Collision Course – The Best of Fates Collide, a Lesson On Puzzling, and a New Deck!
What’s up ‘Beach goers? With Prereleases for Fates Collide going on now, the Pokemon TCG scene is brimming with excitement. Players around the world are anxious to discover what combinations of cards will be relevant at the most prestigious events of the year! In this article I will be detailing the cards from Fates Collide that have the most potential. Then, I will debut a new running section called the play-by-play. In the play-by-play section of my article I will explain the rationale behind a few relatively complex in-game turns. My hope is that by including play-by-play sections in my articles, I can give you insight into the way I play and the reason behind specific in-game decisions I make. At the end of the article I will debut a deck I am testing for the new format!
If we take a look at last year, we might recall that the National and World Championship metagames caught many by surprise. The early front runner, [card name=”Raichu” set=”Generations” no=”27″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card], failed to impress on the main stage while totally rogue threats, [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Wailord-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card], took their respective tournaments by storm. Night March, which failed to produce significant results at Nationals, took three of the top 10 finishes on the World Stage. And [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card], which took first at the United States National Championship, flopped at Worlds.
My predictions for Nationals last year missed the mark. I clung too close to my early success with Raichu and it blinded me from seeing the deck’s weaknesses. By Worlds I knew I had to reassess my understanding of the metagame altogether. I tested fervently and came to the conclusion that Night March and Blastoise were top plays. I took my Night March list to Worlds and was able to finish 9th after grinding through day one of the competition. I plan on working even harder this year to hopefully one-up my success. I am going to learn from my mistakes by not limiting myself to certain archetypes throughout the preparation process. I am going to explore every nuance of this format. No stone will lay unturned. This is the beginning of the end of the 2016 season. We have just over two months until Nationals. That’s just eight weeks to figure out what we’re doing here, so let’s get to it!
Fates Collide
N is Back
And I love it. I know that [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] has his haters, but N is my homeboy. My friends would probably tell you that I only like N because I lead the country in unbelievable top decks, but I really think this card balances the game. N, by nature, focuses the TCG on board stability and deck consistency. N will punish players who take quick Prizes without establishing a reliable board while also punishes decks that can’t consistently operate with a limited hand size. Most importantly, N provides better Supporter-draw for decks that don’t take advantage of the [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]-engine. Until now, decks like [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and Toad / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] played an incredibly awkward draw line that consisted of four [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], a [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card], a couple [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card], and a full suite of [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] to try and make up the difference. This burn-style draw-engine doesn’t compliment these decks at all, requiring that they discard valuable resources with Sycamore. N allows these decks to reliably shuffle draw, allowing them to conserve their resources for the right time.
Aerodactyl
At first glance this card seems amazing. The art is great. 120 damage with the added effect of removing a Special Energy for the cost of a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]? 120 HP? Free Retreat! Colorless typing! But then you remember that Aerodactyl is a dreaded Restored Pokemon. Restored Pokemon have to be rolled into play with their respective Fossil Item cards, which requires you to reveal that Restored Pokemon in the bottom seven cards of your deck. You could potentially revive the Prehistoric Bird with the help of the new Omastar, but that’s a lot to set up. I really want this card to be good, but the Restored-engine might keep it from seeing the light of day.
Omastar / Omastar BREAK
Speaking of the dreaded Restored Pokemon engine, Omastar provides a new way to bring Fossils to life. The issue? Omanyte is a Restored Pokemon too! To my knowledge the only Fossil Pokemon that has seen widespread play is [card name=”Archeops” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] via [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card]. Archie’s and Maxie’s have proven themselves reliable thus far, supporting the likes of Archeops, [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] in successful archetypes. Because of Omastar’s Water typing it is a viable target for [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card], allowing us to forgo the miserable Restored Pokemon engine. When in play, Omastar allows you to summon a Restored Pokemon from the deck and place it on the Bench once a turn. That means that it is possible to stream Restored Pokemon starting on the first turn of the game if you can achieve a turn one Omastar. Given the right Restored Pokemon, this could be a great Ability. However, I’m not sure that there is a Restored Pokemon strong enough to warrant devoting the space to setting up Omastar. That is, unless we also have a use for Omastar’s BREAK evolution.
