Cats for Cali — Why Mega Mewtwo is the Play and More Options for Vespiquen
Hello everyone! This is Grant Manley with another article for you guys. [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] is a deck that is not talked about very much nowadays and I really have no idea why that is the case. I used to absolutely detest this deck, and my salty attitude was only compounded when my Orlando Regionals run was ended by it. Since then, I have gotten over any negative feelings about Mega Mewtwo and I see it as the best deck in Standard right now. This article will be heavily devoted to Mega Mewtwo and its place in the current Standard format. I am not personally going to Anaheim Regionals, but if any of you are, I highly encourage you to consider playing Mewtwo.
In this article I’m going to talk about some different things you can do with Mewtwo, though I am going to focus solely on the Psychic-type build. I placed first and third at the two League Cups that I played Mewtwo at, so I will go over my tournament reports from those events. Of course, I’ll also go into card counts and matchups and all of that good stuff for you. I also feel obligated to talk about [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] some more. I know I’ve discussed the deck a lot in my previous articles, but the options for it are ever-changing. I still believe that Vespiquen is one of the best decks in the format. I’ve also never discussed Vespiquen’s matchups in-depth, so I plan on doing that today as well.
Mega Mewtwo
Here is a skeleton Mega Mewtwo list. What you do with the remaining slots is up to you.
[decklist name=”Mewtwo” amt=”54″ 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]3x [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”62″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/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=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”31″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Supreme Victors” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Fates Collide” no=”113″ 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]3x [card name=”Mewtwo Spirit Link” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”144″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”3″][/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″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]6x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”XY” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Generations” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Free Slots – 6
Since the skeleton list is so tight, it is no wonder that Mewtwo lists have barely changed since its first major tournament finish at Orlando Regionals. You could argue that the second [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t a necessary inclusion, but I would disagree. In case you are unfamiliar with the deck, it revolves around two attacks: Damage Change and Psychic Infinity. Psychic Infinity will be used most of the time, as it is a strong move used for its raw power and it has the potential to OHKO anything. Damage Change can be used by the Mega thanks to [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card], and it is an alternate KO option against Pokemon with lower HP. It is always preferable to take a KO with Damage Change because it can heal Mewtwo as well. Learning how and when to optimally use Damage Change is incredibly important.
Garbodor is integral to the deck as well. The Standard format as a whole is very Ability-reliant right now. I often have to rush to set up Garbodor in most matchups. If I only ran one copy and it was either prized or discarded, I would quickly find myself in hot water (no Volcanion pun intended). Garbodor is useful against a variety of decks including Yveltal, Volcanion, [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], all of which are potent Standard mainstays.
For the remaining six slots, you could add another [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY107″ c=”name”][/card], a [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], another [card name=”Mewtwo Spirit Link” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card], another [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], some more Stadiums, more consistency cards like [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], a [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], a recovery card like [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card], or even some more Psychic Energy.
Here is the list that I played at consecutive League Cups to close out the month of January.
[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]3x [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”62″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/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=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ 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=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/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=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Supreme Victors” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Fates Collide” no=”113″ 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]3x [card name=”Mewtwo Spirit Link” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”144″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]6x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”XY” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Generations” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
I’m not sure if this is the most optimal Mewtwo list to use currently, as a lot of the cards were included as meta calls. I chose to play four [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] because I think that N is a great card for this deck. Mewtwo is quite clunky and it has so many moving parts. Oftentimes you want to refresh your hand without discarding its contents. Many cards such as [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] and the evolved Pokemon aren’t useful right off the bat. I also included [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. Hex is very useful against [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], which would otherwise be a massive threat. I also enjoyed using Hex on my first turn to block Abilities early on, before Garbodor has a chance to hit the field.
[cardimg name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Another interesting choice is [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card]. Karen was obviously intended as a failsafe against [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], which is otherwise not an easy matchup. I found that Karen worked very well against non-Vespiquen decks too. I used it to recover lost [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] when they were discarded or prized. Karen also happens to be a fantastic agent of disruption. Lategame, when my opponent had many useless Pokemon in the discard, I would use Karen to clog up my opponent’s deck and make it difficult for them to find what they needed to close out the game. You can follow up the Karen play with an N on the next turn. Essentially, Karen makes lategame N even more devastating than usual. Of course, you want to have [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] out as well to avoid recycling [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] for your opponent.
