The New Foundations of Standard — The State of the Top Worlds Decks Post Rotation

By: JW Kriewall · Posted Posted onSep 10, 2017 at 4:00 PM · 0 Comments

Hi there PokeBeach readers! I just got back from an exciting vacation at the Pokemon World Championships in Anaheim California! Worlds was yet again a stellar time. It was fantastic to see all my friends from around the country again. I was even able to hang out with our very own PokeBeach webmaster Jon Sahagian (who is a highly reputable card borrower, I may add)! Disneyland was a blast, and I got to spend Wednesday hanging out with Chris Derocher and Alex Hill at the most magical place on Earth. Thursday, however, I turned my attention to Worlds.

[cardimg name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”140″ align=”right” c=”custom”]I can show you the World[/cardimg]

The main event was packed with tension — from the unforgettable [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] deck-out in the Seniors finals, to Diego Cassaraga’s incredible resource management in his finals series, many high-profile matches came down to the wire. After such a memorable Worlds, where does that leave us for next season?

For some of us, the 2017 – 2018 season has already started. There have already been Regionals in the U.K. and in Anaheim for the upcoming season, and even though Worlds placements this year didn’t count for points toward next season, the tournament provided lots of information to analyze. Most notably, of course, was how players utilized the cards from our newest set, Burning Shadows. In this article, we will be covering the future of the top placing decks from Worlds, including list modifications and techs that reflect the rotation, with a little Disney / Anaheim inspired twist. I will dedicate the last bit of this article to one of the decks I’ve been playing in preparation for Ft. Wayne Regionals.

A Whole New World(s)

Releasing a new set just before Worlds creates an interesting and exciting environment for players and spectators. Burning Shadows had a number of cards that saw significant play over the weekend. Many unique decks were played at the World Championships and a number of them went on to do quite well. Even though every deck in Top 8 included [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card], there was enough variance between lists to have different strategies.

It is always cool to see newly released cards perform well at their first major tournament. Pokemon designed their most recent set, Burning Shadows, well and created strong, but not necessarily overpowered cards. Pokemon nailed the GX mechanic and the GX cards took a strong grasp of the format without completely invalidating Mega Pokemon,Pokemon-EX, and strong non-EX Pokemon like [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card]. As we will see though, the top performing decks from Anaheim were entirely based off Pokemon from the Sun and Moon block of cards. Before we look at the archetypes in the Top 8 and their modifications for after rotation, let’s take a look at the most notable cards that are leaving our format.

Let it Go

Let it go, let it go. Can’t hold these cards back anymore (from rotation). Much like Elsa’s soaring ballad, it is time for rotation to finally slam the door on a number of key cards. These cards had major impact at Worlds and I’d like to take a minute to outline the impact their absence leaves in the format after rotation.

VS Seeker

This is a card I will not be sad to see leave the format. Though it provided a large amount of versatility, it also allowed players to be lazy in game. It’s absence will force players to conserve resources better, which will always lead to more skillful players performing better than their resource wasting counterparts. Being forced to weigh the cost benefit of playing [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] over [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] in an opening hand can only be good for the health of the game. Micro-decisions like these now have game-changing consequences, and in our new format players that can navigate these decisions will always have a clear edge.

Additionally, the loss of VS Seeker will cause [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] to lose a step. Most decks in format played four VS Seeker, but now decks will need to include extra Supporters to supplement the standard count of four [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card]. N counts should rise and the standard [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] count should rise to at least three in non-Gardevoir decks. Supporters like [card name=”Wicke” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Psychic’s Third Eye” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”108″ c=”name”][/card] may very well see play to account for the loss of VS Seeker, though I think it’s much more likely to see players max out on [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] before including any additional Supporters beyond Sycamore, N, and [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card].

Gyarados

[card name=”Gyarados” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] was never a Tier 1 deck, but it always had the capability of going undefeated if the decks it faced didn’t run counters. With so many players running [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”name”][/card], and Gyarados’s propensity for drawing poorly, it simply wouldn’t be able to keep up. On the other hand, a heavy-hitting, stand alone non-EX/GX deck is no longer viable in this format.

