“Stormy Seas Ahead” — BREAKpoint Cards for Regionals and Two Decks for the ECC!

By: Ryan Moorhouse · Posted Posted onFeb 2, 2016 at 1:13 AM · 0 Comments

Hello again ‘Beachers! It hasn’t been too long since I wrote my last article, but I wanted to have a look at some of the most impactful cards from our new set, BREAKpoint. Boasting interesting new Pokemon like Golduck BREAK and M Gyarados-EX alongside some game-changing Trainer cards like the heavily discussed — and feared — Delinquent, the tail-end of U.S. Winter Regionals are sure to be shaken up by BREAKpoint’s release. Many of the decks emerging from this expansion have the potential to take over the high tiers and I wanted to discuss what makes them so strong in our current metagame.

Afterwards, I want to have a peek at something that has had me significantly excited for 2016. The European Challenge Cup (ECC), occurring at the same time as U.S. Regionals, brings in players from all around Europe and beyond to compete for the chance at National-level Championship Points. Any players with the skill and luck needed to snatch a top placement are almost certain to stay within the top 22 rankings at the end of the season. I haven’t had the chance to compete in the ECC before, but this year my availability has aligned and I’m ecstatic that I can attend this huge event. However, for an event the size of the biggest U.S. Regionals, preparation is key. Extensive knowledge of the format and a good grasp on the current metagame from around Europe as well as U.S. Cities are essential to achieve a solid performance. I have done dozens of hours of testing and I feel more than prepared to take home a solid placement at this highly competitive event. For the final part of this article, I’m going to share my preparation for the tournament — including highly tested lists for the two decks I believe are the strongest plays for the tournament — and what I expect the metagame to consist of.

BREAKpoint — What’s New?

BREAKpoint consists of over 120 new cards, and adds an astounding 11 Pokemon-EX to the already massive EX pool and five new BREAK Pokemon. The set looks to be made up of Japan’s Rage of the Broken Sky set, the Golduck BREAK / Palkia-EX Deck released in Japan, and finally the Emboar-EX versus Togekiss-EX Deck, also released in Japan. Let’s start off by highlighting the best contents of the Golduck BREAK / Palkia EX Deck.

Palkia-EX

Palkia-EX – Water – HP180
Basic Pokemon

[W][W] Aqua Turbo: 40 damage. Search your deck for 2 [W] Energy and attach them to 1 of your Benched Pokemon. Shuffle your deck afterwards.

[W][W][W][W] Pearl Hurricane: 120 damage. Choose 1 of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon. This attack does 30 damage to it.

When a Pokemon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.

Weakness: Grass (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2

Equipped with a similar move to the well-known [card name=”Virizion-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] of the past, Palkia-EX boasts two Water-heavy attacks in Aqua Turbo and Pearl Hurricane. Pearl Hurricane — while costing a massive four Water Energy — lets you OHKO any Water-weak Pokemon in the format, including any Mega Evolutions like [card name=”M Houndoom-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] plus set up a KO on a 170 HP Pokemon the next turn, provided you can find a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] to attach.

Standard

Palkia-EX‘s Aqua Turbo is an interesting attack that’s nice to have in Standard, but doesn’t have too many uses at the moment. The main use of Palkia-EX could be with the new Mega Evolution, M Gyarados-EX, which I’ll talk about later in its own section. Other than that, Palkia-EX will have to wait for a partner like [card name=”Genesect-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”11″ c=”name”][/card] to release for a true spot in the metagame.

Expanded

As with many newly released cards, facing the daunting card pool that Expanded offers can be hard for weaker Pokemon, and Palkia-EX cannot stand up to stronger Water types like [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] and its Energy-accelerating partner, [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”16″ c=”name”][/card].

Golduck / Golduck BREAK

Golduck – Water – HP100
Stage 1 – Evolves from Psyduck

[W] Derail: 20 damage. Discard a Special Energy attached to your opponent’s Active Pokemon.

[W][C][C] Hydro Splash: 70 damage.

Weakness: Grass (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1

Golduck BREAK – Water – HP140
BREAK Evolution

Ability: Hyper Transfer
As often as you like during your turn (before your attack), you may move a Basic Energy from 1 of your Pokemon to another 1 of your Pokemon.

This Pokemon has the attacks, Abilities, Weakness, Resistance, and Retreat Cost of the Golduck it Break Evolved from.

Golduck certainly could have been a better card to BREAK Evolve from compared to a Pokemon like [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]. Derail is useful in a pinch against any decks utilizing high counts of Special Energy. Hydro Splash combined with a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] can take down a Water-weak Pokemon-EX. Obviously Golduck wouldn’t be worth talking about without its BREAK Evolution. Golduck BREAK gains an extra 40 HP and the Hyper Transfer Ability, letting it move around any basic Energy from one Pokemon to another.

