A Wave of Thunder — Raikou / Eelektrik and Volcanion in Expanded
Good day ‘Beach goers! Hope you all are doing well. My last few weeks have been hectic as usual, but I am moving along towards my invite at a steady clip. Since I last wrote, I was able to capture an 18th place finish at the St. Louis Regional Championship with [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and a second place League Cup finish with [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], landing me at 322 / 500 Championship Points. Though I just wrote an article a couple weeks ago, already, much has changed. St. Louis has confirmed Vileplume is a serious threat in both Expanded and Standard, and reinstated [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] as a top level deck. Though I was able to finish day one of swiss at St. Louis with an 8-1 record, earning a third place seed in Top 32, I had a rough day two to say the least. If anyone saw my dismal streamed game versus M Rayquaza-EX where I whiffed all five Thunder Wave flips across two games and got Hexed approximately every single turn, that pretty much embodied how day two went for me. I simply missed the ball. That happens though, and I was proud to be the only person piloting Raikou / Eels in day two of St. Louis. If a couple things fell my way, I think I could have easily landed Raikou / Eels in the Top 8 of the tournament. Today I will review the Raikou deck that I piloted at St. Louis and go into depth with a few matchups. Additionally, Rahul Reddy will be stopping by to shed some light on his unique [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] list that he was able to carry all the way to a Top 4 finish! Thanks for joining me and I hope you enjoy the read!
Raikou / Eels
When selecting a deck for St. Louis, I wanted to play something that was consistent, low maintenance and could operate well under Item-lock. Ever since the deck started popping up at Regionals last year, I have been itching to play [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] but never settled on a list that I was excited about. Even though many of my friends dismissed the deck as bad, I always kept an evolving version of Raikou / Eels sleeved up for testing. When it came down to the final week before Regionals, I realized that my Raikou list was beating most of the top level threats I was worried about. I loved that the deck was self sustaining and used minimal numbers of Pokemon-EX. Since the Expanded metagame is so large, I didn’t dwell on my decision too much. Raikou is a consistent deck with well rounded matchups so I packed my deck box and refused to pack any other cards on my trip to St. Louis so that I wouldn’t stress about what to play. I already knew that I had made a good decision based on testing and I didn’t want to second guess myself. Here is the list I ended up with.
[decklist name=”Raikou / Eels” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″][pokemon amt=”14″]4x [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Tynamo” set=”Noble Victories” no=”38″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”98″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”54″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ 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=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Next Destinies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”9″]9x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”9″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
No Keldeo-EX
Pretty early on in my testing, I decided that I really disliked the [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] that many people were playing in their list. In theory, Keldeo is there to get you out of Status Conditions. But I might ask, what Status Conditions are you worried about? Healing [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Accelgor” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”11″ c=”name”][/card]’s infamous Paralysis is shut down by Wobb’s Bide Barricade and [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] uses [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] so that the effects of their [card name=”Hypnotoxic Laser” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] stick. Consequently, more and more decks have been cutting Keldeo from their rosters in favor of Trainers like [card name=”Switch” set=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card].
Keldeo is also a problem on the Bench. Not only does the Sacred Sword Pokemon limit the number of Eels or attackers you can have in play, it is also a huge liability! The ideal board position for Raikou / Eels is a few Eels with a couple of Raikou. Ideally both [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] stay in the deck unless they are absolutely needed. Keldeo just gives the opponent another Pokemon-EX target to gun down while not offering the deck anything that can’t be obtained with a few more Trainer cards.
Two Switch, Two Float
Speaking of Trainer cards, I decided on a two [card name=”Switch” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] / two [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] split for this deck. Float Stone is a mainstay. The card fits great on an [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and gives the list the list free Retreat, something it desperately wants for Eelektrik’s Dynamotor Ability. Switch, on the other hand, is a little different. The reason we run Switch is so that we can get out of Status Conditions, but also so that we can charge a [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] or a [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] that was already in the Active position. For instance, if I have a three Energy Raikou in the Active and three Eels on the Bench, one of which with a Float Stone attached, I could use Switch to bring the Raikou back to the Bench, Dynamotor three times, attach from the hand once, and retreat Eelektrik for free to swing in with a seven Energy Raikou the following turn. Switch also speeds the list up, allowing the player to move a Raikou or Mewtwo with [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] equipped from the Active position. Mobility is an important part of any Eels list, and I found this split to work out quite well.
