The Meta Map — Making Sense of the New Standard Format

By: Grant Manley · Posted Posted onMay 26, 2017 at 2:51 PM · 0 Comments

Hello everyone! This is Grant Manley here again, this time with an article pertaining to the future rather than the past. I haven’t gotten to test much of the new Standard format yet, so I won’t have any crazy exciting lists for new decks. Instead, I will look over each deck that is affected by Guardians Rising and give a general analysis on its strengths and weaknesses. The previous format was dominated by [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] along with some [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card]. With the release of Guardians Rising, it seems that the format is now wide open. Most of the top decks have been severely nerfed in some way.

Decidueye is weakened because [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] beats it pretty badly and [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] (a shaky matchup for Decidueye) is stronger now with [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card]. Additionally, [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] are not fun for it to deal with. Turbo Dark is weakened by [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], which removes [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card]. Mega Ray gets wrecked by [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] and Mewtwo will be destroyed by [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]. There are lots of decks worth looking at now. First, I will go over the previously established decks and talk about their chances in this brave new world. Then I’ll look at some new interesting ideas and discuss just how good I think they will be.

Decidueye / Vileplume

[cardimg name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

DeciPlume has been the dominating factor in Standard for quite some time. I have always disliked this deck tremendously, and I am hopeful that Guardians Rising has enough Grass-hate to dethrone it. This deck still works, as [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] is just an insanely strong card. It has a ton of HP and three incredible attributes. Decidueye decks have found ways to deal with Volcanion in the past, so I doubt that Fire will be a major deterrent by itself. I’m sure that Decidueye players will not like dealing with the new and improved versions of Volcanion, but that doesn’t mean that Grass will die.

The introduction of [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] is also quite unwelcome for Decidueye. I imagine that some Sylveon decks will function a lot like Quad [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card], and not being weak to Grass makes the matchup quite lopsided in Sylveon’s favor. Decidueye can take the loss here, and just hope to get lucky by going first and getting a triple Feather Arrow donk. You could also try out [card name=”Espeon-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card], but I doubt this inclusion would turn the matchup enough to warrant a spot.

Perhaps the most interesting matchup for Decidueye is [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]. I don’t think Decidueye needs to play down too many Items to set up, and being an Item-lock deck, doesn’t include copious amounts of Items anyway. With five Items discarded, Garbodor deals 100 damage, which is only a 3HKO. This trade is in Decidueye’s favor, as two Feather Arrows plus Razor Leaf is a OHKO on Garbodor. The most interesting element of this matchup is against those who choose to run [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] with Garbodor. Drampa discards a Special Energy with its first attack, despite only doing 20 damage. The Decidueye player is forced to run the version with Basic Grass Energy to have any hope whatsoever against Drampa. Drampa can also use Big Wheel GX to draw plenty of cards while Item-locked. I think the basic Grass version of Decidueye can go at least 50-50 against Drampa / Garbodor, but this is something I’ll definitely have to test.

One version of Decidueye / Vileplume is including [card name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card]. This is just bad and I don’t know why it is a thing. It may do well at a few events here and there but I think the old version is superior. If you want to snipe, use [card name=”Meowth” set=”Fates Collide” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]. Sure, it has less HP than Ninetales, but its advantages outweigh that. Meowth only takes up one or two spots in a deck as opposed to four. It only gives up one Prize card, and it is a Basic. DeciPlume is clunky enough as is, it doesn’t need more evolution lines.

One thing worth mentioning is the new [card name=”Sableye” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card]. For a Dark Energy (or a [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]), Sableye prevents your opponent playing Supporters for the next turn. This effect is interesting combined with Vileplume. It can stall for a couple extra turns of Feather Arrow damage. I do not know if this card is worth playing though, and I don’t expect it to be very popular. It is too easy for the opponent to KO it.

