The Outdated Modern — Guardians Rising’s Impact and Seattle Regionals

By: John Kettler · Posted Posted onMay 23, 2017 at 6:42 PM · 0 Comments

The competitive Pokemon TCG season is now a constant week-to-week drama with major tournaments happening all the time. However, as Anaheim showed us, the most dramatic shifts in the decks and techs don’t always happen right away. Now that people have had a chance to see how major a change each Sun and Moon expansion is creating on the current PRC-on format, will the past repeat itself? Today we’ll discuss both the old and new decks we’ll see at Seattle Regionals next weekend. I’ll also discuss the best way to approach the post-Guardians Rising format, some projected top decks going into Seattle, and of course some ultimate recommendations on what to play.

The State of Standard’s Finest

If you could characterize with one phrase the conventional wisdom headed into Anaheim three months ago, it would be “play what’s already winning.” While that turned out to be sound advice for that particular tournament, [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] and then later [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card] would warp the format so badly, the early adaptors of those decks would find themselves greatly rewarded. What would have happened if more people caught on to those decks as soon as Sun and Moon became legal?

[cardimg name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Because both of those decks had a chance to shake up the format, I’m convinced that more people will be prepared for and expect Guardians Rising’s stars to do well as soon as Seattle. Decks we’ll discuss below, such as [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], are already on people’s radars as major threats, so the response to those decks will be much swifter than responses were to Decidueye and Lapras, which were written off by many people as novelties when they first came out.

So, given what we know now about how important Decidueye and Lapras were in the grand scheme of things, we ask ourselves the same question players asked themselves when Sun and Moon first came out. Do you play it safe and update an old deck, or do you risk it with a new concept?

To shed some light on that issue, let’s think of Standard as a 3D puzzle, with different sides shifting depending on how other parts move. Likewise, it’s important to consider how Standard’s top decks shift thanks to Guardians Rising.

Lapras-GX

[card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card] is outclassed in the tank department. [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], which we’ll discuss in detail later, achieves the purpose of disruptive tank deck much better than the current Lapras build. It has more HP, an arguably more game-changing GX attack, and above all else, a search attack instead of a draw attack. This combination makes it the clearly superior disruption deck, which is the type of build that went on to win Roanoke Regionals.

Lapras still has a couple saving graces, mostly in that it’s harder for [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] to get in the way of setting up. However, between Sylveon’s release and [card name=”Aqua Patch” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] making an aggressive Water deck somewhat viable, it might be time to repurpose this card as an attacker.

Decidueye-GX

[card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] is changing in some interesting ways, but is at risk for extinction. I still love Decidueye, and it goes toe-to-toe with most of the new cards. It also benefits directly from previous hate decks either going down in usage due to the metagame’s confusion, or to playing more Items — something [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] loves to see. The inclusion of [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] is also a huge boost in combating [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card]-lock variants. Unfortunately, [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] looks to be a tough matchup for Decidueye, and so while it will remain to be a strong play for the rest of the season, Decidueye may be at risk in the early format with Guardians Rising legal.

Volcanion

Volcanion is clearly a better play than previously. [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] is an incredible inclusion and [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] helps shake off popular Ability-lock. Now you just need to be sure that you can handle emergent [card name=”Aqua Patch” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] decks, the [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card] variants carried over, and Grant Manley’s Amazing Technicolored Mirror Coat.

Mega Rayquaza

[card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] is better in a metagame not focused on beating it. Rayquaza certainly doesn’t like to see the new [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] outranking [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] in the Bench size war, but this is actually a very specific inclusion not all decks can make. Therefore, its viability as a deck choice skyrockets when players are busier chasing after shiny new threats like [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], or are playing one of those two decks. It also doesn’t hurt that [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] makes it much easier now to combat [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], or that [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] makes the dreaded [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] chain easier than ever before. I’m not thrilled about lower-key threats like [card name=”Tapu Koko-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”47″ c=”name”][/card] potentially obliterating Rayquaza, but a field of old decks or Sylveon could prove to be a good day for a Metal / Rayquaza list.

