Updating Mewtwo and Mew-GX Toolbox — Sword & Shield Edition

[cardimg name=”Giratina” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”97″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Hey everyone, Caleb is back again! In this article I’m going to continue my coverage of the Sword & Shield metagame with a look at a deck that saw plenty of success in the previous format, but might need some changes going into the new format. I’m referring to the almighty [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM191″ c=”name”][/card] Toolbox archetype–the most recent World Champion deck! While Mewtwo and Mew-GX might not be able to copy the attacks of Pokemon V, it did get some other interesting tools from the new Sword & Shield expansion. [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] looks like it’s fast becoming a staple in many decks, and it’s no less powerful in Mewtwo and Mew-GX. [card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] is an upgrade over [card name=”Custom Catcher” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] in a fast, discard-draw-based deck like this one, while [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”name”][/card] is an amazing consistency boost. [card name=”Air Balloon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Big Charm” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card] are solid new Pokemon Tool options as well.

Aside from the new set, there is actually one new Pokemon-GX available to us, in the form of an under-the-radar promo release. You might not even know that [card name=”Alolan Sandslash-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM236″ c=”name”][/card] exists, but I think it can be a strong addition to Mewtwo and Mew-GX Toolbox. Its Spiky Storm GX attack offers the deck an easier-to-use, if slightly less flexible, version of [card name=”Espeon and Deoxys-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card]’s Cross Division GX. Paired with [card name=”Giratina” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]’s Distortion Door Ability, Spiky Storm GX gives this deck an efficient way to wipe multiple low-HP Pokemon off your opponent’s board as soon as turn one!

Even though we may now be in the era of Pokemon V, I think Mewtwo and Mew-GX still has the capability to be a top-tier deck. Here’s my list:

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Decklist

[decklist name=”.” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Alolan Sandslash-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM236″][pokemon amt=”16″]3x [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Reshiram and Charizard-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”20″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”148″ 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=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”81″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Latios-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Giratina” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”97″ 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=”Charizard-GX” set=”Hidden Fates” no=”9″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Alolan Sandslash-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM236″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”32″]4x [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”175″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Pokégear 3.0″ set=”Sword and Shield” no=”174″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Cherish Ball” set=”Unified Minds” no=”191″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”183″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Reset Stamp” set=”Unified Minds” no=”206″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Big Charm” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”158″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Stealthy Hood” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”186″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Air Balloon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Giant Hearth” set=”Unified Minds” no=”197″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Viridian Forest” set=”Team Up” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]8x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card]3x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Card explanations

One Reshiram and Charizard-GX

This card is necessary now that [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] is rising to the top of the meta. You want a good way to deal more than 220 damage; and 230 with [card name=”Reshiram and Charizard-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] fits the bill perfectly.

One Oranguru

Need to use [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]’s Dedechange Ability but don’t have a Fire Energy in hand to get value out of [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] beforehand? Look no further than Oranguru: you can throw that Welder on top of your deck to save for after the Dedechange, and hopefully you’ll find the Energy. Oranguru is also good for “saving” a Pokemon Catcher, [card name=”Switch” set=”Evolutions” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card], or other situationally useful cards. I think the skill cap with this card is very high; it gives you a ton of opportunities to make small but smart plays that increase your chances of winning.

One Naganadel-GX and One Latios-GX

Dedenne-GX is still good–if not better–in this format, so having the ability to snipe it off the Bench with Venom Shot using [card name=”Naganadel-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] is still strong. and Venom Shot is an attack with plenty of utility in other matchups. I think [card name=”Latios-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] still has plenty of value too, especially with [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] looking like top-tier archetypes in the new format. If you can use Tag Purge together with [card name=”Reset Stamp” set=”Unified Minds” no=”206″ c=”name”][/card], you can often buy a “free turn” that gives you a chance to set up a bit more or swing the Prize trade into your favor. Clear Vision GX can be helpful against a variety of decks too.

One Giratina, One Espeon and Deoxys-GX, and One Alolan Sandslash-GX 

This is the new spread package for this deck. [card name=”Giratina” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]’s Distortion Door sets up Spiky Storm GX to take crucial KOs across the opponent’s board. I like having both of these Pokemon-GX in my list to give the deck some flexibility–[card name=”Alolan Sandslash-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM236″ c=”name”][/card]’s Spiky Storm GX is easier to set up for maximum effect due to its lower Energy cost, but [card name=”Espeon and Deoxys-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card]’s Cross Division GX can sometimes get you a greater number of KOs, or can just stack a ton of damage counters on a particular threat.

Four Quick Ball, Four Cherish Ball, and Zero Mysterious Treasure

[card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”name”][/card] is an great upgrade for this deck, grabbing just about anything in the list, especially the all-important Dedenne-GX to help you set up. Dedechange has always been a mainstay for [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] decks, and being able to now play even more outs to it further improves the consistency of the deck. To the same tune, [card name=”Mysterious Treasure” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] has been phased out of this deck. Its only advantage over Quick Ball is its ability to grab Naganadel-GX, which is not a compelling enough reason to keep it in the list.