Strengths

• Turn one [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] is still ridiculous
• [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] is a powerful card and difficult to deal with
• It has less of a target on its back than it did previously
• Always has a very real chance of stealing wins against so-called “bad matchups”

Weaknesses

• [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] destroys it
• [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] is probably going to be popular, and it is even stronger now with [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card]
• [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] is annoying
• The deck is still very clunky and consistently needs various pieces to fall into place

Verdict

DeciPlume is not dead. It is still a decent deck. It won’t be nearly as popular as it was, so I don’t think it is something that you need to go out of your way to prepare for. Is it the play for Seattle? No. Don’t play this deck for Seattle. I wouldn’t be surprised to see one or two in day two of Seattle, though. It is definitely weaker with the new set, but I just don’t see it dying. Not yet.

Volcanion

Volcanion clearly has the most to gain from the new set. Remember when I was listing how all of the meta decks got wrecked by Guardians Rising? Volcanion was the one that I didn’t mention, and for good reason. The new set doesn’t do much to hurt Volcanion. The major problem for it is [card name=”Aqua Patch” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card], and Aqua Patch decks don’t seem like the strongest options out there right now. Thanks to Steam Up, Volcanion can still trade Prizes with Water decks. Fire versus Water is less of a type-advantage game and more of a behemoth slug-fest until one of them misses a beat and loses all of the momentum. So you see, Volcanion doesn’t lose much.

[cardimg name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”131″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Volcanion does have a lot to gain though. I’ve mentioned [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] in particular. Turtonator gives Volcanion a ridiculous GX attack that accelerates a ton of Energy to your powerful attackers and challenges your opponents to deal with your board. Its first attack, Shell Trap, gives Volcanion decks a potential answer to [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Araquanid” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card]. And of course, Turtonator can just blow everything up with a Steam Up-assisted Bright Flame attack. Volcanion can also make great use of [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card]. Field Blower helps Volcanion against [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] in particular. It also removes Choice Band to make it harder for opposing Pokemon to OHKO Volcanion-EX or Turtonator-GX. Another tech that Volcanion players might include would be [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card]. Sudowoodo effectively fixes the previously unfavorable [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, so it is worth consideration.

I expect all Volcanion decks to include at least one Turtonator and one Field Blower. Some might play two of either. Volcanion will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming format.

Strengths

• The deck is powerful, being able to easily OHKO any Pokemon
• Arguably the most consistent deck in the format
• Incredibly fast thanks to [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]
• Becomes even better with [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card]
• Manageable matchups against just about everything because of [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] beating Rayquaza and less [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] decks around

Weaknesses

• [card name=”Aqua Patch” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] might make Water a threat
• Still weak to Ability-lock even with Field Blower being a soft counter to [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]
• Has a tough time dealing with [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], which might become popular again

Verdict

Volcanion is going to remain a Tier 1 deck. It is incredibly strong right now. I will make a bold prediction and say that at least five will make day two in Seattle. Should you play it? Honestly, probably. It’s a good play. Take the loss to Greninja, accept the weird matchup to Aqua Patch, and just try and beat everything else. Volcanion can handle [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], and most of the other new stuff fairly well. Tech a [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] if you want to beat Rayquaza.

Turbo Dark

Poor Turbo Dark. Volcanion was already an iffy matchup, and that deck just got insane. Additionally, almost every deck will run [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], which just about destroys Turbo Dark. [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] was crucial to this deck’s success, and Field Blower can easily remove it for good. Turbo Dark traditionally plays tons of Items in order to get going, and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] will punish it for doing so. If the Turbo Dark player tries to play slowly and conservatively, the Garbodor player can overrun them with [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] (which will likely be packing [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]).

Unfortunately for Turbo Dark, it just doesn’t have much to gain until the new Darkrai-GX comes out. And even that may not be enough to breathe life into this dying archetype. Turbo Dark has issues with the new meta, especially with Field Blower and Choice Band running rampant. Is the deck dead? I think so, but I could be proven wrong.

