“Dowsing and Searching” — Turtonator-GX and Gardevoir-GX in Expanded
[cardimg name=”Dowsing Machine” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”128″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Hello readers! I apologize for my much-needed hiatus from playing and writing. Sometimes real life takes more than you expect it to and your hobbies must fall to the wayside. Because I had not tested or prepared for the NAIC, I performed poorly, going 4-0 then into 4-3 drop, and also went 3-3 at the 2017 World Championships. However, I am getting back into gear and ready to start this new season with so many great changes happening already. I am delighted to announce that I have been picked up to be on Ultra Pro and Pro Play Games’ A Team! Being a sponsored player is a long time goal of mine, and I hope to represent my team well this season.
Another great change is the new invite system that Pokemon has unwrapped. It is a point of complaint for many of the worlds-caliber players, but for me I see it as an opportunity to have more fun with the game as the race for the points is not as stressful. Instead of playing only consistently and striving for points, after I attain my invite, I can start playing things that are risky and strictly a meta call. Furthermore, I have never written an Expanded article, mostly because I saw Expanded as a chore to play with all the broken combos that can be created with such an expansive library of cards. However, owing to the recent bans at the beginning of last month, Expanded has evolved into a format that I am excited to play again.
In this article I am going to give a brief overview of the new and improved Expanded format, followed by the two decks I have explored the most in this new environment: [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card].
Jumping Back Into Expanded
The reason the Expanded format has become so refreshing is ban of two toxic cards: [card name=”Archeops” set=”Noble Victories” no=”67″ c=”from”][/card] and [card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]. Those cards had molded the Expanded format to be heavily dependent on the coin flip at the beginning of the game. The abundance of consistency cards in the Expanded format are a double-edged sword. They make the game extremely fun when your strategy is easily accessible, but is extremely frustrating when going up against a strategy that locks you out of the game turn one. Turn one Item lock is greatly facilitated in Expanded. When a deck focused on setting up [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] with Forest of Giant Plants has access to [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=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], the game can become too one-sided. In addition to Vileplume, [card name=”Tsareena” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”20″ c=”from”][/card] when combined with [card name=”Devolution Spray” set=”Evolutions” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], extreme consistency and Forest of Giant Plants can also force your opponent to start with a completely useless hand. There is a counter to this, but the counter is just more of the same. Decks focused on evolutions completely fold when their opponent is capable of a turn one Archeops via [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card]. This gimmick completely eliminates powerful evolution based cards such as [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] from contention.
With the ban of these cards and the addition of [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], Gardevoir-GX and [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] to the Expanded format, we now have a healthy, diverse meta where no one deck is too powerful. The all-mighty Night March has counters such as [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Oricorio” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] to keep the deck more fair than before. Tapu Lele-GX, [card name=”Giratina” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY184″ c=”name”][/card] and the prevalence of Garbodor creates a situation where Trevenant is not nearly as powerful as it seems to be. Even Turbo [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] can have a rough time when [card name=”Marshadow-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] is splashable in any deck with adequate basic attackers.
However, because Expanded has an extensive library of powerful Trainers and Pokemon, the meta is almost impossible to define. There might be a meta-defining combination out there that the community has yet to find. This is what makes Expanded exciting for me, but terrifying for others. I don’t think it will be uncommon to face nine different types of decks at an Expanded Regionals, just because of how many different decks can do well at a Regionals. Therefore, when I’m going for a good, consistent finish at Regionals, I tend to build my deck with cards that allow you to handle almost any bad situation while maintaining a healthy deck consistency. While on this topic, something I want to bring up is choice of Ace Spec. There are only three Ace Specs that I can even consider to be somewhat competitive in this format: [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Dowsing Machine” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Life Dew” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card]. Each of these have their niche uses, and when choosing an Ace Spec, you should heavily consider its utility in that deck.