Two Colress, Two N
I love [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card], always have, and the card is absolutely insane in [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]. Since we don’t run [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] to draw additional cards during our turn, Colress is the deck’s way of making big plays happen. When you need to draw into everything you need to take a KO, say two Eels, a Lightning and a Switch, Colress for 10 is your best friend. When you need to set up a big [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card] play, Colress will help you make that happen. And most importantly, when trudging through a matchup against Item-lock, Colress will allow you to draw enough cards to continue to make things happen without the use of Items. Occasionally, Colress will be a poor opening Supporter, however, since the list runs an impressive seven Ball search cards, Colress can even boast effectiveness on the opening turn of the game. I’ve seen lists that don’t run any Colress, and I can confidently say that Colress won me a significant number of my matchups over the course of the St. Louis Regional Championships.
Three Ultra Ball, Four Level Ball
Only three [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card]? Yup. A little bit odd, but totally reasonable for this deck. Since we don’t run any copies of [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Next Destinies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] actually becomes the superior Ball search card for this list. Level Ball quickly and efficiently searches out the deck’s Eel line while also doubling as an out to a Supporter by grabbing [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] for its Stellar Guidance Ability. Ultra Ball are still important, of course, to search out [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card], but a full suit of Level Ball allows this deck to set up very efficiently nearly every game. Not to mention, we do still play [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], which is like an Ultra Ball with the added benefit of literally being able to grab any card in your deck! Some people may cut into the Ball line in order to include cards like [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], but Mail is really not essential in a deck like this. Raikou / Eels is a low maintenance and self sustaining deck that doesn’t require intense card combos to function. Once the deck is stabilized, which is achieved by playing a large amount of search cards, the deck runs itself with little additional maintenance needed! Just keep drawing into backup attackers and you’ll be good to go!
Karen
One of the final exclusions from this list was any sort of Item based Pokemon recovery like [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Noble Victories” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Sacred Ash” set=”Flashfire” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card]. Many lists I have seen online are playing both [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card] and a recovery Item, which I think is redundant. If you play Karen to counter Night March and [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], you should be able to lean on your copy of Karen to replenish the deck with [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] if need be. However, it is worth pointing out that in the 14 rounds of best of three swiss that I played at St. Louis, I never needed to use Karen because I was running out of attackers. Four Raikou and a single [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] was always enough to win me a game. Games that I did use Karen, I did so in order to put the opponent’s Pokemon back in the deck, not my own. Super Rod and Sacred Ash are not needed in this deck in any way, shape or form. Karen is enough. That being said, if you wanted to cut the Karen because you are not worried about your Night March matchup, I might throw a Sacred Ash in there, just to be safe!
Hex Maniac
The other one-of Supporter is [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. Both Hex and Karen, though used sparingly throughout the weekend, were useful in the matchups that I needed them. Both cards were also accessible when I needed them because of [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card]’s Stellar Guidance and [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] combined with [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]. Hex made the cut because it is such a powerful card. One copy of Hex can single handedly win the mirror by stopping the opponent’s flow of Dynamotor. It also allows you to evolve your Eels under [card name=”Archeops” set=”Noble Victories” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card]. Hex temporarily breaks [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]’s oppressive Item-lock, something that was very relevant at St. Louis, and Hex stops [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]’s onslaught of Feather Arrow. Hex is just a useful card in Expanded Format, and I don’t think I would play many lists without it, especially with Vileplume’s growing popularity.
[premium]
Nine Lightning, No DCE
[cardimg name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Is it a dog or a cat?[/cardimg]
Part of the reason I love this list is because it is simple. It does what it’s supposed to do. The deck is built to get out [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and put lots of Lightning Energy onto [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. Early drafts of my list played ten Lightning Energy, which ran amazingly. I always had Energy in the discard to Dynamotor and Energy to attach from the hand. I was able to build up giant Raikou, capable of OHKOing most threats it came across. Somewhere along the line, I decided that four copies of [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] was too important for the Stadium war, and reluctantly dropped my tenth Lightning for a fourth Stadium. Nine has worked well in my testing, however, I have seen some lists that run eight, or even less in combination with [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]! Gross! I have tested less than nine Energy in this list and didn’t like how the deck played at all. First of all, with less Lightning Energy, your turn two attack consistency goes way down. It is difficult to pull off a turn two Thunder Lance when you can’t draw into Energy naturally while also allotting some to the discard. Nine Lightning is the minimum Energy count that allows you to do both consistently.
