It’s Game Time: City Championship Countdown With a Look at the Most Toxic Deck in Standard

Hello PokeBeach goers! It’s only been a couple weeks but I’m back again for a last minute Standard Cities update. Even though it has only been a short time since my last article, I have plenty of new content to share with you. Players are continuing to top cut with my [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] / Hammers deck, which is both exciting and encouraging, but this year’s City Championship metagame has shifted so quickly, at least in Northeast Ohio, that one deck rarely remains the optimal play for more than a weekend. The openness of the Standard format has forced me to test and adapt more so than I have during any previous season. This has proven to be both frustrating and exciting. I have more high caliber decks at my disposal than I have ever had before, but recently my dilemma has been selecting the right one!

[cardimg name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Prepare for trouble![/cardimg]

Facebook recently reminded me that it was a year ago on January 3rd that I won my first and only City Championship of the 2015 season with [card name=”Landorus-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]. A lot has changed since then. I’ve become a better deck builder and I am far more versatile as a card player. Last year, I earned 110 Championship Points with Landorus / Crobat in the final three weekends of City Championships to round out my four City finishes. The deck was so far under the radar that it remained a potent play all the way until February where I was able to win the St. Louis Regional Championship with it. As I search for my last two City finishes in the final two weekends of City Championships, I can’t help but wonder if I can find a deck like Landorus / Bats to get me there. Maybe there isn’t one magical deck? Maybe Lucario / Hammers is it? After all, I have top cut two of the three tournaments that I have brought it to. There is a possibility that the elusive deck is still on the horizon. But maybe, it’s right at the end of this article.

My girlfriend, Kirsten Sprague, was able to breeze through swiss at Streetsboro, Ohio’s City Championships at 4-0-2 with a [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] deck that she and my friend Justin Boughter thought up. The list was rough and totally untested, but she didn’t drop a single Prize in swiss. Unfortunately, she lost her Top 8 match because of some poor luck to my own Lucario / Hammers deck piloted by a good friend of ours, Nicholas Bailey. Even so, her performance in swiss was very impressive, and things could have easily gone her way in top cut. Similarly, Justin’s friend Nicholas Baker was able to take a Seismitoad deck using the same concept all the way to the finals of North Olmsted’s City Championships before losing to some bad draws in the final match. I’m confident that this deck has so much potential that it could very well flip the entire Standard format on its head, reverberating all the way to States and possibly even Expanded. So make sure to stay tuned till the end in order to check it out!

M Rayquaza-EX / Milotic

My obsession with growing as a card player has lead me to some weird places this season. I’ve intentionally put Night March on the back burner despite its success in Standard because I know that continuing to play it will not make me a better player in the long run. If I want to improve my game, I need to be playing as many decks as I can get my hands on. With seven City Championships to go last Saturday, I felt like I could take a risk by piloting [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. It was a deck I messed around with briefly in testing and wanted to try simply because I had never piloted a M Pokemon-EX deck in a tournament before. Unfortunately, my run was not very hot! But it was a learning experience for sure. Luckily enough, my friend Justin Boughter was able to pilot my deck to a Top 4 finish before ultimately losing to the Seismitoad deck I’m featuring at the end of my article! So this idea does have some merit to it. M Rayquaza-EX has the explosive ability to outrun and out swing any target in Standard if the metagame isn’t prepared for it. And with [card name=”Milotic” set=”Primal Clash” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench, we can recycle resources to get back what we need for each matchup!

[decklist name=”Mega Rayquaza / Milotic” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″][pokemon amt=”17″]3x [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Milotic” set=”Primal Clash” no=”44″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Feebas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”43″ 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=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”36″]1x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” 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=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ 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=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Rayquaza Spirit Link” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”87″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sacred Ash” set=”Flashfire” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”7″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Even though this list is missing the [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] that helps the Expanded version establish board positioning mid to late game by drawing a massive amount of cards, this deck is still valid in Standard. [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] has been seeing some success lately, but I worry about its longevity given the rising popularity of [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card] and disruption decks. I won’t dwell on this list long because truthfully, I don’t think it boasts the best all around matchups in the current metagame, but I thought I would share it with you all considering my friend was able to net a Top 4 finish with it at a City Championship!

