Arceus’s New Friends — Arceus VSTAR in Paradox Rift

Hello everyone, and a happy new year as well! Of course, in terms of Pokemon, we’re smack dab in the middle of our year, fresh off of the recent Portland Regional Championships. The top decks from the beginning of the format — [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”223″ c=”name”][/card], Lost Box, [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”244″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”245″ c=”name”][/card] — continue to see heavy play, though the format has remained quite diverse.

[cardimg name=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG70″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

In today’s article, I’m going to be talking about an old favorite, [card name=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG70″ c=”name”][/card]. Arceus VSTAR is going to go down as one of the best Pokemon in the history of the TCG, but it has been rather quiet so far in the Paradox Rift format. Part of the issue has been that it has been difficult for the variants that were the most successful pre-Paradox Rift — namely, Arceus VSTAR / [card name=”Duraludon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] — to stick around as the meta changed. As a result, the meta share of Arceus decks has dropped off as those decks haven’t been replaced by new Arceus variants. Arceus tends to be strongest when it has an anti-meta focus, and so when the meta shifts, Arceus needs to shift as well, which it has been a bit slow to do this time around. With that said, Arceus hasn’t been completely non-existent, as it has popped up in a few Day 2s, as well as a recent Top 8 finish in Portland this past weekend. For those Arceus decks, the key is that it has been able to find a bit of a niche in the meta, as one of the few decks that combine both an attacking strategy and heavy disruption. Specifically, it is one of the few decks nowadays that can function well under [card name=”Path to the Peak” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card], and unlike Lost Zone Giratina decks (one of the other notable decks utilising Path to the Peak in the format), it can do so while also making heavy use of hand disrupting Supporters like [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”269″ c=”name”][/card]. Today’s Arceus decks may not be as obviously anti-meta as those past versions with partners like Duraludon VMAX or [card name=”Flying Pikachu VMAX” set=”Celebrations” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card], but they still manage to take on the meta decks in their own way. So, in this article, I’ll be taking a look at some of these new Arceus VSTAR decks, and how they are able to do so.

The Serperior Way To Play Arceus

The first list that I want to go over is Arceus VSTAR / [card name=”Serperior VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”8″ c=”name”][/card], a newer variant that has popped up in response to the many Charizard ex decks that are being played. The core of this deck is basically an Arceus VSTAR / Giratina VSTAR deck, but with Serperior VSTAR added to give the deck a strong Grass-type attacker, with the list adjusted from there to fit around Serperior. The list I’ve been using is a slightly adjusted combo of the lists that have had tournament success, particularly Douglas Maiola’s 25th place LAIC list, and Samuel Bermudez’s Top 64 list from San Antonio. Here’s the list:

[decklist name=”Arceus Serperior” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”123″][pokemon amt=”19″]3x [card name=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Arceus V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Serperior VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”8″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Serperior V” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”7″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Giratina V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Bibarel” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Bidoof” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”111″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Skwovet” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”28″]4x [card name=”Judge” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”176″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Boss’s Orders (Ghetsis)” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”172″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Professor Turo’s Scenario” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Raihan” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”196″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”181″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”194″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Battle Styles” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lost Vacuum” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Choice Belt” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”176″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Path to the Peak” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”13″]6x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”152″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card]2x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Turbo Energy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”V Guard Energy” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”169″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

[cardimg name=”Serperior VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”210″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Thanks to this Pokemon being Grass-type, Serperior VSTAR is one of the few Pokemon capable of OHKOing [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card]. Among the Grass-type Pokemon VSTARs, Serperior works the best with Arceus, as it can attack (and still get a OHKO against Charizard ex) with [card name=”Double Turbo Energy” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”216″ c=”name”][/card], whereas you don’t get that advantage with [card name=”Leafeon VSTAR” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG35″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Hisuian Lilligant VSTAR” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card]. The other Grass-type option, [card name=”Shaymin VSTAR” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”14″ c=”name”][/card], unfortunately can’t get a OHKO until the Charizard player has already taken two Prizes, which isn’t ideal. So, Serperior is the Grass-type partner of choice. Regal Blender can 2HKO most things, and its Energy movement effect can come in handy. For instance, one new combo you can do is to move all of your Energy off of the Active Spot Serperior VSTAR, then use [card name=”Professor Turo’s Scenario” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”257″ c=”name”][/card] to pick it back up into your hand, saving both a KO and all of the Energy that was on that Serperior VSTAR. While Starbirth will be the VSTAR Power you use in most games, Star Winder can occasionally come up as a useful attack, as it gives you OHKO potential against tankier Pokemon. Conveniently, Grass is also one of the types that Giratina VSTAR requires to use Lost Impact, so it can be included here with just a small change in the deck’s Energy line.

