Take Flight with Fright Night — An In-Depth Look at Yveltal in Standard
What’s up everyone? It’s been a long time, but I’m back with a brand new article for you guys. A lot has been happening in my life lately, but I made sure to keep on writing and playing Pokemon. After weeks of playtesting with friends and teammates, I believe I’ve obtained a solid grasp on the new Standard format and thus began testing counter-meta strategies. A couple of them fell through, but I think I finally came up with one that fit the bill. This deck has been testing extremely well across the board, and I believe it could be a powerful sleeper pick for Standard Regionals such as those in Orlando or Fort Wayne this fall.
Throughout my playtesting of decks such as [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card], Rainbow Road, [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”M Scizor-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], and several more, I’ve learned one thing for sure: We have an extremely diverse Standard format right now. With so many good decks currently seeing play, it has become increasingly difficult to find something that could answer a large enough portion of the meta and remain consistent at the same time. Regardless, I decided to let my creative juices flow while talking with my teammates about different cards in the format before taking my Darkrai variant to a tournament. I only own two copies of [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] at the moment, so I needed to borrow a third copy from someone, since my list called for three of them. As luck would have it, no one had an extra copy available for me, so I was forced to either pick a different card or play another deck.
I really didn’t feel like building a new deck minutes before an event, especially due to one single card, so instead I opted to find a replacement. A simple solution would’ve been [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card], but then I noticed a copy of the BREAKthrough [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] while I was flipping through my binder. After a minute or two of thought, I decided to try out the smaller Yveltal as a tech to counter Mega Evolution decks and other Pokemon Tools in general. This worked out extremely well for me during the course of the tournament, playing a huge role in my winning of the whole event. This experience then got me thinking about that particular card, and how I could use it to counter the meta more effectively than a simple one-of tech.
Fright Night
The name might have a similar feeling, but I can guarantee you that this version of [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] is vastly different from the one that saw success last season. One of the big reasons for that is the inclusion of three [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”from”][/card]. Why so many, you ask? Well, let’s take a look at what this card has to offer.
[cardimg name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
[card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] offers a powerful attack in Pitch-Black Spear, dealing 60 damage to both your opponent’s Active Pokemon as well as one of his or her Benched Pokemon-EX. This is a lot of damage to be dishing out to a Benched Pokemon with no real drawback, allowing you to set up a single attack that can claim four Prize cards at once! Couldn’t we take fast KOs and claim four Prizes with other attackers, though? Well, absolutely! However, taking all four of those Prize cards at once has its advantages.
First of all, you get to soften up two Pokemon at once, as opposed to laying down the bulk of your damage on only one of your opponent’s Pokemon at a time. This means that even if your opponent finds a [card name=”Switch” set=”EX Dragon Frontiers” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] in time, it’s likely that both of their attackers have taken a substantial amount of damage. This can render switching out useless, thus allowing you to continue attacking regardless of whether or not they switch Pokemon.
Another benefit of taking that many Prizes at once is how well it can counter the disruption of a late game [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] from your opponent. If you can claim two Prizes early, you can then set up the board to win with a series of Pitch-Black Spears. These attacks can be chained even if your Yveltal is Knocked Out, largely thanks to [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]. If you can keep a backup Yveltal with even a single Energy attached to it, you should be ready if your Active Yveltal bites the dust. At this point, it’s just wash, rinse, and repeat.
Finally, Yveltal has one more thing going for it, and that is its Fright Night Ability. Taking away the effects of Pokemon Tools is already a powerful effect, but when you insert it into a metagame full of Mega Pokemon, it becomes absolutely bonkers. Just imagine your opponent is playing a Mega-based deck and is unable to play his or her Mega Evolution without ending his or her turn because Yveltal is sitting in your Active spot laughing at them. This is precisely what happens against Mega decks, and why Yveltal has such a great matchup against virtually all of them.
To kick things off, let’s take a look at the Yveltal list that Neil Williamson piloted to Top 8 at the recent Oklahoma City ARG tournament.
