More MewMew — Expanding an Already Strong Deck in Expanded

By: Caleb Gedemer · Posted Posted onOct 23, 2019 at 3:57 PM · 0 Comments

[cardimg name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Expanded is upon us. Like in past years, the tournament schedule has been divided into a break of sorts before the first Internationals of the year. We delved into the depths of Standard for the first two Regionals stateside and now it’s time for a trip into the broader world of the Pokemon Trading Card Game: the Expanded format. Both Richmond, Virginia, and Portland, Oregon, Regionals will take place in the format, and it’s likely going to be the first time most players pick up Expanded decks in almost six months — there’s a lot of uncertainty going around. First and foremost, the recently announced bans come into play on the 15th of November, and as such, are not in effect for this pair of Regional Championship events. This means we’ll be playing with some relatively broken control options which I intend to breeze over in my next article when I have a better idea of the best options. Right now it’s a little overwhelming to sift through the likes of [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] Control, [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card], Zoroark-GX Control, and even some wacky [card name=”Mismagius” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] first turn hand lock decks, but all this considered, these events have the potential to be some of the biggest headache-inducing Tournaments of all time.

Fear not, however, as [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] is still a capable archetype in the Expanded format! In fact, it gets some incredibly nice partners in what I see as three uniquely advantaged archetypes: [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card], the traditional toolbox style build, and [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]. Additionally, one could argue that the [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] versions floating around should be considered another version of their own, but I see M Gardevoir-EX itself as more of a tech in the toolbox versions as opposed to its own variant altogether anyway, so you’ll be seeing it in there and not as another type of Mewtwo and Mew-GX deck altogether.

The Contenders

Blastoise

  • Supporter card [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] is extremely efficient; I explain most of the basic sequencing here.
  • Has the highest ceiling of any Expanded Mewtwo and Mew-GX because it’s so fast and powerful when successfully set up; it does come with the most risk and is absolutely dreadful in games you can’t get a quick Archie’s Ace in the Hole play.
  • Much like [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] in Expanded, this version of the deck is going to flood the board with Energy and make it possible to use some broken attacks with Mewtwo and Mew-GX that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to.

Toolbox

  • Cards like [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Shining Legends” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card] function almost like Welder in Standard, but you don’t have to play a Supporter to use them; they make the deck flow nicely and you almost never miss an attack.
  • Like in Standard, you can fill the deck with just about anything to counter any deck you like; the only downside I see is the pure mass of cards that exist and the migraine it induces trying to sift through and determine what’s best.
  • Slightly outpaced by some of the more turbo-style decks like the aforementioned Blastoise, but can still win those matchups.

Vileplume

  • Again, it has many options that can be played and some of the more lock-based ones are even more powerful in this deck — [card name=”Glaceon-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Latios-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card], just to name a few.
  • Item lock is strong and this still works as a functional deck beyond that, one that’s pretty low maintenance with Mewtwo and Mew-GX doing the hefty lifting, making this a potent combination.
  • Surprisingly, [card name=”Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”1″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t a just meme, at least not in Expanded; it makes a Vileplume Item lock strategy viable with this deck.

Blastoise Variant

 

[decklist name=”.” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”16″][pokemon amt=”15″]3x [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”16″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Naganadel-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”160″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Marshadow” set=”Shining Legends” no=”45″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Latios-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Kingdra-GX” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”18″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Espeon and Deoxys-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”72″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”35″]2x [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Tate and Liza” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Fisherman” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”130″ 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=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Order Pad” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”131″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Stealthy Hood” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”186″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor’s Letter” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”146″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Viridian Forest” set=”Team Up” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]9x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”9″][/card]1x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Since the last time I showed it off this deck has gained a lot. Psychic Energy joins the squad for some fun with tech attackers and you can reuse it over and over with [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] so you don’t run out.

Three Mewtwo and Mew-GX

Your main attacker; I tried lists with two and it wasn’t enough in the games where you Prize one or lose one to a Knock Out or bad discard early. Having three is great because it also increases your odds of starting with it ever so slightly, and with an attacker this important you can’t afford to be incapable of using two a game.

One Naganadel-GX, One Latios-GX, One Kingdra-GX, and One Espeon and Deoxys-GX

[cardimg name=”Latios-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”78″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Here’s the supporting cast; those that help Mewtwo and Mew-GX attack (you can also use Energy Drive and Sky Return, don’t forget!). I think we all know how great Venom Shot is from Standard and that holds just as true if not more so in Expanded with an abundance of [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] floating around. The one Latios-GX is a flex spot — I’m between that and [card name=”Jirachi-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] for Weakness protection. The Latios-GX joined the crew after I played many a few games against other Mewtwo and Mew-GX decks and wished I had a Tag Purge option of my own to set up a big play and buy time. The [card name=”Kingdra-GX” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card] is an absolute stud and you can either use Archie’s Ace in the Hole to get it out and only give up two Prizes, or you can just leave it chilling in your discard pile for Mewtwo and Mew-GX to copy and do the work. The [card name=”Espeon and Deoxys-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] is amazing for Cross Division GX, just as it is in Standard, and in this deck you can power it up all in one turn!

