Fight the Electropower — Fighting Pokemon in a Lightning World

[cardimg name=”Zapdos” set=”Team Up” no=”40″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Two months after the release of Team Up, it became clear that Lightning decks are in full force. Both [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Zapdos” set=”Team Up” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM161″ c=”name”][/card] have their share of wins and placements, both at local and at major events. They are popular, and they are good. Although we see these two decks as separate, I believe they are only parts of a spectrum of Lightning decks. If you’re not convinced, think about some of Pikachu & Zekrom-GX’s matchups: when facing [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], for example, the deck tends to rely on Zapdos for the early and mid-game, basically acting like a Zapdos / Jirachi deck, since benching a Pikachu & Zekrom-GX would mean giving up three easy Prizes. On one end of this Lightning spectrum, you have pure Zapdos decks, such as the Zapdos / [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Nihilego” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] deck that takes full advantage of [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card]; on the opposite end, you have aggressive Pikachu and Zekrom-GX decks like the turbo version used by Jose Marrero at the Oceania International Championship. Between the two, there are many variants, such as the Zapdos / Jirachi deck that won OCIC, or the classic Pikachu & Zekrom-GX lists that rely on Jirachi. All of these decks have their strengths and weaknesses, but are united in their use of some of the Lightning type’s strongest tools, such as [card name=”Tapu Koko Prism Star” set=”Team Up” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Thunder Mountain Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”191″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Electropower” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”172″ c=”name”][/card].

However, by using Pokémon such as [card name=”Jolteon-GX ” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM173″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Zeraora-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] and Pikachu & Zekrom-GX, these decks also have an issue with the Fighting-type decks. Given that Zoroark-GX, which is in the best spot it’s been since the beginning of the season, is also weak to Fighting, there’s a strong incentive to play Fighting decks right now. Zapdos does complicate things, though. As a Lightning-type Pokémon that has Fighting Resistance, it prevents decks like Buzzwole / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] from winning through type advantage. Any deck that wants to rely on Fighting-type attackers to beat Lighting-type decks must also have a way to deal with Zapdos. There are a couple of options, though.

In this article, I’ll talk first about the latest cool Lightning variant, and then about some Fighting options to deal with it.

1. Zapdos / Jirachi / Jolteon-GX

Following a Top 4 performance in Cannes, Pedro Eugenio Torres won the Bolzano Special Event last weekend with a deck that falls in the middle of this spectrum: a Zapdos / Jirachi / Jolteon-GX deck that also includes Zeraora-GX. The deck looks like a balanced Pikachu & Zekrom-GX deck, but with Pikachu & Zekrom-GX and [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card] removed in favor of more consistency. Although this version sees less play than pure Zapdos / Jirachi or Pikachu and Zekrom-GX decks, I think it might be the strongest Lightning deck due to its combination of consistency and versatility. Here’s Pedro’s list:

[decklist name=”Lukebox” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Tapu Koko-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”47″][pokemon amt=”15″]3x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Zapdos” set=”Team Up” no=”40″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Jolteon-GX ” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM173″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Eevee” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Zeraora-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Absol” set=”Team Up” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Koko Prism Star” set=”Team Up” no=”51″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Koko-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”47″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”36″]4x [card name=”Lillie” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Volkner” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Erika’s Hospitality” set=”Team Up” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Electropower” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”172″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Switch” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Viridian Forest” set=”Team Up” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Thunder Mountain Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”191″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”9″]9x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”EX Emerald” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”9″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Three Jirachi, One Marshadow

While I like running the full four copies of Jirachi to get the best odds of starting with it- something that’s especially important when facing a turn one Let Loose — three are enough for one game and give you more space for other cards. Using [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″ c=”name”][/card] has proven effective in its spot. It’s especially effective in the mirror match; going second, you can shuffle back the hand your opponent gave themselves after a turn one [card name=”Lillie” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], and if you can KO their only Jirachi at the same time, you set them back decisively.