The most fun of these, Life Dew, is only useful in decks that force your opponent to take multiple one-Prize knockouts. Life Dew in the past has been popular in decks like [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Flareon” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] (as featured by Dalen Dockery’s Ft. Wayne Regionals 2nd place run), Night March (as can be seen here in Connor Finton’s Night March deck list), and Tool Drop. However, because the meta includes [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”from”][/card], players have adjusted by opting to play multiple copies of Tool-removal cards. This makes Life Dew much less potent as a game-changing tool. However, if your deck abuses [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Eco Arm” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card], reusing Life Dew can make a frustrating game for your opponent.
[cardimg name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Computer Search and Dowsing Machine are the more competitive options and are found in any other decks. They both share a similar utility, but I chose between them based on the tempo of my deck.
Decks with early game pressure have synergy with Dowsing Machine over Computer Search so that they have more resources to be able to reach the goals they need. My general rule of thumb for Dowsing Machine is if you are playing multiple copies of [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], then Dowsing Machine is the Ace Spec for you. Decks that have extremely easy setup benefit greatly from this Ace Spec over Computer Search. For decks like Turbo Dark, [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card], and Night March, your early game is typically spamming Item cards and Shaymin to set up as quickly as possible. These decks are focused on over-extending early game. As a result, Dowsing Machine fills a void where you can have that fifth [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]/[card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card], secure the game with a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], or to act as a fifth VS Seeker.
Computer Search is for slower decks, to give them the kick-start they need to be able to handle early pressure. Computer Search can be used at any time during the game to grab anything out of your deck. This is great for decks that require something typically unsearchable turn one such as a Special Energy or a Stadium etc. Because of its early game utility, Computer Search is a much better tool for decks that need to set up as fast as possible. Most older players would agree that the previous sentence is contrary to deck building dogmas of the past, but since the reprinting of [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] we have near infinite access to Supporters and so the gap in consistency is near the beginning of the game. Decks that typically would prefer Computer Search are [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] variants, Gardevoir-GX/[card name=”Metagross-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”85″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Carbink BREAK” set=”Fates Collide” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] variants, etc. In these decks Computer Search gives you another out to those pieces you need for your puzzle, whether it guarantee the turn two [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card], provide a DCE or [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Fates Collide” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card], or just to find a turn one Supporter.
The two decks I am using to illustrate this point are Gardevoir-GX and Volcanion / Turtinator. Gardevoir-GX is all about setting up a 230 HP high damage output monster that completely wipes your opponent’s board, whereas Volcanion / Turtonator tries to end the game with [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] and Shaymin as fast as possible. Without further adieu, here is my Gardevoir-GX list.
Gardevoir-GX
[decklist name=”Gardevoir-GX” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″][pokemon amt=”16″]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=”Ancient Origins” no=”53″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Ralts” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”59″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Ralts” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”52″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/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]1x [card name=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Giratina” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY184″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”31″]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]1x [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ 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=”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=”Rare Candy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”129″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ 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=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”13″]8x [card name=”Fairy Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Wonder Energy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”144″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Expanded Gardevoir-GX is something that I think most people know about, but do not highly consider when choosing a deck for Expanded Regionals. Gardevoir-GX is one of the most powerful attackers ever printed. Even as a Stage 2, there are a lot of tools to get evolutions out consistently. Gardevoir also has the space, when built with correct priorities to handle any situation as I mentioned before. The list may seem to have strange cards, but I believe these are necessary to have a deck that can handle the jungle that is an Expanded Regional.
[premium]
Alolan Vulpix
People have strangely differing opinions on which support Pokemon to use when setting up, preferring [card name=”Diancie” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] over Alolan Vulpix. I don’t understand those two choices, as you should only be using them when your hand is dead. The only use the other two options have is when you can start with it, or you go first and can attach twice to retreat into it or have a Float Stone in your hand. Requiring good hands to help you set up seems counter-intuitive. I would rather have good hands to start putting on pressure quickly! Focusing on the Items and Trainers that establish your board will facilitate your setup substantially. I still play one [card name=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] and it is only useful when I go second, have an out to [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card], and can retreat into it.
Teammates
My usual play with Alolan Vulpix is to grab a Pokemon to evolve from a Ralts and a Tapu Lele-GX. The Lele can then grab you [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] which allows you to retaliate quickly to a knocked out Vulpix with any two cards in your deck, typically a Rare Candy and a Double Colorless Energy. Attacking with [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] under these circumstances not only lets you get a one-Prize hefty attacker out, but also can let you manipulate your top deck to ensure a smooth game.