Strengths

• Fast
• Consistent
• Can beat [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]… maybe

Weaknesses

• Loses [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card]
• [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] hurts it
• Bad matchup against [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]
• Bad matchup against [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
• Bad matchup against [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]
• The predicted absence of [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] doesn’t do it any favors
• Can struggle against [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]

Verdict

Some people might still play this deck because of how strong it was in the previous format. I advise you to not play it. There won’t be too many in Seattle, and I predict one at most will make day two. Turbo Dark is incredibly weak right now, and it has no real good matchups.

Mega Rayquaza

Mega Ray seems to be going under the radar at the moment, and I imagine it is just the fear of [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] that might stop players from going with Ray. Aside from Sudowoodo, Rayquaza is incredibly poised going into this new format. It gains consistency with [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card], and it can also make great use of [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card]. Field Blower is amazing for this deck as it removes annoyances such as [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]’s Garbotoxin. The deck is stronger than before, just like Volcanion. Rayquaza also has great matchups. It can beat Sylveon, Greninja, and Volcanion, though it might struggle with Drampa / Garbodor.

The main thing going against Rayquaza is Sudowoodo, and Sudowoodo may very well turn out to be unpopular. With what little hype Ray is getting, many players may exclude the Fake Tree altogether. Even against decks with Sudowoodo, Rayquaza still has a chance. [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] removes its Ability for a turn, which can allow you to get a clutch KO. Inevitably, Ray will have to KO the Tree at some point. Once that happens, if the Sudowoodo player whiffs a way to get it back, Ray might run away with momentum from there. Sudowoodo is an effective counter to Rayquaza, but it sure is a fragile one.

Strengths

• Blisteringly fast
• Still as powerful as ever, able to hit up to 240 damage on turn one
• Great matchup against [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]
• Good but volatile matchup against [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
• Can deal with [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]
• Stronger now with [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card].

Weaknesses

• Can struggle against [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]
• Weak to [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card]
• Lots of moving pieces, so the deck can feel clunky and awkward at times

Verdict

Mega Rayquaza is actually an incredibly strong play right now. It can abuse [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] quite well, which is highly effective against nearly ever top tier deck. I definitely recommend playing or at least messing around with Rayquaza, it seems like a great deck in this new format. I don’t expect it to be too popular in Seattle, but I wouldn’t be surprised if three or more made day two. Sudowoodo is definitely annoying, but I wouldn’t worry about it enough to disregard Rayquaza.

Mega Mewtwo

[cardimg name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Mewtwo seems to have fallen off altogether thanks to the insane about of [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] hype. I don’t have much to say about Mewtwo. It beats Volcanion, Greninja, and Rayquaza. It loses to Sylveon and Garbodor. Mewtwo is too risky of a play in my opinion. I don’t think it is good. You could run the Trashalanch Garbodor with Mewtwo, but at that point I think you are better off running Drampa / Garb.

Strengths

• Favorable matchup against [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]
• Favorable matchup against [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]
• Favorable matchup against [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] (if you run [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”from”][/card])
• Powerful

Weaknesses

• Unfavorable matchup against [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
• Loses instantly against [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”from”][/card]
• It seems a little slow

Verdict

I expect everyone to abandon [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], and I recommend that you do the same. I will be surprised if anyone plays it in Seattle, let alone makes day two. I do have to give credit where credit is due though, it could turn out to be a strong meta call in a field of Ray, Volcanion, and Greninja.

[premium]

Gyarados

I know right! [card name=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card]? This deck might seem to come from out of nowhere, but I had to include it sometime! I think Gyarados is actually the best deck in the format. The only thing holding Gyarados back last format was the insane amounts of [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]. Now that Decidueye is weakened and less popular, Gyarados is poised to take this format by storm. Gyarados gains [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] from the new set, which is basically just a way better version of [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Rescue” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card]. Gyarados can also enjoy [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card], which can save it from its awkward opening hands by fetching [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card]. As far as matchups, it really just beats everything besides Decidueye. However, when the Promo Tapu Koko becomes legal, I’m not even sure if [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] will be able to save it.