[premium]

Two Jolteon-GX

Unlike many other lists, this one relies more on Jolteon-GX as an attacker and runs a 2-2 line. Jolteon-GX is useful in many matchups: you can KO [card name=”Giratina” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] easier than with a [card name=”Zapdos” set=”Team Up” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card], use Electrobullet with an Electropower to KO an opposing Zapdos while setting up 30 damage on your next target, use Swift Run GX when going into a Sledgehammer or [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] against Buzzwole turn to force the opponent to have a [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] on that turn, and even Knock Out damaged Pokémon on your opponent’s Bench with Electrobullet sometimes.

One Zeraora-GX

Zeraora-GX is the biggest Pokemon in the deck. It’s mainly used for its Ability, to retreat Zapdos into another Pokemon — either another Zapdos, or a [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] to use Stellar Wish before using Guzma to bring the original Zapdos again. However, Plasma Fists can easily take two Prizes, and Full Voltage GX gives the deck a better chance against stall decks.

Four Volkner

Using [card name=”Volkner” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] is amazing for this deck. Its most simple use is to grab a [card name=”Switch” set=”Evolutions” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] and a Lightning Energy to attack with Zapdos. It also gets you [card name=”Electropower” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”172″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] or any other situational card. Most of the time, you don’t need much in a turn, and Volkner lets you get what you need rather than hoping you get it off a draw Supporter. There are times when you use Volkner for cards you don’t need right now; between Stellar Wish and Volkner, you can easily accumulate a hand full of resources that you’ll use on a crucial turn. This is what lets the deck make some crazy turns where you Guzma a Pokemon your opponent thought was safe, and KO it with three Electropower.

One Erika’s Hospitality, One Cynthia

These draw Supporters push the deck’s consistency over the top. One [card name=”Erika’s Hospitality” set=”Team Up” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] is useful to get yourself out of a bad hand after Let Loose, since you’ll have just few enough cards to use it. However, I think [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] is better in most situations, and I think a second copy is better.

One Escape Board

It may seem crazy to run only one [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] in a deck based on Jirachi. However, [card name=”Absol” set=”Team Up” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] is such a popular tech that Escape Board doesn’t do as much as we want it to. Running more Switch and Escape Rope, in addition to four Guzma, gives the deck enough mobility that Escape Board is not needed!

One Max Potion

[cardimg name=”Max Potion” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”164″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

To me, this is the greatest tech in the list. Often, your opponent will try to 2HKO [card name=”Jolteon-GX ” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM173″ c=”name”][/card], in the mirror for example. Between Stellar Wish and Volkner, it’s not hard to grab [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] when you need it, and it can set back your opponent one entire turn, which in the mirror, is absolutely decisive. You can make fancy plays where you move your Energy off a Jolteon-GX to [card name=”Tapu Koko-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM33″ c=”name”][/card] with Aero Trail, then Max Potion the Energy-less Jolteon-GX; but even a Max Potion discarding two Energy is not an issue.

Last week, I pointed out that a strength of Pikachu & Zekrom-GX was its versatility, so why am I praising a different Lightning deck for the same reason? Although Zapdos / Jirachi / Jolteon-GX does not have the more powerful attacks that Pikachu & Zekrom-GX can use, I’ve found that its consistency makes up for it. With switching cards, [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card], and many different attackers, Pikachu & Zekrom-GX decks can have very awkward hands — at least those who try to run answers to everything. This means that, against agressive decks, it can be too slow to make full use of its options. For example, against [card name=”Blacephalon-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Naganadel” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”108″ c=”name”][/card], you need a strong start to use the Full Blitz into Tag Bolt GX strategy to skip your opponent’s [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] turns. Zapdos / Jirachi / Jolteon-GX, instead, will execute its game plan easier. I feel qualified to make this comparison since I played Pikachu & Zekrom-GX in the Bolzano SPE to a 4-2-1 finish, losing my win-and-in for Top 8, then won the Cup on the next day using Pedro’s list. I should state that I don’t think Pikachu & Zekrom-GX is an inferior deck to this one; I rather mean that in the local metagame, its matchups were worse.

Speaking of matchups, I’ll explain briefly how to play some of the most frequent matchups, and especially what Jolteon-GX and the other unusual additions bring to the table.

