Region to Region — Examining Dallas and Focusing on Georgia Regionals

By: Jimmy Pendarvis · Posted Posted onJan 11, 2017 at 12:36 PM · 0 Comments

Hey PokeBeach readers, I am finally back with another article! I am excited to share my recent tournament experiences, the decks I used at them, and crucial information for Georgia Regionals! I have been playing a ton of Pokemon recently, playing in four League Cups, an Internationals and a Regional Championships in the past month. I really enjoy the Standard format currently, despite it being relatively overplayed due to no set being released between all of these events. Without further ado, let’s hop into things by taking a look at my Texas Regionals experience.

Texas Regionals

Going into Texas Regionals, I still felt like Yveltal was the best deck, despite the pretty massive target on its back. The counters to the deck, [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card], honestly were not even very scary. I felt like the decks playing those cards would perform poorly, which was pretty true for the most part. I also don’t think either of the counters were too much for Yveltal to handle, which was proven by how my games against Jolteon-EX in the tournament went. After determining I wanted to play Yveltal again, I wanted to make sure I played the right list. After a handful of games, I was convinced the deck list I played in London was the one I liked the best. After arriving in Texas on Thursday, I played in the Mad Pullz open which was a lot of fun and let me get some more games in with Yveltal. I felt that the deck was running smoothly and was strong against the meta. I ended up going undefeated in swiss, but lost to a Volcanion deck in Top 8 after some unfortunate draws. I had also played this deck at a League Cup in Virginia before leaving for Texas, where I lost in Top 4 to [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]. I chose to include a [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] in place of [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] that day due to how much Jolteon-EX I saw after arriving at the venue. I would say that making small changes like that is a very good idea if you’re sure that your change will help you against multiple people in such a small field.

[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]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]1x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ 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=”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=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”XY” no=”129″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ 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=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”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=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ 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=”Legendary Treasures” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

The Tournament

Here’s how my rounds went.

  • Round 1: [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] – 2-0 Win (1-0)
  • Round 2: [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Fairy Drop” set=”Fates Collide” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] – 2-0 Win (2-0)
  • Round 3: [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] / Snorlax-GX / [card name=”Xerneas BREAK” set=”Steam Siege” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card] – 2-0 Win (3-0)
  • Round 4: [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] – 1-2 Loss (3-1)
  • Round 5: [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] / Walls – 1-1 Tie (3-1-1)
  • Round 6: [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] 2-0 Win (4-1-1)
  • Round 7: [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] – 2-1 Win (5-1-1)
  • Round 8: [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Fairy Drop” set=”Fates Collide” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] – 2-0 Win (6-1-1)
  • Round 9: [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] 2-0 Win (7-1-1)
  • Round 10: [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] – 0-2 Loss (7-2-1)
  • Round 11: [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] – 2-0 Win (8-2-1)
  • Round 12: [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] 0-2 Loss (8-3-1)
  • Round 13: [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] 1-2 Loss (8-4-1)
  • Round 14: [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] – 2-0 Win (9-4-1)

Potential Inclusions

Pokemon Ranger

[cardimg name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This is a solid [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] counter, but honestly isn’t used for anything else. It can have random niche uses, such as getting around the effects of Chaos Wheel or Shadow Stitching, but those cases are relatively rare and Pokemon Ranger usually doesn’t swing the game in those situations. If Shadow Stitching is occurring and Pokemon Ranger bails you out, it means [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t out which is horrible news. I would be pretty surprised if Pokemon Ranger allowed any [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”name”][/card] player to pull out a win in that situation. On the other side of things, [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is a pretty weak attacker against Yveltal decks, even with [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Generations” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] attempting to deny Energy. This is what makes Pokemon Ranger a “win more” card against Giratina-EX most of the time. I personally only consider the inclusion of this card at smaller tournaments where I think Jolteon-EX will be prevalent.

A Second Yveltal BKT

Before Texas Regionals, I would call this inclusion completely unnecessary. However, due to the rise of [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] and the return of [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], this card is now a lot more useful. It has the potential to completely shutout either of these matchups if it gets attacking early enough. I still need to try the second copy out and see which count I like the best, but I am leaning towards adding the second copy in place of the fourth [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”name”][/card]. It definitely hurts the [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] matchup though, which is a big reason why many players might stick with just the one copy.