For a more detailed look at Gyarados, check out this article. Below is my updated Gyarados list. I’m pretty sure I’d play it if I was going to Seattle. It is fairly straightforward and focused on consistency. I did include some techs such as [card name=”Absol” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] for the mirror and [card name=”Giratina” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY184″ c=”name”][/card] for the [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] matchup.

[decklist name=”Gyarados” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″][pokemon amt=”13″]3x [card name=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Magikarp” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”19″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Remoraid” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Absol” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”40″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Giratina” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY184″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”43″]3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ 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=”Dive Ball” set=”Primal Clash” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Rotom Dex” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”131″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Team Magma’s Secret Base” set=”Double Crisis” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

 Strengths

• One of the most enjoyable decks to play in my opinion
• Beats almost everything including [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] (unless they play many copies of [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card]), and probably [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]
• Incredibly powerful, being able to OHKO everything relevant
• Can use Full Retaliation for up to 270 starting on turn two, so it’s fast if you get all of the pieces early on
• Once it gets going there is no stopping it

Weaknesses

• Clunky at times
• Loses to [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]
• Loses to [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], but not as bad as it loses to Owls
• Loses to bad Prizes, needs three (and sometimes four) copies of [card name=”Magikarp” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”19″ c=”name”][/card] and the 1-1 [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] line to function
• Easy to tech against with things like [card name=”Spinda” set=”Primal Clash” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Celebi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY93″ c=”name”][/card]

Verdict

[card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card] is the play for Seattle. It has already been doing well at tournaments with this new format. It has great matchups against just about everything. I personally have a blast playing it because of how powerful and skill-intensive it is. People are aware of Gyarados now, so you might have to be wary of techs against it. I expect around three to five Gyarados in day two of Seattle, and I highly recommend trying it out. If you don’t play Gyarados yourself, be prepared to face it once or twice.

Greninja

[cardimg name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

And now onto the next Water-type deck that will become popular again and also happens to start with a “G.” I have historically hated this deck and always thought it was bad. I still think it is bad. I will never play Greninja. However, Greninja has already picked up some hype for the new format and also has some decent results. It becomes much stronger thanks to [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], and the lessened presences of Decidueye and Mewtwo. Greninja can also use [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card]. Field Blower gives Greninja a solid counter to Garbotoxin. Choice Band allows Shadow Stitching to hit for 70 and Moonlight Slash to hit for 110. Moonlight Slash can now 2HKO most Pokemon, which means your Giant Water Shuriken can be used against the opponent’s Bench more often.

Aside from the weakened presence of bad matchups, Greninja has plenty of good ones. Greninja can adequately deal with [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]. I have no idea how it does against [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card]. The fact that Greninja is strong against what I see as the big three makes it a worthy contender.

Strengths

• Impossible to stop once fully set up
• Favorable matchup against [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]
• Favorable matchup against [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
• Favorable matchup against [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]
• [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] gives it an answer to [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], which was previously a huge issue

Weaknesses

• Deck is often an inconsistent mess
• Loses to [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] badly
• Easily countered by [card name=”Giratina” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY184″ c=”name”][/card], and this can only be dealt with by using [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] if your opponent doesn’t play many Stadiums
• Very slow
• Weak to [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], which is more accessible than ever because of [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card]

Verdict

I do not recommend Greninja. I don’t like it one bit. If you do play it, I highly advise running a [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card]. When testing without Tapu Lele, I frequently found myself with [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] and no way to draw cards. Tapu Lele would significantly increase consistency. Starting with it isn’t even that bad, though it can be slightly annoying at times.

I expect a good number of Greninja to make day two because it seems to be very popular right now. With a lot of players playing the deck, some are almost guaranteed to run hot and make day two. We might see around five or more in day two of Seattle. Prepare to do battle with the Frog army at any Standard event you attend from now on.

Mega Gardevoir

To round out our trifecta of Pokemon that start with “G,” we have Gardevoir. [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] has seen on-and-off success this season, mostly preying on metas rife with [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card]. Yet even though Mewtwo has fallen out of favor, we are still seeing some Gardevoir hype! Why? I don’t know! I don’t think Gardevoir is any good right now. Decidueye is an unfavorable matchup, so that’s why Gardevoir didn’t see any play when Owls ran rampant. Naturally, the fact that Decidueye is less popular makes Gardevoir more appealing.

