Four Corners — The Four Big Decks Going Into Texas Regionals
Hey guys! It’s Jimmy back at it again with another article! After winning Indiana Regionals, I attended London where I went 5-0-4 with a list that was very similar to the one I played in Indiana. In this article, I will go over what decks I think will be the four biggest threats at Texas Regionals, [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], and Volcanion. This format development is truly something we have never seen before because of set release timing. It was pointed out by a lot of players recently that we have never had four major tournaments in the same format (Indiana Regionals, London Internationals, Texas Regionals, and Georgia Regionals). It is very interesting to see how a stale meta can impact deck selection.
The Tale of the Stale – Why is the Format So Weird?
As mentioned in my introduction, the current state of Pokemon has literally never happened before! The Pokemon TCG has never had four major tournaments with the same exact cardpool before. I will say that at the beginning of this cycle, I was a huge fan of this new concept. I thought I would be able to figure out the best deck or two and play them to my heart’s content, but I was definitely wrong. Despite [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] being the best deck by far in my mind, it looks like more of a risky play as every day goes by. Even after Azul won Florida with the deck, followed by my win in Indiana with it, people still didn’t have the mindset of “play Yveltal or counter Yveltal”. However, I think the dominance Yveltal expressed at London might have finally changed that. [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] / techs and [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] have become more and more popular, which is obviously bad news for Yveltal. If I were to go to Texas Regionals with Yveltal-EX / Garbodor, I would expect at least half of my rounds to be against an Yveltal or Yveltal counter deck. This really doesn’t leave me with a good feeling, as that means four of my rounds day one are almost surely going to be 50% or lower in terms of win percentage. This essentially makes it so that the best deck in the format is a bad choice for the event, and this is almost entirely because this is the third large tournament in a row with the same cardpool.
Yveltal-EX / Garbodor
[decklist name=”Yveltal/Garbodor” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″][pokemon amt=”11″]4x [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”36″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ 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]1x [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Flashfire” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”XY” no=”129″ 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=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/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″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”13″]9x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”9″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Fates Collide” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Indiana to London – The Changes
This is the deck list I played in London, along with a few other North American players such as Brad Curcio and Azul Garcia. Michael Pramawat ended up winning the event with the riskier version of this list, removing the two [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] for a [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] and an [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] the morning of the tournament. It definitely paid off for him overall, but you might have noticed him having some small consistency issues if you watched his streamed games. However, Delinquent and Escape Rope are cards that can single handedly win games, which means you aren’t giving up something for nothing. The only changes I made to my list from Indiana going into London were the following two.
[cardimg name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
-1 Yveltal BKT, + 1 Yveltal-EX
I will mention that this was a last second change, but it was one that I absolutely loved! I hated using Fright Night [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] against [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], which was one of the most popular decks. The fourth [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] is usually better in the mirror match too, as long as you don’t prize the one baby Yveltal. With me expecting these decks to be the most popular two, it made it an easy choice. The fourth Yveltal-EX also allowed for more turn one attacks due to me having an easier time getting my attacker Active because Fright Night was never in the way. Moving into future tournaments, I still think this is the correct choice because the second Yveltal is truly only better against [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] and Volcanion. If you happen to get the one Fright Night Yveltal attacking quick enough, you won’t end up missing the second one. The only thing that I dislike about the one copy as opposed to two is prizing it, but that is just something Yveltal players have to deal with from now on.
-1 Delinquent, +1 Team Flare Grunt
This was a change that I made with a heavy heart, as [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] was one of my favorite cards in the deck during Indiana Regionals. I knew that I needed the [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card], but it took me a while to determine what to cut. It eventually boiled down to cutting one of the tech Supporters, [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] or Delinquent, and I had found Pokemon Center Lady’s clutch healing to be too good to remove from the deck. I still think Delinquent is a great card in Yveltal-EX decks, but it is very difficult to fit everything you want into a deck nowadays.
Possible Inclusions
A Second Yveltal BKT
I would really only include a second copy of this card if the expected metagame includes a decent amount of Volcanion, [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], or Mega Pokemon decks. It is very strong against those decks, but usually one will suffice against everything else.