The last quirky thing about this list is the whopping three copies of [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card]. I expected Rainbow Road and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] to show up, and I was correct. I do not regret playing three copies of Parallel City. Even against other decks, limiting the Bench to three is quite powerful. I can also use it to discard excess Shaymin-EX and [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] to force my opponent to get through multiple Mega Mewtwo.
Here is how the first League Cup went.
- Round 1 versus [card name=”M Beedrill-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY158″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Yanmega” set=”Steam Siege” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card] W
- Round 2 versus Turbo [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] L
- Round 3 versus [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] W
- Round 4 versus [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Hypno” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] W
- Round 5 versus [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] Intentional Draw
- Top 8 versus [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] WW
- Top 4 versus Mega Gardevoir-EX / [card name=”Xerneas BREAK” set=”Steam Siege” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Salamence-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY170″ c=”name”][/card] LWL
While this League Cup looks uncompetitive because of the amount of non-meta decks I played against, the tournament actually had a high concentration of accomplished players. There were five Regional Champions in the Masters Division. The Beedrill deck was actually annoying to deal with because it discards its own Energy to limit Psychic Infinity’s damage and heals my attacks with [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]. However, Beedrill is inconsistent so I was able to beat it. Against Turbo Dark, I started lone [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] and lost after my first turn. I beat the mirror and [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Hypno” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] easily, then decided to ID into Top 8.
In Top 8, I played against a disruptive deck that happened to have a very poor Mewtwo matchup. [card name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] are easy to play around if you know what you are doing. My Top 8 opponent actually ran four of each of those! He also played [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card], which could have potentially caused trouble if I was unable to get [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] out. In Top 4, I played against a very clunky deck but he was able to draw incredibly well and got the turn two Despair Ray in all three games. In the two games he went second, he got the turn one Geomancy. He only ran one copy of the Despair Ray [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card]. I think the matchup isn’t all that bad for me, but I couldn’t deal with the fast Despair Ray. I was able to pull off an awesome [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card] plus [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] comeback in game two though. The third place finish got me 10 CP, overwriting a previous Top 8 finish due to the Best Finish Limit.
I played the exact same Mewtwo list the following day at another League Cup. Here’s how that went.
- Round 1 Bye W
- Round 2 versus [card name=”Carbink BREAK” set=”Fates Collide” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zygarde-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] L
- Round 3 versus [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] W
- Round 4 versus [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Raticate” set=”Evolutions” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] W
- Round 5 versus [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] W
- Top 4 versus Turbo [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] WLW
- Finals versus [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] WLW
This tournament was not as stacked as the previous one, but I almost bubbled because of the early loss. I was happy to win my last League Cup of the first quarter to max out the possible points from League Cups. I got 20 CP, overwriting the previous day’s Top 4 finish. I think Carbink should be an easy matchup if I can get [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] out, but I was unable to do so. In round four I nearly lost to [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / Rats because of severe dead draws, but I managed to make a nice comeback and win a close one there. Giratina-EX / Rats is a very poor matchup for [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card]. In the other Swiss rounds I beat [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] easily and my friend with [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] scooped to me immediately.
In Top 4, I beat Turbo Dark fairly handily. I think the matchup is in Mewtwo’s favor. The only reason I lost game two is because of the classic low-odds [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] topdeck off [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] to one. I beat Rayquaza in finals easily as well. Rayquaza is ridiculously unfavored against Mewtwo, especially with three [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card]. Once again, I only lost a game to the low-odds Lysandre topdeck off N to one. To my opponent’s credit, he did run three copies of Lysandre. Chip Richey, who got Top 8 in Georgia with Rayqyaza, mentioned this option previously, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see even more Rayquaza players opting for three Lysandre in the future.
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Matchups
Turbo Dark – Slightly Favorable
[cardimg name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
For the most part, [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] versus Turbo Dark is an incredibly close matchup. I think there are a few things that make it just a bit easier for Mewtwo to win. Damage Change for KO is something you want to be looking for all game. Darkrai will mostly be relying on 2HKOs, so you can potentially [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and use Damage Change for a KO. This will put you ahead in the match, so always keep an eye out for an opportunity to do it. Damage Change into a clean attacker is a strong option as well if you don’t have enough Energy to KO with Psychic Infinity.