Gardevoir enjoys a few new cards from the new set: [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Oricorio” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card]. I am not at all sold on Oricorio as I think it is unnecessary. However, Brad Curcio won a League Cup with it so I’m sure it will be played. Sudowoodo makes sense. Along with [card name=”Fairy Drop” set=”Fates Collide” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], it makes the Rayquaza matchup closer to 50-50 as opposed to the autoloss it once was. Sudowoodo is also rather effective against Volcanion, which still is an interesting and tough matchup.

As for other matchups, Gardevoir struggles with [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and sometimes with [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]. Based on my past experiences with Gardevoir (as I haven’t played with any new lists yet), it seems difficult to regulate Item play. It might be possible to play few Items against [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], but then it could be difficult to deal with [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card]. Sylveon can beat Gardevoir with disruption and pressure with Fairy Wind.

Strengths

• Versatile and can be teched for a variety of matchups
• Has a good shot to beat almost any given deck
• Decidueye is less popular now, giving it a better chance to succeed

Weaknesses

• No real good matchups, more of a slew of 50-50’s
• Clunky Mega deck
• Very high maintenance
• Loses to some decks unless you tech for them, like [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card]
• Struggles against [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]

Verdict

I don’t like decks with lots of 50-50’s. Some people do. Perhaps it is more of a preference thing. I wouldn’t play this deck, I recommend not playing it because of all its negative aspects. There are better options. Gardevoir isn’t bad per say, it just seems inferior to the plethora of options already present in this meta. You might see some Gardevoir decks in Seattle. One or two might make day two. I won’t lose any sleep over taking a loss to Gardevoir.

Dark Dragons

[cardimg name=”Salamence-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY170″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This deck is very similar to Turbo Dark but with less of a reliance on [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] and more of a focus on Dragons. It has excelled in Standard by combining the raw power of [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] with the anti-meta niches of [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Salamence-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY170″ c=”name”][/card]. Unfortunately, these Dragons are no longer very anti-meta, as the meta has changed. This deck can’t really deal with [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]. It also doesn’t have a great time with [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], though that matchup is much more manageable than the aforementioned ones. Dark Dragons also struggles against [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]. The only thing this deck gains from Guardians Rising is a heap of bad matchups.

Strengths

• Fast
• High HP and moderately powerful attackers that can be difficult to deal with
• Destroys [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]

Weaknesses

• Meta has changed to weaken it as there aren’t many good matchups now
• Weak against [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]
• Can struggle against [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]
• Loses to [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
• Tough time versus [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]

Verdict

I don’t have much to add honestly. The deck is completely dead.

Yveltal

[card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY08″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] has always proven to be a strong and resilient contender. I’ve written about it quite a lot recently. Unfortunately for this brave bird, it looks like the meta thoroughly outclasses it now. Yveltal suffers from the existence of [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], which gives every deck a soft counter to Garbodor. Yveltal completely dies against [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]. Drampa being able to hit for 180 is just too unfortunate. Additionally, Pokemon-GX are not Pokemon-EX, so [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] cannot prey on them. Overall, every aspect of Yveltal / Garb is severely weakened and it doesn’t gain enough to compensate for that.

Strengths

• Versatile
• Fast
• Ability-lock
• Does well against some EX-based decks thanks to [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]

Weaknesses

• The deck is just too weak to keep up now
• Every deck can use [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] to mitigate the effectiveness of [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]
• Loses to [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
• Loses to [card name=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] (unless you tech for it)
• Loses to [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]

Verdict

It loses to decks that are just too popular. It cannot succeed until the meta shifts once again. Even then, it might be too far behind. The deck is now a relic of the past.

