Top 10 Tech Cards for States and a Look at Reshiram / Giratina-EX
Hello once again PokeBeach readers! I hope you have had an excellent first few weekends of States. Things are once again extremely busy for me around here. I’m playing multiple concerts every week in cities around the midwest. I’ve spent a lot of time on the road, and that won’t be changing with Regionals coming up. I am excited to say that I will be spending two months this summer in Colorado performing in a music festival! This is a major opportunity for me, and though I will have to miss out on U.S. Nationals, I’m hoping to secure my invite well before then.
[cardimg name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Turboblaze for what??[/cardimg]
Currently I’m sitting at 280 points which I feel fine about. All I need now are a couple of LC finishes to cap the invite. I was lucky enough to attend two Winter Regionals: Virginia and St. Louis. I had an absolute blast at the events, where I finished 5-2-2 and 6-1-2 respectively. In both tournaments, I went down to the wire, and entered the last round with a 5-1-2 record. Win the round, and I had potential to make top cut. Lose, and my day was over. In Virginia, I lost to a [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] mirror match on some tough luck and a few crucial coin flips that didn’t go my way. In the win-and-in round at St. Louis, I beat an [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] (YGZ) with my Night March in one of the closest and best played games I’ve had this season. However, even though I did the winning, I didn’t do much of the “in-ing” as I bubbled at 34th seed. This was a huge bummer as my loss and ties were to three players who did make it on to the next day. Unfortunately, that was just how it went for me, and I graciously accepted my 15 kicker points from both the tournaments.
This last weekend I turned my attention to States. I wasn’t able to make week one States in Michigan, though I felt I had a pretty solid grasp on the metagame as I was in discussion with many of the top finishers on the weekend. Andrew Mahone piloted a Night March list that probably would’ve been my top choice for the weekend to a 6-1 record through Swiss and the top overall seed in Michigan. Andrew Wamboldt, another of my closest conspirators, played [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] and took home the 1st-place finish in Missouri. They were well in tune with what others around the country were thinking as Night March took seven State Championships while Vespiquen / Vileplume took two. Shoutouts to them for playing well in the first weekend and finding decks that handled the metagame.
In week two, I attended the Tennessee State Championship where I played an unusual [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] deck to a Top 8 finish! This deck will be the focus of the latter half of this article. A few new cards from BREAKpoint and Generations have turned this deck into a serious contender in our current metagame, sporting some solid matchups against the high-tier decks. It was such a brilliant deck and I hope I can convince you of its viability.
But first, I want to take the first part of this article to go over a few cards you can include in your decks to counter some of the major threats in the metagame. I wholly believe Night March and Vespiquen / Vileplume to be the two best decks in the format, with Night March having a slight edge due to the deck’s lax attitude about going first or second as well as its efficiency in setting up just about every game. With these two archetypes in mind, I will discuss techs you can include in your decks to swing one or both of these matchups. At the very least, I want to give you a fresh perspective on what seems like a stale format.
Top 10 Tech Cards in the Standard Format
10. Jolteon-EX
Jolteon-EX was just released in the mini-set, Generations. Its second attack, “Flash Ray,” does 70 damage and states “during your opponent’s next turn, prevent all damage done to this Pokemon by attacks from Basic Pokemon.” This is an incredibly strong effect, especially against the most winningest deck from week one: Night March.
So, why didn’t Jolteon-EX see play during week one of States? Consider first the cost of the card. Because of the low supply, this Eeveelution is hovering at about $30 on eBay. One of the more beloved Generation One Pokemon with a usable attack means it holds value to both collectors and competitive players. Its high cost may have deterred players from spending money to purchase it when there hadn’t been results from a tournament in the current XY-Generations format.
The second reason this card may not have been played is that there are inherent counters in established decks that counter this counter. Decks like Night March can out-speed it, or simply [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] around it to take most of their Prizes. If they play [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card], there’s nothing stopping them from taking six Prizes on Pokemon that aren’t Jolteon-EX.
For these two reasons, Jolteon-EX didn’t see much play week one. Week two, we saw it as a tech in [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]. Will that change Jolteon-EX’s presence in the upcoming weeks?
