The Fountain of Secrets — Explaining Volcanion and Gardevoir-GX for Worlds
Howdy, PokeBeach readers! I’m back with another article (very quickly this time I might add) for you all, this time focusing on the Worlds format: Primal Clash through Burning Shadows. Since I unfortunately was not able to attend U.S. Internationals due to work (also shoutout to the Beach crew for representing so well), I’ve been working on lists for Worlds with my good buddy, Travis Nunlist. The lists you’ll see below are of the two decks that, after our initial testing, I am most enamored with and most likely to play at Worlds if the tournament was today. While these lists certainly aren’t perfect yet (Worlds is still more than a month away), the decks themselves have proven themselves to be very strong and worth perfecting. Without further ado, let’s get right into them.
Volcanion
The first deck I’d like to talk about is Volcanion. Volcanion is a deck that is already incredibly strong in the current meta that gets significantly better with the next set, mostly thanks to the new Fire Supporter, Kiawe. This card allows you to put on an absurd amount of turn one pressure, immediately setting up your board for the rest of the game while not using Items to do so. Let’s take a look at the list I’ve used for my initial testing.
[decklist name=”aa” amt=”60″ caption=”aa” cname=”Staryu” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”25″][pokemon amt=”12″]3x [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Starmie” set=”Evolutions” no=”31″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Staryu” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/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]2x Guzma (Burning Shadows)1x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x Kiawe (Burning Shadows)4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”132″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”14″]14x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”14″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Card Explanations
Three Volcanion-EX
[cardimg name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
While this is becoming a trend recently, it is still not the common [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] count, so I’ll explain the reasoning behind not playing four. By playing two [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card], we expect to be attacking with Turtonator much more, and thus need less Steam Ups to hit for Knock Outs. Because we rely on it less and it is a poor starter, a lot of top players have started cutting their Volcanion counts to three. I highly recommend you give it a try!
Three Volcanion
Baby [card name=”Volcanion” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY145″ c=”name”][/card] is still really good. It’s definitely justifiable to cut one now that Kiawe is in the deck, but I still like this card for the [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] matchups, where Ninetales can use the new Ninetales to wall all your Pokemon-EX/GX. If you do choose to go down to two Baby Volcanion, I’d highly recommend adding in a [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card]; it is already good in the deck, and only gets better with the less copies of Pokemon you play.
Two Turtonator-GX
[card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] is really the star of the show now that we only play three [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]. Your ideal turn one is to start Turtonator or get it to the Active somehow, Kiawe to it, attach to a Benched Volcanion, and pass. Kiawe lets you threaten back to back turns of Bright Flame, as you only need to attach one more Energy every time you use it after a Kiawe. Plus, if you go second, Nitro Tank GX is an incredible way to get even more Fire Energy on board if you don’t get Kiawe. You don’t need to run more than two Turtonator, as they are fairly bulky and usually are able to get off multiple attacks before going down, so two is definitely the right number.
Two Tapu Lele-GX
This is standard and should be in basically every deck. There isn’t much more that needs to be said about [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card]. The card is just that good.
One Starmie
I’ve been pretty skeptical of [card name=”Starmie” set=”Evolutions” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card], but it’s surprisingly really good. Starmie allows you to stop playing [card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card], as well as ensures you have Steam Ups (as well as Energy) every single turn. Another use for Starmie is that you can discard unneeded resources with it, giving you a chance to thin your deck before late game [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card]. This is usually overlooked, but probably my favorite aspect of Starmie. I highly recommend you try using it, as my opinion on the card has significantly changed since testing it.
One Staryu
I figured I’d mention the [card name=”Staryu” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] briefly, as Travis had no idea that there is a Staryu with free Retreat. That’s obviously the best Staryu to use, so go with this one.
[premium]
Four Professor Sycamore, Four N
Again, these are cards I don’t believe need to be explained. These have been staples in Volcanion since the creation of the deck, and will continue to be so in the future.
Two Lysandre
[cardimg name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I considered throwing this in the staple section, but thanks to Guzma’s release, [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] is no longer a staple. I chose to play a 2/2 split of Lysandre and Guzma because I don’t always want the switching option provided by Guzma. Having a “Gust of Wind” effect four times (at least) a game is incredibly strong and allows you to constantly choose your Knock Outs. If you don’t think four “gust” effects is necessary, this slot can be a [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] (if you still want it even with [card name=”Starmie” set=”Evolutions” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card]), or potentially even a [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card].
