Make It or BREAK It — A 2016 State Championships Review

By: Jimmy Pendarvis · Posted Apr 29, 2016 at 4:25 PM · 0 Comments

Hello PokeBeach readers! I’m Jimmy Pendarvis and today I’ll be giving you a tournament series review. My last article provided every resource needed to dominate in the City Championships. Today, I will discuss a few of the most popular decks from the State Championships, the reason behind choice cards, potential inclusions, as well as their matchups. I’m also going to give you guys an inside look at a less popular deck that I’ve been playing with that earned me a Top 4 finish at Virginia State Championships. Going into the new format, it’s important to know what decks to expect before jumping right into your next tournament. This article will give you some nice groundwork for your playtesting, as well as provide many solid deck lists to try out or play against.

Vespiquen / Vileplume

[decklist name=”Vespiquen / Vileplume” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″][pokemon amt=”28″]3x [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Gloom” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”2″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Oddish” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”1″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”28″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ 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=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Generations” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Card Choices

1x Bunnelby

[cardimg name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

The first turn with this deck is usually pretty chaotic and can sometimes result in discarding resources that you may need throughout the game. This [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] tech can save the day by shuffling in a couple [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Generations” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] or a few crucial Pokemon. Bunnelby can also come in handy by Burrowing the opponent’s deck away if you find they are running out of resources toward the end of a long game.

1x Level Ball

[card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] is definitely a solid choice in this deck; I wish there was room to play more of them. Since this deck relies so heavily on low HP Pokemon, there is a wide variety of choices from the use of your Level Ball. Literally any Pokemon in the list can be found via Level Ball besides [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. Since there is only one copy in this deck, it is useful every time it goes into your hand.

Most deck lists for this build normally run two Level Ball and two [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], but the third Float Stone is more necessary than the second Level Ball. It’s best to have a higher consistency in mobility as compared to the inclusion of a luxury Item card.

Potential Inclusions

1x AZ

This allows you to have a switch effect with [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]. If [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] gets knocked off by [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] and then Vileplume gets pulled up by [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card], you’re normally in quite a pickle. The [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card] can bail you out of situations like that. It also serves as a way to remove a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] from the board, making it more difficult for the opponent to take six Prizes. AZ is always a great card to have ready for a contingency plan.

1x Lysandre

This card is definitely situational in a deck like this. Most people argue that its inclusion isn’t worthwhile due to it being useless during turn one, or because it is often worthless during the time of it being drawn. In a vast majority of decks out there, properly timing a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] is easily obtainable. With the use of [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], which are in almost every deck list, players are able to choose when to use a Lysandre from the discard. Since there are no VS Seeker in this list, Lysandre can no longer be used once it is discarded. With that said, it’s not a major problem if it does get discarded. However, having the threat of a Lysandre is pretty sick in a deck like this. It can trap something like a [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] while you Burrow or Rototiller.

Lysandre is also great for eliminating hard-to-deal-with threats like [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card]. By using Lysandre, you can deal with these threats as soon as they hit the field which is less burdensome than having to deal with them when they are completely powered up.

2nd Level Ball

This would improve the overall consistency. I’ve seen the count in many other lists, and two seems to be the average quantity played in this type of build. A [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] is useful almost every time you draw into it. It helps to set up the board quickly during the start of the game and also fuels attackers in the late game.

Matchups

VS. Night March

This matchup is pretty favorable, especially if you go first. Going first and getting a turn one [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] makes it extremely difficult for the opponent to fight back. However, even if the opponent is given a turn of Item usage, you can generally run them out of [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] by repeatedly using Sky Return on their [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]. This preserves your resources by protecting the Double Colorless Energy and avoiding the sacrifice of [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card].

VS. Greninja BREAK

This matchup should never be lost. [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] shuts off [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card], making it difficult for the [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] deck to take Knock Outs early in the game. In addition to this, you OHKO all of their Pokemon with ease due to Greninja’s Grass Weakness.

[card name=”Jirachi ” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY112 ” c=”name”][/card]can cause some small problems, but in the grand scheme of things, you can afford to pass a couple of turns when attacked by Jirachi.

VS. Trevenant BREAK

This is truly about who goes first. One player will essentially be locked out of the game after the first turn. If you get locked out of playing your Items by a turn one [card name=”Trevenant” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”65″ c=”name”][/card], the best bet is to use [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card]’s Sky Return attack to prevent the opponent from taking Prizes, while slowly killing their Trevenants.