[decklist name=”Neil Williamson’s Yveltal” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″][pokemon amt=”12″]3x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC16″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Umbreon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”55″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”34″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Fates Collide” no=”113″ 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]3x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”14″]10x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”XY” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ amt=”10″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Analysis
This is a pretty straightforward Yveltal list, combining the disruptive power of the BREAKthrough Yveltal with the versatility of both the [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] and the original [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC16″ c=”name”][/card] from XY for a very well-rounded deck.
The three copies of [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] allowed Neil to use Yveltal-EX’s attacks while still swinging with a single Prize attacker, which no doubt created problems for his opponents in terms of the Prize-exchange. Sure, Mew isn’t going to live long with only 50 HP, but it won’t need to if it takes a KO every time it attacks. With [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] on hand to provide Energy acceleration, Mew can get going on the first turn quite often.
Next we have [card name=”Umbreon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], who can take four Prize cards with a single attack, given that it KOs a Mega Evolution Pokemon in the process. The ability to draw Prize cards in chunks of four is absolutely insane, as mentioned above with the potential of Yveltal’s Pitch-Black Spear doing the same.
[cardimg name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Hiyaaaaa![/cardimg]
Another thing I want to point out in Neil’s list are the two copies of [card name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]. This card is especially potent for a surprise Umbreon-EX play, but Ninja Boy also can turn a little Yveltal into an Yveltal-EX for a massive Evil Ball out of nowhere. You could also do the opposite, swapping out the Pokemon-EX for a more control-based approach with our friendly neighborhood Fright Night [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. Finally, you could swap out for a Mew in order to hit something for Psychic Weakness, such as [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], which doesn’t seem too bad either.
Then we have [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card], a powerful Supporter card that can serve a dual purpose. While Delinquent’s primary use is to get rid of Stadium cards, namely [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], she also forces your opponent to discard three cards from his or her hand. The key here is timing. If you hold Delinquent until your opponent’s hand size is three or less, you’ll force them into top deck mode and likely gain a huge advantage in the process. You can also discard Delinquent early on in the game, leaving her in the discard pile as a scare tactic of sorts. If your opponent knows you could retrieve Delinquent at any time via [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], he or she will likely try to maintain at least four cards in hand at all times to avoid losing his or her entire hand to this card. If this happens over the course of a game, you can bet your opponent will have withheld a couple of plays to maintain a four card hand. This gives you more control simply by having her in your discard pile. Isn’t that fun?
Shortcomings
You may have noticed that Neil opted to exclude some key cards like [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] from his list. While Hex Maniac would shut down both Fright Night and Memories of Dawn, it just seems too powerful to exclude from this list. Hex Maniac can be especially powerful when paired with Yveltal-EX as well as on the game’s first turn, shutting down potential [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] plays from your opponent. Regarding Float Stone, I understand that Fright Night would simply shut it down, but I worry about the deck’s lack of maneuverability without it here. If [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Switch” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card], or more copies of [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] were present, I might not mind this so much.
Despite these minor shortcomings I’d noticed, I decided to try out Neil’s list as is before making any changes or further judgment. After playing a handful of games against the most popular decks in our current meta, I began to understand the deck’s strengths and weaknesses in these matchups, so I decided to make a few adjustments of my own.
While I believe that Neil’s list is extremely solid, I do have one problem with it: the deck seems to lack mobility outside of [card name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]. While Neil did run a lone copy of [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card], I don’t see that being enough to deny Prize cards. Ninja Boy lets you switch to a different attacker, but it doesn’t get rid of the damage you’ve taken, which means you’re still going to have less HP to work with and are more likely to be KOd sooner.
With all of that said, I’d like to go over my personal Yveltal list and explain some of my key card choices.
