A Standard Victory Lap — Vespiquen, Turbo Dark, and Passimian / Mew

By: Andrew Mahone · Posted Posted onMar 6, 2017 at 1:20 PM · 0 Comments

Welcome back everyone! I have tons of new stuff to share with you all today! I’m excited to be pumping out two articles again this month, but life is still as hectic as ever. I am fresh off a first place finish at the 70+ player ARG Circuit Series event that took place in Medina, OH this past weekend and am busily preparing for the St. Louis Regional Championship. Amidst the craziness this week, I also have midterms to study for and still plan to wait in line for a Nintendo Switch Thursday night! But before I take off for St. Louis, I want to take some time to update everyone on a few brand new developments in Standard format, information that is going to be especially useful for anyone traveling to Australia for Internationals or looking to capitalize on this month’s League Cups! In today’s article I will go into detail about my innovative Circuit Series winning [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] list, interview Owen Robinson to talk about his Top 8 [card name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] deck from the Circuit Series, and close with a unique Turbo Dark list that has been testing extremely well for my friends and I. Thanks for joining me and I hope you enjoy the read!

Editor’s note: Andrew wrote this article before St. Louis Regionals.

Anaheim’s Impact

Leading up to the Anaheim Regional Championships, which I was not able to attend, I was very hyped on [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Meowth” set=”Fates Collide” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card]. I published lists for them here and I’m happy to say that my predictions were strong! YTG earned a Top 8 finish in the hands of Igor Costa along with a number of Top 32 placements, while Derrick Xu was able to take a version of my Decidueye / Meowth / Lugia deck all the way to a Top 8 finish in the Senior division. The one thing that caught me off guard was the number of Turbo Dark decks that dominated the event. I was also totally astounded by the winning deck in Master’s Division, [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Salamence-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY170″ c=”name”][/card]. With only a week to take this information in and prepare for the Circuit Series event in Ohio, I started testing so that I could make the most informed opinion possible for the following weekend.

[cardimg name=”Marowak” set=”Fates Collide” no=”37″ align=”right” c=”custom”]The hero Vespiquen needs![/cardimg]

The Circuit Series was a free tournament that offered $1,000 in cash to the Top 8 finishers, with $400 cash going directly to the winner. Due to the stakes, I knew the event would have a decent turn out, but I was confident that with some hard work I could put together a deck that would earn me a decent pay day. My first order of business was to test Yveltal / Tauros / Garbodor versus Turbo Dark. I had admittedly underrated Turbo Dark and did not do nearly enough testing with it leading up to Anaheim. Sure enough, my post-Anaheim testing showed that YTG got demolished by Turbo Dark. I was astounded! I didn’t know what to do! With YTG and [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] / Garbodor remaining popular choices, I didn’t feel 100% confident playing my Decidueye-GX deck either. And since Giratina-EX had reared its ugly face at the top tables again, I couldn’t justify [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. I thought about succumbing and playing Turbo Dark, but I knew that deck would have a target on its back. Since Turbo Dark had clearly established itself as a contender for the best deck in format, we would surely be seeing hard counters at the Circuit Series. I considered my other options. [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card]? [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]? [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY173″ c=”name”][/card]? Every deck had a crucial problem and nothing seemed right. I stayed up late with a few friends the night before the tournament trying to decide what to play but found nothing, so I decided to sleep on it.

Vespiquen / Zoroark / Marowak

I woke up early the morning of the Circuit Series thinking about [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. I don’t know about you all, but it’s totally regular for me to stay up all night contemplating cards the night before a tournament. Unlike Turbo Dark, Vespiquen was no longer in the lime light and would likely not be hard countered with [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card]. Vespiquen also had a manageable 50 / 50 Turbo Dark matchup that could turn favorable if piloted right. My only hesitation was [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. I had tried playing [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] to deal with Chaos Wheel with no success. Ranger is just too hard to search out and use effectively without [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] in the Standard format. I had tried [card name=”Marowak” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] for its Body Guard Ability at a League Cup before, but failed miserably with it. The one time I faced Giratina, my opponent got turn two and three [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] Chaos Wheels on both of my [card name=”Cubone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] while also going first. I had no chance. I decided that this was probably an anomaly and decided to try Marowak again. After all, there was no one else I needed in the deck. [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is not needed to win the [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] matchup and with a little luck, I can beat [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY173″ c=”name”][/card] without [card name=”Vaporeon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] too. Since Giratina won a Regional the week before, I decided that a hard Giratina counter would be the right approach.