Delinquent
This is definitely a great card in the deck, with the only reason for it not being in the deck already being space. If one of the cards in the deck is feeling relatively unimportant, I would strongly consider replacing it with this. [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] is very good for removing opposing Stadiums, such as [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card]. In addition to this, your opponent has to be very wary of playing down cards, because making them discard three is no joke. You can end up discarding a decent amount of resources just by using Delinquent once or twice in a game, and you almost always win if you Delinquent the opponent’s entire hand away.
Escape Rope
This is another soft counter to [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card], but isn’t nearly as good as [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] in that category. [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] is also really good for getting around [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], which is prominent in every [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] deck. I think the Escape Rope is probably only worth it if a second copy of [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] is being included. The Escape Rope would add an additional out to removing Yveltal from the Active at the start of the game, which is definitely a nice tool to have.
Pokemon Ranger
[cardimg name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This is mostly to counter [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card], but it can also help out against [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card], which are definitely some nice side bonuses. I think this card should be heavily considered as an inclusion for all events moving forward, especially smaller ones where players are looking to get some easy Championship Points by simply countering the best deck.
Matchups
Yveltal-EX / Garbodor
This matchup is actually pretty tricky despite seeming relatively simple. I always describe this matchup as reactionary, because your gameplan really depends on who goes first, and what the player going first does on their first turn. Going first, it is almost always correct to attempt to take a lead via Fright Night [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. However, going second, getting out Fright Night Yveltal is not always optimal due to how easily it can die to an [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] using Evil Ball. Key cards in this matchup are [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card].
Vespiquen / Zebstrika
This is definitely one of the matchups that makes Yveltal players have a bad day. [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] is a direct counter to Yveltal, and there isn’t really much that can get in the way of that. All they need to do is not whiff [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card], which is hard to do with two copies of [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card], and they will almost always run away with the game. [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] plus [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] is one way Yveltal can fight back, but it is definitely still in [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]’s favor.
Greninja
This is a matchup that has recently changed quite a bit due to the cards that are being included in [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] decks. Previously, Greninja’s Stadium of choice, [card name=”Faded Town” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card], was useless in this matchup. [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] has almost entirely taken over that spot in the usual Greninja lists, and the lists that still include [card name=”Faded Town” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] also play multiple copies of [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]. These techs in combination with [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] make it very difficult for Yveltal / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] to keep up throughout the game, and create windows where the Greninja deck can make a massive comeback. I think of Greninja as one of the only control decks in the current game.
Volcanion
I don’t see how Volcanion players think they win this mathup. I could see it being described as winnable due to early KOs on [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card], but I would never describe this as favorable for Volcanion. [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card]’s Evil Ball can easily KO a [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] and with Garbodor in play, Volcanion-EX struggles to KO Yveltal-EX.
[premium]
Vespiquen / Zebstrika
[decklist name=”Bees” amt=”60″ caption=””undefined][pokemon amt=”28″]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=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Blitzle” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”48″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Klefki” set=”Steam Siege” no=”80″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”28″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/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 deck has exploded in popularity due to Alex Hill going 8-1 day one, and falling just short of Top 8 over in London. The deck has very favorable matchups against [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] decks and Greninja decks, which made up a very large portion of the field. It definitely struggles against Volcanion to name one of the biggest road blocks, but Alex chose to take that risk, and I would say it paid off overall. Variations of the deck are now being talked about as a good play for future tournaments, and the above list is my take on the deck.
Possible Inclusions
A Second Trubbish and a Second Garbodor
[cardimg name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This would mean cutting a [card name=”Klefki” set=”Steam Siege” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] and probably another Pokemon, but the second card is up for debate. Having the thicker line of [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] would definitely ensure a win against [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], because it almost guarantees it will hit the field in a timely manner. It can also help in some other matchups, such as Volcanion, and certain situations with Fright Night [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card].
Hex Maniac and Excluding Garbodor Entirely
I have not tried the list with no [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] yet, but I am being told a one-of [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] is usually enough to beat [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]. I am definitely skeptical towards this theory to say the least, but I definitely think Hex Maniac is the way to go if it consistently beats Greninja. While Garbodor does “help” against Volcanion, I think you are losing that match anyways unless the opponent draws horribly or makes a lot of mistakes. Hex Maniac chaining in the early game honestly seems like it would be your best shot against Volcanion.