Delinquent

This format is turning into a Stadium-war format, which gives this card a lot of versatility. I would say this card would definitely be included if the deck list wasn’t so tight already, space is truly the only thing that makes this inclusion questionable.

League Cup #1 – Dallas 1/2/16 – 1st Place

[decklist name=”Gardy” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″][pokemon amt=”16″]3x [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Dragonite-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”72″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Spinda” set=”Primal Clash” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Brock’s Grit” set=”Evolutions” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Gardevoir Spirit Link” set=”Primal Clash” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Fairy Drop” set=”Fates Collide” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”Evolutions” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”7″]7x [card name=”Fairy Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

The Tournament

  • Round 1: [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] – Win (1-0)
  • Round 2: [card name=”Regice” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Glaceon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] – Win (2-0)
  • Round 3: [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] – Tie (2-0-1)
  • Round 4: [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] – Win (3-0-1)
  • Round 5: [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] – Loss (3-1-1)
  • Round 6: [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / Hammers – Win (4-1-1)
  • Top 8: [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] – 2-0 Win (5-1-1)
  • Top 4: [card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card] – 2-1 Win (6-1-1)
  • Finals: [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] – 2-1 Win (7-1-1)

Potential Inclusions

[cardimg name=”Fairy Drop” set=”Fates Collide” no=”99″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

I would definitely remove the [card name=”Spinda” set=”Primal Clash” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] from this deck for future tournaments. The only reason I played it at the League Cup is because I saw quite a few [card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card] the morning of the tournament, and Spinda flips the matchup from nearly an autoloss to nearly an autowin. With that being said, I would replace it with one of the following cards.

Hawlucha

This little guy is great to ensure you don’t have to deal with the annoying odd Prize game a lot of people try to setup nowadays. [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Steam Siege” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] would be my first pick to replace Spinda, as it was what I removed for Spinda to begin with.

A Third Fairy Drop

This card is amazing against [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] decks, where healing just fifty damage can be absolutely game changing. In addition to these matchups, using two in the same turn in the mirror match can completely swing the game. Healing down to thirty damage forces the opponent to discard all of their Bench to take the Knock Out. Anything less than thirty damage on a [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] is impossible to Knock Out in one attack.

A Fourth Professor Sycamore

This is just a slight consistency boost. I would only recommend this inclusion if you find yourself consistently having slow starts, dead drawing, or losing to late game [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] plus [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card].

League Cup #2 – Rockville 1/8/17 – 5th Place

[decklist name=”Ninja” 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=”33″]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=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”9″]7x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]2x [card name=”Splash Energy” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

The Tournament

  • Round 1: [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] – Win (1-0)
  • Round 2: Turbo [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] – Win (2-0)
  • Round 3: Volcanion – Loss (2-1)
  • Round 4: Volcanion – Win (3-1)
  • Round 5: [card name=”Electrode” set=”Evolutions” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] – Win (4-1)
  • Round 6: [card name=”Xerneas BREAK” set=”Steam Siege” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] / Snorlax-GX – ID (4-1-1)
  • Top 8: [card name=”M Altaria-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Fairy Drop” set=”Fates Collide” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] – Loss (4-2-1)

Potential Inclusions

Team Flare Grunt

I personally have never been a fan of this card, but I see it being played by all of the dedicated [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] players constantly. The idea is that it helps to remove Energy off of [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] when used in combination with [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. I think that Yveltal-EX / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is on the decline anyways, so I am not sure how useful this inclusion would actually be in the updated meta.

Pokemon Ranger

This card wins the mirror match 100% of the time if you have it and they don’t, which would usually be the case if this card is in your deck. It is the same thing as [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] in Yveltal though, where it really only has one use. I think this card should only be included if Greninja is seeing a lot of play.

