An EUIC Meta Preview

Hello everyone! With the last weekend of pre-rotation Regionals behind us and Scarlet & Violet‘s release, we have finally entered the new format! Just around the corner are the European International Championships, which will be the first major event played in the new format in our circuit (that being, outside of Japan). Because Japan has been playing with this format for some time already, we have some results and expectations for what will happen in our meta. Some of the pre-rotation decks survive, with some needing more changes than others, while the Scarlet & Violet set also introduces some new archetypes. Today I’ll be discussing the top meta decks that we can expect to see, along with their strengths, weaknesses, and overall position in the meta. I am also excited because I am sure that this format is under-explored, so I expect new decks and ideas to pop up and see success at any time.

A Look at the EUIC Format

Many players have already been testing this format for some time, but it is still fairly new to me personally. I’ve just finished playing the Fort Wayne Regionals in the pre-rotation format, so I haven’t gotten a chance to explore many new concepts or form an opinion on whether I like the format yet. That said, I still have somewhat of a grasp of all the known quantities such as decks that have previously existed or that have been played in Japan. My next articles will likely focus more on specific decks.

The Lost Zone Engine

[cardimg name=”Beach Court” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”167″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

The Lost Zone decks are almost undisputedly the strongest archetype in the post-rotation format. Previously, Lost Box was considered a strong Tier 2 contender and was always highly represented at major tournaments. The single biggest factor that works in Lost Box’s favor is that the rotation doesn’t hit it that hard — while many decks lose key power cards or components of their engines, Lost Box loses… almost nothing. [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] was a strong card for Lost Box, but this is the only real loss for the deck. Such a loss is trivial in comparison to the damages the other archetypes suffer. The absence of Scoop Up Net is easily mitigated by increasing counts of switch cards and the new [card name=”Beach Court” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”167″ c=”name”][/card] Stadium. The rotation of [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Capture Energy” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] is seamlessly patched up by [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”181″ c=”name”][/card] and even [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”196″ c=”name”][/card]. Overall, Lost Box remains at the same power level while everything around it becomes weaker.

Both toolbox versions and [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card]-based versions of Lost Zone decks are strong contenders. The toolbox version loses a few potential attackers to rotation. In particular, several Lightning-type favorites such as [card name=”Zekrom” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Raikou” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Zeraora” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] are no longer available, however, this isn’t a huge deal. Thanks to the versatility of [card name=”Mirage Gate” set=”Lost Origin” no=”163″ c=”name”][/card], this deck is only limited by your imagination. Should the need arise, I’m sure Lost Box will find new Lightning-types or fall back on the trusty [card name=”Raikou V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”48″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Rayquaza” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] also rotates, meaning that this version won’t exist anymore. I’ve always favored the toolbox version anyway, and again, you can play any attacker of choice alongside Mirage Gate.

The more popular Japanese lists feature the staple attackers of [card name=”Sableye” set=”Lost Origin” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Cramorant” set=”Lost Origin” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card], and they utilize [card name=”Sky Seal Stone” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] alongside attackers such as Raikou V, [card name=”Galarian Zapdos V” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Drapion V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card]. I think [card name=”Dragonite V” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”192″ c=”name”][/card] warrants some consideration as well. As you can see, these attackers are no different than pre-rotation, which makes the deck an appealing choice. If the same formula was successful in an objectively stronger format, it stands to reason that it will be even better in a weaker one.

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Of course, the deck can be tweaked to handle any meta or new deck that pops up. Currently, it can deal with any popular threats with its current lineup; Sableye wreaks havoc on [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] decks due to their reliance on low-HP Pokemon. Sky Seal Stone enables an advantage against any deck with Pokemon VMAX or VSTAR — against [card name=”Mew VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Drapion V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] is the partner of choice, for Lugia, it has Raikou V, and against [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Galarian Zapdos V” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] is the counter. Of course, the matchups are a bit more complicated and nuanced in how they actually play out, but the point is that Lost Box’s versatility is unmatched. This is the strongest point of the deck.

Giratina VSTAR Lost Box

In a similar vein is the Giratina VSTAR deck; it enjoys the strength of the Lost Box engine, but sacrifices versatility for raw power by focusing on Giratina VSTAR, which is a powerhouse of an attacker with no glaring weaknesses. After disappearing for a short while due to being outclassed in the Silver Tempest format, it reappears due to the other decks being significantly weakened, while remaining at the same power level itself. When I find myself thinking about the meta and how to counter it, Giratina VSTAR proves the most difficult deck to counter. This is also how it was pre-rotation — Giratina VSTAR simply throws its huge attackers at the opponent and is hard to deal with. The Giratina VSTAR deck has a consistent engine and a mix of some single-Prize attackers as well. There’s not too much to say about it. It’s simply good.