[premium]

Two Stealthy Hood and One Viridian Forest

Forget [card name=”Faba” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”173″ c=”name”][/card], forget [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] — enter [card name=”Stealthy Hood” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”186″ c=”name”][/card]! Each Stealthy Hood is worth as much as either of the aforementioned cards, but it can also stay in play for an extra turn or two and then you’re getting double the effect. Drop it on your Blastoise and/or Mewtwo and Mew-GX to play around stuff like Bide Barricade, Garbotoxin, and even Power of Alchemy. One [card name=”Viridian Forest” set=”Team Up” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] is still needed to counter [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card], and if you’re against a deck with multiple copies of it you’ll likely have to use Archie’s Ace in the Hole to get your Kingdra-GX out in order to survive — that or you’ll have to rely on some crafty use of your other Pokemon. Stealthy Hood is miles better than Field Blower in this deck and you can’t afford to not play it. It does its job so much better, doesn’t inhibit you from an Archie’s Ace in the Hole play as often, and can work multiple times if it doesn’t get discarded with a Field Blower of your opponent’s own.

Toolbox Variant

 

[decklist name=”.” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″][pokemon amt=”19″]3x [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/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=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Smeargle” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Necrozma-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”63″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Naganadel-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”160″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”62″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Latios-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Jirachi-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”79″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Espeon-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”52″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Espeon and Deoxys-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”72″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Charizard-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”20″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”30″]1x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Faba” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”173″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Colress” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Stealthy Hood” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”186″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Life Dew” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]4x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Fairy Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Shining Legends” no=”69″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Take a second — soak it in… I get it, this looks like a disaster. Everything is there for a reason though. The options you have with this deck are amazing, and there are some highly interesting ones if you take a closer look. I do not like the Special Energy-based versions of Mewtwo and Mew-GX, at least not for this variant. That’s because [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM104″ c=”name”][/card] can still Turbo Strike in Expanded and it remains an impressively strong attack — this is what should be the first order of business. That being the case, the list is going to look different than others. I have included Double Colorless Energy just because it works so well with almost all of the attackers in this list and makes it simple  to use Cross Division GX for the boosted effect but the only way we’re going to accelerate Energy then is through Turbo Strike, hence the basic Energy lineup. An argument could be made for the inclusion of [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card], but you would have to shave down some of the already threadbare counts to fit them in and more basic Energy would need to be played to bolster your probability of hitting them. The [card name=”Smeargle” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] is a huge tool to make this all work — it’s kind of like a [card name=”Prism Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] of its own in this list because if you use [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] to discard the basic Energy you that want, then you can swap them out with [card name=”Rainbow Brush” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card].

One Seismitoad-EX

Plain and simple, Quaking Punch is always good; especially for only one Energy when Dimension Valley is in play.

One Necrozma-GX and One Espeon-EX

Miraculous Shine is still good against Zoroark-GX if you face it and you can Black Ray GX and then Miraculous Shine to take Knock Outs on almost all of your opponent’s Pokemon. one [card name=”Giratina” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] for Distortion Door would be nice to augment your damage, but I took it out after the annoyance that comes from starting it over and over.

One Mewtwo-EX

Remember Damage Change? Now you can do it super easily with Mewtwo and Mew-GX without the [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] that [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] used to have to play. This is a great safeguard of sorts against anything that can’t one-shot you. It effectively gives you a “free turn” by getting rid of any damage on your side of the field. Better yet, if you manage take a Knock Out with it, then you’ll be able to do it again so long as you’re not one-shot in return.

One M Gardevoir-GX

[cardimg name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Despair Ray feels like the heart and soul of all of these new Mewtwo and Mew-GX Toolbox lists, it’s a great way to deal one-hit Knock Outs in the mirror match for only one Energy and better yet it clears off all of your liability Pokemon! You can go from a Despair Ray directly into a Damage Change, making it nearly impossible for your opponent to complete any Knock Outs and do anything worthwhile.

One Charizard-GX

This thing is spicy and my personal favorite flair in the deck. Remember how hyped [card name=”Mega Sableye and Tyranitar-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card] using Gigafall GX was at first? This cool guy can do that for way less Energy! In Expanded so many decks thin themselves like mad and draw cards. It is a common occurrence to see a deck fall to ten or below in the format and in those situations you can use Raging Out GX to take a cheap win. I like to hold off on discarding [card name=”Charizard-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] for as long as possible so as not to tip an opponent off that you’re playing it, but with the Fire Energy it can be hard to do that. Rainbow Brush can swap whatever you’ve got in exchange for that singleton Fire Energy and just like that you may have just scored a win.

Vileplume Variant

 

[decklist name=”.” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Altaria-GX” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”41″][pokemon amt=”23″]4x [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”1″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Gloom” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”2″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Oddish” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”5″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Zeraora-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”79″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Jirachi-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”79″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Charizard-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”20″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Altaria-GX” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”41″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”29″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Pokémon Communication” set=”Team Up” no=”152″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”8″]4x [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Prism Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Two Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor-GX

If you Prize a one-of like this (if you played just one) you’ll be down for an uphill battle. Without Vileplume this deck is shaky, so ensuring you can use Super Growth as soon as possible is for the best. With four Mewtwo and Mew-GX and two of these guys, you’ll be starting one or the other about sixty percent of the time. Even if you’re not, everything besides [card name=”Zeraora-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] can retreat for one Energy — Zeraora-GX has that nifty Thunderclap Zone and with any of your Energy attached you’ll be able to retreat anyways and then Super Growth is within reach after all. Speaking of Zeraora-GX, it’s included for getting Vileplume out of the Active if your opponent gusts it up and general utility with any of your other Pokemon.

