Why Knot? — Going Green with Leafeon VMAX
Hello PokeBeach readers! Isaiah here, and I’m happy to be bringing you all another article about the Standard format! Last time, we discussed [card name=”Jolteon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Zeraora V” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] and their growing presence in Standard thanks to the surge of [card name=”Suicune V” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] decks, the general popularity of [card name=”Inteleon” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card]-based decks, and each of the Lightning-type Pokemon’s natural strengths. Since then, both decks have had the results we expected to see from them, with the most significant being Jolteon VMAX’s takedown of an event with over 100 players.
However, Jolteon VMAX isn’t the only Evolving Skies Eeveelution seeing success. [card name=”Umbreon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Sylveon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] have both been consistently popular since the set’s release, each taking down multiple events with over 100 players each. However, one Eeveelution whose popularity has been growing by leaps and bounds lately is [card name=”Leafeon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”8″ c=”name”][/card] — which also happens to be the topic of today’s article! How about we take a look at how the deck operates?
Leafeon VMAX’s General Strategy
When it comes to straightforward Standard decks, [card name=”Leafeon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”8″ c=”name”][/card] might take the cake. Every game is the same: turn one, you get out a few [card name=”Sobble” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Leafeon V” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card] and use Greening Cells; turn two, you use [card name=”Drizzile” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] to get the pieces you need to use Grass Knot; and from there, it’s just Grass Knot and occasionally Max Leaf until you win.
With such simplicity, Leafeon VMAX isn’t really capable of complex plays like [card name=”Dragapult VMAX” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX” set=”Battle Styles” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] can pull off, but it makes up for this with extreme consistency at its strengths. Thanks to Leafeon V’s Greening Cells Ability, you don’t have to worry so much about your turn-one Energy attachment, as you can almost guarantee you’ll get an Energy on board by the end of the first turn. Additionally, thanks to the Inteleon line, you can easily search out the deck’s many critically important Trainer cards, such as [card name=”Galar Mine” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Tool Jammer” set=”Battle Styles” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card]. Even better, the overall simplicity of the deck’s strategy allows you to explore a wide variety of tech options, such as [card name=”Chatot” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”176″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Team Yell Grunt” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”184″ c=”name”][/card], and more.
Key Matchups
Alongside its natural consistency, one of Leafeon VMAX’s best traits is its exceptional matchup spread against many of the top decks in Standard.
Suicune V / Ludicolo – 60-40
This matchup can be really bizarre from game to game, but it’s pretty straightforward on paper. With [card name=”Galar Mine” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card], Grass Knot hits 240 on Suicune V, taking an easy one-hit Knock Out as long as there is no [card name=”Cape of Toughness” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card]. And if you include [card name=”Tool Jammer” set=”Battle Styles” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] or Quick Shooting, you can grab that one-hit Knock Out anyway! As long as you keep your Bench size at two or below (which is much easier than it sounds, especially with a high count of [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card]), it’s extremely difficult for them to grab a one-hit Knock Out in return. Even if they somehow pull it off, they probably can’t manage it two turns in a row, paving the way for your victory.
Single Strike – 65-35
This matchup is really good for Leafeon VMAX. All of their attackers get Knocked Out in one hit by Grass Knot, between Weakness and [card name=”Single Strike Urshifu VMAX” set=”Battle Styles” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] having a Retreat Cost of five after Galar Mine. The matchup can easily go wrong if they draw exceptionally well, but in general, I would consider this to be one of Leafeon VMAX’s best matchups, if not the best outright.
Dragapult VMAX – 55-45
[cardimg name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”185″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This matchup percentage can vary a lot based on techs, but I’m going with the somewhat standard view, assuming that Leafeon VMAX plays [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”176″ c=”name”][/card] and assuming that [card name=”Dragapult VMAX” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] plays few (if any) options for Energy removal. This matchup is largely affected by who goes first, as Dragapult VMAX getting to go first gives them more of an opportunity to scoop up early Knock Outs on Sobble before they become Drizzile. Additionally, being generally ahead on the attack race is a huge deal for Dragapult VMAX, as it takes one more attack for them to Knock Out Leafeon VMAX than it does for Leafeon VMAX to Knock Out Dragapult VMAX.
