Days Before Philadelphia — What You Should Know

By: Zachary Lesage · Posted Posted onSep 13, 2018 at 4:05 PM · 0 Comments

What’s up PokeBeach readers? I’m sure you’ve all been busy lately with League Challenges, League Cups, and playtesting as we rapidly approach Philadelphia Regionals this weekend. I myself have been busy playing in League Cups; so far I’ve accumulated 72 Championship Points to start the new season. In this article, I will be going over the results of Santa Catarina Regionals, sharing my personal lists for the new [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] decks that emerged at that tournament, and discussing some important matchups. I will also provide my list for the Rayquaza-GX / Vikavolt deck that I have been fine-tuning for a while now. There’s quite a bit to cover here, so let’s get started.

Results From Santa Catarina Regionals

This past weekend, our Pokémon-playing friends in South America assembled in Santa Catarina, Brazil for the second major tournament of the 2018-19 season. Most of us North American players were expecting [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vikavolt” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM28″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM62″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Ultra Necrozma-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] to perform the best, but those decks’ success was limited. Instead, Santa Catarina was overrun by [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] decks, with partners including [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Magcargo” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card], and more. Below are the results from the Top 8.

[cardimg name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ align=”right” c=”custom”]I dominated![/cardimg]

  • Breno Santos with Buzzwole / Garbodor / Shrine of Punishment
  • Samuel Jacques with Buzzwole / Garbodor / Shrine of Punishment
  • Bruno Eduardo Benetti with Buzzwole / Garbodor / Shrine of Punishment
  • Nicolaz Galaz with Buzzwole / Weavile / Shrine of Punishment
  • Damian Ezequiel Anile with Buzzwole / Weavile / Shrine of Punishment
  • Alexandre Braga with Buzzwole / Garbodor / Shrine of Punishment
  • Rafael Yuiti with Buzzwole / Garbodor / Shrine of Punishment
  • Felipe Reyes with Zoroark-GX / Golisopod-GX

The metagame has been shaken up considerably after this tournament, and these [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] decks are receiving the bulk of the attention from players testing for Philadelphia. These Shrine of Punishment decks are so successful because they focus entirely on non-GX attackers that can do a large amount of damage quickly but only give up a single Prize when Knocked Out. Given the presence of Zoroark-GX in this format, most players considered Buzzwole the best partner for Shrine of Punishment (although some of the lists in Santa Catarina focused on [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] instead). As I write this, no reliable counters to Buzzwole / Shrine of Punishment have yet been revealed, unless you count minor hype for [card name=”Magnezone” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Celesteela-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM67″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Dialga-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card]. The argument for that deck is that it has Fighting-type Resistance, few Pokemon with Abilities, and Mt. Coronet as a counter Stadium.

If you are not a fan of Buzzwole / Shrine of Punishment, here are the other decks that made Top 32 at Santa Catarina Regionals:

  • Zoroark-GX / Golisopod-GX
  • Rayquaza-GX / Vikavolt
  • Zoroark-GX / [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]
  • [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Shining Lugia” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM82″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Lele” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] / Malamar
  • [card name=”Dawn Wings Necrozma-GX” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] / Malamar
  • Buzzwole / [card name=”Dusk Mane Necrozma” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM107″ c=”name”][/card] / Shrine of Punishment
  • Tapu Koko / Buzzwole / Weavile / Shrine of Punishment
  • Zoroark-GX / Magcargo
  • [card name=”Hoopa” set=”Shining Legends” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] / Weavile / Garbodor
  • Zoroark-GX / Magnezone / [card name=”Dusk Mane Necrozma-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM102″ c=”name”][/card]
  • Buzzwole / [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM69″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Silvally-GX” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card]

What’s surprising about this list is how little each of these decks were played in comparison to the Buzzwole / Shrine of Punishment decks, especially since most of these concepts were well-established before Santa Catarina. These decks will likely see even less play in Philadelphia. If the metagame undergoes a last-minute shift to decks that hard-counter Buzzwole / Shrine of Punishment, some of the above decks may have a chance to jump back into the metagame, because they themselves won’t be countered anymore. Personally, I can’t take the risk of running anything other than Buzzwole / Shrine of Punishment. I’ll share my list that I played to a Top 4 finish at the Milton, Ontario League Cup this past Sunday, as well as a similar list that plays Garbodor instead of Weavile.

