A Royal Flush — Mega Gardevoir and Slowking Mill
Hey folks! Before I get started today I wanted to quickly thank you for reading this article. It’s not easy to write an article, nor is it necessarily easy to take the time to read one. I really enjoy writing articles, so thank you for reading mine!
Anyway, Alex back at you with a quick rundown of how Anaheim went, and a decision that I somewhat regret involving my deck choice. If you saw me in Anaheim, you probably know full well what deck I want to talk about, but I’ll get to that in a bit.
I feel like a lot of people have experienced one of those “meet and greet / tell us about yourself,” things before, right? Most commonly I think you see them at Freshman Orientation where you throw a tennis ball back and forth between groups saying your name and your favorite type of cereal. It’s Alex Koch, pronounced Cook, and it’s a tie between Reese’s Puffs and Kix. At each of these gatherings, you’re always slammed with many silly questions meant to start conversation. Favorite band, favorite teacher in High School, and favorite Pokemon format.
All questions, while simple, can actually lead to some great discussions. My favorite band is Gorillaz, always has been always will be, but recently I’ve been on this weird Arctic Monkeys / Black Eyed Peas / Paramore kick that I can’t seem to shake. My favorite teacher in High School was Mr. Stowell, who was the second father to a lot of people in his band class. My favorite format? Expanded, easily. Simply put, there’s no [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”M Manectric-EX” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] in Standard, so I’m left with a difficult decision when it comes to these events.
It’s odd though, I feel like that question gets a lot of moans and groans when asked. What’s your favorite format? Why is that such a hard question to ask, and why do people hate asking it? I love the two format system that Pokemon has, it keeps you on your toes and ensures that the better connected plays will rise to the top. You can’t go to a big event these days without doing a little bit of research. It also leads to variety in your deck choice for the year. I’ve been to three Regional Championships and have played three very different decks. If we had the same format all year, I would have probably just played one deck all the way through. How boring is that?
I could be considered a [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] one trick. I don’t take offense to that, I know that I’m a worse Pokemon player with a different deck in my hands. That’s why it’s really hard to play the Standard format since there aren’t any decks that are similar with Sableye. It requires me to do a ton more research, read a bunch of articles, and randomly send my list to people across the country to validate my crazy ideas. That last one never seems to pan out.
Mega Gardevoir for Anaheim
For Anaheim, I poured tons of research into my choice. There were a couple of things I discovered that were the same across all outlets I looked into. One of them was the aggressive hate toward Sun and Moon. The set does bring a lot to the table in terms of the future, mainly when we lose [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], but for now, the set is lacking a lot of power its predecessors had. Another sweeping truth was the amount of hype both Dark and [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] were receiving. Dark was hyped because it’s no secret that California loves Dark decks, and Mewtwo because the meta had finally rotated back around to that point on the carousel of Standard decks that just won’t stop spinning. And the last point everyone was making going into the tournament was the stress on a two shot format. Of the 13 different types of decks that made day two, nine of them really rely on two shots to win.
With all of these factors in mind, I felt like [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] was the correct choice for the tournament. Even after the tournament, and even after posting a 5-2-2 record this weekend, I would still stick by that statement. My wins were dominating, both ties were in my favor when time was called, and one of my two losses was a nail biting close match against one of the best in the game. That round one loss to [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] was the only thing truly out of my control.
For the sake of list lovers out there, here is what I played in Anaheim, and what I would play again if I found myself in a time machine to do the tournament again.
[decklist name=”M Gardevoir” 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]4x [card name=”Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/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][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/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=”Fates Collide” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Gardevoir Spirit Link” set=”Primal Clash” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/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]2x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/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″ divide=”yes” amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”7″]7x [card name=”Fairy Energy” set=”XY” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Gardevoir is nothing new to anyone, and this list is a fairly standard looking build. There isn’t a whole lot going on, so I don’t want to spend too much time on this, but I’ll quickly hit on the points I want to cover and then move on to the real reason I’m writing today. If you see anything that you have questions on, please ask me! I’m always willing to jot down a few things for anyone.
