Split Focus — A London Breakdown and Two Unpopular Expanded Decks

By: Grant Manley · Posted Posted onDec 15, 2016 at 12:21 PM · 0 Comments

Hello everyone! My name is Grant Manley. I have not written an article here on PokeBeach for quite awhile, so some of you may not know me. I’m a senior in high school who loves this silly game that we play. I play competitively in North Carolina and surrounding areas. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend Worlds for the past four years. I bubbled at 33rd place in Vancouver, again in Boston, went 4-3-1 day one in San Francisco, and made Top 4 in Seniors in Washington. My friends know me for all of the crazy decks I come up with. I tend to dislike meta decks, so I always try and make competitive rogues or offbeat versions of meta decks that I can use in tournaments. I have played some truly absurd concoctions in the past, and if I come up with a promising rogue deck in the future I will be sure to write about it. Anyway, that’s enough about me. If you want to read about past tournaments, feel free to check out some of my older articles.

[cardimg name=”Crawdaunt” set=”Primal Clash” no=”92″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

While most writers focus on either the Standard format or the Expanded format, I am going to look at both today. There are exciting events for both formats that warrant discussion. London Intercontinentals in the Standard format recently concluded, and San Jose Regionals in the Expanded format is right around the corner. Yveltal took London by storm and is definitely the hot topic right now. [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] is the unsung hero of Standard, and it narrowly missed out on its chance at glory this past weekend by bubbling in ninth place. Those are the two Standard decks that I’ll be looking at today. As for Expanded, I believe that some tier 2 decks have been largely overlooked and deserve some attention. The two decks in question are [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] and Night March. Later on, I’ll explain why they have so much potential.

Yveltal / Garbodor

If some people were skeptical of this deck after it took first and second at Fort Wayne Regionals, they should be convinced that this deck is now the undisputed best deck in format after its oppressive run in London. Yveltal / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is completely dominating the Standard format. Aside from Fort Wayne, it won Orlando Regionals and took the top five spots in London! Yveltal has a good matchup against nearly everything that isn’t designed to beat it, and it has plenty of flex space for healing and disruption techs. Not to mention, the deck is insanely consistent and packs a formidable duo of attackers. That duo is, of course, [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”from”][/card] and [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card].

Michael Pramawat won London with a version of this deck featuring two [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] and a copy of [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card]. It is clear that he favored Energy disruption when it came to tech spots for his list. However, there is one version of Yveltal in particular that caught my eye. Third place finisher Phillip Schulz from Germany used some interesting cards, which I’ll analyze in a second. First, I’ll share my list, which draws heavy inspiration from Phillip’s. I do not personally know Phillip, but his list is quite fascinating and I was surprised to find that I agree with most of it. Here’s my take on his variation of the deck.

[decklist name=”Yveltal/Garbodor” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″][pokemon amt=”10″]3x [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/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]1x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ 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=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Flashfire” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ 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=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”13″]9x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”XY” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ amt=”9″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Generations” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Most notably, Phillip and I chose to exclude [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”set”][/card] from our lists. I found that you don’t actually need Yveltal to win games, though it does allow for some cute traps and multi-Prize plays. We also both happened to decide against [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. Enhanced Hammer essentially decreases Yveltal-EX’s damage output, and I find it to be a fairly underwhelming card. I have [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card] if I really need to discard a Special Energy.

[cardimg name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Speaking of Jirachi, Phillip decided to use it as his only non-EX attacker. It is simply a tech card that will not be used in every matchup. Phillip said that it was included primarily to help with the Rainbow Road matchup. [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] plus [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] plus [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] plus Stardust is an incredibly powerful combo against [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card], even if you don’t have all four pieces to the combo. I’ve also found Jirachi to be helpful against [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], two difficult matchups for Yveltal. If the Vileplume player doesn’t have [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] on board to block Stardust, Jirachi can wreak havoc on that deck. Jirachi also provides disruption and buys time against Vespiquen if needed, though the matchup is still unfavorable.

Two other quirky cards that Phillip ran were [card name=”Town Map” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card]. While I initially dismissed both, I’ve found myself enjoying the tech Ace Trainer. I still disagree with Town Map simply because I don’t want to cut anything for it, though I do see the logic of playing it. Ace Trainer is simply a better version of [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] in specific situations. I have used it quite often in testing and I definitely want to keep it in the list.