Darkrai-EX

Turbo [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] is at the mercy of [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card]. Darkrai’s consistency may not be touched at all by Guardians Rising; however, the heart of Darkrai’s ability to hang on until the long game depends on [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] keeping you safe from one-shots, and [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] keeping your Energy supply secure. Now that we finally have Tool removal in the Standard format, Darkrai can’t safely bank on either of those cards.

Yveltal

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

Yveltal is also at the mercy of [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], but for different reasons. The heart of Yveltal / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]’s most disruptive combo, Garbotoxin plus [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], is now at risk because Field Blower has the potential to stop both at the same time.

Gyarados

[card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card] is much stronger, but still at the mercy of [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]. Getting [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] is a big deal for everything, but it’s perhaps the biggest deal for Gyarados. That’s because up until now many bulky Pokemon-EX decks have been out of range for Full Retaliation, thanks to high HP and/or [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], but no longer! Nevertheless, Decidueye destroys Gyarados almost as badly as it did before, so if you want all of the juicy matchups that Gyarados has to offer, then you have to time playing it carefully. Given how messy the metagame will be these next few weeks, Seattle could be a great opportunity for Gyarados.

Mega Mewtwo

[card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] is definitely not as safe as before. In the final PRC – SUM Standard Regional of the year, Mewtwo was the most successful deck on average, and I don’t think its good matchups are going away. Yet because Mewtwo depends so heavily on Items — Spirit Link, [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] — [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] is going to be an uphill battle. Luckily, you control how many Items go into the discard pile, so careful control of those mentioned cards may edge out enough games to make this deck a decent surprise play. But at this point in time, Mewtwo only has more road blocks in its way than before.

Mega Gardevoir

[card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] is overall much better than before. I’m not the first person to cite [card name=”Oricorio” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”55″ c=”deck”][/card] as a good way to avoid missing Energy attachments, but the real heart to the newer, better Mega Gardevoir is [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] virtually guaranteeing your [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] chain every game. Hex Maniac has a wide variety of applications for most matchups, so being able to assure drawing into it is a big deal. And since most lists run a below-average number of Supporters in the first place, it’s nice to have a new out to all of your draw, search, and refresh cards.

Vespiquen

There are plenty better choices, but [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] is not as dead as you’d think. Just like [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Oricorio” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”56″ c=”deck”][/card] has the potential to ruin a Vespiquen deck, but only if your opponent is actually running it. That’s because in the early days of Guardians Rising, people won’t quite be sure what to tech against, and are therefore a lot more likely to run Oricorio as an afterthought. That might allow a small window of opportunity for Vespiquen to do well again, especially since it reaches KOs much easier now thanks to [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card].

[premium]

Which Old Decks Rise Up?

Despite some of my darker forecasts above, I do not think that any of the above decks will fall completely out of use, or even out of hopes to win a major tournament like Seattle Regionals. Unlike other formats where certain concepts could be safely written off in a vastly unfavorable metagame for them, the current Standard metagame is so warped that anything well-constructed and with the right matchups can win. That’s because “cheese” concepts — ideas that break the game as we conventionally know it — are now more common than ever. [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] is at its core built to dismantle an opposing deck; Lapras tanks and can easily win via Prizes or deck out; Grant’s Wobbuffet Madness a.k.a. the Technicolor Mirror Coat a.k.a. every other lousy name I can make up for it simply counters the entire metagame. Add the new cards into the mix, and what can possibly stand up to all that?

Among old concepts, adjusted Volcanion and [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] builds are by far the safer choices. The decks simply gain too much to avoid becoming irrelevant, and with very tight play may be able to sustain Guardians Rising-based decks. Among these two, I think that Gardevoir is the most reasoned play because it now has the most options at its disposal, with the least risk of ever being locked out of the game. [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] searching for [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] can be crippling on Volcanion, even with [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] as an alternate attacker!

Listed below is my current Mega Gardevoir list, not too different from previous versions but with techs needed to handle its hardest matchups.