Omastar BREAK packs an awesome Ability of its own. Omastar BREAK allows you to pull one of your opponent’s Benched Pokemon-EX into the Active position once per turn. An automatic Catcher effect for Pokemon-EX is an awesome Ability. Think of the applications: if a
[card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] player Benches a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], you can break their lock by pulling Shaymin-EX into the Active position. You can access your opponent’s Shaymin-EX with ease! If you play [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card], you could potentially summon that Shaymin-EX to the Active multiple times a game. Though Omastar BREAK’s Ability only works on Pokemon-EX, Pokemon-EX are the best targets for [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] anyways. By using Omastar BREAK for your Catcher effect, you also free up your Supporter use for something more powerful like [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card]. Imagine a deck with [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] and Omastar BREAK. You could [card name=”Korrina” set=”Furious Fists” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] for Target Whistle and Hawlucha to set up a game ending play with Omastar’s Ability! Omastar and Omastar BREAK definitely have potential, but I suspect lower maintenance strategies will see more success in the months to come with the popularity of turn one Item-lock decks on the rise.
Barbaracle
Barbaracle is a Stage 1 Pokemon that is gaining some attention because of its Ability to block the opponent from attaching Special Energy from their hand. The only catch is that Barbaracle’s Ability is contingent upon you having a Stadium in play. Easy enough, right?
Since Barbaracle is a Water type, it is also a potential target for [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card]. This means that decks using the [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]-engine, like Night March, could potentially obtain a turn one Barbaracle going first. If used in a Night March deck, Barbaracle could keep decks like [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] or [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], neither of which play high Stadium counts, from attaching Energy when they want to.
The prospect of Barbaracle gets more interesting when we consider how it might effect the Night March mirror. If a Night March deck gets a turn one Barbaracle with [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] going first, it will spell disaster for the opponent. No amount of [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] will make up for a Barbaracle lock in the mirror. Eventually the opponent will not be able to Hex. However, a copy of [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Paint Roller” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] could be included in Night March decks in order to get around the Barbaracle-lock if it becomes popular.
Marowak
When first revealed, Marowak was championed as the savior of the format. Marowak’s unique Body Guard Ability prevents all effects of attacks done to your or your hand by your opponent’s Pokemon. This means that [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] finally have an outright counter! What’s got people worried is that Marowak seems to be a boon for Night March, a deck that already reigns as king of Standard.
Marowak could find its way into Night March alongside [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card] as a way to beat Toad / Giratina. I might argue that Night March already has more reliable ways to beat this deck though. If we are wasting two spots on the chance to set up Marowak, we might as well spend those two spots on [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], two cards that have already proven they can sway the Toad / Giratina matchup and prove useful in other situations. We could also play Mew / [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”name”][/card] in our Night March decks to counter Special Energy reliant decks like Seismitoad.
Marowak will probably see the most play in decks that already run the Maxie’s engine for [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] / Gallade could use the Bone Slinger to have an easy out versus Item-lock decks. Since YZG already runs the Maxie’s engine, it would only cost one card slot to throw Marowak in the mix. If Night March ends up playing the Maxie’s engine for Gallade, I could also see sliding Marowak in to Night March as well.
Mew
This Mew is so hot right now. I’ve been hyped on this card for months and its finally here! I don’t even know where to start. First of all, pick up as many of these dudes as you can find. It’s a holo rare in the set so I’m sure it’s price will rise after people realize how sick the card is.
Mew is great because it has the Ability to use the attack of any of your Basic Pokemon in play. It is also Psychic type, meaning that it gains access to [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. So Mew can use any Basic Pokemon’s attack for one less Colorless Energy. What else?