I chose to build this deck with a heavy emphasis on Stadium control. I play three Parallel City and one [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card], and have never wanted anything else. Parallel City plus Garbodor completely destroys a lot of decks, and Delinquent gives me that option even if my opponent plays the first Parallel City in a direction that favors them. Parallel City has so many uses. It can nerf damage from [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], it can limit Rainbow Road’s Bench, it can clear your own [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] from the board, and more!

The last unusual card that I run is [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card]. Pokemon Ranger greatly improves your odds against pesky tanks such as [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Regice” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card]. Without Ranger, you would have a terribly difficult time dealing with those threats. It is also handy against Jirachi’s Stardust and [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]’s Chaos Wheel. I believe that Ranger is worth the slot, especially now that Yveltal has a massive target on its back and people may be more prone to running Jolteon-EX.

Vespiquen / Zebstrika

This is the obscure archetype that Alex Hill placed ninth at London with. I personally believe that this deck is amazing and it could have definitely won the tournament had it not bubbled out of top cut. However, my variation of the deck is fairly different from Alex’s list. Let’s take a look at my [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] list.

[decklist name=”Vespiquen” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″][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]2x [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Blitzle” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”48″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Flareon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”13″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Vaporeon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”22″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Eevee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”63″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/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][/pokemon][trainers amt=”28″]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=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/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=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Rescue” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ 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=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Generations” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

[card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] is incredibly strong right now because it only loses to two cards: [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card]. Fortunately, both of those are not heavily played right now. Vespiquen takes a complete autoloss to any decks running those cards, as there is virtually no way to win against them. Vespiquen’s strategy is linear yet it is still a completely reactive deck and always requires plenty of thought to play optimally. In a nutshell, you want to throw away a bunch of Pokemon so that Bee Revenge can OHKO everything. This is a winning strategy against most decks.

[cardimg name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Some players choose to run [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] in this deck. I strongly disagree with this for a few reasons. First, it forces you to commit at least four spaces to a 1-1 Garbodor line and two [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]. Even then, a 1-1 line is hardly consistent. Next, Garbodor usually hurts this deck quite a bit and is only helpful in the [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] matchup. I found that even without Garbodor the Greninja matchup is about 50-50. With Garbodor, it is difficult to fit [card name=”Vaporeon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Flareon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card] in the deck. Without those Eeveelutions, the deck has unfavorable matchups against Volcanion and [card name=”M Scizor-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card].

I really do think that the Eeveelutions are worthwhile. Although many players (myself included) don’t think that Volcanion is a top tier deck, it always shows up at tournaments and you have to be ready for it. Vaporeon makes the matchup practically an autowin. Flareon is your only hope against Scizor, though admittedly Scizor is not as popular as Volcanion. In the event that you play against a deck where the Eeveelutions are useless, you can always pitch them to increase Bee Revenge’s damage.

[card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] is what makes this deck amazing. Zebstrika allows you to have a near-autowin against the most popular deck in the format. You can expect to play against at least two Yveltal decks at any given Standard tournament in the near future, and Zebstrika seals those up as easy wins. In the early game, Zebstrika is a fantastic attacker against most other decks while Bee Revenge is still weak. You can occasionally pick up a KO on [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] with Crashing Bolt.

Shaymin-EX and [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”name”][/card] are support Pokemon that help you draw through your deck quickly in order to pitch as many Pokemon as you can as fast as you can. Shaymin-EX will often end up getting discarded with [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], and Unown discards itself. [card name=”Klefki” set=”Steam Siege” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] is also included as it is a Pokemon that can discard itself. It is also incredibly useful against [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card]. You want to use Klefki against other Mega decks as well, but it just does not cause quite as much trouble for them as it does against Mewtwo.

One other thing that may seem odd is that I run a 1-1 split of [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Rescue” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card]. Most [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] lists run two Revitalizer and no Buddy-Buddy Rescue, but I assure you that this split is correct. Revitalizer is great and all, but oftentimes I find myself wanting to retrieve Pokemon that aren’t Grass. Since this deck discards Pokemon like nobody’s business, it is inevitable that you end up wanting some Pokemon back later on. Specific targets for Buddy-Buddy Rescue would be Vaporeon, Flareon, Zebstrika, and Shaymin-EX. Of course, you can get [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card] or Vespiquen with it too if you want.

