“Inside and Out” An In-Depth Analysis of Vespiquen / Night March and Yveltal-EX / Raichu

Hello again PokeBeach! It has been a while since my last article, but I am back again. I am finally done with the important stuff of my Senior year in high school so it is time to get back to Pokemon!

[cardimg name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ align=”right” c=”custom”]It’s such a joy to see you again![/cardimg]

Despite my busy life in high school, I have still been attending a few Regional and City Championships this season as part of my year-long quest to earn an invitation to the World Championships. So far at Cities, I have made it to the finals at an Expanded event and Top 8 at a Standard event. Unfortunately, I have not been able to attend as many Cities as I would like, but I still have enough to max out my finishes if I do well at these last few City Championships. I have been doing a lot of testing to figure out the metagames for both formats and I feel I have a strong understand of Standard and Expanded, despite my lack of attendance in many Cites so far. After collecting some experience in both formats, I have been primarily focusing on playing and perfecting one deck in each format: [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / Night March in Standard, and [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card] in Expanded.

While many articles only focus on one of the formats, this article will look at both Standard and Expanded. I will go over my tournament results with both of my well-tested decks, as well reveal my lists I used in each and how I plan to play at the next few City Championships. Instead of bringing up specific card choices, I would rather explain tips about the deck and talk about each deck’s matchups, bringing up cards from the list to show their uses. Depending on your metagame, you may want to change a few cards which will be explained in the tips about the deck. This article should give you good starting lists with solid tournament results and guide you on how to use the deck when playtesting, allowing you to sit down at your next City Championships with confidence in your deck choice.

Standard

From personal playtesting and looking at tournament results, it seems clear that the best decks are [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / Night March / [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] and Night March / [card name=”Milotic” set=”Primal Clash” no=”44″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]. Vespiquen / Night March / Bronzong has had more success for me personally, but, depending on the meta in a given area and the player’s playstyle, either deck could be the better choice.

The List

[decklist name=”Vespiquen / Night March / Bronzong” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″][pokemon amt=”27″]3x [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Lampent” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”42″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Bronzor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”26″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sacred Ash” set=”Flashfire” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”7″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Metal Energy” set=”XY” no=”139″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist] [cardimg name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This is my most recent list from testing, and it seems my edits since the first Cities I played in have been improving the deck. The main changes I made were taking out a [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card], cutting [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] to smaller numbers, and cutting [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card]. All of these were taken out in favor of adding a fourth [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], and a fourth [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card].

Jirachi was not doing as much as I would have hoped for a card hyped up to auto-win the [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] matchup. In reality, basic Energy and Metal Links from [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] can win that matchup easily. Next, Unown turned out not to be quite as helpful as I would have hoped, mainly due to already drawing really quickly through the deck. Usually by the time Unowns are discarded, the deck is already super thinned out, and there are enough Pokemon in the discard for [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] to get Knock Outs with Bee Revenge. With Trainers’ Mail, I find myself drawing so many cards through other methods that I do not need to search too much with Trainers’ Mail, or I have to use it so early on that I reveal four Pokemon off the top of the deck. Not always useful, so two Trainers’ Mail is definitely the play with this list. As for Judge, using it on the first or second turn often draws you into completely dead hands, and later on it doesn’t disrupt your opponent enough. [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] are much better disruptive options throughout the game.

Originally, it seemed that three [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] was enough as you do not want to deck yourself out, which is possible after discarding enough cards with Professor Sycamore and [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. However, after piloting the deck for a few games, I preferred having the higher odds of drawing a Professor Sycamore on the first turn. With careful planning, it wasn’t difficult to avoid playing cards that would lead to an eventual deck-out. This was one of the first edits I made to the original list. Parallel City and Dimension Valley have been amazing additions to the deck. Parallel City can be used either on opponents playing [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] to weaken their damage output, or on yourself to discard Shaymin-EX and prevent your opponent from taking free Prizes. Although, after playing it on yourself, you may want to remove it later on, especially if need room for a very late-game Shaymin-EX to dig for something in the last few cards of your deck. It isn’t always easy to keep to a Bench of three when it needs to consist of a Pokemon or two with Night March, either a Vespiquen or [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card] that can become Vespiquen, and a Bronzong. Dimension Valley allows [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] to attack more often when need be, and even having more Stadiums is not a bad thing when you may need to counter an opponent’s [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Scorched Earth” set=”Primal Clash” no=”138″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], or their own Parallel City and Dimension Valley.

