Love Thy Fate — Two Hot Decks for Week Three of Regionals Featuring Fates Collide
Hey Beachgoers! I hope you’ve all been keeping up with the Pokemon TCG results of the U.K. Nationals and the first week of U.S. Spring Regionals. I’ve been keeping up with it quite a bit, actually. In addition to this, I’ve managed to do a decent amount of my own playtesting in the down time between States and the start of the Regional Championships season. With that said, I had to set aside an ample amount of time to visit my other hobbies and to finish out my second-to-last semester of school at the University of Nebraska. Just one more to go!
For the most part, the Expanded format has been covered extensively by other writers, but not specifically for week three of Spring Regionals. One of the things that I’ve been testing extensively for is the Kansas City Regional Championships, which just so happens to be during week three. I’d imagine quite a few of you are also considering going to a week three Regionals, and the big question to ask is: “How will the inclusion of Fates Collide impact the Expanded format?”
Some of you aren’t considering going to Regionals, and that’s okay! Keep plugging away at Standard and unravel the impact that [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] has on the format. There are other cards from Fates Collide that will definitely have an impact on Standard, so now is not too early to begin playtesting for Nationals!
Seeing as that week three of Regionals will be the first introduction to Fates Collide in the Expanded format, it is only fitting to briefly talk about some of the more important cards from this set. Later, I will show you the two decks I’ve been testing specifically for this tournament, my card choices, and matchups against the most popular decks. They may not have many components of the new set in them, but they’re built with a lot of the new cards in mind.
Useful Cards in Fates Collide
I wasn’t overall impressed with this set for what it provided for the Expanded metagame, but its impact in Standard is enormous! That’s an article for a different time, however.
Below are the cards that I’ve found have potential to become competitive in the current Expanded format. They may become even better in future formats with new decks to counter and new archetypes to play. Be sure to take a close look at these cards and invest in a copy or two of them to have in your binder for future use.
Glaceon-EX
Glaceon-EX is a cool card and has a gorgeous Full Art. Its first attack is an okay finisher, but let’s focus on that second attack. This card would have been phenomenal a format ago with [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Flareon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] being as rampant as it was, but now its popularity has died down a bit. However, this card also affects powerful cards such as [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card]. Those are just the ones that appear to still see a decent amount of play in the current format. Sure, [card name=”Regice” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] is arguably better, but Glaceon-EX has a few more situations where it is useful since it doesn’t just hit EXs. It’s a card worth trying out, and I can surely see its potential in future formats.
Mew
[card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] exists, I know, but it’s a 120 HP Pokemon-EX. Mew-EX is probably my favorite card ever printed because I’ve had so much success with decks that play it. Additionally, I’ve also loved its Versatile Ability. I’ve pulled off all sorts of fun and elaborate plays with that particular Ability. My entire game plan with Night March against [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] decks last season was to Quaking Punch the opponent back until I could get a Night March KO.
This Mew is slightly different since it can’t copy the attacks of each Pokemon in play; it can only copy yours. Furthermore, it can only copy the attacks of your Basic Pokemon. This allows Night March, in a way, to change its identity. You do lose the slight bulkiness of Mew-EX, but you don’t sacrifice two Prizes in a deck that’s designed to lose its attacker every turn.
There’s a ton of other possibilities for this card. Essentially, if you want to pull an attack off with a card that doesn’t lose two Prizes when it gets Knocked Out, this is your card. Andrew Mahone‘s last article also covered a little bit about this Pokemon if you would like to learn more of its uses.
Carbink
Carbink‘s unique Ability, Energy Keeper, works well in some situations. It seems like an effort by Pokemon to dull the blow of [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] leaving the format. However, it only works on Basic Pokemon, and it only works when there isn’t a [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] in play. I’m not sure how many decks will actually try to fit this card in, given that its uses are fairly specific. It won’t save your [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] from getting hammered off at all.