Strengths / Weaknesses

There are a couple glaring weaknesses for a [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] deck in Standard right now: [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]. Get just a little too Bench-happy with your [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] will be trading favorably with your Rayquaza. It’s not too difficult to watch your Bench when playing against an [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] / Zoroark / [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] deck, however, when playing against something with a little more HP, like [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], balancing your Bench while trying to trade with a M Pokemon-EX can be quite the chore. And, of course, there’s Parallel City. Parallel City is the primary reason I include  [card name=”Milotic” set=”Primal Clash” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] in my list. Milotic’s Ability, Sparkling Ripples, allows you to refill your Bench after a devastating Parallel City by reusing [card name=”Sacred Ash” set=”Flashfire” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] to recycle Pokemon back into the deck. [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card] helps us a little bit with decks like [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], Night March and [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card], but these decks can still be an issue despite the inclusion.

M Rayquaza-EX excels against [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card], most M Pokemon-EX decks, [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats, and [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats. Rayquaza has the ability to outspeed and out-trade any Pokemon-EX centered deck. Because of its raw speed, Mega Ray can beat anything that doesn’t have the best start either. Not many decks can threaten big turn OHKO’s as quickly and effortlessly as Mega Ray can, so if there is any reason to play the deck, that’s it!

Lucario / Bats

Despite my bias towards [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] / Hammers, Lucario / Bats remains a popular choice amongst competitive players and continues to top cut events. I’ve messed around with my list quite a bit and I have come up with something that is consistent while living up to my expectations for a powerful and versatile Bats deck. [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] is simply a great card, capable of easily closing out games on opposing [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. Bats occupy a sturdy foothold in the format because of Night March’s everlasting popularity along with [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card]’s Weakness to [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]’s Skill Dive attack. Lucario, once set up and rolling, can topple most Pokemon with ease. With the addition of a single [card name=”Landorus” set=”Furious Fists” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card], this deck has the options it needs to be a top threat in Standard.

[decklist name=”Lucario / Bats” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”107″][pokemon amt=”18″]2x [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Landorus” set=”Furious Fists” no=”58″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Golbat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Zubat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”31″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”34″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Korrina” set=”Furious Fists” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4 x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4 “][/card]3x [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Stadium” set=”Furious Fists” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”8″]4x [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Furious Fists” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Fighting Energy” set=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

This list is packed to the brim. Admittedly, I have been a little greedy here, but it works. With a thick 4-4-3 [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] line, the focus of this deck is getting multiple Bats into play and recycling their damage with [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]. I took a few pointers from [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats when constructing this list, opting to include a full play set of [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] which has become the norm in these types of decks. Unsatisfied with [card name=”Korrina” set=”Furious Fists” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card]’s ability to set up multiple Crobat, I have limited her inclusion to two copies which has been just fine. Korrina is a good option to have, but shouldn’t be the bedrock of a Bats deck. Selecting one Fighting Pokemon and one Item card just doesn’t flood the playing field with Bats like the deck needs to. Instead, we choose to rely on burning and drawing with [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], Trainers’ Mail, and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] like most Standard decks nowadays. [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] gives us the flexibility to throw Bats and Energy back into the deck should we lose them with Sycamore and Ultra Ball early on.

[cardimg name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ align=”right” c=”custom”]High flyin’[/cardimg]

Strengths and Weaknesses

This deck just won’t budge in Standard because of its excellent typing. The only deck that outright counters [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats is [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats, which sees fringe play at best. Lucario / Bats has a good showing versus Night March, [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats, [card name=”Magnezone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats, and [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card]. Additionally, the deck can hang with your random [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] deck thanks to the multiple attackers at its disposal.

Lucario / Bats can also be its own worst enemy. I was able to beat two Lucario / Bats decks with Lucario / Hammers last Sunday, which is a shaky matchup for Lucario / Hammers, because my opponents could not draw the resources they needed while my deck ran smooth as ever. Like many decks in Standard, consistency can be an issue here. And although this list is super tight, I still want to add a bunch of cards. I would love to fit a third [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card], more [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], a [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] to shuffle draw, and a [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] to help with the deck’s [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] matchup. At the end of the day I have decided to stick with the two copies of [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] because it doesn’t make much sense to play Fighting if you’re going to be swinging into [card name=”Flash Energy” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] all day.