Two Guzma
This card is so good, and it seems like it was made for Volcanion. For Volcanion, Guzma combines [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], two staples in the deck. I honestly can’t overstate how clutch this card has been in early testing, allowing you to get out of Lysandre stalls, reset Volcanic Heat, and just get a bad starter out of the Active without burning an Item switch card. Two Guzma will soon be the staple count in Volcanion (as well as probably other decks as well), but I could see some people going up to three if they value the switching effect more than the Lysandre effect.
One Kiawe
And now we get to the card that has made Volcanion the best deck in the format. I honestly have no idea why they printed this card, but holy crap is this card good. Turn one, going first, you can have a field of five Energy cards. That’s ridiculous! Very few, if any, decks can handle that amount of pressure so early into the game, as it ensures that you’ll be attacking basically non-stop for the rest of the game. I only play one Kiawe because you never really use it more than on the first turn, but I could see bumping this count up to two if you’re very afraid of prizing Kiawe.
One Professor Kukui
Honestly, I’m not super sold on this card, but there definitely are some uses for this card. The main uses come while the deck is affected by either [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]. For example, without a [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], Turtonator can still KO 180 HP Pokemon (like [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card]) with Kukui when unable to Steam Up. Now, when you have a Choice Band, you can now hit 210 without Steam Up, enough to Knock Out Pokemon such as [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card]. This card is certainly a niche card, but it’s something I’ve definitely enjoyed as a Garbodor counter, and I’d suggest trying it out yourselves.
Three VS Seeker
This used to be a four-of in every deck, but thanks to [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card], that just isn’t necessary anymore. I’d still love to play four [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card], but there are more important cards that I’d rather fit in the deck instead. The deck still runs smoothly with only three VS Seeker, so I don’t expect to go back to four anytime soon.
Four Ultra Ball
This, however, will almost certainly never be cut below four. I can’t really imagine a format where [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t a staple in every single deck. It’s just objectively the best neutral Pokemon search we have in the game. Run four of these and don’t look back.
Three Choice Band
I’ve seen some Volcanion lists choose to not run any [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] recently, and I vehemently disagree with that choice. Choice Band is so good, especially against [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], that I can’t imagine running the deck without it. Choice Band also makes it so you need one less Steam Up to Knock Out many things, saving you potential resources that you’d need to use in order to get that Steam Up off. With that said, do yourself a favor and don’t forgo Choice Band in your list. It’s really good.
Two Float Stone, Two Switch
I used to play a heavier count of switching cards in Volcanion, but thanks to Guzma, that really isn’t needed anymore. You still want to play a few switching cards because every attacker in the deck has a hefty Retreat Cost, but you can certainly devote less deck space now thanks to Guzma.
Two Field Blower
[cardimg name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”163″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I’ve been talking a lot about [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] in this section, so isn’t it fitting that Volcanion would play two [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] in order to deal with Garbotoxin? I know it’s obvious, but just let me have this one. On top of all our other techs to deal with Garbodor, we run two Field Blower to hard counter the card. Plus, Field Blower has tons of uses outside of Garbodor, such as discarding [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], Stadiums, and more. If you want to find space for a third Field Blower, I won’t stop you. But, in my testing, three seemed like overkill and not really worth the spot, so I’d recommend staying at two. Of course, feel free to test it out regardless of my advice, as only you can make the perfect list that fits your playstyle!
Four Brooklet Hill
One thing you might have noticed is that we don’t play [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] anymore, and [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] is a major reason why. While we won’t get the explosive turn one set up with Hoopa now, that isn’t really our goal. Brooklet Hill lets us get a set up board while not needing to rely on Hoopa, allowing us to use our [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] on Tapu Lele in order to get a turn one Kiawe. Plus, Hoopa does not get [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card], making it much less useful now that we only play three [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]. Brooklet Hill also helps you get your [card name=”Starmie” set=”Evolutions” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] line in play, so it’s definitely worth the Stadium slot. We play four because we want to hit this card as early as possible in order to get a quick board set up.
14 Fire Energy
Honestly, there really isn’t a rhyme or reason behind 14 Energy in the deck. I’ve been comfortable playing 12 or 13 all season, but Travis put 14 in our original list for this format, and we really haven’t had a reason to change it. I’m sure that one could be cut and the deck would still run very smoothly, but for now 14 Energy it is!
Cards That Didn’t Make the Cut
Hoopa-EX
If you want to read the full reason we don’t play Hoopa, just go right back up to the [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] section. If not, I’ll summarize it here: we’d rather use our [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] on [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card].