Given this, the matchup may seem pretty linear, but that’s where Pokemon Center Lady comes in. The combination of Max Leaf and Pokemon Center Lady heals off most of the damage from a Max Phantom attack, buying you at least one extra turn, and even two if you’re lucky. Pulled off correctly, this shift in tempo swings the matchup considerably, making it the 55-45 matchup I claim it is. However, the win rate for Leafeon VMAX plummets if the Dragapult VMAX build includes [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”159″ c=”name”][/card] and other Energy removal techs.
Jolteon VMAX – 40-60
It doesn’t take a genius to see that this matchup is miserable for Leafeon VMAX. [card name=”Jolteon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Jolteon V” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”177″ c=”name”][/card] both have an incredible Retreat Cost of zero, giving Grass Knot a damage ceiling of just 120. Jolteon VMAX can also tear down Leafeon VMAX’s critical Inteleon-based support engine, denying the ability to pull off interesting combos like those with Pokemon Center Lady. The one saving grace in this matchup is that the combination of Max Leaf and the aforementioned Pokemon Center Lady can heal almost an entire Max Thunder Rumble, and when paired with [card name=”Tool Jammer” set=”Battle Styles” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] to shut off [card name=”Elemental Badge” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card], Leafeon VMAX can scrape out some victories here and there. However, I would certainly never go into a match against Jolteon VMAX expecting to win the game.
Leafeon VMAX / Scoop Up Nets
Now that we have looked at some of the most critical matchups for [card name=”Leafeon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”8″ c=”name”][/card], how about we take a look at my current favorite build for the deck? In my opinion, the version of Leafeon VMAX with a high [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] count is the absolute best way to play it, as it gives you a ton of different options when it comes to reusing powerful Abilities, or even reducing your Bench against decks like [card name=”Suicune V” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Dragapult VMAX” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card].
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Deck List
[decklist name=”leafeon” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Leafeon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”8″][pokemon amt=”19″]3x [card name=”Leafeon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”8″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Leafeon V” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”7″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Inteleon” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”43″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Inteleon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”58″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Drizzile” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Sobble” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”55″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Galarian Zigzagoon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”117″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Chatot” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”142″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”32″]3x [card name=”Professor’s Research” set=”Shining Fates” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Marnie” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”169″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”176″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Raihan” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”152″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Team Yell Grunt” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”184″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Evolution Incense” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”163″ 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=”Level Ball” set=”Battle Styles” no=”129″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Tool Jammer” set=”Battle Styles” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Energy Search” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”161″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Galar Mine” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”160″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”9″]4x [card name=”Capture Energy” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]5x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Card Choices
Leafeon VMAX Line, Four Galar Mine, and Two Tool Jammer
Like seemingly every other deck that features a Pokemon VMAX, we play a 4-3 line of our main attacker, [card name=”Leafeon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”8″ c=”name”][/card], in this deck. Three Leafeon VMAX is the right number because you expect to play two of them in a game, so you want the third to minimize your risk of prizing too many, but four would be overkill. Conversely, four copies of [card name=”Leafeon V” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card] is an absolute necessity, as it’s not only the Basic Pokemon for your main attacker, but also your primary mode of Energy support.
These counts are all to make sure we can consistently Grass Knot for Knock Outs for most of the game, which is otherwise difficult because it does a variable amount of damage based on the opponent’s Retreat Cost. On average, most Pokemon that see play right now have a Retreat Cost of one or two, which only lets us do 60 to 120 damage. Thanks to [card name=”Galar Mine” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card], though, we can boost Retreat Costs up to three to four, allowing us to hit the 180-to-240 range that gets two-hit Knock Outs or better on virtually all Pokemon. Even better, if the Defending Pokemon happens to have a base Retreat Cost of three, like [card name=”Single Strike Urshifu VMAX” set=”Battle Styles” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], you can hit them for 300 damage, which is enough for a Knock Out with some help from external Abilities.
One of the biggest obstacles to Leafeon VMAX’s damage output, though, is [card name=”Air Balloon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card]. To combat this, we play two [card name=”Tool Jammer” set=”Battle Styles” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] to shut it down, along with [card name=”Cape of Toughness” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] and other potentially problematic Pokemon Tool cards. We only play two copies, however, because we don’t realistically need any more than that. It’s more of an “attach when needed” card than a “have at all times” card, so you only need to bring it out to solve select issues. Two copies is plenty for that.
