Gloomy Ticks and Oddish Lamps — All About Vespiquen / Vileplume and Night March

Hello PokeBeach readers. My name is Eric Gansman and I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to provide content for you all to read. Since this is my first article, I think it would be prudent for me to share a little bit about myself and why you should bother listening to what I have to say. I have been playing the Pokemon TCG since 2011, but did not start playing extremely competitively until 2013. Since the beginning of 2015, I have had the following tournament finishes: two Top 8 Regional Championships (finishing in 2nd and 7th), one Top 16 Regional Championship, one Top 8 State Championship, and most recently, one Top 128 at the U.S. National Championships. These placings netted me enough points to compete in the World Championships in August. I am also a member of Team Hovercats, one of the oldest and most prestigious Pokemon teams in North America, with members such as 2015 World Champion Jacob Van Wagner, 2012 Worlds Finalist Harrison Leven, and 2013 Worlds Top 4 finisher Dustin Zimmerman, among many others.

[cardimg name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ align=”right” c=”custom”]What’s all the Buzz about?[/cardimg]

Now that I’ve gotten my introduction out of the way, let’s talk about what everyone is here for, Pokemon. The World Championships are just around the corner, and the number one question on every competitors mind is “What is the play for Worlds?” Luckily, that’s what I am here for! In this article I will discuss what I believe are the two strongest decks for Worlds, [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] and Night March. Hopefully, after reading my article, you will have a much better understanding of both of these decks, and why I believe they are such good plays for Worlds. Without further ado, let’s dive right into the first deck: [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card].

Vespiquen / Vileplume

After Night March’s dominating performance at Nationals, it is the de facto deck to beat heading into Worlds. While many decks have the capability of beating Night March, [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] has one of, if not the best, Night March matchups in the format. When building a deck, it is important to go over the pros and cons of each marginal card choice. By constantly scrutinizing your lists, you can create optimal lists much more efficiently than through hundreds of testing games. With that said, let’s look at my current [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] list and discuss why each marginal card deserves to be included in the list.

[decklist name=”Vespiquen Vileplume ” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″][pokemon amt=”27″]3x [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Gloom” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”2″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Oddish” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”1″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ 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]3x [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”29″]3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”117″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ 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=”Fates Collide” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

This list is based off Fred Hoban’s Top 8 U.S. Nationals deck list. I believe his list is extremely good and have only tweaked it in order to increase the consistency slightly. Let’s discuss some of the more questionable inclusions, as well as the changes I made from his deck list to mine.

Card Explanations

Three Professor Sycamore, Three Unown

In Fred’s U.S. Nationals list, he opted to play a full four [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”name”][/card] and only two [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Steam Siege” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card]. When playing [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] in both testing and at U.S. Nationals, I found myself stuck with many dead hands once I dropped [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]. By adding a third [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Steam Siege” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card], this helps alleviate this concern, giving you more consistent draw throughout the game. While the fourth [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”name”][/card] would be nice to have, I never found myself struggling to put enough Pokemon in my discard pile, and the draw from it is basically irrelevant. While adding a third [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Steam Siege” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] does give the deck one more potential “dead” card turn one (if you already have another [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Steam Siege” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] in hand), the positives far outweigh the negatives in this situation, so it was an easy change for me to make.

[cardimg name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Better freshen up![/cardimg]

Three Float Stone, One Revitalizer

The only other change I made from Fred’s list is I upped the [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] count by one by cutting one [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card]. Just from watching Fred’s Top 8 match against Paul Johnston, I think this change is pretty self explanatory. Paul was able to [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] up Fred’s [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] and eventually decked Fred out both games since Fred was unable to attach a Float Stone to the Vileplume. By adding a third [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], I’m increasing my chances of attaching a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] to a [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] before it evolves, taking away any potential [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] stalling plays the opponent could make. Having a third [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] is also a more useful card overall than the second [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card], as it allows you to bench [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] more freely on turn one without needing to worry about using a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] to either Sky Return or Retreat. I never found more than one [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] necessary in [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], because if the situation where the second [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] is useful ever occurs (during the late game when your opponent has Knocked Out your [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]), you’ve probably lost that game anyways. [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] helps early game to make [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] even more of a live card than it already was by giving you an instant [card name=”Oddish” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”1″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Gloom” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”2″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] from your deck, but any count of [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] above one is superfluous and unnecessary.