Toad / Card

This deck will be the deck that people hate to play against in the Standard format. Think new-age [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card], without the Garbodor. But not for long! Ability-locking Garbodor is being reincarnated in our next set so the Trash Heap could very well make a resurgence here. But to be honest, it may not be necessary. With a turn one [card name=”Red Card” set=”XY” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] combination, most decks will be down for the count, unable to draw out of their hand. Combine that with a turn one Quaking Punch induced Item-lock and you have one completely infuriating deck to play against. With a plethora of Energy denial, [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], and healing in the mix, you’ll be lucky if your opponent doesn’t flip the table on you. Seismitoad counters are at an all time low in Standard right now. Night March has established itself as the [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] deck of choice over [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] while cards like [card name=”M Sceptile-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”8″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] are seeing nearly zero play. [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card], while an excellent card, has been axed from people’s list in favor of more relevant techs like [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. Now is the time for Seismitoad to rear it’s ugly face again. So welcome all you trolls, all you haters of fun. I present to you, the most poisonous deck in Standard.

[premium]

[decklist name=”Toad / Card” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″][pokemon amt=”6″]4x [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”50″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”162″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”XY” no=”129″ 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=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Red Card” set=”XY” no=”124″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Black and White” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Not only did Kirsten 4-0 swiss before IDing her last two rounds to guarantee cut, she also benched three of the four opponents she played against. This concept is just that good. She didn’t even need to take all six Prizes in her games because her opponents couldn’t draw into more attackers. It’s the perfect anti-meta deck and there’s almost nothing we can do about it. Draw Supporters aren’t played in heavy counts and the most popular Pokemon oriented draw engines are entirely shut down by [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] and Quaking Punch. You can’t [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] for a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] under Item-lock. You can’t play a Shaymin with Silent Lab out. You can’t use [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”name”][/card] under Silent Lab either. You can’t [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] for that [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] under Item-lock. You can’t use that Octillery anyways because your hand is full of useless Items. You can’t play. You just lucked out and top decked [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], thank goodness! Too bad because there’s a [card name=”Red Card” set=”XY” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] waiting for you. You get the gist. Attempting to beat this deck with most meta decks is an outright nightmare. Decks are more Item reliant than ever, replacing traditional Supporters with [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and hoping for the best. This deck is [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] / Hammers is on steroids, and I don’t want to play against it at any tournament I go to, so I’ll probably just be playing it myself. Let’s take a look at some of the key components of this monster before moving on to the deck’s plentiful options along with its strengths and weaknesses.

[cardimg name=”Red Card” set=”XY” no=”124″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Downright dirty[/cardimg]

Four Red Card / Four Silent Lab

If you don’t own any [card name=”Red Card” set=”XY” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card], I suggest picking them up. They’re 25 cents. Seriously, go get them! Now! Okay now that your Red Card should be on their way to your door, we can carry on. Red Card is insane in Standard. I started to realize the card’s potency in [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] / Hammers weeks ago as a one-of inclusion that could be fished out with [card name=”Korrina” set=”Furious Fists” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card]. But often, my opponents would be able to draw out of the turn one Red Card with [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. So now we run a full suite of Red Card alongside a full suite of [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] to ensure opponents don’t pull out of their dead hands. These counts could be lowered to three each, but since the cards are most effective on the first turn of the game, I would not suggest it. In my testing, Red Card has proven to be a powerful card as games progress as well. If the opponent is lucky enough to find a [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] to refresh their hand, it is always nice to Red Card them right back down while continuing to Quaking Punch. Unfortunately, four copies of Silent Lab can sometimes clunk up hands. It is admittedly an awkward card to play around on the first turn of the game while using your own Shaymin-EX to set up, but the card is so good to end with on the first turn that we have to play four. A turn one Red Card is not nearly as good without the accompanying Silent Lab. In fact, it doesn’t even matter if you whiff the turn one Quaking Punch in many games as your opponents will not likely have a way to draw out of their hands, even with the use of Items.

The Engine

Kirsten and I were messing around with a [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats deck before this past weekend and we wanted to fit Red Card and Silent Lab into the list. As we continued to playtest, we had a similar revelation to the one I had while trying to build [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats earlier in the City Championship cycle. “You know, all these Bats would be way better as Hammers!” Now don’t get me wrong. Bats are definitely strong but the popular draw engines in Standard do not lend themselves to setting up Bats efficiently. The [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] engine does, however, work just fine with a Hammer deck. Why waste 10+ spots in the deck and compromise consistency just to add on an extra 20 to 30 damage here and there? If I’m going to build a Toad deck in Standard, I might as well go for consistent Item-lock and seal the deal with full on resource denial. Funny enough, this deck uses the same draw engine that most Bat decks employ, but Trainers’ Mail is way better here than it is in any Bat deck. In a Bats deck, Mail is there to grab your couple [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], maybe an Ultra Ball, or one of your few Supporters. This deck though, unleashes the full potential of Trainers’ Mail by boasting an obnoxious 46 Trainer Cards to choose from. Mail gives this deck the glue it needs to be cohesive and powerful without a draw Supporter like [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] in format.

