Anything But Yveltal — Three Last-Minute Plays for Georgia
A lot has happened since my last article. School has been a large factor in me not getting an article done in December, but I’m no longer a college student. Now I can focus on moving forward and competing again. It feels great to finally not have school as an obstacle! Now that I’m transitioning into the work force, time is now mine to spend on Pokemon.
I’ve been paying attention to tournament results lately, watching and observing the meta unravel before my own eyes. I’ve only been able to do a little playing, mainly for my upcoming League Cups. Nonetheless, the recent results have been fairly bizarre, to say the least. With dominant performances by [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] in every Standard Regionals so far this season, to them not appearing at all in the Top 8 in Dallas — this has been an odd format, indeed.
I’m known to be one of the better Yveltal-EX players — a champion of our favorite Dark-type damage dealer. However, I’ve recently been exploring every option outside of Yveltal-EX. If you would like more info, Eric Gansman has written a great guide covering Yveltal-EX / Garbodor. Although the deck is fairly straightforward, creativity in deck building has shown in the many different variants of this deck that now exist. Michael Pramawat’s winning list didn’t play [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], yet I’ve seen ultra consistent versions of Yveltal-EX / Garbodor that play four Trainers’ Mail.
I like Yveltal-EX, I really do. It’s hard to argue with two incredible attacks and solid typing. I always want to explore other options too. I’m comfortable as an Yveltal-EX player, so I’ve decided to see what else is out there. It doesn’t take much time for me to reacquaint myself with the Dark bird. This article will cover three decks — three non-Yveltal-EX decks that are absolutely solid. These decks have answers to the current meta game and are all solid plays going into Georgia. I will also be covering matchups for each of these decks. Before I describe any of these decks, I’d like to quickly touch on consistency and what my perspective is on it when it comes to testing.
Consistency — Is Trainers’ Mail Worth it?
[cardimg name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Everyone seems to have their own opinion of [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]; I believe that it’s the most polarizing consistency card in the Pokemon TCG. Ever since Michael Pramawat’s triumph without the help of my namesake card, players have been debating its usefulness. Many have contemplated strictly playing more Supporters instead.
For me, the inclusion of this card depends on the deck. Of course, having copies of the card will always make your deck more consistent, but cutting three copies of the card for a couple more Supporters or even one more copy of N or [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] will give you more options for techs.
Andrew Mahone wrote about Trainers’ Mail in his article covering [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card]. His explanation for the card is the best I’ve ever seen. Trainers’ Mail is a combo-generating card. It is needed to extend hands in order to nail cards at specific times. This is absolutely necessary in [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] decks in Expanded. It’s also crucial in Mega Evolution decks too, since you need to chain Basic Pokemon-EX, Spirit Link and the Mega Evolutions as quickly as possible.
I’ve been removing Trainers’ Mail from my decks for a while now. My Worlds 2016 Waterbox deck didn’t sport any copies. Even though it would be helpful for Waterbox to nail multiple attachments turn one to get off an immediate Quaking Punch, I didn’t prioritize it. If you want a turn one Evil Ball, hitting [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] early is necessary. It’s amazing being able to use that attack so early, but do you prioritize that over other tech cards such as [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]?
[card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] doesn’t exactly need to hit cards in a specific order. Sure, you have an Evolution, but all you need to do is attach Energy and attack. Therefore, Yveltal-EX / Garbodor doesn’t need Trainers’ Mail. Case closed, right?
Not really. Like I mentioned before, if your number one priority is a turn one Evil Ball, you better play some Trainers’ Mail. You will typically need to hit a Max Elixir and a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] turn one in order to pull this off. If you would simply like a more consistent deck all-around, Trainers’ Mail tends to achieve that nicely. One of my early mentors and one of my favorite players, Jay Hornung, always played the most consistent version of the best deck in format. He’d totally be playing three or four Trainers’ Mail in an Yveltal-EX / Garbodor deck right now if he still played.
These principles apply to other decks as well. If you feel that your deck isn’t a combo-based deck, maybe see about cutting the Trainers’ Mail and adding those techs you want. Your deck may be less consistent, but you can always put them back in. This is why we test!
