Powerful Promos — Lurantis, Tapu Bulu-GX, and Tapu Koko Explorations

By: Caleb Gedemer · Posted Posted onJun 9, 2017 at 6:15 PM · 0 Comments

Hey, fans and readers! You’re ready for another ‘Beach run already? Since I last wrote for you, I’ve had lots more experience in the Standard format with Guardians Rising. Guardians Rising brought us the rise of [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], which I covered in my last article, as well as many new supporting cards for a variety of decks. As near as I can figure, I don’t think that [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] is as good as it was cracked up to be at first, especially with the time constraints most sanctioned tournaments hold. Times are changing again, though, I must say! That’s because we have two brand new cards on our hands thanks to some new sealed products Pokemon has released to us. These are three new Promo cards, Lurantis, Tapu Bulu-GX, and Tapu Koko, and although they may be limited in quantity, their strength might make you think they were the centerpieces of an entirely new expansion! Without further ado, let’s go swimming into a newly discovered Promo card abyss…

Lurantis

Overview

Lurantis is pretty simple, it buffs Grass and Fire Pokemon’s attacks by 20 damage. This doesn’t seem exceptional at first, but when you think about having multiple Lurantis out, that’s when things get crazy. Naturally, I think it goes without saying that Lurantis is geared more towards Grass-type decks, rather than Fire, since the most popular Fire deck out there already has [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] and its Steam Up Ability to increase damage. So, Grass decks are going to be the ones that make the best use of this new pretty bug.

[card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] is a no-brainer when it comes to this card, so it will fit fluidly in anything that already plays that wonderfully speedy Stadium card. The thing I like the most about this card is that it can effectively take Pokemon that were unplayable before, and with the damage boost, make them fighting machines. [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] obviously helps a lot with that, so be sure to consider it as an option to make your attacker do even more when choosing to play a deck that packages Lurantis.

[cardimg name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

A damage boost of this caliber is pretty unprecedented when it comes to the game. With so many existing damage modifiers, a simple attack of something as simple as 30 damage can quickly become much more than that, a force to truly be reckoned with. Lurantis is the first of a handful of neat new cards that have been released as Promos lately, and I couldn’t be more hyped on it.

Deck Idea

Lurantis / Vespiquen

Breakdown

[card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] is already a solid deck in the Standard format, but with [card name=”Lurantis” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM25″ c=”name”][/card], its damage output can get a serious boost. While most times you want extra Pokemon in your discard pile, having the instant gratification of an extra 20 damage without needing a way to discard Pokemon is fantastic. Having Lurantis makes playing [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] even better in this sort of deck, since it can now grab a Lurantis or [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] line. Playing Lurantis means you can focus entirely on Vespiquen, and not have to flit around with any other Pokemon that distract you from the focus of the deck. Expect some huge Knock Outs from any player using this deck.

Matchups

I have tested this deck extensively, so I do feel comfortable spelling out a short piece on how things go against a variety of decks.

  • [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] | Slightly Favorable (Unless [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is played)
    • Non-EX/GX Pokemon that can reach the OHKO numbers very quickly against clunkier two Prize attackers
  • [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] | Slightly Favorable
    • You are more of a streamlined deck with just one main attacker, versus a deck that has less recovery options and plays multiple attackers, some of which are clunky and give up more Prizes
  • [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] | Slightly Favorable (If you play a [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card])
    • With a Hex, you can stop Greninja from racking up Prizes that it otherwise wouldn’t, having a Hex might not be worth it, though, since ‘ninja is really dying down
  • [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card] | Highly Favorable
    • This might be your best matchups, since you can just take OHKOs on any of the Lapras-GX, even if your opponent plays [card name=”Glaceon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card], you can just attack it with either [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card], and eventually take it down
  • [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] | Slightly Favorable (If your opponent doesn’t play [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card])
    • Most Gardevoir lists have taken out [card name=”Rattata” set=”Evolutions” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], which helps keep your [card name=”Klefki” set=”Steam Siege” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] in play
  • [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] | Highly Favorable
    • Klefki absolutely wreaks Ray decks, so this is a walk in the park
  • [card name=”Metagross-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”85″ c=”name”][/card] | Favorable
    • Metagross might take a few attacks to Knock Out, but once you hit the higher numbers, this’ll be cake
  • [card name=”Raichu” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC9″ c=”name”][/card]| Slightly Favorable
    • Your attackers are easier to stream, since you have [card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], so trading Prizes with Raichu is simpler for you than your opponent
  • [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] | Slightly Favorable
    • With two [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] and careful decisions, you shouldn’t have a problem taking OHKOs at some point and taking down Sylveon
  • Tapu Bulu-GX | Slightly Favorable
    • Again, like many of your matchups, you’re just naturally favored because of the one versus two Prize-trade
  • [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] | Highly Unfavorable
    • No matter how you look at this one, there’s no way around it, the high HP attackers in your opponent’s deck along with Item-lock make this a nearly impossible matchup to win
  • [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] | Even
    • The mirror match is just back and forth, whoever stops streaming attackers first will likely lose
  • [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] | Slightly Favorable
    • Now with [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], you can hit numbers much more easily, and Lurantis helps you out in that department, too
  • [card name=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] | Even
    • You’re both going to be trading attackers, and you might have a small advantage if you can keep your Bench size at two Pokemon, but that’s a tall task to accomplish