Two Bunnelby

At U.S. Nationals, I only played one [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] in my [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] list, and I found myself in many situations where I was wishing I had a second [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]. In almost every single game, [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] was used to recycle cards discarded early to get [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] online that I needed to close out the game, whether that be [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card], AZ, or anything else. By playing two copies of [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], you aren’t forced to bench it immediately in fear of discarding your only out to recycling resources, as well as giving yourself a higher chance of drawing into it when you need it (since you can’t search for it with Item cards under [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] lock). This is something obvious that I wish I saw before I submitted my decklist for Nationals, and I was happy to adopt this from Fred’s list.

No Jolteon-EX

One notable card exclusion that I believe deserves a mention is not playing [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] in my list. While others have advocated for this version of the deck, and I even played [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] in [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] at U.S. Nationals, I do not believe [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] merits inclusion in [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] anymore. While playing the deck at U.S. Nationals, I found myself dead drawing way more than [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] should be, as it is one of the more consistent decks in the format. I missed a few crucial [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] locks because I ran [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] instead of more consistency cards, which likely cost me a chance at making day two at Nationals. While [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] is still very strong when coupled with Item-lock (forcing your opponent to have the [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] in hand the precise turn they need it instead of being able to fish it out with [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]), I personally don’t agree with giving up consistency for a deck that’s whole strategy is reliant on getting Item-lock up as soon as possible.

Now that we’ve gone through the marginal card choices, let’s go over this version’s matchups versus three of the top decks heading into Worlds: Night March, [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], and Water Box.

Matchups

Night March

[cardimg name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

As stated above, [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] has one of, if not the best, Night March matchup in the format. With a list geared towards the turn one Item-lock, Night March is really going to struggle beating [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] unless it opens the game with either a [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] plus a ton of Items or a [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Steam Siege” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] discarding multiple Night Marchers. This matchup is relatively straightforward, as you should prioritize getting [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] out over setting up multiple [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] early. There are two ways [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] can lose to Night March and both can be avoided with careful play. The first is by stranding a [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] in the Active. This can be avoided with either getting a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] down on your [card name=”Oddish” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”1″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Gloom” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”2″ c=”name”][/card] before you play [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], or by conserving your AZ. The other way [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] can lose is by over-benching [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. While you should absolutely play as many [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] as needed to get the turn one Item-lock online, do everything in your power to get as many off your field as you can. Night March will have a difficult time trading with your [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] due to having less ways to recycle [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] under Item-lock, so they need to take extra Prizes in whatever way they can. Every opportunity you get to Sky Return a [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], do it, it conserves your [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], as well as takes away one of their biggest win conditions. Overall, this matchup is very strong for [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] if played right.

Water Box

This matchup is pretty straightforward: get your [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] attacking as soon as possible. Both [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Manaphy-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card] are weak to Grass, so unless you have a really poor start, this matchup should be easy. Going first, be sure to prioritize setting up a [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] with at least three [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench. Going second, prioritize attacking with [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] turn one over getting a [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] out, as a turn one Knock Out is more disruptive than [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]. You only need 10 Pokemon in the discard to one shot all of their attackers, so the Pokemon you should prefer to discard are three [card name=”Oddish” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”1″ c=”name”][/card], two [card name=”Gloom” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”2″ c=”name”][/card], two [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], and three [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”name”][/card]. However, while this matchup is one of [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]’s easier ones, be sure to manage your [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]. Many of the best Water Box lists, including Russell LaParre’s 10th place U.S. Nationals list, have been opting to play both [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”XY” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] recently. Thus, make sure that all of your Double Colorless Energy are used for attacking. Never have more than one [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] in play if you can help it. 

Trevenant

This is probably [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]’s hardest matchup, especially so if the [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] deck plays [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card]. In this matchup, you should forego trying to set up [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] unless you can get an [card name=”Oddish” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”1″ c=”name”][/card] with a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] down before they set up their Item-lock, as otherwise [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] just becomes a liability to be [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card]’d up while they Silent Fear your Bench. Ideally, you can just Sky Return the entire game, but with [card name=”Red Card” set=”XY” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Head Ringer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] now staples in [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], this strategy becomes much harder to pull off. If you do happen to go first, try to get 11 Pokemon in the discard so you can Bee Revenge for 130 into a Sky Return Knock Out on a [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card].