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Matchups

Vespiquen is one of the best decks in Standard because its matchups are phenomenal.

  • [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] – Highly Favorable
  • [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] – Even
  • [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] – Highly Favorable
  • [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] – Favorable
  • Rainbow Road – Slightly Favorable
  • [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] – Favorable
  • [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] – Highly Unfavorable
  • [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] – Slightly Unfavorable
  • [card name=”M Scizor-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] – Favorable

As you can see, [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]’s matchups are mostly favorable. This is because of how well it exchanges attackers. Vespiquen is a non-EX attacker that has the potential to OHKO anything and everything. Once Bee Revenge becomes powerful enough, few decks can stand up to this literal swarm of Bees. As I mentioned before, Vespiquen is particularly relevant right now because of the dominance of Yveltal / Garbodor. Thanks to the popularity of Yveltal, Vespiquen gains an unnatural advantage in any given tournament because of how reliably you should face and defeat Yveltal.

I think the [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] matchup is about even. Going first is rather relevant, and [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] is great in the event your opponent starts with [card name=”Talonflame” set=”Steam Siege” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card]. You don’t want to let Aero Blitz KO a [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card], and you want to get some mileage out of Zebstrika by KOing Talonflame. Zebstrika is useless in this matchup outside of that. Vespiquen should be able to run right through Greninja, even if they set up decently. You want to fill your Bench with [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] to prepare for when your opponent has two [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] out. Don’t be afraid to use [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], as it is not much of a liability. Using Shaymin-EX to dig for [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] is fantastic and is something you often need to do in order to avoid [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]. Never attack into Bursting Balloon if you have the option to Lysandre around it. I do not think [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] or Garbodor are worth including for this one matchup.

Rainbow Road and [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] are favorable matchups simply because Vespiquen trades well against them. [card name=”Klefki” set=”Steam Siege” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] is decent against Gardevoir, though they can usually find [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] to get around it. [card name=”M Scizor-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] is favorable thanks to [card name=”Flareon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card] and Klefki. Unlike Gardevoir, Scizor cannot consistently get around Klefki once it is attached.

As I mentioned earlier, [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is an autoloss. Chaos Wheel stops [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] from being played while OHKOing everything in this deck. Not even [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] will help this matchup. [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] is a surprisingly navigable matchup, though it isn’t favorable because of Item-lock. Bee Revenge will eventually be powerful enough to KO anything besides a [card name=”Glaceon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] using Crystal Ray. Against Glaceon, you can try Sky Return looping or using [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card]. Zebstrika hits through Crystal Ray because of its Zap Zone Ability, and it can dish out 100 damage before Glaceon takes it down.

Primal Groudon-EX

That is really all I have to say about Standard for now, so let’s get right into Expanded! San Jose Regionals is taking place this upcoming weekend, and I feel like there are two decks in Expanded that are going under the radar. The first of these is [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card]. Groudon is quite a unique deck and it is still relevant in Expanded. Here is my list for Groudon.

[decklist name=”Primal Groudon” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″][pokemon amt=”12″]3x [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”85″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Regirock” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY49″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”47″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”38″]4x [card name=”Korrina” set=”Furious Fists” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Flashfire” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ 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]2x [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”Black and White” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Robo Substitute” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor’s Letter” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”146″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hard Charm” set=”XY” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Gold Potion” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Tropical Beach” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW50″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]5x [card name=”Fighting Energy” set=”XY” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card]4x [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Fates Collide” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Black and White” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

I haven’t played with this deck as much as the other two, but I’m surprised that it hasn’t seen all that much success in the Expanded format so far. The process of acquiring four [card name=”Tropical Beach” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW50″ c=”name”][/card] is certainly not fun, but it is well worth it. [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] is one of the most linear decks in the format. You slowly power up Groudon while walling with [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card] and fill your hand with Tropical Beach. Since Primal Groudon has 240 HP and access to various healing cards along with [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], it is nearly impossible to take down. Each Groudon should be good for at least four Prizes if you play your cards right, so you may need to power up a second Groudon or [card name=”Regirock” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY49″ c=”name”][/card] during the game.