I’m glad you asked! Mew is also a 50 HP non-EX, has free Retreat and an attack for the cost of one Colorless that allows you to search your deck for any Pokemon and put it in your hand. The attack may seem largely irrelevant, but you’re gonna be glad you have it if you start a dead hand with a Valley or need a way to search out [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”name”][/card] under [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card]-lock.
Mew is a natural fit for Night March. With Mew in deck, you can use Night March for one Basic Energy when you have a [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] in play. Mew also pairs with Jirachi to remove Special Energy with ease, which is especially good versus Toad and [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], but is also good against [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. Mew also allows Night March more flexibility in regards to discarding attackers meaning Night March can essentially “go harder”. Previously, you had to make sure that you didn’t discard too many Night Marchers as you may need anywhere from three to five to close out a game. With Mew, you may only need two Night Marchers to win a game. You can discard all your Night Marchers but a couple and lead with Mew, only transitioning to actual copies of Night Marchers if need be or to finish off the game.
Contrary to popular belief, Mew is not only good in Night March! Mew will also be good in Dark, [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card], and Seismitoad decks. Ever wish you could use that Fright Night [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] twice to successfully snipe a Benched [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]? Mew can do that. Ever wished you could Quaking Punch and not promote a Pokemon-EX? Mew can do that too. Ever wanted to Overrun for free or Assault Laser for one Basic Lightning Energy? Mew does all of this and more. Not to mention, Mew gives any deck with Basic attackers a nice free retreater and Psychic Weakness Coverage! Mew can even use that sweet new Lugia’s attack for just a DCE! How cool? Mew’s potential is through the roof and I expect this card to be popular in multiple archetypes for years to come. The card is just good, plain and simple.
Regirock-EX
Fighting gets a lot of cool tricks in this set and Regirock-EX is one of them. For each Regirock that sits on the Bench, your Fighting Pokemon’s attacks do ten additional damage to the defending Pokemon. Neat! On the downside, Regirock has a Retreat Cost of three, making it quite the liability.
Right off the bat, Regirock seems to pair very well with [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Furious Fists” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card]. Currently, Hawlucha needs a perfect [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Fighting Stadium” set=”Furious Fists” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Furious Fists” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] combination to OHKO an opposing [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. With Regirock in play, Hawlucha only need two of the aforementioned cards to pull off an OHKO. With three Regirock in play, Hawlucha only needs one of the buffers to Flying Press Shaymin-EX into oblivion.
It’s also crazy to think that Hawlucha could potentially Flying Press for 160 damage with four Regirock in play. [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] could Sensitive Blade for 210! That seems a little excessive though. My initial thought it that Regirock will be used in low numbers (one or two) to slightly boost the damage output of Fighting decks over the course of a game.
It’s also worth mentioning that Regirock could pair well with [card name=”Landorus-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] in Expanded. With [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], Landorus rocks a massive 220 HP and can deal 80 and 30 snipe with Hammerhead. Add Regirock into the equation and Landorus could be swinging for 120 and 30 snipe for just a single Strong Energy.
Zygarde-EX
Goodbye [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card], hello Zygarde-EX! Zygarde is an instantly familiar Fighting type that is reminiscent of our good friend Lucario. Lucario-EX was the ultimate vanilla attacker. Zygarde-EX is oddly similar, but boasts 190 HP and its own [card name=”G Booster” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]-like Tool, Power Memory. Power Memory is a Tool that only Zygarde-EX can use. It grants Zygarde a three Energy attack, All Cells Burn, that does 200 damage and requires the user to discard three Energy from Zygarde. Sound familiar? Power Memory gives traditional Fighting decks the option to OHKO giant threats.
My main concern with Zygarde is that the current format doesn’t need decks that can do 200 damage. Night March already does that better than everyone else. Right now, the format needs nimble decks that can go toe to toe with Night March or decks that can lock it out of the game from turn one. Zygarde is a card with potential. Its timing just isn’t right.