VS. Zoroark BREAK

This is about a 50-50 matchup. The new Darkness-type decks that aren’t packed with Pokemon like [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] are able to trade Prizes much easier with you. Their biggest weapon against you is [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], which happens to be hard to play around.

The main goal in this matchup is to start off as explosively as possible and take early Prizes to put pressure on the opponent. You just have to hope that the opponent misses a few attacks, otherwise they have a decent chance in the Prize trade because of their large amount of attackers.

Greninja BREAK

[decklist name=”Greninja” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″][pokemon amt=”21″]2x [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Frogadier” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”39″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Remoraid” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Swampert” set=”Primal Clash” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mudkip” set=”Primal Clash” no=”33″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”32″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/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=”Rare Candy” set=”EX Holon Phantoms” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Dive Ball” set=”Primal Clash” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Sacred Ash” set=”Flashfire” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”7″]7x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Card Choices

1-1 Swampert Line

[cardimg name=”Swampert” set=”Primal Clash” no=”36″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This may only be a 1-1 line, but it’s super easy to setup with a combination of [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”161″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Dive Ball” set=”Primal Clash” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card]. After this bad boy hits the field, you will end up getting every resource you need. An early [card name=”Swampert” set=”Primal Clash” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] provides an excellent start and almost always gives you the advantage. With the use of Diving Search, the board develops quickly while only burning through few resources.

2x Jirachi

Using [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]’s Giant Water Shuriken Ability and its attack together is a sick combo. It makes it extremely easy to setup KOs while simultaneously denying Prizes. The opponent will usually have to pass their turn or spend a few resources digging for a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card]. Eventually, the opponent will run out of Lysandre / [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] combos, providing an optimal time to attack with [card name=”Jirachi ” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY112 ” c=”name”][/card] to discard a Special Energy attached to the opponent’s Active Pokemon. This basically renders a full turn of immunity.

Jirachi is not useful in every game; however, it provides great comeback potential in many situations, especially since the deck list includes two [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card] and an [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card] for a crucial heal or two on [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]. The incredible advantage that Jirachi provides in select matchups makes the card worth it alone.

2x Ace Trainer / 0x Judge

Between these two Supporters, [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] is truly only better on the first turn. After the first turn or two, the opponent will almost certainly be ahead in Prizes. Before long, [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card] can be used to draw six cards, while the opponent only draws three. This situation is much better than both you and your opponent drawing four cards, especially considering the frequent slow starts this deck has.

1x Fisherman

Simply including one [card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] makes it nearly impossible for the deck to run out of Energy because the Supporter can be reused with [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]. The end of the game is typically easier in terms of resource management as a result of this. With four Energy in hand, a significant amount of damage can be dealt via Abilities and an attack.

Potential Inclusions

2nd Fisherman

[card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] is an extremely helpful Supporter in this deck. With that said, you don’t want too many of them, yet you also need enough of them to be able to use one whenever it’s necessary. Having two Fisherman makes it easier to manage resources, especially when under Item lock. It also provides a more consistent retrieval of Energy.

1x Miltank

This backup attacker is a great tech; I am not exactly sure why it isn’t in lists already. [card name=”Miltank” set=”Flashfire” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card]’s one Energy for 80 damage is solid, especially when combined with the burst damage from [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]’s Ability. Attacking with this guy also means that you can keep your Greninja safe on the Bench.

Matchups

VS. Night March

Despite what most players believe, this matchup is not the easiest. All it takes is a consistent use of [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] from a Night March player for you to run out of steam. Although these decks still trade Prizes one for one, your attackers are Stage 2 which makes it difficult to power up against the explosive Night March deck. Furthermore, Night March decks generally obtain a small Prize lead before [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] even starts to attack. However, it can easily go the opposite way. Night March can easily struggle to chain Hex Maniac which will let you take multiple Prizes almost every turn, likely winning you the game.

VS. Vespiquen / Vileplume

This matchup isn’t one that I like to play against often, but it’s definitely winnable with the deck list I’ve provided. It’s also similar to the one Azul Garcia Griego used to win the New Hampshire State Championships. The two [card name=”Jirachi ” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY112 ” c=”name”][/card] in this list are crucial for pulling off a victory. They allow you to get crafty and potentially run the [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] deck out of [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card]. This can be difficult due to the inclusion of [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] in most Vespiquen / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] decks; however, you can simply KO the Bunnelby and go back to the [card name=”Jirachi ” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY112 ” c=”name”][/card] strategy after that.