Standard

Golduck BREAK is a step up from Pokemon such as [card name=”Aromatisse” set=”XY” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Hydreigon” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]. The ability to move around all types of basic Energy on the field opens up more doors for using different Pokemon in conjunction with the Energy-transferring Ability. Another thing that needs to be considered is the reprint of [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. The reintroduction of this card makes Pokemon with transfer-based Abilities much more potent. You can place a bulky attacker in the Active, have it take a chunk of damage, transfer its Energy to the Bench, then start it anew with Max Potion. Pairing Golduck with bulky, high HP Pokemon that require specific Energy costs makes the most sense, since Aromatisse is a better pair with Fairy types and any Pokemon that use Colorless Energy to attack such as [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] Y. My first thoughts come to high-HP Mega Pokemon-EX with massive damage outputs, but, with the need to set up a Stage 1 BREAK Pokemon and a Mega Evolution, if your opponent is able to Knock Out one piece of the strategy, the entire setup is sent straight back to start. Mega Evolutions have usually been unable to take advantage of a Energy-moving Pokemon due to the need to play a scarce four-count of [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”152″ c=”name”][/card] to activate Aromatisse’s Fairy Transfer Ability. If enough of these Energy were removed from play via Knock Outs the deck could no longer function.

My first idea of a pair for Golduck BREAK is [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”159″ c=”name”][/card] X, the lesser used of Mewtwo’s Mega Evolutions. Using [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Landorus” set=”Furious Fists” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card] as forms of acceleration to get the two Fighting, one Psychic, and one Colorless Energy needed for M Mewtwo-EX to attack shouldn’t be a challenge. The deck will take at least three turns to fully set up since Golduck BREAK is a technical Stage 2, so sitting behind the one-Prize Landorus should provide you with enough time to get multiple Energy onto the field. Since M Mewtwo-EX’s attack requires a Stadium for the 50-damage boost, playing [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] while using the Damage Change [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] is an extremely strong healing option. Being able to return all damage onto your opponent’s Active Pokemon, which could result in a KO, adds some more flexibility to the deck in terms of attacking. Once everything is set up M Mewtwo-EX should be hitting for 200 damage each turn, taking a hit, then using Mewtwo-EX’s Damage Swap to return any damage done to the opponent. The other option is to move all Energy to the Bench via Golduck BREAK, drop down a Max Potion to heal all the damage, move the Energy back to M Mewtwo-EX, and swing for another massive 200-damage attack, with your opponent still staring down a 230 HP threat. The main weakness this deck would face is Night March builds, specifically [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card]. This non-EX is able to OHKO your attacker and cause some serious problems in both Prize exchange and the need to set up another M Mewtwo-EX. In a metagame where Night March is sparse this deck is a serious contender. Decks like [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] that are unable to OHKO this mammoth EX will be faced with an uphill battle.

[cardimg name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Another Mega Evolution Pokemon that pairs well with Golduck BREAK is the forgotten [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], a card that has taken top spots at Regionals in the past. Ancient Traits seem to be taking the sideline in Standard at the moment, but this pairing could bring Primal Groudon-EX back into the scene. Primal Groudon-EX decks are built on [card name=”Korrina” set=”Furious Fists” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] as a strong setup engine, as well as Mega Turbo and basic attachments to get Energy into play. The last piece is wall Pokemon such as [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Robo Substitute” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. Although Wobbuffet may seem counter intuitive due to shutting off your own Hyper Transfer, once it’s out of the Active, Hyper Transfer can be used again. Shutting down the majority of your opponent’s Abilities means they will need to use their Supporter slot to draw cards and get some sort of setup, and will have trouble using disruptive Supporters to bring up [card name=”Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”85″ c=”name”][/card] that haven’t had the chance to Primal Revert yet. Finally, for the new element, a healthy line of Golduck BREAK alongside two-three copies of Max Potion needs to fit within the deck, making for a tight list. Tools that cannot be removed from Primal Groudon-EX due to Ω Barrier play a key role in the deck and should be included as well, such as [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] to guarantee the Primal EX will survive into the next turn. Primal Groudon-EX has already proven itself before, and the inclusion of Golduck BREAK is another option for the Primal Evolution to use. The deck can handle any threats once it sets up, but therein lies the main problem. Setting up takes time even without adding in the BREAK Evolution, and due to this will have a hard time versus quick decks like Night March and [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. The speed these decks produce can leave you with little time before all of your walls like Robo Substitute have been KO’d, requiring Primal Groudon-EX to come Active before it’s ready to attack. If someone is able to build a list that handles this problem well, Primal Groudon-EX / Golduck BREAK could become a top-tier threat in the metagame.

There is one more viable Mega Evolution to pair with, M Gyarados-EX, which I will talk about in its own section.

Expanded

The obvious and most probable partner for Golduck BREAK in Expanded is [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card], where on a flip drops three movable basic Energy onto the field. Ho-Oh-EX hasn’t been able to do too much in Expanded recently, but should see some play as a toolbox-based deck using Golduck BREAK instead of the one-time-use [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Black and White” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. The main way a toolbox deck wins is by using a mix of differently-typed Pokemon to hit for Weakness and generally strong attackers that deal damage for little Energy. Cards to include could be [card name=”Stunfisk” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Terrakion” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] as Revenge attackers to hit Pokemon like [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] for a OHKO; your own Yveltal-EX for an all-around attacker along with the ability to hit for Dark Weakness; a Safeguard Pokemon such as [card name=”Suicune” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Sigilyph” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] to provide some protection against EX heavy decks, forcing a [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] to be played; and finally, as there are multiple types in the deck, [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] can reach into the 150-180 damage range with Rainbow Force, taking out any big EX threats where Weakness isn’t a factor. The main problem for this deck is consistently getting the Golduck BREAK into play to move Energy around. The need to evolve twice leaves the Golduck BREAK’s pre-Evolutions vulnerable to [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] in the early turns. Another notable issue is any non-EX attackers like [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] that could cause some Prize exchange problems, since they can take a KO on Ho-Oh-EX any time they draw a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card]. The best way to get around these issues would be to fit in an [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] or two to match the Prize trade, taking two Prizes against their low-HP attackers or hitting for Weakness on other attackers such as [card name=”Flareon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]. The release of Golduck BREAK should bring Ho-Oh-EX back into higher tiers. This toolbox deck is a strong choice to counter a known metagame using Weakness and Energy manipulation to topple many of the top threats.