[decklist name=”Vespiquen / Marowak / Zoroark” 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=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Zorua” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Marowak” set=”Fates Collide” no=”37″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Cubone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”77″ 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]1x [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”144″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”28″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

I love this list and I think that this is easily the best version of [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] that I have played in Standard. I felt like this thing was firing on all six cylinders the entire tournament. Besides the obvious inclusion of [card name=”Marowak” set=”Fates Collide” no=”37″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] also finds a welcome home here. It may seem counterintuitive to include a Pokemon-GX in a non-EX deck, but Tauros really pulls a lot of weight in this list. Usually, you would start games by Sky Returning your [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] into random Pokemon that you don’t mind getting KOd. Now, you can Sky Return into Tauros in order to force your opponent into awkward positions. If they hit into Tauros, they risk losing their early attacker to a Mad Bull GX. We all know that Vespiquen out trades every deck at the end of the game, but Tauros gives you an option to keep pace with your opponent at the beginning of the game too. Even if your opponent doesn’t hit into Tauros, Tauros usually buys you a couple turns in order to set up while your opponent tries to figure out a way around it. By the time they have done that, it is usually too late! When playing with Tauros in the deck, I try to be careful when using Horn Attack, especially against [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card]. I prefer to Sky Return into my Tauros so that I don’t leave any Energy on Tauros while in the Active spot. If you leave a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] attached to Tauros, it makes it easier for your opponent to OHKO it with Evil Ball. Additionally, if you decide to go in with Horn Attack, your opponent has an opportunity to remove the Energy with [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] into their own Tauros for a surprise KO! Sky Return serves multiple functions. Not only do you put damage on your opponent’s side of the field, you clear your own board of Shaymin-EX while also conserving your Energy for Bee Revenge! Additionally, Sky Return puts Shaymin back into your hand, so that you may either draw more cards on the following turn with Set Up or discard Shaymin with [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Steam Siege” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card]. Sky Return plays get a huge boost with the help of Tauros-GX!

Circuit Series Matchups

  • Round 1 versus Jalen Jones with [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]: W
  • Round 2 versus Dan Polo with Volcanion: W
  • Round 3 versus Alexander Holtz with Turbo Dark: L
  • Round 4 versus Justin Boughter with [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card]: W
  • Round 5 versus Natalie Shampay with [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] : W
  • Round 6 versus Paige Neller with [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]: W
  • Round 7 versus Caleb Bohannon with Turbo Dark:  ID

5-1-1 and fourth seed going into Top 8.

  • Top 8 versus Owen Robinson with [card name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card]: WLW
  • Top 4 versus Alexander Holtz with Turbo Dark: WLW
  • Finals versus Holden Sheeks with [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card]: LWW

Vespiquen versus Turbo Dark

This matchup is relatively close. I recorded two wins and two losses versus the deck on the day (if you break down my win versus Turbo Dark in Top 4). Unfortunately, luck plays a decent part in this matchup as a well timed [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] can leave you dead drawing for enough turns to lose the game. To mitigate this, you want to burn through as much of your deck as you can early on. You generally don’t want to leave [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench as you might do in other matchups, they are better off in the discard. You want to thin your deck out as much as you can because as soon as Turbo Dark starts to N you, you need to hit draw cards. I usually lead by Sky Returning into [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] early on. From there, I might use [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] to try and put damage on a [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] with Energy or to take out a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] before sweeping with [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. This matchup is a Prize-race. If you have too many [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] on board, Turbo Dark can close a game out instantly with back to back [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] plays. You need to have a healthy fear of Turbo Dark in order to beat it. Every Shaymin you put on the board is a huge liability in this matchup. Even if you are taking big Knock Outs, [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Next Destinies” no=”87″ c=”name”][/card] keeps their Energy on board, so they are usually always capable of KOing one. Sky Return is your friend here. You want to clear Shaymin off the board so that in the final turns of the game you are poised to win as long as you can stream Energy attachments.