Most disruption-based decks play Silent Lab or [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card]. This card may be nice in an [card name=”Aromatisse” set=”XY” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] deck to help prevent Energy loss, but it won’t save your [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card]. If you can prevent Garbodor from hitting the table, this card will be useful against [card name=”Sableye” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY92 ” c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] decks.
Zygarde
Zygarde‘s second attack is handy in some situations. It’s an interesting, yet specific attack that helps this card find its way into Fighting decks to help curb [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card]’s power. The main threat against your high HP Pokemon in an [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY06″ c=”name”][/card] matchup is Yveltal-EX with a ton of Energy. Keep in mind, though, that most Yveltal variants play [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card], whose Rush In Ability can save them from the effect of Zygarde’s Aura Break attack. As a result, Zygarde will become more useful once Keldeo is rotated out of the format.
Another aspect of Zygarde, which can be viewed as good or bad, is its 90 HP. Too me, this is a plus because it can be searched out via [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. Seeing as that it is only worth one Prize and it’s a Basic Pokemon, I’m fine with it only having 90 HP. It can still make use of [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] as well.
Bronzong BREAK
Finally, a decent attacker that Metal decks can use; however, I feel like its attack can be seen coming from a mile away. Like most Metal-type Pokemon, Bronzong BREAK requires a large amount of Energy to be useful. Although, if you can possibly get four Energy onto a [card name=”Bronzong” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY21″ c=”name”][/card] in a single turn, you can really throw the opponent off by sniping their [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. I’m not as hyped as a lot of players are about this card because I find it predictable once Energy start getting thrown onto Bronzong.
Lugia
It’s [card name=”Bouffalant” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] version 2.0! Same typing, same attack, same Ability, nearly the same HP, and a similar Retreat Cost. Bouffalant was a great card, and a lot of decks found uses for it. Hitting for 120 against Pokemon-EX with a hard-to-remove Pokemon is no joke. I can see this card potentially making a comeback, but there are better non-EX Pokemon out there now. With Lugia having the ability to BREAK evolve, it’s able to survive longer due to its increased HP. Lugia BREAK‘s attack is not too bad either, since it only requires one more Energy than what it already takes to attack with the Basic Pokemon.
Energy Pouch
Energy Pouch doesn’t sound all that useful when you first read the card, but in some decks it can drop a lot of Energy for free. It’s incredibly useful! The deck that benefits from it the most is [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card], which I’ll go into detail with later.
Marowak
No, I don’t plan on evolving this Pokemon. This card gives [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card] decks an option to counter [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] decks. Seismitoad is an abysmal attacker without its Item lock effect, and Marowak prevents it. Sure, [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] is an option for the Toad players out there, but it’s only for one turn so it doesn’t shut down the opponent like Item lock normally does. Night March and [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] decks may find a use for this little guy.
You may be wondering why I didn’t mention M Alakazam-EX. I just don’t feel like that card is that great. It’s a hyped card, yet has a terrible weakness to Night March decks and practically any deck that out-speeds it; therefore, it’s just not worth mentioning.
Without further ado, let’s put some of these cards to use.
Keldeo-EX / Archie’s / Blastoise
So, we all know that [card name=”Ghetsis” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] exists right? Let’s pretend nobody plays it. Less than 50 percent of your opponents will play it for some reason. In reality, an opposing Ghetsis hurts you only if you’re going second or if you don’t have a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] in your hand when you get hit by it. Otherwise, you can probably still get the [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] into play and go crazy.
Look closely at this list; you’ll notice a pretty sweet tech in this deck from Fates Collide.
[decklist name=”Keldeo / Blastoise” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″][pokemon amt=”14″]3x [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”98″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”M Gyarados-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x Glaceon-EX (FCO #20)[/pokemon][trainers amt=”35″]2x [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”157″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Professor Juniper” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”116″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card] 4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x Energy Pouch (FCO #97)1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]11x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”Generations” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”11″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
The list is pretty cut and dry, and it doesn’t seem to vary much from other Archie’s Blastoise deck lists. Of course, this is similar to PokeBeach’s own Steve Guthrie‘s list, and even similar to the prior World Championship winning deck list.