Vespiquen

[card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], also known as buzzkill, is another deck with middling success this season. It has never been a dominant threat but still has gotten some strong finishes. I expect that trend to continue. Vespiquen likes [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]. A lot. Vespiquen is yet another victim of the reign of terror imposed by Decidueye. It is now free to spread its wings. With Choice Band by its side along with the lessened presence of Owls, Vespiquen can make its comeback. The one thing that’s interesting is how it’s not on anyone’s radar. I haven’t heard much talk about Bees at all. It feels a lot like Gyarados but can be smoother at times.

Vespiquen can deal with [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] (sort of), [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. It is extremely versatile and powerful. You can customize Vespiquen however you like in order to beat specific matchups. Don’t bother with trying to beat Decidueye though, that matchup is just going to be bad no matter what you do. It is winnable with [card name=”Flareon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card], but still unfavorable. Look out for Andrew Mahone. If anyone is going to make Vespiquen great again, it’s him (or yours truly).

Strengths

• The deck is buzzted
• Versatile and customizable
• Powerful
• Army of hard-hitting Bees is difficult for opponents to deal with
• Destroys [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]
• Does fairly well against a variety of meta decks, doing stronger against specific ones based on techs

Weaknesses

• Low HP, Bees drop like flies
• Sometimes has awkward early-game hands and can struggle to get going
• Loses to Decidueye

Verdict

I don’t expect [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] to show up to Seattle. It just doesn’t have the hype. Is it a good play? Definitely. I think Vespiquen has enormous potential in this format. I recommend giving it a try. It’s a strong deck with so many options. What’s not to love about a non-EX that can OHKO literally everything for just a DCE?

Lapras

[cardimg name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”151″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Quad [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card] has previously been played as a disruption deck, but it looks like [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] is replacing it in that role. The one thing that Lapras has over Sylveon is that it’s less vulnerable to donks and Ability-lock. This is not a good enough reason to play the inferior deck. Quad Lapras as we know it is gone. However, Guardians Rising blessed Lapras with [card name=”Aqua Patch” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card]. Waterbox decks have started popping up with Aqua Patch and [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. Of course, Lapras is the star and is played with [card name=”Manaphy-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] and various other Water-type Pokemon. [card name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] can exist as its own deck too, but that’s getting off-topic. As I seem to be saying with every deck, Lapras benefits from the reduced presence of Decidueye.

Strengths

• Fast with multiple sources of Energy acceleration
• Powerful with Blizzard Burn and [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]
• Strong against [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], but the matchup is not as lopsided as one might think
• Survives 180 damage dealt by [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card]
• Built-in drawpower with Collect

Weaknesses

• Loses to [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card]
• Loses to [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]
• Can’t OHKO [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] without [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] (or [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] and you really want Choice Band)

Verdict

For once, I have absolutely no idea. I haven’t played this deck at all. It seems solid. I don’t know how well it does against [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. It seems like a pretty good deck. [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] would make a huge difference against Ray. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this deck succeed in Seattle.

Sylveon

And now we reach the most powerful disruption deck of our time. I have mentioned [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] in every section so far and there is a reason for that. This deck is ridiculously powerful. If you take a bad matchup to Sylveon in this format, you better be darn sure you can beat everything else. Sylveon is basically just a way better version of Quad Lapras, the deck that just won Virginia Regionals. If a deck is good enough to win a Regional and then gets a ridiculous upgrade, you know it’s gotta be something to watch out for. Sylveon is receiving a ton of hype and popularity, second only to the deck I will cover last.

Sylveon’s combination of Magical Ribbon, Fairy Wind, and Plea GX is the perfectly deadly combination of options that makes it so difficult to defeat. Magical Ribbon will find disruption card after disruption card to bleed any deck of resources. When the opponent misses a beat, the pressure is on with Fairy Wind. Plea GX completely undermines typical strategies against disruption decks and it is quite frankly ridiculous.