Max Elixir
[card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] used to be a staple in Volcanion decks, but thanks to Kiawe we don’t need them anymore. In the past, Max Elixir was used to flood the field with Energy, which we now do more effectively with Kiawe. Not playing Max Elixir also gives us a better Trashalanche [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, as we don’t need to rely on Items for our Energy acceleration. If you feel the deck needs more acceleration, you could consider playing two or three, but I don’t believe Max Elixir is needed whatsoever anymore.
Hex Maniac
This is the first card that I’ve highlighted that didn’t make the list that I think deserves a spot in the list. [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] is really big against decks like [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], Gardevoir-GX, [card name=”Vikavolt-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”45″ c=”name”][/card], the new Safeguard Ninetales, and any deck that plays [card name=”Vaporeon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card]. Hex Maniac is also a great backup turn one Supporter if you are unable to use Kiawe, as it shuts down your opponent’s [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card]. It might seem counter-intuitive thanks to Steam Up, but Hex is just a really solid card right now.
Rescue Stretcher
[cardimg name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I’ve already mentioned this card as well, but if you feel that the Pokemon card counts are too low, feel free to find room for [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card]. If you think the Pokemon counts are fine how they are, you really don’t need this card.
Matchups
While I plan on giving you guys some matchups for the decks I talk about, be sure to remember that while I have tested these lists, I’ve only had a few days worth of testing to go by. Thus, while I’m confident in the matchups as they currently are, there is still a lot of testing needed to be done, and thus these matchups could significantly change in a few weeks. I will also only be talking about matchups I’ve tested, as I do not want to give you guys a false sense of a matchup. Thus, this section will be shorter than it normally is, as I haven’t tested every single matchup in the format yet. While I’d still read these matchup sections and listen to their advice, I highly recommend testing these matchups yourself to confirm my analysis.
Gardevoir-GX
This matchup was really easy for Volcanion in testing. Gardevoir is really slow and takes awhile to ramp up for a Knock Out, while Volcanion can threaten a turn two Knock Out on anything on the field (including a Gardevoir-GX). However, we did not test this matchup with [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] in Gardevoir, which might have made a difference in preventing Volcanion from Knocking Out Gardevoir. I’m confident in saying this is favorable for Volcanion, but probably not the 100-0 matchup that our testing without Hex Maniac was showing.
Ninetales
Ninetales gets significantly better next set thanks to the Safeguard Ninetales and Tapu Fini-GX, so this is a deck I’d definitely be watching out for. This matchup can be difficult due to the typing Weakness, but if you’re able to put on a ton of early pressure with Kiawe and [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] and prevent them from ever doing more than 100 a turn (with Ninetales’ first attack), it is definitely winnable. One thing to watch is whether or not you want to use your [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card]. You don’t need a ton of set up against Ninetales, so I’d caution against playing your own Brooklet Hill, as it only helps them get set up quicker, which takes away your out of winning via preventing them from getting set up.
Drampa-GX / Garbodor
And now we have our U.S. Internationals winning deck, and the best deck in the format. Volcanion actually has an incredibly good matchup against [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], especially now with Kiawe. Volcanion is not reliant on Items whatsoever, and can immediately threaten a turn two Knock Out on a Drampa, something Drampa / Garbodor is not prepared to handle, as they try to slow the game down to your pace. Be very careful about your item usage in this game and you should be in for a very easy match.
Gardevoir-GX
Next, I’d like to talk about one of my favorite cards that is being released in Burning Shadows: Gardevoir-GX. With an amazing Ability, extremely strong attacks, and a fantastic evolution partner in [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card], Gardevoir seems to have a lot going for it. While it’s too early to say whether or not the deck is viable, I’ve done some initial testing with the deck, and here is the list I’ve been using.
[decklist name=”aa” amt=”60″ caption=”aa” cname=”Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”78″][pokemon amt=”18″]3x Gardevoir-GX (Burning Shadows)2x [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Kirlia” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”53″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Ralts” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x Diancie (Burning Shadows)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][/pokemon][trainers amt=”31″]4x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x Guzma (Burning Shadows)1x Acerola (Burning Shadows)1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”129″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]7x [card name=”Fairy Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Card Explanations
Immediately, it should probably stick out to you that I’ve built the deck very similarly to [card name=”Metagross-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”85″ c=”name”][/card], only choosing to focus on the main attacker line and no other tech attackers. However, I do have some tech cards in the list that deserve a mention, so let’s just get right into the list breakdown.