Also, playing less than nine Lightning makes it very difficult for this deck to OHKO anything. OHKOs don’t happen all the time with this list, but they are game changing when they do. A Raikou with a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] and six Energy attached can swing for 180 damage. This is still a magic number in the Pokemon TCG, just enough to take down a [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY173″ c=”name”][/card] or a [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] without a Fury Belt of their own. Eight Energy on a Raikou and you are swinging for 210 Damage, 220 with a Fury Belt. This is enough to take down even some Mega Pokemon and Stage 1 Pokemon-GX. With nine Energy in deck, these things are possible. Even if you don’t have access to one or two Energy because of Prizes or simply not drawing them, you still have a huge number of Lightning Energy to play with.
Playing a higher number of Energy, oddly enough, also makes you less vulnerable to [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. This is something that most players won’t think about, but it is important to do so. With nine Energy in deck, it is easier to build up an attacking Raikou as well as a backup Raikou. This is how you attempt to make your board “Hex proof.” By building up a Raikou in the Active with three Energy and a Benched Raikou with at least two Energy, you make it so that even if your opponent were to Hex you, you can still deliver a Thunder Lance on the following turn with a manual attachment from the hand. This manual attachment from the hand is easier to accomplish if you have more Lightning Energy available to you in the deck! Also, building up Benched Raikou that are available to attack is easier when you play more copies of Lightning Energy.
Some players that play attackers like [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] in their Eels lists, (I am not a fan of either), accommodate for them by playing Double Colorless Energy alongside Lightning Energy. I really dislike both Seismitoad and Gallade in this deck, and think that DCE only dilutes the power of Raikou. Toad is simply underwhelming without any form of disruption, and you can win the Night March matchup without him. Gallade’s utility in this deck is a pure mystery to me. The tech was just inconsistent and unreliable in my testing. Sure it helps versus Darkrai a bit, but that matchup isn’t a total loss anyways! As expansive as the Expanded Format is, I do not think that it would be a good idea to play Gallade in Raikou / Eels. Gallade only makes an otherwise consistent and simple list less consistent and convoluted. I only played against two Darkrai decks across the two days of swiss, and was able to beat one and lost to the other. In my deck construction, I like to be as straight forward as possible, prioritizing the executive functioning of the deck above all other things. That, to me, is the best way to win the most games at a tournament. And playing more copies of Lightning Energy falls right in line with that deck building philosophy.
Mewtwo-EX
[cardimg name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”98″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Reminding me of the good old days.[/cardimg]
Other than [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] is the only other Pokemon-EX that I play in this list, and his inclusion was amazing at St. Louis. Even without [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], Mewtwo was an absolute beast in this deck. I originally included Mewtwo as a check to counter any incoming [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card], but found the Pokemon to be much more useful as my tournament progressed. Mewtwo is the perfect Hail Mary attacker in this deck, and the only attacker that can swing for only two Energy. Oddly enough, I found myself attacking with Mewtwo in situations where I only had two Energy available to myself more times than you would expect. Instead of passing a turn, Mewtwo allows you to get out there and start setting up 2HKOs early even when you haven’t got three Energy in play yet. Though situationally useful for being a low maintenance attacker, Mewtwo shined the brightest when forcing seven Prize games. When your opponent only has one Prize remaining, that is the perfect time to go in with Mewtwo. Although Raikou is beefy with a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] and its Shining Body Ability, Mewtwo is the beefiest Pokemon this deck can produce, boasting 210 HP when sporting a Fury Belt. At the end of the game, when the opponent’s resources are low, a big Mewtwo followed by an [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] to one can pull the opponent’s momentum right out from under them. I did this multiple times at St. Louis, and it reminded me very much of the Mewtwo / Eels glory days, the first deck that I ever won a tournament with back in 2012!
Matchups
As mentioned previously, I was able to take this list to a stellar 8-1 day one record before running into a few road blocks during day two of competition. Day two was a mess. I flipped a miserable number of tails versus [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], dead drew and prized two copies of [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] versus the only [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] in day two and had a crucial miscalculation versus Dave Richard that kept me 20 damage shy of winning game three versus [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]. I tied versus a Night March deck even though I was on track to win game three convincingly because I lost a long game one due to back to back [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] plays, and finally was able to beat Steve Guthrie‘s [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] deck during the last round of day two swiss. Talk about bad beats! If one or two of these things went my way, I know that I could have taken this deck to at least a Top 8 finish at St. Louis. Though some things like bad Prizes and dead draws were out of my control, I take total responsibility for my miscalculation versus Dave Richard. I could have changed my entire day two outcome if I had just taken a second to carefully place my Energy.