Vespiquen

One of my favorite cards ever printed, I will be sad to see this deck leave the Standard format. I feel that [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] has a ton of potential in this format, but sadly, it will never have its chance at seeing play beyond Expanded for the foreseeable future. With type coverage in [card name=”Flareon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vaporeon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card], the deck could be built to trade favorably with [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card]. It could even tech Pokemon like [card name=”Machoke” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] to take care of threats such as [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]. There’s some untapped potential in the current format, but for Vespiquen lovers, it’s time to “Let It Go.”

Forest of Giant Plants

Despite what [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] players might hope for, the grass bird is officially dead. There are still a handful of people who will attempt to save Decidueye by swapping Forest slots for [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card], but the resulting deck simply isn’t the same. The speed that Forest gave to the Grass-based evolution deck will be difficult to replicate. In the future, Decidueye could see play as a 1-0-1 tech in a Stage 2 deck like Gardevoir-GX to get cleaner KOs much like how [card name=”Kingdra” set=”Unleashed” no=”85″ c=”name”][/card] was used in past formats, but it’s time as a stand alone deck is over.

Zero to Hero (Just Like That)

[cardimg name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”129″ align=”right” c=”custom”]I can go the distance[/cardimg]

[card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] proved to be one of the top up-and-coming decks from Worlds. Why did anyone ever doubt that 120 for one Energy would be good? Combined with [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card], the deck hits like a truck from its second turn and on. For me, it was easy to disregard the potential of this deck because of its poor matchup against [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] which I used as the barometer for a successful deck. If a deck couldn’t beat Espeon / Garbodor, then it probably wasn’t worth playing. If the Espeon list plays a [card name=”Flareon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card] (which most did for a drastically improved [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] matchup), then they can OHKO a Golisopod-GX and obliterate the tank strategy that this deck relies on to win.

Since Espeon / Garbodor was a consensus Top 5 or higher pick for Worlds, many players never saw Golisopod becoming a serious contender. Lists of Golisopod that I did see before Worlds combined it with [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] to create a bizarre franken-deck of cards whose only real synergy was that they could both evolve with [card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]. Naoto and Sho’s versions of the deck proved that Golisopod’s performance was no fluke.

I prefer Naoto’s deck because of it’s more consistent Pokemon lines. Where Sho chose to run three [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] and three [card name=”Wimpod” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”16″ c=”name”][/card], Naoto opted for four of each Basic which seems like the best counts for your two main attackers. Sho had the benefit of being able to add [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] which likely helped him against Espeon / Garbodor and other Drampa decks. However, cutting back to three Trubbish seems like a cardinal sin as Garbodor is your main sweeper and is generally a good threat to build up on the Bench at any point in the game. For the sake of future deck considerations, let’s consider how Naoto’s deck might evolve for next format.

[decklist name=”Naoto’s Golisopod” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″][pokemon amt=”18″]3x [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Wimpod” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”16″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/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]1x [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”32″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”160″ 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=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Heavy Ball” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]4x [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”EX Legend Maker” no=”81″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Above is the list Naoto used to garner a 2nd place finish at the World Championships in Anaheim. Let’s take a look at what the deck is losing from the rotation.

Pokemon

Every single Pokemon remains in the format from this list. So, if it isn’t broke, why fix it? Well, because a card like [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] could go a long way to improving the consistency of the list because of the loss of [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Supreme Victors” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card]. With four [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] and a higher [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] count, the Retreat Cost of two on these two Pokemon not much of a liability. Post-rotation, I would add two more [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] as it is a decent enough attacker in the deck for Knocking Out a Pokemon that [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] didn’t, or for applying early damage for Golisopod-GX to follow up on.

Trainers

We lose VS Seeker which is a big loss for a deck like this. Golisopod, more than most decks, relies on alternative Supporters like [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] to activate Golisopod-GX’s effect on it’s first attack. Thus, going forward, Golisopod will need to up the counts on it’s non-setup Supporters. Since Guzma is generally more useful than [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] at taking Prizes and activating Golisopod’s attack for boosted damage, Guzma should likely be maxed out before using additional deck slots on Acerola.