9. Fighting Fury Belt
[card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] is a fantastic card for so many reasons. Not only does it increase the damage output of the Basic Pokemon it is attached to, but it also gives that Pokemon a greater chance of survival. This card could make its way into a lot of different decks and has seen play in Night March and Darkness-based decks. An EX with 220 HP? A Night Marcher with 100 HP? These numbers are ridiculous, and the damage boost is pretty nice as well. Is the additional 40 HP and extra 10 damage enough to warrant inclusion in your next States deck?
8. Yveltal (Fright Night)
One card I would like to see featured in more deck lists is [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] because of it’s Ability — Fright Night. This can be especially bothersome for a deck like [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] which relies on [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]s to maneuver the Pokemon that don’t posses free retreat, notably Vileplume. You can use Yveltal in a Dark-based deck to stick the opponent’s Vileplume in the Active. To pull this off, you would need to have an Yveltal Active with a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] in hand. Assuming they have a Vileplume on the field with a Float Stone, you can use Lysandre to bring it up and lock it Active. The opponent will be unable to retreat without manually attaching two [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card], and from there you should be able to KO two more of their attackers to discard all four of their DCE.
[cardimg name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Scared of me yet?[/cardimg]
Yveltal is a solid attacker as well. It can singlehandedly take four Prizes in two turns by KO’ing two [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card]. The major downfall of Yveltal as an attacker is that it takes two Energy to power up and cannot benefit from Tools such as [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], but that shouldn’t stop you from considering this Pokemon for your next tournament.
7. Silent Lab
[card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] is one of those cards that I personally have mixed emotions about playing. On one hand, it can be an incredibly powerful card that stops opponents dead in their tracks. On the other hand, with great power comes great responsibility. Playing Silent Lab down also shuts off your own draw from [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card].
If you are looking for a card that could counter both [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] and Night March, this might be the one. Both Vespiquen / Vileplume and Night March rely heavily on Shaymin-EX to set up their board position. This weakness in their decks can be exploited if you are able to get a Silent Lab in play turn one. Vespiquen / Vileplume and some Night March lists that incorporate Vespiquen play [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”name”][/card], which Silent Lab also disrupts. Now, it is possible for both Vespiquen / Vileplume and Night March to play a Stadium in response to your Silent Lab, but that is not always the case. Additionally, Silent Lab is powerful in the late game, when Night March can afford to drop multiple Shaymin to take their last Prize or two.
Of course, all this theory goes out the window if you happen to go second, but unfortunately that’s where the Pokemon TCG is at the moment. Consider Silent Lab as a possible option for your tech slots this weekend.
6. Bursting Balloon
[card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] is another extremely interesting, newly released card. One reason I like Bursting Balloon is it makes your opponent think twice about attacking you. If they do decide to attack, they will take heavy damage. If they don’t decide to attack, you gain an extra turn. Either one is a major benefit.
This card works best in [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]-based decks where the opponent under Item lock doesn’t have as many outs to a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] to bypass the Bursting Balloon. Even still, many decks are only running one Lysandre, so having access to it every turn can be difficult.
Bursting Balloon is one of the more obvious counters to Night March, and I believe the card creators made it with that archetype in mind. 60 damage is just enough to KO [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card]. Though it is difficult to fit into a list with how tight on space every deck is, including two or three Balloons can buy you the extra turn or two you need to win the game against Night March. I’ve even considered fitting Burst Balloon into Night March to gain an edge in the mirror match. Here is what my current Night March / Balloons deck list looks like.
[decklist name=”Night March” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″][pokemon amt=”15″]4x [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Lampent” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”42″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”41″]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=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”160″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ 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=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ 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=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Kalos Starter Set” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Town Map” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
5. Pokemon Catcher
I love [card name=”Pokemon Catcher” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card]. Seriously, I love this card! Its effect is one of the most powerful in the game, and you don’t even have to waste your Supporter to do it! If I could, I would fit Pokemon Catcher into every list that I could, but sadly it works best in the lowest maintenance decks that have extra room for tech slots, i.e. Night March! Andrew Mahone has been one of the biggest advocates for Pokemon Catcher in Night March and we can attest to its brilliance.
