Fighting Fire with Fire — Baby Blowns to Counter ADP

[cardimg name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Hey everyone! It’s Charlie and I’m happy to be back with another article. In my last two articles, I’ve spoken a lot on my hatred of [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] (ADP) and have actively called it one of the most format-warping cards ever printed. I struggled to find strong counters for a while, and to be honest, I still don’t have any decks that I can say truly beat ADP on an extremely consistent basis. However, I’ve put a lot of work into trying to counter it with various decks, and found one bright spot in my testing of [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] variants. No deck in the format can dish out damage as quickly as Baby Blowns, and a well-built list can easily rival the pace of ADP and take games off it consistently. With Blacephalon, I was finally happy to see an opponent flip over ADP at the start of the game!

I tested all sorts of decks, from [card name=”Lucario and Melmetal-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] variants to another iteration of [card name=”Whimsicott-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card], but those decks couldn’t reliably take down a strong ADP player. I realized pretty quickly that the only way to beat ADP right now is to give them a taste of their own medicine and attempt to out-speed them. ADP can win the game in as little as three turns, but Blacephalon can match that even if it goes first. It can successfully take all six Prize Cards in the first three turns as well. Every turn ADP misses something critical, Blacephalon’s win percentage goes up as you put on so much pressure in such a short period of time. While not my favorite deck to play, this was the breakthrough I needed to get a bit more excited about the Standard format right now, so I went ahead and started testing.

As I will talk about later, Blacephalon decks have their own suite of issues, most notably consistency. To take the KOs you need in order to win, you need to hit multiple huge combos that require a lot of Fire Energy in your hand at once. I’ve tried to maximize consistency in this list and build the list so it keeps pace with the fastest ADP lists, but it can be weak to something like [card name=”Marnie” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Reset Stamp” set=”Unified Minds” no=”206″ c=”name”][/card]. Overall, I think this is the most competitive deck that exists right now with a significantly favorable matchup against ADP, so I’m happy to be able to cover this list for you guys. Here’s my latest list for Anti-ADP Baby Blowns:

Anti-ADP Baby Blowns Deck List

[decklist name=”Anti-ADP Baby Blowns” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Mewtwo” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”75″][pokemon amt=”14″]4x [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Crobat V” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oricorio-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Cramorant V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”155″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mewtwo” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”31″]4x [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ 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=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Fire Crystal” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”173″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Energy Retrieval” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”160″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Switch” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”183″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Pokémon Communication” set=”Team Up” no=”152″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Beast Bringer” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”164″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Giant Hearth” set=”Unified Minds” no=”197″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”15″]15x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”116″ c=”deck2″ amt=”15″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

So far, this has been my best attempt at hard-countering ADP with a Baby Blowns list. This list features a lot of tricks to try and speed up the game; I’ll go into these now and explain how I can make the ADP matchup favorable with this list.

Deck Analysis

Four Blacephalon and Four Jirachi

These counts are both full for consistency reasons; [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Team Up” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] is by far your best starter and four copies of [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] is pretty much required due to the fact I don’t run Pokemon recovery cards. Jirachi and Blacephalon are good to have on your board pretty much at all times and that’s why I decided to fill both these counts up. When you’re trying to go fast, make it easy to get your most valuable Pokemon on the board by maxing out their counts.

Two Dedenne-GX and One Crobat V

While [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] loves to take these guys down for three Prize cards each, you need to make sure you set up as fast or faster than ADP if you want to have a chance to win. I chose to go for a 2/1 split of draw Pokemon here because you often want to dig through more cards rather than sit on a small hand. You could go one [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] / two [card name=”Crobat V” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] or two of each with this count, but I have liked the extra Dedenne-GX when I need to see more cards in one turn and I feel it helps keep the deck’s pace in line with ADP.

One Oricorio-GX

I put the [card name=”Oricorio-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] into my ADP list in the last article in order to aid your “punch-back” turn after your opponent takes a lot of Prize cards in one turn. Oricorio-GX is back in this list for the exact same reason. When you’re trying to keep up with the fastest deck in one of the fastest formats ever, every single card counts and you’ll need those extra cards to lock up huge KOs on important turns. Oricorio-GX helps so much when it comes to finding that one extra Energy recovery card or a missing piece like [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”name”][/card]. This card is extremely strong and I think it has easily earned its place in this list.