4-3-3-2 Gardevoir / Gallade Line
[cardimg name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Four [card name=”Ralts” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] should be obvious, as all of our attackers stem from this basic. I only play three [card name=”Kirlia” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] because of the four [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] in the list, as most of the time I’d prefer to use Rare Candy to evolve my Pokemon. Three Kirlia makes a lot of sense in this deck because of Diance; while I do run four Rare Candy, Diance helps ensure the turn two Gardevoir through Kirlia using its attack. This gives the deck a lot more speed than a typical Stage 2 deck.
Kirlia is also really good with Acerola, as it allows you to immediately evolve your Gardevoir-GX again once you’ve picked it up, even if you used a Rare Candy to evolve that Gardevoir. I chose to only play three Gardevoir-GX because of my two [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card]; it’s really difficult to set up more than the number of Stage 2s I play in a single game. If you find yourself wanting to use Gardevoir more than Gallade, just take out a Gallade and put the fourth Gardevoir in. However, Gallade is a really strong non-EX attacker that can really help you in some matchups (hello, Ninetales) that I’d suggest keeping the attacker count how it currently is.
Two Tapu Lele-GX
See the Volcanion section. This is standard in almost every deck.
1-1 Octillery
I’ve chosen to run [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] almost solely for its synergy with [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card]. However, with Gardevoir being a Stage 2 deck, having the extra consistency offered by Octillery is most definitely appreciated. If you find yourself not using the Gallade / Octillery combo much, feel free to cut this evolution line and to add some other techs to the list (I’ll discuss some of them below).
Two Diance
Diance is Gardevoir’s equivalent to [card name=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card]. However, Diance is arguably better, as it really gives the deck speed and guarantees your turn two Gardevoir or [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card].
Four N, Three Sycamore
Again, these are pretty standard. I’ve chosen to flip the [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] counts due to the Stage 2 line, as we do not want to discard our spare parts to our Gardevoir line (as well as [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card]) without using them.
One Lysandre, One Guzma
I’ve chosen to go with a 1/1 split, as Gardevoir isn’t as reliant on switching nor gust effects as Volcanion is. Two [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] effects is all I’ve really needed, so I’d recommend keeping this count just how it is when you try the deck out yourself.
One Acerola
I’ve been trying this out in Gardevoir, and it’s been pretty useful so far. It has a lot of synergy with three Kirlia (see above), as well as letting you reset your Gardevoir and remove all the damage on it (and trust me, not much is going to OHKO a Gardevoir without Weakness). Acerola also lets you get an extra Gardevoir Ability off that turn if you’re able to play it back down, as well as another retreat option assuming your Active has damage on it.
One Brigette
[cardimg name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”161″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This should be self explanatory. Using [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] turn one is your ideal first turn Supporter, as you really need it in order to set up your board. Every Stage 2 deck is (or should) be running Bridgette.
Three VS Seeker
Like in Volcanion, I’ve chosen to go to three [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] for both space purposes as well as to have a better matchup against the Trashalanche [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]. If you want a longer explanation, just scroll up; I really don’t have anything new to discuss about this topic.
Four Ultra Ball, Four Rare Candy
These should be obvious and really don’t need to be discussed much. [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] is a four-of in nearly every deck and [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] is a staple in Stage 2 decks that need quick evolutions.
Three Choice Band
While it may not seem necessary to run Choice Band when your attack does infinite damage, [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] is useful for allowing you to hit a higher damage cap in a single turn. You have a maximum of three, maybe four (if you use Acerola) Gardevoir-GX Abilities per turn, meaning that you won’t be able to hit for an infinite amount of damage right away. Choice Band allows you to hit Knock Outs on Pokemon you otherwise wouldn’t have, as well as allows you to hit for one Energy less than needed against others.
For example, you’d usually need seven Energy in total to Knock Out a [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card], but with Choice Band, you only need six, which is much more doable (especially since Turtonator discards Energy on it). Choice Band also allows [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] to hit for 160 damage, which is enough to Knock Out many Pokemon-EX/GX in the format. If you haven’t been using Choice Band, definitely give it a try: my original list did not have Choice Band in it, and I immediately put them in after a few games without them.
Two Field Blower
Like with Volcanion, Gardevoir can really struggle against Ability-lock, making [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] an absolute must. Field Blower also helps keep Gardevoir-GX alive a lot longer, as very few Pokemon can OHKO Gardevoir without the use of Choice Band.
Two Float Stone
This is really just to give Gardevoir a bit of mobility, as every Energy in this deck counts. My most common [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] targets have been Diancie and [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card], as I’d much prefer to have a [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] on my Gardevoir-GX and [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card].