Vespiquen versus Dark Tina

In this matchup you get out [card name=”Marowak” set=”Fates Collide” no=”37″ c=”name”][/card] and just pray your opponent doesn’t get an insane early [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] play on your [card name=”Cubone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. From my experience, [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is clunky and usually not aggressive enough to be killing your Benched Marowak early in the game. [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] is a fine wall to chill behind while you set up your Cubone, but you want to make sure that you aren’t being too passive either. You need to be applying some pressure since sitting behind Tauros for too long will give your opponent the time they need to pick off your Cubone. A typical Darkrai / Giratina deck will only be able to power up two Giratina-EX in one game, so your mission is to take out both Giratina while under the protection of Marowak’s Ability. The sweet thing about Marowak is that even if your opponent does Lysandre and KO it with Chaos Wheel, you are still under the protection of Marowak’s Body Guard until they Chaos Wheel without Marowak in play. This is the same interaction that happened between [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”47″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card]. Even if Darkrai Knocked Out Mime with Night Spear, Mime’s Bench Barrier protected the Bench from taking damage! This happens because all the effects of an attack occur before you check for Knock Outs. So the effect of Chaos Wheel tries to go into effect, and fails, all before Marowak is Knocked Out! This technicality is what makes Marowak playable. Even if Marowak is gunned down, you still have an additional turn to attach DCE and deal with the imposing threat of Giratina! And if you can’t KO Giratina during that turn, you at least have a turn to try and find yourself another Cubone.

[cardimg name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Monkeys everywhere![/cardimg]

Vespiquen versus Passimian / Mew

My Top 8 match versus Owen was an odd one. We joked as we were playing that it felt like a “bad Night March mirror.” Just like a Night March mirror, you want to keep your board clear of [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] while also being the first to take a KO. This is difficult for Vespiquen to pull off versus a speedier Basic deck, but if they are able to take the first KO, it usually means that they had to play a Shaymin, meaning that you will have an opportunity for a comeback. I was able to win versus Owen by keeping Shaymin off of my board and punishing him for each Shaymin drop. Eventually, Owen missed what he needed to set up in game three and I was able to steal the series. All in all, I think that [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] is more consistent than [card name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card], and when it comes down to late game [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card], your deck should always be thinner than theirs. I had no idea that Owen played a [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] in his list, and he was able to Delinquent my entire hand away early in game one of our series. To our astonishment, I was able to top deck a [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] to dig me out of the perilous situation. Owen joked that he had witnessed three “Mahone miracles” during our series.

Vespiquen versus Lurantis-GX / Solgeleo-GX

This matchup is a total wash in favor of [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. I scooped game one of my series versus Holden before sweeping the finals because my set up was bad and I was forced to attack with [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] early on, the Pokemon you don’t want to hit the field in this matchup. [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] is good because, once it sets up, which it always does, the deck is poised to take massive OHKOs every other turn or so for the remainder of the game. If the opponent is able to achieve a quick start with Sol Burst GX, they can take a few big KOs before needing to charge up with Flower Supply again. Lurantis / Solgaleo fares very well versus Turbo Dark and YTG.  The thing is, none of this matters to Vespiquen. 230 damage is overkill. Solgaleo and Lurantis’ attack costs are too high to maintain trades with Vespiquen’s speedy damage output. All you have to do is set up a couple attackers and put some damage on the board somewhere before sweeping your opponent’s field. You will usually start off by 2HKOing a Lurantis and a Solgeleo each before finishing off a Lurantis or [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] for game with a fully powered Bee Revenge.

[premium]

Time, Time, Time

All three of my Top 8 matches ended in +3 situations. Two of them actually finished with me taking six Prizes, and the third resulted in my opponent scooping because he knew that he could not match how many Prizes I had taken. Throughout Top 8, I had to remind my opponents to keep up their pace of play multiple times. It should be noted that all of my losses in Top 8 were scoops, scoops that took place within the first few turns of the game. Even with my early scooping, games still went to time. Had I not been on top of my game, I could have landed myself in some unfavorable situations that could have lost me the tournament. There are so many nuances when it comes to time management, I could write countless articles on maintaining time in a series and I don’t know if it would be enough. The fact of the matter is, in order to succeed in best two out of three situations, you need to constantly be aware of the clock. You cannot dwell for an unreasonable amount of time on a play, and you have to know when to tell your opponent to keep up the pace.