Max Potion

Standard

[cardimg name=”Aromatisse” set=”XY” no=”93″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

[card name=”Max Potion” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]’s reintroduction to Standard brings light to some previous decks that had trouble reaching the top tiers due to the lack of healing, such as [card name=”Aromatisse” set=”XY” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. The main use of Max Potion has been in Energy-moving decks to let a bulky attacker take a hit and heal all the damage off without removing Energy, or in decks that use Pokemon with low attacks costs like [card name=”Thundurus-EX” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Landorus-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card]. Cleaning these Pokemon of all damage increases the amount of turns the Pokemon has on the field, while any loss of Energy is minimal.

Without this crucial card Aromatisse builds were forced to innovate and use multiple copies of [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] to recreate the healing Max Potion provided, alongside Pokemon like [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and recently [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card]. A usual routine using AZ would be to have a high-HP Pokemon take a good chunk of damage from an opponent’s attack, move the Energy to a Benched Pokemon using Aromatisse’s Fairy Transfer, AZ to put the damaged Active into your hand, either retreat back into the same Pokemon by moving a Fairy Energy and retreating with [card name=”Fairy Garden” set=”XY” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card] or send up a new attacker better fit for that situation, then finally move the Energy back to the Active Pokemon ready to attack again with full HP.

However, the use of AZ left the deck without its Supporter slot on any turns it needed healing. In Giratina-EX’s case it needs another Dragon Pokemon to move [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] onto, while M Mewtwo-EX needs another [card name=”Mewtwo Spirit Link” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] — preferably attached to another [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] ready to Mega Evolve that turn — to keep up the pressure with Psychic Infinity. Max Potion sorts these problems out entirely. With the same basis of how AZ was used, Max Potion removes all damage from the Active after the Energy has been moved to the Bench. You both keep your Tool attached so you don’t have to find another Spirit Link or [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], and get to use your all-important Supporter for the turn. This lets you find crucial Energy attachments, another attacker to put into play, or [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] a Pokemon you need to damage or KO.

A 210 HP M Mewtwo-EX utilizing AZ was already hard enough to deal with for most decks. Adding Max Potion in place of AZ lets you keep the Mega Pokemon in play along with using another Supporter for your turn, meaning the deck’s set up is much smoother. [card name=”Xerneas” set=”XY” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] provides Energy acceleration along with thinning the deck early on in the game. Max Potion can be played as a full four-count so an attacker can be feasibly healed whenever you need it to. M Mewtwo-EX / Aromatisse will be incredibly hard to outpace. Opponents will need to use other tactics to take down a tank like M Mewtwo-EX, such as Weakness.

The obvious, recurring problem is going to be [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] using that oh so painful Weakness to Psychic I just mentioned. The best way to deal with this would be to play [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] to limit their damage output by removing Items from the equation on turn two, or even turn one if you open the Toad or opt to play [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]. Paired with Max Potion, a single Seismitoad-EX can survive multiple attacks by Night Marchers since they should be unable to get the full nine Night March Pokemon in the discard. You are able to move any Energy off the Toad using Aromatisse’s Fairy Transfer and heal. Through multiple turns of Quaking Punch the Prize lead should be in your favor due to your opponent struggling to find their own Double Colorless Energy. [card name=”Aegislash-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”65″ c=”name”][/card] could also be a nice one-off to have, forcing a [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] from the Night March player to remove Mighty Shield so they can attack using Double Colorless Energy.

As previously mentioned, Max Potion fits in any Golduck BREAK decks that arise in the new format. As for other decks not based around Energy transfer, Yveltal-EX could make use of the reprinted Item, being able to Y Cyclone their Double Colorless Energy onto a Benched Pokemon and leaving a single Darkness Energy on the Active. Upon surviving the next turn, Max Potion would make Yveltal-EX usable again on later turns with little setback, since another Benched Pokemon received an Energy from Y Cyclone the previous turn. M Manectric-EX pairs well with one or two Max Potion to heal all damage from a Pokemon, discard its basic Energy, and reattach them with Turbo Bolt on the same turn. It’s amazing that a single card can both bring back old archetypes and have an all around use in many other decks as well. So, for me, Max Potion is a welcome return in the Standard format.

Top Picks from Rage of the Broken Sky

Even though the BREAK-based names are fun, I wish we could get a set with such an intense name like Rage of the Broken Sky. This set makes up the majority of BREAKpoint and includes a couple of cards that will have a huge impact once they’re released.

[premium]

Fighting Fury Belt

Let’s start with one of the strongest Tool cards to release in the past several years, Fighting Fury Belt! This is an intriguing card that mixes [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]’s extra damage with [card name=”Hard Charm” set=”XY” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card]’s added sturdiness, with the drawback that the Tool must be attached to a Basic, meaning no one has to endure a 280 HP [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card]. A 290 HP [card name=”Wailord-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] might pop up from time to time though.

