Two Steps Forward, One Step Back — Three Standard Decks with Single Prize Attackers
What’s up, everyone? There’s plenty of things going on here as of late! Between football season, concert-going, Halloween, and spending time with my incredible wife and son, my plate has been loaded for a while now. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m not here to write for you!
Before we get going, though, I’m going to let each of you get to know me a little bit better. After all, there’s more to each of us than just a card game, so why not address something new for a change? Here are a few things you may or may not know about yours truly:
First off, I am a huge Indianapolis Colts fan. While that hasn’t been too stressful outside of January for most of the last 20 years, it certainly hasn’t been as easy as of late. Cruising to the playoffs year after year seems like a long time ago when you experience back-to-back difficult seasons, which definitely helps me understand the pain of many less fortunate fan bases. Nonetheless, I am a loyal fan of my team, and I stand by them in triumph and defeat. That’s what being a fan is all about.
Next, you guys may recall my passion for rock and metal concerts, another of which I recently attended a few weeks ago. This was my first time seeing one of my newer favorite bands – Stitched Up Heart – perform their live set. As usual, I was near the front row and in the middle, thus giving me a clear view and full experience of their show. It was even more fun getting to meet the band when the show was over. I had a lengthly conversation with one of the guitarists about our common taste in symphonic metal bands such as Nightwish and Epica, while I also got to spend time with the rest of the band and take a picture with lead singer Mixi Demner. This has me extremely excited to see New Years Day perform live in another week, and hopefully I’ll get to meet them as well. New Years Day frontwoman Ashley Costello is like the real life version of Harley Quinn, and those guys play some intense tunes to match her DC Villain-esque appearance.
Finally, with Halloween having just finished up, I’m coming down from an awesome experience with my wife and son. My little guy is almost 18 months old now, and we went as a father-son team in the form of Batman and Robin! As for who was Batman and who was Robin, feel free to check out the picture to the right. Needless to say, we all enjoyed ourselves, and my wife joined in with her Marvel-fandom on Halloween night, sporting a Spiderman jersey in opposition to our DC Comics duo. My son got a pretty solid amount of candy for someone his size, so he’ll be set on little treats for a long time now! After all, a little guy can’t eat that much candy at once.
This leads me to today’s topic in the Pokemon TCG. Just like my 18 month old son doesn’t fork over 50 empty Kit Kat wrappers in one week, a smaller Pokemon typically doesn’t give up as many Prize cards to your opponent as a bigger Pokemon-EX does. This is the simple Pokemon-EX rule, of course, and I’m sure you guys know that. Despite smaller stats, however, we’ve seen non-EX Pokemon rule Standard for most of the last year, and now I’m going to show you how they still can. Today we’re going to be looking at my top three decks going into the Fort Wayne Regional Championships in a couple weeks. One of these decks may be nearing its end, which I’ll be certain to explain, but all three of these decks remain potent in the present.
Greninja BREAK
We kick things off with the popular [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] deck that has seen play since the card’s release in BREAKpoint. With an Ability that can drop six damage counters on any one of your opponent’s Pokemon each turn, you know this guy is going to see play. Shutting down Abilities has always been the most effective way to deal with Greninja in Standard, and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] has never been stronger than it is right now, due to the complete absence of Tool removal. However, very few decks can operate with Garbodor unless they have a big Pokemon-EX to hide behind. Greninja’s ability to deal 80 damage every turn for just one Energy can make life miserable for these EX-centric decks, as you’re going to take KO’s at roughly the same pace as they are. The difference? You’ll be claiming two Prize cards per KO, while your opponent will claim only a single Prize for overcoming your 170 HP Greninja BREAK. Two steps forward, one step back.
Finally, Greninja decks have been awarded a new way to deal with Garbodor as well as dish out spread damage in general. More on that in a moment, though. Here is my current Greninja list for Standard.
[decklist name=”Greninja” amt=”59″ caption=”” cname=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″][pokemon amt=”18″]3x [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x Greninja (XYPR #62)4x [card name=”Frogadier” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”39″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Froakie” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY138″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Talonflame” set=”Steam Siege” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”32″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ 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=”Dive Ball” set=”Primal Clash” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Faded Town” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]8x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”EX Emerald” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card]2x [card name=”Splash Energy” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
As you can see, this list is build on consistency. So much, in fact, that there are only four cards in the entire list that we aren’t running at least two copies of. One of those cards is our new tech, while the other three are Supporters that we can re-use via [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card].