[cardimg name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Best of three is a Puzzle indeed.[/cardimg]

Confronting your opponent when they are playing slow is tough and can sometimes be awkward, but you have to stand  your ground. You only cheat yourself when you allow your opponent to play slowly. It should be assumed that everyone at a tournament is a high enough caliber of a player that they should be able to make their moves swiftly. If my opponent is taking longer than they should for a play, I will politely tell them one of two things, either, “I am going to need to you make a decision,” or, “Let’s make sure that we keep up the pace of play.” The latter quote I stole from Jason Klaczynski, who intelligently told me to keep up my pace of play one time we played at a Regional when I was a newer player. That experience stuck with me, and I am lucky to have had it. I have not unintentionally tied at a Regional in a long time. Consequently, I am of the firm belief that 50 minutes is plenty of time to conclude a best of three series, so long as you know what you are doing.

That being said, every once in a while you will play against a newer player who takes an exorbitant amount of time with every play action. This is tough to deal with. You tell them to keep their pace up but you know that they are doing their best and there is just no remedying the situation. Sometimes your opponents even shuffle slowly! In situations such as this, you need to make sure that you are doing everything in your power to keep things moving. All of your play actions need to be tight, quick, and precise. In a series such as this, there is no room for luxury. You will probably not have time for deck searches, shuffle cuts, five piling or any of the things you may be accustomed to doing. Fortunately, your opponent is probably less experienced if they are playing very slowly, so you should be able to steal your wins and end the series. It should be noted, however, that if you win game one in 35 minutes and realize that game two is going poorly, you do not want to scoop. There is no chance in the world that you will finish a game three in ten minutes versus someone who plays slowly. Slow things down and just play at the same pace your opponent plays, and make it so that game two never concludes. I’m not saying to slow play your way into wins, but I am saying that you need to vary your pace of play based on in game situations. If you win game one in 35 minutes versus a slow player, take your time! Do your five pile before game two, shuffle cut your opponent, take your deck searches. After all, it is not your fault that this series isn’t going to conclude. It is heads up plays like this that win tournaments.

Passimian / Mew with Owen Robinson

Hey Owen! Welcome to PokeBeach and congrats on your Top 8 finish at the Circuit Series in Medina, Ohio. I brought you by today because you are one of the first people to post a significant finish with Passimian / Mew. What inspired you to play this deck?

I was looking for a deck that would have favorable matchups versus the predicted meta. I determined that Turbo Dark, [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] would be the most common decks at the Circuit Series. The previous weekend’s results from Anaheim were my primary sources for this prediction. [card name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] have obvious synergy, and players were quick to draft lists upon release of the Sun and Moon expansion. I think most players gave up on it because its max base damage output is 130 with [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] and 100 with an Active Passimian. From lists I saw online, many tried to force it to be a OHKO speed deck with inclusions like four [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] and four [card name=”Bursting Balloon” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]. The problem is, Balloons are easy to play around with cards like [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] seeing more play and Puzzles are too difficult to pair up, even with two copies of [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card]. I decided to play to Passimian’s main strength in consistent 2HKOs and being able to streamline them every single turn.

What do you consider to be Passimian’s good matchups in Standard?

In order of highest favorability to near even: Turbo Dark, [card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Umbreon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ 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].

What do you consider to be Passimian’s bad matchups in Standard?

In order of near even to absolute worse matchups: [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY173″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card] (Water Box), [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / Hammers, [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card].

What matchups do you consider to be even?

All these are 50-50, 45-55, or 55-45: [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], YTG, Rainbow Road, [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card].

Do you mind sharing the list you piloted?

[decklist name=”Passimian / Mew” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″][pokemon amt=”12″]4x [card name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”44″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”160″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”113″ 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=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Revive” set=”Black and White” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”158″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Town Map” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”150″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

You had mentioned to me that the list was very consistent that you felt comfortable cutting Acro Bike for tech Supporters. Which tech Supporters were the most useful over the course of the tournament and how did you utilize them?

[cardimg name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Count ’em, THREE![/cardimg]

Yes, I cut the original three [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] during testing because out of the many games I played online and in solitaire hands, I dead drew only one time! I found that I didn’t need the Bikes when digging for specific pieces ([card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], Monkeys, and Supporters). More often than not, the Bikes would backfire and force me to make compromising discards. The three Supporters I decided to add were [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card], and a third copy of [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card].