Additionally, [card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] can assist in making sure you don’t run out of Energy, but you still need to be relatively careful with them. Fisherman will most likely be needed towards the end of the game as well.

VS. Trevenant BREAK

[cardimg name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This matchup can be quite difficult if the opponent manages to get out a [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] on their first turn. Even if you go first, the first turn is generally spent using [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card], so the turn of Items won’t help out much.

The goal is to start using [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]’s Shadow Stitching attack as soon as possible. This will allow for more Greninja to be setup on the Bench to cause a flooding of damage on the Active Trevenant. Even though the Greninja deck can fall a bit behind as a result of the Item lock, it is possible to make a comeback if a strong board state is developed.

VS. Zoroark BREAK

This is one of the decks’ best matchups, even if the opponent spams you with [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. Hex Maniac will not be played on every turn, which means there will be a couple of turns to setup KOs using the Water Shuriken and Giant Water Shuriken Abilities. This makes taking KOs fast and simple in the future because there will be less digging through the deck required.

From the opponents’ perspective, it becomes overwhelming to keep up with the deck once it gets rolling. The opponent, more often than not, will play offensively to try to take a bunch of easy Prizes, as opposed to trying to KO a few [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]. This strategy isn’t necessarily bad for you because you can punish this line of play severely with the use of your [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card]. The use of Ace Trainer does a great job at hindering the offense of [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] decks.

[premium]

Zoroark BREAK

[decklist name=”Zoroark” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″][pokemon amt=”17″]2x [card name=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Zorua” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Druddigon” set=”Flashfire” no=”70″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Reverse Valley” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]6x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”Black and White” no=”111″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Card Choices

1x Druddigon

[cardimg name=”Druddigon” set=”Flashfire” no=”70″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

One of the main priorities of this deck is to take advantage of the high count of [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] that exists in most decks in the current format. With just a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] and a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Druddigon” set=”Flashfire” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] can OHKO a Shaymin-EX. Naturally, the opponent may resist putting any Shaymin onto the Bench, but that’s what [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] is for. Combined with the use of a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card], the Shaymin will become an easy two Prizes for the Druddigon. This card was also in Kevin Baxter’s list that he won the Ohio State Championships with.

2x Target Whistle

As briefly mentioned above, [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] let you bring back Pokemon from the opponent’s discard that are easy to [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] and OHKO. It is an excellent strategy that often catches the opponent off guard.

Target Whistle can also be used as a stall tactic by putting a Pokemon Active that the opponent is unable to retreat. However, normally this card is used to bring back [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] so that you can simply kill three of them to win the game.

2x Battle Compressor

This card has a ton of synergy with the rest of this deck! Not only does it open up options to use with [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] and increase the chances of having a playable hand, but it puts Darkness Energy into the discard to be utilized by [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY06″ c=”name”][/card]’s Oblivion Wing attack. This is crucial for powering up other Darkness-type Pokemon on the Bench.

Potential Inclusions

1x Xerosic

[card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] is a tech Supporter that is clutch in certain metagames, but isn’t insanely useful overall. In most matchups, it is critical to deprive the opponent of Special Energy. Whenever [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] builds are popular in the metagame, it is wise to include this card in your list.

1x Fright Night Yveltal

I’ve never been much of a fan of this card, and I am even less of a fan of it in the insanely fast metagame of the current format. I would rather be taking a KO then spreading damage in a deck that doesn’t really have any other method of spreading damage. However, it does allow you to setup KOs by hitting a Pokemon-EX to weaken it for a [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] to finish off in the future. The use of [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] usually depends on the users play style. I recommend at least trying it out to see if you prefer it.

Matchups

VS. Night March

This matchup is all about aggression; you need to keep up with the opponent when it comes to taking Prizes, which isn’t all that hard to do. [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY06″ c=”name”][/card] are efficient attackers in this Prize trade, but killing only the Night Marchers isn’t enough. If any [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] are in play, they need to be targeted immediately, brought back to life with [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card], and then killed again.

Taking KOs via Sky Return should be done whenever possible. This will keep some damage off of the field and conserve the precious [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card].

VS. Greninja BREAK

This is a tough matchup. The [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] deck can take Knock Outs efficiently once setup, while [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] struggles to do the same. [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] is definitely the most potent card against Greninja, but can be difficult to stream.