[cardimg name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
The lack of [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Steam Siege” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] is probably the most surprising thing to people. Going into the weekend, a lot of people were hyping up [card name=”Glaceon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] as a counter to a lot of the expected [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] and Sun and Moon Pokemon. Hawlucha is one of the most reliable ways to get around Glaceon with [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], since you can reuse its Ability after Despair Raying it away and rescuing it with [card name=”Dragonite-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card]. Sometimes it can be hard to draw into the [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] combination. Personally, I think drawing into the Energy to use Link Blast and Luminous Blade is a adequate solution to this problem, and leaves you with more room for other inclusions.
[card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] is another one that people sometimes point to as a less frequent play in Mega Gardevoir. The strength of [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] is being able to take reliable two shots and not get two shot in return through the use of [card name=”Fairy Drop” set=”Fates Collide” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]. Pokemon Center Lady just adds another dimension to that. I always hated having to pitch the Fairy Drop early in the game and not having a reliable way to prevent Knock Outs just barely KOing. It felt awkward or bad to draw into an early Fairy Drop and have to [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] it away. The other hidden use behind using Pokemon Center Lady is the Ability to stall out against [card name=”Glaceon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] long enough to get Basic Energy down on your attacker. I played against one wall based deck this weekend and came away with a tie. I was in position to win game three when time was called. Game one went his way after having to pitch both of my [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] in a single Sycamore early after I failed to draw into other cards needed. Prizing two Fairy Energy also didn’t help a whole heap. So Pokemon Center Lady not only took the place of [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Steam Siege” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], but it also opened the door for me to be more liberal with my early game Sycamore, allowing me to play the max count of four there.
The only other thing I really wanted to touch on was [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card] versus [card name=”Brock’s Grit” set=”Evolutions” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]. One is obviously for the [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, and the other is an all around better card. Before Brock’s Grit and [card name=”Dragonite-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] came out, I remember when this deck played three copies of [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] to recycle Pokemon. Now, you can include one of these Supporter cards to do that job for you. I opted for Karen because of the aforementioned Vespiquen matchup. Brock’s Grit is definitely the way to go though, since generally you’re going to net more cards with Brock’s Grit. Dragonite-EX’s Pull Up recycles two Pokemon anyway, and generally two Dragonite-EX drops will be enough to win you the game. Having a safety net to retrieve Energy cards is a much better use of the single slot here.
As far as my matchups went, I had wins against [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”M Beedrill-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY158″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Electrode” set=”Evolutions” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], ties against [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / Walls and [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], and losses to Yveltal / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. I obviously expected to face off against more M Mewtwo-EX, but when you start your day 0-2-1 in the hole, you start missing those meta matchups and instead are taken on a journey of random, cool, interesting stuff. Like I said, I would play this same deck against and I feel like it was 100% the play for the weekend.
Story Time
But what about that other deck I teased? The deck that I didn’t get to play and regret not going for it? Well first, before I give you that list, a story.
A couple months ago I was looking for something new and fun to play, since Standard had become really dull for me. After digging through the internet, I stumbled upon Eric Gansman’s Raticate / Dark list here on PokeBeach. I know he had a strong bias toward [card name=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] after shoving a line into a [card name=”M Scizor-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] list and calling it a good deck (kidding my friend, please love me). But I decided to give it a try even knowing it might not come out that great. To my surprise, I love the deck. Originally, I thought it was supposed to be played as a mill deck, but instead it turned out to be a great early game disruption deck that could sweep late if needed. You had both options of mill and Prizes. If you gave [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] a way to take Prizes, you’d get this deck!
However, the list needed some tweaking. I messaged Eric and asked for his help on the list, slowly taking out and adding stuff until we stumbled upon a [card name=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] list that I rather liked. During this time, League Cups were in full swing, and I was waiting for my chance to play this list.