[cardimg name=”Skyla” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”149″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Welcome back![/cardimg]

While we are speaking about the selective power of Trainers’ Mail, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the benefits of a single [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] in the deck. It’s been a while since I found a deck Skyla worked well in! But she works wonders here. She serves a similar function that [card name=”Korrina” set=”Furious Fists” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] does in [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] / Hammers, allowing you to search out individual Trainers as the need arises. She is great for conserving resources when you just need one thing and cannot afford to Sycamore the hand you are sitting on. It’s awesome being able to Skyla for the [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] or for another Supporter, something Korrina cannot do. She’s also great to dig for that [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] when you need it in a pinch. Not to mention, should you get paired against another Toad deck, Skyla can get you your [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”XY” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] to hopefully buy you a turn of Items! Skyla has been so good in Toad / Card that I could easily see playing a second copy, I just wouldn’t know where to fit it.

One Giovanni’s Scheme

[card name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”162″ c=”name”][/card] is scaling the ranks and becoming one of my favorite Supporters in Standard Format. A single copy of Giovanni’s is a consistency boosting card, but also gives [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] the ability to hit numbers that have been out of reach since the rotation of [card name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card]. There are so many uses for it! A 70 damage Quaking Punch one-shots popular threats like [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Zorua” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] while turning 4HKOs on 170 HP Pokemon-EX into 3HKOs, 3HKOs on [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] into 2HKOs, and 2HKOs on [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] into OHKOs! Giovanni’s is easily one of Toad’s best friends.

Four Double Colorless Energy / Zero Basic Energy

Sure, this Energy count is exploitable, but who out there is trying to exploit this surprise rogue deck for the last few weekends of City Championships? No one. [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] is so far under the radar now that few decks, if any, are running [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card]. And even if they are, they will have a heck of a time trying to get the Wishmaker into play under the brutal turn one lock this deck produces. If you’re worried about Jirachi or think that using Grenade Hammer will be necessary, you could cut four cards for three [card name=”Water Energy” set=”Black and White” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] and a [card name=”Professor’s Letter” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”146″ c=”name”][/card]. Letter is kind of a funny option in here, but should you run into a Jirachi, you would be glad that you had the ability to [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] for two Water Energy to quickly patch up the Item-lock that had been broken. With Letter, you can even be proactive about your opponent’s Jirachi by sticking two Water Energy onto a Seismitoad early with Skyla. One of this deck’s few flaws is that it can be frustrating to try to find a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] sometimes. I miss the days where a turn one Skyla for [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] could get you there, but regardless, finding the turn one DCE is consistent enough that the deck is still an absolute nightmare.

Three Head Ringer

If you were to play Basic Energy, this is probably where they would go. But [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] is more in line with the deck’s strategy. It’s hard enough for Pokemon-EX to attack while they are being pummeled with Hammers. With Head Ringer we make sure that the opponent successfully attacks as little as possible, which is the whole point of this deck! I would consider cutting to two Head Ringer, but because of Head Ringer’s value on the first turn of the game, I’ve opted to keep the count at three. If you are lucky enough to land the turn one Head Ringer, [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Red Card” set=”XY” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] combination on your opponent, odds are they won’t be winning the game.

Additional Options

[cardimg name=”Cassius” set=”XY” no=”115″ align=”right” c=”custom”]I need to go buy one of these![/cardimg]

I already mentioned the possibility of running Basic Energy in this list, but there are a couple other potent options worth considering for tournament play. First of all, as I mentioned above, it can be stressful finding your [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] sometimes. Kirsten lost a game in her match during Top 8 on Sunday because she couldn’t find her final Double Colorless in deck after missing all of her [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] flips. Had Kirsten been playing a single copy of [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card], she would have been able to search out her Double Colorless while selecting an additional card to boost her board position. Similarly, I also like the idea of [card name=”Town Map” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] in here. Town Map allows you to be selective in your deck that has so many options already while ensuring that you don’t run into any bad Prize situations with one of your four Double Colorless Energy.