The goal is to to start taking Prizes as soon as possible, even if the Pokemon you are KOing aren’t important. Hitting for 30 damage and getting Energy on the board with [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] is definitely not the strategy to use here. The cheap Prizes taken with Zoroark can help to even out the Prize trade before Greninja starts pumping out consistent Knock Outs.

VS. Trevenant BREAK

This matchup is easy; you generally want to play as safe as possible, taking KOs as the opportunities arise. [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] decks don’t have any tricks up their sleeves, so once you start attacking it is difficult for them to come back. The Darkness-type Weakness is too much for the opponent to overcome because they fall too far behind in the Prize trade.

VS. Vespiquen / Vileplume

This is quite an interesting matchup. [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] has a much easier time if it goes first. Going first can often result in a turn one [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] which is absolutely devastating for [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] decks. It hurts their first turn badly and makes it nearly impossible for them to setup. This can lead to the Zoroark deck taking a few easy Prizes before [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] starts to attack. Once that happens, you are already a couple Prizes ahead.

Going second against Vespiquen / Vileplume isn’t the end of the world though, as long as you can manage to setup attackers under the Item lock or draw into a [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. In this situation, the Prize trade is generally not in your favor right away. With that said, it is much easier for the opponent to run out of attackers or Energy than it is for you. At the end of the day, you will usually still win, unless the Item lock cripples your start too much.

Trevenant BREAK

[decklist name=”Trevenant” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″][pokemon amt=”13″]3x [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Phantump” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”64″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”39″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Wally” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Red Card” set=”XY” no=”124″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”8″]5x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card]3x [card name=”Mystery Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”112″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Card Choices

1x AZ

[card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] is no longer a weakling! [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] has a very nice 160 HP which is great when considering the opponent will be under Item lock and will usually have a low hand size when it’s used. The inclusion of one [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] allows for Trevenant BREAK to be “healed” throughout the game by simply AZ’ing the damaged Trevenant and promoting another one. With the use of AZ, it is easy to continue chaining attacks because only one Psychic Energy and a [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] are required.

The AZ can also act as a [card name=”Switch” set=”Black and White” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] on your first turn if you don’t have access to [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]. One play that I commonly made when I went second and started with [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] was to [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] away AZ and then [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] for it. This allowed me to get the Shaymin-EX out of the Active, use its Ability, and then use [card name=”Phantump” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card]’s Ascension attack to get out Trevenant and begin the Item lock.

3x Red Card

[cardimg name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

[card name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] is always best when paired up with a turn one [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. This gives the opponent limited options and leaves them with only four cards, which is one of the intentions of this deck.

I play three Red Card for consistency. It’s pretty easy to obtain a Red Card after using [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card]. This lowers the opponent’s hand size while providing yourself with many new options.

2x Battle Compressor

This is for added consistency too; it increases the chances of hitting that highly sought after turn one [card name=”Wally” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card], allows you to discard cards that are not needed in a particular game, and allows you easier access to the tech Supporter cards: [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]. Although this deck doesn’t rely on having to discard certain cards to function properly, it’s always beneficial to be able to choose several cards to put in the discard.

1x Super Rod

The current format is quite aggressive, so you don’t want to run out of resources before you’re able to stabilize if the early opportunity for disruption was missed. This only creates a sticky situation. The [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] will recycle any Pokemon and/or Energy that you were forced to discard early in the game, ensuring there are plenty of attackers and resources for future use.

The main purpose of Super Rod is to ensure that you don’t run out of [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Phantump” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] before the opponent has taken all of their Prizes.

Potential Inclusions

1-2x Head Ringer

[card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] slows down certain EX-heavy decks. There doesn’t appear to be many of these decks in the current metagame, however. [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] , [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card] , and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] haven’t had much of a showing lately.

1x Startling Megaphone

[card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] is extremely helpful because it can remove annoying Tools such as [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]. It will also help out a lot against [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] decks if there are any of those lurking around in your local metagame.

Often you will find that the only thing preventing you from a KO is one of the opponent’s Tool cards. A well-timed Startling Megaphone will either give you an automatic KO and allow you to attack a new Pokemon, or will provide enough assistance for you to get a KO that turn.

