The Degenerate Nature of Expanded

Hello PokeBeach readers! I’m back again after a bit of a PokeBeach hiatus, but I’ve still been playing as much as ever. It’s been an exciting year so far in the Pokemon Trading Card Game, and I think things are going to ramp up greatly in the next few weeks. Players are getting a sense of the level of effort necessary to achieve an invite this season. We have back-to-back Expanded Regionals coming up, featuring the new cards from the massive Lost Thunder set, and I’m stoked to perfect the Expanded lists I’ve been working on.

Our next big North American tournament, Anaheim Regionals, is just around the corner. As one of the few Regionals on the West Coast this season, I expect Anaheim to have a big turnout. I also think it could be either an extremely fun event or a miserable one. What do I mean by that? Well, the Expanded format at the moment features a heavy amount of non-interactive gameplay. On the one hand, you have wholesome decks that are generally interactive — things like [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Naganadel” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”108″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / Flareon come to mind. To me, these decks represent the fun of Expanded: relatively slow setup, unusual old cards, and longer games that can be played in a variety of ways. Though you are doing everything you can to win, there is a back-and-forth exchange and your opponents are able to combat your deck with their own strategy.

Unfortunately, there’s a darker side to Expanded, and if Anaheim is going to be your first Expanded tournament, you may be in for a shock. Of course, I’m talking about the solitaire decks. The control decks. The decks that give you no way to disrupt their setup or even to play your own cards. These decks aim to limit your options and eventually lock you out of performing any gameplay actions whatsoever. No attacking, no retreating, no Supporters, no fun. [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] Control comes to mind as the king of this degenerate side of Expanded, but today we will be talking about a couple of other decks you might see at Anaheim that can frustrate even the best of players. The decks I will be covering today are [card name=”Glaceon-GX” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”39″ c=”name”][/card] and Shock Lock.

Shock Lock

[cardimg name=”Raichu” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”41″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

The first degenerate deck I’d like to discuss is an oldie but a goodie. After its release in Boundaries Crossed, [card name=”Stoutland” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] made no impact in the Standard format while it was legal. However, the card has found a niche in the Expanded format, albeit a small one. Although Stoutland has seen little play in Expanded, it’s performed fairly well when it has been played. Most notably, the card has been a favorite choice of two-time Worlds finalist and esteemed deck builder Ross Cawthon, who piloted Stoutland to a Top 16 finish at Dallas Regionals this past January.

Ross’s deck, featuring Stoutland paired with [card name=”Raichu” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], is often referenced to as Shock Lock because it relies on the potentially infinite Paralysis lock you can achieve through looping Raichu and [card name=”Devolution Spray” set=”Fates Collide” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card]. Shock Lock aims for a “complete” lock — one where the opponent is rendered unable to do anything at all, somewhat like modern Expanded [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] Control lists — but goes about it in a different way. Whereas Zoroark-GX Control looks to reduce the opponent’s hand size, it at least allows the opponent to play Supporters and to attack, Shock Lock aims to prevent both the Supporter option and the attacking option altogether. The goal of the deck is to set up an Active Stoutland while spamming Devolution Spray to reuse Raichu’s Evoshock Ability to Paralyze the defending Pokemon every turn. Stoutland’s Sentinel Ability prevents the opponent from playing Supporters, meaning cards like Guzma cannot move the Paralyzed Pokemon out of the Active spot. The other purpose of Sentinel is to prevent your opponent from playing shuffle Supporters, so they cannot replenish their deck and will eventually deck out before you do. This lethal combination of Paralysis and Supporter lock, if it sets up, can shut down pretty much every deck in the format.

The ideal board state for Shock Lock is to have an Active Stoutland with [card name=”Memory Energy” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”194″ c=”name”][/card] attached and at least two [card name=”Pikachu” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY202″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench. With this setup, you’ve established the Supporter lock and will always have at least one Pikachu to evolve into Raichu every turn. Ideally, the Active Stoutland will have evolved from [card name=”Lillipup” set=”Black and White” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] via [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Primal Clash” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card]; this lets Stoutland use Lillipup’s Pickup attack (with the effect of Memory Energy) to recover a Devolution Spray from the discard pile each turn. If for some reason you are unable to use Pickup, the deck plays three copies of [card name=”Herdier” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card], whose Treasure Hunt Ability lets you put an Item card from your discard pile into your hand.

