Tropical Christmas – Alolan Trees and Rainbow Birds in Expanded
[cardimg name=”Garchomp and Giratina-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM193″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Hello again PokeBeach readers! As Christmas draws near, I have two of the best stocking stuffers for all Expanded format lovers; Amazing Box and [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Orbeetle VMAX” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card]. These two decks have been projects of mine for a while, and although I have tried as hard as I can to make these on par with the likes of Expanded powerhouses like [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Roxie” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”205″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garchomp and Giratina-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”146″ c=”name”][/card], they do have their flaws simply by virtue of not being them. The good news, however, is that these two decks make up for their lack of total format domination in being true joys to play.
Pokemon card design has been a gripe of mine for the past few sets. Take for instance Tag Team Pokemon; they rile me up since they are simply a testosterone-boosted version of GXs (which also have the unique mechanic of GX attacks). Then Pokemon V were released, being almost carbon-copies of Pokemon-EX except for their slight upgrade in HP in order to match the rising power creep of the game. Lastly, Pokemon VMAX are huge behemoths that, barring unusual circumstances, were designed to be able to survive multiple attacks.
Ranting aside, the reason why I write about decks such as last week’s [card name=”Coalossal VMAX” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Electrode-GX” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”48″ c=”name”][/card] and the two I have today is to share the more enjoyable side of the game, utilizing intricate strategies and fun Abilities. Because these decks are amusing, however, doesn’t mean they don’t pack a punch!
Amazing Box
Here’s my Amazing Box / [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] list that I’ve been crafting:
[decklist name=”Amazing Box” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″][pokemon amt=”19″]4x [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”195″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Crobat V” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”182″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Rayquaza” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Raikou” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”50″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Zamazenta” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Marshadow-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pheromosa and Buzzwole-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”191″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”31″]2x [card name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Chaotic Swell” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”187″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]3x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”EX Holon Phantoms” no=”108″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”EX Holon Phantoms” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Energy” set=”EX Holon Phantoms” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Metal Energy” set=”Black and White” no=”112″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Wow! This deck is a blast and this isn’t the last time you’ll hear me say it.
The purpose of the deck is to get multiple Ho-Oh-EX into the discard in order to use the Rebirth Ability to attach three different types of basic Energy to it when restored to your Bench. In a moment of serendipity, it occurred to me that the new Amazing Rare Pokemon from Vivid Voltage are perfect matches for Rebirth as they each have wildly different Energy requirements to attack. You may ask, “How do you attack with the Amazing Rare Pokemon? Don’t tell me you’re going to use [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”162″ c=”name”][/card] three times.” My answer is the next vital piece of this deck; [card name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]. Here, it is used in conjunction with Ho-Oh-EX to swap Ho-Oh-EX with the three Energy attached from Rebirth with any of the Amazing Rares included in the deck.
The strategy of the deck makes for certainly some odd card choices, so let’s dive into the explanations…
Card Choices
[cardimg name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”22″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Four Ho-Oh-EX, Two Rayquaza, Two Raikou, One Zamazenta, One Marshadow-GX
When it comes to [card name=”Rayquaza” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card], the damage is dealt for each unique type of Energy attached to it. This means if you are attempting to hit 320 damage in a single turn, you ought to wait to use Rebirth and Ninja Boy until you have an additional Energy card in your hand to attach manually. With Rebirth, you can then select the appropriate Energies from your discard pile so you have four unique types attached. With Ninja Boy, there must be a valid target inside the deck in order to successfully swap the two — this is why I’ve chosen such a large count of Rayquaza and [card name=”Raikou” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card]; there always must be at least one in the deck.
[card name=”Marshadow-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] is here to be a multicolored UNO card or sorts (copying any attacker you want), but it also has an interesting GX attack that is rarely used. Peerless Hundred Blows GX shouldn’t be forgotten as we can satisfy its requirement via our two copies of Fighting Energy. It typically hits for 200 damage flat, which isn’t anything to scoff at.
[card name=”Zamazenta” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] is here for Amazing Shield: a vanilla 180-damage attack that doesn’t discard any Energy while also being useful in some fringe VMAX matchups, like [card name=”Dragapult VMAX” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], in order to buy some time.