Another reason why this matchup is favorable is simply because it is easier for Mewtwo to OHKO Darkrai than it is for Darkrai to OHKO Mewtwo. Mewtwo only needs five Energy (or six if Darkrai has a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]) while Darkrai needs nine on board total, provided they have Belt or [card name=”Reverse Valley” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Steam Siege” no=”65″ c=”name”][/card] and early Oblivion Wing are annoying to deal with. If you can [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] around it and swing into something important with Psychic Infinity, try to do so. Otherwise, KOing Yveltal turn two is the goal.
This matchup is fairly boring and straightforward otherwise. Watch out for early [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. If you can build a huge Mega Mewtwo quickly then go for it. If you can take early KOs on Darkrai and erase the Energy from the board as fast as they can pump them out, you will take the advantage. [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is irrelevant in this matchup.
Yveltal – Favorable
I think Mewtwo is solidly favored against Yveltal because Yveltal really can’t handle the deck very well. The main obstacle will of course be Fright Night [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. Both its Ability and its attack are useful against Mewtwo. Your priority should definitely be getting a turn two [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. This will shut off Fright Night and allow you the use of [card name=”Mewtwo Spirit Link” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card]. Sometimes you may have to manually Mega Evolve, and that is okay, just not preferable. [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] can easily OHKO Yveltal and [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”name”][/card]. Yveltal struggles to KO Mewtwo because of Damage Change and just because they have weaker attacks in general. Once you have two Mega Mewtwo out, it should be smooth sailing.
One thing that is worth mentioning is the possibility of an opposing [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], as it is a new addition that is expected to be played in Yveltal. Tauros does not hurt Mewtwo very much. Since Mewtwo generally OHKOs Yveltal, there is no option for a surprise [card name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] into Mad Bull play. Additionally, it is easy to play around Tauros once it is on the field. Just don’t attack into it unless it’s for an OHKO or if you have to for some reason.
Volcanion – Favorable
Volcanion is definitely a favorable matchup for Mewtwo. I’d say it is around 65-35. Volcanion can win, and that is by denying [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Garbodor is absolutely essential in this matchup. It basically nullifies Power Heater as a source of damage and restricts [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] to taking 2HKOs with Volcanic Heat. You want them stuck on 2HKOs so that you can trade better and use Damage Change shenanigans. Since [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] attacks for three Energy, it is easy to OHKO with Psychic Infinity. Just get a couple [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] and a Garbodor or two and roll right on through.
Even without Garbodor in play, the matchup is far from an autoloss. Psychic Infinity still easily OHKOs everything and [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] makes them need four Steam Ups to KO a Mega Mewtwo. If you run [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], that is yet another option to use against Volcanion.
Mega Rayquaza – Favorable
[card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] is a simple matchup for Mewtwo. Once again, Psychic Infinity can OHKO fairly easily. The more Stadiums you play, the more difficult life is for the Rayquaza player. Obviously, [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] is disruptive, but [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] prevents Emerald Break from OHKOing as well. Damage Change usually isn’t too relevant as long as you can simply OHKO a Mega Ray.
Something that you usually need to do quickly is establish [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Without Garbodor in play, the Rayquaza player can go through their deck with [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] and potentially overrun you. They can also use [card name=”Dragonite-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] to recover after you play a counter Stadium. Interestingly enough, Mega Rayquaza cannot OHKO a Garbodor if Parallel City is in play. Without Garbodor in the picture, this matchup becomes closer to even.
The Mirror – Even
There isn’t much to say about the Mewtwo mirror. It involves practically no skill, and whoever goes first is at a huge advantage. It comes down to who draws better. Nabbing cheap [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] KOs on turns where you wouldn’t otherwise KO is important. It is even better if you can do it with Damage Change. Play down one [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] as a seventh Prize. Acid Spray is useful and hits for Weakness.