[decklist name=”aa” amt=”60″ caption=”aa” cname=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″][pokemon amt=”16″]3x [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Dragonite-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”72″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oricorio” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”55″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]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=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Brock’s Grit” set=”Evolutions” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Gardevoir Spirit Link” set=”Steam Siege” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”7″]6x [card name=”Fairy Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card]1x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”162″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Here, we have [card name=”Oricorio” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] to search out Fairy Energy when you fail to draw into it, as well as [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] to help us cope with our otherwise frustrating [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] matchup. The Sudowoodo also helps us keep our Volcanion matchup from getting too out of control. Among my Trainer selections, [card name=”Brock’s Grit” set=”Evolutions” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] has seen usage here before, but now becomes especially relevant thanks to [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card]. Normally neither of those decks is a good matchup for [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] due to all of the Energy discard options, but Brock’s Grit on average demands the opponent to at least remove double the Energy they normally would in a single game.

[cardimg name=”Oricorio” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”55″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

One peculiar feature you’ll see in my and several other lists is the inclusion of a single non-Fairy Basic Energy card. This is because [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] only needs a single Fairy Energy to pay for Despair Ray’s cost, letting you invest that last Energy slot to some more fringe uses. Oricorio can also search for the specific off-Energy you run making it much easier to utilize this tech. Listed below are some of the weirder utilities behind the last Energy slot:

• Psychic: Use of Tapu Cure GX, attack with [card name=”Oricorio” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]
• Fighting: Use of [card name=”Scorched Earth” set=”Fates Collide” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card], attack with [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] (funny but not bad at all)
• Grass: Tech [card name=”Trevenant-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”19″ c=”name”][/card] (this might be terrible)
• Water: Tech [card name=”Manaphy-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] (this might not be terrible!)

Perhaps the true risk in playing Mega Gardevoir is that it could get caught up in Sylveon hate, but Metal Weakness is a fringe threat. I still say “threat” because great players could still show up with great lists and surprise, but the risk of that happening isn’t too high with Volcanion staying good.

Aside from Volcanion and Mega Gardevoir, which both appear to be great plays in most likely metagames, there are some other decks that could have incredible days only if the matchups are perfect: [card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. Any of these three being possible champion-tier contenders requires that those decks’ hard counters, [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Oricorio” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] respectively, do not show up. I predict that at least Mega Rayquaza will do well in Seattle simply because people are not as concerned about it as they should be. Contrast that to Sylveon and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], which — while great cards — are by no means invincible metagame threats, and are in fact on everyone’s radars right now. But people will still either be playing those decks or playing to beat them, whereas only a few players may be inspired enough to tech Sudowoodo into their lists in preparation for the shifting metagame.

Determining Seattle’s New Contenders (Before Anything Actually Happens)

So now we have a better idea where the old metagame stands. How do those changes on top of our brand new decks determine what the event’s biggest threats will be? I’m going to discuss my impression of each big new deck going into Seattle, and help us figure out how big of a splash it will make.

New Contender #1: Garbodor

Threat level to the old metagame: Medium

Chances of a win in Seattle: Decent

[decklist name=”aa” amt=”60″ caption=”aa” cname=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″][pokemon amt=”15″]3x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Trubbish” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”50″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”34″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lillie” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Team Rocket’s Handiwork” set=”Fates Collide” no=”112″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]7x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”162″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

So far I’m really liking [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]’s ability to keep up with most decks in the format, but I dislike it when Trashalanche gets played around. That’s why I run several tech discard options in this list. [card name=”Team Rocket’s Handiwork” set=”Fates Collide” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] is a rare but helpful inclusion to dig for surprise Items, and [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] will occasionally force Items out of your opponent’s hand. [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] is a double threat in that not only can it discard more of their Items, but serve as a very (emphasis bold) situational aid in the mirror match.