Standard

[cardimg name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ align=”left” c=”custom”]100 HP? You must be joking![/cardimg]

The amount of uses for this Tool card in Standard mirrors that of [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]. Giving up an extra 10 damage can have an effect over the course of a game; however, gaining 40 extra HP means that Basics such as [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] jump into EX-status HP, either forcing more resources from the opponent to hit a KO or let the Pokemon survive for extra turns. I’m amazed this card didn’t end up with an EX clause either, but now Basic Pokemon-EX can reach HP of Mega Evolutions and higher. Staring down a 210 HP [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] that still has a 10 damage boost, or a 220 HP [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] that matches even its own Mega Evolution will shift the format entirely. Another deck that comes to mind is Night March, a deck forced to use the low-HP [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card]. Boosting Joltik’s 30 HP up to 70 puts it out of range of [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card]’s Oblivion Wing even with its own [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], meaning Yveltal is no longer a fool-proof counter to the archetype. Even a [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card]’s Quaking Punch needs an extra 40 damage to OHKO a Joltik with Fighting Fury Belt attached, and a Pumpkaboo with Fighting Fury Belt will have to be 2HKO’d, increasing the longevity of Pokemon that are expected to be OHKO’d every turn.

This card prompts the need for counters, and the best card in Standard would either be [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card]. The removal of a Fighting Fury Belt acts to level the playing field or give you a HP-and-attack advantage if your opponent is unable to remove the Tool off of your Basic Pokemon. Getting rid of multiple copies over the course of a game could prove hard however as it would require multiple Startling Megaphone or the use of [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] to retrieve Xerosic. At some point the opposing player will be unable to remove the Tool, meaning a deck with multiple copies of Fighting Fury Belt would be able to use the Tool’s effect at some point in the game. Something interesting to note is that, for example if a Seismitoad-EX with a Fighting Fury Belt had 180 damage on it, removing the Tool would Knock Out the Seismitoad-EX and award you Prize cards.

Expanded

Fighting Fury Belt will help Night March gain some more traction. Just like Standard, [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] gain a +40 HP boost, but the main element is raising [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”RC24″ c=”name”][/card]’s HP up to 160. Mew-EX now has a chance to survive for longer and earn its EX status within the deck. [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] builds could also opt to use Fighting Fury Belt over [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]; [card name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] offers some nice compensation for the 10-damage loss. [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”16″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”custom”]Archie’s[/card] could swap their one-off [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] to a Fighting Fury Belt and increase its likelihood of surviving going into your next turn. Upping a [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]’s HP to 210 would be beneficial, but it would depend on its partner. Since Giratina-EX is usually paired with [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card], while boosting its HP up to 220 is great, only doing 40 damage with Quaking Punch would result in a 5HKO on 170-and-above HP EXs without any input from Hypnotoxic Laser. Letting an opposing Pokemon survive for an extra turn is huge for disruption builds, so Muscle Band may still be the way to go in these decks. However, all is not lost for the Toad and this new Tool. [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] already uses multiple damage modifiers, so an increase in HP would be greatly welcomed when Crobat and Hypnotoxic Laser more than make up for the 10 damage lost each turn.

I’m certain Fighting Fury Belt will impact massively on both formats and shake up how we use and view Tool cards, plus help out Basic Pokemon to match what seems to be an ever-increasing upper bound of HP.

Gyarados-EX / M Gyarados-EX

Gyarados-EX – Water – HP180
Basic Pokemon

[C] Wet Weather: Flip a coin until you get tails. For each heads, search for your deck for a [W] Energy card and attach it to this Pokemon. Shuffle your deck afterwards.

[W][W][C][C] Splash Bang: 130 damage. Does 10 damage to each of your Benched Pokemon.

When a Pokemon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.

Weakness: Lightning (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 4

M Gyarados-EX – Water – HP240
Mega Evolution – Evolves from Gyarados-EX

When 1 of your Pokemon becomes a Mega Evolution, your turn ends.

[C][C][C][C] Blast Geyser: 120+ damage. You may have this attack do 20 more damage times the number of [W] Energy attached to this Pokemon. If you do, discard the top 2 cards from your deck.

When a Pokemon-EX has been Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.

Weakness: Lightning (x2)

Resistance: none
Retreat: 2

Starting off with Gyarados-EX, this pre-Evolution is just about a step up from [card name=”Tyranitar-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card]. A Weakness to Lightning makes for some challenges against popular Lightning types like [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card], but does mean that [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] will need 16 Pokemon in the discard to get a OHKO, which can take some time. A four Retreat Cost will cause problems, while it’s attacks don’t help too much either. Relying on a flip, let alone consecutive heads, isn’t a solid strategy, but in a pinch Stormy Seas could get a crucial Energy for the next turn or, if there’s nothing else to do, it’s worth a try. Splash Burn is unimpressive, needing two Water and two Colorless Energy to hit for 130 damage, with the drawback of dealing 10 damage to each of your own Benched Pokemon.

Luckily for Gyarados-EX, it was gifted with a Mega Evolution with much more promise. The massive Blast Geyser attack has no damage cap. As long as M Gyarados-EX is fully powered already, it’s easy to attach that fifth or sixth Water Energy to hit for a big 220 / 240 OHKO.

