Blacephalon’s New Friends — A Guide to my Top 8 Malmö Deck
Hello, PokéBeach readers! I’m back from Malmö Regionals and I’m here to talk about [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card].
[cardimg name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Why am I writing about Blacephalon? Because it’s become something of a pet deck for me, and I keep having success with it, so I think I’m the best suited at explaining the intricacies of the deck. Yes, despite widely spread misconceptions, the deck is far less linear than you’d think, and you can’t have success with it if you just pick it up expecting easy wins! I managed to reach Top 8 in Malmö with an unusual list, and I want to explain everything that went into that list, and why it’s the best way to play the deck.
More importantly, why should you read about Blacephalon? Simply speaking, because it’s the best deck to use against [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card], the best deck in the format–some would say its only bad matchup! It’s not an auto-win for Blacephalon by any means, but the matchups vary from about even to very good, depending on the exact list. As you saw, Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V dominated Malmö, by all metrics. It was by far the most played deck overall, and it accounted for twelve decks in the Top 32 (more than a third of the field, and three times more than the second-most represented deck). It got first, second and third place, which is pretty impressive. However, using the Blacephalon list I’ll detail in this article, I managed to beat both the winner, Tord Reklev, and the runner-up, Mehdi Hafi, in Swiss rounds; so if you start to despair at Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V’s domination of the metagame, consider the disco clown!
Of course, Blacephalon doesn’t only beat Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V; its matchups against every Tag Team Pokemon-GX deck in the meta are positive or at least even, and although it does have some bad matchups, this new list makes them not auto-losses. Mill is beatable now, and [card name=”Galarian Obstagoon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] can be teched for. People also tend to consider [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Spell Tag” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”190″ c=”name”][/card] a bad matchup for Blacephalon but I’m pretty sure I have a positive record overall against it.
Sounds good? Let me guide you through it!
The list
Here’s the list I used to make Top 8 at Malmö Regionals:
[decklist name=”Malmö Blowns” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″][pokemon amt=”14″]4x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM161″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Blacephalon-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”52″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Victini V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Cramorant V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”155″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oricorio-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Absol” set=”Team Up” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Phione” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]4x [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Ultra Forest Kartenvoy” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”188″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Switch” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Fiery Flint” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Fire Crystal” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”173″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Energy Retrieval” set=”Shining Legends” no=”59″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Lucky Egg” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”167″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Beast Bringer” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”164″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Adventure Bag” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”167″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Ordinary Rod” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pal Pad” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”172″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Stadium Nav” set=”Unified Minds” no=”208″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Heat Factory Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”178″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Ultra Space” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”13″]13x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”116″ c=”deck2″ amt=”13″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
[premium]
Before I explain what’s going on with all of this, some thanks are in order. As I keep repeating, a lot of the success I’ve had can be attributed to recognizing the potential of unusual decks (usually from Japan), and tweaking them a little bit. This deck is no exception, as the original list was made in Japan by two players, Ryota Taniguchi and Antoine Boulay. If the latter’s name doesn’t sound Japanese, it’s because despite living in Japan, he’s actually French! I’ve been in contact with him for a while and he’s been nice enough to regularly answer some of my questions about the Japanese metagame.
Ryota and Antoine built this [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] list for City Leagues in February, and they each went undefeated in Swiss at the one City League they attended (in Japan, you can only register for one City League per season), before losing in the first round of top cut (Top 16 at Ryota’s City League, Top 8 at Antoine’s). When I saw their list, I immediately became a fan of the innovations, and as I started testing it, I was convinced of its power. It also seemed to be a good meta-call for Malmö Regionals, since I expected [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] to be played a lot and Mill to be on the decline.
Since the release of Sword & Shield, both of the old ways to play Blacephalon ([card name=”Green’s Exploration” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”175″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Pidgeotto” set=”Team Up” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card]) have taken a hit, while another variant, based on [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], has taken their spot as the main Blacephalon deck. I’m writing this article with the assumption that you’re familiar with the general idea of Blacephalon / Jirachi, but if you’re not, you can read this article! Therefore, I won’t explain every card in the list, only those that differ from the status quo. Again, to give credit where credit’s due, all of the innovations listed below should be attributed to Ryota and Antoine, unless stated otherwise.