What makes Pokemon Catcher such a fantastic card is the opportunity to attack Active any of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon. [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] is such a strong card because it is an automatic gusting option — you can choose to bring Active your opponent’s support Pokemon or the main attacker that they are trying to protect on the Bench.
Right now, most decks need to continually replenish resources to keep momentum going. Few can rely on what’s on their board to sustain pressure on the opponent. Most players center their lists around the best draw card in the Standard format, [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], to keep their decks moving. If one has to use Sycamore nearly every turn to find new cards, they cannot play Supporters such as Lysandre on the same turn. Pokemon Catcher helps speed decks up by granting them the benefits of playing a Supporter as well as bringing up any threat of their choosing. Pokemon Catcher is so good, it just might wiggle its way into more decks this week!
4. Hex Maniac
[card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] is such a strong card right now. Let’s list the major Pokemon with Abilities in our current metagame: [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Bronzong” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY21″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Hydreigon-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] just to name a few. Hex Maniac gives your deck the versatility to work around all of these troublesome Abilities.
Even though one Hex Maniac is a staple in most decks, I have contemplated adding a second Hex Maniac to many of my decks to improve the Greninja matchup. With Greninja doing well across the country in week one and two, don’t be surprised to see more Hex out there.
3. Delinquent
[card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] is one of the most underrated cards out there. However, because it can be so game changing, I’ve included it at #3 on this list. I have done a bit of testing with Delinquent and I find it works best in slower decks such as [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] because they can afford to trade one-Prize attackers and play a grind-it-out style game. Usually, the opponent will be trying to hold important resources while dumping unnecessary ones in the event of a [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card]. In this case, you hit them with a Delinquent and completely mess up their strategy. I have won plenty of games by using Delinquent at just the right time and eliminating the opponent’s entire hand, leaving them to desperately attempt to top-deck out of it.
As [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] sees more play, Delinquent could act as the perfect late-game counter to the decks that rely on having two Puzzle of Time in hand.
The beauty of Delinquent lies in nobody playing the card. If timed correctly, it can really swing the match in your favor. It is one of my favorite spooky techs right now and I think you should test it out for next week!
2. Target Whistle
[card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] has such a neat effect, allowing you to KO Pokemon your opponent thought they had removed from play, or simply clog their precious Bench slots with less-than-ideal Pokemon. It can win you games you otherwise shouldn’t have won and preys upon decks that need multiple support Pokemon to set up their board.
The two best decks to utilize this card are [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and Night March. Both of these decks value the ability to get KOs on weaker Pokemon. These decks do not always appreciate having to go through the main attacker, especially when that attacker can have high HP such as a [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] or any other EX with [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] attached. Target Whistle can also be solid in any deck that plays [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] as it can OHKO [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] with a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card].
1. Parallel City
[cardimg name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ align=”right” c=”custom”]So versatile![/cardimg]
[card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] is an incredibly strong card right now, which is why I’ve slotted it as the #1 tech for States! Every single deck can utilize its dual ability, be it to dump [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] from the Bench or prevent decks like [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] from doing an additional 20 damage. This is the one card I could see fitting into any deck as it has so many uses. I even played it in my Top 8 [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] list.
In my list this weekend, I mostly used Parallel City to discard [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] from my field. As Hoopa has a two Retreat Cost, I wanted to make sure my opponent couldn’t stall me by bringing it Active. Additionally, on the opponent’s side, you can reduce damage from all Fire, Grass, and Water Pokemon by 20. Cards like Vespiquen, [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card], Flareon-EX, Greninja and [card name=”M Sceptile-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”8″ c=”name”][/card] will all hit for less damage. Try it out for yourself if you haven’t already. This is one versatile tech I enjoy!
Reshiram / Giratina-EX
I’d like to take the rest of this article to discuss a deck I played at Tennessee States to a 5-0-2 record and 1st seed in Swiss. I was unfortunately paired against my worst matchup in cut, Greninja, and was knocked out after a close series, 2-1.