In order to have draw power in the mid-game, and to keep your deck running smoothly even when using disruption draw Supporters that draw fewer cards than traditional ones, this deck utilizes a [card name=”Bibarel” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG25″ c=”name”][/card] engine. The [card name=”Skwovet” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”222″ c=”name”][/card] + Bibarel combo lets you refresh your hand without playing a draw Supporter, even if you’re stuck with a bunch of useless cards you can’t get rid of. This is particularly helpful if you need to play a non-draw Supporter (such as [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] or Professor Turo’s Scenario), or if you don’t want to shuffle away your opponent’s hand. If your opponent appears to be bricked, you don’t want to give them the way out; Skwovet gives you a way to find what you need without doing so.

This deck includes [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], mostly for the [card name=”Mew VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”269″ c=”name”][/card] matchup. Spiritomb is also good against [card name=”Roaring Moon ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] (as it shuts off [card name=”Galarian Moltres V” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]), and can occasionally come in handy against [card name=”Lumineon V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and some other miscellaneous Pokemon.

[premium]

This deck’s Trainer line shows the focus on disruption. All seven draw Supporters disrupt your opponent’s hand, which will slow them down and ideally get them into a bricked hand. You play more [card name=”Judge” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”235″ c=”name”][/card] than [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”269″ c=”name”][/card] in this deck, as Judge tends to be better in the early game (when Iono would give your opponent six cards). With Bibarel in play, you can still draw plenty of cards from Judge, so it isn’t much of a detriment to have to use it over other draw Supporters. The same logic goes for Iono in the late game; for instance, you don’t mind putting both players to two cards if your two cards are actually five! Arceus doesn’t necessarily have much of an advantage anymore in terms of pure stats over other attackers, but it can function just fine under Path to the Peak, which gives it this disruptive niche to exploit.

The other interesting Supporter in this list is the new Professor Turo’s Scenario, which fits quite well into this deck, especially with Serperior VSTAR. Like [card name=”AZ” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card] before it, the point of using Professor Turo’s Scenario is to be able to pick up a damaged Pokemon, and by doing so, prevent your opponent from taking Prizes off of it. This can buy you an extra turn or two, which will often be enough to win you the game. Professor Turo’s Scenario is also great against [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] decks, as it not only acts as a switching card, but also removes a problem Pokemon from your field, which makes it harder for them to find a [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] target. They also can’t discard Professor Turo’s Scenario with [card name=”Miss Fortune Sisters” set=”Lost Origin” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card], so having them further improves your outlook in that matchup. The addition of [card name=”Raihan” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] gives you some emergency Energy acceleration, and provides you with a way to power up Arceus VSTAR or Serperior VSTAR in a single turn.

The items in this list are nothing out of the ordinary, what with eight Pokemon-searching Items, two switching cards, and a [card name=”Lost Vacuum” set=”Lost Origin” no=”217″ c=”name”][/card]. The one Lost Vacuum gives you an out in case you end up locked by Path to the Peak and need to use Starbirth, though in most games it will simply act as Tool removal. Speaking of Tool cards, the list also contains one [card name=”Choice Belt” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”211″ c=”name”][/card] as the only Tool in the list. Choice Belt lets you pick up KOs against a few meta relevant Pokemon Vs, most notably [card name=”Entei V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Raikou V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”48″ c=”name”][/card]. It also allows Giratina VSTAR to OHKO [card name=”Mew VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card], or other VSTARs that have [card name=”V Guard Energy” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card] attached. It’s nice to have the one, but you don’t necessarily need more than that, as it isn’t useful against ex-focused decks.

For your Energy, you want a higher count of Grass Energy, because of the Serperior. Two Psychic Energy are enough for the Giratina VSTAR; realistically, you only need the one, but having two plays around the risk of prizing it. The one V Guard Energy is to help against opposing Giratina VSTAR, and can also come in handy against Mew VMAX and [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG48″ c=”name”][/card].