Pidgeot / Garbodor / Jolteon
I got tipped off about [card name=”Pidgeot-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] possibly not being straight garbage by Andrew Krekeler. He had a version of this deck prior to Ft. Wayne that sported Metal Energy and Metal-type attackers, since [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] was a big deck at the time.
Pidgeot-EX is a strong attacker when you pair it with cards like [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]. Taking a hit, then using Max Potion to remove the damage before hitting them back for the same damage, for only one Energy, is simply a solid strategy. You can add some bulkiness with [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] as well.
I’ve tested this list a little bit, but I didn’t have a whole lot of time. Plus, I was already strong on [card name=”M Scizor-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card]. My good friend Austen Vance made this list that sports [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] instead of Metal attackers, such as [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card].
[decklist name=”Pidgeot / Garbodor” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Pidgeot-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”64″][pokemon amt=”13″]3x [card name=”Pidgeot-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”64″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”94″ 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=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Flashfire” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” 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″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]6x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”EX Emerald” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Austen and I tend to have similar deck building styles; Austen’s lists are generally ones that I don’t change much since him and I have similar preferences. I’ve played and tested his list, card-for-card, many times and have come to the following conclusions about the cards in the deck and its matchups.
Card Choices
2-2 Garbodor
[card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is needed (also with copies of [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card]) to hold down those pesky [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] decks that I wrote about in my last article. They will overwhelm you too quickly since they now have access to [card name=”Dragonite-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] for insane recovery. Garbodor makes things a bit more difficult for them since they will no longer be able to use Dragonite-EX and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card].
This trash bag also has the added benefit of slowing down [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] decks. They aren’t exactly issues for this deck, but Garbodor is solid against them. Garbodor is one of the best cards in the game right now. If a deck doesn’t rely on Abilities at all and can fit a 2-2 line in the deck, then I would highly suggest playing it.
3 Pidgeot-EX
[cardimg name=”Pidgeot-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”64″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
The main attacker! This deck’s whole gimmick is reliant on the first attack of this card, Mirror Move. We can use Feather Lance until [card name=”Pidgeot-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] gets attacked, and then we can use [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] in conjunction with Mirror Move the rest of the game. It’s bad news if this guy gets one-shot repeatedly, so we need to sport a heavy [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] line in this deck to keep this guy alive.
2 Jolteon-EX
[card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] is a good card that has found its way back into decks recently. [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] is always going to have a tough time with this card; therefore, it’s naturally a preferred attacker in any Colorless-based decks. Ignoring the Weakness of Yveltal-EX, that deck is comprised soley of Basic Pokemon attackers. [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY173″ c=”name”][/card] is another deck that only attacks with Basics. That’s two of the most popular decks that Jolteon does well against. I’m aware that Pokemon Ranger exists, but most Yveltal-EX decks aren’t running it and Volcanion-EX will need to hit two [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] to Knock Out a Jolteon if you have [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] in play.
Any other deck that attacks with primarily Basic attackers will have a frustrating time dealing with Jolteon-EX.
1 Delinquent
[card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] finds its way into just about every deck I play. It catches so many players off guard. If any of you guys watched the stream, you saw a deadly play by our own, Jimmy Pendarvis, against Andrew Mahone in the finals of Ft. Wayne Regionals using Delinquent to strip Andrew’s hand away. This is a death sentence for most players since tempo is a big deal in the Pokemon TCG.
2 Enhanced Hammer
[card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] is an incredibly good card right now since a lot of decks rely on [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card]. This card slows them down a bit and may cause them to skip an attack altogether. I’ve found this card to be particularly devastating against [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] with the Pitch Black Spear attack. That card can wreck havoc on this EX-based deck.
4 Max Potion
[cardimg name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I mentioned above that [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] is a big part of this deck’s strategy, since it allows you to completely heal yourself. [card name=”Pidgeot-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] combos so well with this card that four copies seems natural to play. Taking a hit from an opposing Pokemon, not suffering the damage from it, and duking it back to the opposing Pokemon is incredible!