Standard

M Gyarados-EX is the final Mega Evolution Pokemon I can see in Standard pairing with Golduck BREAK and [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] to create a massive 240 HP force to be reckoned with, dealing out 200+ damage each turn with the ability to move all Energy to the Bench and heal off all damage before attacking again. [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] could also be included to slowly heal any Benched M Gyarados-EX over time. The main Energy acceleration would have to be [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], but another option is the newly released Palkia-EX. Its Aqua Turbo attack can be used on turn two to get at least four Energy into play for next turn, while Golduck slowly sets up into its BREAK Evolution to move the Energy around. This would require Palkia-EX to be attached to twice and retreated into if it wasn’t Active, which could be hard to achieve while trying to set up both Golduck BREAK and M Gyarados-EX. The deck can easily slide in other Water types, such as Manaphy-EX could remove the need for [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Switch” set=”Kalos Starter Set” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card], or non-EXs like [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] to help against low-HP Night March Pokemon or pre-Evolutions like [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card]. The new Suicune from BREAKpoint is a solid non-EX attacker that deals 110 for three Water Energy, or [card name=”Regice” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] could be used to block EX attacks and force a “gust” effect to do any damage. The main problem with this build would be dealing with [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card], where the former hits for a OHKO if M Gyarados EX has a Tool attached. It would be problematic to stream M Gyarados-EX without being KO’d every turn by a Manectric-EX. The main way I see to combat this is using Palkia-EX so Manectric decks would be unable to hit for a OHKO without any help from Bats. Pearl Hurricane delivers a 2HKO on Manectric-EX and sets up an opposing Benched Pokemon for a KO later on in the game. Even with this help, the inability to use your Mega Evolution as a main attacker makes the Manectric-EX matchup negative.

Overall I believe the pairing of M Gyarados-EX and Golduck BREAK will find its way into the higher tiers of the Standard format. The deck is able to set up in around two or three turns and, with the use of Hyper Transfer and Max Potion, it can take big hits just to heal the damage next turn and Blast Geyser for a KO. Beating this build would be hard without the use of Lightning Weakness. Most decks would need to hit KOs on Golduck BREAK or take out Gyarados-EX before it Mega Evolves. Speed-based decks like Night March can achieve this feat, but once a M Gyarados-EX hits the field alongside a Golduck BREAK, trying to find a way around constant healing and massive damage will be daunting.

Expanded

I’m not sure if this Mega Evolution can keep up with the immense speed of Expanded as its own build, but I could see it as a tech in [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”16″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”custom”]Archie’s[/card] to put into play via the Archie’s combo. M Gyarados-EX has the potential to reach 10 more damage than a seven-Energy Keldeo-EX for just four. Another benefit is its massive 240 HP. Most decks will be unable to deliver a OHKO on M Gyarados-EX, even in the Expanded format. The Water-type Mega Evolution also has a different Weakness compared to the usual Grass, meaning [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] builds are forced to [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] around the Active to KO a Pokemon on the Bench. Finally, a niche use of M Gyarados-EX would be against [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. Since it’s unlikely the opponent will remove a clean M Gyarados-EX after it attacks, playing a Hex Maniac would not cause any issues on your next turn as M Gyarados-EX still has Energy on it from the previous turn.

The main limiting factor would be getting this Pokemon into play. Using a second Archie’s Ace in the Hole isn’t going to happen every game, and having another unplayable card in the deck does reduce the chance of hitting the all-important turn one Blastoise. I still think this tech is worth a try though as, if you’re able to get this monster into play, your opponent will find it very hard to deal with compared to the traditional Keldeo-EX.

Greninja / Greninja BREAK

Greninja – Water – HP130
Stage 2 – Evolves from Frogadier

[C] Shadow Slip: 40 damage. Until the end of your opponent’s next turn, each Pokemon he or she has in play, in his or her hand, and in his or her discard pile has no Abilities (including Pokemon newly brought into play).

[W] Gekko Slash: 60+ damage. You may choose 1 [W] Energy attached to this Pokemon and return it to your hand. If you do, this attack does 20 more damage.

Weakness: Grass (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 0

Greninja BREAK – Water – HP170
BREAK Evolution – Evolves from Greninja

Greninja BREAK retains the attacks, Abilities, Weakness, Resistance, and Retreat Cost of its previous Evolution.

Ability: Giant Water Shuriken
Once during your turn (before your attack), if this Pokemon is your Active Pokemon, you may discard a [W] Energy from your hand. Then, put 6 damage counters on 1 of your opponent’s Pokemon.

Looking at another BREAK and its pre-Evolution of this set, Greninja has a usual 130 HP, Grass Weakness, and a friendly free retreat. Shadow Slip provides an effect not seen often on an attack, Ability lock. and it only affects your opponent’s Pokemon in play. Gekko Slash pairs well with Greninja’s BREAK Evolution by putting an Energy back into your hand for use with Giant Water Shuriken. Giant Water Shuriken can be activated as long as Greninja BREAK is in the Active, and if you can offer up a Water Energy to the discard you can place six damage counters on an opposing Pokemon of your choice. Pair this with [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”set”][/card] and another Water Energy and you can place a total of nine damage counters on any of the opposing Pokemon! Even without using the XY Greninja, six damage counters lands a KO on popular Pokemon like [card name=”Zorua” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Bronzor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] without using a single attack. Other interesting cards to note are the Promo [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY24″ c=”name”][/card] with a protecting Ability and a different Weakness; and the pre-Evolution Frogadier releasing in BREAKpoint which has the Water Duplicates attack, letting you fill your Bench with three other Frogadier ready to evolve into Greninja on the next turn.