I’ve added a few of my own personal touches to it, however, so I’ll break them down.
Card Choices
M Gyarados-EX
This may come off as a small surprise; there is one Archie’s target already, so why have two?
In most of my games of testing, I’ve been able to get Archie’s off twice in a game. Since [card name=”M Gyarados-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”27″ c=”name”][/card] has such high HP and damage output, I’ve decided to include it. It doesn’t necessarily make any matchup better, it just makes the overall deck better.
Upon using Archie’s a second time, there will be an extremely large, imposing attacker that will be difficult for anyone to get rid of. After all, it has 240 HP. Being able to one-shot [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] is also super helpful and only requires five or six Energy. It’s sure to stick around longer than a [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] that has nine or so Energy attached.
Parallel City
Yes, this is an interesting tech in this deck. Simply point the three Bench space section towards yourself and watch as the [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] magically disappear off of the Bench. This denies the opponent from taking cheap or easy Prizes against you, and it’s an easy way to remove a wounded [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] from the field.
The three Bench side of Parallel City can also be used against [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] decks to decrease the opponent’s Bench size, but it still doesn’t make the matchup a favorable one. However, by playing [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] to decrease the size of the opponent’s Bench, you’re also limiting your damage output by 20.
Glaceon-EX
I’m still toying around with this card in the list. If Glaceon-EX is the only Pokemon on the field during [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] matchups, it’s essentially an automatic win. Against Vespiquen / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] matchups, this card is a godsend since the opponent usually doesn’t play any [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card]. Other decks that revolve around Evolutions, though, seek to counter this card by playing Lysandre to get Prizes off of your Bench.
Energy Pouch
I can’t even begin to say how awesome Energy Pouch is in this deck. It affords you the opportunity to immediately recover all of the Energy that was on your Pokemon prior to getting Knocked Out, allowing you to simply reattach it all to another Pokemon.
This card has excellent synergy with [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] because it provides another OHKO option without having to burn through [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]. It’s possible to drop to a three count of Retrieval instead of four for this reason, but to play it safe, I’ve been playing four copies. Feel free to test three, though.
Even though you’re still susceptible to [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Ghetsis” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card], Energy Pouch makes the deck perform better. Instant recharging of another [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”45″ c=”name”][/card], in addition to whatever else you can pack onto the Keldeo from your hand after a [card name=”Professor Juniper” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card], is even more damage that you will be doing.
Matchups
Yveltal-EX / Darkrai-EX / Silent Lab 50-50
A lot of matchups in Expanded come down to how well the player of each respective deck plays. In addition to that, a lot of matchups rely on whether or not a deck plays a specific tech or not. In this case, it comes down to whether or not the Dark player plays a copy of [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Ghetsis” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] in their deck. Because otherwise, this matchup skews towards the [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”45″ c=”name”][/card] player.
Keldeo is typically hard-pressed to take one-shots on [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], but with Energy pouch, you can usually afford to go for an all-out KO by stacking six Energy onto a single Keldeo. After all, all of the resources will just go right back into your hand after getting Knocked Out.
[card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] could make an appearance in this matchup as well, potentially blocking your Energy Pouch and softening up two Keldeo’s for easy KOs with its Pitch-Black Spear attack.
This matchup generally goes back and forth; you load up Keldeo with Energy while Yveltal-EX thrives on those same attachments. Fortunately, speed is on your side. Dark decks, on the other hand, can utilize cheap, high output attackers like [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] and Yveltal. This you really cannot ignore.