Tapu Bulu-GX

Overview

I am really excited about this card, and coincidentally, it works perfectly with the card I just talked about, Lurantis. Tapu Bulu-GX has three amazing attacks, and every single one of them has a unique purpose. The first is the most cost-efficient, and is my favorite attack on this card. On its own, it is a little underwhelming, though. Now it’s next two attacks are incredible, and Bulu is finally the card that another Grass Pokemon, [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card], has been waiting for for a while in the Standard format. [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] can accelerate Basic Energy to any Pokemon you like, and having a hard-hitting Basic attacker like Bulu is absolutely perfect.

[card name=”Lurantis” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM25″ c=”name”][/card], the card we just talked about before this, coincidentally is Tapu Bulu-GX’s best new partner, as well. The extra 20 damage per Lurantis makes Bulu an absolute monster. For a single Energy, if you have four Lurantis out you are doing 110 damage for a single Energy. A [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] makes things even worse, and for 140 damage, that sort of attack is legitimately scary.

Aside from its insane potential for damage with a low cost, I’m especially in love with Tapu Wilderness GX. Many of the popular decks out there right now rely on taking Knock Outs in two attacks, but with the added healing potential, Bulu can keep kicking for twice as long, and take plenty of Knock Outs, itself. In a nutshell, this card is going to do two things to the format: kill off [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], once and for all, and insert itself as a new archetype that players need to worry about when choosing a deck.

Deck Idea

Tapu Bulu-GX / Lurantis / Lurantis-GX

Breakdown

I would have mentioned this in the last section, but that would have spoiled this card’s time to shine! Tapu Bulu-GX is clearly a card with lots of potential with its three great attacks. Now, naturally, it has two things that must be accomplished before it’s seen as a proper contender, however. Those two are a damage boost, as well as a way to accelerate Energy. Both Lurantis cards accomplish those tasks, which is sweet since it saves space in a deck that might otherwise be sort of clunky. Bulu is on the rise!

Deck List

[decklist name=”null” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Tapu Bulu-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM32″][pokemon amt=”15″]2x [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”15″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lurantis” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Fomantis” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”14″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Tapu Bulu-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ 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]4x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]11x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”167″ c=”deck2″ amt=”11″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Matchups

I haven’t thoroughly tried this deck out enough to be an expert, but I will be including my general thoughts on how things go.

  • Darkrai-EX | Slightly Unfavorable (Worse against the [card name=”Dragonair” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] version)
  • Garbodor | Favorable
  • Greninja BREAK | Highly Favorable
  • Lapras-GX | Highly Favorable
  • M Gardevoir-EX | Slightly Favorable (With a Sudowoodo)
  • M Rayquaza-EX | Slightly Favorable (With a Sudowoodo)
  • Metagross-GX | Slightly Unfavorable
  • Raichu | Slightly Favorable (With a Sudowoodo)
  • Sylveon-GX | Highly Favorable (Lurantis-GX replenishes Energy)
  • Tapu Bulu-GX | Even
  • Vileplume / Decidueye-GX | Favorable
  • Vespiquen | Slightly Unfavorable
  • Volcanion | Highly Unfavorable
  • Zoroark BREAK | Even (With careful benching of Pokemon)

[premium]

Tapu Koko

Overview

This card is hands down the best of the bunch here, and it completely changes the game, in my opinion. For a single Energy, you can spread 20 to all of your opponent’s Pokemon. Opinions about this card very, but one thing’s for sure, [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] is a monster of a card with a spread damage of 30 for each Pokemon, and it takes nearly triple the setup that a Tapu Koko takes to attack.