[premium]

Georgia Regionals

What Changes Going into Georgia Regionals

Giratina Promo

All this really does is force [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] decks to play [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card]. The ironic part of this is that I don’t think this card will actually see play at Georgia, so it is kinda like [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card] in that sense. It will be interesting to see if any Greninja players feel the same way as I do and choose not to include Silent Lab in their deck. I don’t think this will be the case, simply because Silent Lab is solid all around, even if the Giratina is not played very much.

[cardimg name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

The Rise of M Gardevoir-EX

So far, I have found the new [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] deck lists to be pretty scary for us Yveltal players, which creates an interesting situation. Yveltal players can build their deck to beat Gardevoir, but then that makes them perform worse against [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]. Gardevoir being popular makes decks like [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and Rainbow Road want to crawl back out of the woodwork, but those players take the risk of running into Greninja or [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. This puts Gardevoir in a spot where none of its counters beat anything except Gardevoir, which prevents it from being put in the same situation Yveltal was, where it had a huge target on its back.

The Return of M Mewtwo-EX

Unfortunately for [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], it came back right when [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] also became quite popular. For me, this makes it pretty hard to actually play the deck in a tournament. However, it has already started to see success at League Cups and the Special Event that happened in Leiden, NL a couple days ago. I am curious to see how Mega Mewtwo decks will adapt moving forward, with the two options of committing space to fit Metal attackers, or simply taking the loss to Mega Gardevoir.

Decks for Georgia Regionals

In my mind, these are the top five decks going into Georgia.

  • [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card]
  • Volcanion

In terms of starting points for these decks, I would recommend looking at the lists provided earlier in the article for Yveltal, Gardevoir, and Greninja. I will now talk about the deck lists I prefer for the remaining two decks, Mega Mewtwo and Volcanion.

M Mewtwo-EX

This is the deck list my testing partner Igor Costa piloted at Texas Regionals to a second place finish. I think it is the best deck list for Mega Mewtwo, and I suspect it will be the most popular Mega Mewtwo deck list going into Georgia Regionals.

[decklist name=”Mewtwo” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″][pokemon amt=”13″]3x [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”62″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/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]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/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=”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=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ 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]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]7x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Potential Inclusions

A Second Parallel City

This inclusion is very strong against Rainbow Road, [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], and the mirror match. If you find yourself seeing a lot of these decks, I would recommend including the second copy of [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card].

A Fourth Trainers’ Mail

This is a consistency boost that I really like in the Mega Mewtwo deck. I always dig as much as I can for an [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Fates Collide” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] to find [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] on my first turn of the game, and having the fourth [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] makes it slightly more likely to achieve that goal. In addition to that, it gives the deck extra reach when it needs to find that crucial [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card].

Volcanion

While Volcanion is a deck I have never liked when testing, this list that I built to test against is really consistent and has actually been impressing me so far. In my opinion, the addition of [card name=”Pokemon Catcher” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] made the Volcanion deck a lot better against the rest of the popular decks.

[decklist name=”Volcanion” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″][pokemon amt=”10″]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=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”39″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ 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″ 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=”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=”Pokemon Catcher” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Energy Retrieval” set=”Black and White” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/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=”Switch” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Scorched Earth” set=”Primal Clash” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]11x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”11″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Potential Inclusions

A Fourth Trainers’ Mail

Most people only play two [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], so four would be quite a high count. I have grown to be a consistency freak, so I would consider the fourth Mail for sure. I like the explosiveness this card provides, being able to easily find [card name=”Scorched Earth” set=”Fates Collide” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Pokemon Catcher” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] in the early game is a big plus.

Escape Rope

This is just a personal preference and it would replace a [card name=”Switch” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]. It is definitely solid against [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] due to [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], but having [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] in the same deck as [card name=”Pokemon Catcher” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] could create some awkward situations.

Matchups

I will now discuss how the big five decks play out amongst each other. This section should provide a solid understanding of the Standard format.