Seismitoad-EX / Bats 60-40
Remember the last Worlds finals? That matchup demonstrated how the outcome depends almost entirely on whether the opponent can get a turn 1 Quaking Punch off before you get Archie’s off. If you get Quaking Punched, fat chance you will ever get a [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] out. These decks play multiple copies of [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] too, which removes your mobility.
Regardless, your speed will still be a useful tool in this matchup. You’re at least two-shotting [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] while the opponent has to burn resources to Knock Out every [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] you throw at them.
[cardimg name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Raikou / Eelektrik 60-40
[card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] is essentially your deck, except it’s a lot slower. You will easily outspeed it and you can consistently hit numbers that will OHKO Raikou.
Be wary of [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] though, and get ready to KO it before it attacks. While it’s possible to attack with [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] in a pinch, it’s best just to [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] the Jolteon-EX before it attacks.
Night March 50-50
This is a matchup I saw a lot of at Worlds in the Boston Open. Your one copy of [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] will be instrumental to offset the cost of losing [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] in the Prize war. The speed of both decks are about the same. Much of the matchup depends on whether or not the Night March player uses [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. If you know they play it in their list, you need to prioritize getting enough Energy down before they have the opportunity to use it.
[card name=”Kyurem” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] is a good addition to this list if you’re fretting this matchup, and even with a Hex Maniac in the opponent’s deck, you should still find an opportunity to use it.
Overall, you have two fast decks that are taking easy [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] Knock Outs, constantly KO’ing each others attackers, and using [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] at crucial times, so it should be a good back and forth matchup.
Expanded is such a broad format; I had a hard time picking which matchups to feature. In the end, you still need to watch out for the Mega decks, such as [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card]. Those will give you a hard time since you aren’t able to regularly one-shot them. Furthermore, the Groudon deck slows you to the point in which you’re mirroring their speed, and the Rayquaza deck is just as fast as you, with an attacker that can OHKO your Keldeo while having high enough HP to prevent you from doing the same to it.
[premium]
Let’s go over my favorite deck to feature in this article. This is the week three deck that I am super excited to write about!
Turbo Dark / Mew
Turbo Dark has seen some success at Winter Regionals. It made a lot of Top 16 finishes, but some of them couldn’t quite make it into Top 8. It doesn’t mean the deck is bad at all, as it is quite an achievement to make Top 16 in a [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card]-dominated format.
If you’re unacquainted with Turbo Dark, I’ll go ahead and break it down right here:
This deck uses the new [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”from”][/card] alongside [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”63″ c=”from”][/card]. [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] are both used to attach Darkness Energy to all of your Pokemon. This creates super speedy Energy acceleration and gives Darkrai-EX’s Dark Pulse attack a ginormous damage output. With [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] in the deck, there is now a beefy 220 HP attacker that hits for a lot of damage.
This deck is not negatively affected by keeping its damage output high even when the Pokemon are getting Knocked Out every turn, which is a huge plus. It’s Energy recovery is amazing, with a total of eight cards that attach Energy outside of your allotted one attachment per turn.
The big problem for this deck is Gallade, which is a huge problem for any Darkrai variants. Gallade is an extremely popular tech right now, and it’s one of the ways in which Darkrai can be repeatedly taken out.
Mew makes this deck a lot better since it provides a cheap, expendable one-Prize attacker. It attacks for only one Energy, assuming a [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] is in play. This allows the deck to preserve Darkrai attackers and gives the deck a simple counter to Gallade.
Now that you understand the basic concept behind the deck, let’s take a look at my list:
[decklist name=”Turbo Dark / Mew” amt=”58″ caption=”” cname=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″][pokemon amt=”9″]2x [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x Mew (FCO #27)1x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC16″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]4x [card name=”Professor Juniper” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”116″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”117″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Ghetsis” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”115″ 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=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ 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=”12″]12x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”Call of Legends” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”12″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Card Choices
2 / 2 Darkrai-EX Split
[cardimg name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”88″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Both Darkrai’s are formidable attackers. Now, the concentration is primarily on the BREAKpoint [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]’s attack in this deck, but without the Dark Explorers [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card], this deck’s mobility falls apart. Retreating becomes a huge struggle, and not to mention, Night Spear is an amazing attack itself.