[cardimg name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Setting up Knock Outs in the current format is very crucial. Most decks have slowed down in some capacity, with the advent of [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]. A slower format beckons in the concept of “doing more for less”, and Koko does just that. Koko makes an opponent play around a Pokemon that can always damage his or her Bench, so staggering (this can have many meanings, but here, it means to hold a Pokemon that you would otherwise play down right away so that it doesn’t get damaged by Flying Flip) the board becomes a play that new and old players alike need to sharpen up on.

There are a few fringe decks that have always been hanging around, but just don’t have the means to do enough damage to be competitive. Having a Pokemon that spreads damage sets up a lot of Knock Outs that you otherwise wouldn’t have been able to accomplish. This card also puts players on the clock to evolve Pokemon that have lower HP that normally sit on the Bench. Koko has tons and tons of potential, and it’s probably going to be a one-of, at the least, in any deck that plays [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”166″ c=”name”][/card] cards.

Decks in Need

Nearly every deck is going to want to play Tapu Koko if those same decks are using [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Fates Collide” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card]. However, for some decks, Koko is a breath of fresh air that will power them up to the next level. 20 spread to everything is especially good for decks that used to not have an attack that could take Knock Outs in one turn, but now after chipping away at an opponent’s Pokemon, most of the following cards can take Knock Outs in one attack. As far as matchups go for these decks, I’ll be giving what deck I think is favored, since Tapu Koko is just a tech inclusion, for simplicity.

Alolan Ninetales-GX

Breakdown

Like many of the popular Pokemon these days, [card name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] also has three solid attacks that each have their own use. The main attack you’ll be using, though, is Blizzard Edge. After a few turns of using Flying Flip from Tapu Koko, the 160 damage you’ll be doing with Blizzard Edge should be enough to take down any Pokemon in the game. If you have a [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] down, it will be even easier! This deck was already solid before Tapu Koko, so it will be even better now.

Deck List

[decklist name=”null” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”22″][pokemon amt=”14″]3x [card name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”22″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Espeon-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”52″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”35″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Generations” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Aqua Patch” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]7x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Matchups
  • Darkrai-EX | Favorable
  • Garbodor | Favorable
  • Greninja BREAK | Unfavorable
  • Lapras-GX | Favorable
  • M Gardevoir-EX | Favorable
  • M Rayquaza-EX | Favorable
  • Metagross-GX | Highly Unfavorable
  • Raichu | Favorable
  • Sylveon-GX | Favorable
  • Tapu Bulu-GX | Favorable
  • Vileplume / Decidueye-GX | Favorable
  • Vespiquen | Slightly Unfavorable
  • Volcanion | Favorable
  • Zoroark BREAK | Favorable

Decidueye-GX Variants

Breakdown

The most popular [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] deck right now is with [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], and I see no reason for that to change. With Koko, you can promote it at any time and really punish your opponent. Against Vileplume, whenever your opponent draws a Pokemon that he or she attacks with, it will usually be benched right away, for fear of losing it after an [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card]. This said, Koko is a fantastic way to prey in a near-before-seen way on your opponent’s Bench, and with Vileplume out, some Pokemon might not even have enough time to evolve. Decidueye-GX can add more damage to the 20 spread, and take things down even easier, and in less time.

Matchups
  • Darkrai-EX | Slightly Favorable
  • Garbodor | Even
  • Greninja BREAK | Highly Favorable
  • Lapras-GX | Favorable
  • M Gardevoir-EX | Favorable
  • M Rayquaza-EX | Slightly Favorable
  • Metagross-GX | Favorable
  • Raichu | Favorable
  • Sylveon-GX | Even
  • Tapu Bulu-GX | Unfavorable
  • Vileplume / Decidueye-GX | Even
  • Vespiquen | Highly Favorable
  • Volcanion | Even
  • Zoroark BREAK | Slightly Favorable

Garbodor Variants

Breakdown

[card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] is clearly the best deck in the format already, but sometimes opposing players are able to limit playing down their Item cards. With Tapu Koko, you can spread damage all around soften things up. Once that’s accomplished, the sometimes thin stack of Items your opponent has played is still enough to take some big Knock Outs. Koko also makes it awkward for your opponent while playing, since you’re damaging his or her Bench. It puts them on a clock to evolve, or even use the Pokemon that are in play, so Items sometimes get played as a result of that.