[premium]
My Updated Fright Night Variant
[decklist name=”Fright Night” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″][pokemon amt=”14″]3x [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Zorua” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ 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 Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Umbreon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lugia” set=”Fates Collide” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ 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=”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=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Reverse Valley” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”13″]9x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”9″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Of course, the focus of the deck remains on [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], who is your main attacker. With [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] on hand, Yveltal can launch a Pitch-Black Spear as soon as the first turn. With three copies of the Legendary Pokemon, your odds of opening up with one are pretty good, meaning you can easily take away an opponent’s attempt to retreat via [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]. This also works by targeting down a Benched Pokemon with a high Retreat Cost, such as [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], in order to spread out damage without taking any hits in return. So what about the rest of the deck? Sure, Yveltal is the centerpiece, but we have 57 other cards here, and each one serves its own purpose. Let’s take a deeper look at this list now.
Card Choices
Zoroark
While [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] seem to be the gold standard of Dark-type attackers, [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] offers a brutally powerful attack with Mind Jack, dealing enough damage to severely dent, if not OHKO, several Pokemon-EX for a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]. Next, it can cut through a [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] thanks to its Stage 1 status. Zoroark also gives the deck mobility with its Ability, allowing you to Stand In Zoroark to the Active position and then retreat for free with a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]. Finally, Zoroark sticks to the mold of only giving up one Prize card if it is KOd, while Yveltal-EX and Darkrai-EX can’t make the same claim here. Zoroark saw a lot of success last season, and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon.
Yveltal-EX
Yes, I realize this guy gives up two Prize cards instead of only one, but hear me out. Several popular Pokemon in the game right now require three or more Energy to start launching their bigger attacks, and with [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Fates Collide” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] already being run at four copies apiece, a single [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] is a natural fit. More so, Yveltal-EX offers us a much-needed piece of muscle, capable of wiping out a massive threat with a single attack. You’re mainly going to want this guy if your opponent manages to load up a big [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] or starts going wild with [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], both of which are already seeing a ton of play, in order to level the field of play and take control again with your non-EX Yveltal. For these instances, I feel that a single copy of Yveltal-EX is warranted in this list.
Umbreon-EX
[cardimg name=”Umbreon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”119″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I know, I know, another Pokemon-EX. Once again, however, this guy is worth the single slot. While [card name=”Umbreon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t going to outright OHKO any of the games big hitters, Endgame lives up to its name with the potential to end games a bit prematurely. Let’s use the following scenario: [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] has spread damage onto one of your opponent’s Mega Pokemon, taking out a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] in the process. This puts you at four Prizes and has likely left between 120 and 180 damage on the aforementioned Mega Evolution. This lets Umbreon-EX close out the game with a single attack. Now, won’t your opponent see this strategy coming a mile away? Well, if you’ve benched Umbreon-EX manually, then absolutely. This is where [card name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] comes in, letting you swap out an Yveltal for the deadly Dark Eeveelution and Endgame out of nowhere! Scary, isn’t it?
Lugia
Ah yes, my favorite Pokemon of them all. I must say I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the quality of Lugia cards that have been released over the last few years. This particular [card name=”Lugia” set=”Fates Collide” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] is no exception, offering an attack that deals 120 damage to your opponent’s Active Pokemon-EX while simultaneously taking 20 less damage from his or her attacks. Lugia has near-perfect synergy with Yveltal’s Pitch-Black Spear, combining for a gorgeous 180 damage between the two. If Lugia survives a turn, it can unleash another Intensifying Burn on Yveltal’s second attack target, stealing four Prize cards very quickly. Lastly, Lugia’s damage output makes it an easy choice to wipe out a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] off of a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card]. All of these plays add up for a variety of options to claim easy Prize cards against several of the game’s top decks right now.
Super Rod
It might seem silly to run [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] instead of Karen at first glance, but there is actually reasoning to this. I don’t have much of a problem with Karen being a Supporter, but more that Karen cannot recycle Energy like Super Rod can. This is relevant to the deck because of its reliance on [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. While you’re going to want one or two copies of Max Elixir early on, you’ll often have at least one copy left in the mid to late game when you may be running low on Energy. By using Super Rod to return one or two Darkness Energy to the deck, you’ll increase the success rate of that last Max Elixir by a pretty substantial number! That means more attackers are set up, and you’re more likely to win the game. That sounds pretty good to me!