[premium]

Buzzwole / Weavile / Magcargo / Shrine of Punishment

[decklist name=”Buzzwole / Weavile / Magcargo / Shrine of Punishment Deck” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″][pokemon amt=”19″]4x [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Sneasel” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Magcargo” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”24″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Slugma” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”23″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM69″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Diancie Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”30″]3x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Lillie” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Sophocles” set=”Shining Legends” no=”65″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]5x [card name=”Fighting Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card]4x [card name=”Unit Energy FDY” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Beast Energy Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”117″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

This list attempts to use [card name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] to give the deck a higher damage output (in most matchups) than it would have if it relied solely on Buzzwole. Weavile’s Evil Admonition attack costs only one Dark Energy, and quite a few decks in the current Standard format rely on Pokemon with Abilities (such as [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] decks or [card name=”Vikavolt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]). If your opponent has three Abilities on their board, Weavile swings for 150 damage before you even consider damage modifiers such as [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], and Shrine of Punishment. Buzzwole / Weavile / Shrine of Punishment is my pick for the best deck in format right now and would be my top play if Buzzwole / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / Shrine of Punishment didn’t counter it. The dilemma is that Weavile gives you the best matchup spread in the format, but Garbodor is superior in mirror matches. Don’t get me wrong, I think Garbodor can punish many decks too, but not as much as Weavile currently does.

Buzzwole / Garbodor / Magcargo / Shrine of Punishment

[decklist name=”Buzzwole / Garbodor / Magcargo / Shrine of Punishment Deck” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″][pokemon amt=”19″]4x [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Trubbish” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”50″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Magcargo” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”24″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Slugma” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”23″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM69″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Diancie Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sudowoodo” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”30″]3x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Lillie” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Sophocles” set=”Shining Legends” no=”65″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]5x [card name=”Fighting Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card]4x [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Beast Energy Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”117″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

This is basically the same deck as the previous one, but with [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] in place of Weavile. As I briefly stated above, the main difference between these decks is their matchup spread, so make sure you analyze the metagame and choose wisely if you decide to play this archetype for Philadelphia Regionals. Garbodor is strictly better in mirror matches because Buzzwole suffers from a Psychic-type Weakness. I do want to make it clear that the matchups for the two decks are mostly the same, but the Garbodor variant tends to have a weaker matchup against decks like [card name=”Magnezone” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Celesteela-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM67″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Dialga-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card] that focus on high-HP Pokemon and can function playing few Items.

Deck Strategy 

Regardless of variant, the Buzzwole / Shrine of Punishment archetype’s main focus is beating Pokemon-GX-reliant decks that don’t have a good answer to Shrine of Punishment. The spread of damage counters after each turn really does add up quickly, and if the opponent can’t find a way to heal the damage or remove Shrine of Punishment, they will be at a significant disadvantage.

Buzzwole is a very strong non-GX attacker whose main purpose is to whittle away at your opponent’s Pokemon with Sledgehammer, assisted by damage modifiers such as [card name=”Diancie Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Beast Energy Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card]. When the opponent has four Prize Cards remaining, Sledgehammer “unlocks” and deals an additional 90 damage, allowing you to potentially take a big KO that snowballs your lead or swings the game in your favor if you were behind.

Additionally, this deck incorporates a “cheating” function via [card name=”Magcargo” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card]. What I mean by that is that the combination of those cards essentially lets you stack your deck, searching out any card with Smooth Over and then drawing it immediately with Instruct. Even if you can’t immediately draw into a card you found with Smooth Over, you can leave it on top of your deck to ensure you draw it at the start of the next turn; this prediction factor adds a high level of skill to this deck’s gameplay.

My friend Daniel Altavilla worked on these lists with me, and it was he who decided to include [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. Beast Ring lets you surprise an opponent by setting up a big attack from Buzzwole or Buzzwole-GX out of nowhere, potentially taking a game-sealing KO.

One thing that I must add about this deck is that if you feel like you are dead drawing or not doing much during your turn, that is really just how the deck operates. During most of your turns, you’ll simply attach an Energy, announce Sledgehammer, and then watch Shrine of Punishment’s damage kick in. The most intricate gameplay this deck provides comes from setting up combos with Smooth Over; using Slugma’s Magma Ring attack in a few matchups; and hitting certain numbers with the right combination of damage modifiers. 

[cardimg name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Let me feast on your Abilities[/cardimg]

Weavile Variant

In this version of the deck, take note if your opponent plays down a Pokemon with an Ability. While Weavile’s damage adds up quickly, it is a fragile Pokemon, so you want to make sure that you are attacking at the most opportune moments in the game. The reason I like Weavile more than Garbodor is that it is a good attacker against a majority of the metagame, whereas Garbodor is primarily ideal against Psychic-weak Pokemon.