Pikachu & Zekrom-GX

This is generally a good matchup. As long as they use Zapdos and other attackers rather and Pikachu & Zekrom-GX itself, they’re playing a similar deck to yours, but less consistent. You’ll have more Zapdos and Jolteon-GX to use, while they’ll have dead cards like Energy Switch. If they use Pikachu & Zekrom-GX, you can use Tapu Koko-GX to OHKO it if they attached enough Energy. This is a well-known trick and they’ll try to limit their number of Energy in play to prevent that, but in that case, they don’t have the threat of a big Tag Bolt GX turn, so the Prize trade is still in your advantage. A possible issue is [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card], which prevents you from using [card name=”Tapu Koko Prism Star” set=”Team Up” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]’s Dance of the Ancients, putting Energy in play for use to use Tapu Koko-GX. In that case, targeting the Wobbuffet is priority. Remember that its Ability only works when it’s on the Bench, so you can use Dance of the Ancients when you KO Wobbuffet, without having to wait a turn.

Malamar

The heavier line of Jolteon-GX makes this matchup more favorable. They’ll generally want to use Giratina as an attacker, but Jolteon-GX can OHKO it if it deals its Shadow Impact to itself, and if they put the damage on a Malamar instead, you can KO it with [card name=”Zapdos” set=”Team Up” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] at some point. Try to apply pressure on [card name=”Inkay” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card] and Malamar in the early game, and don’t bench more than one Jirachi at a time to limit the strength of Sky-Scorching Light GX. Max Potion shines in this matchup, as you can heal your Jolteon-GX after it’s taken an attack.

Zoroark-GX / Lycanroc-GX

This is the deck’s hardest matchup. The biggest issue is [card name=”Alolan Muk” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card], as it shuts down your draw engine, and [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] is very effective against your attacks. In addition, [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] can easily OHKO Zapdos, while [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] hits your bigger attackers for Weakness. You’re definitely unfavored, but you can win through pure agression. Try to KO [card name=”Ditto Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Alolan Grimer” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Rockruff” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card] before they evolve, with Zapdos and [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card]. If your opponent has a slower start, you can take two Prizes before they can do anything. If you can keep Alolan Muk out of play, you also threaten to bring in a Tapu Koko-GX at any point and KO their bigger attackers. With no Weakness, it’s your best bet since you can Tapu Thunder GX a Lycanroc-GX, then OHKO a Zoroark-GX with Sky-High Claws and damage modifiers.

Blacephalon-GX / Naganadel

Although that deck also runs Alolan Muk, it’s much less dangerous. Their attackers are not nearly as effective — without [card name=”Beast Energy Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card], it takes three Energy for [card name=”Blacephalon-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] to KO a Zapdos. In addition, since you don’t have to focus on threats like Rockruff or [card name=”Zorua” set=”Shining Legends” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card], as long as you can keep Ditto Prism Star and Alolan Grimer from evolving, you’re golden.

You can use Jolteon-GX’s Swift Run GX when you take your second and possibly third Prize. A classic scenario is taking a first KO on a Ditto Prism Star, Alolan Grimer or [card name=”Poipole” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] with Zapdos, then hitting Blacephalon-GX for 80 damage. After they KO you, you can send Jolteon-GX and use Swift Run GX. This means that they need a Guzma to take a KO on that turn, which prevents them from using Erika’s Hospitality or Cynthia to dig for [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. Even if they do get to use Beast Ring, though, the Prize trade should be in your advantage as long as you only have one-Prize Pokémon on your Bench. If you have a second [card name=”Eevee” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card] on the Bench, don’t evolve it yet! You can finish the game in two turns by Knocking Out their next Blacephalon-GX with Tapu Koko-GX, and take your last Prize with a Guzma on an easy target.