The New Promo Greninja
Since some of you may not have seen this guy yet, I’d like you to meet the new Promo Greninja. This guy features an attack called Aqua Shower which costs a single Water Energy and deals 20 damage to each of your opponent’s Pokemon. Coupled with one or two uses of Giant Water Shuriken, this can expedite the KO process as well as wash away lower HP Bench-sitters with a couple uses. What really makes this attack special, though, is the perfect math between it and the BREAKpoint [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]’s Moonlight Slash. This allows you to wipe out a Garbodor with only one use of [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card], even when the aforementioned Trash Heap has a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] attached!
This Greninja also has a mildly useful second attack in the form of Dual Cut, allowing you to flip two coins and deal 60 damage for each heads flip. With two heads, you’re dealing 120 damage on the spot. This becomes 180 with a Giant Water Shuriken added in, which gives you a single-turn KO of any commonly played Pokemon-EX right now. This is a bit of a gamble, however, as you only have a 25% chance of hitting two heads, and an equal chance of flipping two tails and laying an egg instead. Finally, this attack requires two Energy to use, which isn’t something Greninja builds are accustomed to. It’s not an ideal attack to use, but you could roll with it in a pinch if necessary.
Matchups
M Mewtwo-EX / Garbodor – 55 / 45
Contrary to popular belief, I’ve found this matchup to be more favorable than unfavorable. [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is your lone problem here. Sure, Damage Change is annoying, but it’s nothing this deck can’t work around. Between Moonlight Slash and [card name=”Faded Town” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card], you should be dealing plenty of damage to their Mewtwo and eventually be able to take KOs while retreating into a fresh [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] when necessary. The ability to leave your Pokemon with no Energy attached during your opponent’s turn means their [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] will need a whopping six Energy attached in order to OHKO you, while you can take 2HKO’s for two Prizes apiece pretty consistently with Faded Town in play. [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] also comes into play here, supplying six extra damage counters if your opponent pops it. Just remember that Damage Change won’t trigger Bursting Balloon, so be wary of how much damage both Active Pokemon have when you play it, so they can’t simply Damage Change around it.
Darkrai-EX / Giratina-EX / Garbodor – 45 / 55
Unlike Mewtwo, this deck presents a difficult matchup. This stems from [card name=”Faded Town” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] being a non-factor against their Basic Pokemon-EX as well as [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]’s ability to OHKO a [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] relatively easily. Because it takes a few turns to get Greninja BREAK into play, you’re more than susceptible to a 170+ damage Dark Pulse by the time your setup arrives. You’ll also likely be staring down [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], so you’ll need to make the most of your attacks and your [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] to score key KOs. Going first definitely helps, but if they manage to hit a few [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] and get some [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] into play, you’re going to be forced to target down Garbodor and then rely on [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] to recycle your Greninja lines to grind out a long game. More often then not, this one goes against you.
Rainbow Road – 60 / 40
Unlike the previous two decks, Rainbow Road offers a field full of single-Prize Pokemon with much lower HP than that of [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] checks in at 120 HP, and even with a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] attached, shouldn’t be too much trouble to get rid of. Just remember that Xerneas can OHKO your Greninja with a single Rainbow Force, so be sure to keep reinforcements ready to go on the Bench. Next, if you see a [card name=”Joltik” set=”Steam Siege” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] early on, make it a priority to get rid of the Lightning Bug before [card name=”Galvantula” set=”Steam Siege” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card] comes out and lights up your Benched [card name=”Froakie” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY138″ c=”name”][/card] for easy Prizes. If you can get two or three [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] into play, you should have this matchup in the bag. Finally, you can use the Promo Greninja to spread out a bunch of damage in this matchup, leading to several easy KOs after a couple of turns.
Volcanion – 55 / 45
This might seem like a slam dunk on paper. After all, [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] forfeits two Prizes and carries a Weakness to Water. In addition, there are no Garbodor to speak of in this matchup. So why shouldn’t you dominate Volcanion? Well, the main problem here is the early game. Greninja is known for playing from behind, but if the Volcanion player is able to take two or three KOs before Greninja sees the board, they’ll likely have one or two heavy hitters ready to go on the Bench and take yet another Prize after Greninja finally BREAK evolves. If you find yourself down four Prize cards early, you’re going to have a heck of an uphill battle to fight. An [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] to two or three cards can help you here, but you’re eventually going to need a different Supporter to take control, meaning you’ll need them to dead draw for a turn if they gain such a big lead early on. If you go first or manage to start [card name=”Talonflame” set=”Steam Siege” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card], however, you should be able to hold off a first turn KO from Volcanion, putting you in position to set up and control the game after a couple of turns.