Carbink / Carbink BREAK
Rounding out the new Fighting Pokemon are a pair of Carbink and a nice BREAK Evolution. Both Carbink are useful, one sporting the familiar Safeguard Ability, protecting it from Pokemon-EX’s attacks, while the other protects Basic Pokemon’s Basic Energy from being discarded.
The Energy Protection Carbink is particularly useful since it will help decks that rely on Basic Energy weather the onslaught of Hammers from [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Though the format is not Pokemon-EX centric, the Safeguard Carbink is still useful as a wall while Carbink BREAK puts in work.
Carbink BREAK’s attack, for the cost of one Fighting Energy, does 20 damage and allows you to attach two Energy from the discard to one of your Fighting Pokemon. This effect has already proven useful in competitive decks in the form of [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card]’s Turbo Bolt and [card name=”Virizion-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card]’s similar Emerald Slash. The issue is that Carbink BREAK is an evolution and only does 20 damage while accelerating. Not to worry though, with Regirock-EX, [card name=”Fighting Stadium” set=”Furious Fists” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Furious Fists” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card], Carbink has plenty of ways to provide a formidable attack while accelerating Energy. Additionally, Carbink has access to [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] which provides survivability while Carbink accelerates Energy.
Fighting now has multiple ways to accelerate Energy: Carbink BREAK, [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Landorus” set=”Furious Fists” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Garchomp” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card]. But the question remains, is there any Fighting Pokemon worth accelerating to? Garchomp and [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card], two of Fighting’s strongest non-EX attackers, don’t require Energy acceleration. But these two attackers are hindered by the fact that Item-lock is more prevalent than ever in Standard. It is difficult to rationalize decks that rely on [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”EX Emerald” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] and Stage 2 Pokemon in a Format dominated by Item-lock.
The new Zygarde-EX is a potential target for Carbink BREAK, but I don’t see a Zygarde centric deck being able to compete with the speed of [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] or Night March. Nor do I see a Zygarde deck being able to beat [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], who resists Fighting all together.
It’s possible that Carbink BREAK could be paired with high counts of the new Regirock-EX with the intention of attacking with Regirock. With four Regirock in play, Carbink BREAK can potentially swing for 120 damage while accelerating Energy. It’s unfortunate that Regirock, like [card name=”Deoxys-EX” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW82″ c=”name”][/card], doesn’t boost its own attack, so he will be left swinging for a base 100 damage for the cost of three [card name=”Fighting Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card].
Though powerful in a vacuum, the new Fighting cards may have to wait a while until they are truly relevant.
[premium]
Lugia / Lugia BREAK
Ahh yes, welcome back [card name=”Bouffalant” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card]! The new Lugia from Fates Collide is basically an upgraded Bouffalant from Dragons Exalted. Lugia has the same Colorless typing, same damage reducing Ability, same Pokemon-EX hating attack and the same retreat cost of two. We get upgrades in the form of a nifty Fighting Resistance, 20 more HP and access to a sweet BREAK Evolution. Bouffalant saw a good amount of play as a splashable and relatively low maintenance non-EX that could take a hit and pop Pokemon-EX for big damage. I expect Lugia to be no different. For the cost of three Colorless, we get a Gold Breaker like attack that does 60 plus 60 more if the defending Pokemon is a Pokemon-EX. Lugia BREAK raises Lugia’s HP by 30 and grants it access to an attack that deals 150 damage for the cost of four Colorless Energy and a discard of two.
My initial thoughts are that Lugia might see play in Dark decks. Lugia is easily powered up with a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and acceleration from [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card]’s Oblivion Wing attack. Lugia BREAK also offers the archetype a hard hitting option that is not reliant on the opponent’s Bench. Lugia BREAK can also stream 150 damage (170 with [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]) turn after turn so long as you continue to find a Double Colorless to discard.
My issue with Lugia in Standard is that the format is centered around non-EX decks. Night March, [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], YZG, and [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] all use Pokemon-EX sparingly, if at all. Bouffalant’s hay day was in a format dominated by Pokemon-EX. The card definitely has potential, but may need to wait its turn to see play.