Greninja – Highly Favorable
It is nearly impossible to lose against [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]. Greninja still lacks a reliable way to deal with [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], and it does very little damage under Ability-lock. Both [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] are useful here. Parallel reduces damage, which is nice, but Shrine is even better. Since Greninja does so little damage, you can intelligently alternate between using Psychic Infinity and Damage Change. Combined with [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card], Damage Change can heal Mewtwo for a very long time while still providing damage output. Of course, the “kill everything” option with Psychic Infinity is always there.
Vespiquen – Depends
This matchup is completely dependent on if you run [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card]. If you do, [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] is a favorable matchup. Without Karen, this matchup is definitely unfavorable. Again, [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is essential. Once they get rid of Garbodor, [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Klefki” set=”Steam Siege” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] will completely ravage this deck. A two-Energy Shatter Shot will OHKO Mew-EX, so that is something to keep in mind. Of course, you must keep a non-evolved Mewtwo in order to do that or use [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card]. Another thing to remember is that Damage Change disregards Klefki even if used by a Mega. This won’t matter if Mew-EX is attacking because Mew OHKOs everything with ease, but it is helpful if Vespiquen is attacking for less than 210 at the time.
[cardimg name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Giratina-EX – Unfavorable
I know that [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t played as its own deck, but that doesn’t really matter. Anything that runs Giratina will give [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] trouble. If you can get a [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] with a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] before the Chaos Wheel comes online, that will help you. Unfortunately, a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] plus Chaos Wheel on Trubbish or [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] spells doom. Chaos Wheel locks [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Mewtwo Spirit Link” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card]! This is a significant portion of your deck. Giratina-EX’s Ability Renegade Pulse also prevents Mega Pokemon from attacking it. Overall, Giratina is almost impossible to take down.
If you run [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], the matchup becomes considerably more manageable. Hex allows [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] to attack into Giratina-EX, which usually results in an easy OHKO because Giratina requires four Energy to attack. Another possible strategy is to use the Basic [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY107″ c=”name”][/card]. You can take a Chaos Wheel and Damage Change it back for 100. Then you can use Shatter Shot for 90 to KO the Giratina, you need four Psychic Energy if the Giratina has [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]. This strategy can work only if your opponent has a single Giratina out, because if they have another then that one will just come in and KO the Mewtwo. Sometimes you can Lysandre stall to break the Chaos Wheel lock for a turn. Overall, this matchup is unfavorable no matter what you do.
Mega Gardevoir – Highly Unfavorable
Thankfully, [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] is on the decline in terms of popularity in Standard right now. I think it is still worth a mention as it is far and away [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card]’s worst possible matchup. Gardevoir simply has to set up two Mega Gardevoir and they win. Your strategy is simple and often futile. Get Ability-lock online as soon as possible and KO their only Mega. Every once and awhile, the Gardevoir deck will completely flounder under Ability-lock and they may not get a second Mega out. If this happens, you might just win.
Overall
[card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] is my top pick for Anaheim Regionals. I’m pretty sure I would run it if I was going. Mewtwo has largely favorable matchups against all of the top threats, and it is a proven deck that can work in a large tournament setting. There’s no real reason not to play Mewtwo, as I expect a very little presence of [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card]. If you think those decks might show up, avoid Mewtwo. Otherwise, a deck with such strong matchups ought to at least be considered.
Vespiquen
I know I have talked about [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] a lot in previous articles, but there is some new content I want to cover regarding this powerful archetype. Here is my current list, it is only five cards different from the one I posted in my last article.
[decklist name=”Vespiquen” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″][pokemon amt=”28″]4x [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Blitzle” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”48″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Klefki” set=”Steam Siege” no=”80″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”46″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Giratina” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY184″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”28″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Supreme Victors” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Fates Collide” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Rescue” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Faded Town” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Generations” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
The list I posted in my last article had [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] instead of [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card], which I believe was optimal for the time. However, with the advent of Sun and Moon, I believe Zebstrika once again needs to be included. Yveltal is expected to be prominent because [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] makes it a better deck. I also think [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] is poised to do very well in this format. These are reasons why Zebstrika makes sense. Zebstrika can also take clutch early KOs on [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], something that neither [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] nor Zoroark can do consistently.