Two Oddish, Two Gloom, and Two Vileplume

Getting out one Vileplume is enough to accomplish your goal, and that goal is to simply Item lock your opponent. Mewtwo and Mew-GX is already super powerful on its own and that’s what makes it such a good partner here. Super Growth takes no Energy so you can use it quickly and whenever you need to, so getting out Vileplume is relatively easy. From there you’re just going to use low maintenance attacks while disrupting your opponent! The Safeguard-style attackers in here make it hard for your opponent to do anything at all while they are also trapped in the  Item lock.

One Magearna-EX

Mystic Heart will always be online when you have this guy in play. This shields you from stuff like damage counters from Cross Division GX, Special Conditions from attacks, and more. It’s a relatively useful card and nice to have in certain situations, especially in a deck that only plays Energy that will activate it.

One Jolteon-EX and One Altaria-GX

These are in this list because you can’t afford to go head to head with most decks offensively as you are slower and without Energy acceleration. Flash Ray and Bright Tone fill some of that void by stopping certain Pokemon from even damaging you. This can buy you time to get more Energy into play and use bigger attacks if necessary. You’ll use Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor-GX to Calming Hurricane more often than not, healing some of the damage your opponent manages to put out, and you can also Sky Return or Miraculous Duo GX to heal even more. One [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] would be decent in this deck like in the toolbox but its two-Energy Retreat Cost is an inhibitor.

Zero High-Hitting Attackers

I guess you could count Charizard-GX here, it does have the capability of doing 300 for four Energy if you have Dimension Valley in play, but the reason there’s no other attacker that can swing for a lot of damage is simple: this is a more methodical deck that wins slowly. Item lock slows down a game and your chip damage attacks make it difficult for your opponent to get anything done, especially those that prevent damage in certain ways. It gives you time to stabilize, use Despair Ray to clear off support Pokemon you don’t need anymore like Shaymin-EX, and get back to work.

Which One is Best?

I like [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] the most right now, but the toolbox variant is short behind. Blastoise is obviously not a new concept, it’s just that [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] significantly improves the deck so its inclusion is a no-brainer. Being that the deck isn’t off the beaten path, it only makes sense that I would gravitate towards it being that it’s something I know and have played before. Like any toolbox, I think that this version has the greatest potential because it can and will be adjusted depending on the metagame and how it fares.

Blastoise

[cardimg name=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”16″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

  • Strengths
    • Best recovery through [card name=”Fisherman” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]
    • Fastest of them all
    • Most explosive in the early game on average
  • Weaknesses
    • Bench gets messy and this version lacks a way to clear it off
    • Low floor if turn one or “quick” [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t achieved
    • Weak to locks (Ability, Item, etc.)

Toolbox

  • Strengths
    • Gives you the most options no matter what
    • Most adaptable to your own design
    • Not all or nothing, can lay back on N and make comebacks
  • Weaknesses
    • Harder to play with the overabundance of options, it can be hard to choose what to do
    • Sketchy openings sometimes due to a clog of excess Pokemon and Energy
    • Slower than most other Expanded decks

Vileplume

  • Strengths
    • Item lock option, few decks outside of [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] ones can do that effectively in this format
    • More simple than any of the other options, get [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], pick an attack, and start using it
    • N is best in this list because of the Item lock and the list being a Vileplume one will be playing more hard copies of Supporter cards so it makes for the best comeback version of Mewtwo and Mew-GX if there is such a thing
  • Weaknesses
    • Items and Evolution Pokemon-EX/GX attackers become useless after Vileplume is online (except if you can discard the latter with [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card]); this catch makes some games a pain
    • Lacks any form of Energy acceleration
    • Somewhat clunky with the Stage 2 line in the deck and relies heavily on getting the Super Growth off on the first turn you can use it — first turn if you’re playing second, but second turn if you’re playing first; speaking of which I would still choose to go first with the deck to get ahead on Energy attachments

Conclusion

I think that Blastoise is the best way to play Mewtwo and Mew-GX in Expanded. In fact, I consider it to be the best deck in the format and truly the quality control you should run any deck through before considering it a viable option. I intend to keep testing the toolbox variant and will likely report back in my “final thoughts” journal about it before Virginia Regionals if things improve. If the tournament was right now I would just play Blastoise, it’s a strong deck and I know how to play it, although I will fully admit that there is probably a better play out there right now it’s just that I’ve just begun testing Expanded again. Got to make up for a lot of lost time with the Standard focus the past few months; it’s good to be playing something a little different for a change. As always feel free to hit me up in the Subscribers’ Hideout if you have any questions. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading!

Peace,

Caleb

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