Matchups
Yveltal / Garbodor 70-30
This should be an incredibly favorable matchup thanks to [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card]. Even [card name=”Pidgeot-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] is a formidable attacker with [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] to swing the two-shot war around. You also play your own pair of [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]; this will make things difficult for the [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] player.
The only thing that can help Yveltal-EX win, is a [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] and Enhanced Hammer combo play. If the Yveltal-EX player nails one of these combos, it will take your [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] out of commission for a turn. [card name=”Pidgeot-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] needs two Energy to attack without getting attacked first, so this does create an awkward situation. My suggestion is to try and stack four Energy onto Jolteon-EX, preferably a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Fates Collide” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] and two [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]. Even if this combo is hit by the Yveltal-EX player, you can simply attach another Double Colorless Energy and attack again using Flash Ray.
Volcanion 60-40
This isn’t as favorable as the [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] matchup because this matchup is heavily reliant on getting out [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Without Garbodor, your [card name=”Pidgeot-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] will get Knocked Out in one hit repeatedly, and things will go south for you quickly.
With Garbodor, however, they cannot one-shot any of your Pokemon except for [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] and Garbodor. This is pretty big since they would need to hit two [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] to Knock Out [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card], assuming it attacks every turn. They also open themselves up to getting Mirror Moved by Pidgeot.
This is a fairly favorable matchup for you because, even without Jolteon, you will win the two-shot war thanks to [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card].
Greninja 40-60
I consider this a 40-60 matchup because you absolutely need [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and it needs to stay safe. If you do not get Garbodor, you’re in big trouble. You’re two-shotting [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] no matter what, and you’re only taking one Prize each time. Even with Garbodor out, it’s still rough going for this deck, especially if they play their own [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card].
If you do not get Garbodor out or if it gets Knocked Out early, it doesn’t take much time to watch your deck fall apart to Greninja’s damage output and attrition game. Mirror Move hits for 80, at the most, which is what Feather Lance hits for anyway. Fighting Fury belt helps you set up two-hit Knock Outs on [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], but again, your Prize exchange simply isn’t good enough since they take two Prizes every time to your one.
Mega Gardevoir 40-60
[cardimg name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Mega decks are generally bad news for you. Their one-shot Knock Out potential is great and [card name=”Pidgeot-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] suffers from it. This is where the Metal version of this deck would be advantageous. With that said, your [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] matchup wouldn’t be as favorable. It’s a matter of properly analyzing the current meta game.
[card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] needs to be contained by the use of [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card]. You must prevent them from using [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] and filling their Bench in order for you to stay alive. If they have their Abilities active, it is incredibly easy for them to keep their engine going with [card name=”Dragonite-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card].
This deck is incredible if you know Yveltal-EX decks are going to be prevalent in your meta. I suggest giving it a shot. You’ll love the synergy between Pidgeot-EX and [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card].
[premium]
Mega Mewtwo / Metal
[card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] decks have been covered countless times in the past; I’m assuming most of you are familiar with the deck. Unfortunately, not playing [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] doesn’t allow this deck to damage swap. However, not all is lost with this version of the deck.
This deck was built by our very own, Travis Nunlist, “the best and most beautiful Pokemon player to ever grace the world.” I swear I have written my own original decklist for something somewhere in this article! I got this list from him, and have tested it as-is since there really isn’t much I would change, and I don’t just change things for the sake of making it mine.
[decklist name=”Metal Mewtwo” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″][pokemon amt=”13″]3x [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”157″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”52″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mewtwo” set=”Evolutions” no=”51″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”36″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ 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=”Flashfire” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Mewtwo Spirit Link” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”144″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ 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″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]7x [card name=”Metal Energy” set=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
As you can see, the Psychic Energy and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] are removed. [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] works as a solid support Pokemon, in addition to an attacker against the bane of [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] – [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card].