[cardimg name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I kept the two copies of [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] because I found them to be tremendously useful. They are mostly used against bulky Pokemon-EX that use [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]’s [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]. Of course, it can be used against any Pokemon Tool card, including popular ones such as Spirit Links and [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]. I considered [card name=”Banette” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] for this role, but overall Rattata is easier to use because it is a Basic. Rattata also requires less Pokemon to be on the field, which means more Pokemon in the discard for Vespiquen.
The only new card that I have in my list is [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card]. Oranguru is amazing for Vespiquen because it solves the deck’s main problem: late game [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card]. Nearly every game that I have lost with Vespiquen in the past was due to a late game N. Oranguru completely solves this problem, provided there are no Ability-lock factors in play. I cut a [card name=”Klefki” set=”Steam Siege” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] for Oranguru, because Klefki is honestly not that great. It doesn’t really do much against [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] are favorable matchups anyway.
I’ve found [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] to be incredible in this deck! I really recommend playing a copy in any version of Vespiquen. I also think that three Stadiums is almost necessary, and I still hold my belief that [card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] is bad. Multiple Stadiums are important to have so that [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] is less of a threat. Lots of things play Silent Lab nowadays, and you cannot let that card stick because it is so harmful to this deck. I’d run three Parallel City if it could replace itself in an opposite direction, but I have to include [card name=”Faded Town” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] to be a potential Parallel City counter. Faded Town will also help to hit specific numbers against Mega Pokemon every once in awhile.
New Options
Some of you may be surprised that with all of the new options that Sun and Moon brings to [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], I only added [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card]. My logic here is that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This version of Vespiquen has been working great for me, so I see no reason to revamp it with new cards. That said, many players are experimenting with some of the new cards with Vespiquen. Some of these ideas do have merit.
Espeon-GX
[card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] is a solid idea that can be played in a [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] deck that uses Eeveelutions. One of my previous iterations of Vespiquen already used [card name=”Flareon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Vaporeon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card]. If you wanted to play a similar Eevee version of the deck, all you’d have to do is add an Espeon-GX and two Psychic Energy. Espeon’s GX attack has great synergy with Vespiquen. Divide GX allows you to place 100 damage anywhere you want, which can perfectly set up Vespiquen for Bee Revenge KOs. You can only use the GX attack once of course, but the best part is that you generally don’t want to use it more than once anyway. Espeon’s other attacks are decent too, and it is incredibly bulky with 200 HP. For more on this specific variant check out Eric Gansman’s most recent article.
Umbreon-GX
[card name=”Umbreon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] is another route you could take in an Eevee version of [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. You would most likely have to exclude [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] altogether so as not to have Energy clutter issues. Umbreon provides a solid and bulky early game attacker that Vespiquen can definitely make use of. Shadow Bullet is a fantastic attack that can 2HKO most Pokemon and set up Bee Revenge KOs with its ample snipe damage. It does more net damage than Divide GX, but it is not as versatile. Dark Call GX is also an incredibly disruptive move that can be used in various situations.
Passimian
[card name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] is an idea being thrown around. The logic is that it is an early game attacker than can deal decent damage while Bee Revenge is built up. Having an extra attacker to preserve [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] is always something the deck appreciates. I see the reasons for Passimian, but I am not personally on board with it. I do not think it is worth the space commitment, both in the list and on the Bench. It is difficult to have four Passimian in play, and with any less than that, the damage output is too low. I don’t think that Vespiquen can compromise its Bench so heavily and still win a game. I’m fairly confident in this assertion, but I have never actually played with Passimian in Vespiquen. Time will tell if the Monkeys can help the Bees.
Matchups
Turbo Dark – Slightly Favorable
[cardimg name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
You might be surprised that I pegged this as slightly favorable, but [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] does have a slight edge against [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]. Just like with any matchup, an early [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] KO on [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] is very important. You may also try to pick up a [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] KO on [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card]. If it is very early in the game, Darkrai may not even be able to OHKO Mew. Your Stadiums need to be conserved so you can bump their [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card]. Barring [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] KOs on those liability Pokemon-EX, you will always be attacking with Vespiquen. It is fine to Bee Revenge for a 2HKO early game, but soon enough you will be transitioning to OHKOs against Darkrai-EX. [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] is important here as well. You should easily come out ahead or at least even on the Prize exchange.