One Inteleon CRE and One Galarian Zigzagoon
The whole Inteleon line is immensely valuable, but I feel like I’ve already thoroughly explained [card name=”Drizzile” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card]’s importance throughout this article and several of my previous ones. I should still address [card name=”Inteleon” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card], though, a card which I’ve felt very back-and-forth on for this deck in particular. The damage is seldom relevant, but in some situations, it can be game-changing. For example, in a recent in-person event I played, I was playing against another Leafeon VMAX deck and I narrowly whiffed (by just one card!) an incredible combo of Quick Shooting, [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card], another Quick Shooting, and three uses of [card name=”Galarian Zigzagoon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card] to take a one-hit Knock Out on their Leafeon VMAX and win the game.
That brings me to my next card: Galarian Zigzagoon. This is another card that’s had me going back and forth over its importance, but Galarian Zigzagoon consistently proves itself by setting up crazy plays in the mirror and other matchups. Using Headbutt Tantrum more than once can often be game-changing, and it becomes even more possible thanks to our high count of Scoop Up Net. Reusing powerful non-Rule Box Abilities seems to be a huge theme of this deck — and that brings us to our next card.
One Chatot
[cardimg name=”Chatot” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”142″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Words cannot describe how insane [card name=”Chatot” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] is.
When I first read this card around the release of Rebel Clash, my reaction was like many others: This card is just a worse [card name=”Eldegoss V” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”19″ c=”name”][/card] While we were right at the time, as the Sword & Shield to Evolving Skies format has developed, Chatot’s value has increased dramatically. For starters, the popularity of [card name=”Path to the Peak” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] makes Eldegoss V nearly unusable, so having a non-Rule Box option is a must. Furthermore, as Scoop Up Net is such a critical part of so many decks, a Pokemon that can make use of it gets automatic bonus points over a Pokemon that can’t. And lastly, for decks with numerous tech Supporters in limited quantities, having Chatot as an option for reusing them is incredible. Considering the simplicity of this deck as a whole and how low-maintenance it is once it sets up, you typically find yourself with a lot of extra resources in the middle of the game, which can provide easy outs to Chatot and, subsequently, a very useful Supporter card.
One Pokemon Center Lady
I’ve said a fair bit about [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”176″ c=”name”][/card] already, but the card’s value cannot be understated. Any time a card has the capability of swinging a matchup win rate by 10-15%, it has to be considered, and when that swing matchup is the most popular deck in Standard, the choice to include Pokemon Center Lady becomes a no-brainer. Especially when paired with Max Leaf, Pokemon Center Lady can frequently heal just enough to prevent the opponent from reaching a Knock Out. One recent case of this happened while I was playing against a [card name=”Sylveon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] deck. My opponent only hit for 160, so I could have healed a total of 90 to make it so that they could not take the Knock Out on the following turn. (I chose to make a slightly different play instead, which could have been considered slightly safer, but the point stands.) All in all, for this deck, Pokemon Center Lady is a perfect example of a tech that matters.
One Team Yell Grunt
My most recent addition to this deck list, [card name=”Team Yell Grunt” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”184″ c=”name”][/card] justifies its own inclusion with the help of Chatot. This is especially potent because, unlike Pokemon Center Lady, Team Yell Grunt can prove relevant in almost every matchup.
Team Yell Grunt is the safest option for Energy denial in the Standard format, being the only way to remove any type of Energy. This is huge in select matchups, but it’s especially critical in the mirror. Against other Leafeon VMAX decks, games are generally decided by who goes first, but Team Yell Grunt can let you win back a tempo and lock up a victory. Of all the cards in the deck, this is the one I’ve tested the least, but if it functions in practice anything like it does in theory, Team Yell Grunt will certainly become a permanent fixture in my future Leafeon VMAX builds.
Four Scoop Up Net
Since its release, I’ve generally disliked [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] as a card. I’ve always felt that it was a bit too powerful. [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] may have been banned in the Expanded format as a direct result of Scoop Up Net’s release. Additionally, from 2009 through the beginning of 2011, one of the most powerful Trainer cards in the game was [card name=”Poké Turn” set=”Platinum” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card], which has an effect extremely similar to Scoop Up Net.
However, as the saying goes: If you can’t beat them, join them.