Standard

I’ve seen a ton of hype for this card. Greninja archetypes have seen mild success with pairings such as [card name=”Kingdra” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card], but adding the BREAK into the mix alongside another strong iteration of Greninja could let this Evolution deck shine. There are a plethora of ways to get a Greninja and its BREAK into play. [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card], and the new Frogadier are all viable options. Frogadier seems to be the most consistent, getting out all four of the Stage 1 with its Water Duplicates attack to then evolve the next turn, however, the Evolution line would be strange. Counts of 2 / 3 Froakie – 4 Frogadier – 4 Greninja – 2 / 3 Greninja BREAK first come to mind so you have a consistent turn two attack with Frogadier while also having [card name=”Froakie” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY03″ c=”name”][/card] as a backup option to [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] into Greninja, or just manually evolving up to Greninja BREAK. This would give you the option to play more than four Greninja throughout a game with [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Sacred Ash” set=”Flashfire” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card], as you should have one or two spare Froakie on the Bench along with the Frogadier put into play via Water Duplicates. For Greninja itself, a mix of the XY [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], for its ability to maximize the amount of damage you can do via the different Water Shuriken Abilities; and the BREAKpoint Greninja, to have access to an Ability-locking attack along with a strong 80-damage option for a single Energy would make the most sense. Once you have this set up around turn three or four, you need to keep a steady flow of Water Energy for both the two Abilities and Greninja’s attacks, which would require a high 10+ count of Energy alongside [card name=”Energy Retrieval” set=”Primal Clash” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card], and even an [card name=”Energy Recycler” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] to put pressure on your opponent each turn with Greninja and its BREAK’s Abilities.

The main problem I see with this deck is its overall speed. If it takes three-four turns to get properly set up, decks like [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] have already begun to evolve and take multiple Prizes on whatever is Active at the time or have used [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] on Pokemon you’re trying to keep in play, removing parts of your setup as early as turn two. If you can’t take Prizes due to your lack of board position the deck will be unable to keep up and fall into a disadvantageous position. If you’re able to stabilize after the quick onslaught of attacks from this kind of deck, however, your two Water Shuriken Abilities can apply massive pressure. The Abilities themselves can take out Pokemon like Vespiquen, or even both a [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] with Water Shuriken and then a [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] with Giant Water Shuriken and take two Prizes off of their low-HP Pokemon before you even attack.

This deck should see some play in Standard. The combination of Shuriken Abilities and single-prize Pokemon requires the opponent to outpace the deck’s setup or end up waylaid by a constant stream of damage placed anywhere on the field. With the right list that can deal with the negative matchups against speed-based decks, we could see a Stage 2 deck finally reach the top tiers again.

Expanded

Stage 2 Evolutions in Expanded are few and far between, usually limited to [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] combos or techs like [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] in [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] builds. A fully-fledged Stage 2 build cannot deal with the speed of Expanded, or a [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] blocking their use of [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card], search cards like [card name=”Dive Ball” set=”Primal Clash” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], and other Items that fuel the deck throughout a game. Using Archie’s Ace in the Hole to get a Greninja into play doesn’t fit into any Expanded decks at the moment, since the main Water-type build is [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”16″ c=”name”][/card], which doesn’t need a Pokemon like Greninja BREAK on its field.

Delinquent

Delinquent – Trainer
Supporter

Discard a Stadium card in play. If you do, your opponent chooses 3 cards from his or her hand and discards them.

You may play only 1 Supporter card during your turn (before your attack).

To finish off BREAKpoint, it’s time to prepare for some serious disruption. Delinquent starts off by discarding any Stadium in play to then activate an offense on the opponent’s hand, discarding three cards of your opponent’s choice. The most obviously compatible combination is [card name=”Red Card” set=”XY” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] to lower your opponent’s hand to four, then to one with Delinquent. After this, either [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card]’s Quaking Punch could be used to further hinder your opponent’s setup, or another option floating around is using [card name=”Zorua” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card]’s Whiny Voice attack to discard the final card in your opponent’s hand and put them straight into top-deck mode.

[cardimg name=”Power Spray” set=”Platinum” no=”117″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Could Delinquent be as disruptive as Power Spray was?[/cardimg]

Standard

The amount of disruption this card provides almost matches the power of a late-game [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], which decides countless games in Expanded and past formats as well. Playing Delinquent when your opponent has a mediocre hand size is devastating, and also acts as a Stadium removal to get rid of pesky [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Team Aqua’s Secret Base” set=”Double Crisis” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] that are in play. This card may become the next [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] or even [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] that sees play as a one-off in multiple decks that can be found at any point via [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card].

A hand of three is too risky and could be hit by a Delinquent to make you play the odds the next turn. I can’t imagine the amount of times my hand size has been three and below during my opponent’s turn, and for a single Supporter to instantly put you into a dead-draw scenario could even be called broken. A whole deck could be built around the card as well, using the previously mentioned strategy of [card name=”Red Card” set=”XY” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] to lower the opponent’s hand size to four, then Delinquent them down to a single card before using a disruptive attack to put them straight into top-deck mode. This deck would need a full-blown speed engine to work, though. [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], and other Item-based draw will be needed to find the key Stadium as soon as possible so Delinquent can be played in early turns. Opponents will find it hard to stabilize early on after a deadly turn one from a deck such as this. Another scary aspect is that [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] will receive a “reprint” with the same Garbotoxin Ability in BREAKpoint. A 2-2 line alongside [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] could be used to shut off Abilities like [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]’s Abyssal Hand, removing another option for the opponent to try and draw out of the situation.