[decklist name=”Raticate/Jolteon” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″][pokemon amt=”15″]2x [card name=”Raticate BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Brock’s Grit” set=”Evolutions” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ 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=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Kalos Starter Set” no=”34″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Next Destinies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Faded Town” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”8″]4x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”XY” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
I personally never pulled the trigger on the list. Two people did though, posting very different results. My trust sidekick Grady played the deck to an 0-2 drop finish at a League Cup, while my padawan Ben took it to a League Challenge win, prompting many in my area to tech against the deck for the next few weeks. With such a mix of results, we didn’t pursue the idea any further and eventually let the deck fade into the black.
Fast forward a couple of weeks. It’s now two weeks until Anaheim. I’m walking down the street when I get a buzz on my phone from Andrew Zavala asking me if I had been testing [card name=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] at all since it was “a little reminiscent of [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card].” A man after my own heart. Andrew was also one of the four people to play Sableye in San Jose, so I knew his passion for finding a good mill deck would match mine, so we went to work.
A lot of ideas were thrown around and discussed. Was [card name=”Gumshoos-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] needed? Should we build it closer to an [card name=”Umbreon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] / Hammers deck? What color attacker do we use? Water? Dark? Grass? Fairy?! It seemed like we were out of hope. I hung my head and told him that no matter how hard I tried a couple of weeks ago that I didn’t think it was a good play for the weekend. However, not all was lost. I decided to sleeve up the list just in case I thought of something ground breaking on my long car ride from Spokane to Seattle to catch my flight to the land of the sunny. I remember thinking that I liked attacking with [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] a lot, but also wanted a way to deny energy while doing so. [card name=”Crawdaunt” set=”Primal Clash” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] wasn’t a good answer since the list is tight, and space would be needed for [card name=”Devolution Spray” set=”Evolutions” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. I didn’t test that at all, so I might be wrong. But I did remember a card that used to be teched into [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] decks a while back, and that was none other than [card name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card].
[premium]
Slowking
I thought to myself that there was no way this could work. How could I possibly fit in a heavy [card name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] line and a heavy [card name=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] line? How could I convince myself that relying on a coin flip would win me a Regional Championship, let alone make day two? What was the plan against [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], WaterBox, and [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card]? With all of these things in mind, I started going matchup by matchup, thinking of the strategies, and the more I thought about it, the more it didn’t seem that bad. I got to my parent’s house in Seattle around 3:30 p.m. and started spam testing games like it was the end of the world. I was also able to jam some games in at the airport after my flight was delayed an hour and a half. I made myself the promise that if I was able to find a 3-3 Slowking line and two [card name=”Celebi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY93″ c=”name”][/card] at the venue, I would play the deck.
Well, as you could infer, I was unsuccessful in my attempt to get a little bit weird. It’s hard telling how my day would have turned out otherwise. If my round one had been the same, I most likely would have started out 1-0, since the [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] matchup is super favorable. Then who knows past there. But enough about story time, you probably want to see the list and thoughts about the list!
Keep in mind this deck is still very much in beta testing. If all goes according to plan though, I will be playing this at Salt Lake Regional Championships. Here is the list I was left with on Friday.
[decklist name=”Slowking/Bunnlby” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″][pokemon amt=”14″]3x [card name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Slowpoke” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”19″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Celebi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”39″]3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Team Skull Grunt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”133″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Fates Collide” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Generations” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”7″]4x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”Black and White” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
This list is definitely rough around the edges. We’re going to do a full rundown of the deck and its choices, then move on to matchups. And no, I’m not joking. I’m being serious, this deck is actually pretty good in the current meta. Sure there are some fairly hard counters, but you always have an out to nearly every game you play.