Pokemon Ranger was a meta call as I expected a decent amount of [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] (area trends and after Darkrai / Giratina winning Anaheim) and [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Glaceon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] (Michigan Plumebox and other possible decks including Jolteon-EX were a high probability). Pokemon Ranger into Giratina EX is a bit tricky. As soon as you see a Giratina come down, you are to attack into it to set up a 2HKO or close out the game immediately. Playing Pokemon Ranger gives you the option to re-attach a new DCE, remove a [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] that might have come down with the Chaos Wheel, or add a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] to Passimian to withstand a Fury Belted Chaos Wheel. Jolteon-EX no longer becomes an autoloss and is very easy to KO as it only requires the Active Passimian to be Fury Belted with two Monkeys on the Bench or simply an Active Passimian with three on Bench for a OHKO.

Kukui was an idea for possible additional damage in scenarios where 2HKOs weren’t possible or to power through things with Fighting / Psychic Resistance or lots of HP. In most games at the Circuit Series, Kukui was not the optimal choice. I found myself choosing to use [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card], Lysandre, [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] far more regularly. Two cards drawn wasn’t enough and the 20 extra damage was not needed.

The third Lysandre was probably the best inclusion. With Passimian being a 2HKO deck, opponents often resort to retreating into their secondary attacker they have been setting up on the Bench. Locating a Lysandre is never an issue with three copies; [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] and damaged attackers are all for your picking. They can’t hide from your troop of Monkeys.

Is there anything you would want to change about your list going forward?

I would like to test the list with a [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card]. I did not get enough time to test it in the deck. In theory, it seems pretty good though. Applying 60-70 damage with Horn Attack and being a solid wall with a hard hitting GX attack seems beneficial and might swing other matchups that can’t OHKO a 180 / 210 HP Tauros. You could probably cut [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] for Tauros-GX. You also need to probably include a [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] or a third [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] if you include Tauros as Tauros has a fat three Retreat.

If someone wanted to bring this deck to a tournament, is there any advice you would give them about piloting the deck?

I would tell them to be prepared to play full games as you aren’t OHKOing most things. Manage your resources wisely. You only have four [card name=”Revive” set=”Black and White” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] and two [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card]. Toss too many of those early game and by late game you’ll be hurting. Pick your targets and plan how you are taking the six Prizes. Leaving damage on your opponent’s board that you aren’t going to clean-up or KO is a wasted turn of attacking.

Do you think that Passimian / Mew has the power to be a Tier 1 deck or do you think it happened to be a clutch meta call for the day?

[cardimg name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Darkrai caught me slippin’.[/cardimg]

Tier 1 is a bit of a stretch. I personally feel it will be Tier 2 in a developed Sun and Moon meta. As decks become more widespread and varied, you lose out on running into those decks you can OKHO easily more often at tournament.

Thanks for stopping by Owen and good luck with the remainder of your season!

No problem! If people might have further questions they can tweet me at @neohPTCG on Twitter or hit me up on Facebook.

Turbo Dark

I haven’t written about Turbo [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] yet largely because I did not think the deck was very good. I thought that [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] was simply the stronger archetype, having access to [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] as well as [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] and Fright Night [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. Sometimes though, we have to admit when we are wrong. This is the case with Turbo Dark. I was totally blown away by how many Top 8 finishes Turbo Dark logged at Anaheim. I was also caught of guard by the deck at the recent ARG Ohio State Championship. My State Championship run was cut short by Alexander Holt, who went on to win the State Championship with Turbo Dark. Having lost a few crucial games to the deck, I have since grown a healthy respect for it, something that is needed in order to defeat it.

My friend Justin Boughter constructed an excellent version of Turbo Dark that Alexander Holt was able to pilot to a Top 4 finish at the Medina, OH Circuit Series before losing to my [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] deck. The list includes cards like [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] to sway key matchups like YTG, [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and Darkrai-EX / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Salamence-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY170″ c=”name”][/card]. Alex had been on tear with this deck at the Circuit Series, and didn’t drop a single game until I dealt him a nail biting loss in Top 4. Here is the list.