Four Rare Candy
This goes with my previous statement where you want to focus getting out attackers as fast as possible.
2/2 Ralts split
[cardimg name=”Ralts” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”59″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This decision is tough, but both Ralts are useful in differing situations. With dimension valley in play, [card name=”Ralts” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”59″ c=”from”][/card] gets a free flip for paralysis when you need an extra turn. On the other hand, along with [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], Mumble on [card name=”Ralts” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”52″ c=”from”][/card] can KO a [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card].
Muscle Band
Besides killing Joltik with Ralts, Muscle Band can help you kill those pesky non-GX pokemon whose HP is not divisible by 30. I like [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] as well, but I don’t find hitting 180 on Pokemon-GX to be that difficult — I usually have more trouble hitting 190. [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] are also X*30+20, so that knockout is not lost without the last 10 damage.
One Field Blower, Zero Stadiums
To make room for consistency, I don’t play heavy counts of Stadium removers. In Expanded, [card name=”Po Town” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t commonly played and aside from [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], there’s not really any detrimental Stadiums. Also, anything that wears a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] can still be KO’d by Gardevoir if planned for correctly.
Giratina Promo
Players who are attracted to decks like Trevenant, even when it is a terrible choice, do so because they like free wins where they don’t really have to think or out-maneuver their opponent. Giratina makes them have to do so, and it becomes really easy to then win games.
Shaymin-EX
Players haven’t been using Shaymin-EX in their Gardevoir-GX lists, and I guess this is because of bench space. However, Shaymin-EX lets you dig for that last card you need to get the KO. It can also be used to soften up attackers while putting up a one-Prize wall.
Oranguru
In Standard, I definitely opt to play [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] over [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card]. However, in Expanded, you really don’t have time to set up the Octillery. You’re constantly focused on trading KO’s rather than creating a stable board, because there is so much danger. Additionally, it can be used as an attacker in clutch situations where Octillery cannot.
Honorable Mentions
Jirachi Promo
[card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card] really helps against fringe things in Expanded like [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Carbink BREAK” set=”Fates Collide” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zygarde-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Accelgor” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”11″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Flygon” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW53″ c=”name”][/card], etc.; buying you a turn and doing minor, but significant, damage to lower opposing Pokemons’ HP to a factor of 30.
1-1 Octillery
If you are lucky enough to pull it off, Octillery is probably the best support Pokemon for this deck. The two extra cards and excellent synergy with [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] is really hard to refuse.
Hex Maniac
My testing partners make fun of me consistently because of how highly I rate [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. But being able to KO your opponent’s only threat and follow up with an Ability lock to prevent Shaymin-EX, Tapu Lele, or any other powerful Abilities is really useful in Expanded. Also, you have a high chance of facing [card name=”Alolan Ninetales” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] in any large tournament.
Tapu Koko
Free retreat and spread 20 is useful in a lot of situations. [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”name”][/card] is another attacker that when paired with [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] can one-shot a Joltik.
Matchups
Luckily, people should be scared away from playing Metal because of how powerful decks like Turbo [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] and Night March are. This makes [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] well primed for the meta.
Matchups in Expanded are a little difficult to guide through because there are so many decks to choose from with a lot of differing cards. In this article, I will only go over the most likely decks, and Accelgor because I’ve always played against at least one Accelgor deck at every Expanded event.
Night March: Even to Slightly Unfavorable
This is probably not the worst match up, but it requires a lot of forethought. The matchup is actually pretty easy if you draw fairly well, but you cannot make any mistakes. Typically you want to set it up so that they over extend to kill your Gardevoir, then return their KO combined with [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card] spam. If they’re going the [card name=”Marshadow-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] route, you’re just trading two-Prize attackers as you can attack with Gardevoir and make it difficult for them. You want to try to attack with Gardevoir as often as possible because it is so difficult to take down. If you get into a situation where you’re trading one-Prize attackers or even attacking with Lele, it can be dicey because they might be able to return the KO even if you did Karen that turn. Shaymin-EX is a true double-edged sword because it is a card that can deliver the Karen plus KO route with Gardevoir, but it also is extremely easy to KO with Joltik, only requiring three Pokemon in the discard to KO.