Opposing decks will have to constantly stay aware of their hand size, maybe even include counters to the frightening Supporter. An obvious counter is a slim line of Octillery so that, after a Delinquent, as long as there isn’t any Ability lock, you can safely draw four-five cards and get back into the game, albeit with three cards forced in the discard. Another option is [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”name”][/card]. If you’re able to get multiple into play, these can reduce the impact of a Delinquent by letting you draw one or more cards after your top-deck, giving you more shots at fetching a Supporter or draw card. Since the new Garbodor reprint could be paired with Delinquent to shut off both of these options, another idea to get past the disruption is a Pokemon with an attack that draws cards, such as [card name=”Kangaskhan-EX” set=”Flashfire” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card]. A tech Kangaskhan-EX should get you out of a dead draw situation quickly and reduce the impact of deadly Delinquent play. The attack cost being Colorless makes this Pokemon splashable into any deck playing a good count of Energy.

Delinquent will have a massive effect on the format. Decks already at the top of the metagame can easily fit a single copy of this card to destroy an opponent’s hand at any given moment and give them the momentum to win the game.

Expanded

The same strengths in Standard apply for Expanded as well, except it can be pulled off quicker with cards like [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card].

That does it for my peek into BREAKthrough. There are definitely more cards that have potential to affect the format such as Puzzle of Time and Max Elixer. This new set will really shake up the format once it’s released.

The European Challenge Cup (ECC) – Format: XY-BRK, Date: 2/20/16-2/21/2016

The Tournament

As I mentioned at the start, the ECC is a European event taking place in Arnhem, Netherlands, attracting over 400 people to play for Nationals-level points and to show they are the best player in Europe. Using the point structure I outlined in my previous article, a player who obtains a top placement in this tournament will undoubtedly have an advantage when aiming for the top 22 rankings and the elusive Day Two invite, Flights, and Hotel at the World Championships in San Francisco.

Due to timing problems last year, and being unjustifiable in past years, I have been unable to attend any ECC events in the 3+ years I have been playing. However, this time around I finally have the opportunity to attend the tournament and can’t wait!

The Metagame

The first thing to think about for a tournament this size is the metagame. The format is Standard, meaning past Regionals throughout Europe and recent City Championships from all around the world are the best way to determine an overall metagame for the ECC. Since the tournament could reach 400+ players, something you have to realize is that, regardless of how much you try to find the “best play” for the day, a dozen or more players will more than likely have a deck with a positive matchup against yours. Luck will always be a factor for getting through a huge tournament like this. However, looking at overall trends and what’s popular lets you choose the correct deck and add certain techs to deal with the field, making negative matchups closer along with maximizing the chance that each round you play is a favourable matchup.

[cardimg name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Looking at the overall results from Cities so far, it is obvious that two decks are taking the format by storm: Night March and [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] builds. Then comes three other decks which are the tier two of the format, [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card], and — what I think is the strongest of these three — [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Charizard-EX” set=”Flashfire” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]. These are the main decks to prepare for and that will most likely make up the majority of the field at the ECC, each having shown they can consistently place highly at City Championships throughout the world. Looking at European Regionals since BREAKthrough was legal show a similar story; however, [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] builds took home the most first place finishes, with a sprinkling of [card name=”Tyrantrum-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY70″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] also finishing highly. This should definitely have a slight impact on the amount of Manectric-EX / Crobat decks showing up at the ECC. A playable matchup with this deck is certainly a good idea when deciding on your deck. The lower key decks to watch out for from both Cities and Regionals are [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] and Tyrantrum-EX / Giratina-EX / Bronzong, so knowing how to play against these would also be beneficial.

The Decks

Right now I believe two decks stand the best chance in this expected metagame. One is the most well-rounded deck with many techs and different options against the popular decks in Standard, while the other is a riskier option that could thrive if it faces the right matchups.

Yveltal / Zoroark / Gallade

I whole-heartedly believe this is the best deck in Standard right now. The amount of options at your disposal against the top decks is incredible, with a wide range of different Pokemon that each possess strong attacks, different options to employ each game, and usually a different Weakness. The engine it runs, based around speedy cards like [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], provides consistency that very rarely hands you a unplayable hand throughout the game — even [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card]’s Premonition gives you a strong chance at drawing more cards on your next turn. The Supporter line, although it may look bizarre, consists of several tech Supporters like [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] that may not be used in every match, but a single use of one pushes you into a favourable position against your opponent, warranting their inclusion. Here is the list I have been using recently:

[decklist name=”Yveltal / Zoroark / Gallde” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″][pokemon amt=”13″]3x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Zorua” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]2x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”133″ 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=”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=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”138″ 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=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/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=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/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=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

The only change I made to my Regionals list was removing the second [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] for a [card name=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. Getting two Gallade out in a game usually means you have already got a strong enough board position to be in the winning seat. While this does increase the chance of prizing a Gallade to 10% and reduces the average amount of [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] pulled off in a tournament, this downside is only minimal. And since the deck can take Prizes quickly, there is a good shot of getting Gallade from the Prizes, and, along with some simple planning, could even be put into play the next turn.