Note: that any fewer than the full four copies of Ho-Oh-EX is asking for trouble when it comes to Rebirth flips.
Three Dedenne-GX, Two Crobat V, One Oranguru, One Exeggcute
Ah, we come to the true engine of the deck. Discarding a large hand with Dedechange is a common occurrence, as reaching for the turn-one attack is always necessary. [card name=”Crobat V” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] is also great for when you have some resources to preserve, however, using both in the same turn is what makes this deck a real treat. There are large amounts of both cards since we end up using two or three per game and we don’t want to stumble if any are in the Prizes.
[card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] and its Primate Wisdom Ability is here for many different situations. It can be used to preserve a card before using Dedechange, or to put an Amazing Rare Pokemon from your hand to the top of the deck to be put into play immediately with Ninja Boy. Of course, it also allows you to reach one more card, so I count it as consistency.
[card name=”Exeggcute” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”4″ c=”name”][/card] is pure discard fodder for [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card].
One Buzzwole and Pheromosa-GX, One Mew
With four different Energy, Rayquaza caps at a maximum of 320 damage. This is just short of the 330 mark of [card name=”Coalossal VMAX” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card]’s HP, before any [card name=”Stone Fighting Energy” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card] come into play. [card name=”Pheromosa and Buzzwole-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”1″ c=”name”][/card] fills the role of OHKOing Coalossal VMAX with Elegant Sole. Jet Punch is also relevant to set up math, so don’t forget about it. Lastly, Beast Game GX is a complimentary attack to Raikou’s Amazing Shot to take three Prize cards on a [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Beast Game GX can be useful in many more situations, but most importantly versus [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Cramorant V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card] to help swing the Prize trade by KOing a Mew. Similarly, Bench Barrier [card name=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] is needed for the same matchup and for Tag Bolt GX as there are many targets on the Bench. This Mew is also useful for its Psypower attack, which is helpful for math, like Jet Punch, against several matchups to set up Knock Outs.
Two Ninja Boy, One Guzma, Four VS Seeker
Yep, you read that correctly — the only Supporters in this deck are two copies of Ninja Boy and a copy of [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card]. Of course, we also have pseudo-Supporters in the form of [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card]. The reason for such low counts is simple: we need only three copies in the deck. With [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], VS Seeker is a good way to find Ninja Boy on repeat.
Four Quick Ball, Four Ultra Ball, Four Battle Compressor, Four Trainers’ Mail, One Computer Search
Holy consistency, Batman! I love the counts of these cards. The deck feels like a revving engine, yearning to take off at any moment. There is a certain nostalgia to these, as they’re calling back to the [card name=”Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick” set=”Primal Clash” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Archie’s Ace in the Hole” set=”Primal Clash” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Blastoise” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”16″ c=”name”][/card] decks of old. Battle Compressor is one of the best cards in this deck, thinning your deck of [card name=”Ho-Oh-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] and Energy faster than you can blink. The rest are simply gasoline for said engine.
Three Float Stone, One Great Catcher, One Rescue Stretcher, One Field Blower, One Chaotic Swell
[card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] is considered to be a part of the ‘combo’ needed to get a turn-one attack off, hence the three copies, and [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”name”][/card] is another card that has proven itself. With [card name=”Ninja Boy” set=”Steam Siege” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] taking up the Supporter of turn almost every time, Guzma can rarely shine and lets [card name=”Great Catcher” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”192″ c=”name”][/card] take the spotlight (the only reason I have kept Guzma over a second Great Catcher is due to Special Condition issues such as paralysis along with it being VS Seeker-able). [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] is here to shuffle in Pokemon for Ninja Boy and is marginally better than [card name=”Ordinary Rod” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] since it can fetch a Dedenne-GX or Crobat V in a pinch, though Ordinary Rod does allow you to shuffle in Energy and only one fewer Pokemon (since there aren’t many Pokemon you want to return to the deck).
[card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Chaotic Swell” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”187″ c=”name”][/card] are here for [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card], as it shuts down the entire deck. I’ve made a split of each since Chaotic Swell can preemptively prevent Silent Lab while Field Blower can be used on [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card] to remove Garbotoxin.