Running a single [card name=”Cassius” set=”XY” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] is an idea my friend Justin Boughter talked to me about and I really like it. Unlike [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], Cassius would allow you to save a Toad, Double Colorless, and [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] for later use should one get damaged and you can’t hit a Super Scoop Up, which certainly happens.

Finally, considering we play a multitude of singleton Supporters, I would really like one [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] in here for consistency’s sake. Having the option to ditch your Cassius, [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”XY” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”162″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] early gives you the option to [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] for them at any point throughout the game. Battle Compressor also activates dead hands that only have VS Seeker in them without a true draw Supporter.

Strengths / Weaknesses

Toad / Card is a good deck because it abuses the lack of quality draw Supporters and general absence of Energy acceleration in Standard. Players are forced to rely on Items and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] to draw cards while manually attaching Energy. Because of this, Toad / Card can beat just about any meta deck is comes across. Night March, [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] decks are all no sweat for this sleeper of a play.

That being said, this deck can lose to its own inconsistencies. I can’t think of a single deck in Standard that I don’t say that about, but it’s still worth mentioning. Sometimes you’ll [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] all of your resources away to find your first [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] in the bottom 15 cards of your deck. Sometimes you’ll miss all of your [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]s and all of your [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] too. But most of the time, you will lock your opponent out of any chance of winning the game. Naturally, this deck struggles to deal with multiple [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], or a [card name=”M Sceptile-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”85″ c=”name”][/card] that manages to get up and rolling. But these threats don’t make up popular deck choices in Standard so I wouldn’t really worry about them too much!

Standard Roundup

[cardimg name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ align=”right” c=”custom”]I still love you Joltik![/cardimg]

As we begin to draw to a close, I’d like to give a quick word about some of the most popular decks that I haven’t mentioned in my recent articles and share some of my experiences with them. Standard is so expansive that I can’t do a list breakdown of each deck, but I can share a quick synopsis of the big ones. This is something a little different that I haven’t tried before, but I think it’ll be a good way to wrap our minds around Standard before moving on to States. I often focus my energy on discussing fringe decks that you can’t find discussion on elsewhere. This will give you all an opportunity to hear my thoughts on a few meta decks to get a grasp of my opinion on them!

Last year, States decks were not very different from the decks that succeeded at Cities. I was able to capture a second place finish at Ohio’s State Championship last year with [card name=”Landorus-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] coming off of my Regional success with the same deck. It’s my inclination that those who master Standard during Cities will be the most prepared for State Championships come March. That being said, Japan’s Rage of the Broken Sky set looks incredible, with many exciting and playable cards within it. It’ll be awesome to see how the new set jives with our own Standard format!

Night March

Oh Night March! Night March was my favorite deck coming off of my ninth place World Championship finish with it this year. However, after failing to Top 32 Fort Wayne’s Regional Championships with the deck, I decided to put it away for a little while. I still have Night March built for testing purposes, but I wanted to get more hands on experience with different kinds of decks during Cities season this year so that I could grow as a player. Night March remains one of the strongest decks in Standard Format, but I don’t particularly like its frail nature. Bats can give the deck a difficult time, which are very popular, as can any run of the mill [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] deck. I like the [card name=”Bronzong” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] version of Night March the best and I think a couple copies of [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Rescue” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] allow the engine to be consistent and resilient throughout the duration of a match. It’s my opinion that most lists have become too clunky, however, compromising basic consistency by attempting to squeeze cards like [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] into the list.

I think Night March will remain a top threat in Standard Format for a while. The [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] engine is extremely strong and consistent and I love the ease at which Night March can be teched to accommodate various matchups. Night March is always towards the top of my to play list. It has a chance versus almost any deck it is pit against, so it is always a strong choice for a tournament if you don’t know what to play. Here’s a quick look at my current Night March list in case you’re interested!

[decklist name=”Nightmarch / Bronzong” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″][pokemon amt=”19″]4x [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Lampent” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”42″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/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=”34″]3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/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]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Rescue” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”7″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Metal Energy” set=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Yveltal / Zoroark / Gallade

I have never been impressed with this deck enough to consider bringing it to a tournament. It’s indisputably well rounded, but equally vanilla. I don’t like that the deck typically only runs a few copies of actual Supporter cards, and also don’t like that you’re at a huge disadvantage if you don’t manage to get [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] into play. Gallade is an incredible card right now, I agree with that much. But I am not convinced that this is the best way to run Gallade. This deck has seen lots of success at City Championships though, so I have to concede that, but I suspect that this deck’s numbers are so big because it also happens to be one of the most popular decks at City Championships amongst competitive players. For every player that top cuts with this deck, I feel like there are a handful of good players who didn’t get there with it because one thing or another didn’t go their way.