Glaceon-EX
And last on the list is Glaceon-EX. Glaceon is the sure-to-be-cheaper cousin of [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card]. Where Jolteon prevents Basic Pokemon from attacking for a [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] and two Colorless, Glaceon prevents Evolutions from attacking for a [card name=”Water Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] and two Colorless. Though Jolteon saw little success at first, it began to see play in [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]-lock decks as well as [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] decks towards the end of State Championships. Glaceon immediately strikes me as good versus [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], three top tier threats. Glaceon is not a ubiquitous attacker by any means, but could see play as a tech in certain decks that struggle with Greninja and Vespiquen. Perhaps it’s possible to take Alex Hill’s Top 4 Ohio State’s Vespiquen / Jolteon / [card name=”Regirock” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] / Vileplume deck one step further by replacing the Basic Energy with [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”152″ c=”name”][/card] and adding a Glaceon-EX into the mix.
The Play-By-Play
Football players study film to improve their game. Do you ever look back at matches you played and think of things you could have done differently? When you test, do you stop and correct plays that should have been made one way or another? Practice makes perfect and the only way to perfect your game is to practice perfectly. If your play-testing is sloppy, your tournament performance is bound to be sloppy as well. Reviewing plays is a great way to practice and learn proper in-game technique. My hope here is that by sharing plays with you, I may be able to open your eyes to a new ways of in-game thinking.
Sometimes our tournament play suffers because we play with blinders on. Sometimes we fail to see potential plays simply because we haven’t encountered that situation in a match before. Just recently I fell victim to a failed Confusion flip in a certain Top 8 scenario because didn’t realize that I could Retreat out of it. I was stuck thinking that I had to attack or use [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card], but I didn’t want to Escape Rope because I wanted to attack my opponent’s Active [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. I failed to see that I could just retreat and attack with the Energy in my hand! This didn’t happen because of ignorance, in fact, I retreated out of Confusion to win game two of that series. I was blinded from seeing the play because I was on tilt. I had never encountered Confusion in competitive play before! The more we review potential plays, the less chances there are we miss them when they come up in competition. Learn from my mistakes, learn from my successes, that’s what this is all about!
Today we are going to talk about niche ways to use [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] effectively in a Night March deck.
[cardimg name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Puzzling Puzzles![/cardimg]
Compressor / Puzzle
The more you play Night March, the more you’ll run into some crazy [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] hands. Hitting an early double Puzzle is great, but it also means that you’ll have to make the most of the final Puzzles in deck to close the game out. Of course there’s always the [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] / double Puzzle opening hand, something that happens more often than you’d think. In this scenario you will typically just Compressor away a [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] and two [card name=”Lampent” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card], then double Puzzle for the Sycamore and the Battle Compressor to discard three more Night Marchers before playing Professor Sycamore. This play is pretty easy to think through, but it’s important to keep this logic in mind as games progress. Compressor / double Puzzle means that you can access any card in your deck so long as its not Prized.
During swiss rounds at the Ohio State Championships I was able to 2-0 a [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] deck at the 4-1 table with just a [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] and some [card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card]. I won game two thanks to a clutch Compressor / double Puzzle hand early on. In this game, my opponent went first and opened a Seismitoad with a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] and DCE to my lone [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]. He benched a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], a [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card], a Toad, and a Giratina-EX while setting up. He also stuck a [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] down. My opening hand consisted of three [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], a Pokemon Catcher, [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card], and a [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card]. Ideally, I want to hit an [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] and Compressor off of my three Mail so I can counter Silent Lab and get to grinding out a big turn one with Shaymin. My Mail are a bust, but I am able to grab a second Pokemon Catcher along with one Battle Compressor. I take the second Pokemon Catcher knowing that I probably won’t be able to play Items after turn one and don’t want to draw it later. One of the most important things to do during your initial search in Night March is to count how many Marchers you Prized. This allows you to judge how much damage you can afford to do early.