Matchups

VS. Night March

As you will notice throughout many of the following matchups, it is important for the [card name=”Trevenant” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”65″ c=”name”][/card] deck to go first. Of course, usually the opponent will also want to go first, but in some matchups with Trevenant, outcomes are largely dependent on which player goes first. If Trevenant is able to go first, it is difficult for Night March to function under a turn one Item lock. [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] can then start spreading damage on turn two.

On the other side of things, this matchup becomes a bit trickier when going second. The best response to a Night March deck having an explosive turn one against you is to play [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] while also placing an Energy on a [card name=”Phantump” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench.

There are a couple of things to note in this matchup:

Use [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] to discard all of your [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. It is the only Stadium in both decks, which means that as soon as the first one hits the field, all the others are useless.
Use your [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] wisely. You don’t necessarily want to have one attached every single turn because you won’t always get value out of it. If the opponent has a good [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] option on their next turn, you shouldn’t attach a Bursting Balloon. Additionally, you shouldn’t attach a Bursting Balloon if your opponent’s Active Pokemon will die from Silent Fear anyways; this is a complete waste of damage unless you have a dead hand and need a Prize card to help work towards a turn that isn’t totally worthless.

VS. Greninja BREAK

This matchup may seem close due to [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]’s Shadow Stitching attack, but Greninja decks are put to an early halt with a turn one or turn two Item lock. After the early lock, it is not uncommon to use two or three Silent Fear attacks prior to Greninja being able to attack. Then you only need to attack two more times before all of the opposing Pokemon are KO’d.

VS. Vespiquen / Vileplume

This matchup really comes down to whether [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] comes out first. Therefore, going first is quite important. Since the Vileplume deck normally doesn’t play [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], Trevenant’s Forest’s Curse Ability will permanently Item lock the Vileplume deck. However, the same thing can happen from the other side. Strategies for both of the decks are practically the same, so it comes down to how fast the strategy can be executed.

VS. Zoroark BREAK

This is not a matchup that you want to play. The strategy is to get a turn one [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] the opponent in hopes that they have a weak couple of turns. This will allow you to at least start to run away with the game.

If the opponent sets up normally and starts attacking with [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] right away, it is quite difficult for Trevenant to keep up, even with the use of [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]. Trevenant’s Darkness-type Weakness is simply too large of an obstacle to overcome.

Night March

[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=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” 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=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Town Map” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Rescue” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Card Choices

2x Pokemon Catcher

[card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Kalos Starter Set” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] allow you pick off Pokemon-EX with ease. There are quite a few card options when it comes putting one of the opponent’s Pokemon-EX Active: [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Pokemon Catcher” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]. By flipping a heads with Pokemon Catcher, you save yourself from having to use a Supporter to KO a Pokemon-EX. This makes winning the game with a mere three or four attacks achievable because a draw Supporter can still be used every turn to help fuel attacks. If the opponent attempts to play around this strategy, [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] can be used to ensure that there is an EX to KO.

1x Town Map

This deck has an abundance of luxury cards. Including a [card name=”Town Map” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] makes certain that there will always be Supporters to use. More often than not, some form of consistency card will be prized, which can just sit there waiting for you to pick up whenever you KO one of the opponent’s Pokemon. With access to Town Map, having a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] prized is no longer the end of the world.

1x Target Whistle

To make the Prize trade less favorable for you, the opponent may try to force you to take an odd number of Prizes. [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] counteracts this by allowing you to bring back a Pokemon-EX from their discard to Knock Out with either a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Pokemon Catcher” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card]. This is often a game winning strategy.

Potential Inclusions

2nd Hex Maniac

Having two [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] makes streaming them much easier, which is generally a solid strategy against harder matchups like [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card]. Whenever playing under Item lock, it’s not possible to [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] for a Hex Maniac, so you’re forced to draw into them. Therefore, having two of them is necessary when Item lock decks are popular in the meta.

1x Enhanced Hammer

[card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] can be reused multiple times through the use of [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], which is why it’s listed as a potential inclusion. It helps out the most against [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] decks, but can also knock off an Energy here or there against [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] and Night March. When used at the proper time, Enhanced Hammer can practically give you a free turn.

Matchups

VS. Trevenant BREAK

It helps a lot to go first in this matchup; it means you get a turn of Item usage. On the first turn you can setup a strong [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] play which will allow you to potentially get a few more turns of Item usage and will heavily disrupt [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]’s setup. If you happen to go second, the first turn is generally going to be weak unless you have a Hex Maniac or Lysandre in your opening hand. However, it is likely that you will end up with one of these for your second turn through the use of a [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] during your first turn.