Conventionally, Scoop Up Net sees play in Leafeon VMAX decks in a pretty limited count. People generally only use it to reuse parts of the Inteleon line and gain the occasional additional Headbutt Tantrum from [card name=”Galarian Zigzagoon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card]. This list is a bit different, though, especially with our emphasis on Chatot. We choose to maximize our Scoop Up Net count to ensure that we can use our Lucky Match and other Abilities to their maximum potential. Additionally, Scoop Up Net can let you remove liabilities from the board against decks like [card name=”Dragapult VMAX” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Jolteon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], as well as reduce your opponent’s damage output against [card name=”Suicune V” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Ludicolo” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card].
Other Potential Options
I’ve mentioned that this deck has a bit more space for tech cards than other decks do. Naturally, you can’t fit every tech you want into every deck, so let’s take a look at some of the options that didn’t make my cut this time around: [card name=”Phoebe” set=”Battle Styles” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Fan of Waves” set=”Battle Styles” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Leon” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card]
Phoebe
Phoebe’s purpose is extremely straightforward. It allows Leafeon VMAX to hit through all sorts of effects that would normally block it. However, unlike for many other Pokemon VMAX decks, Phoebe not only helps us deal with walls like [card name=”Zamazenta V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Decidueye” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card], but actually swings matchups that include those cards from extremely difficult to extremely favored. As a result, Phoebe is far more justifiable in this deck than it is in some others. Even so, however, I wouldn’t play it unless you’re reasonably certain you’ll hit at least one matchup where it matters.
Fan of Waves
Fan of Waves serves a nearly identical purpose to [card name=”Team Yell Grunt” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”184″ c=”name”][/card], but as an Item card. With an Item, you can dig for critical combo pieces with a Supporter card and then play your Energy denial on the same turn. I ultimately chose Team Yell Grunt because of [card name=”Chatot” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] and because of the ability to remove basic Energy, not just Special Energy, but I believe that the choice between the two is largely a matter of personal preference.
Leon
The third and final card that I am considering is a super unique tech in the Leafeon VMAX archetype, Leon. When Leon first released, myself and several of my friends shared the same general consensus on Leon as a card, being that, while it was a strong card, it was not feasible to use it because you could not find it when it was needed. Realistically, we would need something like [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] to make it work much like Tapu Lele-GX increasing the viability of [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] when it was in Standard.
This would change with the explosion of the Inteleon line.
Now that we have access to a card that can easily search out one-of Trainer cards at a moment’s notice, the viability of many tech Supporters has increased dramatically. This is profoundly seen with the use of cards like [card name=”Raihan” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”152″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Pokémon Center Lady” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”176″ c=”name”][/card], and more, but Leon is just another card that benefits from this change. Additionally, with the inclusion of [card name=”Chatot” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card] in this deck list, reusing Leon if needed is a breeze.
When it comes to actually incorporating Leon in this deck, it is rather simple. Leafeon VMAX already does a pretty modest 240 to Pokemon that have a Retreat Cost of two as long as [card name=”Galar Mine” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card]. With Leon, we can make the jump up to 270, which may not seem extremely significant at first glance, but when we consider the plethora of Pokemon VMAX that have 310 or 330 HP and two Retreat, this becomes more interesting. Now, with Leon and a few Quick Shooting, taking one-hit Knock Outs on these Pokemon VMAX becomes a real possibility, which gives Leafeon VMAX a much stronger chance in a variety of matchups, including going second in the mirror.
Now, admittedly, I have put absolutely zero testing into this idea, as it was a relatively recent idea that came to mind shortly before writing this article, but I do think that this tech has the potential to not only make it into my own list, but I could reasonably see it becoming a sort of staple in future Leafeon VMAX lists if it can be incorporated properly.
Conclusion
As of now, [card name=”Leafeon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”8″ c=”name”][/card] has an absolutely exceptional meta position. It takes favorable matchups against many of the strongest decks in the Standard format, including against [card name=”Suicune V” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Ludicolo” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card], which I strongly believe is the best deck in the format. Leafeon VMAX isn’t necessarily great in every metagame, but it’s an incredibly strong play if you expect to see its favorable matchups.
I don’t have much else to say! Once again, I think Leafeon VMAX is super strong with the current direction of the meta, but always be sure to thoroughly evaluate the meta you expect before committing to a deck that’s as matchup-dependent as this one. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out in the Subscriber’s Hideout, on Twitter (@ICheville), or on Facebook (Zaya Lee).
Until next time!
– Isaiah
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