[decklist name=”Stoutland” amt=”60″ caption=”The Ultimate Lock” cname=”Alolan Muk” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”58″][pokemon amt=”21″]4x [card name=”Stoutland” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Herdier” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Lillipup” set=”Black and White” no=”80″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Raichu” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”41″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Pikachu” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/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=”Ditto Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Alolan Muk” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”58″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”35″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lusamine” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Gladion” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Winona” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Skyla” set=”Boundaries Crossed” 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=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Devolution Spray” set=”Evolutions” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Pal Pad” set=”Flashfire” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Dragon Vault” no=”20″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Tropical Beach” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW28″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Memory Energy” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”194″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Card Explanations

[cardimg name=”Gladion” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”109″ align=”right” c=”custom”]I see you hiding in the Prizes[/cardimg]

One aspect of Shock Lock that I love is that the Lillipup, Herdier, and Stoutland were each released in different sets, years apart, yet they share a unique synergy in the deck. We know Stoutland is the superstar, with Sentinel being one of the main reasons this deck works at all, but Lillipup is also a key player. Herdier is less important, but it still improves the deck’s consistency and can find you a critical card in a pinch. There may be times where you need an additional Item for a combo or you’ve discarded a crucial Item with [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], but you either can’t find a Memory Energy, or need the Item before your attack. Herdier ensures that these scenarios don’t result in an outright loss.

Raichu is the other key Pokemon that helps achieve the deck’s lock. It is important to always have two Pikachu on the field so that when you devolve a Raichu, you can play it onto the other Pikachu to maintain Paralysis. Giving your opponent even one turn to attack can be hugely detrimental. Cards like [card name=”Articuno” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Zorua” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] can leave your Stoutland Asleep or Paralyzed, or [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] can discard your Memory Energy — in both cases preventing you from using Pickup.

One of the best consistency cards in this list is [card name=”Tropical Beach” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW28″ c=”name”][/card]. Since you typically will not attack in the early game, Tropical Beach functions as an additional draw Supporter. It also serves as a counter to other Stadiums such as [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card]. However, Tropical Beach’s high cost serves as the limiting factor to Shock Lock’s widespread play (other than the skill level required to set up the lock). With the Worlds-promo-exclusive card hovering at about $200 a pop, Shock Lock is not for the Pokemon Master on a budget. (That said, if you perform well with the deck, you can make a significant return on your investment…)

Stoutland is helped immensely by some cards from newer Sun and Moon-block sets. One of the most important is [card name=”Memory Energy” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”194″ c=”name”][/card]. This card allows the deck to be more streamlined. In previous iterations of the deck, [card name=”Celebi-EX” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card] (and later [card name=”Shining Celebi” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM79″ c=”name”][/card]) was used to give Stoutland access to Pickup. With the release of Memory Energy, we can save ourselves both a Bench spot and a couple of deck slots.

[card name=”Ditto Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card] can also help streamline your setup. It can evolve into a Raichu or a Herdier, and even allows you to play [card name=”Alolan Muk” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card]. Grabbing Ditto off of an early [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] ensures that you’ll have a variety of setup options on the next turn.

[card name=”Gladion” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] is another fantastic new addition. Shock Lock has a lot of moving pieces that all need to fit together, but what happens if something you need is Prized? This deck almost never does damage, so you probably can’t fish that card out of your Prizes by taking Knock Outs. Gladion gives you access to one of your Prizes, preventing bad RNG from ruining a large number of your matches. Before Gladion was printed, you would be forced to run extra copies of key cards like Celebi-EX and [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], but with Gladion, you can cut down to one copy of each without fear of losing it to poor prizing.

[premium]

Setup Cards

Why play one [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] and one [card name=”Winona” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card]? My original list had two Brigette, but I found having the option to grab Stoutland, Herdier, and Ditto Prism Star with Winona was quite valuable. Winona can even fetch [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] for some extra draw power if your hand isn’t looking so hot. Winona can’t find Pikachu or Raichu, though, and Brigette is better on turn one if you didn’t start with a lot of Pokemon in play or don’t have any Item-based search in hand.