Card Explanations
Slowking
[cardimg name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Let’s start with the King himself shall we? He is the reason this deck actually works a little bit. On a coin flip, you can move an Energy attached to your opponent’s Active to their Bench. If your opponent is smart, they will only bench things that don’t mind having extra Energy on them, or only bench attackers, and just cycle between the two Pokemon. However, if at any point they bench a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], that’s your target. But Alex! Won’t they just Sky Return? That’s what you want them to do. Most of the decks in today’s Standard format rely on alternative methods of Energy acceleration, weather that be from the deck or the discard, never from the hand. After they use Sky Return, you hit them with a [card name=”Team Skull Grunt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] and start the denial process all over again. Yes, if you’re playing against stuff like [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] you’re going to be in a world of hurt, but I’ll go over those matchups a bit later. [card name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] basically does what [card name=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] does, but a bit worse. However, it does give you the chance to put [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] in the active.
Bunnelby
Speaking of which, [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] is the poor man’s [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] and has been for quite some time. Alas, the good [card name=”Diggersby” set=”XY” no=”112″ c=”from”][/card] is not allowed in Standard, so no cool tech options there. For most things, you’re going to be wanting to use Rototiller twice to recover key cards like [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]. In the early stages of the game you’re also going to want to Burrow to get a head in the pace of the game. With mill decks, you always want to make sure you have control of the pace, that’s why it’s called a control deck, duh. Opening Bunnelby allows you to take this pace on from the very start, as opposed to Sableye decks who generally fall behind in the pace of things early. I would love to bump up to four copies of this guy, but there isn’t a whole heap of room. I’ve prized one, and working with two Bunnelby is very hard.
Celebi
So when you run out of [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Celebi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY93″ c=”name”][/card] is going to be the next best thing. One of the main reasons mill decks don’t work in Standard isn’t because of the lack of [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card], or the lack of Tool removal, or anything like that, but the lack of Prize denial. [card name=”Life Dew” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Robo Substitute” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] aren’t allowed, so the next best thing is Celebi. If you can get a few Leap Through Time out in a game while spamming the Royal Flash, you can make sure the pace of the game stays on your level while you search you deck for more disruption and Bunnelby. A cool thing that (embarrassingly) I didn’t know about Celebi is that with the Stop ability it has, you can use Leap Through Time even under [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] lock. How cool is that? There has been a bit of talk about playing [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] in this deck to maybe take a Knock Out or two on the 130 HP Pokemon. Two Balloons plus a Sparkle Motion will give you the advantage against annoying cards like [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card], both natural direct counters to your deck.
Oranguru
It may just seem like I’m going down the list of cards, and I am, but each Pokemon in here has a very important role to play. [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] is a card I’ve considered bumping up to a two count. It’s that important. We all know about the power of Instruct, but think about the power of Instruct with [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] and Rototiller. If you get to that super late game with the deck, you’re going to be able to Puzzle of Time every other turn, generally. Even in the mid game you’re going to be able to get off a few double Puzzles to help you deny more Energy. One of the hidden powers of Oranguru is its attack. Psychic does 60+20 for every Energy on the defending Pokemon. It can be hard to get enough Energy down to get this attack to work, but it prevents your opponent from every just setting up one attacker and going to town. It’s also one of your only outs to [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card]. Move their Energy to one Pokemon, and then attempt to one shot it. It’s not the best idea in the world, but it’s something you force your opponent to at least think about. I love a deck with options, and Oranguru only helps give you options.
Team Skull Grunt
[cardimg name=”Team Skull Grunt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”133″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This card is amazing. Like, I don’t know if you truly understand how good this card actually is. I sure didn’t. I’ve hit turn one [card name=”Team Skull Grunt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] to discard two [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] before. Nothing feels that good. Nothing. I already mentioned the synergy with the anti-[card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] loop strategy. If your deck struggles with the Shaymin-EX loop, just throw one of these in and you’re set. None of that [card name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] garbage, all you’ll need is a Skull Grunt. Ideally, you want to have this card in your opening hand and go first. If you go second, [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] will be the better option, unless they attach to their Bench. Mid game it can be hard to judge when to play this card. I generally throw it down the turn after they attach, or even better, when they attach and then play their Supporter. As long as you’re keeping track of when the attachment hits the field, you can play Skull Grunt at the exact right times.
