Skill-Intensive Standard — Decision Making and Sequencing Part 2
[cardimg name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Hello everyone! This is Grant Manley once again. Today I’ll be bringing you a different type of article. Usually I write about a deck or two, explain the lists, and cover matchups. Today I want to go a little deeper and look at the technical gameplay side of things. If you’ve been around for awhile, you may have read a similar article of mine. Last year, I published this article about decision making, sequencing, and other gameplay tips. My goal is to offer some advice that might not be so obvious, even for players that have been playing for years. I thought that article turned out well, and I recommend checking it out now. If you read my article last year, I’d say to review it again. I want to help people improve and optimize their play. Deck articles are useful and they do include gameplay advice, but that’s not the focus of them. Not only do I want to bring you some article variety, but something a bit more nuanced.
There’s a few reasons why I am referring you to this older article of mine. When someone is presented with lots of information, their brain consciously or unconsciously filters out the parts that are deemed less useful. Only so much information can be assimilated at one time. Over time, the retained information dwindles away. The brain needs exercise to stay sharp. In order for information to stick, it either needs to be repeated or have a strong first impression.
Another reason is because that article is Part 1, it naturally serves as a decent starting point. While this article isn’t necessarily a direct sequel and can be read on its own, I feel obligated to refer you to the base article of this series. Part 1 is still relevant. Most, if not all of the examples and concepts in that article applies today, despite it being a bit old. I make references to [card name=”Custom Catcher” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card], a popular card at the time, but that can be replaced by [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card] when reading in today’s context. Other concepts such as identifying and exploiting win (or loss) conditions, sequencing, and board analysis apply as normal.
Today’s article will be a bit more specific to the current format. Two of the most popular decks now are [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] and Combo [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] (often referred to as Combo Z). There are two interesting things I’ve noticed about both of these decks and they are closely related to each other. First, both decks involve many more decisions (especially sequencing decisions) than the average deck. As such, they have a high skill cap and skilled players can noticeably pilot these decks better than unskilled or less-practiced players. Even top players make several mistakes with these decks.
In this current era without live tournaments, the game is thriving through online content creation, PTCGO, and online tournaments. These days, there is more of a spotlight on Pokemon being played in a watchable format, so it’s easier to analyze games of every matchup from many different players, including top players. For example, a major online event will have multiple people streaming every round, as opposed to one official stream of one match each round of a major tournament. I’ve spent a solid chunk of time both playing and watching this format, and I want to share some of my observations with you today. I’ll mostly be talking about Spiritomb and Combo Z, but a lot of what I go over is broadly applicable as well.
Combo Z Deck List
[decklist name=”combo z” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″][pokemon amt=”16″]4x [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x Mr. Mime (DET #11)2x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Jirachi Prism Star” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mewtwo” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Fini” set=”Unified Minds” no=”53″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dusk Mane Necrozma” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]4x [card name=”Professor’s Research” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”178″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Marnie” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”169″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Metal Saucer” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”170″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Friend Ball” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”131″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tool Scrapper” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”168″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]11x [card name=”Metal Energy” set=”XY” no=”139″ c=”deck2″ amt=”11″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
This is Azul Garcia Griego’s Combo Z list that he used to take second place at a recent major online event. The exact list isn’t all that important for our purposes. We will be using it as a reference point for the deck as a whole. Combo Z is a deck that takes complicated turns and heavily rewards pristine sequencing.
Combo Z Deck Analysis
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How to Use Oranguru
[cardimg name=”Oranguru” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”148″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
A card I see misused all the time is [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card]. Aside from the use of making the [card name=”Jirachi Prism Star” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] combo along with Mr. Mime, [card name=”Marnie” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card]-proofing your topdeck, preserving a card for the other end of a [card name=”Professor’s Research” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”178″ c=”name”][/card], and making a combo with [card name=”Mewtwo” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card], there are some smaller ways to optimize Oranguru that players are not aware of. One common scenario is on turn 1 when the player has one Metal Energy in hand, they attach for turn and use [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card]’s Intrepid Sword. Sometimes they use Primate Wisdom on some other card to see an extra card that turn right before using Intrepid Sword. In that instance, using Primate Wisdom to put back a card other than a Metal Energy is incorrect because you might draw another Metal Energy, weakening Intrepid Sword. It’s better to not use Primate Wisdom at all since you’re drawing all the cards anyway. It’s best to use Primate Wisdom on the one Metal Energy you have in hand. While using Primate Wisdom on your one Energy may deny you an Energy attachment on turn 1, it doesn’t matter because you’ll be accelerating that Energy via Intrepid Sword regardless. Primate Wisdom may find you a useful card like another Basic Pokemon. However, if you draw into something like a [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”name”][/card] off the Primate Wisdom, think twice about going back into the deck and shuffling away the Metal Energy you put on top.