Night March

Now that we’ve finished discussing [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], let’s take a look at the the deck that has defined the 2015-2016 season: Night March. While Nick Robinson piloted Night March / [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] to a Nationals win (be sure to check out his article detailing his Nationals run here), I believe straight Night March is the best version of the deck for the new format. The reason Night March / [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] was the superior choice for Nationals over straight Night March was how popular Water Box was, as [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] turned this matchup from a slightly unfavorable one into a very strong matchup. However, because Night March / [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] did so well at Nationals, plus [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] being released for Worlds, I believe that Water Box is not as strong of a deck as it was going into Nationals, making straight Night March the superior deck, as it has better matchups versus every other deck. Straight Night March also has a favorable matchup versus Night March / [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], as it has a lot more options for the mirror match it can play because it isn’t devoting nine or more spaces to [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”name”][/card]. Now that I’ve explained my reasoning as to why I think straight Night March, let’s take a look at my current list.

[decklist name=”Night March” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″][pokemon amt=”16″]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]1x [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”40″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Steam Siege” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”160″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Captivating Poké Puff” set=”Steam Siege” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Kalos Starter Set” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”XY” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

While my list may look pretty standard, it has a few key quirks that I believe make it the best possible version of the deck. Let’s go through these quirks now.

Card Explanations

Two Hex Maniac

[cardimg name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ align=”right” c=”custom”]I can’t let you do that![/cardimg]

With [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] shaping up to be two of the more popularly played decks at Worlds, adding another copy of [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] was an easy decision for me. Against Item-lock decks, Night March really just needs one turn of Items to “go off” and set up enough to win the game. Playing a second copy gives you more chances to hit [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] early on, and it also allows you to use it a second time later on to access Items again, which is usually enough to seal up the game. Two [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] also greatly improves Night March’s [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, as you have to chain [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] in the late game in order to prevent [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] from taking multiple Knock Outs per turn and making up their Prize deficit.

One Captivating Poke Puff, One Pokemon Catcher, One Target Whistle

These three cards right here are what I believe make Night March the best deck in the format, as Night March / [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] would not have the space to run these cards due to the space needed for the [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] line. Being able to control your opponent’s Bench via their discard pile and their hand is absolutely devastating: once your opponent plays a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] down, you can almost always map out your Prizes right there and feel very comfortable with your board position. An underrated use of [card name=”Captivating Poké Puff” set=”Steam Siege” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] is that you can disrupt your opponent’s set up early in the game with it as well. If you’re able to use it going first and catch your opponent with no Supporter in hand along with a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], you can cripple them from the onset of the game and put yourself in a dominant position. However, even though controlling your opponent’s Bench is extremely strong in its own right, [card name=”Pokemon Catcher” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] and two copies of [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] really make [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Captivating Poké Puff” set=”Steam Siege” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] shine. Being able to pick and choose what threat you want to Knock Out at almost any time is absurd. Add to this that Night Marchers only gives up one Prize, and you’ll almost always pull ahead in the Prize-trade.

Now that we’ve discussed my list’s specialties, let’s go over four of Night March’s most prominent matchups and how to play them.

Matchups

Trevenant

Unfortunately, there really isn’t that much to explain about this matchup: whoever goes first has an enormous advantage in the game. The more turns Night March has to use its Items, the better off it will be. However, there still are many minute plays you can make to increase your chances of winning, regardless of who goes first. As the Night March player, be sure to be extremely cautious with your resources. Even though you might not be able to use your Item cards that turn, don’t needlessly chuck them away with [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Steam Siege” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] if you don’t have to. Sometimes, it’s better to sit on a hand full of Items, since you’re only a [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] away from having an extremely explosive turn. [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] should be your primary attacker in this matchup, as you do not need to worry about having [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] bumped from play and it does not die to [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]’s Sky Return. One Item card you should try to prioritize on the first turn is [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]. It’s useful on both [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], preventing Sky Return Knock Outs, and [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card], preventing Tree Slam Knock Outs. The 10 added damage it gives is also very important, as it allows you to OHKO a [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] with one less Night Marcher in the discard, which can sometimes be difficult to get in the discard before being Item-locked. All in all, play this matchup very patiently, and snipe as many [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] as you can to stay ahead in the Prize-trade.

Vespiquen / Vileplume

Although I’ve already discussed this matchup from [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]’s point of view, I still believe it is important to understand matchups from both sides, as it gives you a deeper understanding of the matchup. Knowing what your opponent is aiming to do against your deck is also extremely important, as you can play with that in mind in order to prevent them from pulling off their optimal strategy. My little spiel about knowing matchups deeply is finished, so let’s get right into this matchup.