If you choose to play [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card], Karen becomes even more potent, as they cannot use a Supporter to get around your Jirachi as well as a Supporter to draw more cards.
Trevenant: Even
[cardimg name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I don’t think [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] is a good deck at all. It’s slow, the damage is little, and everyone is playing less Items anyway because of [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] and access to Lele: I don’t think that Trevenant’s place in the Expanded meta is a good one. People will always play it, however, because they like free wins on the first turn.
When facing this deck, I like to try to get [card name=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] on the field, only two [card name=”Ralts” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”59″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Giratina” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY184″ c=”name”][/card], of course. Giratina makes it so that if they do decide to evolve into the BREAK, you can have access to Items, and you can easily get your Gardevoir’s out as fast as possible. You want to use [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] as many times as you can to prevent their [card name=”Necrozma-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] from sweeping the game.
If they decide to not evolve into the BREAK, then what I usually do is try to focus on using Tapu Lele. Tapu Lele with three Energy can OHKO a three-Energy [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. If they have [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] on the field, you can just attack for one Energy. Eventually you will have a Gardevoir out, and if they aren’t using the BREAK, then you will have no trouble KO’ing a 110 HP Pokemon with Gardevoir-GX.
The reason why I consider this matchup even is because you can start with a dead hand at any time and Necrozma-GX can sneak up on you if the game goes on too long. Typically, I try to use my [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card]/[card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] on pulling up Necrozma. It makes it so that they use the GX attack early and you can Acerola around it.
Volcanion / Turtonator: Favorable
I went into Worlds thinking that this matchup was even and I could just beat Gardevoir by outplaying my opponents. I was completely mistaken, and I found that out by playing two of them and a [card name=”Gyarados” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY60″ c=”name”][/card] to knock me out of Day 2 contention! Even with [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], Gardevoir-GX has a distinct advantage because they have a monster attacker that is its own support Pokemon.
Approaching this matchup is pretty easy, even if they attain an early lead — if you can make sure that you always have a back up Gardevoir-GX and an [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card], you will always win the game. The only interaction that I find difficult is the turn they use Shell Trap to set up a Gardevoir KO. My logic tree for that situation is as follows: If I have a backup attacker, I always attack it regardless if their Turtonator will be KO’d or not. If I do not have one, I try to use Shaymin-EX or Lysandre/Guzma to pick off something Energy-heavy on the Bench.
KO’ing a baby [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] with a [card name=”Gallade” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] is a great way to start the matchup where they have to dedicate a Bright Flame or a Volcanic Heat to KO a one-Prize attacker.
Turbo Darkrai: Favorable
This matchup seems like it should be really easy on paper. You have Gallade–to which all Darkrai are weak–you have a massive 230 HP Pokemon that can OHKO their Darkrai with and even resist them! However, Turbo [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] is one of the fastest decks out there and if you aren’t cautious, you can easily be over whelmed. Like with the Volcanion matchup, your priority is to always have a backup attacker; because their attackers are pretty easy to Knock Out, this is your main focus. You also want to start attacking with Gallade very early because that exchange is heavily in your favor. When going second, my ideal turns look like this: Turn one [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] into [card name=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card], turn two [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] into Gallade KO, turn three Teammates into Gallade again via [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card]. After this exchange, the game is pretty down hill.
[card name=”Wonder Energy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] is in this deck mostly to deal with Dead End-GX on Darkrai-GX as it is the only attack that can reliably KO a Gardevoir. If you have Wonder Energy on your Gardevoir-GX, you remove this option and can quickly take control of the game.
Mega Rayquaza-EX: Unfavorable
This deck seems to have fallen out of favor, but I still always manage to play it at almost every major event. I think with [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] present, it’ll forever be played in waves. What you do in this matchup is try to pick off Shaymin-EX’s with Gallade twice (once with Stretcher) and try to get a big KO on a [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] with a five-Energy Gardevoir-GX. If you’re really worried about this matchup, a single Sudowoodo decimates it.