The other ways to use Oranguru are situational. As the name implies, Combo Z digs for combos. It can be difficult to determine at what point Oranguru should be used during one of these long and involved turns. Using it at the start of your turn or before a dig effect gives you more information, while using it at the very end lets you see one more card. In general, using Oranguru at the beginning of your turn or in the middle doesn’t help much. Draw effects such as Professor’s Research, [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]’s Stellar Wish Ability should be used before Oranguru. Using Primate Wisdom before any of these draw effects doesn’t change what cards you see, though it can be used to manipulate the order in which you draw certain cards. Primate Wisdom digging for one more card at the end of a long turn may not seem like much, but it’s often the best way to use it. There are exceptions, such as if you need to stack a Metal Energy to the top of the deck to discard with Acro Bike in order to use [card name=”Metal Saucer” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”170″ c=”name”][/card]. Combined with other cards, Primate Wisdom has great potential to manipulate which cards are in specific places. When digging for a specific card however, it’s better to use it to see one extra card near the end of the turn. This applies for every deck that runs Oranguru.
Another thing I’d like to note is that Oranguru is absolutely crucial against Control. I’ve seen Combo Z players decide not to play down Oranguru because they fear it getting dragged to the Active. If I’m the Control player, this makes my job much easier. Primate Wisdom is the biggest foil to Control because it offers the player to see an extra card every single turn, a card that the Control player isn’t able to manipulate. One card may not seem like much, but since it can be used every single turn in a drawn-out game against Control, it more than pulls its weight. Additionally, Combo Z runs so many switching cards, Oranguru being dragged to the Active is a non-issue so long as some switch effects remain. This applies to most decks that run Oranguru.
How to Use Mr. Mime
Now let’s talk about Mr. Mime. Its full potential is overlooked by many Combo Z players. The Pantomime Ability is a unique resource that can be tapped into throughout the game, though players seem to only see it as a means to put Jirachi Prism Star into the Prizes. On PTCGO especially, it’s easy to check and memorize what cards are in the Prizes. This is especially important in any deck that runs Mr. Mime. Aside from making a combo with Jirachi Prism Star, Mr. Mime is a means to access any of these cards on demand, and [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] makes this easier. Any time you are looking for a specific card or combo piece, make sure to evaluate where all the copies are at the beginning of your turn. It’s important to plan the turn with the Pantomime option in mind. While Pantomime uses are usually reserved for the trademark combo, it’s a resource that can be tapped into at any point to improve your chances of finding something you need. This deck has many ways to access the top card of the deck after using Pantomime, the most simple being Primate Wisdom.
How to use Dusk Mane Necrozma
One card that’s found its way into a few Combo Z lists is [card name=”Dusk Mane Necrozma” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM107″ c=”name”][/card]. It’s a tech option that is sometimes replaced by [card name=”Zamazenta V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. Odds are you’re familiar with the odd-Prize rule: if you KO a one-Prize Pokemon, you still have to take at least three more KO’s. In a deck like Combo Z that uses two-Prize attackers, the opponent can win with a minimum of three KO’s under normal circumstances. This means that the first one-Prize Pokemon you sacrifice is basically free; there’s no real penalty for doing so. I’m sure most of you know this in theory, but it’s an underlying concept that should be the basis for many, many decisions in deckbuilding and playing. This is part of the reason why Dusk Mane Necrozma is used in this deck.