A Nice Normal Arceus Deck

In San Antonio, Matthew and Nathan Stratford went with a bit of a different approach, using a thin line of [card name=”Regigigas VSTAR” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG55″ c=”name”][/card], more support Pokemon, and a greater focus on the [card name=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG70″ c=”name”][/card] itself. Both of them made Top 64 with this list, and it was intriguing enough that I wanted to share it here. Then, as I was writing this article, Makani Tran went on a Top 8 run with this variant, further driving home the point that this deck might be pretty great! Here’s the list:

[decklist name=”Arceus Regigigas” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”123″][pokemon amt=”19″]3x [card name=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Arceus V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Regigigas VSTAR” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Regigigas V” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Celebrations” no=”16″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mew ex” set=”151″ no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Radiant Alakazam” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”59″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Bibarel” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Bidoof” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”111″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Skwovet” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”126″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”28″]4x [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Boss’s Orders (Ghetsis)” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”172″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Cheren’s Care” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Avery” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Raihan” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”152″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”196″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”181″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Lost Vacuum” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Battle Styles” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Choice Belt” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”176″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Box of Disaster” set=”Lost Origin” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Path to the Peak” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”13″]7x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Turbo Energy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Jet Energy” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”190″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

[cardimg name=”Regigigas VSTAR” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG55″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

As you can see, the core of the deck is mostly the same as the prior deck list, with Path to the Peak, a similar Trainer line, as well as the Bibarel + Skwovet engine. The Pokemon are the major changes, as the alternate attackers are quite different. Interestingly though, the total number of Pokemon, Trainers, and Energy are the same as in the prior list.

In this list, Regigigas VSTAR is the partner of choice. Regigigas VSTAR is strong in our current format, as it is hard to OHKO, and can take OHKOs against a lot of meta relevant Pokemon with Giga Hammer. Specifically, it can take out many of the Basic Pokemon ex that Arceus VSTAR can’t, including [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Iron Valiant ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card]. It can also OHKO any 220HP Basic Pokemon V, including [card name=”Giratina V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Origin Forme Palkia V” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”39″ c=”name”][/card]. Since it’s a Colorless-type attacker, Regigigas VSTAR can also be picked up with [card name=”Cheren’s Care” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”168″ c=”name”][/card], so this deck is able to utilize that instead of Professor Turo’s Scenario. This deck does lack the big damage of Lost Impact, so the 2HKO trade strategy becomes even more important. [card name=”Radiant Alakazam” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”59″ c=”name”][/card] can help turn those 2HKOs into OHKOs in some scenarios; the Choice Belt and [card name=”Box of Disaster” set=”Lost Origin” no=”214″ c=”name”][/card] also help in that regard. [card name=”Mew ex” set=”151″ no=”193″ c=”name”][/card] can also be a potential attacker, and is particularly good against Giratina VSTAR. With Raihan and Double Turbo Energy, you can power it up in a single turn; Choice Belt or Radiant Alakazam can be used to counteract the -20 damage effect from DTE. You can also get around that by attaching an Energy to it at some earlier point — this also gives you a way to attack later without needing to use Raihan. A good trick here is to use Mew ex as your pivot when attaching [card name=”Jet Energy” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”190″ c=”name”][/card] to switch out your Regigigas VSTAR, as this both resets your attack and starts to power up your Mew ex. By cutting down on alternate attackers, this list has been able to include two other support Pokemon: Zacian V and [card name=”Jirachi” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card]. The Zacian V can theoretically be used as an alternate attacker, though it doesn’t hit that hard, so it doesn’t have that much utility as an attacker unless you’re up against something that is weak to Psychic-type. It is however quite useful for helping to establish your attackers. Roar of the Sword gives you a guaranteed turn 1 Energy attachment, and since you typically aren’t attacking turn 1, it’s nice to have that as an option. Depending on what you’re up against, you can use Roar of the Sword to spread out attachments among two Arceus V (and thus protect yourself from a turn one KO), or you can use it to double-attach to one Pokemon, and then get attacking on turn two without the -20 effect from Double Turbo Energy.

The biggest difference in the Trainer line is that this deck plays fewer disruption Supporters (notably, it has no [card name=”Judge” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”235″ c=”name”][/card]), and instead plays an extra Boss’s Orders, an [card name=”Avery” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”187″ c=”name”][/card], and a Box of Disaster. With the Jet Energy, it has also cut down on one copy of [card name=”Switch” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”194″ c=”name”][/card], in order to fit in an extra Lost Vacuum. The Avery is useful against matchups that have a large setup field, and can be nice to use after using Bibarel to get yourself to an eight card hand. It also gives you a potential draw Supporter to use in those scenarios where you don’t want to shuffle away your opponent’s hand with Iono. The Box of Disaster is a great card in the current meta, and it certainly improves this deck’s matchup spread. Against [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] and Roaring Moon ex, it shifts the match considerably, and it can also be great for helping to turn 2HKOs into OHKOs against Giratina VSTAR or [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”223″ c=”name”][/card].