Four Pokemon Catcher and Zero Phione, Great Catcher, or Custom Catcher

[cardimg name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”175″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Older Mewtwo and Mew-GX lists ran [card name=”Custom Catcher” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] to give you the option of picking off a Basic Pokemon before it evolved (such as [card name=”Inkay” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card]) or KOing a fragile support Pokemon (such as Dedenne-GX) for some easy Prizes. Now, we have [card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”175″ c=”name”][/card], an old staple that’s been reprinted for the Sword & Shield era. While Pokemon Catcher does put you at the mercy of a coin flip, the risk of a couple of tails flips is usually actually lower overall than the risk of whiffing a double Custom Catcher combo. Pokemon Catcher may be luck-based, but the fact that you only need to draw one copy to get a possible gust effect makes it the superior card in a discard-and-draw-based deck like this one. I have elected not to play [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”name”][/card] in this list, but I could see playing a copy instead of one of the copies of Pokemon Catcher, since having a guaranteed gust effect is still strong even if the arrival of Pokemon V has made Great Catcher less powerful. [card name=”Phione” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is another option, mainly as a good way around the new [card name=”Galarian Obstagoon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card], but I find that this deck usually has too full of a Bench to accomodate Phione, and the card is not useful enough in other matchups.

Four Pokegear 3.0 and Zero Acro Bike

While some of my previous lists have run unusual splits like three [card name=”Pokégear 3.0″ set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”182″ c=”name”][/card] to four [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card], I generally favor Pokegear 3.0 overall in this archetype. Finding [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] is crucial, and Pokegear 3.0 gives you the best chance to dig for one. The addition of Quick Ball to Mewtwo and Mew-GX also means there is less need for the consistency and draw boost provided by Acro Bike. I would still like to have three Acro Bike in the deck but the space isn’t available right now.

Two Switch and One Air Balloon

Playing three switching cards was a luxury in the past, but [card name=”Air Balloon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] is one of those cards that’s too good not to include: it’s an “unlimited Switch” if it isn’t disabled. Air Balloon can go on a Dedenne-GX or your [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] to give you a pivot for the rest of the game. Switch still has a place in the deck to avoid Special Conditions or other effects, or in case [card name=”Lysandre Labs” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card] is in play.

Two Big Charm and One Stealthy Hood

[card name=”Big Charm” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card] is amazing on Mewtwo and Mew-GX. Hitting 300 HP, especially twice, is nearly impossible for many decks. [card name=”Stealthy Hood” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”186″ c=”name”][/card] is necessary to avoid losing to [card name=”Mimikyu” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]’s Shadow Box Ability.

Other options

Charizard and Braixen-GX

This card has some potential but I am skeptical of the four-Energy attack cost as well as the fact that the cards you search for can be shuffled away by Reset Stamp. There’s definitely no reason to play [card name=”Charizard and Braixen-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] over Reshiram and Charizard-GX.

Indeedee V or Jirachi-GX

Playing [card name=”Indeedee V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] instead of Stealthy Hood is a possibility, as Watch Over can often heal enough damage to avoid Shadow Box, while Psychic is a pretty solid attack and can OHKO an opposing Mewtwo and Mew-GX due to Weakness. The ability to heal a bit of damage also has some utility in the [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] matchup. If you expect to play a high number of Mewtwo and Mew-GX mirrors, I would consider adding [card name=”Jirachi-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] back into the deck.

Jirachi

I think [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] is a terrible inclusion in Mewtwo and Mew-GX Toolbox moving forward. While it can be searched by Quick Ball, it is a departure from the deck’s strategy of going “turbo” to dig for Welder each turn, and it also requires that the deck play [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card]. In many scenarios it will just be a free Prize for your opponent.

Magcargo-GX

Lava Flow is very good in some matchups and unnecessary in others. Burning Magma GX can also be a cheeky game-winner once in a blue moon. I think in the current meta, [card name=”Magcargo-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] is probably more harm than good, since you will typically have to discard a large number of Energy to get Knock Outs with Lava Flow and that can set you back considerably. I think Mewtwo and Mew-GX Toolbox is moving away from a “hit really hard and win the game in a few turns” style of deck and should now be playing some more disruption-based attackers.

Mega Lopunny and Jigglypuff-GX

Jumping Balloon is good in mirror matchups and against the [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] matchup. [card name=”Mega Lopunny and Jigglypuff-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] does make the Pikachu and Zekrom-GX matchup very favorable, but I think Big Charm does enough work in that matchup to make it favorable regardless of whether you include the Mega Lopunny and Jigglypuff-GX.