Vileplume / Walls – 60 / 40
You should be fine here as long as your opponent doesn’t go first and manage a turn one [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]. If that happens, you’ve hopefully led Talonflame and have a [card name=”Froakie” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY138″ c=”name”][/card] in hand to start setting up. Greninja can overcome Item-lock with a constant flow of draw Supporters and searches from Talonflame, but it’s not going to go as quickly as other matchups do once your Greninja are in play. More often than not, you’ll be using Aero Blitz to pull the cards you need from the deck, setting up a big turn where you can unleash Giant Water Shuriken and KO a Pokemon-EX along with it. If you don’t start with Talonflame and wind up Item locked before your first turn, you may be better off conceding to the next game and going first, depending on what you have to work with.
[premium]
Giratina – The Bane of Greninja?
Overall, [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] has favorable matchups against four of the five decks listed above. With that being the case, how can we tackle this beast? Well, Pokemon may have done that for us in the form of a newly revealed Giratina card. This new Giratina offers an Ability that shuts down the Abilites of all BREAK Evolution Pokemon – including Abilities from their previous evolutions. This makes life for Greninja much more difficult. However, I don’t believe Greninja is completely unplayable because of this card. Instead, I think Greninja players will opt to run [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] over [card name=”Faded Town” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] as a means to counter the Renegade Pokemon.
When this card is released, expect Giratina to see a bit of play in both formats. Ultimately, I think this guy treats [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] far worse than it does Greninja.
Anyway, with that little side note out of the way, I think it’s time to get back to business and check out another our next deck.
Straight Outta Mario Kart – It’s Rainbow Road!
Our next deck is the popular Rainbow Road deck. Featuring [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] from BREAKthrough as its lead attacker, this deck aims to load the Bench with as many different types of Pokemon as possible, thus feeding Xerneas’s Rainbow Force attack more and more damage output. This can result in OHKOs against any Pokemon your opponent throws at you, and with a single-Prize Pokemon, no less.
Here is my current Rainbow Road list.
[decklist name=”Rainbow Road” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″][pokemon amt=”16″]4x [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Galvantula” set=”Steam Siege” no=”42″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Joltik” set=”Steam Siege” no=”41″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Bisharp” set=”Steam Siege” no=”64″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Pawniard” set=”Steam Siege” no=”63″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Carbink” set=”Fates Collide” no=”49″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”32″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ 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=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” 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=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]8x [card name=”Fairy Energy” set=”XY” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
As you can see, this deck relies much more on cards being run in single-copies. That said, our Item cards remain in bulk, offering maximum consistency to get Xerneas swinging as quickly and frequently as possible. The use of dual-type Pokemon such as [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Bisharp” set=”Steam Siege” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Galvantula” set=”Steam Siege” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card] allow for a 190 damage output under the dreaded [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card]. We also have [card name=”Carbink” set=”Fates Collide” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] to protect us from the likes of [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Kalos Starter Set” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card] in decks like [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”M Scizor-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], which could otherwise spell trouble for Xerneas and friends. If Rainbow Road can overcome these two obstacles, it can beat just about anything.
Max Elixir versus Exp. Share
One of the biggest debates I’ve seen with Rainbow Road is whether you should play it with [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Primal Clash” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card]. After extensive testing with both builds, as well as some hybrid variants, I’ve come to the conclusion that Max Elixir is 100% the way to go. The biggest reason for this is your ability to charge up a Xerneas in one turn via Max Elixir and [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], turning the disadvantage of going second into an attack for one or two Prize cards before your opponent has the chance to target down your Xerneas or stall via [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card]. Sure, this build requires a couple more Fairy Energy and a full count of Max Elixir, but the consistency you gain by doing this is incredible. The deck becomes much faster and more consistent as well as gaining a greater ability to deal with its most commonly played weaknesses. I can’t really argue with that.