Now, if you want to see some Night March lists, a few of my fellow PokeBeach writers, such as Steve Guthrie and Andrew Mahone, have already written extensive articles about the archetype with lists and tournament results to back them up. I currently do not have my own list, so I will let the people that made their lists share what they wish. For the most part it has the same idea as the Vespiquen version, except [card name=”Milotic” set=”Primal Clash” no=”44″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] is included in most lists to use [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”113″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] more than just four times as well as get back other tools like [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] or Lysandre when those are needed instead. Also, the deck focuses on just the Night March part so it uses different recovery cards like [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Rescue” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card]. Hopefully those of you interested in the deck can form your own deck lists for it, or get help from us in the Subscriber’s Secret Hideout!

How to Play

[card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / Night March is usually seen as a very easy and brainless deck, but there is some strategy people often overlook and do not even consider.

[cardimg name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This list does have a little bit of a different strategy the way I play it. I love playing quick and aggressive. Drawing most of my deck while managing resources is really fun, and gives me control of the game simply because of how quick the deck sets up. The ideal turn one is going second and starting with a [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] or having the ability to get it into the Active position. It can happen quite easily with how quickly you draw through the deck. Going second allows you to get the first Knock Out which gives you a significant advantage in the Prize trade. Next, during your first turn, draw and discard as many cards as you can. Do not be afraid to use your [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] early on as [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] give you options to remove them from your Bench later on. If your opponent is afraid to bench their Shaymin-EX to Set Up, they will end up getting too far behind. Have faith that the list will get what it needs to prevent those Knock Outs and just keep drawing. Also, remember that [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] doesn’t need to only discard Pokemon. Many times I find myself discarding [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Flashfire” no=”99″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], other Battle Compressors, Metal Energy, [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. It isn’t that these cards are bad, but, after turn two, most of these cards are not necessary to have in the deck anymore. Your deck is usually down to under 10 cards by this point, so you want to ensure you are drawing into [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] lines, and [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] late game. VS Seeker is the other reason to ditch your Lysandre and Hex Maniac. You can always get them back later.

These tactics are imperative if you want to use this deck to its full potential. It sometimes happens where players do not thin their deck out much and will not discard cards that do not help them in the present game. Many cards become worthless in the deck as the game progresses. These useless cards are just getting in the way of the cards you actually need to draw late game. In Standard, [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card], and, in Expanded, [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], can severely hurt you late game if you have a deck full of cards that no longer help. Some of my games have been decided by being able to top deck something late game when I needed it. Some people would just say I got extremely lucky, when, instead, the chances of the top deck were likely, due to playing the entire game that way to thin the deck. You should always know the path to winning before the last turn of the game. This is a card game, so luck always plays a factor. The good players know how to maximize their chances of “getting lucky.”

Meta Matchups

Depending on your area there will be different decks that show up, so, instead of trying to make a tier list for Standard, it is best to look at the group of decks that are doing the best. Let’s look at how our deck stands up to some others and how to play against them.

Mirror or Just Night March

These matches are always close and usually decided by who gets the first Knock Out. So, once again, remember to go second when you have the choice, and hope you get the first Knock Out. Remember that using [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] to Knock Out [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] preserves Energy cards, takes Shaymin-EX off the field, and allows you to put some Pokemon in the Active spot that you are okay with getting Knocked Out. Next, think about when the best chance is to use [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. It can come in clutch early against a Shaymin-EX trying to use Set Up, a late-game [card name=”Milotic” set=”Primal Clash” no=”44″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] trying to get back resources, or a [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] trying to set up an attacker. There are many chances to completely outplay or get outplayed in the matchup, but, either way, be prepared to lose a few years off your life from stress. These games are not easy.

[premium]

Yveltal / Zoroark

[card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] is actually kind of similar to the mirror matchup. It mainly comes down to a Prize trade, which can be quite troubling with [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] getting quick Knock Outs on your Night Marchers due to low HP and, in [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]’s case, Weakness. This is where [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] can come in handy. If you can keep your Bench small, Zoroark might miss a Knock Out on Vespiquen, while Yveltal does not have a lot of damage output with Oblivion Wing. This forces your opponent into using [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] and Yveltal-EX. You will most likely have more Vespiquen than they have Gallade, so this can finally force your opponent into using an EX attacker, giving you a lead in the Prize trade. It does not always play out like this, but this outcome has come up in playtesting a few times. In the end, it’s essentially a 50-50 matchup, just like the mirror. There is a lot of cause and effect stuff happening in this matchup like, “What happens if this one Knocks Out this one, then they send up this to return kill…” It keeps going on and on. You have to realize what your opponent will do next and what they even can do. Remember that all players play differently, and each deck list can be quite a few cards different sometimes, so just be prepared with these matchups.