This deck was the brain child of my good friends Kevin Baxter and Dustin Zimmerman who convinced me to play the deck on the ride down to Tennessee. Initially, I was on the fence, but after discussing strategies a little more I figured it couldn’t hurt to play this deck as it had seemingly solid matchups against many of the popular decks. Four of the five of us in the car decided to play the deck the next day, and we all hoped for seven rounds against Night March.
[card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is a fantastic card to base a deck around. Decks that utilize [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], and the Night Marchers all rely on the ever-prevalent [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] to attack. There are a number of other playable Special Energy as well such as [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Furious Fists” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Splash Energy” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card]. Using an attack that may prevent your opponent from attacking next turn? Sounds great!
Another facet of Giratina-EX is its attack effect that essentially locks Stadiums in play. After you attack with Giratina, you opponent isn’t able to lay a Stadium card down. With a high number of playable Stadiums right now, including [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Fighting Stadium” set=”Furious Fists” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card], this effect is quite strong.
[cardimg name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ align=”left” c=”custom”]One of the best attackers right now.[/cardimg]
As if preventing your opponent from playing Special Energy and Stadiums wasn’t enough, Giratina-EX also prevents opponents from playing Pokemon Tools from their hand. Tools are common in just about every deck and their importance shouldn’t be underappreciated. [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] are all strong Tools that the opponent will no longer be able to play once Giratina-EX attacks.
Finally, Giratina’s Ability prevents Mega Pokemon from doing anything to it. Though Mega Pokemon don’t see a lot of play, I faced a [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card] in my first round in Tennessee, and a [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] made Top 8. Giratina’s Ability to deny Mega Pokemon from damaging it just adds another layer of strength to this complex card.
Funny enough, I already had a bit of experience with [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] prior to this tournament. I played it for my last City Championship when I had already garnered 180 points from Cities. I decided to play a variant of this deck that Athavan Balendran convinced me to play. He knew what he was doing and played the deck into top cut. I made significant changes to his list and, frankly, they were awful. Since the tournament didn’t mean anything to me in terms of CP, I decided to mess around and my record reflected that. At the very least, this tournament gave me a glimpse at what Reshiram / Giratina could be.
On the day of Tennessee States, I played a [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”M Sceptile-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”8″ c=”name”][/card], Night March, and [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. From there, I was able to ID with a Night March player and a [card name=”Bronzong” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY21″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] deck piloted by PokeBeach’s own Dalen Dockery (EDITOR’S NOTE: his first article will be published next week, so make sure to check that out!). For the first five rounds of the tournament, the list ran extremely smoothly. I was able to get Giratina up and running consistently and even pulled off the turn one Giratina-EX in five of my 13 games. Below is the list I used at Tennessee:
[premium]
[decklist name=”Reshiram / Giratina” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″][pokemon amt=”13″]4x [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Hydreigon-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Flareon ex” set=”EX Delta Species” no=”108″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”35″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ 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=”138″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Flashfire” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [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]3x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]8x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”EX Emerald” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Note: The Flareon-EX in this list is the one from Generations.
As you can see, the list is a bit wonky at first glance. Only three [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Furious Fists” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card]? Only two Stadiums? Do you really need four [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card]? What’s with the [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]? Don’t worry, all will be explained! I will take you through an analysis of the cards in the deck as well as how I played the matchups throughout the day.
Main Attackers — How to Utilize Giratina, Reshiram, Hydreigon and Flareon
One of the coolest things about the deck is it has an attacker for every situation. Obviously [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] is the main attacker with its nice damage output and solid attack effects, however, each other Pokemon has its attacking uses.
I like to use [card name=”Hydreigon-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] when I need to start hitting aggressively early. With a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], this massive Dragon becomes difficult to OHKO at 220 HP. [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] is cool for making opponents play a seven-Prize game. While Reshiram takes a fair amount of resources to set up for marginal payoff, it does hit for the most base damage of any Pokemon in the deck, save for Flareon-EX. I used Reshiram a few times throughout the day, with its highlight being a donk on a [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] in top cut.