[card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] is definitely the way to go in this matchup, as opposed to the usual [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]. Be careful not to bench unnecessary Pumpkaboo or Joltik because it will setup Trevenant to take too many Prizes with Silent Fear.

VS. Greninja BREAK

This matchup is won by being super aggressive and using well-timed [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] to swing the Prize trade into your favor. If the opponent is able to consistently use [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]’s Abilities, they will generally win this matchup because it gives the Greninja player the opportunity to take multiple Prizes every single turn.

The goal in this matchup is to target the [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Frogadier” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”39″ c=”name”][/card] while they are setting up and play [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] as much as possible throughout the game. This essentially forces the opponent to rely on [card name=”Jirachi ” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY112 ” c=”name”][/card], which is something you’re able to deal with. When Jirachi[card name=”Jirachi ” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY112 ” c=”name”][/card] uses Stardust and discards a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] attached to one of your attackers, simply [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] out one of their [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card].

[cardimg name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

VS. Vespiquen / Vileplume

This matchup appears unfavorable at a glance, but when you truly take a good look at it, you will realize it’s winnable. Going first definitely helps quite a bit because you can start your chain of [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] prior to the opponent exploding with a crazy turn one.

The strategy remains the same when going second as well: maintain a chain of Hex Maniac while taking out any easy Prizes, particularly [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. On the final turn of Item usage, attempt to get a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] in hand so that you can easily kill another Shaymin next turn to potentially win the game.

VS. Zoroark BREAK

Decks that include [card name=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] tend to play few Pokemon-EX. However, the ones that the opponent does include can be abused through the combination of [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Kalos Starter Set” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card], or via [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card]. Ideally, striving to OHKO [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] several times with this strategy is the most efficient method of taking Prizes, seeing as that the strategy can also be repeated.

Meanwhile, the opponent will also be taking easy Knock Outs on [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] with their [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card], and killing Shaymin with [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]. The opponent’s game plan is very similar to yours because it revolves around taking out Shaymin on the Bench. As a result, the matchup usually comes down to who is more consistent with Knocking Out Shaymin.

Both sides have their advantages and disadvantages. The Zoroark deck doesn’t have to worry about using Target Whistle too much, and they can use their Shaymin-EX to take KOs on Joltik. On the other side of things, Night March has [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] to assist them in reusing helpful resources. In addition to this, the Night March deck has an easier time digging through the deck to find any particular cards that are needed.

Giratina-EX / Reshiram — My States Deck

[decklist name=”Giratina-EX / Reshiram” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″][pokemon amt=”11″]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=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Hydreigon-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”62″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”38″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Switch” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ 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]

Card Choices

2x Giratina-EX / 2x Shaymin-EX

[cardimg name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

I chose to include low counts on my Pokemon lines for several reasons.

1. Added space for other cards.
2. Wanting to start with [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card].
3. Being able to reuse them with [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Black and White” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card].

1x Lysandre

I only play one of these because it’s super easy to burn through the deck looking for it. The biggest issue I’ve had was having it prized, but it’s generally not needed until the end of the game anyways. The aggressive nature of this deck offers quick Prizes to begin with, so it’s not the end of the world if [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] is ever prized.

1x Giovanni’s Scheme

[card name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] is quite versatile, but is only rarely used. It’s most frequently used to obtain the extra damage needed to OHKO larger HP Pokmon like [card name=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. It can also be used to draw five cards instead of playing a [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], which would discard any useful cards that would already be in hand.

This use of Giovanni generally occurs toward the mid to late game when there are a couple of crucial cards in hand, such as [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Furious Fists” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] , or [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card].

0x Judge

This may seem odd to most people, but I honestly didn’t miss this card at all during the event. [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] is the ideal draw Supporter to use during the first turn of every game. After that, cards like [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Furious Fists” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] are typically in hand, and you don’t want to get rid of those. This may mean playing [card name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] to draw until you have five cards in your hand or to do an extra 20 damage, using a Lysandre to pull up a threat or easy Prize, or playing no Supporter at all to sit on the resources that you already have. Therefore, there is no big need to have [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] in the deck; however, I’m not saying that it’s not useful if you do choose to play one.