Bat Decks

These decks use the [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] line to do a lot of damage around your board. Many different Pokemon play a Crobat line as extra damage output such as [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”54″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”36″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], and possibly more rogue decks out there. All of these have different advantages in the meta but, against our deck, they are all nearly identical.

It is by far [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / Night March‘s hardest matchup. I have only found one practical way to win against these decks which requires some luck. The main thing going our way is that these decks are not too popular in the meta, so you do not have to freak out about this matchup too much. If you are unfortunate enough to face one of these decks, the main way to beat it is by spamming [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] to prevent the Crobat line from getting Knock Outs with Sneaky Bite and Surprise Bite, while getting Knock Outs yourself every single turn. It is hard to spam Hex Maniac while streaming Knock Outs because it prevents you from using a draw Supporter each turn, but, by using [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] before you Hex Maniac, you can possibly get the job done if you manage to draw into all of your [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card].

The Bat decks that use Pokemon-EX are a little easier. It is possible to get the Prize lead if you can alternate between shutting off Abilities and using [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] on Pokemon-EX every turn. Other than this, there are not many other ways to improve this matchup. You are hoping for mediocre starts by your opponent while getting fantastic starts yourself. It really comes down to your Supporter cards and VS Seeker getting you through the game to keep your fragile, low-HP Pokemon safe at all costs.

Quad Entei

[cardimg name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Is it all it’s hyped up to be?[/cardimg]

This was the big deck to emerge from Cities with a lot of hype around it. In theory, the deck has a highly positive matchup against [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / Night March. [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] hits for Weakness on Vespiquen, while resisting a ton of damage using [card name=”Assault Vest” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] and Flame Screen. It is also an extremely fast deck, using [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] to set up on turn one.

However, this is not that bad of a matchup. It is a rough matchup for sure, but there are some things that can tip it in your favor. Assault Vest only works on Pokemon with Special Energy attached, so using only basic Energy and Metal Links to get the Knock Out on an Entei with two Assault Vest attached to it will ruin them. Then you can use your [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] to get a Knock Out using a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and, suddenly, Assault Vest is not doing much in this matchup anymore. The main thing you have to remember is not to give into the idea that this deck beats yours. It is actually quite easy to beat after some playtesting. All four Assault Vest can be useless if you use basic Energy to Knock Out the Entei with two of them attached — which is a play they usually make — while using a Startling Megaphone on more to allow the use of all of your Double Colorless as well. The Prize trade is even if you are able to keep [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] off your Bench with [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], and can go in your favor if you are able to Knock Out a Shaymin-EX or [card name=”Charizard-EX” set=”Flashfire” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card].

This matchup is rough, and takes some practice, but the main point is making your opponent’s Assault Vests useless in any way possible.

Standard Conclusion

That’s everything I’ve got for the [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / Night March / [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] list and common matchups. The deck list shown above is quite strong and, when played correctly, has a solid chance against anything its opponent throws at it. It does not have a favorite deck to go against in the popular metagame, but there are some favorable matchups that are less common, such as [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Houndoom-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] Mill decks, and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]. Of the popular meta, most matchups come down to trading Prizes and knowing what your path to victory is. Playtesting important matchups will tip those 50-50 matchups in your favor when you go to your next tournament.

For me, this deck has gotten me a Top 8 at one of the two Standard Cities I attended. In Top 8, I played against a [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Gengar-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”34″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] deck that was running hot which absolutely destroys this deck. It is not a popular deck, nor does it have a lot of good matchups, so it is not something to worry about in the future. At the other Cities, I misplayed in round four, causing me to lose the round and preventing me from simply ID’ing in the next round to make it into top cut. I did not realize the cards I needed to win were still left in my deck, which caused me to play the last bit of the game hoping my opponent did not have the ability to win on his turn, instead of simply Knocking Out his Benched [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] for the win. Oh well. These things happen. All I know is I have two more Standard City Championships to go, so I am hopeful this deck will give me more Top 8 finishes. Another person has also used my list to Top 4 and Top 8 those same tournaments I just brought up, so the deck can make Top 8, that is for sure. Hopefully these recent edits can get this deck to the finals!