That said, little techs like mine are only enough to break crucial damage thresholds — they’re not enough to get all of your opponent’s Items discarded by themselves. You still have to play patiently and are rarely blowing up on weak early game starts. This makes Garbodor a good but very balanced card, and thus not as outstanding a threat in case you want to use something else. For those reasons, I rate it as a medium threat to the older decks, and something with a real chance of winning Seattle, but not as clear a favorite as people originally envisioned.

New Contender #2: Sylveon

Threat level to the old metagame: High

Chances of a win in Seattle: Good

[decklist name=”aa” amt=”58″ caption=”aa” cname=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″][pokemon amt=”7″]3x [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Eevee” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”39″]4x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Team Rocket’s Handiwork” set=”Fates Collide” no=”112″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Brock’s Grit” set=”Evolutions” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Steven” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Team Skull Grunt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”133″ 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=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”124″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor’s Letter” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”146″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]11x [card name=”Fairy Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”11″][/card]1x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Free Slots – 2

Most [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] lists look a lot alike, and for good reason: Sylveon wins in a way that encourages streamlining your Energy and deck-discarding effects. This is by no means the only Sylveon list on PokeBeach either, though I’d like to highlight some of the more unusual choices. The base is 2016 World Champion Shintaro Ito’s list from a recent XY-on Japanese tournament, which has so far never failed to work well for me.

Max Team Rocket’s Handiwork and Delinquent

[cardimg name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

The heart of Shintaro’s list is the unusually high count on both of these cards, and I’ve so far never wanted to deviate from these card counts in testing. That’s because high counts of both are very useful in grinding down the opponents deck, which is the most usual method of winning with [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. Heavy counts of [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] also have obscure but useful applications, such as ridding yourself of a [card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] against [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] before you proceed to Plea GX them into the Stone Age.

Skyla, Steven, Professor’s Letter

This is a split inspired by James Arnold’s recent Roanoke-winning Lapras list. Like Lapras, Sylveon depends on drawing into its Basic Energy, so running these three cards effectively gives me 14 outs into a Fairy Energy turn one. These are also decent cards to sacrifice as discards against an opposing [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card].

Brock’s Grit

[card name=”Brock’s Grit” set=”Evolutions” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] is an experimental idea, but very useful in replenishing resources in close games. This is especially helpful against the mirror and in weird spots against [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] forcing you to expend Energy to Retreat.

The Open Slots

Ideas for the open slots include [card name=”Big Malasada” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] (Special Condition removal), [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] (anti-[card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] healing / more Special Condition removal), [card name=”Weakness Policy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] (counters Metal), [card name=”Flareon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Vaporeon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card], and more Stadiums.

If you’ve seen people playing this on Pokemon Trading Card Game Online lately, I’m sure you’ve had at least a few frustrating games against Sylveon. Unlike [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], which is an influential but balanced new attacker, I think that Sylveon-GX legitimately warps the metagame in an unhealthy way. That’s not to suggest that Sylveon is unbalanced: You can still Knock it Out in one hit with a few select Pokemon, exploit Weakness, shake up the Magical Ribbon chains with Status effects, and more. But while there are several ways to beat Sylveon, it is a very serious threat in case you don’t hit the magical 200 damage count in one turn.

New Contender #3: Water Toolbox

Threat level to the old metagame: Medium

Chances of a win in Seattle: Low

There are many ways to run the new Water Toolbox, but the gist of most lists is to run a high count of [card name=”Aqua Patch” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card], a decent number of [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card], and a nice mix of Water attackers including [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Wishiwashi-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Glaceon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card]. I think that Aqua Patch’s presence makes Water Toolbox much stronger than it was previously; however, the return of Tool removal is overall not as kind to this deck’s tank tactics. That means many of the above old decks will reach up to your high-HP counts with startling ease, and you might not have the disruption to keep up with them. Ironically, Water Toolbox’s saving grace is the ease at which it can break open the high-HP totals of more capable tanks like [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], thanks to [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card].

Water Toolbox has okay matchups, and potentially great matchups against the new decks. But just like back when Sun and Moon came out, Water Toolbox struggles against much of the old metagame. That means Seattle will likely hold Water down until a future tournament.