Golisopod-GX: Even to Slightly Favorable
The [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] matchup is kind of weird. They don’t play much Energy, but they’re not pressuring you that hard either. My go-to strategy is to hit with Gallade first and follow up with loaded Gardevoir-GX’s. Gallade has that awkward 150 HP, so Golisopod’s First impression can’t knock it out even with [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]. Golisopod will have to use its GX attack to OHKO, meaning that it cannot be used later in the game to take a surprise KO on a Tapu Lele. This usually sets up the game for me, as eventually I get a Gardevoir-GX with six Energy and can clean their field, where they can’t OHKO Gardevoir-GX under any circumstances.
The tricky part in this matchup is that their deck is significantly faster than Gardevoir-GX. As a Stage 1, instead of a Stage 2 with nearly the same HP, it has some endurance. So if they’re able to chain Acerola, you will have a hard time against this deck.
Garbodor Variants: Favorable
The paramount point to mention is Twilight GX. This attack shuffles your Items back in your deck, so [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] hits meaningless numbers. The Tool Drop variant can be annoying if they are focused on getting a bunch of Tools, because it takes a Muscle Band or two attachments to KO. But if you are able to cycle Acerola and hit sometimes with Lele, you’ll probably be fine.
Accelgor Variants: Favorable
[cardimg name=”Accelgor” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”11″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
As I mentioned before, I always hit an [card name=”Accelgor” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”11″ c=”name”][/card] deck at nearly every Expanded regional. People love this card for reasons I cannot comprehend. Keeping a Gallade on your field is the biggest priority. You want to be able to stream [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] and Acerola as a counter measure to Deck and Cover’s annoying paralysis. [card name=”Wonder Energy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] also completely stops Accelgor in its tracks. You want to try to keep [card name=”Shelmet” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card] off the field, and it goes down hill from there.
With the release of Guzma and Acerola, I think this deck is finally dead.
Greninja BREAK: Even
This matchup is tough. It’s a super weird deck because every time I pilot it, the cards seem awful. Getting multiple [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] never happens to me, but happens against me all the time.
Anyway, like nearly every other matchup, you want to initiate with Gallade and get [card name=”Giratina” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY184″ c=”name”][/card] out. If you go first, and get the turn two attack, Gallade can KO a [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card], then a [card name=”Frogadier” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”39″ c=”name”][/card], then a [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]. The game is half over by the time they Knock Out your Gallade, and a Gardevoir with enough Energy on it can sweep the game.
Archie’s Blastoise: Even
I also play against this a bunch at tournaments. Since Jacob Van Wagner took the world title with it in 2015, this deck is a community favorite. Some people just constantly play it no matter how many [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] they expect to face.
[card name=”Wishiwashi-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] are the only things I think are difficult to play around. Archie’s [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] can have an explosive start, frequently being able to attack and build pressure early in the game and sometimes be able to take two early Prizes with Articuno. If you can maneuver around the early game well, you can just clean up with Gardevoir-GX. In my experience if you are able to get two Gardevoir and a Gallade out, the game is easy because you KO everything but Wishisashi post-Blue-Surge-GX.
With a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], Wishiwashi hits for 230 with the GX attack and spread out the Energy so it is impossible to return a KO on a 250 HP monster with no Energy on it. What you want to do in this scenario is try to take out the Blastoise on the Bench with a Muscle-Banded Gallade. Since they cannot use Archie’s and Lysandre in the same turn, you put them in an awkward position where Keldeo-EX has to dedicate five Energy or four and a Muscle Band to kill a one-Prize attacker. This then shifts the game so that you can just sweep with Gardevoir-GX.
I find Gardevoir-GX to be a very well rounded late game deck. Although it is slower than the decks I typically like to play, it is still satisfying to have a stable field with towering attackers that can handle any situation.
To flip directions and Ace Specs, I’d like to talk about one of my favorite decks of all time, Volcanion-EX / Turtinator-GX.