Expanded

Expanded is my preferred format for sure. The preference of formats is something most players disagree on, but it seems like Expanded is much more important this year as all Regionals, some Cities, and some League Challenges are Expanded. Other reasons I enjoy this format are that Expanded decks are more enjoyable to play, there is more variety, and the game in Standard seems to lack enough disruption. I feel in Expanded that most lists and the metagame are pretty known among players, which means it takes a lot of skill to win these events by simply being better than others with the same knowledge as you.

I have gone to two Cities that were Expanded and I placed second at the latter one. Both of these tournaments were in the Kansas City area. They were originally going to be Standard since Steve, the organizer, was going to have December be all Standard and January all Expanded. However, some confusion between the tournament organizers and judges in the area caused the tournament on Saturday to be Expanded, and, instead of forcing players to change formats in the same weekend, they decided it was better to make the other tournament Expanded as well. This caused me to lose a lot of time to test out Expanded beforehand. I decided to start with what I played at Regionals: [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]. At Regionals I went 6-3, and could have easily done better if my list was more refined. I made a lot of last-minute, gimmicky changes that might have won me a game every so often, but not as frequently as I originally thought. Because of understanding where I went wrong, I felt I could easily playtest this deck the fastest.

The List

The list played for the first Cities ended up not doing so well. After I got home Saturday night, I changed five cards and, after Sunday’s tournament and making it to the finals, I concluded that those cards helped out a bunch. I currently have two quite different lists for [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]. The first one is the list I made it to the finals with, and the second is what I have been playtesting with more recently. Let’s talk about the lists, as well as explain the main strategy difference between the lists:

Finalist list:

[decklist name=”Yveltal-EX / Raichu Finalist List” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″][pokemon amt=”17″]3x [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Pikachu” set=”XY” no=”42″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”63″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Judge” set=”Unleashed” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tool Scrapper” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”116″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]6x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”XY” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Newer, work-in-progress list:

[decklist name=”Yveltal-EX / Raichu Work-in-progress List” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″][pokemon amt=”17″]3x [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Pikachu” set=”XY” no=”42″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”63″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]2x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Ghetsis” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]6x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”XY” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] [cardimg name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Judge![/cardimg]

In the first list, the strategy is to quickly set up on your first turn through [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], then finish your turn with a [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card]. Usually after discarding cards with [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and drawing many cards from Set Up, you are left with a deck full of Supporters and valuable resources to get you through the game, which means, off your Judge, you will likely draw a hand with some Energy cards, Supporters, Shaymin-EX, or ways to get those like [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. On the other hand, your opponent will be left with very little most of the time, especially if you went first. This is deadly against decks like [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Flareon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”12″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] since they play 20+ Pokemon cards that are dead on the first turn, and [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] decks that need a lot of cards to get set up. Since these are two popular decks, this strategy has a lot going for it, and worked effectively during playtesting and the tournaments I played it.

However, this strategy has a few shortcomings. Sometimes you can burn through your deck too quick for [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] to reach meaningful damage later on. It might be better to slow down just a bit and not burn as many resources. Also, sometimes your first Supporter card comes before you fully set up and Judge will give you a dead hand. It is important to be careful, which is why this other list might be better. I say might because it has shown good testing results, however, I have yet to play a tournament with it yet.

This second list is similar to the last one. The major difference is it does not aim to burn as many resources as quickly. This is achieved by using less draw Supporters, and more disruption and recovery. When playing my first list, I often found myself with too many draw cards in my hand, so it is reasonable to sacrifice some of those to save resources. This is done by playing less [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] in favor of [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] for Junk Hunt and other Supporters that draw less, but disrupt more like [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Ghetsis” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card]. These changes let the deck conserve resources and slow down the opponent more while sustaining its speed from the first list. The rest of my City Championships will be using Expanded, so I will update in the PokeBeach comments of this article how I finished at those events on the 9th, 10th, and 16th. I will most likely try out both lists at these tournaments unless one is doing significantly better.

Tips for Playing

Figure out quickly what your win condition is in each game. Make sure you know how you are going to take six Prizes in the most resourceful way possible. Do not shoot for your Evil Ball attacks to do anymore than they need to in order to get Knock Outs. The less-damaging Y Cyclone can be the better choice in many situations as well. Y Cyclone with a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] Knock Outs [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] while conserving Energy. Conserving Energy is important in this deck. With only 10 Energy cards, losing Energy irresponsibly can leave you with nothing left quickly. Just make sure you use those 10 Energy, [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]es, [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] optimally to take six Prizes.