[cardimg name=”Klefki” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”96″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Of course, one cannot talk about Lost Zone decks without also considering the new [card name=”Klefki” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] from Scarlet & Violet. At first glance, Klefki seems like a hard counter to Lost Zone decks because it shuts off all Basic Pokemon Abilities, such as the crucial [card name=”Comfey” set=”Lost Origin” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Cramorant” set=”Lost Origin” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card], however, Klefki is rather difficult to use. First of all, you need two of them in play for the lock to be effective. Lost Zone decks now play four [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Battle Styles” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], so you’ll need another Klefki to always be in the Active position.

Furthermore, Klefki only deals ten damage, which is negligible. The most popular way to manage this is by using an attacker that runs to the Bench via its own attack, featured by [card name=”Regieleki V” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] in [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card] decks. Aside from this one deck, hit-and-run attackers are in short supply. Even Regieleki V doesn’t do much damage on its own unless it is boosted by several [card name=”Regieleki VMAX” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card]. This sometimes gives the Lost Zone deck time to find Supporters to set up. If you aren’t using hit-and-run, you better have one heck of a plan to deal with the Lost Zone decks once Klefki leaves the Active Spot. After all, since it doesn’t do any damage, you can’t simply leave it there forever. They will eventually deal with it. Klefki only buys you some time. If I’m the Lost Zone player, I find Klefki as a mere annoyance and not an automatic game-ender, the same as [card name=”Galarian Weezing” set=”Shining Fates” no=”42″ c=”name”][/card] was. I also find it ironic that the key Pokemon enacts what is probably the strongest lock in the format.

Mew VMAX

Similarly to Lost Box, [card name=”Mew VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] does not lose much from the rotation. [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”237″ c=”name”][/card] is replaced by [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”181″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Feather Ball” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card], and much of the rest stays the same. Again, this means Mew VMAX stays at a similar power level as it was before. This makes it one of the best decks in the post-rotation format. Mew VMAX’s consistency and power make the deck a huge threat, however, its Darkness Weakness remains its Achilles’ heel — [card name=”Drapion V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] remains a problem for Mew VMAX, and any deck can easily include the card. Furthermore, Lost Box uses [card name=”Sky Seal Stone” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] to make Drapion V even more of an issue. [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] can set up its checkmate involving Drapion V and Giratina VSTAR’s Star Requiem, and [card name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] decks now attack with [card name=”Tyranitar V” set=”Battle Styles” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], which is a powerful and threatening Darkness-type.

It’s safe to say that Mew VMAX will be incredibly strong against any deck that doesn’t run Darkness-type Pokemon, but with how prevalent they are, it may run into some matchup issues that keep it out of Tier 1. At the very least, Mew VMAX has a hard ceiling attached to it when it comes to how dominant it can be. If Mew VMAX ever runs too rampant, other decks will easily counter it.

That is not to say, however, that Mew VMAX is without its own countermeasures. With [card name=”Power Tablet” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”236″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”132″ c=”name”][/card], it can piece together Psychic Leap plays. If you’re able to get enough Prize cards without risking Mew VMAX, you may be able to win a Prize trade by transitioning into it, even against Darkness-types. Furthermore, the pre-rotation strategy of [card name=”Judge” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”235″ c=”name”][/card] plus [card name=”Path to the Peak” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] remains. This is somewhat of an inconsistent method of staving off Drapion V, but it’s certainly better than nothing. You don’t need to avoid Drapion V forever; you need to buy a little bit of time to take a few Prizes without instantly losing the VMAX. Unfortunately for Mew VMAX, many decks are incentivized to run several copies of [card name=”Beach Court” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”167″ c=”name”][/card], increasing their outs to counter Path to the Peak. Mew VMAX lists may also transition back to the [card name=”Meloetta” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] build, which is high-roll by nature but provides an efficient and low-risk attacker.