Naganadel-GX with Island Challenge Amulet

[card name=”Naganadel-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”56″ c=”from”][/card]’s Stinger GX is a neat inclusion for this deck. [card name=”Island Challenge Amulet” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”194″ c=”name”][/card] makes this play even stronger; you might also consider adding an [card name=”Adventure Bag” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”167″ c=”name”][/card] to give the deck a little more reach for it.

Tag Call engine

I’ve never really liked the [card name=”Tag Call” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”206″ c=”name”][/card] engine in [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] Toolbox because it lacks a dedicated draw Supporter. [card name=”Cynthia and Caitlin” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t really enough, and relying on Tag Call is too slow for this fast-paced Welder deck. I think the deck is better off when the engine revolves around continuously finding Welder.

Matchups

Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V: Even

[cardimg name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Depending on your opponent’s start, you might be under a lot of pressure early on. After Altered Creation GX, [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] swings for 270 damage with [card name=”Vitality Band” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card] attached, so you’ll want to dig for Big Charm quickly. A smart opponent will only put a single [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] in play, forcing you to take three Knock Outs, so plan accordingly. Remember that [card name=”Reshiram and Charizard-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] has returned to the deck to give you an easy KO on those Zacian V. This should be a close matchup, much of it coming down to whether your opponent can set up the 270 damage combo before you’re able to find Big Charm. Mewtwo and Mew-GX is the more flexible deck, so you will have a little more room to navigate various strategies depending on the opponent’s board.

Blacephalon / Green’s Exploration: Slightly Unfavorable

[card name=”Reset Stamp” set=”Unified Minds” no=”206″ c=”name”][/card] is your win condition in this matchup. [card name=”Alolan Sandslash-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM236″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Espeon and Deoxys-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] can get you multiple Knock Outs, so plan for your GX attack for the game to come from one of those two. Remember that Spiky Storm GX plus [card name=”Giratina” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]’s Distortion Door gives you the perfect 120 damage to take out [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card]. At some point, you might want to sacrifice a two-Prize Pokemon after a Tag Team Pokemon-GX has been Knocked Out, so that you can Reset Stamp your opponent to one card on the following turn. If you set up effectively and take a KO every turn, and find the Reset Stamp when you need it, you can certainly take this matchup.

Lucario and Melmetal-GX / Zacian V: Even

Using [card name=”Lucario and Melmetal-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] is the less aggressive way to play [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card]. Although you won’t have to worry about OHKOs, you will have to worry about Full Metal Wall GX clearing all the Energy off your attacker. That said, it’s just going to be a two-shot war that you have the option for a one-hit Knock Out with one of your GX attacks. Note that you can use Turbo Strike for 60 (after damage reductions) to set up math with a 170 damage Flare Strike for a Knock Out. This is another fairly linear matchup, so you should be able to fairly quickly identify the correct line of play.

Malamar / Mewtwo and Mew-GX: Unfavorable

Without [card name=”Jirachi-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], this matchup is rough. Your opponent can attack with [card name=”Trevenant and Dusknoir-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM217″ c=”name”][/card] to simultaneously take an OHKO and disrupt your hand–and you can’t even hit the Trevenant and Dusknoir-GX for Weakness in response. The Malamar variant of the deck also may play [card name=”Dragonite-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”152″ c=”name”][/card] as another OHKO option. I don’t really see a way to improve the matchup outside of adding Jirachi-GX, and even with that, the matchup is not great.

Mirror: Even

The mirror matchup is generally very fast-paced. It tends to be an OHKO war using [card name=”Charizard-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM195″ c=”name”][/card] or Reshiram and Charizard-GX, alongside using [card name=”Latios-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card]’s Tag Purge attack. You can break the Tag Purge lock by attacking with your own Latios-GX (or Jirachi-GX if you are playing one).

Pikachu and Zekrom-GX Favorable

This matchup is favorable almost entirely because of [card name=”Big Charm” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card]. 300 HP is almost impossible for a Pikachu and Zekrom-GX to deal with. Lightning Ride GX can deal 250 damage, but still requires two [card name=”Electropower” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”172″ c=”name”][/card] to get the OHKO when Big Charm is attached. I like to work a Miraculous Duo GX into this matchup to disrupt the Pikachu and Zekrom-GX player’s 2HKO strategy, along with using Reset Stamp for additional late-game disruption.

Conclusion

There you have it: a primer on card choices and matchups for Mewtwo and Mew-GX in the new Standard format. The deck is solid and has very close or slightly favorable matchups all around, and since it’s a toolbox-style deck, you can easily add techs to help swing any matchups you are concerned about. depending on what you’re trying to beat. I think [card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Alolan Sandslash-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM236″ c=”name”][/card] are both very good under-the-radar additions for the deck; the latter in particular can create so many neat plays.

This is currently one of my favorite decks for the upcoming Oceania International Championship, but there’s still more to test. For my next article I plan to cover either [card name=”Morpeko V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Stonjourner VMAX” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card], depending on which one tests better in the coming days. Hit me up in the Subscribers’ Hideout with any questions you have!

Peace,

–Caleb

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