I know I won’t be able to KO the Active Toad since I Prized too many Night Marchers so I go for my two Catcher. I hit one and have an interesting choice. I consider going for Shaymin which is likely to give me a nice two Prize advantage but in no way improves my board positioning. Coming off a clutch game one win, I gamble a little and decide that I can go for my opponent’s Giratina. If I am able to KO Giratina, I will make it more difficult for my opponent to start building a Giratina on the Bench while he Quaking Punches. I bring up Giratina and Sycamore.
I draw into a hand with Fury Belt, [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card], two Ultra Ball and no Valley, but I do rip double Puzzle / Compressor. Without hesitation I throw my Compressor to the table and ditch two Night Marchers and a Valley. Then, I double Puzzle to grab the Valley and another Compressor from the discard. I use Compressor again to ditch the remaining Pokemon I need to KO Giratina, counter my opponent’s Silent Lab with Valley, and Ultra Ball the remaining cards in my hand for a Shaymin-EX. This is the key play that allowed me to continue grinding out my turn. Compressor double Puzzle means that you can essentially do whatever you want when you hit it!
All I need now is a Double Colorless Energy and I am good to go! I Set Up for six and see no Double Colorless. I have four in deck! I do draw into two copies of Shaymin-EX but only one other playable card, [card name=”Town Map” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card]. I play Town Map and set up for one. It’s the fourth Mail. I Mail and hit Compressor to thin my deck one last time before setting up for two. I set up for two and rip two Double Colorless! I have what I need to KO Giratina but we’re not done yet.
I have eight Night Marchers in the discard, just enough to KO Giratina with a Fury Belt. I have one Pumpkaboo on the Bench and no Night Marchers left in deck. Next turn my opponent is probably going to bring up his Toad with the Double Colorless and Fury Belt to hit my Joltik. If he can’t remove my Fury Belt, I’ll survive the turn but won’t have enough damage down to KO Toad. I have two [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Supreme Victors” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] in hand so I grab Xerosic and Lysandre to prepare for my following turns. If my opponent KO’s my Joltik, I will simply promote Pumpkaboo, Xerosic the Fury Belt and Night March for 180. If my opponent fails to KO Joltik, I will Lysandre the Shaymin or a second Giratina, should he Bench one.
Not all turn ones are as crazy as this one, but Night March is the only deck in format that can pull moves like this. It’s important to remember that Compressor / Puzzle puts the entire deck at your fingertips. Whether you need a Valley, an Energy, [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] or Fury Belt, Puzzle can grab it for you. It’s also important with Night March to plan your game out ahead of time. You always want to be mapping out the next two to three turns in your head as you make your plays and consider your resources!
[cardimg name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”111″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Catcher is still golden.[/cardimg]
Compressor / Puzzle / Catcher
The oddest play I’ve made with [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] was during testing this week. I needed a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] and a Catcher effect in order to close out a close game against [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]. It’s my turn and I promote a [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] with 30 damage on it. My opponent has one Prize remaining to my two. My opponent’s board is a Crobat Active with a Crobat, Golbat, and one Seismitoad-EX on the Bench. After an [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] to low, I am able to draw into my last Shaymin-EX. I Set Up for four, drawing into a hand with a [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], a Battle Compressor and one Puzzle, with no additional ways to draw cards. I have no DCE in deck and both [card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] are in the discard along with my Lysandre. My remaining three Puzzle are all in deck. Had I drawn into two Puzzle along with my VS Seeker I would have been able to double Puzzle for DCE and VS Seeker for [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] to win the game. Since I didn’t rip that hard, I have to resort to plan B.
My remaining three Puzzles are all in deck. If I don’t win this turn, my opponent is going to finish me off with Crobat for game. To give my self the best odds of winning, I need to go for DCE and two Pokemon Catcher to give myself a 75% chance of clenching the game. I use my VS Seeker for [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] to grab two Puzzle of Time, meaning I have three Puzzle in my hand. My fourth is in deck and I have no way to get it, so I use my Battle Compressor to ditch it. Then, I double Puzzle, retrieving the fourth Puzzle (the one I Compressored) and a DCE. With the two Puzzle remaining in hand, I grab my two Pokemon Catcher from the discard and win the game with a Catcher heads.