One Cramorant V

Your strategy with this deck is to take six Prize cards as fast as possible in whatever way is easiest. With a 160-HP Dedenne-GX sitting on most opposing players’ Bench in this format, [card name=”Cramorant V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card] fits the bill extremely well. With [card name=”Welder” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card], you can easily power this guy up in one turn and take game-winning Prize cards. If you happen to start Cramorant V, it can act as an incredible opener and help you find the missing pieces you need to have an explosive turn 2. I am actually considering a second copy of Cramorant V for consistency purposes, but I wasn’t able to fit it into this list so you have to be careful with your one copy. This is an incredible late-game finisher that provides you with so many options to win the game.

One Mewtwo

This single copy of [card name=”Mewtwo” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] acts as recovery for your Welder and your sole [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card], allowing you to put that missing Supporter on top of your deck then draw into it with Dedenne-GX, Crobat V, or Oricorio-GX. Plus, it’s reusable with [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card], so you have a ton of options to reuse either Welder or Boss’s Orders when you most need it. I love this card as a one-of inclusion in the deck right now, its synergy with Scoop Up Net makes its value astronomically higher and it adds that extra bit of late-game consistency that you need to keep up with the biggest decks in the format. Keep this one copy in the list.

Four Welder and One Boss’s Orders

Four copies of Welder is standard. There’s no need for more than one Boss’s Orders in this list with Mewtwo and Great Catcher. Plus all the Pokemon-based consistency in this list, there’s very little need for anything like [card name=”Professor’s Research” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”178″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Marnie” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card] since you already draw so many cards. Welder keeps you moving fast and attacking every turn, and Boss’s Orders is great to finish the game or pick up one critical KO. I like the Supporter count as-is right now and don’t think it’s worth changing it given how speedy this deck already is.

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Two Beast Bringer

[cardimg name=”Beast Bringer” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”164″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This is the most important piece of the anti-ADP strategy I go for with this list. The inclusion of [card name=”Beast Bringer” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card] makes it possible to out-pace ADP and win off of only two KOs in one of two ways: A 4/2 Prize split (KO ADP with Beast Bringer then KO a Bench-sitter), or a 3/3 Prize split (KO Dedenne-GX or another Pokemon-GX with Beast Bringer then KO ADP). If you go first, you can pull this KO off on the second turn of the game and take an absolutely massive lead over your opponent. If you go second, you can sit back and go for the big KO as soon as your opponent uses ADP’s Altered Creation GX. I boosted the count up to two copies because finding it early and often is so critical against ADP that I’m okay with having one other dead card for the rest of the game. Furthermore, Beast Bringer can be used to kill Dedenne-GX against other Tag Team Pokemon-GX decks and make it a one-KO game, pretty much sealing up the victory for you early on. Beast Bringer is insane in all matchups where your opponent plays a Pokemon-GX and it is the key to beating ADP consistently.

One Great Catcher

In combination with Beast Bringer, Great Catcher is super helpful when it comes to pulling up the Pokemon-GX that you need to take a KO on, whether it’s ADP, Dedenne-GX, or something else. Being able to use a gust effect early without using your Supporter for the turn is the difference between winning and losing when your opponent is smart enough to protect ADP. I considered playing more than one copy, but space is tight and you have more than enough different ways to win between this, Cramorant V, and straight up KOing your opponent’s Active Pokemon.

Four Quick Ball and Two Pokemon Communication

This deck needs to find Pokemon early and often, so four [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”name”][/card] alone wouldn’t cut it. The extra search provided by [card name=”Pokémon Communication” set=”Team Up” no=”152″ c=”name”][/card] makes finding Pokemon at the right moment that much easier, so I felt like it was necessary to include at least two in order to make the deck faster. I would like there to be more search options, but I don’t feel like adding any more Pokemon Communication would help that. The only other viable search card in the Standard format right now is [card name=”Cherish Ball” set=”Unified Minds” no=”191″ c=”name”][/card], so I’m keeping the Pokemon Communication at this count for now. You draw enough cards that finding Pokemon shouldn’t be that big of an issue.