Matchups
  • Darkrai-EX | Unfavorable
  • Garbodor | Even
  • Greninja BREAK | Even
  • Lapras-GX | Slightly Favorable
  • M Gardevoir-EX | Slightly Unfavorable
  • M Rayquaza-EX | Slightly Favorable
  • Metagross-GX | Unfavorable
  • Raichu | Even
  • Sylveon-GX | Slightly Favorable
  • Tapu Bulu-GX | Slightly Unfavorable
  • Vileplume / Decidueye-GX | Even
  • Vespiquen | Slightly Unfavorable
  • Volcanion | Favorable
  • Zoroark BREAK | Slightly Unfavorable

Passimian

Breakdown

This is hands down the deck I am most excited about, and I’m seriously considering playing it for Wisconsin Regionals (which will play out before this article drops). [card name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] always struggled with doing enough damage to be competitive, but now with Koko, you can set up Knock Outs all around, and make sure every Team Play attack you use is worth its while. [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] can copy Flying Flip, as well, so you don’t have to worry about playing excessive counts of Tapu Koko to make things work.

Deck List

[decklist name=”null” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″][pokemon amt=”13″]4x [card name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ 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]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”124″ 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=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Matchups
  • Darkrai-EX | Highly Favorable
  • Garbodor | Slightly Favorable
  • Greninja BREAK | Highly Unfavorable
  • Lapras-GX | Slightly Favorable
  • M Gardevoir-EX | Slightly Unfavorable
  • M Rayquaza-EX | Slightly Favorable
  • Metagross-GX | Slightly Favorable
  • Raichu | Favorable
  • Sylveon-GX | Slightly Favorable
  • Tapu Bulu-GX | Slightly Favorable
  • Vileplume / Decidueye-GX | Slightly Unfavorable
  • Vespiquen | Slightly Favorable
  • Volcanion | Slightly Favorable
  • Zoroark BREAK | Favorable

Vespiquen / Zoroark

Breakdown

If not Passimian, this is the next biggest gainer from the release of Tapu Koko. Like Passimian, [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] has struggled at times to take Knock Outs when it needs them. You can effectively Flying Flip around three times to start the game, and then the rest of the Knock Outs you take will be super easy. Obviously, I’m very excited about this, too, and I’m considering Vespiquen / [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] for Madison, as well.

Deck List

[decklist name=”null” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″][pokemon amt=”26″]4x [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Combee” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”9″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Zorua” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Klefki” set=”Steam Siege” no=”80″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”30″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Matchups
  • See Lurantis / Vespiquen’s matchup section, as they are generally very similar to those of Vespiquen / Zoroark

Zoroark BREAK

Breakdown

Here’s another deck that already rose from the ashes of its old place in the format, but it won’t stop there. [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”name”][/card] makes numbers much easier to hit when your opponent doesn’t play a full Bench of Pokemon, and after a couple turns, Mind Jack should be taking OHKOs on everything. Having the option to use [card name=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]’s Foul Play attack is sweet, too.

Matchups
  • Darkrai-EX | Slightly Favorable
  • Garbodor | Slightly Favorable
  • Greninja BREAK | Even
  • Lapras-GX | Slightly Unfavorable
  • M Gardevoir-EX | Unfavorable
  • M Rayquaza-EX | Favorable
  • Metagross-GX | Unfavorable
  • Raichu | Even
  • Sylveon-GX | Slightly Unfavorable
  • Tapu Bulu-GX | Even
  • Vileplume / Decidueye-GX | Even
  • Vespiquen | Even
  • Volcanion | Favorable
  • Zoroark BREAK | Even

My Thoughts on Standard

General Musings

[cardimg name=”Trevenant” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”7″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

At the time I am writing this, I just got back from Seattle, Washington’s Regional Championship. I played [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Trevenant” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card], and was generally impressed with the deck. My two losses day one were in the third game of two sets with a [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / Garbodor deck, and I just didn’t get what I needed both times, but I managed to keep the game very competitive and down to the wire. My day two went miserably, and even though many of my opponent’s played poorly, I missed Energy when it mattered and lost some games pretty badly.