Anything less than a 2/2 split poses too much of a risk of one or the other being prized. If that were to happen, the deck would become too slow.
1 / 1 Yveltal Split
I cut an [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] from the list to fit another Mew during my testing. I didn’t notice too much of a difference. Both Yveltal are excellent cards in this deck. The list includes few Tools, so Fright Night fits in nicely as a support attacker. Baby [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card], who everyone is used to, fits in well by being able to increase [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]’s damage output.
2 Mew
Two Mew is sufficient because it’s not the main attacker in this deck, but merely a support attacker and a [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] remover. Mew is used to force a seven-Prize game and as an attacker that can be powered up in a pinch when [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] is in play. Of course, Mew’s Memories of Dawn Ability is most frequently used to copy a Dark Pulse from a benched [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]; however, utility can still be found by copying Pitch-Black Spear or Oblivion Wing. This card is what will make the deck exciting after Fates Collide becomes legal.
1 Ghetsis
I have a hard time in Expanded using a deck that doesn’t play this card. It’s just an incredible card to play on the first turn. Sure, this particular deck doesn’t play four [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] like other Dark decks do, so it can be a little hard to nail on the first turn, but it’s still worth the inclusion. A turn one [card name=”Ghetsis” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] can shut down the entire game and prevent a [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] from hitting the field. It can also be used later in the game when you need to remove the opponent’s [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] outs if you don’t think an [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] is going to do the trick. As you can imagine, this card is also a godsend when faced against Night March and [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] decks.
4 Dark Patch and 4 Max Elixir
There needs to be a way to stack Energy on the field, and this is it. It may seem excessive, but it is absolutely necessary and ensures consistency throughout the deck. With 12 Energy in the deck, you will be extremely likely to hit an Energy off of [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. The Patches are staple for all Dark decks; but in this list, they should generally be used in the late game after a few Darkness Energy are in the discard pile. This combination of Energy acceleration cards makes it possible to attach two to four Energy in a single turn.
2 Battle Compressor
This isn’t a [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card] deck, so it doesn’t rely heavily on discarding cards early in the game. Nonetheless, the two copies of [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] help to fuel [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] and provide overall consistency, but four is excessive in this deck. It wouldn’t hurt to bump the count up to three, since hitting one of these early would make setup a lot easier.
This list plays high counts of Supporters as well, increasing the probability you can hit them early without having to discard them via an early Compressor. If adding a third Battle Compressor is something you want, I would cut an [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. This is something I’ve been considering lately, but haven’t tested it yet.
1 Computer Search
Some people play [card name=”Dowsing Machine” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] in this deck, but since this is a Turbo deck, I prefer [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]; it has so many early game uses. Computer Search is a great help whenever it comes into hand, whereas Dowsing Machine generally becomes more helpful the later you are in the game. By all means, you can try Dowsing Machine, though. It can be great for squeezing in a fifth [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card].
1 Escape Rope
[cardimg name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
[card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] is getting to be a popular card now, and in case it starts attacking before you can one-shot it, there needs to be a way around it. [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] gives us an option, even though it’s not the greatest one. Being able to use Escape Rope, then a subsequent [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card], is the key to removing the Jolteon. For every other case, Lysandre can be used as a way around it to take other Prizes.
2 Dimension Valley
I’m still playing around the the Mew / [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] split. Two of each seems to work the best, but if your deck features a higher count of Mew, the count of Dimension Valley should increase too. Since this list has two Mew, and it is the only attacker that utilizes Dimension Valley, there is not a need to have a count higher than two.