Four Scoop Up Net and Three Switch

Scoop Up Net is extremely powerful in combination with both Jirachi and Mewtwo, so maxing out this count made a lot of sense. I include three copies of [card name=”Switch” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”183″ c=”name”][/card] as well because pivoting in and out of Jirachi is much harder than it was when we had [card name=”Escape Board” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], so at least seven viable switching cards was critical. I like this count for consistency and I could be convinced to add a fourth Switch to the list. Switching is important in every deck, especially one that abuses Jirachi, so a heavy count fits very well.

Four Fire Crystal and Three Energy Retrieval

I chose to go down to three Energy Retrieval and add an extra Fire Energy as a deviation from the standard count because this list attempts to win fast enough that you will rarely use all of your recovery cards. Nevertheless, [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] are both extremely powerful and make [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card]’s Fireball Circus attack possible in consecutive turns, so they needed at least seven spots. This deck would never work without these powerful cards, so make sure to be careful with them in the early game and extremely liberal with their usage later on when it comes time to hit critical KOs.

Three Giant Hearth

I know a lot of lists tend to play way too few of these, but three is the absolute bare minimum in my mind for this deck to be competitive. [card name=”Giant Hearth” set=”Unified Minds” no=”197″ c=”name”][/card] is one of the most important pieces in consistently finding the Energy you need to take KOs, so playing too few would be a huge mistake. I would like to boost this count up to four, but I couldn’t find space in this already tight list. If you’re struggling with finding Energy, find a spot for a fourth Giant Hearth in your list and see if that helps, but so far I’ve found this to be consistent enough to be acceptable in my mind.

Fifteen Fire Energy

As I mentioned before, this is one more Energy card than most lists tend to play because I prioritize early-game Energy over late-game bursts in a fast list like this. Fire Energy makes up a quarter of your entire deck. You’re going to find it often and you shouldn’t struggle to get them when you need them between all the search and recovery options in this list. I like this count a lot and I think it’s better than the fourth Energy Retrieval in almost every way.

Cards to Consider

Here’s a few cards I wanted space for, but couldn’t find a good spot.

Zacian V

This card is a mainstay in most Baby Blacephalon lists, but I couldn’t find [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] consistently enough on turn 1 for it to be worth it. In this list, you have to attack every turn except turn 1, so its value was almost zero if I missed it on the first turn. I like the consistency it offers, but it left the list in favor of the second [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], which has been better in every way for this style of Baby Blowns. Zacian V may find its way back into the list at some point, but for now I’m happy without it.

Reshiram and Charizard-GX

[cardimg name=”Reshiram and Charizard-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”20″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

I tested out a one-of copy of [card name=”Reshiram and Charizard-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] in order to have something with a lot of HP I could throw to the Active Spot and take big KOs with. To be honest, it was really strong. I think this card makes every matchup better except for [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card]. However, starting it against ADP is a death sentence and it’s pretty much dead unless you use it to win the game, so I sadly felt it had to leave the list. This card is probably the most likely tech to make it back in due to its raw power and value in a lot of matchups, but I couldn’t carve out a good spot for it in this list so it barely missed the cut.

Dubwool V

This card has seen a lot of hype and appears in a lot of Blacephalon lists right now, but I don’t think [card name=”Dubwool V” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”153″ c=”name”][/card] adds any value to a list that tries to stay ahead of the opponent at all times. ADP decks can blow it up pretty easily and KOing something with Blacephalon is often just as easy, so Dubwool V didn’t have a good spot here. I think the card is probably great in a slower version of this deck, but this turbo-oriented list doesn’t support comeback cards like Dubwool V.

Conclusion

I am so happy to have built a list that I feel confident to play against ADP. The 4/2 or 3/3 Prize map strategy I described in the Beast Bringer section is made possible with the two different gust effects and turbo-oriented draw engine, so outpacing ADP is a realistic situation. Plus, ADP decks don’t always get their turn 3 or turn 4 win scenario, which makes it more likely for [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] to win before they can draw all their Prize Cards. I suggest you mess with this deck in some upcoming online tournaments; its ADP matchup is way better than everything else I’ve tested and popular decks like [card name=”Lucario and Melmetal-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] are pretty much free wins too.

Thank you so much for reading my article. Feel free to hit me up on Twitter (@C4_TCG) or in the Subscriber’s Hideout, I’m always willing to talk about the deck and any of its matchups. Good luck in your upcoming online events and I’ll see you guys next month!

Charlie

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