Four Jirachi and Three Blacephalon
Most lists do the opposite, but this count makes more sense. Contrary to what you’d expect, you don’t need four Blacephalon every game. Since Tag Team decks account for most of the metagame, two Blacephalon are usually enough for one game! For example, against Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V, you’ll usually use one Blacephalon to KO an Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX, and another to KO a Zacian V. The last Prize can be taken with [card name=”Blacephalon-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card]’s Burst GX, [card name=”Cramorant V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card]’s Spit Shot, or the first Blacephalon itself (either on a Jirachi before KOing Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX or on Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX itself thanks to [card name=”Beast Bringer” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card]). In this matchup, I’ll often discard the third Blacephalon if I draw into it! Obviously, in non-GX matchups like the mirror match or [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Spell Tag” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”190″ c=”name”][/card], you’ll need a bit more than this, but thanks to [card name=”Ordinary Rod” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card], you’ll still have enough Blacephalon even with three physical copies!
On the other hand, Jirachi is the best starter for the deck. Even if you don’t start with it, you’ll want a copy in play as soon as possible, both because Stellar Wish is helpful to find what you need to take KOs, and because once you start taking Prizes, you can expect [card name=”Reset Stamp” set=”Unified Minds” no=”206″ c=”name”][/card] to come your way, and having a Jirachi with an [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] is necessary to bounce back from a well-timed Reset Stamp. Therefore, it makes sense to max the Jirachi count to get one in play as fast as possible.
One Dedenne-GX and Zero Zacian V
Both cards can be compared since they are Bench sitters, give up two Prizes, and provide some consistency. Zacian V is the more popular option of the two, but in my opinion, [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is definitely better. Zacian V can be good the first two turns, but its ability is countered by [card name=”Marnie” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card] and Reset Stamp. Later in the game, it’s pretty useless. On the other hand, Dedenne-GX can be used at the beginning of a turn, before other draw engines like [card name=”Oricorio-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Heat Factory Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”178″ c=”name”][/card], so it’s fantastic at giving you an explosive turn. All you need is one [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”name”][/card] and you can get out of your opponent using Reset Stamp to reduce your hand to one card and be on your way to drawing 15 cards in one turn!
Dedenne-GX is a great answer to Reset Stamp and [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] / Malamar’s Marnie and [card name=”Trevenant and Dusknoir-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM217″ c=”name”][/card]’s Night Watch combo. You can also use it if you need to draw out of a dead hand in the early game, of course. However, try to use Dedenne-GX only when drawing cards will help you get a big KO. Knocking Out that [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] is worth using Dedechange. Knocking Out a Jirachi (and getting hit by Full Blitz in retaliation)? Not so much.
One Cramorant V
[cardimg name=”Cramorant V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”155″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
While Cramorant V has seen play in Blacephalon and other decks, I think it’s a staple of the deck. It definitely overperformed over the course of the weekend by letting me end games sniping a Dedenne-GX. Beak Catch is also great! In the Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V mirror in particular, if you go second, ending your turn one with Beak Catch can give you access to the cards you need to KO Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX on turn 2. In game three of my Top 8 match against Mehdi, I played too fast and attached my Energy to Blacephalon instead of using Quick Ball to search for Cramorant V and using Beak Catch. Had I played differently, the game might have gone in a different way (or it might not! It’s hard to tell.)
One Victini V and Zero Victini Prism Star
On several occasions this weekend, someone asked me about how to beat Mill with [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card]. I told them that [card name=”Victini V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] is the key, and they asked how did I deal with [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. They were so used to Infinity being touted as a Mill counter that they didn’t realise I wasn’t talking about it!
Basically, [card name=”Victini Prism Star” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t good enough in this variant. With only 13 Energy, its maximum damage output is 220 damage, and in most cases, it will be less than that. That’s not enough to deal with a Tag Team Pokemon-GX, or a [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Metal Frying Pan” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card]. Victini Prism Star would be nice against Mill and Control decks, but they all use Wobbuffet, so it’s not actually good enough.