Volcanion-EX / Turtonator
[decklist name=”Volcanion” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″][pokemon amt=”15″]3x [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/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]1x [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”49″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Giratina” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY184″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Kiawe” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”116″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ 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=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/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]2x [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]12x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”12″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
I want to quickly discuss card choices, and give more attention to the matchups. Volcanion-EX has been around for over a year now and its general strategy has been heavily discussed in not only my articles, but in nearly all Pokemon literature.
Ho-Oh-GX and Kiawe
[card name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] combined with [card name=”Kiawe” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card] is too powerful against too many matchups to not include. The alternate weakness is enough to include Ho-Oh.
Starmie vs. Extra Energy
I like [card name=”Starmie” set=”Evolutions” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] because it is Energy on demand. Sam Chen’s second-place list in Fort Wayne had 16 Fire Energy! That’s pretty insane. I understand it makes your [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] consistent, but I don’t think it’s worth the space.
Two Shaymin-EX and One Tapu Lele-GX
As you can’t [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] in the same turn, you’ll want to use [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] really isn’t that useful in this deck after turn one.
Keldeo-EX
[cardimg name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW61″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I originally didn’t include it in my lists, but its utility with Ho-Oh GX and Volcanion-EX makes it worthwhile. This also lets you solely focus on using [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] as your “gust” of choice as you can Rush In and Guzma instead of needing a free retreater.
Giratina Promo
[card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t that big of a problem, but [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] is. With three way to remove Stadiums and a Dowsing Machine, you can bump their [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] pretty well.
Dowsing Machine
[card name=”Dowsing Machine” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] is the perfect Ace Spec for Volcanion decks, as it keeps the flame going to finish out the game. It can also counteract your lower Item counts by acting as a second [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], third [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], or a fifth [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card].
Fighting Fury Belt vs. Muscle Band
[card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] is a really good inclusion, because a lot of people were expected to play tool removal. However, the absence and irrelevance of Garbotoxin from the meta should keep your [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] safe. Muscle Band’s advantage is to hit numbers like 70 with Shell Trap or Power Heater, or 120 with Steam Artillery, but I’m not expecting too much [card name=”Trubbish” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”65″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]. I could be completely wrong, but I think the meta is heading in a different direction.
Battle Compressor
I shouldn’t have to say too much about this card. It gets your Supporters in the discard so you can abuse [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] all game; it gets Fire Energy in the discard to use with Blacksmith; and lets you thin out your deck to protect from a late game [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card].
Honorable Mentions
Enhanced Hammer
Igor Costa just destroyed Hartford with Volcanion in Standard with two [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card]. Honestly, it was a great tech, because most decks in Standard are using Special Energy. I feel like a lot of matchups are using Special Energy in Expanded as well. It can tilt matchups like Gardevoir-GX and Night March in your favor.
Sky Field and Hoopa-EX
This combination has fallen out of favor because of [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card]. If you’re not expecting it too much, I think [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] are better than the [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] version because of how potent Shaymin is for your turn one setup. I would also include [card name=”Jirachi-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] over Tapu Lele-GX, as it combos better with Hoopa-EX.
Sudowoodo
For the same reasons I mentioned before, Sky Field decks like Rainbow Road and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] may surface.
Matchups
Gardevoir-GX: Unfavorable
Being on the wrong side of this matchup is not as bad as you would think! You want to focus on whittling away your opponent’s field and [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] with Turtonator’s Shell Trap and baby Volcanion’s Power Heater. You don’t never want to power up a Ho Oh-GX ever. I always try to keep a maximum of two Energy on a Turtonator-GX at any time that you’re not immediately attacking. This makes it so that with a Fury Belt, Turtonator-GX is extremely difficult to Knock Out. I know it’s tempting to have it on the field, but if you have access to Blacksmith and Starmie they can’t [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] simultaneously, giving you get the necessary Energy.