No Wide Lens, Muscle Band, or Choice Band
[card name=”Wide Lens” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] was originally in the list for the purpose of copying [card name=”Raikou” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Marshadow-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] to take four Prizes on two of Dedenne-GX or Crobat V. However, this happened more rarely than the grief the card gave me, so I ended up cutting it for the third Float Stone. [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] were other Tools I played around with, letting [card name=”Rayquaza” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] hit Tag Team Pokemon for OHKOs, but I found myself being able to simply attach another Energy to Rayquaza in lieu. Muscle Band and Choice Band do little to boost math for Raikou and [card name=”Zamazenta” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card], unfortunately.
Three Grass, Three Lightning, Two Metal, Two Fighting
The Energy split is based on overlap in Energy costs. Rayquaza and Raikou both take a Lightning Energy and a Grass Energy, making their copies a little more valuable.
[premium]
How to Play the Deck
[cardimg name=”Vileplume” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”6″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Like most Box-style decks, the core strategy will stay the same, but the attackers will be different. There are a few pieces of advice to note:
- Against [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”1″ c=”name”][/card], Ho-Oh-EX itself is a great attacker. Yet, hunt down every wild [card name=”Oddish” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”5″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Gloom” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card] in fear of the dreaded Disgusting Pollen [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”6″ c=”name”][/card] preventing our deck from attacking.
- 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 matchup is surprisingly favored thanks to the raw power of Rayquaza even with the absence of [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card]. The Prize race will go like this: After Altered Creation GX is used, Rayquaza will OHKO ADP. Then, Zacian V will go after [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. After KOing the Zacian V, the opponent will be forced to power up another Zacian V and gust up another Dedenne-GX or Crobat V without ever using Ultimate Ray, a near-impossible feat as they need to have access to all four [card name=”Metal Saucer” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”170″ c=”name”][/card], letting Rayquaza clean up on whatever is in the Active.
- Against [card name=”Dragapult VMAX” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] / Garbodor, make liberal use of Raikou to KO multiple Garbodor and [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] until Dragapult VMAX comes into play, at which point you transition into using Rayquaza to OHKO it.
Vileplume / Orbeetle VMAX / Dusknoir
This deck is another pet project that has highs and lows; at first, I tried building an Expanded [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”name”][/card] spread deck with [card name=”Telescopic Sight” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Sableye V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card], however, after that attempt fell short, I liked the idea of using [card name=”Orbeetle VMAX” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] along with [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card]. After some trial and error, Vileplume / Orbeetle VMAX / Dusknoir was born!
The purpose of this deck is to slow down the pace of the game with Vileplume’s Irritating Pollen, and then spread damage across the board with Orbeetle VMAX’s Eerie Beam in conjunction with Dusknoir to take out any threats. At first, I tried a Horror House GX and [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”180″ c=”name”][/card] version of the deck but settled on using Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor-GX because of the Tag Call package with [card name=”Guzma and Hala” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”193″ c=”name”][/card] plus [card name=”Capture Energy” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card].
Here’s the list and it is a doozy:
[decklist name=”Vileplume / Orbeetle VMAX / Dusknoir” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Duskull” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”83″][pokemon amt=”24″]3x [card name=”Orbeetle VMAX” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”21″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Orbeetle V” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”20″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”63″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”71″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Dusclops” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”70″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Duskull” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”83″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”215″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”6″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Gloom” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”7″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Oddish” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”5″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”26″]3x [card name=”Steven’s Resolve” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Faba” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”173″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Guzma and Hala” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”193″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Mallow and Lana” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”198″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Cynthia and Caitlin” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”189″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Tag Call” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”206″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Life Forest Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”180″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Galar Mine” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”160″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]6x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”EX Holon Phantoms” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card]4x [card name=”Capture Energy” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Card Choices
Three Vileplume, Two Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor-GX, Three Orbeetle VMAX
While the line of [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”1″ c=”name”][/card] is standard, throwing in a three-three line of Orbeetle VMAX is not. Surprisingly, it makes sense, since Super Growth can search out Orbeetle VMAX on slow turns and G-Max Wave is an extremely powerful attack for only two Energy (a requirement since it is tough to draw Energy).