Lugia VSTAR

Unlike Mew VMAX and Lost Box, Lugia VSTAR changes significantly after rotation. At first glance, one may count Lugia VSTAR out entirely; losing Quick Ball and [card name=”Evolution Incense” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”163″ c=”name”][/card] severely limits the access to [card name=”Lumineon V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Archeops” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card], making it much more difficult to achieve the desired setup. Most of the format’s Special Energy also rotate out along with the Amazing Rare Pokemon. [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Shining Fates” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Raikou” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card] are gone, and the deck has no way to efficiently utilize [card name=”Radiant Charizard” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”11″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] itself is severely weakened without [card name=”Powerful Colorless Energy” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”176″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Stoutland V” set=”Battle Styles” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card] is no longer usable. Frankly, I was ready to declare the deck dead, but apparently, it is still one of the best decks overseas.

[cardimg name=”Radiant Tsareena” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”16″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Lugia VSTAR lists have transitioned to an entirely Single Strike focus, of all things. [card name=”Tyranitar V” set=”Battle Styles” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] alongside [card name=”Single Strike Energy” set=”Battle Styles” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] can obliterate nearly anything in one shot while having a lot of HP itself. [card name=”Stonjourner” set=”Battle Styles” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] provides the deck with a solid single-Prize attacker, and [card name=”Urn of Vitality” set=”Battle Styles” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] keeps the deck from running out of gas. Lugia VSTAR is surely less consistent and less versatile than it once was, but this new build is strong enough to keep up with the rest of the format. [card name=”Radiant Tsareena” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”16″ c=”name”][/card] seems like an odd choice for Lugia VSTAR’s Radiant Pokemon, but its Ability is strong against Lost Zone decks, a fact which warrants its inclusion on its own.

Oddly enough, Lugia VSTAR is still difficult for other decks to deal with. It remains one of the strongest decks in the format, it’s fairly well-rounded, and the cards in the deck are pretty good. Fortunately, it isn’t quite as broken or versatile as it was for several months, but it seems to still be a strong Tier 1 contender. The fact that it probably won’t be as dominant is actually a good thing for Lugia STAR — people are less incentivized to play committal counters such as [card name=”Aerodactyl VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card], as the opportunity cost is too high — there is no easy way to counter Lugia.

Gardevoir ex

[card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] is a brand new archetype that comes into existence, which has fantastic synergy with the already-existing [card name=”Gardevoir” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Kirlia” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card]. With some other supporting pieces, Gardevoir ex is the cornerstone of a brand new deck that may be an instant Tier 1 powerhouse. It’s the most setup-intensive deck in the new format, but with enormous upside due to Gardevoir ex’s insane Ability that floods the board with Energy from the discard infinitely. The idea is to set up a board state that can OHKO any Pokemon turn after turn while using a toolbox of utility Supporters. Various different Supporters can be used thanks to Kirlia’s Refinement and Gardevoir’s Shining Arcana fulfilling the role of drawing cards. This is a unique and interesting deck, but it can also be a bit slow at times due to the setup-heavy nature of the deck.

The deck’s biggest weakness is that its low-HP Pokemon can be sniped off by the likes of [card name=”Sableye” set=”Lost Origin” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card], which makes it suffer against Lost Box. It’s not an auto-loss by any means, and Gardevoir ex has some countermeasures, but it’s still a huge pain at the very least. Any deck that can take advantage of a slightly slower start can also punish Gardevoir ex. For example, if a deck can Prize-trade evenly against a fully set-up Gardevoir ex deck, it will probably be a bad matchup because of the extra turn or two Gardevoir ex takes to get going. Against anything else, Gardevoir ex dominates with overwhelming power.

Personally, I think Gardevoir ex will get weaker as time goes on and the format develops. My hot take of the day is that the deck is a little overhyped and people are obsessing over it because it’s new. This is only conjecture, but either way, the deck is Tier 2 at worst. Its results in Japan are stellar, so it is likely that said success will carry over.

Miraidon ex

[cardimg name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”244″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

[card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card]’s Tandem Unit is undeniably an insane Ability, and [card name=”Electric Generator” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”170″ c=”name”][/card] a crazy Item card. Miraidon ex is paired with [card name=”Regieleki VMAX” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card] to boost its damage, making it a tactical nuke with ridiculously high damage output. Although that’s all great, Miraidon ex doesn’t have much else going for it. It is a generic two-Prize high-damage attacker, but it doesn’t have any real x-factor, such as versatility or a strong engine. This deck is good and will see play and results, but it doesn’t stand out to me as a Tier 1 contender. Miraidon ex has some high-roll potential, particularly with turn 1 Electric Generator into the attack, but I don’t see that ever happening consistently with the current engine the deck has (or lack thereof).