Card Choices
2 Magearna-EX
[cardimg name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”110″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]
[card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] is normally played just for its Ability; however, Magearna-EX is now also used for its attack. The ability to Knock Out [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] in one hit is a necessity if you are going to actually manage to play a game against them. The Ability is an added benefit that will ensure you can get out [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card]. Raticate’s Crunch attack [card name=”M Scizor-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card]’s Iron Crusher attack could pose large threats without this Ability.
1 Mewtwo-EX (Evolutions)
Energy Absorption is a solid attack for recovering Energy. We can use this [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]’s attack and then Mega Evolve, setting us up for a powerful Psychic Infinity. This allows us to recover [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. You can even use it multiple times to regain multiple Double Colorless Energy.
1 Mewtwo (Evolutions)
This is a fairly underappreciated card in the [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] mirror. A [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] on this bad boy can do substantial damage to an opposing M Mewtwo-EX without jeopardizing your own M Mewtwo-EX. This attacker can two-shot without having to give up two Prizes in the exchange.
2 Parallel City / 1 Silent Lab
This combo could easily be two [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] and one [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] to help out more against [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], but the two Parallel has been much more useful to me. I do like the one count of Silent Lab in here to help lock opponents out of using [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and turning off Volcanion-EX’s Ability. Silent Lab also helps against [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] if they can’t hit their own Stadium to remove yours before they Chaos Wheel.
[cardimg name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Another option is to play three Parallel City since you do not run [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. This will strain the [card name=”Dragonite-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] recovery by forcing the opponent to dump their Bench repeatedly.
4 Trainers’ Mail
I mentioned earlier that decks need to be combo driven if they’re Mega decks — there is no exception. Having four [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] works wonderfully here. Trainers’ Mail extends your hand so well, that hitting your Spirit Link and [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] is a breeze. This also has the added bonus of making your deck super consistent while mitigating the chance of a dead draw.
4 Mega Turbo
It seems excessive to play four of these, but [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] gains a lot from stacking Energy onto them. An extra thirty damage here or there may mean the difference between OHKO or being short of a Knock Out. M Mewtwo-EX is similar to [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”name”][/card] in that it is capable of doing a ridiculous amount of damage with no ceiling.
2 Escape Rope
There isn’t any [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] in this deck, so an [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] will have to work as our retreat option. Plus, it’s always nice to have the opponent switch out from a Pokemon that we definitely do not want Active.
7 Metal Energy
Our attacker requires a lot of Energy to do substantial damage; therefore, we have to play a lot of Basic Energy. We also need to dump them with [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] early in order to be able to grab them from the discard pile with [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card].
Matchups
Yveltal / Garbodor 60-40
[card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] hardly affects you at all. [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”name”][/card] decks don’t tend to do anything that you need [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card]’s Ability for. As long as you manage to get out your [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card], this matchup should be a breeze. Be wary of Fright Night [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], and use your [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] to shut off its Ability if you need to Mega Evolve in a pinch. Don’t hesistate to [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] the Yveltal out of the Active, as well.
M Mewtwo-EX should be able to out-damage Yveltal-EX with ease. They will probably set up Y Cyclone plays, but you still have all of your [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card]. Forcing players to not attach too much Energy to Yveltal-EX is a huge plus, since KOing Yveltal-EX with all the Energy is incredibly easy.
Don’t hesistate to use the [card name=”Mewtwo” set=”Evolutions” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] from Evolutions in this matchup if you need to soften up an attacker. It’s not optimal, but if you’re struggling to set up your Megas, it’s an option.
Volcanion 50-50
[cardimg name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This is a much different matchup without [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] in your deck. It goes from favorable to even or unfavorable. You have to hit [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] early and use it often to prevent one-shots to your [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card]. You should be able to Knock Out opposing [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] with ease if they have three Energy on them since you only need three Energy on your M Mewtwo-EX to take them out. I shouldn’t have to say it, but you probably shouldn’t bench your [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] in this matchup.
If this matchup is a huge problem for you, don’t hesitate to play a second [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card]. You should be fine with the Stadium count as it is, though. You could also play a second [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] at the expense of a [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] or the baby [card name=”Mewtwo” set=”Evolutions” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card].