Flareon-EX is one of the greatest assets and a card that has such obvious synergy with the rest of the deck. It can hit number as high as 210 if all eight Fire Energy are attached. It also conserves Energy via its Ability and is the one attacker in the deck that does not rely on Double Dragon Energy, which is very important. Additionally, Flareon-EX hits for a magic 110 with only three Fire Energy attached — just enough to KO a Shaymin-EX. Flareon can be powered up in one turn with a combination of acceleration from Reshiram to a Benched Dragon and using Flareon’s Ability to switch the Energy, an attachment from the hand, and a successful [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. Because it is relatively easy to power up in one turn yet still has a high damage cap, you can use Flareon-EX to pull off a quick attack early game or as a late-game sweeper.
Hoopa-EX
Please do not consider cutting [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card]. It is one of the best cards for setting up the deck. It was the first card I would grab from an [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] in just about every game. After playing only one Ultra Ball your field becomes fully set up. Since you usually want a [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Hydreigon-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] out in the same turn, you can use Hoopa to grab both at the same time instead of having to dig through your deck for them, as well as a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] to further your set up. A typical turn one for the deck would end with a field of Hydreigon-EX, Reshiram, Giratina-EX, Shaymin-EX, and Hoopa-EX with a free slot open for whatever Pokemon you happen to draw into next.
Super Scoop Up
[cardimg name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”EX Delta Species” no=”100″ align=”right” c=”custom”]If you don’t play this art, we can’t be friends.[/cardimg]
Initially, the three slots occupied by [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] were dedicated to [card name=”Roller Skates” set=”XY” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card]. The deck needed draw power in the form of Items. You want to burn through enough of your deck to get whatever you want at any time. After some contemplation about the initial list, I had the revelation to include Super Scoop Up after looking at Athavan’s list.
It made so much sense — Super Scoop Up could function as a draw card by picking up [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], but it could also heal damaged Pokemon, remove liabilities from your Bench, or even act as a Switch to remove Pokemon from the Active position. There was nothing better than watching your opponent’s jaw drop as you pick up a [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] 10 HP short of the KO and immediately power it back up to attack.
Super Scoop Up was such a versatile card on the day. I wish I had played four and I’ll give you my updated list with four of them at the end of the article.
Fighting Fury Belt and Muscle Band
[card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] makes [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] such a hunk. With 210 HP, Giratina becomes a mammoth Pokemon that not many decks can handle, especially after being locked out of playing Special Energy, Stadiums and Tools. Many of the cards that Giratina locks are the best cards at manipulating damage so it can be especially difficult for many of the decks in the format to KO a Giratina. The extra damage increase also helps Giratina hit 110 — enough to OHKO a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] or 2HKO a [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card].
[card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] seems like an odd inclusion at first glance and its uses are very specific. Primarily, its use was intended for Greninja — with a Muscle Band attached, [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] can hit for 130, or just enough to OHKO a [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]. It can come in handy against things like [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card], but Greninja was on our mind initially.
It has a secondary use as a Jolteon-EX counter. [card name=”Hydreigon-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] is the only Pokemon that can attack through a Jolteon-EX that has used Flash Ray. Without a damage modifier, Hydreigon-EX would 2HKO the Jolteon; however, many lists that run Jolteon also run [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]. Simple math dictates that if the Jolteon player uses Rough Seas between attacks from a Hydreigon with Fighting Fury Belt attached, the Jolteon would survive with 10 HP (90 – 30 + 90 = 150). Having to waste three attacks to Knock Out a Jolteon-EX did not seem optimal to us, so we decided on switching one Fighting Fury Belt to a Muscle Band in the instance that this situation ever occurred. Luckily it didn’t happen to me over the course of the tournament, but there was a [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] deck that played a tech Jolteon-EX in Top 8, so the inclusion of Muscle Band was legitimate.
Max Elixir
[card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] is what the deck was missing around the time of Cities. Simply put, it used to be too hard to get attackers going in this deck. With Max Elixir, it is more reasonable to get a [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] going on turn one or get a Flareon-EX powered up in one turn. Max Elixir boosts the consistency of getting a quick attack off, which is exactly what the deck aims to do.