Strengths

• Way more consistent than Quad Lapras
• Incredibly hard to deal with
• Lots of HP in combination with [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card]
• Seemingly unlimited supply of various disruption cards
• Bonkers combination of three strong attacks
• Has a good shot at beating everything, if not an outright favorable matchup

Weaknesses

• Going second and your opponent Ability-locks you on turn one
• Can have scary times against [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]
• Difficult but interesting and very winnable matchup against [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]
• Mirror is really not fun at all

Verdict

Sylveon is really really good and everyone knows it. Expect to run into a few at any Standard event. I expect some to make day two at Seattle, at least two. If you want to play it, go for it. Test it a lot and try tweaking it to mitigate its weaknesses. The deck has serious potential.

Garbodor

[cardimg name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”142″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

[card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] is hands down the best partner for [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]. All of its attacks are really good and it swings for exactly 180 damage! Not to mention its amazing GX attack that activates [card name=”Hala” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card] and forces your opponent to try and [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] you. Righteous Edge is useful against everything with Special Energy and Berserk is useful against everything in general. It is a bulky and powerful Pokemon that forces your opponent to scramble a response, usually by using Items. Garbodor itself does a ridiculous amount of damage for one Psychic Energy and you can also use the other [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] for Ability-lock.

Strengths

• Drampa, like Sylveon, has a strong arsenal of three attacks to utilize
• Ability-lock
• Drampa does 180 damage, eradicating most EX’s and GX’s
• Trashalanch has insane damage output, but not early on
• It’s well rounded and difficult to counter

Weaknesses

• [card name=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] is a tough matchup
• [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] is a tough matchup
• Struggles against anything that can deal with Drampa without playing many Items

Verdict

Garbodor is the most popular deck. It is already succeeding in Standard tournaments across the globe. I can’t advise against it because of how good it is. However, I wouldn’t personally play it. I would be apprehensive about all of the mirror matches and Sylveon decks. I imagine at least six Garbodor decks to make day two in Seattle. If you don’t prepare for any other deck, at least be ready for Garbodor.

Tier List

Here is a Tier List for convenience. This is based on early results and speculation, as no major events for this format have occurred in America. The meta is still wide open, but this should provide a solid frame of reference.

Tier 1

• [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card]
• [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
• [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]
• [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]

Tier 2

• [card name=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card]
• [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]
• [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]

Conclusion and Top Plays

[cardimg name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

I hoped this article helped to shed some light on a new format. I certainly enjoyed writing this, and hopefully next time I will be back with some crazy concoctions. This is a new world everyone! Be creative, explore, but still be prepared for the meta decks. I imagine that Decidueye’s contested place in the meta will allow many more different decks to succeed. I am so happy that this oppressive force is no longer as dominant as it was, though I did have fun squashing Owls with Quad [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card]. Speaking of Quad Wobb, I know some of you were curious about how it could adapt to this new meta. I’m sorry to disappoint you by not discussing it, but by providing a list I would be doing a disservice as I haven’t gotten around to testing it yet!

Thanks for reading! To sum it up, here are my top four plays for Seattle. I am not going, but my fourth pick would be Vespiquen. It is great for all of the reasons that I mentioned earlier, but I am not confident enough to list it as my top pick. It definitely has a ton of potential and I will be exploring it more in the near future. Third is Volcanion. Volcanion is strong, powerful, and it got a lot stronger with the new set. Its matchups are solid and it brings down Decidueye pretty hard. I am wary of Gyarados and Greninja though. My second pick is Mega Ray. It abuses [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] so well, and that card is quite broken in this format. Rayquaza has fantastic matchups now and it seems like an amazing play. The threat of Sudowoodo is always in the back of my mind though.

My number one top pick right now is Gyarados. It has a favorable matchup against everything besides Decidueye, and that is good enough to make at least Top 8 at a Regional. Gyarados is ridiculously strong and most decks can’t deal with it unless they tech something like [card name=”Spinda” set=”Primal Clash” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card]. I like my inclusions of [card name=”Absol” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Giratina” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY184″ c=”name”][/card] because they help tremendously in two iffy matchups: Greninja and the Gyarados mirror.

That’s all I have today. I hope you liked this article! Good luck, enjoy the format, and happy summer Pokemon players!

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