On the other hand, Victini V is a solid attacker and actually changes the Mill matchup. Instead of having to find Energy every turn to discard, simply use Victini V as an attacker. You can KO a [card name=”Lillie’s Poké Doll” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”197″ c=”name”][/card] every turn without having to draw cards beyond the one at the beginning of each turn (and maybe a turn one [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] if you can). At some point, the opponent will have to use Resource Management, and you can simply take a Prize this way. Rinse and repeat! It may seem slow, but this way, you’re putting a lot of pressure on your opponent. They have to set up and mill you while dealing with losing their Active Pokémon or Lillie’s Poké Doll every turn.
Victini V can also be used in other situations, of course. It’s a good way to KO [card name=”Inkay” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card] on turn one, for example. It can OHKO Zacian V for two Energy if the dog doesn’t have a Metal Frying Pan. In the Pikachu and Zekrom-GX mirror, the opponent will invariably have to use Tag Bolt GX to win at some point, so they’ll have to attach five or six Energy to it. Victini V can easily retaliate to get an OHKO.
One Absol
Plenty of decks play Jirachi, and [card name=”Absol” set=”Team Up” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] is good against them. That’s the theory, but I don’t actually use Absol all the time. It’s specifically used for longer games, against decks that can attack with non-Pokemon-GX attackers: the mirror match, Fire Toolbox (also known as Ability [card name=”Reshiram and Charizard-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card]), and [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Spell Tag” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”190″ c=”name”][/card]. In these matchups, Absol can deny the use of Stellar Wish (or even prevent an attack) a few times, and therefore gain an advantage over the course of the game. Against [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] for example, I generally won’t use Absol, unless I naturally draw into it and my opponent hasn’t used Altered Creation GX yet.
One Phione
[card name=”Phione” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is one of the least used cards in the deck, but when it’s actually used, it can be absolutely amazing. For example, I used it in a mirror match on turn one to force my opponent to bring up their only benched Pokémon, Zacian V. This gave me an immediate two-Prize lead. Against Mill and other decks that use Lillie’s Poké Doll, you can also use it to take Prizes more easily. It’s also necessary against Malamar / Spell Tag so that you don’t have to KO the Active [card name=”Giratina” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] with a Spell Tag, and instead force the opponent to bring up a juicier target, like a [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] or Inkay (or even another Giratina, without a Spell Tag.)
One Ultra Forest Kartenvoy
After [card name=”Galarian Obstagoon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card]’s recent success at OCIC and at the Puerto Rico SPE I expected the deck to be picked up, maybe not by top players, but at least by average people simply wanting to play a cheap and unique deck, and I didn’t want to lose against an average player. The deck already has a few good tools against Galarian Obstagoon; [card name=”Cramorant V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card] to snipe Benched Pokémon, Absol to limit their Jirachi’s effectiveness, Phione to push Galarian Obstagoon back to the Bench, and [card name=”Blacephalon-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card]’s Bursting Burn. [card name=”Ultra Forest Kartenvoy” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”188″ c=”name”][/card] was suggested to me by French player Matthieu Cornillon, and it provided one more way to push the matchup in my favour–I didn’t end up facing this matchup so it was actually a dead card the whole tournament, but I liked having an out to even that matchup.
No Gust effects
As you can see, this list plays neither [card name=”Custom Catcher” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] nor [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”name”][/card]. The original list had a Great Catcher, but I removed it since I almost never used it in practice. Great Catcher can be a good finisher, but Cramorant V did the same job more effectively! That said, there are reasons to play Great Catcher. First, Cramorant V can be made useless by [card name=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. Mew wasn’t a popular tech in Malmö but that could change in the future. In addition, with Great Catcher, you can bring a GX Pokémon in the Active to make sure your [card name=”Beast Bringer” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card] gives you one more Prize.
Four Switch
Most Blacephalon lists play two copies of [card name=”Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card], but I think having more is better, especially in a list with several tech attackers like this one. Switch is a good counter to Absol, it lets you pivot to Jirachi if you start with another Pokémon or if your opponent uses [card name=”Reset Stamp” set=”Unified Minds” no=”206″ c=”name”][/card] and leaves you with a Blacephalon stranded in the Active spot, and it allows you to use a second Stellar Wish if needed, therefore acting as a (better) [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. I think there’s no reason to play less than four, and I would cut an [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] before I would cut a Switch. Incidentally, adding the fourth Switch is the only change I’ll definitely take credit for (Ryota and Antoine’s list played three).