[cardimg name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Night March: Even
This deck is always difficult to beat. Whenever I play against it, I always think a couple of turns in advance. You’ll want to try to attack with baby Volcanion as many times as possible. The next best attacker is Turtonator, for spamming Shell Trap while also using [card name=”Karen” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY177″ c=”name”][/card]. Night Marchers, having such low HP, usually get destroyed by the retaliation of Shell Trap, while Karen assures that your 190-HP basic can survive another turn. Another underrated attacker in this matchup is [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] who can use [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] to OHKO Night Marchers for a single Energy. Following up these strategies with [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] can assure you a quick victory.
Some key plays are using [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]’s Sky Return to KO [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] as even with Karen, they are a liability; so picking them up from the field is always a bonus.
The downside of playing against Night March is that it’s Night March. It is the most consistent deck ever created. I go to a lot of Expanded tournaments just wishing I had played it because of how many free wins you can get with it.
Turbo Darkrai: Even to Slightly Favorable
Turbo Dark got [card name=”Darkrai-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] with the newest set. This gives the deck even more power. However, because they can only use Dead End GX once, and you have a lot of tools to take OHKOs, whereas they have to build them up over time, I feel like this matchup is in our favor.
Mega Rayquaza-EX: Unfavorable
Again, unless you’re using Sudowoodo, you’ll probably lose. Between Hex Maniac and their towering HP, it is nearly impossible to chain KOs. You do play more Stadium removal in this deck as opposed to in Gardevoir-GX, so it is more favored, but is still not enough.
Golisopod-GX: Favorable
This is one matchup that you want to focus on [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] instead of [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card]. The extra 10 HP doesn’t matter, but keeping your Energy does. We play a [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”45″ c=”name”][/card] to reset Volcanion and [card name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] after an attack. If they KO the Keldeo, it’s an easy return KO on their [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card].
Garbodor Variants: Even to Slightly Unfavorable
Garbodor isn’t that hard of a deck to beat if you can play around it correctly. With the Supporter-based acceleration that we have, you can manage to kill several [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] before the numbers add up. If you can get far enough ahead, you can just trade two Prizes for one to close out the game. The problem arises when they N you into a completely dead hand when your deck isn’t thinned out. This is because [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] doesn’t let you use your deck like a draw Supporter would, and you end up getting blown up.
Accelgor Variants: Favorable
Like I said before, [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] are your friends. This deck is even easier to beat when you have Keldeo plus Float Stone. [card name=”Shelmet” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Accelgor” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”11″ c=”name”][/card] are both weak to Fire, so they are easy targets for Power Heater and Shell Trap with one Steam Up.
Trevenant BREAK: Favorable
I typically try to only keep two Turtonator on the field and a [card name=”Giratina” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY184″ c=”name”][/card]. You want to Blacksmith as often as possible, and Nitro Tank GX lets you recycle Energy that are lost through either attacking or Energy denial. Giratina lets you use your Blacksmiths over and over. When I play against this deck, unless my hand is abnormally abysmal, my opponent has trouble keeping BREAKs on the field because of how many times I can chain Blacksmith.
Greninja BREAK: Even to Slightly Unfavorable
Your goal is to use Ho-Oh as much as possible to sweep BREAKs. You want to keep [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card]s off the field so you can keep Giratina’s protection going. If you can manage to get enough early Prizes with Ho-Oh (I typically can get four on a good run), you can sweep the game with your Water-weak attackers.
[cardimg name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Archie’s Blastoise: Slightly Unfavorable to Unfavorable
I don’t think this matchup is the worst in the world. A Ho-Oh GX with a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] means your opponent will need nine Energy to KO you with a Secret Sword. Getting them to waste two Keldeo’s on a single Ho-Oh is devastating. It’s not unwinnable, but they have a lot of tools to deal with you. [card name=”Wishiwashi-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] can delete your Ho-Oh even with Fury Belt, and [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] can win them the game in two turns if they flip enough heads.
Volcanion-EX / Turtonator-GX looks like on paper that it has a bunch of bad matchups. However, This deck has a great chance against many of the more meta decks. I would pick this if you want to play something that can do well against people who are only playing meta decks.
Conclusion
I hope this article has been informative to you. As it is my first Expanded article, please feel free to message me with any feedback you might have. I always appreciate answering questions and receiving constructive criticism. Good luck with your season, hopefully I’ll see you at Worlds!
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