Slightly less important, we also lose [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] to rotation. Hex Maniac is not a significant loss as we also lose [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] which was the main reason to include Hex in the first place. Teammates is a consistency card that saw more play later in the season as people realized the effectiveness of grabbing specific cards. Even in aggressive decks like Drampa / Garbodor, Teammates was beneficial for being able to trade KOs. There isn’t an adequate replacement for Teammates, so an additional support Pokemon will take it’s place.

[premium]

Updated Golisopod

[decklist name=”Updated Golisopod” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″][pokemon amt=”20″]3x [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Wimpod” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”16″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”29″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Heavy Ball” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

[cardimg name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Now I know how far I’ll go![/cardimg]

This list is built to maximize consistency. Toward the end of the season, high-level players saw just how effective four [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] were in decks. Tord Reklev won NAIC with four Lele in his Drampa / Garbodor while Jimmy Pendarvis finished in the Top 8 at Worlds running four copies in [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] / Garbodor. While it is not a crime to run three to gain a little extra space for something else, people will likely trend toward upping their Lele count to four for consistency’s sake. Two Lele will most certainly be too few if you expect to do well.

To maximize the effectiveness of Tapu Lele-GX, I have also increased the Double Colorless count in Naoto’s deck from three to four. Because Tapu Lele is more likely to be our starter in this list, it is nice to have the option of hitting into their attacker to soften it up for a [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] to take out next turn. It also provides necessary utility for retreating purposes. With VS Seeker still in format, decks had the chance to play up to six [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card]. Now, with the opportunity to only play four Guzma in a game, we want to make sure we can cover our bases with cards that also serve other purposes. DCE fulfills the retreat requirement for all of our Basic Pokemon, thus making it a more valuable asset to the deck.

The 2/2 split on Garbodor remains for the fact that early Garbotoxin can win a game against a deck like [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. Halting the abilities of any deck will still be powerful. Additionally, Volcanion and [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] decks haven’t lost much and will continue to be competitive going forward. While we would like to increase the Trashalanche [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] count to three, having two Ability-locking [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] makes more sense so as to not prize one when you need it.

There are certainly times where Ability-locking yourself can have detrimental effect. For instance, in the mirror, Garbotoxin is a largely negligible threat since none of your attackers rely on Abilities to do damage and you want to use your Lele and [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card]. However, a deck like Volcanion needs Abilities throughout the game — whether it’s Steam Up on [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY173″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Starmie” set=”Evolutions” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card]’s Space Beacon. Determining the importance of when or if to set up Garbotoxin is a necessary skill developed with adequate knowledge of the format and of your own deck. Devoting resources to getting up Garbotoxin in the wrong matchup can certainly cost you a match!

I Just Can’t Wait To Be King

The hype surrounding [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] since it was released has seldom waned. It was predicted to be a strong presence in the format despite being a Stage 2 Pokemon and the prevalence of [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card]. Testing results showed it could hang with the top decks in the format and lo and behold, the deck captured two of the Top 8 slots, eventually winning the entire event. This deck is poised to run rampant next season, and if you haven’t, I would recommend grabbing your playset now. This card isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, some areas have even seen entire League Cup Top 4’s consisting of only [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card].

The biggest advantage Gardevoir-GX had going for it at the World Championships was its matchup against Trashalanche [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] decks. Since Garbodor was seen in a huge percentage of day two decks, anyone hoping to win the tournament would certainly have to play two or more to advance. Of the people I talked with in the tournament, none played against less than three Garbodor decks.

Even the Top 8 was stacked with Garbodor which claimed six of those eight slots. Gardevoir’s attack Twilight GX allows the deck to set up against Garbodor and then shuffle those strong set up cards right back into the deck — with Gardevoir-GX, you don’t get punished for using Items which means you don’t need to worry about including them in your deck or playing around the threat of Trashalanche like so many other decks have to do. Calculating the potential damage that Garbodor can do is important for many of the decks in the format, but Gardevoir’s GX attack negates the effectiveness of that attack altogether.

Going forward, I think this deck will define the format, much like what [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] has done since it’s release. Its attacks are too good, and with the one less threat to its Ability out of the format with the rotation of [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], the deck is in position to make consistent appearances at the top tables. However, what improvements can be made to the deck?