Reverse Valley
Only having a lone copy of [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] may seem risky, but with [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] on hand, you should be fine against [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and Rainbow Road variants. [card name=”Reverse Valley” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] offers the ability to increase your damage output, mainly allowing Zoroark to hit 170 damage – enough to OHKO some commonly played Pokemon-EX – if your opponent’s Bench is full. It also gives you an out against your opponent’s Parallel City, should they play one before you can play your own, allowing you to either limit their Bench or knock some unwanted copies of [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] off your Bench the following turn. Reverse Valley is also one of the few damage modifiers that actually works with [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], as it isn’t a Pokemon Tool. Overall, this card is solid, and having two copies is extremely helpful against decks that exclusively run Parallel City as their Stadium.
Other Options
Yveltal BREAK
[card name=”Yveltal BREAK” set=”Steam Siege” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] is a fun little upgrade that gives our Yveltal an extra 20 HP as well as a nifty new attack in Baleful Night. This attack is reminiscent of [card name=”M Gallade-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card]’s Unwavering Blade, but much easier to use due to Yveltal not requiring a Mega Evolution in order to use it. Yes, Yveltal BREAK needs three Darkness Energy to use this attack, but with [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] on hand, you should be able to charge this up in a couple of turns while your first Yveltal spreads out damage to set up this bad boy. If you find yourself in need of an extra piece of muscle, Yveltal BREAK is worth considering. You won’t always need him, but being able to throw down 120 damage and still add Bench damage is very powerful while also having excellent synergy with the Basic Yveltal.
Darkrai-EX
The core of the [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] engine is already here: [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] and a bunch of [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] to target down. While Darkrai-EX doesn’t have [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and its [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] to lean on here, Dark Pulse is still a powerful attack that can dish out a respectable amount of damage with the right board state. That said, Darkrai-EX often needs to have a deck built around him in order to realize his full potential, and that’s not the case here. Using Darkrai-EX as a cleanup hitter works in Expanded since we have [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card], but in Standard you’ll need to manage your Energy a bit more carefully. For that reason, I’ve opted not to include the King of Dark Pokemon in my list. Still, if you think you can get enough out of Dark Pulse to warrant running another Pokemon-EX, go ahead and try him out. He’s not bad, after all.
Mew
[card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] was used successfully in Neil’s Yveltal variant, which got me to consider running it in my list as well. Mew has lots of things going for it, such as being a single-Prize Pokemon that can use any of your other Basic Pokemon’s attacks as its own. This also allows you to hit for Psychic-type Weakness, which can be huge against decks like [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card]. If copying Pitch-Black Spear for a 2HKO on Mewtwo isn’t enough, you can also have Mew copy [card name=”Lugia” set=”Fates Collide” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] for a massive 240 damage for a surefire KO on a Psychic-weak Pokemon-EX or copy [card name=”Umbreon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] for a 140 damage Endgame that can net you four Prize cards out of nowhere! Just remember that Mew’s Ability is limited to copying Basic Pokemon, so it won’t be copying [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] anytime soon. Still, the main problem I encountered while playtesting Mew was its lowly 50 HP, as it isn’t likely to be taking OHKOs as often as I’d anticipated.
Giovanni’s Scheme
[cardimg name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”138″ align=”right” c=”custom”]”So! I must say, I am impressed you got here!”[/cardimg]
I believe the big boss of Team Rocket, or his scheme rather, is a vastly underused card in today’s meta. Of course decks that already OHKO – such as [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], or Rainbow Road – won’t be needing [card name=”Giovanni’s Scheme” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] in their lists. For those of us who aren’t already dishing out 180+ damage, however, Giovanni can provide that extra punch we may need. Aside from increasing [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]’s damage cap to 180, Giovanni’s Scheme can bring [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]’s Pitch-Black Spear into 2HKO range on most Pokemon-EX, given the help of [card name=”Reverse Valley” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] being in play. The thought of dealing 90 damage to your opponent’s Active Pokemon and another 60 to one of his or her Benched Pokemon is just ridiculous, even if it does mean using up your Supporter for the turn. As for Giovanni’s other effect? You could use it in a pinch, I guess.