The real problem with this matchup lies with [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Steam Siege” no=”65″ c=”name”][/card]. Oblivion Wing is incredibly annoying early game, especially because it can OHKO [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card] with either [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Reverse Valley” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card]. You will want to KO it quickly with [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] or Lysandre around it. [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] is also somewhat annoying at times. If you know that your opponent plays Enhanced Hammer, do your best to play around it. Since you only need one Energy on board at a time (to attack with), you don’t have to play one on the Bench. Your Active will get KOd most of the time anyway, so Enhanced Hammer will be useless. Even if you do get hit with Enhanced Hammer, it is rarely game changing. Enhanced Hammer is simply something to be aware of.
Yveltal – Highly Favorable
I think that Yveltal isn’t too bad even without [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card], but Zebstrika definitely solidifies the matchup. Take early KOs with Zebstrika and transition into OHKOs with [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] later. You want to thin as much as possible in this matchup, as their only real way to win is a late game [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] (likely with [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]).
Volcanion – Even
The Volcanion matchup is tricky and volatile. You want to try and pick up the same early KOs that I mentioned for the Darkrai matchup. Use [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] to KO [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] to KO [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] if at all possible. From there, you can simply trade attackers. [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] should get up to OHKO range soon enough, and it will exchange evenly against baby [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card]. In order to gain the edge, you can sometimes [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] KO a [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] can be crucial for the math in this matchup as well.
Mega Rayquaza – Autowin
[card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] is a complete autowin thanks to [card name=”Klefki” set=”Steam Siege” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card]. The only way to lose is by complete dead draws. Promo [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card] may be able to stall a turn and even possibly let them KO a Zebstrika on the following turn, but it doesn’t do nearly enough work needed to swing the matchup for Rayquaza.
Mega Mewtwo – Favorable
Since most [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] lists don’t run [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card], the matchup is favorable. Go all out when targeting down [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Once those threats are removed, [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Klefki” set=”Steam Siege” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] can take care of this matchup on their own. Make sure to have enough [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] Benched to keep using Bee Revenge with Mew amidst possible [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] KOs.
Greninja – Favorable
Attack with [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] and take a KO every turn of the game starting turn two. If they have [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], use [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] if at all possible. If you must attack into Bursting Balloon, assess the situation to determine if Sky Return or Bee Revenge is the optimal move. You also definitely want to have the Promo [card name=”Giratina” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY184″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench to shut off Giant Water Shuriken. Use your Stadiums to bump [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] to keep Giratina’s Ability relevant. Also keep in mind that [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] reduces Greninja’s damage and can potentially cause some weird math to occur.
The Mirror – Even
[cardimg name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Whoever goes first in the mirror is at a huge advantage because they will take the first KO. Whenever possible, take a KO with something besides [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], as Vespiquen is the most valuable attacker. [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] is great to have on the Bench, though I’m not sure if it is a good attacker in this matchup. It can KO Vespiquen, but at the cost of two DCE. Avoid playing down [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] unless you really have to, and take every opportunity to [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] KO your opponent’s Pokemon-EX.
Giratina-EX – Highly Unfavorable
[card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is an enormous problem for [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. If Chaos Wheel comes online, you are probably done for. Do all you can to deny Chaos Wheel and attach as many Energy as possible before they start attacking. Most of the time it is inevitable, so you will just have to take the loss to Giratina-EX.
Mega Gardevoir – Slightly Favorable
The [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] matchup goes very similarly to the Darkrai matchup. The main differences are that Gardevoir can clear its liabilities much easier than Darkrai can, but [card name=”Klefki” set=”Steam Siege” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] is much more useful against Gardevoir. They do have [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], but there’s no guarantees that they will be able to find Rattata or [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] every single time you have Klefki. [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] trades positively overall, and there’s no [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] to worry about.
Conclusion
That’s all I have for you guys this time! As always, thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed my analyses of what I believe to be the two best decks in Standard right now. Both [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] have incredible matchups against the top decks, and that makes them strong plays. They are also proven to work well in tournament settings. I encourage you to try out my lists and tweak them as you see fit. Good luck for those of you going to Anaheim Regionals, it looks like it’s going to be a fun and interesting tournament!
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