Parallel City
There are a few Stadiums that can work with a deck like this. [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] would be a great thing to include to help slow down your opponent’s set up. However, that does somewhat interfere with Leap Through Time and Instruct. [card name=”Faded Town” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] used to be the Stadium of choice when [card name=”Raticate BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] was in the deck, as it allowed you to one shot Mega Pokemon fairly easily. [card name=”Team Aqua’s Secret Base” set=”Double Crisis” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] has always been the go-to Stadium for mill decks, however I feel like with the high counts of switching cards in the format this isn’t the best option right now. Plus, with only one copy of [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card], you’re not going to be pinning anything in the Active all that often. You want their attackers in the Active so that you can Royal Flash to non-attackers.
[card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] is easily the correct choice for the deck. It has two main benefits. The big one is being able to bounce your own [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. I find myself Sky Returning at least once during the game to make sure my opponent is only taking one (or zero) Prizes per attack. The other reason is to counter all of the other Parallel City running around the format. If your opponent gets off to a hot start, they’re going to dig for their Parallel to bounce their own Shaymin-EX, limiting your targets for Royal Flash. It’s around this time where I wish [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] was still in format. If you can get this card down early, turned either way, you won’t have to worry about finding good Royal Flash targets.
Energy Count
This may seem a little bit funky, three [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] and four Grass. Wouldn’t it make sense if all your Energy were Grass, since you only have one attacker that uses a colored Energy? Well like I said before, I want to be able to attack with [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] every so often. The Double Energy also allows me to retreat [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] if I ever need to, which isn’t all that often. I chose to not go the other way and play four Double and three Grass because of [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] and how prevalent it is in the format. Remember, this deck is still in early testing mode, so that might change, but for now, that’s what I’m going with.
Other Options
Bursting Balloon
I did quickly touch on this earlier, but [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] gives you an out to decks that you have no business winning against. [card name=”Volcanion” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY145″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Steam Siege” no=”65″ c=”name”][/card] are the three ways that Pokemon can accelerate from the discard. I ran into this issue with [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] against [card name=”Carbink BREAK” set=”Fates Collide” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] down in San Jose, and it’s not fun to deal with. Against these types of decks, you can fall back to the tried and true Sky Return loop into [card name=”Celebi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY93″ c=”name”][/card] to hopefully deny some Prizes. Before you ask, yes, if you flip heads on Leap Through Time with a Bursting Balloon attached, it goes back into your deck. Space for this combination would likely be created by dropping the [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] for three Bursting Balloon. I’ve only tested this combination a few times, and it doesn’t seem to work the way I intend it to, but maybe someone else will unlock the true potential of this combination.
Poison Barb
Similar to Bursting Balloon, [card name=”Poison Barb” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] will be able to put pressure on in other ways than Energy denying or milling. Obviously, this card works better with [card name=”Raticate BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], but it can earn a spot in this deck as well to make your opponent think twice about attacking into your Pokemon. You can also set up some cool numbers between Sparkle Motion, Sky Return, and Poison Barb, making it so that your opponent dies coming back into your turn. Granted this strategy is nothing to hang your hat on, but it does give the deck a way of taking Prizes. [card name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] is strictly going to be about mill, where as [card name=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] can pivot to whatever win condition best suits its needs.