Puzzle of Time is an amazing card and gets even better when paired with Teammates, Battle Compressor, [card name=”Town Map” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card], and Pokemon Catcher. Not everyone has hopped on board with Pokemon Catcher in Night March yet, but it makes a huge difference. In the words of Wayne Gretsky, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Catcher gives you the opportunity to hit plays that you could never pull off in a deck without them. With Puzzle we have the opportunity to hit those plays multiple times a game, or right at the end when it matters most. I’ve clenched more games than I can count with Teammates / Puzzle / Catcher combos. It’s ridiculous. If you haven’t tried Catcher in Night March yet, please do! It’s a game changer.
Mew / Toad / Bats
If you were wondering how Night March fares with the induction of Fates Collide, wonder no more! Night March is going no where. Night March, [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] will all remain top tier as we barrel our way closer and closer to Nationals. My task with Fates Collide then is to create a deck that can compete with these top threats while remaining strong across the board. Excited about Mew, I set out to create a deck that makes the most of its versatile Ability. At first I wanted to pair Mew with [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]. I thought that Mew would give the deck some neat options, allowing you to Overrun for free and Assault Laser for one Energy. Unfortunately, my new deck couldn’t even beat Night March consistently! Turns out, it’s extremely difficult to beat Night March if you aren’t Item locking it or leaving your board void of all Pokemon-EX. If you so much as let Night March smell an EX without Item locking it, the game will probably be over in three turns. That led me to my next idea, Mew / [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]. Mew improves the consistency of Toad / Bats by allowing you to Quaking Punch for a Basic Energy when combined with [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. Mew also allows you to switch between Quaking Punch and Stardust with ease while applying pressure with Crobat! The idea is sound, but I am worried that the deck might not have the raw power to punch through decks like Greninja, [card name=”Wailord-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card], or Trevenant. It’s a place to start though, and something worth keeping on the drawing board in the months to come.
[decklist name=”Mew / Toad / Bats” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″][pokemon amt=”21″]3x [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x Mew (FCL #29)3x [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Golbat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Zubat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”31″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x Audino-EX (FCL #84)1x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”32″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Supreme Victors” no=”140″ 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=”Furious Fists” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ 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=”7″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Now that [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] is back, Bats are totally viable again. Bats were in a bad place with no legitimate shuffle draw, though [card name=”Raichu” set=”XY” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats and [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats still managed to catch some top placements at City Championships anyways. I’ve started you off with a Seismitoad / Bats deck above, but Raichu / Bats and [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats are worth looking into as well.
This deck has a good Night March matchup which is why I’ve decided to start with it. The general strategy behind this deck is to Quaking Punch with either Mew or Seismitoad-EX while racking up damage by Evolving [card name=”Golbat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]. With [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card], Mew can Quaking Punch for a Basic Energy, making turn one Quaking Punches much more likely than they would be otherwise. Mew also gives us a nice non-EX wall to hide behind while we evolve Crobat. The main reason to use Mew in this deck is that he allows you to effortlessly switch between strategies to adapt to what your opponent is doing. Mew is also a great starter as Mew allows you to freely retreat into whoever you’d like!
The Tech Attackers
This list is neat because Mew allows you to make the most out of whatever techs you think will be most effective in the predicted metagame. Towards the end of State Championships, [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] lists saw success with high counts of [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”name”][/card]. Jirachi should continue to be a strong play heading into the summer since it helps slow down [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], Night March, and [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Mew, of course, pairs perfectly with Jirachi, allowing you to Stardust for free with [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card].