Matchups
M Mewtwo-EX – 60 / 40
Time your [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] plays wisely and you should win this one rather handily. Once you’ve set up your board, the least damage you’ll likely be dealing under [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] is 190 thanks to your three dual-type Pokemon. By holding a Sky Field in hand to counter Parallel City, you can expand your Bench once again and proceed to charge up Xerneas for a big OHKO of your opponent’s [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] means very little in this matchup outside of [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card], but if you do see an opening with Mew-EX to steal a KO, seize the opportunity and save your Xerneas for when Garbodor is in the way. You could also try the new Mewtwo from Evolutions in place of Mew-EX, but I’ve found that it rarely scores a OHKO on a M Mewtwo-EX in this matchup. If you are able to score an early KO with Mew-EX, you can probably use a pair of Xerneas to sweep the game and pick up a quick win.
Darkrai-EX / Giratina-EX / Garbodor – 65 / 35
[cardimg name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
If you thought Mewtwo was a walk in the park, [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] offers an even easier matchup. Darkrai-EX will almost always depend on [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] to buff its damage cap, and this is your easy win condition: Simply [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] the Giratina-EX and take advantage of its Weakness to Fairy for an easy KO. If you see a second Giratina-EX, just wash, rinse, and repeat for another two Prizes. Either way, timing your Sky Field plays and working around your opponent’s [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] with Lysandre can lead to some very quick games in this matchup. There isn’t much else to say here, as Darkrai-EX should never manage to eclipse 140 damage with Dark Pulse on back-to-back turns here.
Greninja – 40 / 60
This is probably tied for your worst matchup – along with [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] / Walls. I actually think [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] might be worse, but Rainbow Road does have one early out to the Frogs matchup. As mentioned above, that out is [card name=”Galvantula” set=”Steam Siege” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card]. If you go first and manage to set up a Galvantula by the second turn, you can wipe a pair of [card name=”Froakie” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY138″ c=”name”][/card] from your opponent’s Bench with a single attack, thus setting the Greninja player back one or two turns in the process. If Water Duplicates happens, however, you’re going to have to start streaming [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] a couple turns later in order to maintain a fighting chance here. Taking OHKOs on Greninja BREAK is a big deal here, and a quick start or repeated Hex Maniac use can get you there, but I still see this as an uphill climb more often than not.
Volcanion – 55 / 45
[card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card]’s ability to stream OHKOs rivals that of Rainbow Road beautifully. The way Rainbow Road gains an advantage in this matchup is due to the mandatory presence of several [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] in order to take those OHKOs on Xerneas and friends. This gives you several [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] targets to pick on, meaning you can often win the Prize trade by KOing Bench sitters or late game attackers early on, while leaving the baby Volcanion there and simply playing around it. Just remember that you’ll need to set up Xerneas after Xerneas, so keep your Energy and [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] ready so you don’t miss an attack, thus giving the Volcanion player an opening to seize the Prize lead. If you can stream three or so Xerneas, however, you should have the game on lockdown soon enough.
Vileplume / Walls – 40 / 60
Rainbow Road’s kryptonite usually comes in the form of Item-lock, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] presents an unfavorable matchup. The positive here is that none of Vileplume’s typical attackers can lock you out of damage, as this deck focuses on non-EX attackers that will cut right through [card name=”Regice” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] while sporting a pair of Stage 1 attackers that can slip past [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] as well. If you go first or if your opponent misses the first turn Vileplume, you should be able to set up your board and get an attacker ready. Try to get a couple [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]s down early to prevent [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] stalling from your opponent, and try to pick of Jolteon-EX and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] if you get the chance. If you get a second turn of Items, you can actually win this matchup without that much trouble. If you get no Items all game, though, you’ve probably lost.
Verdict
In my opinion, this is the safest pick for Fort Wayne Regionals. Rainbow Road may not take anyone by surprise like [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] / Walls did at Florida Regionals but it’s an overall solid play that can take advantage of a meta full of Pokemon-EX. You could opt to include a [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] to deal with Jolteon-EX, but you’re probably fine without it. While there are sure to be splashier plays available, none of them seem to have both the consistency and matchups across the field like this one.
Fear the Sailors’ Stories
Finally, we’re going to talk about my personal favorite deck in Standard: [card name=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card]. This deck took Florida by surprise, earning two finishes in the Top 32 and prompting a heavy demand for a list after doing so. I was testing Gyarados with some teammates for about a week prior to Florida, and almost certainly would’ve played this beast if I’d been able to attend the event. What makes Gyarados so special? Well, let’s take a look and find out!