Additionally, Dusk Mane Necrozma is an extremely useful odd-Prize attacker. Dusk Shot is used against Tag Team Pokemon-GX to set them up for a Brave Blade KO. After using Dusk Shot, Combo Z only needs to attack two more times. Once to finish off the Tag Team Pokemon-GX, and another KO on a benched Pokemon-GX such as [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. It’s crucial that one of these KO’s activates Jirachi Prism Star. This is the game plan against decks with Tag Team Pokemon-GX. It is Combo Z’s win condition. If the opponent has the necessary targets on board, this is the easiest way to win the game and your focus should be on optimizing the route to accomplish it.
Dusk Mane Necrozma is useful to help even out the Prize trade against single-Prize attackers such as [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card], though it’s less crucial if this deck runs the optional [card name=”Tapu Fini” set=”Unified Minds” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] (which the example list does, but not all do). In these matchups, you’ll be using the Energy-heavy Rusty Claws to KO small Pokemon while only giving up one Prize card when it goes down.
I’ve considered Mew for this deck instead of Dusk Mane Necrozma. Mew’s Psypower accomplishes the same thing as Dusk Shot against [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] specifically, which is the most common Tag Team Pokemon-GX. Mew also has Bench Barrier, which shields against Tag Bolt GX and [card name=”Cramorant V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card]’s Spit Shot. The trade off is utility against other Tag Team Pokemon-GX and opposing one-Prize Pokemon attackers in exchange for Bench Barrier. I’m not sure which one is correct. It might be both.
How to Use Acro Bike
At the beginning of the season, especially with [card name=”Malamar” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], there were many reasons to play Acro Bike as soon as it appeared in my hand. Now it’s usually best to hold Acro Bike if you aren’t looking for anything specifically. It’s best used as a digging tool when you are reaching for a combo piece or a specific card. There’s very little potential drawback to holding onto it. If you’re looking for a specific Trainer, Acro Bike before Jirachi’s Stellar Wish is best. If you’re looking for anything else, Stellar Wish before Acro Bike. In this deck, Trainers can be outs to Pokemon or Energy, so Acro Bike is usually better to use first. If you have Quick Ball and Acro Bike, use Quick Ball first to thin a card out. Unless you’re looking for multiple Pokemon, in which case you’d want Acro Bike to have better odds of finding a Pokemon. Turn 1 is a common time when Acro Bike before Quick Ball is better. This all applies to most decks with Acro Bike.
Spiritomb Deck List
[decklist name=”tomb count” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Spiritomb” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”112″][pokemon amt=”18″]4x [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”112″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Jynx” set=”Unified Minds” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Buzzwole” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Galarian Zigzagoon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”117″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Giratina” set=”Unified Minds” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mewtwo” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oricorio-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Yveltal-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”79″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]4x [card name=”Professor’s Research” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”178″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Marnie” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”169″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Hustle Belt” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Switch” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Great Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”164″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lana’s Fishing Rod” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”195″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Adventure Bag” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”167″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Black Market Prism Star” set=”Team Up” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”9″]4x [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Unit Energy FDY” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Aurora Energy” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”186″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
In my last article, I went over the Ultra Beast version of Spiritomb, which was more popular at the time. Recently, the [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] toolbox version shown above placed first and second at an online tournament, so it is seeing more of the spotlight right now. It was played by Kevin Krueger and Luke Morsa. Again, the specific lists aren’t that important. These two decks should be used only as reference points.
If you ask me, Spiritomb is a neat and skill-intensive deck. It’s new, so a lot of people don’t fully understand how to play it yet. Similar to Combo Z, Spiritomb does occasionally take complex and involved turns, though it’s a clearly completely different deck from Combo Z.
Spiritomb Deck Analysis
How to Use Spiritomb
[cardimg name=”Spiritomb” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”112″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Spiritomb is the deck’s main attacker. Each copy slowly builds up damage on your board, which fuels Spiritomb’s attack. A lot of people needlessly attack with Spiritomb, sacrificing a valuable offensive tool. In this deck, damage counters are a precious resource and you need to treat them as such. In general, Spiritomb should only be attacking for a OHKO, for 40 damage to set up [card name=”Yveltal-GX” set=”Forbidden Light” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card]’s Doom Count GX, or for an important and situation-specific 2HKO. Carefully evaluate if you need to attack with Spiritomb on the current turn. If that attack is not of special importance, it is usually better to preserve the Spiritomb and the damage counters on it.