All Other Contenders (Tapu Koko-GX, Alolan Ninetales-GX, Metagross-GX, Trevenant, Others)

Threat level to the old metagame: Medium

Chances of a win in Seattle: Low

Finally, I’d like to address all of the less obvious ideas sprouting out of Guardians Rising as one group. I highly doubt any one of these decks will win in Seattle or even any of the upcoming major Standard tournaments next month, but they will certainly have an impact on particular matchups, dragging certain old decks down if only a little bit.

• A consistent [card name=”Tapu Koko-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”47″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] is very threatening to [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card].
• [card name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] is a versatile card with lots of different attack effects: It snipes, it deals big damage, and it moves its own damage onto the defending Pokemon. But for the most part Ninetales is a crippled card because it fails to do any one of its attack effects well enough.
• An aggressive [card name=”Metagross-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”85″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] list, focusing on itself as the main attacker and splashing tech Basics as the secondary attackers, is perhaps the deck that most excites me the most. Volcanion with [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] appears to make it a very risky if not unplayable choice, but reaches the magic 180 damage count easily, resulting in lots of good matchups. It also doesn’t hurt that it exploits a Weakness of and a Resistance against the two most influential decks out of Guardians Rising ([card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]’s Metal Weakness and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]’s Psychic typing).
• [card name=”Trevenant” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card]’s Poltergeist is the most overrated deck idea of the set. Although most lists run a high number of Trainers, it’s a miracle if Trevenant could hit an opponent with enough damage to be devastating. Trevenant may be better shelved as a secondary attacker in another deck, but I doubt it will be influential in time for Seattle.

What to Play

[cardimg name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

We’ve gone through every old deck in detail. We’ve gone through the top two new decks of Guardians Rising, and we’ve addressed a few other ideas to boot. To summarize, here’s what I see being the strongest old deck choices:

• Volcanion
• [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]
• [card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card]
• Metal [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]

And here’s what I think are the main new decks worth risking your tournament performance over:

• [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]
• [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
• That super-secret awesome rogue deck I completely overlooked, but you have complete confidence in!

Considering there are nearly two-dozen viable deck concepts in the current Standard format, that’s actually pretty narrowed down. If you have your final two choices narrowed down to a single deck of each category, however, then let’s solve your dilemma by returning to the core question at the start of this article:

Do you play it safe and update an old deck, or do you risk it with a new concept?

Consistent performances all season get rewarded by Play! Pokemon with Worlds invites, stipends to International Championships, and automatic day two berths. But you also get rewarded for awesome showings at single events.

Which concern wins out? When I chose to play [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] in Anaheim, it was an unknown quantity, but I thought that it would give me the best chance at winning the whole event, thus revitalizing my non-existent season up until that point. I needed to be a lot bolder with my deck choice than the people running [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], Yveltal, and [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], and was rewarded for that risky deck choice. Had I been in the mix for stipends to Melbourne or Sao Paolo, however, I very well may have played Yveltal.

Based on my own experience, I’d encourage you to be riskier with your deck choice if your performance at Seattle or any other immediately upcoming Regional could be your last tournament of the season. That’s a lot of pressure, but fortune favors the bold, so if you need to catch up with or even have a chance to continue your season with a Worlds invitation, then don’t be afraid to run that new crazy idea.

If, on the other hand, you are deep in the fight for the top-ranked players in your zone, then the tested commodities like [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card], Volcanion, [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card] all look a lot safer. I’m not sure how many of these players will actually be at Seattle, but slightly modified versions of those decks could result in smooth sailing to day two for Masters, or top cut for Seniors and Juniors.

Conclusion

I hope today’s article guides you through how Guardians Rising fits into understanding and preparing for the Seattle Regionals metagame. I won’t be going, but I do intend on traveling to Mexico City for their Regionals, and might even go to Madison the weekend prior. It’s not an easy decision to choose new or old concepts, but understanding your own situation and having confidence to act on your preferred deck is crucial to finish this season strong. Best wishes and best of luck!

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