Many decks in Expanded play Stadium cards. [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] decks play [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] decks play [card name=”Tropical Beach” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW28″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] variants play [card name=”Virbank City Gym” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”126″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]. There are more examples, but the point is be prepared to have your [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]s replaced. We play four so you can get it out turn one often, but it will most likely get replaced, so make sure you have Pokemon on the Bench like [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] and Shaymin-EX that are okay to be taken off when going back down to five on the Bench. The reason I lost game one in the finals was because I devoted too many resources to a [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] play, got punished with back-to-back Stadium replacements by my opponent, and ended up running out of Pokemon that could attack by the end of the game. Do not do that yourself! I will definitely not make that mistake again.

There is not too much else to say besides winning safely and quickly. Finding the right balance between the two will help you avoid more unwinnable scenarios. Playtest it a few times and really analyze the tough plays. There might be plays I have yet to consider, or have yet to come up, so it is important to look at every single situation in depth to understand what you are looking for.

Meta Matchups

There are a few decks in Expanded that have gained quite a lead in getting results. Those are: [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Flareon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”12″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] variants, [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”54″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]. Let’s go over these matchups.

Vespiquen / Flareon

This is the hardest matchup for the deck. It is important to use your non-EX attackers often and try not to use many Pokemon-EX. [card name=”Ghetsis” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”101″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] can be extremely helpful in this matchup early on. If [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Flareon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] decks continue to gain a lead in popularity, it might be wise to add a [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] to get early Knock Outs on [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Eevee” set=”Furious Fists” no=”80″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], and Flareon despite it being weak to Vespiquen. Most of the time, Weakness will not matter due to them already dealing 180 damage. Seismitoad-EX can severely slow them down while getting easy Knock Outs, and potentially have use in other matchups. Another solid add-in would be [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]. With [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card]’s Junk Hunt, Enhanced Hammer can take off quite a few [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”113″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] and really hurt your opponent. These add-ins will be helpful if you struggle with the matchup and it is becoming more popular. Right now, based on what I have seen and heard, it seems it is not quite to that point of extreme popularity. However, if it starts to get to the point where one in four players are playing Vespiquen, that’s your time to make changes.

Yveltal Variants

[cardimg name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

The main [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] variant in Expanded uses [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”133″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Archeops” set=”Noble Victories” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card]. In this matchup, Archeops and Gallade make the game really close, and there are a lot of things to watch out for. No matter how you trade in this matchup though, make sure you can always follow up with another attack by having enough Energy on your board, and preferably spread out. The worst case scenario is when you have no other choice but to go all-in on an Evil Ball with all of your Energy on it and lose it to an opposing attack. Thankfully, this scenario does not come up much when we have [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card] in our deck. It allows us to attack with [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] while using [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] to set up Pokemon on the Bench when needed. Archeops can make it tough to get Raichu out though, which is why we try to set up quickly in both builds, as well as play [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] to shut off Archeops long enough to evolve. Gallade can also get some Knock Outs as a one-Prize attacker, but the idea is we can use Raichu to get Knock Outs faster as we do not need to pull off a Maxie’s to drop it on the Bench.

Finally, your Yveltal-EX has a lot of strategy around it. It is imperative to know the right time to attack and where to attach your Energy. You always want to keep yourself just out of range of your opponent getting a Knock Out on your Yveltal-EX, while staying in range to get a Knock Out on your opponent’s. You also need to spread your Energy out in case your opponent suddenly plays down a bunch of cards like Double Colorless Energy + Dark Patch + [card name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] + [card name=”Virbank City Gym” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card] + [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] to get a Knock Out on your Yveltal-EX when you seemed safe. This will allow you to get return Knock Outs when needed to stay in the game. This Prize trade is so important and practice is needed to see at all times what your opponent can do.

Other Yveltal variants are much easier as they usually play far fewer non-Pokemon-EX attackers, which means Raichu puts in a lot of work with Weakness on Yveltal-EX and only gives up one Prize card when Knocked Out.

ArchieStoise

An early [card name=”Ghetsis” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”101″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] can greatly swing games against this deck. Same goes for a late-game [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] to prevent your opponent from getting that last Pokemon going with Energy. Since this deck relies on using a lot of Energy on each Pokemon, [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] can get easy Knock Outs with Evil Ball. Also, even getting one Knock Out with [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] — requiring a full Bench and a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] — is good enough to win the Prize trade, especially when you can use Ghetsis and Hex Maniac to slow them down. Overall, a pretty easy matchup as long as you have a decent setup, and, in a best-of-three scenario, you will win more than you will lose.