[cardimg name=”Stadium Nav” set=”Unified Minds” no=”208″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
One Stadium Nav
[card name=”Heat Factory Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”178″ c=”name”][/card] is a fantastic card, having another way to draw cards in addition to [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Oricorio-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] helps to achieve powerful swing turns. [card name=”Stadium Nav” set=”Unified Minds” no=”208″ c=”name”][/card] is an additional out to it and helps to get some use out of it before an opponent plays [card name=”Chaotic Swell” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”187″ c=”name”][/card]. In a pinch, you can also grab [card name=”Ultra Space” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] with it, especially if you need a Pokémon to not get donked on the first turn.
Thirteen Fire Energy
Many lists play 14, but 13 felt fine all weekend. The main thing that you have to remember with a lower number is that you should keep Blacephalon-GX’s Mind Blown for the end game. If you use it too early (on a big target, not a [card name=”Minccino” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card]), you won’t have enough Energy to take big KOs with Fireball Circus.
Matchups
Here is an idea of how to play the most important matchups; as a general rule, you should choose to go second if you win the opening coin toss. Going second lets you play Welder on your first turn, which is your main way to draw cards early on. Against other Welder decks, being able to play Welder first is a big advantage, and against [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] / Malamar, going first would give the opponent a better opportunity to end the game with a turn one Horror House GX into a turn two KO on your lone Pokémon. The only matchup against which you should go first is [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card]. Since that deck takes a few turns before attacking, you can afford to have a weak first turn, and that will still give you more time overall to prepare for your first big attack (which will be an OHKO on Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX in most situations).
Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V
As stated, go first if you know that your opponent is playing this deck. The ideal scenario is to get a four-Prize KO with Beast Bringer on Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX, and finish the game with [card name=”Cramorant V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card] sniping a [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] KOing Zacian V. In testing, I would attach an Energy to [card name=”Victini V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] as soon as possible to prepare for Zacian V, but most Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V decks are now playing [card name=”Metal Frying Pan” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card], which makes Victini V much less relevant in this matchup.
You’re favoured in this matchup if you can KO Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX after Altered Creation GX. Even without Beast Bringer, you can then take two Prizes on Zacian V and the last one with Burst GX. If the opponent gets Ultimate Ray off before you attack, your only chance to win is to use Beast Bringer. Try to set up the perfect hand (with Cramorant V’s Beak Catch if needed) for the big KO on turn two or three, and keep Dedenne-GX for if your opponent uses an early [card name=”Marnie” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card].
Avoid benching Pokémon-GX too early, since they make easy Great Catcher targets. If you have to bench one (it happens), don’t bench another one! Letting your opponent with off of two KOs on two-Prize Pokémon is a way to lose the game. Keep Oricorio-GX in your hand until you need to use it, and don’t bench it at all if it could give the opponent the win one turn earlier.
There are several cards that Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V can play that make the matchup harder, in addition to Metal Frying Pan. Chaotic Swell denies the use of Heat Factory Prism Star. [card name=”Big Charm” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card] on Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX forces us to find a seventh Energy for the Fireball Circus KO. [card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”175″ c=”name”][/card] is probably the most annoying, since it gives the opponent easier KOs on your two-Prize Pokémon, and also on a benched Blacephalon. They can also use it to force you to use a Switch if you don’t want to miss your attack. Mehdi’s list, which features all of these cards, was the hardest Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V list I had to face in Malmö. On the other hand, Tord’s winning list was much easier to deal with, especially because of the lack of Reset Stamp (that doesn’t mean it has no merit, of course. I’ll talk a bit about that at the end of the article).
Pikachu and Zekrom-GX
You can actually consider going first in this matchup, but if your opponent gets the turn one Full Blitz, you’ll lose. Only do it if you’ve seen your opponent’s list and it’s too slow or teched-out to be likely to get the turn one Full Blitz.