Entei / Charizard

[cardimg name=”Charizard-EX” set=”Flashfire” no=”12″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Finally, an excuse to play Charizard![/cardimg]

I actually really like this deck. It’s simple and complicated at the same time. Hard hitting but also defensive. It’s a low-key thinkers deck and I really enjoy that about playing it. I want to bring [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] to one of my final City Championships, but I haven’t spent enough time with the deck yet to feel comfortable with my own version of a list. I think [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] is an awesome card in Standard though, and I suspect that it will have a lengthy competitive life this year. I love Entei. At 130 HP and the ability to wear two Tool cards simultaneously, he is a freakin’ tank of a non-EX, capable of soaking hits and dishing them out. Besides, when was the last time you got to play a “good” [card name=”Charizard-EX” set=”Flashfire” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] deck? This thing is worth building for the novelty of it if nothing else.

Raichu / Bats

If you were talking to me at the beginning of the Summer last year I would have been singing [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats praises. But now I consider it to be one of the most inconsistent decks in Standard. Bat decks are already susceptible to inconsistencies, with Raichu in the mix and no adequate shuffle draw Supporter, things get down right sloppy. The concept of the deck is strong, but I think it lacks the tools necessary to function at its potential. I decided weeks ago to can any deck that had a high chance of losing to a turn one [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] or natural inconsistencies because of City Championship’s best-of-one format. Unfortunately, this deck and [card name=”Magnezone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] fell along the wayside because of that choice.

M Manectric-EX

Although I consider [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] to be one of the most boring and vanilla decks of all time, it’s admittedly solid and well rounded. I think a single copy of [card name=”Glalie-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card] is a nice hard-hitting option for the deck and I really like Jimmy Pendarvis’ City winning list here. M Manectric-EX is a strong choice in Standard because Night March struggles to reach 210 damage consistently without the aid of [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card]. Manectric also makes good work of the [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] engine, which is the most aggressive and stable draw engine Standard has to offer. If I owned M Manectric-EX, I would have attempted it at a tournament by now. The card is absolutely on my short list of things to buy!

Conclusion

And that’s what I got! I’m geared up and ready to go for my last five City Championships, so here’s to hoping I can get my last two City finishes to help with my quest for another World Championship qualification! But before I go, I want to share with you a little story from last Saturday’s City Championship so that you all can learn from my mistakes!

[cardimg name=”Random Receiver” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”99″ align=”right” c=”custom”]AHHHH![/cardimg]

Do you ever have stress dreams about Pokemon? Nightmares!? I do sometimes. In my Pokemon nightmares I typically end up at a tournament with a deck that has been tampered with or contains mostly unplayable cards. I [card name=”Professor Juniper” set=”Black and White” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] through my deck over and over and draw into the most unsightly hands containing cards I’ve never seen before. I sweat bullets and try to keep my cool as I flounder around in my match before ultimately losing. This past weekend, I was conducting my initial deck search in game one of a Standard City Championship when I scrolled past a [card name=”Random Receiver” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]. A RANDOM RECEIVER! I was floored! I use Random Receivers as proxies for my [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] in my second string decks, which is probably indication that I shouldn’t have actually chosen to pilot [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] that tournament! Haha. I had to call a Judge over and was issued a warning. I had to prove that my deck list was actually legal and, fortunately, was allowed to replace the card with a VS Seeker before resuming play. The whole deal was embarrassing for sure, and a simple mistake I thought I would never make. So just a warning to all the proxy users out there, check your deck before the tournament! Seems like a no-brainer, but if you’re ever scrambling for a play during the final minutes of registration, as I often am, it is worth it to check your deck twice!

I hope you all enjoy your final City Championships and best of luck! If you try out Toad / Card, let me know your experiences with it! I am looking forward to seeing the way this deck progresses in the metagame, so let me hear whatever your testing results are. It’s a brand new deck and I’m anxious for more players to get their hands on it.

Later trainers,

Andrew Mahone

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