Passimian

We’ve established that to exploit Pikachu & Zekrom-GX’s Weakness, a Fighting deck also needs a way to deal with Zapdos. There’s a good candidate for such a deck: [card name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM12″ c=”name”][/card]! With all four monkeys in play, Team Play can score an OHKO on [card name=”Zeraora-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] and Jolteon-GX. Add a [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] or some [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] damage, and Passimian can OHKO Pikachu & Zekrom-GX. Against Zapdos, the idea is to use [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”name”][/card]. Flying Flip is a good plan against non-GX decks, as you can spread damage and get behind in Prizes to abuse [card name=”Counter Energy” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], and use [card name=”Tapu Lele” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]’s Magical Swap later to come back. What makes it shine against Zapdos, though, is that it hits for Weakness. With an [card name=”Electropower” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”172″ c=”name”][/card], Passimian can deal 100 damage to Zapdos in addition to the Bench damage. What’s more, Zapdos is left in the Active, forcing the opponent to have some way to retreat it.

A friend of mine got Top 8 at the Bolzano Cup with the following list:

[decklist name=”Passimian” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Tapu Lele” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”94″][pokemon amt=”16″]2x [card name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Passimian” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”70″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”82″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Blitzle” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”81″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Absol” set=”Team Up” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Shaymin” set=”Shining Legends” no=”7″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Lele” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”36″]4x [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Lillie” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Gladion” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Electropower” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”172″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Energy Loto” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”8″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Counter Energy” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Two Jirachi, Two Zebstrika

Passimian used the [card name=”Magcargo” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] engine before Team Up, but [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Zebstrika” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card] are better since they don’t require you to have a low hand size, or to play [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] to benefit from Smooth Over. Jirachi has issues with [card name=”Alolan Muk” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card], but thanks to Zebstrika, Power of Alchemy doesn’t paralyze the deck.

One Absol, One Shaymin

[cardimg name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

There are many Pokemon that could find a spot in the deck. Using [card name=”Absol” set=”Team Up” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] is strong against other Jirachi decks, and [card name=”Shaymin” set=”Shining Legends” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card] can OHKO [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], which means that [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] / Lycanroc-GX has no safe attacker to use. Some other options to consider are [card name=”Victini” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Mr. Mime” set=”Team Up” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card]. The former is a solid stand-alone attacker in this deck, although running Zebstrika does decrease its damage output; the latter is an anti-[card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] tech. The issue with it is that Acerola is mainly run in Zoroark-GX decks, which have Alolan Muk to shut off Mr. Mime, and are vulnerable to OHKOs anyway because of Weakness.

Three Guzma, Zero Counter Catcher

Although the split could definitely be made differently, this deck can afford to play [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] because Zebstrika allows it to draw cards in addition to playing a Supporter. This means that you can use Guzma on a target, then Sprint to find an Energy card. [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], on the other hand, is more limited, and any deck that relies too much on it can get exploited if the opponent chooses to delay taking Prizes. Finally, Guzma lets you switch between your attackers, and even send Jirachi to the Active to use Stellar Wish.

One Gladion

The main utility for [card name=”Gladion” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] is to grab a Prized Passimian. Again, what makes this viable is the use of Zebstrika. Without Sprint, a turn used to Gladion can feel very weak, but if you can Gladion and still draw cards, you can advance your game plan.

Two Switch, Two Escape Board

The reason why this deck runs two [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], whereas I advised running only one in [card name=”Zapdos” set=”Team Up” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] / Jirachi / [card name=”Jolteon-GX ” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM173″ c=”name”][/card], is because of Zebstrika. Since it’s a Stage-1, Zebstrika isn’t affected by Absol, and can act as a pivot. Tapu Koko can also equip Escape Board to keep its free Retreat Cost, although it’s not as good, because it prevents it from using [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card].

Something remarkable about this deck is that all its Pokemon have at most a one Retreat Cost, which makes Escape Board great to pivot into an attacker as early as turn one. It’s one of the reasons why [card name=”Diancie Prism Star” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t in this list, beside the lack of Bench space.

One Energy Loto

This card acts as the ninth Energy that Passimian decks sometimes miss. It can be grabbed by Stellar Wish, which makes it relevant.

Two Shrine of Punishment, One Brooklet Hill

In the matchups where Passimian is most important, such as Zoroark-GX, it’s important to set up quickly and start taking KOs. Using [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] gives the deck a consistency boost for these matters. You can use it midgame to grab a Passimian that you put back in the deck with [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] as well.