I want to mention that having a [card name=”Gloom” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card] in play throughout the game can be a huge asset — Gloom not only allows you to scout the opponent’s hand to see what their options are (and whether or not to use an [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]), it allows you to fill their Bench with helpless Pokemon that end up boosting Eerie Beam’s damage output! At any point, Gloom can also become another Vileplume if you are afraid of your current Vileplume being KO’d, or can evolve into the other [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”6″ c=”name”][/card] if you’re facing a matchup that has only Basic Pokemon.
Two Different Dusknoir
[cardimg name=”Dusknoir” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”71″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
[card name=”Duskull” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] is another star in this deck. Spiritborne Evolution is a great way to thin your deck of useless Items while being a way to immediately evolve into [card name=”Dusclops” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] (even on the turn your Duskull comes into play)! [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] makes sense in the context of Orbeetle VMAX, letting you move damage around at will.
The only head-scratching inclusion might be [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card]. Spectral Breach is an Ability reminiscent of [card name=”Crystal Beach” set=”EX Crystal Guardians” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] from Crystal Guardians that reverts all Special Energy into Energy that provides a single Colorless Energy. I might even go as far as saying that Spectral Breach is even better than Crystal Beach since it cannot be ‘bumped’ by another Stadium, thus ‘turning on’ Special Energy. In some matchups, all it takes to win is to set up this Dusknoir.
Currently, in Expanded there are many decks that wholly shut down when faced with Spectral Breach. Those including [card name=”Roxie” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”205″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garchomp and Giratina-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”146″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Mew” set=”Fates Collide” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Cramorant V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Ultra Necrozma” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Coalossal VMAX” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Trevenant” set=”XY” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card], and more! It is a no-brainer to include a Dusknoir that auto-wins tons of matchups while also making use of another Dusknoir!
Three Steven’s Resolve, Three N, Three Guzma, Two Faba
[card name=”Steven’s Resolve” set=”Celestial Storm” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] is a perfect card for any Vileplume deck, but especially this one. It lets you fetch any cards needed to stall or disrupt your opponent, or can be a way to search out Energy or Dusknoir pieces. The only reason I don’t play a full four copies is that I often use only one or two copies throughout the game.
N is another card made for Item lock. Sometimes, using N and taking a KO with either G-Max Wave or Sinister Hand can be enough to win, as your opponent will run out of steam. Of course, N is a consistency card early on, so it makes sense for every scenario. A fourth copy has merit, but other cards are too important.
Like a broken record, [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] is a great card for Item lock decks. Since the point is to grind the game to a halt, Guzma is perfect to gust up a Pokemon with a high Retreat Cost that can’t attack. Then, it is a matter of using Eerie Beam and Sinister Hand until the game is won. Guzma is also necessary to preemptively strike with G-Max Wave against any threats on the opponent’s Bench.
Lastly, [card name=”Faba” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”173″ c=”name”][/card] is the Swiss Army Knife for Vileplume decks. It can be used to Lost Zone any pesky [card name=”Stealthy Hood” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”186″ c=”name”][/card] (which blocks Disgusting Pollen, Sinister Hand, and Eerie Beam), [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] (in order to stall something in the Active with Guzma), or [card name=”Chaotic Swell” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”187″ c=”name”][/card] (to stick [card name=”Galar Mine” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Life Forest Prism Star” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”180″ c=”name”][/card]). This is without mentioning the ability to remove Energy from an attacker, which might be all it takes to lock the opponent out of the game.
Supporter Package and Tag Call Engine
The [card name=”Tag Call” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”206″ c=”name”][/card] engine is perfect for this deck as it fetches almost anything we need: with one card we can search out a [card name=”Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”1″ c=”name”][/card] and a [card name=”Guzma and Hala” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”193″ c=”name”][/card], whereby the Guzma and Hala searches out a [card name=”Capture Energy” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card], Float Stone, and a usually irrelevant for the time-being Stadium, whereby the Capture Energy searches out an [card name=”Oddish” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”5″ c=”name”][/card] to be evolved into Vileplume via Super Growth.