One Rescue Stretcher, One Super Rod
Gardevoir-GX really needs some Pokemon and Energy recovery, so I’ve decided to cover my bases by playing a copy of both [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card]. You could consider [card name=”Brock’s Grit” set=”Evolutions” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] for one of these spots, but I’ve found it to be way too slow; you can’t really afford to use your Supporter for the turn to shuffle back your resources, especially considering Gardevoir’s GX attack.
Seven Fairy Energy, Four Double Colorless Energy
[cardimg name=”Fairy Energy” set=”Generations” no=”83″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Again, like with Volcanion, there isn’t any rhyme or reason behind 11 Energy. It’s just the Energy count I started with and have been comfortable with, so I’ve chosen to keep it that way. While I originally didn’t have Double Colorless Energy in my list, Travis insists that it’s incredibly good in the deck, both with [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] as well as with Gardevoir-GX (Gardevoir’s attack counts all Energy, not just Fairy).
Cards That Just Missed the Cut
Hex Maniac
I already spoke about this in the Volcanion matchup section, but without [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], Volcanion is a huge issue, as they can just continuously OHKO you thanks to Steam Up. I will be finding space in my list for this card, and I highly recommend you do the same.
Professor Kukui
This is another damage modifier on top of [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] that you should consider. While I don’t think it’s as good as Choice Band due to it being a Supporter and Gardevoir not really having an issue with any non-EXs, it’s still something worth considering and testing.
Xerneas, Xerneas BREAK
I had a 3/2 line in my original list, and almost immediately cut them. While they seem good in theory to start ramping up your Energy, they just take up a ton of space and weren’t really great at the job they were intended for. Gardevoir doesn’t really have an issue getting Energy in play, and [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] is just a better backup attacker than [card name=”Xerneas” set=”Steam Siege” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Xerneas BREAK” set=”Steam Siege” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card] are. Thus, I didn’t include them in the list, and I don’t have any plans to put them back in.
Max Potion, Fairy Drop
This is something that I have not personally tested yet, but was recommended to me by Xander Pero. While I’m not particularly sold on its viability in Gardevoir, these are definitely cards I plan on testing to see whether or not they deserve consideration.
Matchups
Volcanion
I’ve already gone over this matchup from the other side in the Volcanion section, but I’ll briefly go over it here as well. Without [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], this matchup is near unwinnable. Your best hope is that their Kiawe is prized or that they aren’t able to put on a ton of early game pressure. If neither of those happen, you’re basically going to get destroyed. With Hex Maniac, make sure to use it the turn before you believe they have a chance of KOing you, and then the next turn Acerola your hurt Gardevoir and replace it with a fresh Gardevoir while taking a Knock Out. This is definitely a tough matchup (even with Hex Maniac), and one I’m not sure will ever be favorable for Gardevoir.
Drampa-GX / Garbodor
[cardimg name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This is a pretty easy matchup for Gardevoir. Not only do you have a 230 HP GX that isn’t weak to Psychic and can one shot everything in their deck easily, but you have Gardevoir’s insane GX attack that allows you to shuffle 10 cards from your discard back into your deck. This allows you to be really lax with playing your Items, allowing you to set up without even needing to worry about your Item count, as you can just shuffle them all in once you’re set up and prevent them from ever threatening a Knock Out. It might take a bit to learn when the optimal time is to use your GX attack, but once you figure that out, you’ll never have an issue in this matchup.
Ninetales
This matchup is where I’ve found [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] to be of most use. While it does have some use for one shotting [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] (and [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]), Gallade turns what would otherwise be an autoloss to the Safeguard Ninetales into a pretty strong matchup. Against [card name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card], don’t bother chipping at it with Gardevoir, as they’ll just use their GX attack to move it onto you. Just load up your Gardevoir on the Bench while sitting behind Diancie setting up your board until you are able to OHKO with your Gardevoir. They don’t have much pressure they can put on you without using [card name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card]’s second attack or Tapu Fini-GX’s attack, both of which are fine for you as they are discarding resources and give you another turn to set up. I haven’t had much issue in this matchup so far, so as long as you save a Kirlia to evolve into a [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] to take care of Safeguard, this matchup should be fine.
Conclusion
Well that’s all I have for you guys today! Hopefully I’ve given you some insight into what I believe will be two of the strongest decks headed into the next format. While I wasn’t at the U.S. Internationals, I will be at Worlds, so please come up to me while I’m not competing and say hello! I love talking to readers and fans alike, as it really grounds me and keeps me close to the community. Also be sure to follow me on Twitter @OrgansmanTCG as well as subscribing to my Youtube channel, HovercastTCG.
As always, thanks so much for reading, and I’ll see you next time!
~Eric
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