4x Acro Bike / 4x Puzzle of Time

These cards were usually not in the [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] deck lists that I’d seen performing well, and I don’t understand why. Not only do they have great synergy between each other, but they allow for incredibly aggressive starts that can essentially win you the game due to the enormous amount of pressure that a quickly powered-up Giratina-EX provides.

Additionally, many decks plan to simply run you out of resources and deck you out. By using [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] efficiently, it becomes difficult for you to actually run out of resources at all.

1x Muscle Band / 1x Fighting Fury Belt

I chose to play a split between these Tools because they provide a wider variety of options. Not only do each of them provide different capabilities, but they can be reused with [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Furious Fists” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]. This brings extra value to playing the split. It’s also fairly easy to choose whichever Tool you would like to use at any particular time throughout the game.

Potential Inclusions

1x Judge

Despite myself not missing this card at all, it is only a personal preference. Most people include a copy to give the option of refreshing your hand without having to dump a bunch of resources or having to wait a few turns without playing any Supporter.

1x AZ

This can act as a reusable [card name=”Switch” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], ensuring that [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] never gets trapped. It is often used as a way to reuse [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card]’s Set Up Ability to draw cards with. Of course, it’s also helpful to remove a Pokemon from the Active spot whenever there is a lot of damage on it.

Matchups

VS. Night March

This matchup plays out the same way nearly every time; you attack with [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] on the first turn, and then the opponent will spend the rest of the game trying to attack [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] via [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] while also discarding your [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]. Their goal is to deck you out. This is hard for them to do unless you flip a lot of tails on [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Furious Fists” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], or prize some important cards like Double Dragon Energy, [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Switch” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] or Super Scoop Up. Despite the odds of it happening being low, it can happen, so you need to be careful with your resources.

VS. Greninja BREAK

[card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] is a matchup that a lot of people view as absolutely horrible, but it is possible to pick up a win here. Putting on early pressure with a turn one [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], combined with some good [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Furious Fists” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] flips, can win you the game.

It’s important to use [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] for [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] in order to get easy Prizes. [card name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] can also allow you to OHKO [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] if they aren’t evolved into the BREAK yet.

VS. Trevenant BREAK

[card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] makes this matchup pretty painless, as long as it doesn’t get completely ruined by a turn one [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. Chaos Wheel makes it difficult for the Trevenant to keep attacking due to the denial of [card name=”Mystery Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. In addition, [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] cannot be played which really hurts Trevenant’s damage output.

[card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] can always be used to [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] out a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] in order to get a crucial turn of Items and a couple Prizes. This turn is usually insane because of all the resources you have access to.

VS. Zoroark BREAK

[cardimg name=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

If the opponent gets a fast start, this matchup can quickly go downhill. The opponent can be slowed down quite a bit by using [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] to kill [card name=”Zorua” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], but once they have [card name=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] into play and start using [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] to discard your [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], it’s nearly impossible for you to keep attacking.

The main priority here is to kill as many Zorua as possible, preventing the opponent from getting any Zoroark on the field. KOing Pokemon with Energy already attached to them is crucial too because most Zoroark builds run a low count nowadays. This could slow them down even more.

VS. Vespiquen / Vileplume

When going second, this matchup is actually quite interesting. If you go first and prepare a [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] that can attack on the second turn, the [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] player can’t really do anything. However, if the opponent goes first and gets a turn one [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], the matchup can get tricky. Your only goal is to attack with a Giratina-EX as soon as possible, but if the opponent gets multiple [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] onto the field before you do, you need to be able to attack with back-to-back Giratina-EX.

Sometimes it is best not to attack with Giratina-EX right away, depending on the board state. If the opponent has two Vespiquen with Double Colorless Energy attached to each before you have used Chaos Wheel, it is sometimes better to sacrifice [card name=”Reshiram” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] so that you have a couple extra turns to get Energy onto the second Giratina-EX.

Conclusion

Despite Night March’s dominance during this year’s State Championships, there were still a large variety of decks played. This is something that I feel Pokemon has been lacking in the past, as there are usually between one and three truly competitive decks. This factor, combined with getting to play a deck that I consider to be quite fun, allowed me to really enjoy this tournament series.

I hope that all of you PokeGods reading this also had a good time at States, and hopefully found some success too. If not, there are still plenty of tournaments left in this year of competitive Pokemon, so I wish you the best of luck in those. If you guys have any questions about the article or any similar build, feel free to post in the comments below, or checkout the Subscriber’s Secret Hideout!

Until next time,

Jimmy Pendarvis

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