When I look at Miraidon ex, I see [card name=”Tyranitar V” set=”Battle Styles” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] without [card name=”Archeops” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] without the Lost Zone engine. While Regieleki VMAX offers a powerful Ability, it does nothing to help with consistency, leaving the deck entirely at the mercy of its one draw Supporter per turn. Every other deck has some powerful engine that can help it, such as [card name=”Comfey” set=”Lost Origin” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], Kirlia, [card name=”Genesect V” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card], or Archeops, but Miraidon ex simply doesn’t have anything like that. Miraidon ex is a deck that I think will become more powerful later on, as more cards come out that can help it. Miraidon ex and Electric Generator are too insane to not be relevant for as long as they are around. For now, I see Miraidon ex settling into Tier 2.

Other Decks

There is lots of room for other decks to come in and surprise us. [card name=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] is a card that has limitless potential, as always. It can still be played with cards like Giratina VSTAR or [card name=”Duraludon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Alolan Vulpix VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card] is also noteworthy due to its strength against [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] decks. [card name=”Regigigas” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] might be completely dead, as it loses most of its Special Energy along with [card name=”Ordinary Rod” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Hisuian Goodra VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] also might start to see some play, as it doesn’t actually lose anything to the rotation. [card name=”Kyogre” set=”Celebrations” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] is too powerful of a card to ignore. It will likely be used alongside Lost Box, but could also be played with Gardevoir ex or some other form of Energy acceleration. If a deck plays lots of Energy and some form of Energy acceleration, it may consider adding Kyogre and two [card name=”Energy Recycler” set=”Battle Styles” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] for a crazy power option to end the game with. [card name=”Armarouge” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] is a card that I will always be keeping an eye on, as its Ability effectively allows you to use [card name=”Magma Basin” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] with any Pokemon.

One interesting deck that has popped up recently is [card name=”Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX” set=”Battle Styles” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Inteleon VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] — there are a few ways to use this concept, such as with [card name=”Radiant Alakazam” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”59″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Radiant Eternatus” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card]. This deck has done well in recent online events and seems like it could be a strong contender as it can easily snipe lower-HP Pokemon and wipe boards. Let’s not forget [card name=”Medicham V” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”83″ c=”name”][/card] either! [card name=”Octillery” set=”Battle Styles” no=”37″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t the greatest as far as engines go, but it is far better than nothing, and it at least gets the deck to function. Lost Zone and Gardevoir ex decks naturally have lots of low-HP prey on their boards, and even Archeops isn’t safe from the snipe combos. Miraidon ex and friends are weak to Fighting, but Tyranitar V is not. Mew VMAX will be a problem for [card name=”Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX” set=”Battle Styles” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] unless it adds [card name=”Drapion V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card], which is a huge liability in other matchups.

My Thoughts

When I look at the preliminary results for this format, I naturally gravitate toward the Lost Zone decks, however, I also look at the decks and notice weaknesses. This makes me want to try to make anti-meta work, or otherwise some sort of rogue or under-explored deck. The format seems fairly open, though [card name=”Sableye” set=”Lost Origin” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] might gatekeep too many things. Conventional [card name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] lists fold to [card name=”Duraludon VMAX” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card] now that they don’t have [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Shining Fates” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card], and Gardevoir has real trouble with the aforementioned Alolan Vulpix VSTAR. Non-[card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] Lost Box decks struggle with [card name=”Klefki” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] as long as it has a suitable partner, and [card name=”Mew VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] is always going to have issues with Drapion V. All of this makes it seem like the door is open for anti-meta decks, but only time will tell.

[cardimg name=”Sky Seal Stone” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”143″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Back to Lost Box, it seems better than everything else. Both [card name=”Sky Seal Stone” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] and Giratina VSTAR variants are incredibly strong, versatile, and difficult to counter. They lose almost nothing to the rotation, and the Lost Zone engine is fun and powerful — I would happily run either variant at any given major event and feel confident while doing so. I would put both versions in Tier 1 alongside Lugia VSTAR for now. Gardevoir ex is either Tier 1 or 2. I can’t decide, so I’ll put it at Tier 1.5 for now. Miraidon ex and Mew VMAX round out Tier 2. Of course, this tier list is subject to change with the results of EUIC, so consider it a forecast.

That’s all I have for now. Thanks for reading!

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