Greninja 50-50
This is only slightly more challenging than [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] due to the Prize exchange. The added bonus for [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card], however, is that [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] gives you plenty of time to set up. You do need to put down pressure early and quick though, since having a two Prize card lead should set you up to win the game once they get their BREAKs out. Moonlight Slash removing their Energy does suck quite a bit, but using [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] and overwhelming their board will give you the win a majority of the time.
If Volcanion and Greninja give you trouble, don’t hesitate to add the new Giratina promo or a second Hex Maniac.
Mega Gardevoir 50-50
[card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] is normally an auto-loss for [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] decks, but with the Metal companions in this deck, this matchup is doable. I say doable because it’s not necessarily an auto-win for you either. M Gardevoir-EX puts a lot of pressure down every turn. They are almost the Night March of this format since they just Knock Out everything, including your own [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card]. The momentum can swing back and forth as both decks take consistent OHKOs. M Mewtwo-EX has the benefit of severely disrupting the M Gardevoir-EX recovery game with [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card]. These two cards should stop a OHKO on your Magearna-EX (unless the M Gardevoir-EX player gets pretty lucky). Having to attach two Energy to your Magearna-EX is awkward, so make sure your first turn attachment is to a Magearna-EX and you should be set.
With the success that M Gardevoir-EX saw at Dallas (four in the Top 8), you are bound to see more of the deck being represented at Regionals and League Cups across the country. In both tournaments, I would expect to see one M Gardevoir-EX deck in one of the rounds that you play. If you decide to play M Mewtwo-EX, I wouldn’t take an auto-loss to one of the most popular decks out there. My good friend Xander Pero demolished Igor Costa’s Psychic M Mewtwo-EX in Top Cut with M Gardevoir-EX. Somehow Igor did beat a M Gardevoir-EX deck with his M Mewtwo-EX one, but I heard there was some severe bad luck on the M Gardevoir-EX side.
Overall, this deck plays on the strengths of M Mewtwo-EX. Hitting for insane amounts of damage with Psychic Infinity, but also utilizing Metal attackers to help against the M Gardevoir-EX.
Greninja BREAK / Max Potion
[card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t new to anyone. I think the whole Pokemon world is familiar with it since Cody Walinski piloted it to the finals of Worlds this past year. The only thing it lost in rotation was [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. Startling Megaphone is a huge loss, and has made [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] an issue for Greninja all season. [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] makes Greninja able to function without its Abilities, allowing you to hit the opponent without Water Shuriken, or buying you time to Knock Out the opposing Garbodor.
[decklist name=”Greninja / Max Potion” amt=”60″ caption=”undefined” cname=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″][pokemon amt=”18″]4x [card name=”Talonflame” set=”Steam Siege” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/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][/pokemon][trainers amt=”34″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Steam Siege” no=”114″ 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=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ 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]3x [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”8″]8x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Card Choices
4 Talonflame
[cardimg name=”Talonflame” set=”Steam Siege” no=”96″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
[card name=”Talonflame” set=”Steam Siege” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] is too good for [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] not play it. There’s lists out there that don’t play it, so it’s viable to go without the bird in your list. That being said, I wouldn’t play a list without four Talonflame. Talonflame helps a lot with Greninja’s clunkiness. What do I mean by that? Greninja sports a huge Stage 2 line and needs to hit Pokemon and Energy in a specific sequence. This deck is just clunky in general and has consistency issues. If you watch the Worlds Finals from 2016, Cody didn’t start with Talonflame and drew horribly in both of his games, creating a disappointing finish for him in the finals.
Talonflame is a must-play in any Greninja deck. I’m not convinced Greninja is consistent without it. Losing [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] to throw these away late game does hurt, but I’m willing to take that loss.
2 Lysandre
[card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] doesn’t show up in some [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] lists, but it is necessary to take out [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. I play two in my list since I want to hit these early and often to take out [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] and Garbodor. If you think about it, decks that do play Garbodor are pretty powerless against Greninja if they can’t limit your Giant Water Shurikens.