Pokemon Ranger
While a lot of people might look at this and think it is a [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] counter, I can assure you that isn’t really the case. While [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] does help against Giratina-EX, it is usually not enough to actually win the match. You have to gain access to the Pokemon Ranger, which within itself isn’t the easiest task in the world. Then, since Giratina-EX with a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] is packing 210 HP, you usually have to attack into it twice, which means two [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] will be used for this process, which could be hard without using a Supporter other than Pokemon Ranger. It also requires having back to back [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] and back to back [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card], which isn’t something you can rely on consistently happening. In addition to this, every turn that passes by trying to find the answers to this first Giratina-EX gives the opponent time to setup another Giratina-EX on the Bench, and use [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] to KO Vespiquen or [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card] to ensure we run out of resources. However, Pokemon Ranger is very good against [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card], which would otherwise give this deck a decent amount of problems, and is honestly one of the only ways Greninja wins this matchup. Being able to KO Jirachi after it uses Stardust makes it much worse, and is a good way of allowing you to preserve valuable resources.
A Third Float Stone
This should probably only happen if you choose to include the second [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] and second [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Having the third [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] would make it a lot easier to setup Garbodor, while also having that clutch Float Stone in the early game to be retreat and attack without having to discard a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] to do so.
A Second N
This is just for consistency issues and resource preservation. It isn’t really a card you will notice being super good at any point in time, but it is a consistency booster if you find yourself struggling with that.
Matchups
Yveltal-EX / Garbodor
This is one of the two decks that this creation was meant to beat. Simply attacking consistently with [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] is usually enough to win the match. [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] can cause problems, but you will usually be fine as long as you are thinning your deck correctly and not throwing resources away recklessly. Unfortunately this deck is relatively inconsistent, so one of the biggest ways to lose this matchup is your deck refusing to get out of its own way.
[cardimg name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Vespiquen / Zebstrika
After playing some mirror matches with this deck, the games can actually get way trickier than I thought. I believed it would play out like the Night March mirror, where whoever takes the first KO usually wins, but it is not like that at all. The key difference being that it is quite easy for a player to run out of [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] before taking six Prizes. This usually means that [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] is going to have to come in clutch and target down any opposing [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], which makes [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] a key card in these games. Being able to Parallel City away your own Shaymin-EX, while denying your opponent the same option is very strong. In addition to this, [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] are also very strong tools you have at your disposal. Teammates makes it very easy to continuously stream KOs at a low cost because you aren’t discarding any resources to dig for what you need. Revitalizer and Super Rod are very useful because they help to prevent you from being the person that runs out of Vespiquen first, which makes it a lot easier to control the game.
Greninja
[card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] was the other big deck that this creation as meant to beat. The combination of [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] attacking and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] to prevent Giant Water Shuriken is absolutely brutal against Greninja. It means that all Greninja are being Knocked Out with one attack, and Vespiquen has slightly too much HP to ever KO in one attack. As long as Vespiquen and Garbodor make it onto the field, it is very hard to lose this matchup. I would say this one is even easier than Yveltal because you can afford to have slower starts against Greninja.
Volcanion
[card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] is not a fan of Fire Pokemon, especially non-EX ones that attack for a KO starting turn one. While the matchup is definitely winnable, it is not one you want to see multiple times throughout a tournament. The gameplan should be to ignore the baby [card name=”Volcanion” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY145″ c=”name”][/card], and target down Pokemon-EX on the Bench. As long as you have [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] in play, this usually forces up a Volcanion-EX to respond to the Vespiquen, unless they are able to pile three Energy onto baby Volcanion. This approach has worked the best for me, and while it does not work most of the time due to late game [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card], it is still what I would attempt to do if you find yourself on the bad end of this matchup.