The plan is to get a KO on [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] when it attacks. You can then take the other three Prizes off the second Pikachu and Zekrom-GX with Victini V after it uses Tag Bolt GX. That’s the ideal plan, but sometimes the opponent will use another attacker like [card name=”Tapu Koko V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] instead. You can take two Prizes off of it, then finish the game with Burst GX. If you managed to get a [card name=”Beast Bringer” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card] on Blacephalon for your first KO, you can take your last two Prizes with Cramorant V, since Pikachu and Zekrom-GX always has a Dedenne-GX on their Bench.
Once again, try to avoid benching GX-Pokémon if you can avoid it. This is because, if you miss your first big KO, the Pikachu and Zekrom-GX player could then use Tag Bolt GX to KO Blacephalon and a Benched Oricorio-GX or Dedenne-GX, going down to two Prizes. Then, using Victini V is risky. If you only have one-Prize Pokémon, the opponent will have three Prizes left to take after their big play, so Victini V (or Blacephalon-GX) is safer!
Fire Toolbox
This matchup can be a bit tricky, but they have few one-Prize attackers, so you’ll get to KO some bigger Pokémon at some point and take the lead in the Prize race. Cramorant V should also have some juicy targets on the opponent’s Bench! Get [card name=”Absol” set=”Team Up” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] in play as soon as possible, it will help you a lot.
Mewtwo and Mew-GX variants
Here again, you’ll ideally take four Prizes on a [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] and finish the game with Cramorant V. The Fire variant is easier to deal with since it’s basically like Fire Toolbox, but with a three-Prize main attacker. The [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] variant can be trickier because of [card name=”Trevenant and Dusknoir-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM217″ c=”name”][/card] and Marnie. Get [card name=”Oricorio-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] in play as soon as possible to get cards after you get KO’d, and attach [card name=”Lucky Egg” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”167″ c=”name”][/card] to it. This prevents a [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”name”][/card] or Venom Shot play that would leave you without a draw engine. [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is key here and you should keep it for after a Marnie and Night Watch play, to draw a huge amount of cards and swing the game around.
Play around Blacephalon’s Fireworks Bomb if possible, either with an early Burst GX, Beast Bringer, or taking a KO (with [card name=”Phione” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] or Spit Shot) on an easier target like Inkay before touching Mewtwo and Mew-GX.
Mill
As I discussed, you want to get [card name=”Victini V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] in play, attach up to four or five Energy to it, and not draw cards apart from one [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] at the beginning. Knock Out some [card name=”Lillie’s Poké Doll” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”197″ c=”name”][/card] if you have to, but use Phione’s Ability if it gets you a Prize. You can use Burst GX towards the end of the game when you’re stuck. [card name=”Cramorant V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card] is also a good attacker if they don’t play [card name=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]! Snipe [card name=”Cinccino” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card] as a priority.
Remember to keep an eye on your deck and use [card name=”Pal Pad” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”132″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Ordinary Rod” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] only to put the maximum amount of cards back in the deck. Phione itself can also save you from decking out since it goes back to your deck after using it.
Possible changes
Although I’m happy with the deck as it is, some changes might be necessary, however, I won’t be attending Toronto Regionals this weekend, but it’s likely that I would have ended up playing [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] again. Here’s what I would have considered changing:
[cardimg name=”Mawile-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”141″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
First, [card name=”Ultra Forest Kartenvoy” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”188″ c=”name”][/card] should probably leave the deck. [card name=”Galarian Obstagoon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] hasn’t been great, and many players teched for it in Malmö. For example, [card name=”Mawile-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] was a popular tech–its Captivating Wink Ability lets you get Pokémon from your opponent’s hand, which means they can’t use [card name=”Virizion-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card]’s Breeze Away GX to get their board back in their hand. Even if Virizion-GX never touches the table, if Captivating Wink gets one Pokémon from the Galarian Obstagoon player’s hand to hit the Bench (say, a [card name=”Mimikyu” set=”Team Up” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]), then by using some combination of catchers and Phione, it’s easy for the [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] player to get the three KOs they need to win the game. However, Mawile-GX also proved to be useful against other matchups, such as Mill (by overloading the opponent’s Bench with useless Pokémon like Mew and Zacian V, you prevent them from putting Lillie’s Poké Doll on the Bench), and as an efficient two-Energy attacker. I could certainly see being kept in many Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V players’ lists, and that’s not something any Galarian Obstagoon player wants to see.
