It’s That Time Again – Decidueye Pre- and Post-Rotation

Hello everyone! This is Grant Manley back with you all today. By now, it seems as though the Chilling Reign format has begun to stabilize, and we now have a somewhat well-defined meta to look at. That gives us the opportunity to talk about [card name=”Decidueye” set=”Shining Fates” no=”8″ c=”name”][/card], a notoriously strong anti-meta card that’s been in and out of the spotlight since its release. This is because of the reactive nature of the card: it only works when the format is dominated by decks with two- and three-Prize Pokemon — and when those decks aren’t packing counters to it.

[cardimg name=”Decidueye” set=”Shining Fates” no=”8″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

One unique thing about the current format is that several decks, including Decidueye itself, are packing [card name=”Inteleon” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card] lines for consistency. This is an annoyance for Decidueye, but I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a problem. Although Inteleon is used for consistency in decks such as [card name=”Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX” set=”Battle Styles” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Ice Rider Calyrex VMAX” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card], it can double as a single-Prize attacker if needed. This means that decks running Inteleon have a natural way to attack into Decidueye. However, it doesn’t mean that decks with Inteleon automatically beat Decidueye. Inteleon is still a subpar attacker, and Decidueye decks are built to attack with multiple Decidueye. Inteleon’s prevalence in the format simply creates a dynamic that Decidueye players must be aware of while playing and constructing their lists.

Another thing to consider is that cards like [card name=”Drizzile” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Inteleon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card] can give those VMAX decks easy and consistent access to [card name=”Phoebe” set=”Battle Styles” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card], which is a card that works very well against Decidueye. However, most lists aren’t playing Phoebe, and even if they are, that one card alone doesn’t win the matchup. Once again, Decidueye lists are built to set up and attack with multiple Decidueye. As most online events are open-list, as a Decidueye player you’ll get to know how many Phoebe your opponent has access to. It’s a hassle to reuse, and most decks aren’t capable of reusing it, so they don’t include the card at all. Therefore, Phoebe is largely a non-issue in the current meta.

The most popular version of Decidueye right now is the Inteleon version. This version definitely works well, but it’s not the only way to play the deck. Inteleon takes up a lot of space in the deck, and it also opens up potential targets on your Bench, which is counterintuitive to Decidueye’s main strategy in matchups like [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”custom”]ADP[/card]. The [card name=”Tag Call” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”206″ c=”name”][/card] version of Decidueye, though a bit older, also works very well in the current format. After all, most matchups come down to simply setting up Decidueye, so as long as your list can do that, you’re good to go. In this article, I’ll be going over both the Inteleon and the Tag Call versions of Decidueye, with my current lists for both.

With the rotation coming up next month, I also want to discuss Decidueye in the post-rotation format. Although some useful cards such as [card name=”Rosa” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”204″ c=”name”][/card] and Tag Call will rotate, so will several threats like [card name=”Mewtwo” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] (as a way to reuse Phoebe), [card name=”Arceus and Dialga and Palkia-GX” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Blacephalon” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card], and more. Furthermore, Decidueye retains many of its favorable matchups post rotation, including all of the VMAX-based decks. I expect that Decidueye will be an incredibly strong deck in the post-rotation format, though its popularity will probably fluctuate as it’s done before.

Version 1 – Pre Rotation Decidueye/Inteleon

[decklist name=”deci intel” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″][pokemon amt=”21″]4x [card name=”Decidueye” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”13″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rowlet” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”18″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Inteleon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”58″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Inteleon” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”43″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Drizzile” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Sobble” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”41″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”131″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”30″]3x [card name=”Marnie” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”169″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Rosa” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”204″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Professor’s Research” set=”Shining Fates” no=”60″ 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=”Level Ball” set=”Battle Styles” no=”129″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”180″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Evolution Incense” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”163″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Pokémon Communication” set=”Team Up” no=”152″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Ordinary Rod” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Energy Spinner” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”170″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tool Jammer” set=”Battle Styles” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”9″]5x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”XY” no=”132″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card]4x [card name=”Capture Energy” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]This list is only two cards different from one that recently made Top 8 at a major online event. This deck takes full advantage of situational Trainer cards, with Drizzile ensuring that you have what you need at the right time. Many decks cannot deal with one or two Decidueye, but against decks that can, you must set up multiple attacking Decidueye to have a chance. Either way, Drizzile boosts consistency to maximize your ability to set up as many Decidueye as possible. In open-list formats, you’ll see what your opponent has access to and adjust your game plan accordingly.

4-0-4 Decidueye

With [card name=”Rosa” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”204″ c=”name”][/card], Drizzile, and Inteleon, this deck can access [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”180″ c=”name”][/card] consistently, and therefore there’s no real need to include [card name=”Dartrix” set=”Shining Fates” no=”SV002″ c=”name”][/card]. However, this means that you can only set up a maximum of four Decidueye each game, since there’s four Rare Candy and no way to get them back. You won’t be using Rare Candy on Inteleon since you always want to evolve through Drizzile.