Seismitoad-EX / Crobat and Seismitoad-EX / Giratina-EX

These decks are similar enough to put into the same section when it comes to playing against them with [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]. In this matchup, Energy conservation is extremely important with Y Cyclone, and knowing when to go in on an Evil Ball for a Knock Out is an equally large factor. Usually the right time is after you have already gotten your first Knock Out while having enough Energy on the Bench to attack the following turn no matter what. An example would be having two Pokemon on the Bench with enough Energy on them to attack the next turn with one or zero additional Energy attachments. Since [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] requires four Energy to attack, it can be easy to get an Evil Ball Knock Out, or extremely hard if you do it at the wrong time. Any missed Knock Outs are often followed by [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”92″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]s and [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]s to make your job even harder. Be careful in this matchup.

Also, since you cannot play [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] under Quaking Punch or Chaos Wheel, [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]’s damage cap is stuck 160. It will likely be completely useless unless used after an Oblivion Wing by [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card]. Even then, it might not do enough. This is because of all the Stadium cards Seismitoad-EX decks play. They usually include both [card name=”Virbank City Gym” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card], enough to replace quite a bit of your [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], which means Circle Circuit will not do much damage. You will have to rely on Yveltal-EX and Yveltal to conserve Energy and build up damage to get Knock Outs.

Against the [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] variant, Bat damage can easily get Knock Outs on Raichu, making it just as dangerous to play down. Being down four cards and an attacker does make it harder; however, Energy conservation is still what matters most.

Sableye / Garbodor

[cardimg name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Finally, I suggest taking this matchup slow and not trying for any huge risks. Keep your field small to just [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”63″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], and maybe a [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card]. These are all you need to win in this matchup. Just make sure you can recycle your Energy often, and do not let your opponent [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] stall you. This is a very slow and boring matchup and, in a best-of-three, most likely only one complete game will be played, so make sure you understand when to scoop game one if you are in a losing position. In any scenario where time is called in game one or three of top cut, you will win with a Prize lead as [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”54″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] does not take Prizes. This is a favorable matchup that requires you to play much differently than any other deck.

Also, a cool thing you can do with the second of our lists is using [card name=”Ghetsis” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”101″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] in combination with Sableye’s Junk Hunt to get back [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card] to constantly draw and remove your opponent’s ability to use Items. This matchup seems to play in our favor often; however, it is boring to play and might seem like you are not in control. Just do not worry yourself going into it and make sure to pay attention to how long it is taking. Finally, if you find it is popular in your area, add a [card name=”Tool Scrapper” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card] to the second list, or play the first list that already plays Tool Scrapper as it can really help against [card name=”Life Dew” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”107″ c=”name” c=”name”][/card], which, if the Sableye / Garbodor player is running hot, can spam more often than usual. However, you can still win by benching your opponent. After a while of conserving Energy, you can easily start getting Knock Outs faster than they can replace Pokemon. Plus, Lysandre can keep bringing up Benched Pokemon without Life Dew attached so you can still take Prizes. In the second list, you can have infinite Lysandre with Junk Hunt and VS Seekers, just like mentioned earlier with Ghetsis. There are many places to win in this matchup if you can take advantage of them.

Conclusion

Both decks I mentioned have good results from myself or other players I shared my list with before City Championships started. It seems they both have good consistency and good matchups against the meta. I would encourage testing them out for your upcoming Cities. Make sure to leave a comment if you see anything I missed, or if you have questions about the lists or what to do in certain situations. It is impossible to know which situations need to be covered most out of the many different possibilities in each game. Just make sure to ask me about them.

Also, one last comment about analyzing the meta. I mentioned many times throughout this article about making decisions between cards in my deck lists or other cards depending on your meta, and possible add-ins for matchups if they become more popular. Just know that your local meta might be significantly different than the upcoming Winter Regionals or elsewhere in the country. I know in my area, some decks might look extremely good because, in my experience and from talking to other people, friends come to the same decision on what to play. A deck might sweep a Cities in one area of the country because of this and it might look like the best deck ever. However, sometimes it is just mediocre and the players playing it were simply better than the other players there. Very few areas in the country have multiple World-Championship-class players to make a conclusion about a deck based on it doing well in one area of the country. So, be careful on jumping to other people’s conclusions and simple meta reports on social media. When enough people out there play a mediocre deck, it is likely that one of them can make top cut due to the luck factor in Pokemon and all card games.

Finally, thank you all for reading, and good luck at your upcoming City Championships!

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