The format right now is super healthy, and I really enjoy it! There are a variety of decks that are viable, and even though Garbodor definitely has a stronghold on the format, the skill with, and playing against it, is very entertaining. I love how players should be keeping track of Item cards that they play now, just like some people do with Pokemon in the discard pile for Vespiquen damage. Every card you play now matters, so you need to be well practiced, and cautious, every step of the game. You can definitely tell that some players get carried away, since its sometimes hard not to just let things fly off the chain. Garbodor decks seem to generally have the advantage against pretty much any Pokemon-EX/GX deck you can think of. Volcanion is a really good example of this, since it usually can’t set up a Volc deck without using a plethora of Items. There’s a reason that none of them made the second day in Seattle, and I expect that trend to continue.

I think as we get to play more tournaments with cards from Guardians Rising that decks will continue to grow and develop, and eventually, some old contenders will slip their way back into the fold. Garbodor isn’t a bad thing for the game, and in fact, it’s a very needed addition to the format! It has finally put a rest to the toxic Item card engines, and punishes bad players for using too many Items when they shouldn’t. The skillset of the game is very apparent right now, especially when taking a look at the names of the players that did well in Seattle. As more players have more time to work with decks, though, I’m sure the doors will open for other players as well.

Seattle Results

24 of the day two decks included [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]. The rest of the pack were a few [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] decks, and then a mix of random decks that found it possible to do well against the rest of the field. [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / Garbodor was by far the most popular version of the deck, and probably the best, overall. Even though I didn’t put up the best results after day two, I think mine was either a close second, or maybe still the best version. I used Trevenant, which forces players to play down Items, or be punished by Poltergeist, and it really helped me out in mirror matches, as well as against decks that could otherwise limit Item card usage. I especially liked my Drampa-GX / Garbodor matchup, since most players would lead with Drampa, and then Poltergeist would rack up some serious damage and I’d get ahead in the Prize race.

I expect Madison to be a little more of the same here, but with some more additions of once popular decks that get a boost from the release of [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”name”][/card]. Koko is going to be changing the game, much like Garbodor did, and it will be a force to be reckoned with. I believe more decks will adapt to the stronghold of Garbodor, and players will abandon some of the old norms of deckbuilding altogether to counter what is clearly the deck that needs to be prepared for.

The thing I dislike the most about the results of this tournament, is the fact that people used [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] with Garbodor. I absolutely hate this card in Garb decks, and I think it’s almost a fallacy that it can beat the mirror. Most people assert that you can use Eevee’s Energy Evolution to set up an Espeon with minimal effort, and then just go to work for a bunch of Prizes. I’ve consistently found that with a couple attacks from even a [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], you force your opponent into playing maybe even one or two Items, and then with a Choice Band, Garbodor can Trashalanche for a OHKO on the Espeon-GX. The Psychic Weakness is absolutely glaring, and I still don’t see how something like that can be overlooked so greatly. I personally played against two of these decks in Seattle, and beat them both with relative ease. Steer clear of that version, please, when building a Garbodor deck for a tournament. Overall, expect more Garbodor when playing in a major event, but also make sure to build anything else in hopes to counter Garbodor, itself. It’s an absolute must these days!

My Own Seattle Experience

28th Place with Garbodor / Oranguru / Shaymin-EX / Tapu Lele-GX / Tauros-GX / Trevenant
  • Round 1 versus [card name=”Bunnelby” set=”Primal Clash” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] 2/0; 1/0/0
  • Round 2 versus [card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] 2/1; 2/0/0
  • Round 3 versus [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] 2/0; 3/0/0
  • Round 4 versus [card name=”Azelf” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY142″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] 1/2; 3/1/0
  • Round 5 versus [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Oricorio” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] 2/0; 4/1/0
  • Round 6 versus [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] 1/2; 4/2/0
  • Round 7 versus [card name=”Carbink BREAK” set=”Fates Collide” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Oricorio” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] 2/0; 5/2/0
  • Round 8 versus [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] 2/0; 6/2/0
  • Round 9 versus Intentional Draw 6/2/1
  • Round 10 versus[card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] 0/2; 6/3/1
  • Round 11 versus [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Espeon-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] 1/2; 6/4/1
  • Round 12 versus [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] 1/1; 6/4/2
  • Round 13 versus [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY175″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] 2/1; 7/4/2
  • Round 14 versus [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] 1/2; 7/5/2
Deck List

[decklist name=”null” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″][pokemon amt=”19″]4x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Trevenant” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”7″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Phantump” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”6″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”31″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]6x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Thoughts on Garbodor Mirrors

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

Mirror matches are usually very volatile, but [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] matches are like nothing I’ve ever seen before. They’re so back and forth in so many ways. My favorite starting Pokemon so far has to be [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card]. Early Horn Attacks are amazing, and if you don’t play many Items down, your opponent is unlikely to have a response. If you’re up against a Drampa-GX, then it can be a little awkward if your opponent uses Righteous Edge against you to knock off your Double Colorless Energy, but you can always find another one and get back to work.