[card name=”Mallow and Lana” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”198″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] are all in here for healing and Bench management. Almost never does Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor use an attack other than Super Growth so removing it from the Active with Acerola or AZ is wonderful.
[card name=”Cynthia and Caitlin” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] is another good option to have with the deck. Since it’s searchable with Tag Call, having a consistency out is far from a bad thing, without weighing in the Supporter recovery.
I tested out [card name=”Team Skull Grunt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] as another way to disrupt the opponent. It paired well with Gloom, as I could check out the opponent’s hand before deciding whether to play Team Skull Grunt. However, in the end, I preferred another Faba in place of it, so it got cut.
One Float Stone, One Computer Search, One Life Forest Prism Star, One Galar Mine, No Silent Lab
While Float Stone is amazing to grab with Guzma and Hala, it isn’t necessary to get the combo off, hence the single copy. Every Basic Pokemon with the exception of Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor-GX itself has exactly one Retreat Cost, making a Capture Energy to the Active and retreat a common play. Float Stone is nice to have on the Rowlet and Alolan Exeggutor-GX, as obtaining an Acerola or AZ isn’t guaranteed.
Life Forest Prism Star has saved my life many times, but it mostly helps when the opponent can’t bump it. Healing 60 damage matters in certain matchups such as the [card name=”Ultra Necrozma” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM165″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, where [card name=”Orbeetle VMAX” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] will otherwise be two-shotted by Luster of Downfall. Life Forest Prism Star paired with Mallow and Lana can easily erase entire attacks, buying another turn for more Eerie Beams.
Galar Mine is a phenomenal Stadium that can be searched out with Guzma and Hala. It acts as a pseudo-[card name=”Absol” set=”Team Up” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] from my last article, stopping the opponent from retreating a [card name=”Dedenne-GX” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Crobat V” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card]. I have found tons of value in the single copy, but have never needed a second.
[card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] was another testing cut that provided help against cards like [card name=”Zeraora-GX” set=”Lost Thunder” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Darkrai-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card]. It was great to search out a Silent Lab with Guzma and Hala in order to both lock Items and Basic Pokemon’s Abilities on the first turn of the game, but Galar Mine ended up performing better in the long run. I am considering adding Silent Lab back if the above cards pick up in popularity.
[card name=”Computer Search” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] is a given for obvious reasons and helps get the combo off more consistently.
Six Grass Energy, Four Capture Energy
For some reason, I see many [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] decks running relatively low counts of Energy. I have no idea why — when it comes to slow, grinding decks like this, attacking as soon as possible is needed to catch the opponent off guard. Furthermore, in the mirror match, having extra Energy pays dividends and lets one be aggressive with attachments. For these reasons, I’ve gone with six copies of Grass Energy and a maximum of four of Capture Energy.
Playing the Deck
[cardimg name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
- Against [card name=”Pikachu and Zekrom-GX” set=”Team Up” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card], use Disgusting Pollen [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”6″ c=”name”][/card] if they do not play [card name=”Eelektross” set=”Unified Minds” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] or Stealthy Hood. If they do, Item lock and KO the Elektross with an Orbeetle VMAX. Then, shift into the Vileplume on the turn you can use AZ to make it your lone Active.
- Against anything that relies on [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] with the exception of [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]: Get out [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card]! Dusknoir cripples any Double Dragon Energy deck since Dragon attacks often have odd Energy requirements.
- ADP / Zacian V: If they do not play Stealthy Hood, go for the Disgusting Pollen Vileplume immediately. Otherwise, you will want to stick something in the Active position and take out all of the threats with Energy attached with Orbeetle VMAX and [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Boundaries Crossed” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card].
- Against [card name=”Dragapult VMAX” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”54″ c=”name”][/card], preserve your healing and stick your own Garbodor in the Active (without a Float Stone on it of course).
In Summary
So there ya have it, and keep the change, ya filthy animals (Home Alone reference anyone?)!
Jokes aside, I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and is able to take some time to reflect in the company of family and friends and to enjoy Christmas traditions no matter where you are in the world.
As usual, if there are any lingering questions, drop those in the comment thread below, and I’ll respond faster than you can say eggnog!
Until next year!
-Blaine Hill[/premium]