I’ve been testing this deck for a week, and I can see a viable way to play the deck with Mew as a more prominent attacker. For this version that I’ve tested, I’m still concentrating on [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] as the main attacker and Mew as the secondary. If you prefer to flip flop the main attackers, then fitting in more Dimension valley is appropriate.
12 Dark Energy
Turbo Dark relies on consistently hitting [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. In order for that to happen, there obviously needs to be a high Energy count in the deck. From all of my testing, 12 Energy has worked well so it’s the number I stick to. It’s the happy medium between ensuring the Elixir hit Energy and not drawing too many Darkness Energy into your hand. An attachment needs to be made every turn, and having 12 Darkness Energy helps to achieve this goal.
Thanks to [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]’s Dark Pulse attack, the extremely high count of Energy serves another purpose; it’s a way of dealing excessive amounts of damage. The greater the number of Energy included in the deck, the higher the damage cap will be. Having this much Energy, combined with the Energy acceleration cards, will ensure that Dark Pulse consistently hits for high numbers. Having eight Energy on the field by turn three or four is not uncommon. More importantly, the Energy discarded from getting KO’d can be easily recovered.
Lack of Double Colorless Energy
This isn’t your typical Dark deck. It doesn’t play [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card], or even [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] for that matter. None of the attackers benefit from having more Colorless Energy on the field; therefore, the [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Generations” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] are left at home. The only attacker that can really benefit from Double Colorless Energy in this deck is the Fright Night. However, it’s nowhere near impossible to get it attacking with only basic Darkness Energy. Dark Pulse can utilize a Double Colorless Energy to attack with, but it’s far superior to boost the damage output of the card with an Energy attachment of basic Energy. This alone starts [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card]’s damage off at 60, assuming there are not any Darkness Energy attached to any Pokemon on your Bench, which there is almost surely going to be.
A Card Worth Mentioning
[card name=”Munna” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] is a pretty cool card in this deck. This was a suggestion from a friend of mine, but I haven’t tested it yet. In theory, it sounds quite impressive. If your own Pokemon falls Asleep, you always have [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] to bail you out. However, if you put your opponent’s Pokemon to sleep, it is incredibly annoying for them to deal with. One turn of the opponent staying Asleep can be all you need. You can also use [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card]’s Dark Head attack to do some massive damage.
Most Darkness-type decks play Keldeo, so Munna isn’t necessarily an auto-include, but it’s something I’m currently testing.
Matchups
Mew changes these matchups quite a bit, especially with what it does to [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card]. These matchups are also quite a bit different from other Dark decks because this list doesn’t include [card name=”Archeops” set=”Noble Victories” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] or Gallade.
Yveltal-EX / Darkrai-EX / Silent Lab 60-40
[cardimg name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This matchup is tipped slightly into your favor since [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] is not a popular tech in this style of Dark deck. The advantage comes from being able to OHKO the opponent’s Pokemon more easily. The strategy in this matchup is no different than any other, just be sure not to put too many Energy on any single Pokemon for an opposing [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] to Knock Out. Fortunately, [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] feeds off of Energy on the Bench, while only requiring two itself. This makes it plenty difficult for an opposing Yveltal-EX to KO. Add in [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], and you have an attacker that is nearly impossible to OHKO.
Even when the Darkrai falls, the damage output only drops by 40. Be vigilant of any potential [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] though, since it shuts off Mew‘s Ability. In that case, you have the choice to either attack with Darkrai for the turn or replace the Silent Lab with a [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card].
I consider this matchup to be favorable towards the Turbo Dark deck due to the high damage output that isn’t dependent on the amount of Energy on the opponent’s Active Pokemon, in addition to having higher HP attackers. The only downside is that you don’t particularly punish a player that loads a ton of Energy onto an Yveltal-EX, like you normally would if you played one yourself. With that said, it shouldn’t be hard to fit that in if that’s something you feel is a problem in this matchup.