Be careful to play around an opponent’s [card name=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]’s Psypower. Don’t be careless by leaving too much damage on Spiritomb. An opposing Mew should only be good for taking one KO, so you don’t want to leave yourself in a position where Psypower can take out two Spiritomb at once.
In the early game, it’s important to get as many Spiritomb in play as possible. Getting two or three in play on turn 1 is ideal because it’s difficult enough to build up damage quickly. Plus, we don’t need this many in play at all points throughout the game.
How to Use Jynx
Within the context of this deck, [card name=”Jynx” set=”Unified Minds” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] is one of the most useful and skill-intensive cards ever. Many wins and losses are decided by how well the player uses Jynx. Its presence is important to mitigate the devastation that can be caused by an opponent’s Boss’s Orders. Without Jynx, an opponent could repeatedly snipe down whichever Spiritomb has the most damage on it, delaying the player from reaching enough damage. Jynx doesn’t have to be used every turn, but sometimes it needs to be used multiple times in a turn, which can be accomplished with the second Jynx or with [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card]’s Building Spite, [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Shrine of Punishment” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] are the three ways to build damage on this deck’s side. Jynx offers a powerful way to manipulate and take advantage of these damage counters. I mentioned that damage counters are valuable resources and Jynx maximizes that value.
Using Jynx to reach KO numbers for Spiritomb is the most effective use for the card, but it’s important to think about what we’re doing with our damage counters in every other situation. I mentioned defending against [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card]. To do this, our extra damage should not all be on one Spiritomb. It’s easy to pile three damage counters onto a Spiritomb in one turn, so it’s best to end the turn with only two to three damage counters on each Spiritomb. Otherwise, a Boss’s Orders will take away a Spiritomb that already has many damage counters invested into it. This also applies to defending against Mew’s Psypower and other snipe attacks.
With Jynx, it’s important to be mindful and think ahead at least to the next turn. Consider where your damage should be and what your board will look like if any given Pokemon will be KO’d. Prepare your damage so you have enough to respond to anything the opponent is likely to do. I have lost games by failing to do this. I often see other Spiritomb players fail to do this as well. If needed, you can heal specific amounts of damage with Scoop Up Net (or [card name=”Phione” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] in the other version).
Jynx is particularly important against [card name=”Dragapult VMAX” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. Because of Max Phantom’s snipe damage combined with [card name=”Galarian Zigzagoon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card]’s Headbutt Tantrum Ability, it’s impossible to build damage onto a Spiritomb as it will be KO’d right after it comes into play. For this matchup, Spiritomb must be played down on the turn it’s going to attack and Jynx needs to help charge it up with damage.
Conclusion
In the current format, there are more outside-the-box ways of taking Prizes than usual, which makes for interesting ways of both winning and losing. A lot of people dislike this format and that’s something I empathize with. I feel that Dragapult VMAX is an oppressive gatekeeper, [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] is broken, and [card name=”Marnie” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card] spam is annoying. I don’t think the format is that bad though. There’s a decent variety of viable decks and there are lots of decisions to be made with many of these decks. Mill, Control, and other degenerate decks are not terribly popular. I feel that this format is rewarding of skill. Pokemon is Pokemon though, and there’s going to be a lot of luck involved too.
It’s especially important with this format to be intentional with each play you make. Prize mapping and focusing on a specific route to your win condition are crucial in most matchups. Make a goal for each game, but don’t tunnel vision too hard. It’s equally important to cover your bases and be adaptable. As with any format or game, take the time to plan a turn or two ahead! This article was more specific to Combo Z and Spiritomb, which are two of the most popular decks. If you don’t play these decks, I hope some of the concepts are somewhat helpful and applicable. At the very least, it’s good to understand how these decks should function for when you find yourself against them and you undoubtedly will.
Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think about this type of article. I hope it was helpful! My goal was to share some of my observations about the current format and offer some tips for how to play it. If this is all new information for you, try to incorporate a little bit at a time and not all at once. If you already knew some of what I covered, that’s great! It will be easier to incorporate the new things I did go over. I have some ideas for a Part 3 of this series, but whether or not that happens depends on the reception to this one. Leave a comment with what you liked or disliked!
–Grant
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