Alolan Muk

[card name=”Alolan Muk” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card] is a tech for decks that run [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW61″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Articuno-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card]. Keldeo-EX is most predominantly featured in [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] decks, but can also be seen in [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Naganadel” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”108″ c=”name”][/card] and Stage 1 Energy acceleration decks such as [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Bronzong” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY21″ c=”name”][/card], and Eelektrik. Articuno-GX is played in some Zoroark-GX Control decks. Both Pokemon can move themselves from the Bench into the Active position, disabling your Paralysis lock and enabling your opponent to attack. They can hard counter Shock Lock enough that I think Alolan Muk is now necessary in the deck. Additional benefits of Alolan Muk include stopping your opponent from using Shaymin-EX, [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM13″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM85″ c=”name”][/card] for draw power.

Why no [card name=”Alolan Grimer” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]? I found that being forced to open with an Active Alolan Grimer often led to a loss. Without [card name=”Switch” set=”Black and White” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] in the deck, there are no ways to pay Alolan Grimer’s Retreat Cost of three other than attaching three Memory Energy, which is horrific to think about. Cutting the Alolan Grimer lessens the chance that you will get Alolan Muk out, but I would rather have a smaller chance of using a tech Pokemon than a higher chance of starting a Pokemon that would probably lose me the match.

Other Options

[card name=”Unown” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] with the HAND Ability was in my original list, but it was a poor starter and really just more of a win-more card. The only reason to play it is that sometimes it’s actually quicker to amass 35 cards in hand than to deck your opponent out, but it’s definitely not necessary to the deck.

If you’re concerned about Drampa-GX’s Righteous Edge or Energy denial Trainers like [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], you can include a [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] and a Basic Energy (probably Lightning, since it allows Raichu to attack). Personally, I’d rather use the deck space for other cards.

One [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] can be added to apply additional pressure to your opponent. Against many decks, Shrine of Punishment will enable you to win by taking Prizes rather than by deckout. Even though Shrine is recoverable with [card name=”Lusamine” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card], I don’t recommend this inclusion as going ahead on Prizes makes you susceptible to [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], which can severely disrupt your lock.

A final Stadium option is [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card]. This would serve as another option against Basic Pokemon with switching Abilities such as Keldeo-EX, but I’ve found that Alolan Muk is adequate in those matchups.

Matchups

I won’t bother going over the deck’s good matchups, as all of them play out the same way — if you set up the lock, you should win easily. There are a few hard counters to Shock Lock that you should be aware of, though.

Garbodor

Any deck that runs [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] with the Garbotoxin Ability is a threat to Shock Lock. Garbotoxin disabling your Abilities pretty much ensures that your opponent will have enough resources to run through multiple Stoutland.

[cardimg name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Ruining the fun since 2012[/cardimg]

Buzzwole / Lycanroc-GX

[card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] is possibly Shock Lock’s worst enemy in the Expanded format. Its Bloodthirsty Eyes Ability can wreak havoc on your board. Being able to move Stoutland out of the Active spot gives the Lycanroc-GX player at least one turn to play a Supporter. When paired with [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]’s early-game pressure, Lycanroc-GX is especially dangerous.

Blastoise

Blastoise is a particularly tricky matchup that requires you to set up [card name=”Alolan Muk” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card] as early as possible. If the Blastoise player runs two [card name=”Keldeo-EX” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW61″ c=”name”][/card], it is basically impossible for you to win without setting up Alolan Muk. Blastoise is also one of the few decks that still plays [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], so it is less affected by Supporter lock.

Anything with Escape Board

We haven’t seen many Expanded decks that run [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] yet, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the card won’t see play in the future. I can easily imagine a player converting a Standard [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] list to Expanded by adding an Ace Spec and a couple of other cards. If you think or know your opponent plays multiple Escape Board, you can use Pickup to recover your [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] during turns where you do not need to recover a [card name=”Devolution Spray” set=”Fates Collide” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card].

Speed Glaceon-GX

Is this the most degenerate deck in the Expanded format? Quite possibly. The pairing of [card name=”Glaceon-GX” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”39″ c=”name”][/card]’s Ability lock with harsh turn one hand disruption means that this deck can steal just about any game. The goal of this deck is to get a turn one Glaceon in combination with a [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM85″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] to leave your opponent’s hand with just one card. After that, you can use [card name=”Peeking Red Card” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] to further control your opponent’s hand. This deck hasn’t had any significant tournament finishes yet that I’m aware of, but on paper, its combo seems so powerful that the deck deserves some attention.