Olympia
[card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] is mainly used for the [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, although she can be helpful to get an Yveltal out of the Active slot if you are unable to find a [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] together. She also offers the ability to be recycled via [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], meaning a single copy of Olympia can be used up to five times in one game. Yes, she uses up your Supporter for the turn, but if you’re using her to switch out, you’re probably locked into an undesirable spot to begin with. Her healing effect is icing on the cake, but Olympia is a versatile and powerful Supporter card that definitely deserves consideration in the current meta.
Special Charge
You may have noticed that every attacker in the deck makes use of [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], and four copies might not end up being enough. Now you could try [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] here, but that’s at least five slots right there. While [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] is much less versatile than the former, it takes only a single slot and offers us two more uses of [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Fates Collide” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] than we originally had on our hands. This can help speed up the process of launching big attacks and spreading out damage for a wave of KOs to occur very quickly. If you’re having trouble maintaining Energy for your attackers, give Special Charge a try.
Captivating Poke Puff
I’m not going to lie, I really want to find space for one of these in my list. Forcing your opponent to bench Pokemon that they wouldn’t normally want in play is a huge advantage, especially when both of our main attackers stand to gain something from this effect. Buffing [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]’s damage output by 30 or 60 is definitely powerful, but the bigger benefit is bringing a new target into play for [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] to pick on with Pitch-Black Spear. On top of that, if you manage to hit a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] with this card, you take away a potentially game-breaking effect from your opponent. The thought of going first and hitting either of those two with [card name=”Captivating Poké Puff” set=”Steam Siege” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] is just sick.
Matchups
Darkrai-EX / Giratina-EX (60 / 40)
Despite not including any Mega Evolutions, this deck is almost entirely composed of Pokemon-EX. With [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] likely to fill up your opponent’s Bench early, Zoroark can capitalize on a quick Pitch-Black Spear with some big attacks and early Prize cards as a result. Your one concern here is [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]’s ability to lock you out of [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] before you can get a couple of them down. [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] can help you here, though. Giratina-EX’s massive Energy cost means Yveltal-EX can launch an Evil Ball with only three Energy, as long as you have [card name=”Reverse Valley” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] in play, for an OHKO. If you managed to hit Giratina-EX with a Pitch-Black Spear first, then you’re already on the fast track to KOing it and may not even need the big guy to bring down the Renegade Pokemon. As far as [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] is concerned, you are free to attach your Energy however you like, meaning a Pitch-Black Spear and a Mind Jack should be enough to score a KO here. If the board is ideal, you can even go for three Pitch-Black Spears and a four Prize turn to potentially close out the game.
M Mewtwo-EX (55 / 45)
This matchup is largely dependent on whether or not the [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] player also plays [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Without Garbodor, I’d say this matchup improves to 60 / 40 in your favor. Even if they do run Garbodor, you can still KO [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] with a Pitch-Black Spear and [card name=”Reverse Valley” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] before it evolves, which is especially simple if your opponent starts with Trubbish in the Active and expects to retreat via [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]. Of course, a second turn Garbodor combined with an M Mewtwo-EX can spell trouble if your opponent gets enough Energy into play. This is where Yveltal-EX comes into play. Once Mewtwo has taken one or two Pitch-Black Spears, you should be ready to Evil Ball for an easy KO. Look for [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] to be key players here too, as they’re almost certain to play [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card]. This gives you a bigger Bench for Zoroark to take advantage of as well as a big target for Lysandre to combo with Yveltal for some big damage and disruption rolled into one. Lastly, you want to hold your Stadium cards if possible. This way, you can always knock [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] out of play and deny your opponent access to [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card]’s Damage Change attack. If you keep them from healing, you will usually win this one.