[decklist name=”Gyarados” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″][pokemon amt=”10″]3x [card name=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Magikarp” set=”Generations” no=”22″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Generations” no=”52″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”46″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”113″ 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=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Dive Ball” set=”Primal Clash” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Rescue” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Town Map” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”150″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Team Magma’s Secret Base” set=”Double Crisis” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
This list is a little different from the ones that reached day two in Florida, namely due to the inclusion of [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], as well as the exclusion of [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Meowstic-EX” set=”Generations” no=”37″ c=”name”][/card]. The rest of the list remains pretty standard, though. Cards like [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] allow us to recklessly plow through the deck in order to achieve our setup as quickly as the first turn, with a potential 210 damage flying out of the gate one turn later. If you don’t prize a [card name=”Magikarp” set=”Generations” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card], you can usually crank out 210 damage on turn two without much trouble. That said, let’s go over some of the more interesting choices here.
Two Shaymin-EX and No Octillery
[cardimg name=”Magikarp” set=”Generations” no=”22″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Splash![/cardimg]
This is somewhat player preference, but also plays into setting up the board for a 210 damage attack on the second turn. While [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] is more useful in the mid to late game, Shaymin-EX will speed to you a first turn board featuring three or four Magikarp very consistently. Space is another concern, as swapping out the pair of Shaymin-EX would only open enough space for a 1-1 Octillery line, which doesn’t seem too appealing in a turbo engine deck. It does give your opponent a two-Prize target for his or her [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card], but if he or she is busy picking off a Shaymin-EX, they aren’t attacking your Magikarp or Gyarados, meaning you don’t have to set up another attacker and recover a Magikarp next turn. Overall, this is mostly an early game call, allowing you to dig through the deck and set up much quicker than if you were running Octillery. That’s my two cents on Shaymin-EX in this deck.
Bursting Balloon
The spiny whoopie cushion of death, as I like to call it, is an idea I got from my friend and teammate, Jay Young. There are a few reasons I’ve chosen to stick with this card, though. First off, we need a way to hit 220+ damage in the [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Scizor-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] matchups. We could go with [card name=”Meowstic-EX” set=”Generations” no=”37″ c=”name”][/card] for this tactic, but since we’re running a pair of Shaymin-EX already, Bench space becomes a bit of an issue if we add another Bench-sitter. Then there’s Gyarados’s Ancient Trait, which allows it to have two Pokemon Tools attached at a time. This won’t happen too often, but placing a pair of [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] onto a Gyarados could create a huge advantage against other single-Prize decks like Rainbow Road or in the mirror. Most often, Bursting Balloon is a solid first turn play on an Active Magikarp, thus making your opponent think twice about attacking your 30 HP fish before it evolves and goes on a rampage.
Town Map
I’ve seen a handful of Gyarados lists that weren’t running [card name=”Town Map” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card], and for the life of me, I can’t understand why. Sure, you could prize no Magikarp and steamroll, or you could Prize one against Rainbow Road or [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] and be fine, but that’s about it. Whether you 2HKO a bigger Pokemon-EX or Lysandre a smaller target, Town Map will allow you to pull prized Magikarp without having to blindly guess where they are. This is also useful for pulling the ideal Prize card every time, but that’s the case in any deck. The importance here lies completely with the odds of prizing Magikarp, and making sure you can get them with your first KO. That warrants Town Map’s inclusion if you ask me.
Matchups
M Mewtwo-EX / Garbodor – 60 / 40
This matchup is very good for [card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card] because of [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] having exactly 210 HP. This allows Gyarados to take down the behemoth Psychic-type in one shot, provided that none of your [card name=”Magikarp” set=”Generations” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] wind up in the Prizes. If they do, you can always use [card name=”Town Map” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] to locate them and then cherry-pick a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] to gain access. By scoring a series of OHKOs on your opponent’s M Mewtwo-EX, you no longer have to worry about Damage Change either, making this matchup that much better. As long as you don’t draw poorly, this one should be a slam dunk.