[decklist name=”Speed Glaceon” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″][pokemon amt=”19″]2x [card name=”Glaceon-GX” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”39″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Eevee” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”32″]3x [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Peeking Red Card” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Order Pad” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”131″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Energy Loto” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor’s Letter” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”146″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”9″]5x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Card Explanations

[cardimg name=”Glaceon-GX” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”39″ align=”right” c=”custom”]So Regal[/cardimg]

Glaceon-GX

[card name=”Glaceon-GX” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”39″ c=”name”][/card]’s Freezing Gaze Ability is what the deck is centered around. Establishing it on your first turn is crucial; if your opponent gets even one turn to use their own set up Abilities, they can run away with the game. One of the best attributes of this deck is its ability to establish a lock on the very first turn, as opposed to Shock Lock or Zoroark-GX Control, which need a few turns to set up fully. However, Glaceon-GX’s lock is less complete than those of the other two decks, since opponents will still be able to attack, play Items and Supporters, and use Abilities on their non-EX or -GX Pokemon.

This list plays two Glaceon-GX, which is admittedly on the low side. If you’re up against an opponent who is able to apply some pressure under the lock, prizing a Glaceon-GX will be an issue. That said, this deck is dead-set on that turn one lock, and doesn’t have much sustainability, so you rarely need more than two copies of Glaceon-GX.

Draw Support Pokemon

[card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Unown” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”30″ c=”name”][/card] are all included for their Abilities, which simply allow you to draw more cards. Your turn one requires a sizable combination of cards to pull off, so you need every advantage you can get in terms of draw. I’ve found that Unown is best used after Marshadow to rebuild your hand size, while Shaymin-EX is your primary method of draw.

Marshadow is crucial for establishing the lock. Older Glaceon-GX decks needed [card name=”Red Card” set=”Generations” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card], but Marshadow serves the same purpose with the added benefit of refreshing your own hand.

Burnable Items

This deck, much like Archie’s Blastoise, utilizes a turbo engine for set up. Maxing out on cards like [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Order Pad” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] ensures that you can run through your deck on turn one to achieve your combo.

Sky Field

You need to play a Stadium so that you can use Delinquent. There are a number of Stadiums that would benefit this deck, such as [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card], but I think Sky Field is the best since it lets you go all-out with your draw support Pokemon without worrying about Bench space.

Other Options

[card name=”Tormenting Spray” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] is an interesting option, since your opponent will often keep a draw Supporter as their single card in hand after Delinquent, but smart players can opt to keep a draw support Pokemon or an Item that can fetch a Supporter (such as Trainers’ Mail or [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card]), rendering Tormenting Spray useless.

[cardimg name=”Tormenting Spray” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”125″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Are you frustrated yet?[/cardimg]

[card name=”Trumbeak” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] is another neat inclusion that I haven’t tested yet. The card seems good in theory, but I think it’s probably just better to run more outs to your primary strategy.

[card name=”Barbaracle” set=”Fates Collide” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card] was featured in Alex Hill’s Glaceon-GX deck from the 2018 Costa Mesa Regionals, and it could be a cute tech for decks like Zoroark-GX that rely solely on Special Energy. However, the fact that you usually discard your Stadium with Delinquent lessens Barbaracle’s usefulness.

Counters

Wobbuffet

[card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card] pretty much destroys your whole strategy, and it’s an important card in several decks, such as [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Donphan” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card]. While you can still use Marshadow’s Let Loose under Bide Barricade, you lose access to Shaymin-EX’s Set Up and [card name=”Eevee” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card]’s Energy Evolution. Without these Abilities, it is basically impossible to establish your lock.

Oranguru / Marshadow

It’s ironic that some of the most important cards in your own deck can actually counter you if your opponent runs them. If your opponent is able to hold onto one of these (or topdeck it) after the Delinquent combo, they can often crawl back into the game.

Coin Flips and Topdecks

If you go second with this deck you are already a significant disadvantage, since your opponent has a good chance at building a solid board presence during that first turn when they aren’t dealing with Ability lock. In addition to the coinflip, unfortunate RNG can lose you games when your opponent is able to topdeck out of the lock. If you dislike decks that are a little more luck-based than is typical, Glaceon-GX may not be for you.

Conclusion

All in all, both Shock Lock and Glaceon-GX have a lot of promise, but they can also be easily hard-countered if they are expected. These are two of the most  punishing decks the Expanded format has to offer, and I hope you enjoyed this analysis of their degeneracy.

Until next time, thanks PokeBeach readers!

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