Jirachi makes sense in here, but you may wonder why I’ve opted to play a copy of Audino-EX. Like I said previoiusly, my primary concern with this deck is that it doesn’t have the power to keep up with high HP threats. Oddly enough, Audino-EX from the new set fits this bill quite nicely. With a full Bench, Audino can Do the Wave for 110 damage with a full Bench. Just like old times, The Wave costs three Colorless Energy, which means that Mew can use it for a single Double Colorless with Valley. 130 damage with a Band is not too shabby at all! But my primary issue is that Audino has a fat Retreat Cost of three.
If you’re not a fan of Audino-EX, [card name=”Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], though extremely destructive, gives us the option to Dragon Pulse with Mew for just a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] if Valley is in play. With [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], that’s 120 damage that Mew can hit on the first turn of the game. Not to mention, Mew can also make use of Rayquaza’s first attack, Intesifying Burn, for free should you encounter a Pokemon-EX. If the Flying Dragon is too destructive for your tastes, worry not, there are still other options we can put in his place.
I’ve already mentioned him, but you could put [card name=”Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] in here as well if you switch to [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]. Overrun is an awesome attack when you are using it for free and a one Energy Assault Laser is nothing to scoff at. My issue with Manectric is that Assault Laser usually ends up hitting for a measly 60 damage. Once your opponent catches on to the fact that you want to Assault Laser for big damage, they will keep their Tools off the field.
And last, we have [card name=”Druddigon” set=”Flashfire” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card]. Druddigon is a revenge attacker that can deal 90 damage for a DCE if one of your Pokemon was Knocked Out during the opponent’s previous turn. Mew can make optimal use of this attack, revenging for a Basic Energy when Valley is in play. I like the idea of including Druddigon in here, but I wanted to give the deck a damage dealing option that is fast and not contingent on what the opponent is doing. For instance, Druddigon will do you no good versus a deck like Greninja. Once Greninja begins to take Prizes it’ll be too late. Versus Greninja, you want to open with Mew and start blasting away for big damage with Audino or Raquaza as early as possible. Things are going to get very difficult once they start Shadow Stitching!
The Consensus
This concept is strong against Night March and [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] but can struggle against [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], and Mega decks. I love the general flow and versatility of this deck, but it doesn’t possess the strong turn one Item-lock boasted by [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] or the high damage ceiling of Night March or [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. To improve your Vespiquen, Night March, and Toad / Giratina matchups even further, I could easily see playing a second copy of [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”name”][/card]. Jirachi is an incredibly strong card right now and I think it’ll only get better as Nationals approaches!
Conclusion
Thanks again for joining me here on PokeBeach! I will be working hard in the next month to provide you with the most up to date and original decks to come out of the new set, so make sure to stay tuned!
As I’ve alluded to above, the Standard format is well defined, making it a challenge for new archetypes to break into the lime light. Last year we saw a total upheaval of Standard after the infamous [card name=”Lysandre’s Trump Card” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] ban. This year I expect things to change far less between States and Nationals. Night March will remain strong, which means that it’s counters will remain even stronger. I don’t think that it’ll be possible for Alakazam-EX or the new Fighting cards to break onto the scene so long as Night March remains omnipresent. Some may argue that Alakazam is good versus Night March because of its Ability, but I promise you that Psychic weak Pokemon-EX are too much of a liability to see play right now. There’s more hope for Zygarde who boasts an awesome 230 HP with [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] attached, but remains weak to [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] who is also extremely popular. Not to mention, Night March can blast away for 230 damage no problem with the help of Mew and Fury Belt!
If it weren’t for [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], I’d be excited about Metal right now. The new Genesect-EX has potential while the new Bronzong is a great counter to [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card]. Unfortunately for Metal, every deck has the potential to splash a single Hex. If I could figure out a way for Metal to beat Night March, perhaps we would be on to something. Maybe all we need is a high count of [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”name”][/card] to weather through the turns without access to Metal Links! We’ll see.
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to join me in the Subscriber’s Secret Hideout. Be sure to let me know what you think of my ideas and what you want me to write about in the future in the comments below!
Until next time, I’m out!
Later Trainers,
-Andrew Mahone
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