What happened was that I forgot his [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] had healed itself with its Solar Blade attack, so instead of assigning a fourth Energy to my Active Raikou to take a 2HKO after swinging for 110 the previous turn, (now 80 due to healing) I attached to the Bench and immediately realized my error, turning what would have been a significant 2HKO into an abysmal 3HKO. This happened in the heat of game three where both David and I were rushing to complete a ten minute game. I had already lost one round and tied another on day two and was not interested in tying another game. Consequently, my play was rushed and I made an error. If I didn’t make this error and pulled out my series versus Dave, I only needed to win one of my last two games in order to make Top 8. If I didn’t make that misplay, who knows how the remainder of my tournament would have ended up! But because I misplayed, I was sent even further down in the rankings and ended up having to play against [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], a matchup that just ends up going abysmally even though I play four copies of Rough Seas. Sometimes an entire tournament run can hinge on a single play! It’s tough though, because sometimes you have to play fast in order to give yourself the best chance possible to succeed. Unfortunately, doing so also makes you vulnerable to error. The only thing I can say is, practice makes perfect! And I won’t ever miscount damage versus Lurantis again! Despite my rough showing during day two, Raikou has a great spread of matchups in Expanded Format that I would like to review for you below.
Versus Yveltal / Maxie’s
People that haven’t tested this matchup will tell you that you cannot beat [card name=”Archeops” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] without [card name=”Evosoda” set=”XY” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card] in your list. This is false. I tested the deck with Evosoda a bunch and found that it was making zero difference in my win percentage versus [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card]. Most games, Yveltal will fumble to get Archeops into play while you breeze your way into a few Eels and start OHKOing everything in sight. You probably win 60% of games this way. Of the 40% of games where your opponent manages to get a turn one, (or two going first), Archeops, and that is a generous estimate, you win half of them by utilizing Hex to evolve Eels into play. It’s not difficult. Raikou is a beefy non-EX. Combine that with the fact that you can use [card name=”Tynamo” set=”Noble Victories” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] to Paralyze stall a turn or two if need be, and you really have all the time in the world to find a Hex and a couple Eels. Even if you are just manually attaching to a Raikou on the Bench, your opponent will start to sweat as they realize that the Yveltal they’ve been building up will sink the second you bring that thing into the Active. If they go [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card], you have [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW45″ c=”name”][/card] to fall back on. I was able to beat Andrew Wamboldt’s Top 16 Yveltal / Maxie’s deck before the tournament and also beat a Yveltal / Maxie’s during swiss. I have not lost to this deck since removing Evosoda from my list and consider it to be a great matchup.
Versus Lurantis / Vileplume
This is also a great matchup. I beat the deck twice during day one of swiss at St. Louis and lost a close series versus Dave Richard in day two due to a misplay in game three, a series that came down to the wire even though he went first in two out of three games. The best thing about this matchup is that [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] cannot OHKO a [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] so long as it has a Lightning Energy attached to it, thanks to Raikou’s Shining Body Ability. This means that so long as both decks set up, Lurantis and Raikou trade 2HKOs with each other, a trade that heavily favors Raikou since it is only worth one Prize. Additionally, Eels operate pretty well under Item-lock, continuing to feed your attackers even when you don’t have any playable cards in hand. Thanks to a reasonably high Supporter count, you should be able to draw through most of your deck though, even when hampered by Item-lock. Eventually you will be able to find your copy of [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], which should help you do a few things like lay down [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] and get the rest of your [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] into play. There are a couple things to watch out for in this matchup though. Obviously, going first is ideal. You have to assume your opponent is definitely going to get the turn one Item-lock. Fortunately, however, if you are able to start a Supporter, you can usually draw decent enough to still pull out a game here and there. When you go first, however, you are heavily favored in this matchup. The only way you lose this matchup is if you fail to set up, and so long as you have one turn to get some [card name=”Tynamo” set=”Noble Victories” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] in play and get yourself a Supporter for the following turn, you are usually good to go.