[cardimg name=”Inteleon” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”43″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

4-4-2/1 Inteleon

This deck uses Drizzile to set up, and also includes one copy of the Shady Dealings Inteleon. The other two Inteleon help Decidueye against all single-Prize attackers, and they can also eliminate opposing [card name=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] off the Bench. Sobble’s attack is also an excellent option for the early-game, especially if you start with it going second.

1 Snorlax

[card name=”Snorlax” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] provides this deck with some draw power off a Turn 1 [card name=”Capture Energy” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card], since every other Pokemon in the deck can use the Capture Energy to retreat into it. Snorlax is a fantastic Pokemon to set up behind.

1 Mallow and Lana

[card name=”Mallow and Lana” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”198″ c=”name”][/card] is particularly helpful against other decks with Inteleon and/or Decidueye, specifically [card name=”Ice Rider Calyrex VMAX” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card]. It’s is a powerful option to always have available via Shady Dealings.

1 Cynthia and Caitlin

[card name=”Cynthia and Caitlin” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] is an excellent wild-card Supporter with unmatched utility. It’s a bit situational and only becomes useful later on, which is why the deck only plays one copy. You’ll often use it for [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card] or Mallow and Lana.

2 Rosa

[card name=”Rosa” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”204″ c=”name”][/card] is a key card for Decidueye decks, as it ensures that you set up at least one Decidueye as soon as your opponent takes their first Knock Out. Without Rosa, this deck may be slower to set up Decidueye and could get overrun. The option to search Grass Energy is incredibly valuable too, as there are only five and they’re relatively difficult to find otherwise.

2 Professor’s Research, 3 Marnie

[card name=”Marnie” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card] is the preferred draw Supporter for this deck because of all the situational cards like Rare Candy and Stage 2’s. More often than not, you’d rather preserve your hand with Marnie than throw it away with Research.

2 Scoop Up Net

[card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] is usually used to either switch Snorlax from the Active or reset the Shady Dealings Inteleon line. Using it on Decidueye usually isn’t worth it because of the finite number of Rare Candy. It has the most value when used on Shady Dealings Inteleon, but can be used as a switch when needed.

1 Energy Spinner

[card name=”Energy Spinner” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”170″ c=”name”][/card] is simply a way to grab Grass Energy via Shady Dealings.

1 Tool Jammer

[card name=”Tool Jammer” set=”Battle Styles” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] is an excellent tech for this deck because it’s an automatic win condition against [card name=”Lucario and Melmetal-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM192″ c=”name”][/card]. They can’t hit Decidueye and Tool Jammer locks their [card name=”Metal Goggles” set=”Team Up” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card], allowing Decidueye to do damage. Unfortunately, this tech is useless if they play [card name=”Tool Scrapper” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”168″ c=”name”][/card].

0 Big Parasol

The original list for this deck ran two [card name=”Big Parasol” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card], which is something that I don’t agree with. Big Parasol helps against [card name=”Shadow Rider Calyrex V” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]’s Astral Barrage, but that isn’t too big of an issue since they can’t beat Decidueye when Decidueye is set up. Astral Barrage is a 3HKO on Decidueye, Decidueye has Mallow and Lana, and every Shadow Rider that they don’t evolve into a VMAX slows them down tremendously. Big Parasol also stops fringe GX attacks from the likes of [card name=”Trevenant and Dusknoir-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM217″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Umbreon and Darkrai-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], but ultimately, I think it’s too niche to warrant inclusion. I added the fourth Drizzile and second Rosa in their spots. If anything, I’d recommend playing [card name=”Stealthy Hood” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”186″ c=”name”][/card] to stop opposing Inteleon from pinging damage.

[premium]

Version 2 – Pre Rotation Decidueye / Tag Call

[decklist name=”decitag” amt=”59″ caption=”” cname=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″][pokemon amt=”13″]4x [card name=”Decidueye” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”13″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Dartrix” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”12″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Rowlet” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”18″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”131″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Mew” set=”Unbroken Bonds” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x Aipom (PRSM #SM244)[/pokemon][trainers amt=”38″]4x [card name=”Rosa” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”204″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Guzma and Hala” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”193″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Professor’s Research” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”178″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Cynthia and Caitlin” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”189″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Mallow and Lana” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”198″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Kabu” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”163″ 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=”Level Ball” set=”Battle Styles” no=”129″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Tag Call” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”206″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”180″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Big Charm” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”158″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Ordinary Rod” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Lillie’s Poké Doll” set=”Cosmic Eclipse” no=”197″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Turffield Stadium” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”170″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”8″]3x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”XY” no=”132″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Capture Energy” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Aromatic Grass Energy” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”162″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

1 Aipom, 1 Kabu

1 Boss’s Orders

2 Big Charm

1 Lillie’s Poke Doll

1 Scoop Up Net

Matchups

ADP – Depends (Very Favorable or Auto-loss)

Shadow Rider Calyrex – Favorable

Ice Rider Calyrex / Inteleon – Favorable (worse if they have Inteleon CRE)

Lucario and Melmetal – Very Favorable

Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX – Favorable

Version 3 – Post Rotation Decidueye