The three count is ideal. Of course, you want four, but three gives you enough of a chance to draw into it in the first couple of turns while still leaving the opportunity to draw into it late game when you need attackers. Max Elixir gives the deck a smoothness that it didn’t previously have as it makes you less reliant on accelerating Energy with [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card]. Even though Reshiram is the main form of Energy acceleration, to power up a Giratina in one turn you would need two Reshiram, a Giratina, a [card name=”Switch” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], two Fire Energy in hand, and a [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]. Including Max Elixir makes it so that we only need one Reshiram, one Giratina, one Fire Energy, one Double Dragon Energy, and an Elixir, turning a seven-card combo into a five-card combo.
Pokemon Center Lady and Giovanni’s Scheme
The idea behind [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Flashfire” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] was to give the deck additional healing. It is nice when you don’t have to rely on a [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] coin flip to keep your main attacker alive another turn. It helped enough throughout the day that it would be hard for me to justify cutting it, though I would test a fourth Super Scoop Up in its place. It was also nice to have an out against decks that utilized Special Conditions, such as [card name=”Sceptile-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card].
[card name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] never came into play for me. Its intended use was to get the additional damage on hunky Pokemon like [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card], but I rarely had it in hand when I needed it or otherwise needed to use a [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] to draw into more cards. Throughout the tournament, I think I used this card more for its draw effect than its damage manipulation. In my updated list, I replace this with a unique draw card.
Sky Field and Parallel City
I thought the one-one split of [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] was okay on the day. I felt like I wanted a second Sky Field, as drawing into it early can make for explosive starts, but there simply wasn’t space. Since Stadiums should never get bumped when you’re attacking with [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], the two Stadiums were just enough to get by.
Playing two different Stadiums was helpful in many situations. Parallel City is fantastic for bumping your [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] from the board after you’ve set up. Sky Field encourages setting up more and can also allow you to bump unnecessary Pokemon if your Giratina lock gets broken and your opponent happens to lay down a Stadium.
Matchups
In this section, I want to run over every matchup I faced in the tournament. I played against a wide variety of decks and I hope this gives you some insight on how to play the deck if you’re going to a State Championship in the next few weeks.
Primal Groudon-EX (Favorable)
[cardimg name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Not so scary anymore![/cardimg]
[card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card] can seem daunting; however, they take an extremely long time to set up. A Primal Groudon-EX may be able to take a KO on your [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] if there is a Stadium in play and they play [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], but you should be able to set up a second Giratina to finish the job. After they discard the Stadium with Gaia Volcano, don’t play another Stadium! Simply attack with a second Giratina to finish off that Groudon-EX. It is unlikely that they will be able to set up another Primal Groudon-EX as many of their resources will have been expended trying to KO your first Giratina. This is a matchup you want to face.
Vespiquen / Vileplume (Favorable)
Aim to attack with [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] as soon as possible — once you get one up and running, you should have no problem taking down this deck. If they can get a turn one [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], you have every reason to lose, though you can still set up a single Giratina-EX to win. If you happen to go first, work as hard as you can to get two or more Energy and a Fighting Fury Belt on a Giratina-EX. It is so difficult for the [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] player to get 19 Pokemon in the discard on their first turn to KO your 210 HP Giratina. Even if you don’t go first, Vileplume decks miss the turn one Vileplume often enough that this is a favorable matchup. When I played Josh Marking in Tennessee I happened to win the flip during game one and set up. He was unable to get a turn one Vileplume in game two, so I also took that game fairly easily.
The one issue you want to safeguard against is having the Vespiquen / Vileplume player use [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] to bring up a Benched EX that isn’t Dragon type to try to stall. If you aren’t able to retreat that [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], you won’t be able to attack with Giratina-EX, thereby breaking the lock and letting them attach [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] to their Vespiquen. Avoid discarding too many Fire Energy and make sure you throw at least one Fire on your Benched Hoopa-EX for insurance should they try to stall. Most lists only run one or two Lysandre, so, while this strategy is not very common, it can happen!
Mega Sceptile-EX (Very Favorable)
I am not sure what else to say about this matchup other than Flareon-EX is really good! [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] can put in some solid work due to Renegade Pulse, but Flareon-EX is going to do most of the work. Watch out for [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”name”][/card], but otherwise lead with a Giratina-EX while setting up a Flareon-EX to sweep their board.