The Yveltal / Garbodor Mirror

[cardimg name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

I play this matchup very reactionary based, especially when it comes to [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. In certain games of this matchup, Yveltal can be absolutely incredible. When going first, it usually gets two to three attacks in and forces the opponent to KO a non-EX Pokemon. I often see people describing Yveltal as simply bad in the mirror match, which is just not the case. However, it is a bit trickier to use when going second. If I go second and take the risk of pumping out a turn one Pitch-Black Spear, I could realistically have all of my Energy taken off of the board by an Evil Ball. This forces me to hit a [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] and attack back, but even if I do, I am in a significantly worse spot than if I had just Y Cycloned turn one.

Moving on from the early game decisions, the key cards in this matchup are [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card]. When an opposing [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] uses Y Cyclone to preserve Energy, you can punish it in one of two ways. Pokemon Center Lady healing 60 of the damage is pretty solid and almost negates a whole turn of attacking. The even harder punish is to Team Flare Grunt their Energy off and then Y Cyclone them back, which only works if they don’t have a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] attached and another attacker on the Bench. Even if there is no Tool attached, forcing them to dig for it prevents [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card], Team Flare Grunt, and Pokemon Center Lady plays of their own, which is definitely a nice bonus. Enhanced Hammer to remove [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] is absolutely huge in this matchup, especially when used in combination with Team Flare Grunt. Parallel City plays a very big role in the mirror match because most lists don’t play a counter Stadium, which forces the opponent to find their [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card], which isn’t even that popular anymore. Parallel City limiting a player’s Bench is super strong in this matchup for multiple reasons.

  • [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] gets stronger. [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] usually won’t find his way onto the opponents field, which negates that option of dealing with it. They have to bench fewer [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card], which means any Pitch-Black Spear damage dealt in this scenario is more important than usual.
  • It makes it harder for the opponent to thin their deck because they can’t preemptively toss [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] on their Bench.
  • It can prevent the opponent from using multiple [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] in the early game, which will slow down their start. On top of that, the Shaymin-EX become dead cards in the late game due to [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card].

Yveltal / Garbodor versus Mega Gardevoir

This is the only big matchup that Yveltal feels unfavored in nowadays. I would contribute the struggle to the new lists that are being played for [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], which play two to three [card name=”Fairy Drop” set=”Fates Collide” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] and a second [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] is an absolute champion in this matchup, and is your best way to approach the matchup. Getting in two Pitch-Black Spear is game changing, and anything more than that should guarantee a win due to how heavily damaged the opponent’s attackers will be. [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is also very important to establish right away because Mega Gardevoir’s draw power is all based around Abilities with cards such as [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Dragonite-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card]. Garbodor also prevents the key Abilities of [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Steam Siege” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], which will make it significantly harder for the opponent to take Knock Outs. [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] to heal damage, and [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] to help limit the opponent’s damage output by limiting their Bench can also be key plays to swing the game in Yveltal’s favor. Yveltal has a lot of tools at its disposal for this matchup, but it always feels like I am fighting an uphill battle whenever I am playing these games.

Yveltal / Garbodor versus Greninja

This matchup is a tricky one for sure. [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] is loaded with tricks and techs for Yveltal decks. However, the techs such as [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] have died down significantly heading into Georgia, which will make the matchup way easier. Even with Greninja playing Enhanced Hammer, I still find this matchup to be slightly favorable. The best way to approach it, from what I have found, is to be very aggressive with an [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] that has a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] on it. My usual plan is to try to KO [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] on the first turn with an Yveltal-EX that has a Float Stone or no Tool attached, just hopefully not a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] on this one. Then after the opponent uses Water Duplicates with [card name=”Frogadier” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”39″ c=”name”][/card], to KO that via Y Cyclone. This makes it so that when Greninja finally come out to attack, the Yveltal-EX that takes the hit is essentially useless, because the Yveltal-EX on the Bench that got Y Cycloned to is the one that will be doing the heavy lifting. This Yveltal-EX should have a Fighting Fury Belt on it at this point, and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] coming out before they BREAK evolve is absolutely necessary. [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] to heal the damage they do, [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] to get around [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] to knock off their [card name=”Splash Energy” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] will be huge.