Greninja BREAK
[decklist name=”Greninja” amt=”60″ 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]4x [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Frogadier” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”39″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ 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=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ 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]2x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]7x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]3x [card name=”Splash Energy” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
This list is honestly just a mix of the popular lists from London, which sounds weird, but it has been performing the best for me in testing so far. My goal is to have as high as a win percentage as possible against the big four going into Texas, which I feel like this deck list has been doing a pretty good job of. Grafton and Drew’s list that played [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] was what sparked the biggest changes to my list, which originally had [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card] and a heavier count of [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]. In the past, I have found that consistency is Greninja’s biggest problem, which is why I chose to include such a heavy Supporter line. I have also found [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card] to be my favorite Supporters in this deck, and have pretty much always wanted access to an Ace Trainer within the first few turns of the game. Ace Trainer punishes the opponent for taking a cheap KO, but at the same time it’s not like they can simply pass and not take KOs.
Possible Inclusions
One Team Flare Grunt
[cardimg name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This was mainly a card that was included for [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] decks, and while I see it being occasionally useful, the card just seems very underwhelming to me, especially when I know a consistency card could replace it. This is what I chose to do with my list, but I could see [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”XY” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] being a good inclusion in the future.
Two Faded Town Instead of Two Rough Seas
This is only better for smaller tournaments where the expected field of decks includes a lot of Mega Pokemon, such as [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card]. The matchup is still winnable without it, but I would definitely consider increasing my odds of winning the tournament in such a small field. Overall, [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] is simply the better choice, which is why I would play it at a big tournament for sure.
One Jirachi
I had previously thought of [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card] as an automatic inclusion in every [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] list, and while I was wrong, I still think Jirachi is a great card to have in the deck. Jirachi causes a lot of problems for pretty much any deck that plays Special Energy other than other Greninja decks. I definitely wouldn’t blame anyone for choosing to include this bad boy!
Matchups
Yveltal-EX / Garbodor
This is one of the matchups you should attempt to play the control game in, and be aggressive. Consistently using [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card] and attacking, even if they are taking KOs, is the right move. The way to win is to eventually force them into having weak turns, or turns where they simply pass because they didn’t draw anything off of the N. [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] are very good at denying the opponent Prizes. As an Yveltal player, I know I have lost if my opponent clears my board of Energy when I have more than one Prize left. Even if I am up two to six in Prizes, if my [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] that has been carrying me the whole game dies, I feel like I am behind in the game if my opponent has a reasonable board.
Vespiquen / Zebstrika
This one is not pretty. [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] shuts off our Giant Water Shuriken, which makes it impossible to KO a [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] in one hit. In addition to this, Greninja is a lot slower than Vespiquen, which usually means it is trailing by one or two Prizes before it gets a Greninja out. I would say the best strategy is to KO [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] if it has not been evolved into [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] yet, other than than that their isn’t much you can do other than attack and hope they don’t continuously draw into [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card].
Greninja
The mirror match is honestly excruciating. [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] helps a lot, but the opponent will usually have Max Potion too. From my experience, these games usually come down to whoever decks out first because Shadow Stitching will essentially only do ten damage due to [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], and neither player can afford to use a different attack. If the Shadow Stitching lock is broken by either player, it makes it way too easy for the opponent to control the game via Giant Water Shuriken. A good tech card for this matchup is [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card], because it will give you multiple turns of Giant Water Shuriken. I would say that if either player includes a copy of this card, they will win the matchup almost every time.
Volcanion
While Volcanion is a very fast deck that can go ahead in the Prize-trade, this matchup is pretty difficult for them to win for a few different reasons. [card name=”Talonflame” set=”Steam Siege” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] allows [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] to not sacrifice as many Prizes before getting setup, which is definitely a plus. After something gets Knocked Out, [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card] is a very good card to limit the opponent’s options for future turns. After getting all setup, using Shadow Stitching for 80 damage repeatedly is usually too much for them to handle due to them not being able to use Steam Up to KO [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] in one hit. [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] can then be used to remove whatever damage they do, which essentially wastes their entire turn.
