most of [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”custom”]Bronzong’s[/card] Metal Links. In Standard, the same applies, but this time with Zoroark and its Stand In Ability. Unfortunately we do have to take a turn to evolve, but in the process we get a strong attack for a single [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] that can swing the mirror or solo [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] matchups, where it usually comes down to trading M Rayquaza-EX’s until one misses a KO. To take a OHKO, an opposing M Rayquaza-EX needs a full eight Bench for Emerald Break, which increases Zoroark’s Mind Jack up to a full 250 damage after one of our M Rayquaza-EX has been KO’d. This lets the non-EX Zoroark take its own OHKO while messing with your opponent’s Prize trade the next turn.
1 Bridgette / 1 Pokémon Fan Club
Playing a single copy of both Brigette and [card name=”Pokémon Fan Club” set=”Flashfire” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] gives you two options depending on your situation; whether you already have enough EXs in your hand to get rolling and want to use Brigette for your non-EX setup, grabbing two [card name=”Bronzor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] and a Zorua; or if you already have a couple of non-EX Pokemon on the Bench and just want to finish off by grabbing a Hoopa-EX and the final non-EX Basic with Pokémon Fan Club.
1 Judge
[card name=”Judge” set=”Unleashed” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] replaced the single copy of [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] in Metal Rayquaza, as I still want the shuffle-draw option in case my hand contains too many resources that I can’t risk discarding at that point, such as [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card]. Playing Judge is mainly to have the hand-disruption option compared to a 50% chance of three extra cards, which I feel is much more important to stop your opponent holding onto game-winning combos throughout the game.
4 Trainers’ Mail
In the XY-AOR format I found myself missing crucial [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”custom”]Sky Fields[/card] and opening Supporters to set myself up for the rest of the game playing only two copies of [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], so I upped the count to four to make sure I would be able to find the cards I wanted early game and to quickly replace the Stadium after [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] was countered. This is even more important now with the release of Parallel City, which can ruin your board position if you’re unable to remove the Stadium as soon as possible.
Options
Ninetales / Hex Maniac
Parallel City is a huge problem for this deck and may even need extra lengths to counter in case an opponent plays three-four copies. Running a 1-1 line of [card name=”Ninetales” set=”Primal Clash” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] would lock your [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] into play, and can be easily set up by using Brigette or [card name=”Pokémon Fan Club” set=”Flashfire” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] to get [card name=”Vulpix” set=”Primal Clash” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] onto the field, then evolving into Ninetales once your Sky Field is in play. This could lead to a certain problem arising, and that would be Hex Maniac. Your opponent could play down their copy of Hex Maniac, play a Parallel City down, and then if you’re unable to find a Sky Field, Parallel City would be locked into play next turn with your Ninetales! Similarly, playing our own copy of Hex Maniac could lock our Sky Field with their Ninetales, and could give us the ability to shut off opponent’s Abilities, such as Giratina-EX’s Renegade Pulse or [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”custom”]Shaymin-EX’s[/card] Set Up for a turn.
Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick & Gallade / Altaria
Just like in Yveltal, the Rayquaza pieces of the deck are weak to Lightning and our Metal-type Pokemon are resistant to Lightning types, causing a couple of problems versus decks like [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card]. Since the deck plays a more Item-based engine, [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] and Gallade are viable to help the matchup versus Lightning-type decks. Gallade’s Premonition is also very useful to check whether we can draw our Evolutions or definitely get a crucial Energy drop for the next turn for a big KO.
Another easier way to get a boost against Lightning is to play a 1-1 line of [card name=”Altaria” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY46″ c=”name”][/card] to remove the Weakness from our Colorless types like [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], making it much easier to trade blows versus high HP Lightning types like M Manectric-EX.
To fit in some of these options you could drop the third [card name=”Bronzor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card], which is in the deck to account for bad prizing; and also cut the single [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], which is mainly in the deck as an extra switching card that can be reused via [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], however isn’t as effective since Zoroark and [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] stay in play.