[decklist name=”Deigo’s Gardevoir-GX” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″][pokemon amt=”18″]3x [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Kirlia” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Ralts” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Remoraid” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Diancie” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”30″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”EX Sandstorm” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”163″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]7x [card name=”Fairy Energy” set=”XY” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Wonder Energy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”144″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Pokemon

I loved Diego’s 1/1 split of [card name=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Diancie” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]. The split was something that I discussed with Andrew Mahone before the tournament. Many players opted for two of one or the other but including both gives the deck strength through options. Alolan Vulpix can be retreated into to generate board position. Since every Basic Pokemon in the deck can be retreated using one Energy, Alolan Vulpix is effective starting from the second turn on. Since Diego didn’t have an option to retreat on the first turn other than [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card], Alolan Vulpix’s free attack allows you to attach Energy for turn to retreat and then still search for Pokemon to play for the next turn. Vulpix also has the benefit of grabbing any Pokemon and can get you out of dead hands by grabbing [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card].

Diancie is the deck’s preferred starter. Searching a Pokemon out of the deck to evolve immediately is ideal as it advances your board faster than putting Pokemon into your hand. Enough of the time, the opponent will have [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] in hand to nullify Alolan Vulpix’s Beacon. Diancie, on the other hand, has an immediate effect. By evolving your Ralts to Kirlia, you save one turn of manual Evolution and all but ensure that you can get an attacker in two turns rather than three. Of course, you can also use a [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] to evolve from Ralts to [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] on your second turn, but using Diancie to evolve just gives the deck a smoother path to getting Gardevoir out.

[cardimg name=”Diancie” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”94″ align=”right” c=”custom”]You got a friend in me![/cardimg]

Three Tapu Lele-GX is fine in here since we will be adding another consistency card, which you will see in the next list. The rest of the consistency Pokemon are adequate next format as well.

Trainers

We lose [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] from this list which, again, isn’t a serious loss considering we also lose the option to reuse it via [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card]. The count of one [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] will certainly be increased due to its usefulness in preserving Gardevoir. Guzma also suffers from the loss of VS Seeker and will have its count increased as well.

Energy

[card name=”Wonder Energy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] was a great inclusion and likely was most useful against [card name=”Espeon-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card]. Spread had finally come back to the game with the recent release of [card name=”Necrozma-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] and even more so [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”name”][/card]. These spread cards paired well with decks like [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]to soften up threats on the Bench without needing to use [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card]. A partner that emerged for Tapu Koko was [card name=”Espeon-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card]. This card came to prominence to counter GX decks that utilized [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card].

The Espeon-EX / spread strategy proved effective against much of the format as we shifted from Basic attackers to Evolutions. Three spreads from a Tapu Koko could ensure KOs on important basics like [card name=”Eevee” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card]and [card name=”Ralts” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]. Even when it couldn’t get KOs, Espeon-EX occasionally provided disruption when the opponent would use Rare Candy to evolve. By forcing the Stage 2back to the hand, the opponent would be forced to find another Rare Candy to evolve their Pokemon.

Diego had a simple answer for Espeon in Wonder Energy. While not searchable out of the deck or attachable via Gardevoir’s Secret Spring Ability, Wonder Energy can save at least one Gardevoir from Espeon’s harmful deevolution attack which makes it a worthwhile addition into his list.

Updated Gardevoir

[decklist name=”Updated Gardevoir” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″][pokemon amt=”19″]3x [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Kirlia” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Ralts” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Remoraid” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”31″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Eevee” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”29″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”EX Sandstorm” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/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=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]8x [card name=”Fairy Energy” set=”XY” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

The main difference in this list in the addition of [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. Some people swear by it, while others think it is easily cuttable in this list. I personally have fallen in love with Sylveon because of the great amount of consistency it gives you and for its GX attack, which I’ll explain in a bit. Sylveon essentially replaces [card name=”Diancie” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] from Diego’s list. As good a card as Diancie is, something had to go to make room for Sylveon.