Garbodor Variant

This attacker is better than Weavile in the mirror match because of [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]’s Psychic Weakness. To make the best use of Garbodor, keep track of the Item cards in your opponent’s discard pile and don’t forget that you have [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] as damage modifiers to reach for Knock Outs. In my testing so far, I haven’t had to use Garbodor’s Acid Spray attack, but it is guaranteed to Knock Out a Buzzwole regardless of how many Items your opponent has played, so keep it in mind as a last resort. As I’ve mentioned, though, if you don’t expect mirror matches, I believe Weavile is the better secondary attacker in this archetype.

Potential Techs

There are a few cards that I have seen in other lists that I am still considering for my final list for Philadelphia Regionals.

Weavile BUS

There is a second Standard-legal [card name=”Weavile” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] , the Burning Shadows print with the Rule of Evil attack. This would be a helpful tech if [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] decks start adding additional healing cards such as [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card], which they are expected to do now that Shrine of Punishment decks are so prevalent in the format.

Regirock

The biggest selling point of [card name=”Regirock” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] is that it can hit for 40 damage if it has a Pokemon Tool attached to it, which is just a bit higher than Buzzwole’s 30 damage with Sledgehammer (before modifiers). I understand that this extra damage can sometimes make a huge difference, but I have found myself in situations where my opponent has four Prize Cards and I want to use Sledgehammer, but I can’t because Regirock is Active. I suggest giving Regirock a try in testing, but I don’t think it’s worth cutting a Buzzwole to add Regirock to your list.

Acro Bike

[card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] is another way for this deck to execute combos with [card name=”Magcargo” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] to avoid dead drawing and develop complex strategies throughout the game, by searching for a card with Smooth Over and immediately drawing it with Acro Bike. While it has the advantage of not taking up your Supporter slot for the turn, Acro Bike’s downside is that the card you’re forced to discard could be just as important as the card you want to draw. One of my personal rules when it comes to deck building is to cut out as much variance as possible, which is my reasoning for not instantly jumping on the Acro Bike bandwagon. 

Beyond those three cards, the only modifications I would potentially make to my list above are some changes in card counts. I’ve recently been testing a fourth [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] instead of the [card name=”Sophocles” set=”Shining Legends” no=”65″ c=”name”][/card]. Other potential changes include cutting [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM69″ c=”name”][/card] because it’s a liability against other Shrine of Punishment decks; cutting [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] for more consistency cards; and adding a [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM85″ c=”name”][/card] or a [card name=”Judge” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”108″ c=”name”][/card]. With Magcargo allowing you to effectively run single copies of cards in your deck, I don’t expect two Buzzwole / Shrine of Punishment decks to look exactly the same. I have included my most updated Buzzwole / Shrine of Punishment deck near the end of this article which should showcase my overall thoughts on the deck. 

Matchups 

In this section I will be going over the matchups that should be the most common at Philadelphia Regionals, as the metagame currently stands. All the opinions below are the results of my extensive testing.

Buzzwole / Shrine of Punishment – Even

This matchup is fairly even assuming you are playing [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] and not [card name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]. In my testing, most games consist of [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] versus-Buzzwole showdowns, with both players using Sledgehammer over and over. The key is to search out [card name=”Magcargo” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] as soon as possible, to have your extra damage modifiers within easy reach throughout the entirety of the game. You also want to try and take out your opponent’s [card name=”Diancie Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] so that your damage output is higher on average. Once your opponent has played four or more Item cards, you can bring out Garbodor to start OHKOing opposing Buzzwole. Most of these mirror matches are going to be somewhat repetitive: draw for your turn, attach an Energy, use Smooth Over and possibly a Supporter, and attack.

Magnezone / Dusk Mane Necrozma-GX / Dialga-GX – Slightly Favorable 

[cardimg name=”Magnezone” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”83″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Let’s attach some Energy![/cardimg]

I’ll be the first to admit it: this matchup is awkward because your opponent will not play many Items, they have a quick setup with [card name=”Steven’s Resolve” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], and they can gain an extra turn with [card name=”Dialga-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card], which they can use to avoid activating Sledgehammer’s bonus damage. The good thing is that your opponent does rely on Pokemon-GX, which means that your [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] will punish them and you can use [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] to further increase your damage output. Try to set up Magcargo as soon as possible while you apply early pressure with Buzzwole. One intriguing play that I’ve used online a few times is attacking one of this deck’s Fire-weak Pokemon with [card name=”Slugma” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card]’s Magma Ring with a Choice Band, dealing 80 damage for a single Energy.