While this matchup definitely favors [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], two [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] really makes a difference here. Going first, [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] is amazing at stopping their Set Ups, and since their deck is extremely reliant on [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] draw, you can almost always buy yourself at least one more turn of Items. If you’re able to do this, Night March becomes the heavy favorite, as it really does not need much setup to be able to Knock Out everything in [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]. As long as you hold on to your second [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] until late game when you have multiple [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] in hand to recover [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], this matchup becomes very favorable. However, this is only if Night March gets to go first. If Night March loses the coin flip, it plays very similarly to how it would play against [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card]: play patiently, save your [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] for turns you can go off, take as many [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] Knock Outs as you can and get your [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] onto your [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] whenever you can. [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] will be your main attacker in this matchup to take advantage of [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]’s Lightning Weakness and because [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] runs a full four copies of [card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], meaning you will almost always lose the Stadium-war, which makes [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] more of a risk to attack with. With one [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], I’d estimate this matchup to be about 35-65 in [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]’s favor; with two [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], I’d say it’s 50-50, if not slightly in Night March’s favor. I can’t stress this enough: two [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] may not be standard, but it’s so impactful in almost every matchup that Night March traditionally struggles with. If you decide to play Night March, make sure to have two [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] in your deck.

Night March

Usually, I wouldn’t discuss mirror matchups in this format, as many of them are very stale and come down to the coin flip. However, the Night March matchup definitely has some skill elements in it that can swing the matchup one way or another. Let’s go over those now so you can consistently win your Night March mirror matchups.

First off, [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] should be your main attacker. You don’t need to worry about [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] ever being bumped from play, so the extra HP it has over [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] helps it survive Sky Returns, as well as [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]ed Gnaw attacks from [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], if the opponent runs both Basic Energy and [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]. Next, be very careful when using your [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. One of the best ways to gain an advantage in the mirror match is to swing the Prize-trade in your favor, and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] offers two free Prizes every time you use it. Only use Set Up if you truly need to draw more cards, or if you can clear it from your board and take a Sky Return Knock Out the same turn. Be wary of discarding your [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] needlessly as well, as they can just become an easy [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] target. Next, similarly to the [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, a turn one [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] can be very key in preventing your opponent from having an explosive turn one, usually giving you a significant edge in board position. While playing [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]  down is a very difficult decision to make as just discussed, most players will still opt to use one [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] on the first turn, which [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] cripples. Finally, your most important resources in this matchup are your [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]. Never play down a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] unless you are taking a Knock Out with it or would otherwise discard it with a [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card]. Every [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] needs to take a Knock Out, as this is a one Prize-trade matchup (unless you can take advantage of your opponent’s [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]). In summary: be very careful with your [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] drops, [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] turn one is extremely strong, and focus on attacking with [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card].

Yveltal / Zoroark / Gallade

[cardimg name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Originally, I was only planning on writing about the three biggest matchups for both the decks I discussed, but after playtesting this matchup extensively with my good friend Travis Nunlist, I decided to include this matchup as well, as I believe it is the most skill intensive and fun matchup to play in the current format. First, the most important part of this matchup is actually the coin flip: always choose to go second in this matchup. In a matchup that comes down to trading one Prize attackers, getting the first attack off is way more important than going first. Because this is a one Prize-trade matchup, be sure to use your [card name=”Captivating Poké Puff” set=”Steam Siege” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] as often as you can to force [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] onto the field, as this will be key to getting ahead in the trade. However, be wary of using your Bench manipulation cards without having the means to Knock Out a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] in the same turn, as they can Sky Return into a Fright Night [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], which is one of the strongest plays they can make. [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] should be your main attacker as it isn’t reliant on [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] and hits for Weakness against most of their attackers, however a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]ed [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] can be very difficult for them to Knock Out in one hit. If one of your Night Marchers is ever able to survive more than one turn and take multiple Knock Outs, you’ll have put yourself in a very strong position. The rest of this matchup is pretty straight forward, but if there’s one thing I must stress about this matchup, it is that you should always choose to go second. Most people (including myself) will always choose to go first regardless of the matchup, but this can sometimes lull you into a trap if not recognized. While going first usually is better, knowing which matchups are more favorable going second is a very rare skill in today’s game, and hopefully this is something you can take from my article.

Conclusion

Thank you so much for reading my first article for PokeBeach! I’m absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to write for this site and I hope to be able to impart more of my knowledge throughout the rest of the year. My next article will be about how decks change with the rotation so if there’s something you would like me to talk about let me know here. If you see me at the Pokemon World Championships, feel free to come up to me and talk to me about anything. Whether it be about my article or anything else; I like to consider myself a very approachable figure and love meeting new people in the community.

Until next time,

Eric Gansman