[cardimg name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”150″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Watch out for that heal though![/cardimg]
The scariest thing about this matchup is your opponent’s GX attack, Chloroscythe-GX. They will usually go for this attack as early as possible to stop your momentum and hopefully buy themselves a few turns to set up. The good news is that your opponent can only use this attack one time to take out a Raikou. From there on out, they will be stuck 2HKOing you while you 2HKO them. Once you make your way through their first Lurantis, the coast is pretty much clear. Most players will Flower Supply onto their Active Lurantis first in order to go for a big GX attack when they feel threatened. If you can respond under Item-lock to take out that Lurantis, which is admittedly a little hard to pull off, you will be in the clear. Once you take out the Lurantis with the Energy on it, your opponent will have to fall back and use Flower Supply again to build up more Energy. Meanwhile, you should be bludgeoning your opponent with repeated Thunder Lance until you can clear their field of Lurantis.
One other thing to keep in mind is that your opponent will probably always have an [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] in hand. It may be tempting to use [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] to try and buy a few turns on a [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], but I wouldn’t count on the Lysandre sticking. Lurantis / Vileplume plays four copies of AZ and most lists play a couple copies of [card name=”Pal Pad” set=”Flashfire” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] as well in order to put more AZ and Lysandre back into the deck! I would only go for a Lysandre play if you notice that your opponent’s Stadiums are low and you are able to counter your opponent’s [card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] in the same turn as your Lysandre. This would force your opponent to have both the AZ and the Forest to reinstate the lock and continue attacking. All in all this is a good matchup. Even though all Item-lock is a bit worrisome, I would much rather see Lurantis / Vileplume than [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]’s obnoxious one sided lock.
Versus Mega Ray
This matchup seems excellent on paper but can actually be a bit sketchy. I was able to beat this deck during day one swiss rounds, but lost to the eventual winner of the tournament during day two swiss. When you are able to go first and get a decent set up, you can usually weather a few [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] and still produce a victory. Once you take down a Ray, it is very hard for your opponent to produce a backup Ray while also playing Hex. This matchup is entirely about momentum. If your opponent is able to go first, set up and start Hexing while you are still trying to set up, things are not going to work out for you. But if you can set up and take a KO, they will be on the back foot while you breeze through the rest of their deck.
One thing you can try to do is Paralyze stall with [card name=”Tynamo” set=”Noble Victories” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] on turns that they Hex. Of course, this only works if they don’t play [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW61″ c=”name”][/card] or don’t have Keldeo / [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] in play. I tried this at Regionals and flipped five tails in a row on stream. Embarrassing! Because of the polarizing nature of this matchup, I have considered finding room for a single [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card]. Stardust would be an excellent option for [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], as it would allow you to respond to your opponent’s Hex with invincibility and Energy denial. Since Jirachi is also a [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Next Destinies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] target, it fits effortlessly into the list and changes this matchup from 50 / 50 to favorable single handedly. If I were to take this deck to a Regionals, I would swap the fourth [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] for a Stardust Jirachi hands down!
Versus Volcanion
I only played against this deck once at the Regional, and I won. Oddly enough, the deck is not nearly as aggressive without [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card], a card that many Expanded [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] lists seem to be cutting. Typically your opponent will need to go in with the little [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] to set up their board position. This is great for you! Little Volcanion never OHKOs a [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] on its own, so you can buy time with Raikou in the Active while you set up. Eventually, your opponent will need to bring out Volcanion-EX in order to start taking OHKOs. When they do, you can 2HKO them, but you will win the game by eventually taking a OHKO on some of their Pokemon-EX. Be wary of times that you can [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] their Shaymin or non [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]ed Volcanion-EX for OHKOs. In order to help you win the Prize-trade, it’s actually important not to counter your opponent’s [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], assuming they play it. If you play down [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], not only does it give your opponent a chance to remove their Shaymin from play, it also gives them an opportunity to heal their Volcanion-EX! This is bad for you! Since you are trying to 2HKO your opponent’s Pokemon-EX, you can’t have them retreating to the Bench and healing!
Another thing you can do is utilize [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. I have noticed that most Volcanion lists are not playing their own Hex Maniac, meaning that they will not be disrupting your Energy flow. If you are able to pull off a well timed Hex, you can keep your opponent from using [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”45″ c=”name”][/card] to refresh their Volcanic Heat attack, and also keep them from OHKOing you with Steam Up!
One thing to look out for in this matchup is your own [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card]. If you have to play this card down to get started, your opponent can run away with the game quickly if they are able to KO it with the little Volcanion. This is bad! But sometimes you just have to put Jirachi into play. You can’t just sit there and dead draw either!