Night March (Slightly Favorable)
Night March seems like a great matchup as they rely almost exclusively on [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card] to attack, but it is a bit trickier than in seems. Because you are only KO’ing one-Prize Pokemon, Night March can use tricky tactics such as playing [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] for multiple turns as happened in my round four match. If they are able to knock enough of your [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] off the board with Xerosic or [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], it might set you back just enough for them to take control. It is also plausible for them to get going much quicker than you and put too much pressure on you.
Despite all this, I would consider the matchup in favor of [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. If you are able to get a turn one or turn two Giratina, it is difficult for you to lose. Flareon-EX can also sweep the last two Prizes by KO’ing a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card].
Trevenant (Slightly Favorable)
Though I solidly beat the [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] player I faced in my round five games, I do not feel great about the matchup. You have to bench a number of Pokemon-EX in order to set your board up, and Trevenant can capitalize on this with [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] spreading across your whole field.
Usually, Trevenant players will attempt to spread with the BREAK enough to transition into [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] to take KOs. Funny enough, [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is a beast to take down with a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] attached and requires 100 damage on it to be KO’d by Wobbuffet. However, Trevenant BREAK spreads at a rate of 30 damage per attack, so it takes five attacks to take down one Giratina-EX (four spreads with Trevenant BREAK and one attack by Wobbuffet). If you are able to go first, try to dig for the Fighting Fury Belt and attach it to Giratina.
Once you get Giratina going, it can be difficult for Trevenant to respond as they aren’t able to attach their [card name=”Mystery Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] or play their [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. That said, a turn one Trevenant can be a scary to deal with, hence why I don’t deem the matchup any better than slightly favorable.
Greninja (Highly Unfavorable)
[cardimg name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Giratina’s worst enemy…[/cardimg]
I truly believe I would have won Tennessee States had I not faced a Greninja in Top 8! It was the one deck I was afraid of facing because it can snipe and attacks with basic Energy. The one thing that made this matchup a close 2-1 series was the fact that the Greninja player failed to set up in all three games. I was only able to take advantage of this in game two where I donked his lone [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card], but in game one I could not draw into a [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] to take down his lone Froakie. Game three I could have been in a hugely favorable position had I drawn a Double Dragon Energy, but I failed to see it after drawing through a good half of my deck and ended up losing as a result.
In this matchup, you want to save your [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Furious Fists” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card]s for picking up damaged [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. It is also a solid strategy to go as fast as possible with a [card name=”Hydreigon-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] to take cheap Prizes early; however, I never got to implement this strategy.
Updated List
This is exactly what I would play for next week if I were going to a State Championship. Unfortunately, I was only able to make it to one States, so this list might never be used in a tournament. However, I hope you have the chance to test it and give the deck some consideration for the next few weeks!
[decklist name=”Reshiram / Giratina UPDATED” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″][pokemon amt=”12″]4x [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Hydreigon-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Flareon ex” set=”EX Delta Species” no=”108″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ 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=”Misty’s Determination” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]7x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”108″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] [cardimg name=”Misty’s Determination” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”104″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Determination![/cardimg]
Note: The Flareon-EX in this list is the one from Generations.
One of the best additions to the deck after playing it in a tournament would be adding [card name=”Misty’s Determination” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card]. It is a highly underrated card right now, but fits into this list well. Many times, you don’t want to dump your hand full of great resources, but you also need to grab the [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] from you deck. In cases where you only need one card from the deck, it actually is better than [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] in that you have access to the top eight cards with Misty’s Determination where you would only have access to the top seven with a Sycamore.
You’ll notice that I’ve cut a Fire Energy to add [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card]. Too often I found that I was discarding a high number of Fire Energy, so having a Super Rod to recycle them would be important if I were to play the deck again. Playing Super Rod late game also increases the likelihood of successful [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]s which is another great benefit.
Conclusion
Whew! That was a lot to cover in one article. It was such a blast being able to write about my most recent tournament performance as well as give you some ideas to tech out your decks. Thanks again for reading, and as always please do not hesitate to message me with questions! The Subscriber’s Secret Hideout is always open if you need advice for an upcoming State Championships. We are all happy to help you out!
See you next time!
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