3 Bursting Balloon
I love [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] in a format without any easy way to remove Tools. [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] does that job, but not a lot of decks play [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card]. Bursting Balloon allows you to throw down damage outside of your Shurikens and does a fine job offsetting your opponents’ [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Make sure to conserve these for turns in which you know that your opponent will attack you. I see too many players misplay these by dropping them on their Active as soon as they draw them and they get wasted. You want these to all do damage or force a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card].
3 Max Potion
Hitting only one of these in a game is game-changing. [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] is hard for almost anyone that isn’t playing Grass-types to deal with. The HP on Greninja BREAK matches an EX and it’s only worth one Prize. Moonlight Slash also puts the Energy back into your hand, thus allowing you to [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] with no repercussions.
3 Silent Lab
The Giratina Promo will be legal at Georgia, so [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] is critical for shutting it off. Once it is shut off, it will be easy to remove with Giant Water Shuriken and [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card]. Plus, this can also stop your opponent from getting a good start with [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card].
Matchups
Yveltal / Garbodor 60-40
[cardimg name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Here’s where your two [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] come in handy. [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”name”][/card] has a slow damage ramp when they aren’t attaching Energy to their attackers or, in this case, if their Energy disappear. Yveltal-EX has to build up a ton of Energy in order to one-shot your [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]. Even with [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] out, [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] still has a slight advantage. Add in [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], and you can remove the Y Cyclone strategy. Without Garbodor in play, Yveltal folds to Greninja quite easily, assuming you don’t dead draw.
Volcanion 70-30
I know there’s an argument that [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] can overwhelm [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], but I don’t see it happening often. Greninja is built to get punched in the face for the first couple turns and then have an amazing late game. Greninja can just keep hitting for Weakness on Volcanion with Shadow Stitching and stop Volcanion from doing just about anything to your Pokemon.
If you draw decent, Volcanion should be a breeze, especially with [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]. The [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] in the deck only helps you further.
Mega Gardevoir 40-60
Most [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] decks aren’t playing two copies of [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] anymore. This deck can blow through your attackers every turn of the game, but it can be hard for them to chain Knock Outs on [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], especially if you have [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] in play.
If you keep stacking damage on the Active [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] that’s just collecting Knock Outs, this shouldn’t be a hard game as long as they aren’t chaining [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] should put in work in this matchup since you can punish all that aggression.
[card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] is a solid play. It’s always been a solid deck in general with a great game plan to it. These decks always tend to be pretty straightforward and will always do well, regardless of the decks around it in the meta game.
Conclusion
[card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is an amazing deck, but there are other options out there. The three aforementioned decks are incredibly powerful plays for Georgia Regionals, and I hope that seeing these for the first time will get you pumped to attend the event and win games. Of course, be sure to check out Eric Gansman’s guide on Yveltal-EX / Garbodor if you want to stay with the trusted deck on the dark side of the TCG.
[cardimg name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I feel great about [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]’s chances moving forward. With it flying a little under the radar and with [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] lists cutting down to one [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], the deck should do well. [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] are always force multipliers as well, with some obvious synergy with Moonlight Slash.
[card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] is always a strong attacker and takes advantage of [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card]’s way of ramping up damage through Energy attachments. Metal attackers should give it some game against [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] decks.
Finally, [card name=”Pidgeot-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] should be a strong play as well if you can avoid getting Knocked Out every turn. [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] plays such an incredible role in the current meta with the number of Basic Pokemon attackers out there.
I’ll be back to playing and writing more often now that I’m out of school. I will be adjusting to a new job, but at least jobs don’t make me have to bring home homework and worry about upcoming tests. That has been largely the biggest obstacle for me competing this season and has slowed my writing down quite a bit. With the new invite structure this year, it will be difficult for me to earn an invite this season. The slow rollout of League Cups and the lack of local Regionals for me has made things fairly difficult.
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. If you have any specific questions you would like to ask me, give me a shout out in the Subscriber’s Secret Hideout. Good luck to all at Regionals!
Anyways, it’s been real. See you all next time,
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