Finally, you always want to keep [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] in your back pocket when playing against [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY173″ c=”name”][/card]. I was able to steal the series at St. Louis by [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card]’ing my opponent to two and passing with an Eel in the Active while loading multiple Energy onto my Benched Mewtwo. My opponent whiffed the Lysandre on my Mewtwo after the N and was forced to KO the Active, The following turn, I N’d my opponent to one and took a huge OHKO on his Active Volcanion-EX with a seven Energy Mewtwo. My opponent was unable to find the cards to OHKO my Banded Mewtwo and I was able to steal the game with a Lysandre. This kind of thing is not terribly uncommon. Volcanion takes three Energy to attack so it is relatively susceptible to a big Mewtwo sweep!
Volcanion With Rahul Reddy
Rahul was able to finish in the Top 4 of St. Louis with his original [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] list. I am excited to have him featured on my article today to shed some light on his list and what makes it a good choice for Expanded format!
What’s up Rahul? Welcome to PokeBeach and congrats on your Top 4 finish at the St. Louis Regional Championships with Volcanion.
Thanks Andrew! Great to be here.
Volcanion has been a mainstay in Standard but is just now starting to prove itself strong enough to compete in Expanded. Can you walk us through your thought process in choosing Volcanion for St. Louis?
Sure! Leading into St. Louis myself, Dan Richard and Ryan Sabelhaus knew that there would be a spike in Grass decks due to [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] being very hyped. With Dark decks also being prevalent, we went with Volcanion. We were thinking that [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] wouldn’t be popular, so that was helpful in making my decision as well.
What do you consider to be Volcanion’s good matchups in Expanded?
[card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] is a deck that heavily relies on beating decks that are slow to set up. For example decks like Speed Dark, Dark Dragons, [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card]. Having the ability to use two Steam Ups on the first turn in combination with [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] to take an early Knock Out can swing the game entirely in your favor. For example, I beat five Dark variants on the first day of swiss. Volcanion also has a very good matchup versus [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] which was a very popular deck at the event. The matchup is very favorable because even under Item-lock, you OHKO their main attacker while most of the time Lurantis decks struggle to keep up.
What do you consider to be Volcanion’s bad matchups in Expanded?
As far as bad matchups go, [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY173″ c=”name”][/card] doesn’t have many, but they’re all pretty bad. The worst matchup was [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], as I learned throughout the weekend, losing to it in Top 4. [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] in the early turns can be a bigger problem than I previously anticipated. Mega Rayquaza also needs less resources to one shot Volcanion, and since I can’t [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] and Lysandre in the same turn, I’m forced to answer the Active Rayquaza. This matchup seemed ok during theorycrafting but it was a lot worse when I had to play the eventual tournament winner, Alex Wilson, twice, folding to him in Top 4.
Leading up to the event, the biggest concern for my group was [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] based decks. Seismitoad itself wasn’t the main problem. Toad’s damage output was still pretty low, the biggest problem for Volcanion is [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card]. Silent Lab shuts down access to all Abilities like Steam Up, Scoundrel Ring, Rush In and Set Up, which can be very detrimental to Volcanion’s set up. That being said, I did lose a close series to Alex Schemanske, who finished in Top 8 with [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / Seismitoad. Even though it was a Toad deck, I was able to make the series close because I still had access to my Abilities.
Night March was the final one of our worries because the deck is filled with quick one Prize attackers that can overwhelm the deck by taking big OHKOs on Pokemon-EX, ending the game before Volcanion can even stabilize.
I noticed sitting across from you at the top tables that your list seemed super unique! Do you mind sharing your list with us?
[decklist name=”Volcanion” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″][pokemon amt=”14″]4x [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY71″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”142″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Starmie” set=”Evolutions” no=”31″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Staryu” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”34″]4x [card name=”Professor Juniper” set=”Black and White” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ 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]2x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Tool Scrapper” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”116″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dowsing Machine” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]12x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”108″ c=”deck2″ amt=”12″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Starmie is an uncommon inclusion in most Volcanion decks right now and truthfully, I didn’t consider the card competitive until I saw it in your list. Why did you choose to run Starmie and how useful was it?
I chose to run [card name=”Starmie” set=”Evolutions” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] because it made the deck “N proof.” Starmie has an Ability, Space Beacon, that allows me to discard a card from my hand and get two Energy back from the discard pile. This is extremely efficient in a matchup where I can’t use Items like [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] to get the Energy back. In turn I can discard a useless Item and grab two Energy.