The U.K. Metagame
[cardimg name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ align=”right” height=”250″ c=”none”][/cardimg]
To finish off, since my Regionals are only a week away, I’ve been looking over how the U.K. metagame has shifted for the XY-AOR format and what I think I’m going to play at the first Regional in Huddersfield. Our original metagame began with hype around [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] builds, along with some interest in [card name=”Mienshao” set=”Furious Fists” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Over the course of around two months the metagame has shifted slightly with the inclusion of [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] due to its strong M Manectric-EX matchup and consistency. There is also some small hype for Regice / [card name=”Miltank” set=”Flashfire” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] / Vileplume as a counter to the majority of the format, but the deck itself has some issues getting Vileplume into play consistently and doesn’t want to see any Metal oriented builds, as even [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] can take OHKOs on Regice with Hammer In.
M Manectric-EX is still sticking in Standard however, but with the use of Flash Energy to negate Weakness against Fighting-type decks. M Rayquaza-EX is still seeing play as a strong, fast archetype, but has been hampered slightly by the increased use of Giratina-EX. Finally, another deck that’s been popping up and has already had good success in Expanded is [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] / Giratina-EX, using disruption attacks and cards to really destroy its opponent’s board state and gain its winning position, since without [card name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] the damage output is much lower. The main problem, however, is its reliance on Pokemon-EX and only playing Special Energy to power the deck’s attacks, leaving it susceptible to cards like [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card]. For myself, I’ve been testing multiple decks, but feel like the best option right now is to stick with Hawlucha / Crobat that I talked about in an earlier article alongside some neat techs that have gotten me multiple first places at League Challenges and deal with some of the new threats I talked about.
Hawlucha / Bats
[decklist]
[pokemon amt=”18″]
3x [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”54″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Golbat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”32″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Zubat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”31″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Miltank” set=”Flashfire” no=”83″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/pokemon]
[trainers amt=”33″]
4x [card name=”Korrina” set=”Furious Fists” no=”95″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″][/card]
2x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Next Destinies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Switch” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”91″ c=”deck2″][/card]
1x [card name=”Professor’s Letter” set=”XY” no=”123″ c=”deck2″][/card]
3x [card name=”Fighting Stadium” set=”Furious Fists” no=”90″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/trainers]
[energy amt=”9″]
5x [card name=”Fighting Energy” set=”XY” no=”137″ c=”deck2″][/card]
4x [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Furious Fists” no=”104″ c=”deck2″][/card]
[/energy]
[/decklist]
The only changes I’ve made were to swap out [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] for an Ace Trainer, and drop a single [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] for a [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card]. I opted for a single Ace Trainer as I was really missing some sort of hand disruption, and whenever I flipped tails on a Professor Birch’s Observations, the hand I drew would not be strong enough to carry me through the next few turns. The main downside of Ace Trainer is that it can’t be used until you’re down on Prizes, but usually your opening turns are carried by [card name=”Korrina” set=”Furious Fists” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] and if you do end up needing to use Ace Trainer early, there are times when [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] is KO’d before you get a chance to take a KO on a big Pokemon-EX, letting you use your Ace Trainer beforehand and get a strong six hand while your opponent is left with an effect worse than [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] in the early turns. Adding in Xerosic is to have another out to removing Special Energy alongside [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], and also remove any [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] on my [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] or Tools on the opponent’s Pokemon. Having a maximum six outs to removing Special Energy (one Enhanced Hammer, one Xerosic, four [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]) against [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] / Giratina-EX is huge and can really swing a matchup which would otherwise be grueling.
Conclusion
Well, that’s it for this time ’round. I’m really looking forward to when BREAKthrough is legal as it really expands on Standard right now with improved Supporters and extra Items / Stadiums to toy with. If you want some more decks and information on BREAKthrough, make sure to read Andrew Mahone’s Back-to-the-Future-themed article, which includes an exciting Magnezone build that I’m sure will make a splash in Standard as well!
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the article, and if you have any queries on the new formats make sure to ask me in the comments or on the forums. Good luck with all your Prerelease pulls. For me, I’m personally looking forward to seeing what a BREAK card looks like in real life!
See you later!
-Ryan Moorhouse
[/premium]