Rayquaza-GX / Vikavolt – Favorable

[card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vikavolt” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM28″ c=”name”][/card] is one of the best matchups for [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / Shrine of Punishment. It plays many GX Pokemon, it doesn’t usually run a counter Stadium or [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], and it gets hit hard by both [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]. I have played games against Rayquaza-GX / Vikavolt where my opponent has a great setup, I have a poor setup, and I still pull out a victory without much trouble. The goal in this matchup is to find Shrine of Punishment as soon as possible and to set up your auxiliary attacker earlier than in other matchups, because both Garbodor and Weavile are so effective in this matchup.

Zoroark-GX / Lycanroc and Zoroark-GX / Golisopod-GX – Favorable

While [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] and Zoroark-GX / [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM62″ c=”name”][/card] are different decks, they function in the same way; they are both Zoroark-GX decks with a Stage 1 secondary attacker. Buzzwole has an inherent advantage against Zoroark-GX decks, since it is able to OHKO Zoroark-GX for one Energy with various damage modifiers. Also, recent Zoroark-GX lists haven’t been playing [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], and usually run just two Stadiums ([card name=”Devoured Field” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]); they also rely on a high amount of Items and Abilities. This will typically lead your opponent into trying to attack mainly with Golisopod-GX or Lycanroc-GX, but that strategy usually ends in your opponent dead drawing without any Zoroark-GX in play. If you are having trouble KOing those secondary attackers, make sure to set up [card name=”Magcargo” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] so that you can use [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] in the late game, possibly powering up a Buzzwole-GX. Overall, I haven’t had any troubles with this match up beyond dead drawing sometimes. It will be interesting to see if Zoroark-GX decks will increase their [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] counts, add in [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card], up their [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] counts, and add in [card name=”Weakness Policy” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card] for Philadelphia Regionals. If there is any indication that that will be the case, it might be ideal to add two copies of Field Blower to your Buzzwole / Shrine of Punishment list.

Final Choices for Philly

I now want to showcase the two lists that I am considering for Philadelphia Regionals as of this writing. The first is a combination of Buzzwole / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / Magcargo / Shrine of Punishment that functions as a “toolbox” deck to provide an answer to any matchup. The second is the [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vikavolt” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM28″ c=”name”][/card] list that I have been working on since the 2018 World Championships, which has given me the most success at tournaments so far this season. If you asked me which one I would play right now, it would be the Buzzwole / Shrine of Punishment concept due to its better matchup spread, but if the metagame shifts, I would be comfortable playing Rayquaza-GX / Vikavolt instead.

Buzzwole / Garbodor / Weavile / Magcargo / Shrine of Punishment Deck

[decklist name=”Buzzwole / Garbodor / Weavile / Magcargo / Shrine of Punishment Deck” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″][pokemon amt=”19″]4x [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Trubbish” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”50″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Sneasel” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Magcargo” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”24″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Slugma” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”23″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Diancie Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”31″]4x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Lillie” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Judge” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”108″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]4x [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Unit Energy FDY” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Beast Energy Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”117″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Rayquaza-GX / Vikavolt Deck

[decklist name=”Rayquaza-GX / Vikavolt Deck” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″][pokemon amt=”14″]4x [card name=”Rayquaza-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Vikavolt” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM28″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Grubbin” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”13″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM85″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dedenne” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”34″]4x [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Volkner” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lillie” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”142″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Mysterious Treasure” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Energy Recycler” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]6x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card]6x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

My list is low on Energy Cards when compared to most Rayquaza-GX / Vikavolt lists, but that hasn’t been a problem during my extensive playtesting with the deck. I actually rarely use Stormy Winds because I don’t like milling potentially useful cards from my own deck. Sometimes I am forced into using that Ability to reach a certain damage number, but it is often going to hurt me in the long run.

Flying High

That’s about as much information as I have right now on our fast-evolving Standard format. I know it’s possible that the metagame will change slightly heading into Philadelphia Regionals, but there isn’t enough time for it to change by much. Whatever deck you choose, I wish you the best of luck this weekend. I will be attending Philadelphia myself, so feel free to come up to me and introduce yourself; I love interacting with the community! As always, I encourage you to follow me on my journey as a professional Pokemon player via my Twitter @zlesage_pokemon.

Cheers,

Zach

#PlayPokemon #Pokemon #PokeBeach

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