M Rayquaza-EX (75 / 25)
[cardimg name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ align=”right” c=”custom”]I eat Rayquaza for breakfast![/cardimg]
This deck is practically tailor-made to win this matchup, even if that wasn’t the original intention. [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] leads the charge, like always, locking down your opponent’s [card name=”Rayquaza Spirit Link” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”87″ c=”name”][/card] and keeping his or her original Active Pokemon in place while you set up your attackers. A couple Pitch-Black Spears can quickly dump a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and set up for a vicious [card name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] play into [card name=”Umbreon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] for the game if you’ve laid down enough damage on a [card name=”Rayquaza-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY73″ c=”name”][/card] in the process. If not, you have two options. You can keep swinging with Yveltal until you eventually bring down a pair of Pokemon-EX, or you can simply use [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] to plow through something for an easy KO. If your opponent is kind enough to bench seven or more Pokemon, Zoroark should be able to handle this job on its own. Lastly, it is usually better to leave your opponent’s [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] in play here, as it will only feed Zoroark’s attack while your opponent struggles to keep up in the Prize-race. Regardless of which strategy you opt for, this one should be a slam dunk.
Rainbow Road (45 / 55)
[card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] and friends can create a little trouble for [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], which is largely due to its lack of Pokemon-EX. That said, they still play a copy or two of both [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card]. If you can take advantage of these guys, you should put yourself in a better position than the listed ratio would suggest. However, they could opt not to bench the aforementioned Pokemon-EX and go the non-EX route entirely, which means Yveltal isn’t going to accomplish much. In this instance, [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] is your man. Rainbow Road decks tend to load the Bench quickly, meaning more damage can be unleashed with Mind Jack, and more KOs are there for the taking. Don’t worry if you can’t OHKO a Xerneas with a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] on the spot. As long as Zoroark can lay down 120 damage with Mind Jack, you can send up Yveltal to cancel out the Pokemon Tool’s effect and cause Xerneas to be KOd instantly. It may also be worth targeting down any dual-type Pokemon your opponent puts into play, such as [card name=”Galvantula” set=”Steam Siege” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Bisharp” set=”Steam Siege” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], in order to force him or her to bench a larger overall number of Pokemon. This isn’t Yveltal’s best matchup, but it isn’t unwinnable by any means.
Volcanion (70 / 30)
This is another great matchup for [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. This is largely thanks to the deck’s tendency to lean on the baby [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] in the early game and [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] down the stretch. While Volcanion-EX’s Ability can produce big damage from even the little Volcanion, they’re going to need four of those Abilities at once to OHKO an Yveltal with Volcanion’s Power Heater attack. Meanwhile, you can lay down 60 damage per turn on a Volcanion and another 60 on a Volcanion-EX, eventually setting you up for at least three Prize cards. Also, don’t be afraid to switch out to [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] if you see an opening to KO a Pokemon-EX for a quick two Prizes at some point. Finally, you can use [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] to finish off the last Volcanion-EX if necessary. Most of the time, though, you won’t need to bust out the big guns and can simply Pitch-Black Spear your way to victory.
Darkrai-EX / Yveltal / Mew (65 / 35)
The [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] deck that came out at the Oklahoma City ARG is a bit similar to both this list and Neil Williamson’s list featured above, but again without the [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]. Instead, they run more copies of [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] and as well as [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]. The inclusion of more Pokemon-EX swings this matchup in our favor, as our Yveltal is able to spread much more damage onto their Pokemon while we can sit on a board of only Yveltal and Zoroark alone. This renders your opponent’s Pitch-Black Spear virtually useless, meaning they’ll have to switch to another Pokemon if they want a solid attack. That Pokemon will most likely be either a Pokemon-EX or a Mew copying a Pokemon-EX on your opponent’s Bench. Either way, you have a fresh target to aim at with your own Pitch-Black Spear and your opponent will also have given up his or her Tool lock. Now your Zoroark can Stand In and retreat via [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] whenever you like! Even if they choose to stick with dealing 60 damage per turn, they’re far more likely to run out of non-EX attackers before you do, meaning a Pokemon-EX should see the board before long giving you the Prize-trade advantage.