[decklist name=”Turbo Dark” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″][pokemon amt=”9″]4x [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC16″ 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=”39″]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=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Next Destinies” no=”87″ 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″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]12x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”129″ c=”deck2″ amt=”12″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

One of the strongest points of Turbo Dark is that it is fiercely consistent. Turbo Dark is able to beat decks like [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] despite being an deck centered around Pokemon-EX, wholly on the merits of its bulky nature and speedy damage output. No [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] required. 220 HP on a Belted [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] is more than most Mega Evolution Pokemon-EX and all Stage 1 Pokemon-GX, and it is a Basic. [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Next Destinies” no=”87″ c=”name”][/card] means that even if a Darkrai goes down, the Energy you’ve accumulated stays on board, meaning that you will always be ready to punish your opponent for taking KOs. Exp. Share almost makes [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] a non-factor. Once you’ve piled up enough Energy, the deck is very low maintenance and self sufficient, topping off at upwards of 200+ damage by the end of the game.

Seven Prize Games

In most games, you are going to want to start by getting [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC16″ c=”name”][/card] into the Active to load extra Energy onto your board. Once your opponent KOs Yveltal, you are free to unleash a torrent of Dark Pulse, forcing the opponent to take down three huge Darkrai-EX while dealing with a massive amount of pressure. One of the things that makes this deck so successful is that it is able to force seven Prize games nearly every single game. It is very annoying for the opponent to open games versus Yveltal, who softens up attackers and prepares Turbo Dark for an inevitable sweep.

Exp. Share

In my experiences, [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Next Destinies” no=”87″ c=”name”][/card] is the defining card in this deck. You win games that you get your Exp. Shares online quickly and you lose games where your Exp. Shares are missing in action. Turbo Dark is a deck that snowballs. In most games, you goal is to build Energy and sweep with big KOs. Exp. Share makes it so that even if you miss some [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] early on, the deck will continue to maintain the Energy you do attach and continue to deal a respectable amount of damage throughout the course of the game. Because of the low maintenance nature of this deck, it deals with [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] very well. When combined with [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card], N makes for great disruption and steals a serious number of games. For real. Most of the games I have lost to this deck have been because of late game N / Silent Lab plays.

Conclusion

[cardimg name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Got all my chips on Raikou![/cardimg]

I’m glad I was able to tap Owen in order to shed some insight on the brand new archetype, [card name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card]. Though we may have a disagreement on the outcome of the Passimian versus [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, Owen’s tournament experience with the deck is undoubtedly valuable. If I had to choose a deck to play at the International Championships though, I would recommend Vespiquen without hesitation. The archetype is strong and well positioned, but it seems like no matter how well it performs, players refuse to take it seriously. That list just won me $400 and beat almost all the most popular meta decks en route to victory. You should try it! Turbo Dark is what I would consider to be the “obvious play,” since it is widely considered to be the best deck in format. That being said, Turbo Dark’s popularity makes me wary to pilot it. The deck has very exploitable weaknesses and a huge target on its back! Part of the reason my recommendation for Vespiquen is so strong is that Vespiquen fares well against the decks that are built to counter Turbo Dark, like Passimian, [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card].

In other news, preparing for St. Louis has been a huge challenge. There are an insane amount of decks in Expanded format right now, roughly 20 viable choices from most accounts, and trying to find a deck that fares well versus most of them has proven to be a ridiculously arduous task. From what I can tell, most everyone I talk to seems to be leaning towards [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Archeops” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card], which makes sense. It’s a new format that few people spend much time testing. Yveltal / Maxies is an oppressive, low maintenance and consistent deck that has answers built in to almost everything. I have considered Yveltal myself, but don’t think that I feel comfortable enough playing the deck to pilot it to the best of my ability. Conversely, my testing with [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] has been going  very well. Raikou is a freaking tank of a non-EX with great typing, sustainability and built in healing. Raikou’s assumed primary nemesis, Archeops, can be mitigated with [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] and a couple copies of [card name=”Evosoda” set=”XY” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card]. As of writing, I am nearly certain that I will be playing Raikou, unless I have some miracle revelation on the drive or in the hotel the night before the tournament!

And that’s it! I am heading out to the St. Louis Regional Championships tonight and hoping for the best! I am running on fumes though, since I stood in line to get a Nintendo Switch and Zelda, Breath of the Wild, at midnight last night and stayed up til 4 A.M playing it. For those of you that are interested, the Switch and Breath of the Wild are incredible so far. I have loved everything about the Switch, and couldn’t be more excited to log more hours into Zelda on our long road trip this weekend. Thanks for reading!

Later Trainers,

Mahone

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