Last time I talked about this archetype, I explained why I didn’t play the Zoroark BREAK. I didn’t think of it as a bad card, but it needs to be played in the right metagame. Through testing I found that the BREAK Evolution could be used in conjunction with some strong plays to help against a tricky matchup: [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Charizard-EX” set=”Flashfire” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]. For a single Darkness, Zoroark BREAK can copy Entei’s Heat Tackle for a KO since the BREAK doesn’t require any Special Energy to attack. This can wipe a clean Entei off the board out of nowhere and put pressure on the opponent to KO the non-EXs of the deck. Another useful scenario for the BREAK Pokemon is when you’re facing a Charizard-EX. Usually Charizard-EX can easily get two Fire Energy via [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card], attach a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card], then take a OHKO on an [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] with Combustion Blast and Muscle Band. Retaliating to this would require another Yveltal-EX with an Energy already attached, along with finding a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] and another one / two Energy depending on what Energy is already attached to Yveltal-EX. This is both hard to set up and requires multiple other cards to get a OHKO on the Charizard-EX so you can keep up to the pace of the opposing deck.

This is where Zoroark BREAK comes in. After your Yveltal-EX has been KO’d you can attach a single Darkness Energy and Muscle Band to your Zoroark, BREAK Evolve, [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] for [card name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card], and copy Combustion Blast for 190, KO’ing Charizard-EX. This puts insane pressure on the opposing player. They need multiple resources to return a KO on the Zoroark BREAK staring them down. In testing, this combo has helped me win games where I would normally be unable to keep up with the speed that Entei / Charizard-EX sets up. In a recent League Challenge I won where I was testing the Zoroark BREAK, the card itself won multiple games against [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Copying Chaos Wheel, Quaking Punch, and even Grenade Hammer for a single Darkness Energy with a 140 HP non-EX was too much for their disruptive deck to cope with.

Another tech I haven’t included but is on my mind is [card name=”Ditto” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY40″ c=”name”][/card]. This promo hasn’t had much use, but can help combat the increase in [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] all over U.K. Cities at the moment. Ditto can copy M Mewtwo-EX’s Psychic Infinity attack to abuse the amount of Energy attached to the Mega Evolution. For example, imagine a common situation where a clean M Mewtwo-EX has four Energy attached. A Ditto can be set up in a single turn with Double Colorless Energy plus Muscle Band, then copy Psychic Infinity and return a KO while only yielding a single Prize in return. Also, you just OHKO’d a 210 HP monster with a promo Ditto! This card is definitely meta-dependant but can push the M Mewtwo-EX matchup into the 50-50 zone. There are other uses for Ditto as well, such as copying Gallade’s Sensitive Blade or [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card]’s Circle Circuit. The Zoroark BREAK may have to be cut to fit this card in. Just make sure your metagame has very little Entei if you opt to make this change.

M Manectric-EX

This is something I’ve had in the back of my mind ever since Jimmy Pendarvis wrote an article including an intriguing list that he used to great success. Here is my take on it: (Missing one card)

[decklist name=”M Manectric-EX” amt=”59″ caption=”Open spots: 1″ cname=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″][pokemon amt=”12″]4x [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Glalie-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”34″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ 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=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Manectric Spirit Link” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”Kalos Starter Set” no=”38″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor’s Letter” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”146″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]5x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”Black and White” no=”108″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card]4x [card name=”Flash Energy” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”83″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”117″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

[cardimg name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

As you can see I’ve left a single slot open for a card I’m not sure about yet. A single [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] both work, either against Special Energy to slow down the opponent for a turn, or to boost [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card]’s damage output while increasing opposing Pokemon-EXs attacks by one Colorless Energy respectively. An extra Water Energy as another Energy out, and to decrease the odds of prizing issues; or another tech Supporter like [card name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”XY” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card], all seem to have a benefit.

In comparison to Jimmy’s list, the main change I made was adding a [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card]. This card sets up your entire field with a single [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] and, since the deck runs [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], Hoopa-EX can be removed from play later if needed. One of the best parts about this list is the inclusion of four [card name=”Flash Energy” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card]. You can keep a constant stream of Manectric going against the main Fighting-type threat, [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card], and will, at some point. force the opponent to 2HKO your [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card].

Conclusion

Well, that’s it for me this time. I hope you enjoyed my look into BREAKpoint and are somewhat excited — or concerned if we’re talking about Delinquent — for the next set to be released. We will also receive the Generations set at the end of February, containing over 110 new cards! I wonder how much of a difference the set will make to the upcoming format. Only time will tell.

If you enjoyed the article, please be sure to leave a like or comment! For those of you reading from the U.S., good luck at your upcoming Winter Regionals! Us European players still have the remainder of our Cities season left ahead of us. If you’re still not sure of which deck to play or how to tweak your list, feel free to ask for help in the Subscriber’s Secret Hideout forum! The other writers and I are more than willing to give you deck advice or discuss the metagame in there, so don’t be shy. You want to get the most out of that premium subscription, don’t you? It’s more than just our premium article content, so take advantage of it!

See you next time, and may the Force be with you! (Being a Slowpoke I only saw the new Star Wars movie last week. It really gets you all hyped up for the new episodes!)

– Ryan Moorhouse

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