Beedrill-EX
[cardimg name=”Beedrill-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY157″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
It always seems like I’m comparing this deck to [card name=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card], but it’s the only thing that’s similar. Also I’m trying to convince you (and most likely myself) that [card name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] is the better option. This deck folds very hard to [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], as I found out through my testing. With Raticate, you can always just Crunch them to death under Ability-lock and not really worry about anything else. But let’s dive into this, what decks are playing Garbodor right now? The two most common Garbodor users are Yveltal and [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card]. Both decks rely heavily on [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] to get damage out. Those are easily dealt with by [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. The other Energy can be moved down to Garbodor after a Double Scrapper by [card name=”Beedrill-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY157″ c=”name”][/card] to render the Energy useless, except in the case of M Mewtwo-EX decks. I have yet to be Offensive Bombed, but it’s going to happen eventually. But generally yes, all you’ll need to do is Scrapper a few times and the game should be yours with no outside means of acceleration outside of [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card].
Pinsir
Roof Fling. I really wish I was cool enough to just put those two words as my analysis and call it a day. My editor probably wouldn’t be as cool with that, so I should probably say a few words. [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] is current being used as a way to keep your opponent from getting too crazy with the front loading of Energy onto one Pokemon. [card name=”Pinsir” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”6″ c=”name”][/card] is the other way that could possibly help in a lot of other matchups. This of it this way, you grant your opponent a Sky Return on their Active Pokemon, making them very open to [card name=”Team Skull Grunt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] plays. The only reason I haven’t immediately included this card is because of the flip aspect. It’s okay relying on Royal Flash’s flip, since you’ll be able to get multiple off in a turn. Pinsir is likely only going to stay alive for one or two turns, considering you’ll be using it against a Pokemon with a lot of Energy on it. I think if you’re just crazy enough, you have a reason to play this card. Plus, think of the donk opportunities!
Rattata
There are occasions where a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] on an opposing Active Pokemon can be a bit troubling to [card name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card]. In the hands of already bad matchups Volcanion and Speed Dark, the flexibility of Float Stone is going to allow them to recover all their Energy you worked so hard on discarding or moving. I stray away from wanting to put [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] in because it makes me want to put [card name=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] in as well, at least as a 1-1 tech to slam decks that play high counts of Special Energy. I know I’m not making the greatest case for [card name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] over Raticate, but trust me, the deck works. Go play a few games and come back to me!
Ace Trainer
With [card name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card], you’re going to fall behind in Prizes, easily. You might take a few here and there if you’re really lucky, but odds are your [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] is going to be toast by turn three. The [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card] plus [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] combination has been one people have really been into, but I think the Ace Trainer plus [card name=”Team Skull Grunt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] combination could be even better. Getting your opponent to draw dead turn after turn is what you aim for not only in the mill matchup, but every matchup. Since you’re playing a deck that can actually abuse Ace Trainer, you might as well play a few copies.
Repeat Ball
Being able to get out multiple copies of [card name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] is one of the hardest, yet most important parts of this deck. Hitting them with Hammers, [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card], and Royal Flash will make it very hard for Energy to stay on the board, and you only want to increase the chances of getting to those crazy flip combinations. Having a backup [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] on board isn’t the worst idea either, so it makes [card name=”Repeat Ball” set=”Primal Clash” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] a good idea. However, [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] can pretty much do the things that Repeat Ball can do for you, except no Slowking or [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], so I’ll still with the guaranteed early search option for now.
Xatu
This is totally a joke, and it’s going too far, but just reminding you that [card name=”Xatu” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] exists… just in case…
Matchups
Turbo Darkrai
This matchup can actually be very tricky. Not because of the Energy staying on board to charge up Dark Pulse, but all Energy that you get rid of will instantly be brought back by [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Steam Siege” no=”65″ c=”name”][/card]. The best thing you can hope for here is an early [card name=”Team Skull Grunt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] and pray. You can also hope your opponent gets a little bit too aggressive with their Bench and you can [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] stall some stuff. Keep track of their [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Supreme Victors” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] while you slowly whittle down their deck and their spirit. Maybe call them a few names and tell them that their nose is too big for their body. It’s the only chance you have against a good player.