Darkrai-EX / Giratina-EX / Garbodor – 45 / 55
Unlike the M Mewtwo-EX matchup, [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=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] can present some serious problems for Gyarados. Darkrai-EX’s 180 HP isn’t typically an issue, but the addition of a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] can create a massive headache for Gyarados’s damage output. Enter [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]: the answer to our 220 HP problem. While this requires Darkrai-EX to swing into Bursting Balloon, the alternative works just as well, as you can simply attack twice and score the KO. The real problem here is Giratina-EX’s Chaos Wheel, which can lock Gyarados out of its Energy altogether. Being locked out of [card name=”Team Magma’s Secret Base” set=”Double Crisis” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] simply adds insult to injury in this case. While we do have a single copy of [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] to help out, you’ll likely need two [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] in hand to score a KO immediately after being hit with Chaos Wheel. The silver lining? Chaos Wheel deals only 100 damage, so if your opponent misses the Fighting Fury Belt, Gyarados is likely to survive the attack and swing again. Still, this isn’t a good matchup if Giratina-EX gets going.
Rainbow Road – 55 / 45
[cardimg name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Generations” no=”52″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Rainbow Road introduces a single-Prize trade in the same manner as [card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card], likely meaning you’ll need to take the first KO. [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Generations” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] is also a crucial part of this matchup, as [card name=”Galvantula” set=”Steam Siege” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card]’s Double Thread attack presents a huge problem for any Magikarp sitting on your Bench. Fortunately, Gyarados will only need two Magikarp on the Bench in order to OHKO a [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card]. Surprisingly, despite the presence of Galvantula and the lack of two-Prize KOs that are available in this matchup, Gyarados will overcome Rainbow Road more often than not. You can even Prize a [card name=”Magikarp” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY143″ c=”name”][/card] in this matchup without skipping a beat!
Greninja – 45 / 55
[card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] presents a much more difficult matchup for Gyarados than any of the decks mentioned above, but the deck is not without fault. Gyarados hits hard and fast, which is your best advantage against Greninja. If multiple [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] make their way onto the board, however, the script will flip in an instant. Gyarados can continue to take OHKOs if you can keep Magikarp in play, but the Greninja player can simply pick off Magikarp via Giant Water Shuriken or simply target down Gyarados with a Shuriken and an attack. Lastly, remember that new Promo Greninja we talked about earlier? If you can’t get [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Generations” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] into play, that guy will take out all of your Benched Magikarp in a single attack, often leaving Gyarados within range for a single attack on the following turn. In simpler terms, the longer this game lasts, the less likely you are to win.
Volcanion – 65 / 35
[card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] is Gyarados’s dream matchup. It’s weak to Water, forfeits two Prize cards when it gets KOd, and requires three Energy before it can launch an attack. Despite its speed and OHKO potential, Volcanion will almost always come up short when these two decks meet. Volcanion will struggle to accomplish much here without falling way behind in the Prize-trade. Just keep an eye out for a late game [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card]. Often times, this will be Volcanion’s only out once Gyarados gets going.
Vileplume / Walls – 35 / 65
While Volcanion presented the best matchup Gyarados has in the current meta, [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] presents its worst matchup by far. Being Item-locked is enough to cripple Gyarados by itself, but [card name=”Glaceon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card] will only make matters worse. [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] can get you past Glaceon-EX, but only having a single use due to Vileplume’s presence means a second Glaceon-EX will usually end the game. If there is any silver lining here, it’s the lack of consistency in getting Vileplume out on the first turn. The fact that Glaceon-EX doesn’t OHKO Gyarados is nowhere near as advantageous as it was with [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], as Glaceon-EX will simply wall off Gyarados’s attack while Vileplume continues to lock both players out of their Item cards. Once they have you locked down, Gyarados is essentially in scoop mode.
Is Gyarados Worth the Trouble?
Having lost its surprise factor after Florida Regionals, [card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card] has become more of a meta call than anything. Gyarados’ damage cap of 210 is the main focal point here, but the presence of [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] decks should also play a key role in deciding whether or not to pull the trigger. Ultimately, I see Gyarados as a somewhat risky play that can achieve big rewards against just about any deck if you get the jump on them. This makes Gyarados an appealing option, despite the downfalls against Vileplume and Greninja.
Conclusion
After looking at [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], Rainbow Road, and [card name=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card], I feel that there are plenty of non-EX decks available for Fort Wayne in two weeks. Of the three, I’d say Rainbow Road is the safest pick due to its matchup spread, while Gyarados seems to have the highest ceiling. Greninja is a deck that can often overcome poor matchups, but lacks any heavily lopsided matchups in its favor. Regardless, working with single-Prize attackers in a format dominated by Pokemon-EX can offer a huge advantage in large-scale and small-scale tournaments alike.
That’s all I’ve got for you today, but I’ll be back next month with another article for all of you!
~Steve
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