Yveltal / Garbodor versus Mega Mewtwo / Garbodor

This is a matchup I played five times at Texas Regionals, and I ended up with a 4-1 record against it. All four times I won, the score was 2-0, so I would say the matchup is very favored. On paper, [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] is strictly a better attacker which should make it a super hard matchup but that’s just not how it plays out. The Mega Mewtwo deck very rarely sets up multiple M Mewtwo-EX while also finding everything else they need to continue the Prize-trade. Having those clunky Mega Pokemon and [card name=”Mewtwo Spirit Link” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] takes up a lot of space in the deck, which prevents helpful techs such as [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] from being included. As seen on my streamed match of Texas Regionals, where I clean sweeped a M Mewtwo-EX / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Fairy Drop” set=”Fates Collide” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] deck, [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] can absolutely dominate the matchup.

Yveltal / Garbodor versus Volcanion

[cardimg name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Despite the Volcanion deck adding [card name=”Pokemon Catcher” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card], this matchup still seems very favorable. [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] coming out ASAP is definitely crucial though, because that’s when [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] will really struggle to KO an [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card]. Attacking into Yveltal-EX with a baby [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] does nothing because 20 damage is irrelevant math, and hitting in with a Volcanion-EX is just awful because then you are trading two Volcanion-EX for an Yveltal-EX. [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] can even turn it into a three shot.

The Mega Gardevoir Mirror

This is one of my favorite matchups to play, because it truly rewards being patient. If a player sees an opposing [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench on their second or third turn of the game, sure it’s an easy two Prizes, but it’s not worth killing it from what I have found in my testing. If the opponent has a [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] out, hitting into that is far more important. If the opponent has a [card name=”Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench that has Energy attached, simply bringing that up with [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] and hitting into it is a much better play. Whoever Knocks Out all of the opponent’s Mega Gardevoir first is usually the winner, because Despair Ray prevents easy Prizes from being taken throughout the game.

Mega Gardevoir versus Greninja

I have found this matchup to come down to who goes first. There are tricks both players have, but in my testing I have found the deck going first has a huge advantage. Gardevoir has tricks such as [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Fairy Drop” set=”Fates Collide” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], but Shadow Stitching is so crippling that unless some easy Prizes were taken in the early game, it is hard for Mega Gardevoir to actually take six Prizes. It becomes very difficult to KO [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] when your Abilities are locked and [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] prevents two shots. [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] is very solid in the matchup from the Gardevoir side of things, but is only truly relevant on turns that a Prize is also being drawn. The bonuses Gardevoir gets from going first are incredible though. It allows an extra Prize to be taken before a Greninja comes onto the field, and it makes it much easier for multiple Gardevoir to be powered up before [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] start to cutoff resources.

Mega Gardevoir versus Mega Mewtwo

Unfortunately for [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], this matchup is a complete blowout. [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] one shots Mega Mewtwo with ease due to Weakness, and M Mewtwo-EX needs a ton of Energy to one shot a M Gardevoir-EX. Even if that does happen, another M Gardevoir-EX can easily come up and return KO this giant M Mewtwo-EX, which pretty much always seals the game.

Mega Gardevoir versus Volcanion

Yet again, Ability-lock causes Volcanion to struggle. [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] plus a KO on a [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] is devastating, and honestly forces the Volcanion player to just come up and attack with another Volcanion-EX that should die immediately. People that talk about this matchup say chaining [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] is difficult, and while I see where they are coming from, I have to disagree. First of all, my Gardevoir list plays two Hex Maniac which makes it easier to find it when it’s needed. Second of all, Hex Maniac doesn’t even really need to be chained, it just needs to be used at two to three relevant points throughout the entire game.

The Greninja Mirror

This matchup usually doesn’t finish via Prize count, unless [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] is involved. Due to cards like [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], combined with the low damage output of [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], deckout is usually how these games will finish. Both players will simply Shadow Stitch every turn to prevent an opposing Giant Water Shuriken. Pokemon Ranger being involved makes it so that whoever has Pokemon Ranger wins this matchup a large majority of the time, because it will allow them to use Giant Water Shuriken after a Shadow Stitching. Things get quite interesting when both players have Pokemon Ranger, but that is a very rare scenario.