M Mewtwo-EX
[cardimg name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Such an odd matchup. On one hand, if they miss their [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], you’re going to have a great time denying their Energy one by one. On the other, a two-Energy Psychic Infinity can still one shot [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]. I’ve won this matchup before by going really aggressive on the [card name=”Team Skull Grunt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] early, and managing to stick two or three Psychic Energy on their Benched Pokemon. This is a matchup where [card name=”Beedrill-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY157″ c=”name”][/card] can really shine, since the turn you Double Scrapper you’ll be able to take a hit or two, then go back into denying Energy.
Vespiquen
[card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] would make this matchup almost 100% free. With [card name=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card], you’re going to trade [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] for Knock Outs and such, but with [card name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card], those Double Colorless will end up on targets your opponent won’t want to attack with. You can also spam [card name=”Celebi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY93″ c=”name”][/card] if they only bench a few Pokemon to prevent Royal Flash from being effective. If you expect a lot of [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], two Balloon in your deck just might be enough to swing the matchup.
Yveltal / Garbodor
[card name=”Beedrill-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY157″ c=”name”][/card] will definitely be needed if you have a lot of this in your area. The longer Garbotoxin stays put, the longer you will be able to press your advantage. [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] takes two Energy to attack, and is also very hard to recover toward the late stages of the game since most builds are opting not to play [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Steam Siege” no=”65″ c=”from”][/card]. With no way to retrieve Energy, this matchup becomes one of the ones you pray to see every time you sit down.
M Rayquaza-EX
This matchup is very easy. Most of the time they’re going to burn through their deck turn one to get an optimal set up. From there, you Royal Flash Energy to [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card]. If they play it slow, Skull Grunting once every so often should lead to advantage in the [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] versus Prize race. It’s weird how you force them to have to play [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] to shut off Royal Flash. You can laugh at them if you want, I’m sure they’ll be okay with it.
Volcanion
Yikes. This is easily the worst matchup of the bunch. It’s because of this matchup that we once considered playing [card name=”Araquanid” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card]. Baby [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] will just bring Energy back you discarded, and Royal Flash actually helps Volcanion, since you’re most likely going to be switching Energy to Benched [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], who will just attack you the next turn anyway. Baby Volcanion also has a very easy time of taking one shots on your low HP Pokemon while recharging their field. [card name=”Slowking” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card]’s attack doesn’t even do much to them if you play Water Energy.
Darkrai-EX / Giratina-EX
This matchup is played much like the Yveltal / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, only without the stress on [card name=”Beedrill-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY157″ c=”name”][/card]. Royal Flash also removes [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] from play if moved to a non-Dragon Pokemon, making it even easier to remove all of their Energy in play. With no real recovery option in their deck, you can generally cruise to a free win here as well.
Decidueye-GX
Surprisingly, not an auto loss. [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] doesn’t play many Energy cards, so getting rid of those isn’t a big issue. What can be troublesome is Feather Arrow taking out all of your low HP Pokemon. However, if they spend all the resources to get multiple Decidueye in play, odds are they’re going to have a fairly low deck count. What makes [card name=”Celebi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY93″ c=”name”][/card] earn its spot in the list is that Decidueye-GX can’t Feather Arrow it due to the Ancient Trait. As long as they don’t ever attach Energy and attack, you can win with just two Celebi in play. That being said, it’s still not in your favor, as you’ll no doubt have to recycle some of those Energy denial resources, which requires the use of fragile [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card].
M Gardevoir-EX
This one is also fairly easy. It’s not so much the Royal Flash that hurts them, but the constant Energy denial in the form of Hammer and [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card]. They can easily limit their Bench space, but getting Energy onto their [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] can be hard, especially when the only form of acceleration is [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card].
Conclusion
And there you have it folks! A short little article on another fun, yet surprisingly competitive deck that you can go out and try. I’m going to continue to spam this deck online until I find a build I like. I will most likely play said build in Salt Lake City, provided I can unlock the secret. Remember to ask if you have any questions, I’m always open to talk!
Until next time,
Alex
[/premium]