If Galarian Obstagoon isn’t popular anymore, then Ultra Forest Kartenvoy has no purpose anymore. Of course, there’s a risk that players gamble on people removing their techs, and decide that Galarian Obstagoon is the right play, but I think it’s too early to see the cycle complete itself this way. Most likely, there will still be plenty of people prepared for “Goons”.
The other card that I could see myself cutting from the list is [card name=”Stadium Nav” set=”Unified Minds” no=”208″ c=”name”][/card]. Stadium Nav is nice, but it doesn’t feel necessary, and with [card name=”Chaotic Swell” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”187″ c=”name”][/card] seemingly on the rise, Stadium Nav becomes a dead card quickly.
In these spots, I could consider playing:
Great Catcher
I explained why I didn’t play it, but honestly, having another option to attack a Pokémon is nice. It helps against Tag Team Pokemon-GX decks, it’s useful against the Mawile-GX tech I just mentioned, and if people start playing more Mew in reaction to the good performance of [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] last weekend, then Cramorant V would become much worse. Also, I don’t have the advantage of surprise anymore. The list is public, and good players could use their knowledge of it, especially the lack of [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”name”][/card], to make plays that would be much riskier if they didn’t know my list.
Mew
Speaking of Mew, I could see myself playing it, mostly to counter Pikachu and Zekrom-GX, but also for the mirror match and occasional Fire Toolbox decks that might use their own Cramorant V. The main argument against it is that adding another Basic Pokémon lowers the odds of starting with Jirachi. It’s also useless against Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V, the most important matchup.
Fourth Blacephalon
It’s a bit early to tell, but it’s possible that Blacephalon gains hype because of its double Top 8 finish in Malmö, and the novelty of this list. If I expect a lot of mirror matches, then I’d want a fourth Blacephalon. Compared to Europe, North America also has more top players willing to play [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Spell Tag” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”190″ c=”name”][/card], and the fourth Blacephalon also shines in this matchup.
Victini Prism Star
Again, I know I explained why I didn’t play it–[card name=”Victini Prism Star” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card] might not be the powerhouse it is in Fire Toolbox or, to a lesser extent, Blacephalon / [card name=”Green’s Exploration” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”175″ c=”name”][/card], however, it’s a good attacker in the Blacephalon mirror match. Since there are no [card name=”Reset Stamp” set=”Unified Minds” no=”206″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Marnie” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card], the Blacephalon mirror match often has both players stockpiling cards in their hand. Because they need to put three Energy on Blacephalon and discard three more for a single Prize, Energy gets depleted pretty quickly, so Victini Prism Star offers a solution to this issue. It only needs two Energy to take a KO, and it puts back all the Energy in the deck! In some matchups, that can be an issue (a Reset Stamp can give you a pretty useless hand and reduce drastically your odds of getting a good card off Stellar Wish), but in the mirror match, it means your leftover [card name=”Fiery Flint” set=”Dragon Majesty” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] are suddenly good again, and even though it temporarily makes [card name=”Fire Crystal” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”173″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Energy Retrieval” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] into dead cards, they become live again one turn or two later.
Is Victini Prism Star better than a fourth Blacephalon? It depends on what you’ll play against. Its inability to KO Tag Team Pokemon-GX’s makes it worse in most matchups, and its low HP can be an issue when playing against a Spell Tag deck. On the other hand, it’s better in the mirror match, it can OHKO occasional medium-HP attackers like [card name=”Tapu Koko V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] (the fact that I’m referring to a 200-HP Pokémon as “medium-HP” is ridiculous, but at the same time, it’s clearly a different tier than the 270-HP or 280-HP Tag Teams seen in many decks), and it helps against Mill. No, it doesn’t auto-win that matchup at all, but being able to put cards back in the deck once in a while is good. Especially if the opponent expects Victini Prism Star not to be played, in favour of Victini V!