Greninja versus Mega Mewtwo / Garbodor

This is not a matchup our fish friend likes to be involved in. During Regionals, Igor had an undefeated record against [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] throughout the tournament despite playing against quite a few of them. Getting out [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and using a [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] to simply Damage Change and Shatter Shot is the way Igor approached the matchup. Whenever he did Mega evolve, it was to take a key Knock Out or slightly raise the health of his attacker. Shortly after, a [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] would hit the board and damage change would fully heal the [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card].

Greninja versus Volcanion

[cardimg name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Despite the Water Weakness that plays a role in this matchup, this is not an autowin for [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] by any means. It is favorable for sure, but Volcanion can be so aggressive that it can steal games. The turns that will decide the game are all on Greninja’s side of things. On turn three, the turn after Water Duplicates occurred, how many [card name=”Frogadier” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”39″ c=”name”][/card] were evolved into Greninja? If the answer is two to three, things are looking great because that means a [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] will be coming into play the following turn. If the answer is one, the game is still manageable for Greninja, but the rest of the game will be a bit more rough due to not being able to get out a Greninja BREAK in the near future. If the answer is zero, the game is honestly looking extremely difficult to win. Volcanion will get to take another free Knock Out without any pressure being applied to them. Getting out Greninja BREAK is so important because using Shadow Stitching with a 170 HP Pokemon makes it impossible to die in one shot, which then opens the door for [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] which is absolutely brutal in this matchup. Even if Volcanion uses [card name=”Pokemon Catcher” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] or Lysandre to ignore the Greninja BREAK for a turn, [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] will come down and then Shadow Stiching will occur which puts the Volcanion player in the same situation they were before.

The Mega Mewtwo / Garbodor Mirror

This is honestly a tricky matchup nowadays if both players are using the Psychic Energy version. The Psychic Energy version is heavily favored against the versions that play [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Fairy Drop” set=”Fates Collide” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] because they lack the ability to abuse [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card], or get relevant chip damage in early with Shatter Shot. In the mirror match where both players are using Psychic Energy, the game can get super tricky. Of course games happen where one player goes first and pops off with turn two Shatter Shot for 180 via Mega evolving, using [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card], but those games are rare. The goal in the mirror match is to not over extend, because that makes it very easy for your board to get wiped of Energy which would also make [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] very scary. Using [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] to poke opposing [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] is the best way for a player to get a solid advantage in the Prize-trade, but hitting for too much damage can be risky due to Damage Change. This why I like my first Mega Mewtwo that attacks to just have two Energy attached, it forces the opponent to overextend if they want to take the first KO.

Mega Mewtwo / Garbodor versus Volcanion

This matchup is just an easier version of the Yveltal versus Volcanion matchup, where [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is the key to success. [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] Knocks Out [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] with ease. This pretty much always makes [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] a strong play in the early game. The trading in this matchup is just super favored for Mewtwo to the point where if Garbodor stays on the field, it is pretty hard to lose from the Mewtwo side of things.

The Volcanion Mirror

Whenever I play this matchup in testing, I like to have my first major play of the game to be using [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Pokemon Catcher” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] on opposing [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] and KO it with my own Volcanion-EX. It is very easy to take six Prizes pretty quickly this way, because the opponent is forced to attack into my Volcanion-EX with their own Volcanion-EX. If I am able to return that KO, which usually happens, I am just a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] KO away from winning, which is super easy to accomplish with four Pokemon Catcher in the deck. Despite this matchup being fun, I hate to play it because I think it lacks skill. Outside of using [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] to put the opponent at a low number of cards, it is impossible to stop the opponent from doing pretty much whatever they want, including taking KOs.

Conclusion

Overall, I would say the format has actually developed in a way that rewards deck choice, despite how many tournaments have been played with the same cardpool. It’s weird to say that considering Yveltal was pretty dominant heading into Texas, but I honestly think things have changed a bit for Georgia and other upcoming Standard tournaments. I hope that this article helped get everyone in the zone for Standard! I know I will be testing a bunch this week in preparation for Georgia. Whether you are going to Georgia Regionals or a League Cup, I wish you good luck this weekend!

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