Sylveon’s first attack searches for any three cards, which is a pretty insane effect and would be staple in every deck if [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] wasn’t as necessary of a draw card. However, I predict Sylveon will find its way back into Gardevoir due to the fact that N counts are maxed at four and cannot be recycled with [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] anymore. This means Magical Ribbon searches will stick more of the time.

[cardimg name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”158″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Everybody wants to be a cat (thing)![/cardimg]

To aid in getting out Sylveon as soon as we can, I’ve made room for two [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]. Float Stone give the deck the mobility it didn’t need previously, but now wants to have with the inclusion of Sylveon.

Sylveon’s GX attack is also insane against many decks and plays a pivotal role in winning the mirror. Plea GX combos well with Sylveon’s first attack in that you can guarantee a Plea GX on the next turn barring an N from your opponent. After you evolve to Sylveon with Eevee’s Energy Evolution Ability, you search out [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] and DCE along with whatever else most sets up your board for next turn (Kirlia, Rare Candy, a Supporter, etc.) On the next turn, you attach DCE and play Parallel City to force your opponent down to three Pokemon. Then you hit them with a Plea GX to force them to pick up two of their remaining three Pokemon.

This strategy essentially resets the clock for them to set up and is devastating for Stage 2 decks which rely on [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] to get a full Bench so they can start evolving on their next turn. The Parallel City / Plea GX combo leaves them with a depleted field and forces them to rebuild from step one. It can be particularly devastating in the mirror if the opponent has set up multiple Gardevoir using Rare Candy. Leaving them with a Bench of one can turn the tables in your favor, even if you had a poor start. Using Plea GX unfortunately uses up your GX attack, but if executed, can let you overwhelm your opponent early.

I’ve kept [card name=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”27″ c=”name”][/card] in here as another option. Sometimes, it is not feasible to get Sylveon out immediately. You still want to advance your board state, so Vulpix remains.

[card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] want to be four-ofs, but there simply isn’t space and they can always be recovered with Gardevoir’s GX attack. Twilight GX is still a viable good option if you aren’t able to pull off the Sylveon combo, and it can be the preferred attack if you had to discard too many resources early in the game.

Under The Sea

I now want to turn our attention to the Expanded metagame. Ft. Wayne Regionals is fast approaching and if you’re anything like me, you’ve found that there are too many decks to adequately test. It makes my head spin thinking about all the different options each deck has at it’s disposal. There are variants on popular decks and newly released archetypes that have yet to see play in Expanded of which we have no results to base lists off of. The first Expanded Regional will be a bit of a toss up in terms of what will be successful.

My advice to you, if you are going to Ft. Wayne, is to choose the deck you have the most experience with and run with it. It is better to go with a consistent deck that you know how to operate instead of trying to play the field with a deck that you have little experience playing but read was a good play. I am determined to choose my deck well in advance so I don’t succumb to last minute fretting over decks. In the past, not trusting my testing has caused me to choose a deck that I wasn’t the most comfortable with and while it led to fine results, I knew I could have done better with a deck I was comfortable using.

That said, I’ve narrowed my deck choices down to something that includes maximum counts of [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Aqua Patch” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card]. Many people immediately think of Darkrai at the mention of Elixir and Patch. Speed Darkrai decks gained a valuable asset in the form of [card name=”Darkrai-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card]. I, however, have been quite interested in [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card]. Lapras has a lot of tools to combat the expected metagame.

Its first Attack, Collect, is fantastic against [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] decks which will try to prevent you from drawing cards throughout the game. The Lapras deck also utilizes [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] to negate any spread damage from Trevenant BREAK. Lapras can utilize a similar Elixir and Patch engine to that of Speed Darkrai while being slightly bulkier. Its second attack in combination with [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW61″ c=”name”][/card] can pump out 190 damage every turn with minimal investment. With that, here’s my current list of Lapras-GX.

[decklist name=”Lapras-GX” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Tapu Fini-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”133″][pokemon amt=”13″]4x [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”139″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Manaphy-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW61″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Fini-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”133″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”35″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Aqua Patch” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dowsing Machine” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Rough Seas” set=”Primal Clash” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]12x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”12″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

This list can run through any Pokemon-EX deck in the Expanded format, but does struggle against non-EX decks like [card name=”Raikou” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Eelektrik” set=”Noble Victories” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]. Let’s break down each deck choice.