The key to playing Passimian well is to manage your limited Bench space, especially against decks with multiple game plans. You want a Zebstrika in almost every matchup, but Jirachi is not necessary after the early game. If your opponent runs Absol, you won’t get many opportunities to use Stellar Wish. Absol shouldn’t be benched if it’s not necessary, and so on. The reason why Bench management is more important in this deck than others is that using Passimian requires you to have several spots available. Suppose you bench two Tapu Koko, a Jirachi, Absol and Zebstrika against a Zapdos deck, and they suddenly start using Jolteon-GX. Even after they take a KO, you only have two Bench spots for Passimian. You can still get an OHKO if the one on the Bench is the [card name=”Passimian” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”70″ c=”from”][/card], and if you have a Choice Band attached, but it does make it harder. If instead of Jolteon-GX, the Pokemon they start attacking with is Pikachu & Zekrom-GX, then you need even more space on the Bench!

This means you need to know what to use. Against pure Pikachu & Zekrom-GX decks and Zoroark-GX decks, you can use Passimian, as even if you’re in the lead and only have access to four [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card], that can be enough to win you the game. Against [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] and Zapdos, Tapu Koko will be your main attacker and your game plan should be to spread damage as much as possible. Decks like [card name=”Blacephalon-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Naganadel” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”108″ c=”name”][/card] need to bench a lot of Pokemon, so you can start by spreading damage with Tapu Koko, then use Passimian to take KO on your opponent if they manage to limit their Bench. Naganadel is more dangerous than Blacephalon-GX because of Passimian’s Psychic Weakness, but the matchup is still favorable. Finally, against stall decks, there’s nothing to do except hope for a dead hand from your opponent. Between the healing, the Energy disruption, and the possible [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”6″ c=”name”][/card], it’s almost impossible to deal enough damage to win. Roadblocks like [card name=”Shuckle-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] are not seen as much, but it’s another insurmountable problem for the deck.

Ideas to Explore

[cardimg name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”57″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

There are other creative ways to play Fighting-type Pokemon and still have a way to deal with Zapdos.

For example, if you just time traveled from one year in the past, you’d be wondering where [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / Lycanroc-GX, once considered the best deck in the format, had gone! Buzzwole-GX is a good example of a Fighting-type Pokemon that has a hard type dealing with Zapdos, but Ghabriel Rodrigues made Top 16 at Fortaleza Regionals with such a deck. He added a 3-3 line of Zoroark-GX to the deck, making it a hybrid between [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] / Lycanrock-GX and Zoroark-GX / Lycanroc-GX. Zapdos can be OHKO’d by Riotous Beating, and Zoroark-GX gives the deck a draw engine. In theory, the deck can beat most of the metagame–even Blacephalon-GX can be outplayed by setting up a four-Prize turn via Jet Punch, in order to skip [card name=”Beast Ring” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card]. I’ve only played a few games with it, but the deck felt like it had many interesting options. I’m not sure it’s better than traditional Zoroark-GX / Lycanroc-GX, but it has a stonger early game thanks to Buzzwole-GX, and doesn’t suffer from having to attach only one Energy per turn, thanks to Beast Ring. This is a concept that warrants further exploration.

Another blast from the past is the marginal return of [card name=”Zygarde-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card]. It was never a meta deck, but its few devotees — Klive Aw Jun Jie, most of all — made it relevant through repeated success. In the last few days, we’re seeing Zygarde-GX reappear in League Cups in various places, notably in South East Asia. It’s too early to tell whether that’s just chance or not, but Zygarde-GX has powerful attacks and can be partnered with Double Colorless Energy attackers, so there’s potential there as well.

Could these decks make a return for Denver Regionals? I’m not sure. I think the metagame is well-defined by now, but it’s often when the metagame seems the most rigid that a crazy rogue deck can appear out of nowhere and do well, because it only needs to have good matchups against the few decks that people will run. I’ll be exploring these concepts on my own, but maybe they can give you ideas as well! Good luck in the meantime, and see you in the next article.

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