Limiting Items in the early game is all that really matters from what I’ve found, aside from preventing Knock Outs on your [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], as well as [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] in the late game. Having your Item count hover around six or so in the late game is usually fine. Most decks play Drampa-GX, Espeon-GX, Tauros-GX, or Trevenant, or some combination of those. I still have to say that my favorite one is Trevenant, just because it literally forces your opponent to play Items down. The others are either weak to a certain type, which is quite glaring, or get blown out of the water by Pokemon that can hit for a lot of damage quickly, like Vespiquen, for instance. In the mirror match, I think all of those options are great, except for Espeon-GX, like I already mentioned.

Much of a Garbodor mirror comes down to late game [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card], which is why I personally played an Oranguru in my deck, and recommend that to others to counter the dreaded dead draws after an N. Playing a higher count of [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card], too, is very good, since you can stream your Garbodor easier, and make sure you always have a follow-up attacker when you need it. One of my losses on day one was because I couldn’t get a [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] to stick on my Bench, and because of that, [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] dashed my chances of winning a game that I would have had I had another Trubbish on my Bench ready to evolve and attack.

Popularity Tiers

Below, I have ranked the deck’s I’ve been mentioning throughout this article in order of how I feel they will be played in the masses of future tournaments:

Tier 1
  • [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] / 
Tier 2
  • [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]
  • Volcanion
  • [card name=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
Tier 3
  • [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Metagross-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”85″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Raichu” set=”Generations” no=”27″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
  • Tapu Bulu-GX

Garbodor is obviously the strongest deck out there right now, and will be played the most going forward. Decidueye-GX is always played in masses, and after those two, things drop off pretty heavily. The Tier 2 decks are all solid, and you’ll see a scattering of them in most tournaments. Following that, you have decks that’ll be pretty obsolete since they won’t be played much. They might get played a bit, but most players will look for other options.

Strength Tiers

Now, I have the same decks ranked in order of how strong I think they actually are.

Tier 1
  • Darkrai-EX
  • Garbodor
  • Vespiquen
Tier 2
  • Lapras-GX
  • M Gardevoir-EX
  • Tapu Bulu-GX
  • Vileplume / Decidueye-GX
  • Volcanion
  • Zoroark BREAK
Tier 3
  • Greninja BREAK
  • M Rayquaza-EX
  • Metagross-GX
  • Raichu
  • Sylveon-GX

[cardimg name=”Dragonair” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”95″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

I’ve got Darkrai-EX in Tier 1! That’s right! Darkrai with [card name=”Dragonair” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card], and just regular Darkrai decks, are very well positioned right now. You can build the deck differently to counter Garbodor, and I think it’s one of the strongest decks. It actually has a fantastic Garbodor matchup, since you can just hit for small numbers until you get going with enough damage in the late game for OHKOs. Garbodor is obviously a super strong, as is [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. I think the release of Tapu Koko makes Vespiquen nuts, so there’s a lot of power there. The rest of the decks on here are all solid, but of the pack, I think the best ones to round it all out are Volcanion, and the newly minted [card name=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] deck. Zoroark decks are seeing a resurgence since they can beat Garbodor with ease, and [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] boosts the numbers to a super strong level. Everything else is solid, but have many flaws.

Conclusion

Time to head home again; today just went by so fast. I’m really loving the consistent stream of playable Promo cards that Pokemon has been releasing because they have been so good for the game. It was very fun writing about them, and let me know if you have any further questions on the PTCG Subscribers’ Hideout! I think the Standard format is extremely healthy right now, and hopefully you agree, because it’s a great time to be playing competitive Pokemon. The format is wide open for a variety of decks, provided you’re playing a deck list that can beat Garbodor. Thanks for hanging out on my ‘Beach corner again, and I hope you enjoyed reading all that I had to say. See you all next time, good luck out there!

[/premium]