Four Lapras

[card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card] is your main attacker and should be maxed. Its first attack is great for setting up, but you will be using Blizzard Burn for most of the game. Blizzard Burn states that you cannot attack with this Pokemon during your next turn, but you can reset Lapras’ attack by using either [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] or Keldeo-EX. I’ve seen lists with [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card], but I think in the current Expanded format, putting up big damage turn after turn will prove more effective than slowly whittling away at your opponent with Quaking Punch.

[cardimg name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”139″ align=”right” c=”custom”]I want to be part of your world.[/cardimg]

One Keldeo-EX, Two Manaphy-EX

These cards aid in your mobility. [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW61″ c=”name”][/card] is less needed now with Guzma, but it presents a solid secondary attacker to swing when Lapras can’t attack. [card name=”Manaphy-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] doesn’t provide much benefit with its attack, although it can be effective against spread decks like Trevenant. You can cut Manaphy for [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], but drawing a Float when you need it is harder than searching for Manaphy which can be searched with Ultra Ball or [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY71″ c=”name”][/card].

Hoopa-EX

[card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] is a crutch that you hope not to rely on every game. Bench space is a premium in this build and you should only grab Hoopa when necessary, though it is great for getting Keldeo and Manaphy out of the deck. Hoopa can also search for draw power ([card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]) and mobility cards (Manaphy-EX), meaning you don’t need to rely on Ultra Ball as much. Keep in mind, however, that you cannot grab Lapras-GX with Scoundrel Ring.

Articuno

In combination with Karen, [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] is the decks de facto answer to Night March. Being able to take two Prizes against a non-EX / GX deck is the only way to keep up with decks like Night March and Articuno gives us that threat.

Two Shaymin-EX, One Tapu Lele-EX

[card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] is the draw power of the deck and necessary to get the game rolling in the right direction. With all the powerful Items you play, it is necessary to get them activated as soon as possible. Playing multiple Shaymin gives the deck the explosive turn one that it needs to build momentum for the rest of the game. Lele is simply a great consistency card that can attack if necessary. Though Tapu Lele isn’t searchable with Hoopa-EX, it provides an extra level of consistency to the deck, making otherwise dead hands playable.

Tapu Fini-GX

[card name=”Tapu Fini-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”39″ c=”name”][/card] is great for its GX attack, Tapu Storm GX. Against specific setup decks, Tapu Storm can wash away their set up. For instance, [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card] typically tries to set up one Groudon with a [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card]. When a Pokemon attacks it to break the Sash, the Groudon player will use [card name=”Scramble Switch” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] to bring up a fresh Groudon.

This strategy is pretty effective, but Tapu Fini can clear that Groudon threat off the board before they can do massive damage. Since it takes at least three turns to get a Primal Groudon attacking, Tapu Fini’s GX attack resets their entire setup. Just don’t play Fini down too early. A good Groudon player will wait to KO the Fini if they see it on your board because of how detrimental it is to their switching strategy. Tapu Fini-GX’s snipe attack is useful as well for taking out [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] when you didn’t have access to Guzma or for setting up to take a KO on the next turn.

Four Rough Seas

These are standard in any water deck. Don’t cut these if you want to stand any shot against [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. Current Trevenant lists are playing four [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] and at least one [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], so to have any hope of trading Stadiums evenly, you must play four Rough Seas.

Be Prepared

I can’t stress enough how important it is to be prepared for Regionals. Don’t walk in with a barely tested deck and expect to do well. On the other side of that, there are so many decks and cards to choose from that it can be overwhelming to try to keep up with all of them. My advice is to choose a deck you like early enough to get at least 50 – 100 games in with the list. With that many games, you can finely tune the list to your playstyle and to the metagame while giving yourself plenty of in-game practice with the deck. If you feel yourself struggling with deck selection, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of the editors as we are always happy to answer questions about your decks.

Thanks again for reading PokeBeach and I’ll see you around!

[/premium]