Key Cards

3-3 Primal Groudon-EX

[cardimg name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This is your main attacker, so you need a thick line for consistency. You usually want to have two [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] each game, and a 3-3 line ensures that will happen even if a piece is prized. I use the Basic [card name=”Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”85″ c=”from”][/card] instead of the [card name=”Groudon-EX” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”54″ c=”from”][/card]. I think that its attacks are more useful than the other one and that gaining a Lightning Resistance is not worth the trade-off for worse attacks.

Four Wobbuffet

[card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card] is the best Pokemon to pair with Groudon. Its Bide Barricade turns off Abilities like [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]’s Set Up, so it slows other decks down and gives Groudon time to set up. Additionally, it is fairly bulky with 110 HP and only gives up one Prize Card. With four Wobbuffet taking hits and slowing the opponent down, you should always have time to set up a Groudon or two.

One Regirock

[card name=”Regirock” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY49″ c=”name”][/card] is safe on the Bench because it has Omega Barrier just like Primal Groudon. You don’t have to worry about it being a liability. Regirock is decent enough as a non-EX attacker, but for the most part you will only be using its first attack. Since Groudon lacks any way to search the deck for Stadium cards to continuously fuel Gaia Volcano, Regirock’s Land Maker can retrieve Stadium cards from the discard without wasting [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]. You can potentially use [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Switch” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] with Regirock to get a free Land Maker off without giving up a Prize.

One Mr. Mime

Thanks to Groudon’s Omega Barrier, the only way to touch it on the Bench is to use snipe attacks. [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”47″ c=”name”][/card] blocks these kinds off attacks, particularly Pitch-Black Spear, Tree Slam, and Skill Dive. Mr. Mime makes Groudon even more bulky than it already is. Unfortunately, Mr. Mime does not block Silent Fear from [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card]. Since there’s no way to search out Mr. Mime, you may not always draw it when you want it. That’s okay, as the healing cards can pick up the slack until you find it.

Promo Giratina

There is a new Promo Giratina that is going to be released soon. As soon as it becomes legal, I would heavily consider including one in this deck. You could cut a [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Robo Substitute” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card].

I would think about running Giratina because it has an Ability that shuts off all Abilities on Pokemon BREAK. This is a huge boon for Groudon because it greatly improves the matchups against [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]. Although I do think Groudon has a decent shot at beating those decks anyway, the extra help is always appreciated. If I were to include Giratina, I would also strongly consider running one [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Fates Collide” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] to search it out.

One Hex Maniac

[card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] serves a similar purpose to Giratina. [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card] turns off most Abilities for you, but it has to be Active to do so. Hex also shuts of Psychic-type Abilities such as [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]’s Surprise Bite and [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]’s Forest’s Curse, which Wobbuffet cannot do. When Groudon starts attacking against [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], you will need Hex Maniac to stop Giant Water Shuriken.

One Lysandre

I am still on the fence about whether or not a single [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] is sufficient. If there’s one thing that could possibly be added, I’d say it’s a second Lysandre. I think one Lysandre is fine for the most part, but if you really want to run the deck with two you should cut a [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Robo Substitute” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card].

Three Pokemon Center Lady

[cardimg name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Flashfire” no=”105″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

The fact that I run three copies of [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Flashfire” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] is probably the craziest thing about this list. I personally love running three PCL in this format because of how disruption-oriented it is. Many decks nowadays do not focus on big attacks for OHKOs, so PCL can help out in a variety of matchups. Most obviously, it is incredibly useful against [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], the current BDIF. Pokemon Center Lady erases two full turns of Silent Fear from Groudon! It is also fantastic against [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] / Bats, Yveltal, [card name=”Accelgor” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”11″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]. Running three improves your odds of drawing it under Item-lock, which is important in the Tree-infested Expanded format.