[cardimg name=”Starmie” set=”Evolutions” no=”31″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Beam me up![/cardimg]
Throughout the tournament I always had to make a conscious decision whether or not I should set up Starmie because having a single piece of the puzzle prized could spell disaster. I would have to say it helped more than it hurt because it was able to fetch me the two Energy I needed to seal the game versus Israel Sosa in Game three of our Top 8 match. Starmie was a card that wasn’t always useful, but when I could use it the card was one of my favorite parts of this deck.
Exeggcute seems to have synergy with many of the other cards included in your list. How useful was the Egg over the course of the tournament?
[card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] was the silent MVP. Every game I had Egg prized I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle. Late game resources are the key to winning a game. A player can be up six to one on Prizes and still lose because the player at one Prize card used all their resources. With cards like [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Dowsing Machine” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card], I am discarding cards all the time. All of these cards have a discard two requirement for their effect, so using Propagate on Egg to have one of those cards all of the time was very helpful. Using a turn one [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and throwing the Egg in the discard was always a refreshing feeling. It also made [card name=”Starmie” set=”Evolutions” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] free of charge every turn because I can bring the Egg back to my hand and discard it with Star Beacon in exchange for Energy.
Dowsing Machine is another interesting choice. Why did you choose Dowsing Machine over Computer Search?
[card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] was my initial choice but after thinking about what I would grab with it early the answer was always [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] in case of [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card]. But [card name=”Dowsing Machine” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] is useful at all stages of the game except the first turn, which made the call easier for my teammates and I followed along.
Is there anything you would want to change about your list going forward? If so, why?
I would cut the [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] for a switching Supporter and an [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”14″ c=”name”][/card] to help round out all the matchups. The Elixir were cute but I didn’t really find any use out of them throughout 14 rounds. Having an [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] would have made the [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] matchup much easier because Fright Night [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] locking some of my Pokemon in the Active spot became a problem at times. The Entei would have been amazing to deal with the [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] decks or decks like Night March where I can trade a one Prize attacker for their two Prize attacker.
Do you think that the recently revealed Turtonator-GX will make a significant impact on Volcanion in Expanded?
I think Turtonator can be a very useful one-of moving forward because it seems like it can hit very very hard. I like the card and think I could place it in for a [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. Just think, with a single [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] you’re doing insane amounts of damage!
If someone wanted to bring this deck to a tournament, is there any advice you would give them about piloting the deck?
Yeah! Be smart with your discards and just avoid [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] decks! During my tournament I found that the deck was incredibly straight forward to play but sometimes you take hard losses because of not finding the Energy cards at the time you need them. After starting 8-1 day one and dropping my first two games of day two I felt like the deck stopped working on me and I was preparing myself for the worst. But once I calmed down and realized that [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY173″ c=”name”][/card] is a fun deck to play and I don’t have to worry about much, I was able to bring myself back around into Top 8. The best feeling is knowing that you can do 220 damage to your opponent from out of nowhere using Steam Up and Blacksmith on your first turn.
Thanks for stopping by Rahul and good luck with the remainder of your season!
Thank you so much Andrew! It was a pleasure chatting with you.
Conclusion
Awesome! I didn’t know that Rahul had a rocky start to his day two as well, I’m glad he was able to pull himself out of it! I’m not totally sure how I feel about the [card name=”Starmie” set=”Evolutions” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] in Rahul’s list, but the deck undoubtedly has strength, synergy and potential. Perhaps [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY173″ c=”name”][/card] can afford to play a 1/1 line because of the straightforward nature of the deck. Additionally, I didn’t realize how naturally Steam Up and [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] combo, allowing for a quick and explosive deck that I am sure we are going to be seeing more of in the future!
As for myself, I just played my first tournament with [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] at a local League Cup and I was very impressed with how strong the deck was! Our very own John Kettler was able to pilot a version of his own deck to a second place finish at St. Louis, causing a fierce uprising in the deck’s play at the Oceania International Championships! I am excited to continue testing the deck and see how it plays out at the League Cups I will be attending in the months to come.
I won’t be attending another Regionals until Virginia, unfortunately, and next time I write I will be going over all the awesome new cards and decks to come out of the next set, Guardians Rising! Thanks for stopping by everyone!
Later Trainers,
-Andrew Mahone
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