Seismitoad-EX / Bats 50-50
Energy acceleration is useless against Item lock decks since you won’t be able to use [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] when [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] uses Quaking Punch. However, you still get an attachment of one Energy per turn, which can set up multiple threats for the Seismitoad player to deal with. You can also use the one turn that you do have without Item lock at the start of the game to attach three or four Energy to set up easy Knock Outs for the future.
The math ends up being difficult for Seismitoad decks because of how much time it takes to dish out 180 damage. If you can attach [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] before the Item lock happens, your [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] will take forever for the opponent to deal with.
Another advantage this deck has is the ability to scale up its damage without having to put all Energy onto one Pokemon. It’s a huge relief for Seismitoad-EX decks to Knock Out big attackers with a lot of Energy on them. With your Energy spread out, it’s going to have to deal with constant attacks. Combine this with the advantage of playing Fright Night, and this matchup is an easy win.
I still peg this at a 50-50 since you can struggle to get off the ground early if you’re under Item lock. With the [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] version of Dark, you only need two Energy cards to start two hitting Seismitoad-EX for a sizeable amount of damage. With the same two Energy in this Turbo Dark deck, you only do 60 damage. In other words, you need a strong first turn.
Raikou / Eelektrik 60-40
This matchup is one of the biggest downfalls of not having [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Archeops” set=”Noble Victories” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card]. At least you don’t have the Lighting Weakness that [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] has, and you can consistently one-shot each of the [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. Sure, [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] would be helpful, but it hardly seems necessary when you’re taking constant OHKOs every turn. With the inclusion of Hex Maniac, I would rate this matchup at a 70-30 in Dark’s favor, so if you’re having trouble with this matchup, cut a card to fit in a copy of Hex.
[card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] is a huge problem, however. On the bright side, most versions of this deck have been cutting Jolteon. If it exists, it needs to be Knocked Out quickly or you will have to hope for an [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] at the opportune time. You can always [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] around the Jolteon-EX and cherry pick Prizes, but that strategy may not work if the opponent does not have any Pokemon on their Bench. This is where the inclusion of a [card name=”Munna” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] could work for you too. One turn with Jolteon sleeping, and it’s gone.
Night March 60-40
A 220 HP [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] with a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] can be hard for Night March to deal with, especially with Darkrai’s Psychic Resistance. [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Ghetsis” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] disrupt Night March quite a bit, but every attack counts for Night March in this matchup since they will be taking two Prizes almost every turn.
Mew is handy here since you can save your Darkrai and prevent them from getting Knocked Out by sacrificing Mew instead. There is still a single copy of [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] as well, which everyone knows is a Night March remover.
Hit the opponent with a Ghetsis early, preferably on the first turn. It makes it incredibly difficult for them to take any OHKOs early in the game.
Wrapping It All Up
[cardimg name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”45″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
These decks have only a few minor inclusions from Fates Collide, but those inclusions make both decks perform better. These decks, although successful in the past, needed just an extra boost to make it to top tier status, and with Fates Collide becoming legal soon, I feel that these decks will have the boost they need to make Top 8 or even win a Regionals during week three.
Of course, [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] did win the 2015 World Championships, but it got overshadowed by other decks playing [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. With Energy Pouch, it doesn’t necessarily fix this problem, but it does give the deck recovery that is unmatched by any other deck in the Expanded format.
The whole dynamic of Turbo Dark is the same, but Mew fixes a lot of the deck’s weaknesses and also makes other matchups just that much better. Having an expendable Pokemon that can attack with little investment is a huge advantage.
I will be testing these two decks quite a bit for week three. It’s been difficult to mix it in with my week two testing, but I’m doing my best! I started testing almost immediately after States concluded, so I’ve had plenty of time.
If you guys have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below, or go to the Subscriber’s Secret Hideout to get more personalized help. I hope you all enjoyed the article, and I hope to see you all at Regionals this season. I’ll be in Madison for week two and Kansas City for week three!
Best of luck,
– Treynor
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