Two Focus Sash, One Hard Charm

I know I just said that most decks won’t be able to take OHKOs, but some still do. [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] allows [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] to survive any attack, most notably [card name=”Xerneas” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card]’s Rainbow Force and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]’s Emerald Break. Focus Sash should be used against any deck that is capable of Knocking Out a Groudon in one attack, while [card name=”Hard Charm” set=”XY” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] is fantastic against everything else. Focus Sash is also useful when equipped to [card name=”Regirock” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY49″ c=”name”][/card].

One Gold Potion

I choose to run [card name=”Gold Potion” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] as my Ace Spec. Healing is so potent in this format, and Gold Potion is the best healing card to use with [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card]. You can also use [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] to grab Gold Potion back from the discard, allowing for a total of three potential uses of this magical card.

Four Tropical Beach

[card name=”Tropical Beach” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW50″ c=”name”][/card] is the most difficult card to access that is used in competitive play, but the deck really does need four of them. Beach is so crucial to helping you set up and fill your hand with valuable resources. You also need a steady stream of Stadium cards to power up Gaia Volcano. If you think your opponent has a dead hand, don’t play down Beach to let them draw more cards!

One Psychic Energy

Psychic Energy is included as a one-of off-type Energy because every attack in the deck (besides Land Maker) have a Colorless Energy in their cost. There is virtually no downside to running one Psychic Energy, and it gives you access to attacks such as Psychic Assault and Psy Bolt.

Night March

[decklist name=”Night March” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″][pokemon amt=”17″]4x [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Lampent” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”42″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”39″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ 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=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Town Map” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”150″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Generations” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

This is my Night March list, and it really isn’t anything special. I went for the most straightforward route possible to make sure this wrecking machine is consistent. Night March still seems like a broken deck, though it does lose to [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card]. I am not expecting many people to play Karen, but if you are expecting it then I would definitely avoid playing Night March. The Promo Giratina card that I mentioned earlier seems like a definite inclusion into this deck when it becomes legal, though I don’t know what I would cut for it.

[cardimg name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This deck can take so many easy wins. You just spam [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and draw cards to thin out your deck and use a variety of powerful Supporter cards on demand. You may be thinking: “Doesn’t this just lose to [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]?” Think again, friend. I’ve found the Trevenant matchup to be just about even. Of course, if they go first and get the [card name=”Phantump” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] plus [card name=”Wally” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC27″ c=”name”][/card] combo, it is incredibly difficult to win. You can try Sky Return looping or drawing perfectly. If you go first, you can simply draw everything and set yourself up for future turns. You can basically choose what cards you want to have in your hand at the end of the turn. You want to thin your deck a lot so that [card name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] won’t mess you up so badly. From there, just use Night March and roll right through the Trees.

I focus on consistency as much as possible with this list, but you may notice a few techs. [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] is important for [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], and Bats. [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] is your only reliable way to beat [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] is good in case you open with a bunch of cards that you just don’t want to get rid of. [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] gets rid of pesky [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] are to get Shaymin-EX out of the Active when you start with it. [card name=”Town Map” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] is sort of a tech, but it increases consistency as well by adding more control over what you draw from the Prizes.

There are other techs that some Night March lists run that I deem unnecessary as they only hurt consistency. [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Archeops” set=”Noble Victories” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] does improve the [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, but with [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card], and taking KOs every turn that matchup should be fine anyways. [card name=”Ghetsis” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] may seem like they would be helpful, but Jirachi is even more of a liability than Shaymin-EX and Ghetsis is luck-based. Hex Maniac is sufficient as a turn one disruption Supporter. Finally, [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] is a favorite among many Night March decks. I dislike Teammates because it is completely unnecessary and I’d rather play other cards. Additionally, you usually want to use another Supporter like [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] instead of Teammates.

Conclusion

That’s all I have for now guys. Thanks for reading! Standard is completely dominated by Yveltal right now, and I encourage you all to try out new versions of Dark as well as potential counter-decks such as [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card]. Quite honestly, you can play a heavy line of Zebstrika in just about anything with [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] and have a favorable Yveltal matchup. Good luck to all of you attending San Jose this weekend! I will likely be participating in the ARG Invitational event in Orlando, competing for cash but no Championship Points. I believe that Groudon and Night March are severely underrated decks in Expanded right now, so test them out if you have the time. I hope you guys like this article. Feel free to comment with any feedback you have for me! It’s good to be back at the Beach.

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