Volcanion
[decklist name=”Volcanion” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″][pokemon amt=”11″]4x [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY85″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”14″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Energy Retrieval” set=”Black and White” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]12x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”108″ c=”deck2″ amt=”12″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
I am definitely not this deck’s number one fan, but it really deserves some credit for all the Championship Points it has snatched up this year. This list in particular is based off of Volcanion fiend Ahmed Ali’s most recent list that he won a League Cup with! Congrats to Ahmed and the other two Volcanion players that took home the win at North America’s first weekend of League Cups! Literally every League Cup that has happened so far was won by a Volcanion deck. I do think it might be a really good choice for best of one, just because it is incredibly consistent and has a chance against everything.
Possible Inclusions
One or Two Enhanced Hammer
[cardimg name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This tech is an interesting potential inclusion, and at first it seemed bad to me when I saw it as a one-of in Ahmed’s list. However, it has proven to be relatively useful against [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Splash Energy” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card].
A Third Lysandre
This would mostly be to help deal with [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card], and to improve the [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] matchup a little bit. If the Greninja player leaves themselves with only one [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] down on the first turn, a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] on it followed by a KO will usually seal the game. Killing Trubbish as fast as possible against Yveltal-EX / Garbodor is also a major key to success.
Matchups
Yveltal-EX / Garbodor
Killing [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] turn one is the goal in this matchup. If the opponent is able to establish [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and start hitting with [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card], it is extremely hard to win. [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] would then be capped at doing 140 damage, which is not nearly enough. On the other side of things, Yveltal-EX would still be doing plenty of damage, and potentially even one shotting Volcanion-EX.
Vespiquen / Zebstrika
Doing the usual plan of applying early pressure with baby [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] is perfect in this matchup. [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] is not a deck that wants to be dealing with non-EX Pokemon, especially one as efficient as this one. Knocking Out [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] is a good idea if that’s an option, because you would then be able to use baby Volcanion to kill Vespiquen throughout the game. However, even if [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] makes it into play, you should normally still win by just attacking with [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] and using [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card].
Greninja
This one is tough for sure, and not one I want to be playing frequently. However, there are a few things that can help to pickup the win. In the early game, you need to apply as much pressure as possible by Knocking Out [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] is very good when it comes to this, because it is very assessable via [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and other draw cards, and will always force up a [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] early. In the late game, [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] is going to be using [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] and Shadow Stitching, which makes it hard to take the rest of your Prizes. [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] is a key card here because it allows you to use Steam Up and KO a [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] despite Shadow Stitching.
Volcanion
Due to [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] being weak to itself, this matchup is fairly silly. The approach I usually take is to have my first KO be me using a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] to bring up a [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] and using my own Volcanion-EX to KO it. I have found that the player that does this first usually wins, just because this is a matchup where Prize denial is almost impossible outside of hoping [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] sticks. Targeting down cheap Prizes on [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] using baby [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] is something I usually like to do towards the end of the game, but I don’t really like for it to be my first move of the game unless its my only option because it gives my opponent time to develop their Volcanion-EX .
Pile Shuffling
This is a topic that has been talked about quite a bit by the game’s most accomplished player, Jason Klaczynski. However, I think this topic is relevant now more than ever due to the steadily increasing issue of time. Going into London, I pile shuffled my deck before every match, and in-between every game. I always thought there was essentially no difference in terms of randomization, and pile shuffling usually helped me collect my thoughts heading into the next game and truly feel ready. While that may be true for some players, the amount of time that pile shuffling takes up is actually ridiculous. Brad Curcio and Azul Garcia convinced me that pile shuffling is simply incorrect, and that you are way better off doing a bunch of riffle shuffles instead. The randomization is still the same, if not better, and you will save a ton of time for your actual match to be played with. I think a lot less ties would happen if people were to stop pile shuffling, and it is definitely something I will be doing heading into future events.
Conclusion
I hope you guys enjoyed this month’s article! I tried my best to provide all the key information going into Texas Regionals, I hope my words of wisdom could help you guys get started on testing for that event, or maybe even help to lock in your final choice. I have a couple League Cups between now and Texas, so I will be getting some practice in at those. I will be back again next month with an article, but if you happen to see me at Texas Regionals or Georgia Regionals feel free to say hi! Good luck to y’all in any tournaments you’re playing in soon!
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