Xerneas BREAK (25 / 75)
[cardimg name=”Xerneas BREAK” set=”Steam Siege” no=”82″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Yveltal’s kryptonite[/cardimg]
Hands down, this is your worst matchup. If your opponent plays down any copies of [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], try to take them out quickly for an early lead, because you’re going to need it. [card name=”Xerneas” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY05″ c=”name”][/card] sits pretty at 130 HP and carries a Resistance to Darkness Pokemon, meaning your damage output will drop from mediocre to subpar. With so few Pokemon-EX to snipe on the Bench and virtually no Pokemon Tools to shut down, your opponent will likely use Geomancy a few times and then start wiping you out with [card name=”Xerneas BREAK” set=”Steam Siege” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card]. Zoroark may be able to get in a decent shot here and there, but a smart player will realize this and Bench only two or three Pokemon most of the time. [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] can offer one solid KO, but it will likely only claim one Prize card before giving up a pair of them to your opponent. If Xerneas BREAK sets up without the use of Shaymin-EX, you’re going to need a miracle and maybe a late game [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] or two in order to pull this one out. It’s possible, but so is pulling a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] out of a single booster pack. Simply put, the deck is stacked against Yveltal in this one.
M Scizor-EX (50 / 50)
Much like the [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, this one swings based on whether or not the [card name=”M Scizor-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] player also runs [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. With the threat of Garbodor present, this is truly a 50 / 50 matchup. Scizor’s relatively cheap attack cost makes it easy to power up, while cards like [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Generations” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] can make it very difficult to maintain Energy on your board and lay down enough damage to take six Prize cards. Without Garbodor, this matchup is at least 55 / 45 in Yveltal’s favor. This is the matchup, above all others, where [card name=”Umbreon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] shines. If you can manage to get 150 damage onto an M Scizor-EX, you can use Umbreon-EX’s Endgame attack to, well, end the game. Of course, you’ll want to take an early KO to set this up, but that shouldn’t be too difficult against a Shaymin-EX or something. Finally, if you are going to play down [card name=”Reverse Valley” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] in this matchup, be sure to place the Metal side facing you. Why? Because the extra damage dealt by Darkness-type Pokemon from this card’s effect only applies to your opponent’s Active Pokemon, while the 10 less damage taken by Metal-types applies to Benched Pokemon too. Basically, you’d still be doing 60 damage to your opponent’s Active Pokemon with Pitch-Black Spear, but only doing 50 damage to that Benched [card name=”Scizor-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] instead of 60. Since you’re probably trying to set up Umbreon-EX in this one, you want to make every little bit of damage count. Otherwise the disruptive power of M Scizor-EX could be a bit much to overcome.
Conclusion
Overall, I feel like this deck has great matchups and stands a solid chance of winning just about any matchup, save for [card name=”Xerneas BREAK” set=”Steam Siege” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card]. The strong matchups against Pokemon-EX and Mega Evolution decks in general make [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] and incredibly powerful card, and the inclusion of [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] takes an otherwise unfavorable Rainbow Road matchup and evens it out pretty well. This deck is currently one of my top choices for Standard tournaments, and it looks to remain there for the foreseeable future.
For those of you planning to attend Regionals in either Philadelphia or Fort Wayne this November, I should be at both of those events. If you see me, feel free to come and say hello! Otherwise you can contact me or the other PokeBeach premium writers in the Subscriber’s Secret Hideout. If you have questions for me personally, feel free to send me a private message.
Until next time,
~Steve
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