Fourteenth Fire Energy
Overall, 13 Energy has been OK. However, there are times when it can feel a bit low, especially since some targets, like Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX with [card name=”Big Charm” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card]. require seven Energy for a KO. The extra Fire Energy helps to get these KOs, gives more fuel for [card name=”Heat Factory Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”178″ c=”name”][/card], reduces the odds of having to [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] for only one Energy, and so on.
Closing thoughts
[cardimg name=”Victini V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”25″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
[card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] is definitely a strong deck. Thanks to [card name=”Victini V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] and other techs, some bad or shaky matchups are made better, and it still has a good win rate against the most popular decks in the format, including the BDIF; [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card].
Of course, not everyone likes Blacephalon. For those of you who don’t want to play it, I want to offer some quick thoughts on where the metagame is headed.
Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V should keep being the most played deck. Its ability to beat anything makes it a safe play for any player, and its proven success could attract more newcomers. There is no consensus on how to build it, and I don’t expect one to suddenly appear.
Tord won with an extremely streamlined and consistent list, but I’m not actually a big fan of it. I do like the [card name=”Energy Spinner” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”170″ c=”name”][/card] engine because it combines well with [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]’s Stellar Wish, which gives more options to find an Energy without having to play [card name=”Guzma and Hala” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”193″ c=”name”][/card]. Playing basic Energy (immune to [card name=”Faba” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”173″ c=”name”][/card]), in combination with [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card], also gives the deck strong options against Mill decks. On the other hand, the lack of Reset Stamp seems bad, and I’d rather more options by playing cards like Big Charm or [card name=”Lysandre Labs” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card] than the extra consistency from [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card], in this deck.
The favourite list that I’ve seen is the one Mehdi played to a second-place finish. He had a 7-1-1 record in the mirror match over the course of the tournament, so you should definitely look at his list if you want to beat the mirror match (which you should). [card name=”Chaotic Swell” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”187″ c=”name”][/card] and Big Charm make for an annoying combination that protects Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX well, and it gives the deck a chance to come back even if the opponent gets the first Altered Creation GX. With [card name=”Galarian Zigzagoon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Vitality Band” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card], it’s still possible to OHKO the opponent’s Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX even without any [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] damage! On the other hand, Mehdi’s list can have consistency issues with only four draw Supporters and one [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. One could argue that ended up being his downfall in game three of the finals.
Bryan de Vries also got in Top 4 with Bert Wolters’ OCIC list, which I wrote about recently. The only change was adding [card name=”Mawile-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] to the deck!
Another option to improve the Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V mirror match is to play [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”159″ c=”name”][/card], to remove an opponent’s Energy and try to get the first Altered Creation GX of the game. I think at least one player made day two with such a list. Crushing Hammer are flippy just like [card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”175″ c=”name”][/card], and they’re less useful later on, but they can be devastating in the first few turns. On the other hand, they can be countered if the opponent plays [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”162″ c=”name”][/card], to still be able to charge up Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX in one turn (in combination with [card name=”Metal Saucer” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”170″ c=”name”][/card]). Should you play Crushing Hammer or Energy Switch in the future? I’m not sure! I’ve heard reports of lists with Crushing Hammers popping up in various places. Playing Energy Switch might be the way to preempt the upcoming meta shift and get an advantage over other players!
Most Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX / Zacian V added [card name=”Metal Frying Pan” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] to their lists. This allows them to specifically counter Victini V, which was used in the [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] / Welder deck that won OCIC, as a way to easily get a revenge KO on Zacian V. On the other hand, they dropped [card name=”Mimikyu” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], the original Mewtwo and Mew-GX counter, because that deck also played two [card name=”Stealthy Hood” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”186″ c=”name”][/card] which made Mimikyu much worse. This trend benefits Mewtwo and Mew-GX / [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], which doesn’t care as much about Metal Frying Pan, but definitely enjoys the absence of Mimikyu. I could see Mewtwo and Mew-GX / Malamar being a strong play for the future, based on this. I don’t have a specific recommendation about the list except that you should probably play [card name=”Mega Lopunny and Jigglypuff-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] in it, both for the mirror match and because [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] is on the rise.
Thank you for reading! Don’t hesitate to leave a comment if you have questions about the article and as always, best of luck in your games!
–Stéphane
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