As for the Energy, you don’t need any particular type to attack with this lineup of Pokemon, so the Basic Energy of choice is Psychic Energy to allow you to utilize Zacian V. The two Jet Energy give this deck some extra switching, which is needed to use Giga Impact on consecutive turns. Jet Energy also gives the deck more outs against [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], which is always nice.

The matchup spread for this list is pretty similar to that of the Serperior deck. It is naturally weaker against Charizard ex without the OHKO potential of Serperior, and can get into dicey situations against matchups where you want to use Lost Impact, such as against other Pokemon VSTAR decks. However, it is clearly stronger against Miraidon ex and [card name=”Iron Valiant ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”249″ c=”name”][/card], as well as any other matchup where Giga Impact can get you a OHKO. If you’re deciding which of the two to play, consider what the meta will be like. If you’re in an environment where people love to play Charizard ex, then Serperior VSTAR is going to be better; if the ex decks are more popular, then you may want to lean toward the Regigigas VSTAR list. Or, you could do what I do, and play both!

¿Por qué no los dos?

Given how similar these two Arceus VSTAR archetypes are, I’ve also put together a list that combines the two, resulting in a sort of hybrid Arceus deck. With this list, you have some of the best of each of the lists, in that you have a tanky attacker in Regigigas VSTAR that can take on Miraidon ex, a big hitter in Giratina VSTAR, and an anti-Charizard ex attacker in Serperior VSTAR. Here’s the list:

[decklist name=”RAGS” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”123″][pokemon amt=”20″]3x [card name=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Arceus V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Regigigas VSTAR” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Regigigas V” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Giratina V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Serperior VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”8″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Serperior V” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”7″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Bibarel” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Bidoof” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”111″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Skwovet” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Radiant Alakazam” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”59″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”27″]3x [card name=”Judge” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”176″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Boss’s Orders (Ghetsis)” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”172″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Cheren’s Care” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Turo’s Scenario” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Raihan” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”152″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”196″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”181″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Battle Styles” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lost Vacuum” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Choice Belt” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”176″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Box of Disaster” set=”Lost Origin” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Path to the Peak” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”13″]5x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”152″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card]2x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Turbo Energy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Jet Energy” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”190″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

Some of the previous Day 2 lists of the Arceus VSTAR / Giratina VSTAR / Serperior VSTAR archetype already went with a 1-1 line of each, so there’s precedent for it being successful. In practice, you do have to be careful about checking your Prizes, since you have three 1-1 lines, but it isn’t much of a detriment so long as you do so and know what options are available to you. With that said, the only time playing this list is different from the above ones in that regard is if you prize a Serperior piece (as we were already playing 1-1 lines of the other two VSTARs). Given that between the three, Serperior is useful in the fewest matchups, it’s a pretty fine tradeoff to be able to use Regigigas.

For the Trainer line in the hybrid list, I went with the Judge + Iono split, as I prefer having Judge in the early game for the increased amount of hand disruption. The Professor Turo’s Scenario and Cheren’s Care split works surprisingly well, and the Energy split has posed no problems. Given how strong the Box of Disaster is in this format, I made sure to include it; I’m also a big fan of the Radiant Alakazam, so I made space for it as well. The usefulness of all of these cards are the same as I have explained in the prior sections, so I won’t go over them again here.

Of the three deck lists, I like this one the best. As I said above, it feels like it combines the best of both worlds, while losing little in terms of consistency. By having Serperior VSTAR, Regigigas VSTAR, and Giratina VSTAR, you give yourself a lot of options, and can put yourself in an advantageous position against a wide swath of the meta. This deck’s matchup spread is largely positive, as it feels like you have a decent strategy into just about everything.

Gameplay and Matchup Strategies

On turn 1, your top priority will be to find an [card name=”Arceus V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”166″ c=”name”][/card] and attach an Energy card to it, so that you can use Trinity Nova on turn 2. Other things you’ll want to do will be to find [card name=”Bidoof” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card], as well as start to find your other attackers (or at least a second Arceus V). If you’re up against an aggressive deck that makes use of Abilities, such as [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”244″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”248″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Roaring Moon ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”251″ c=”name”][/card], you’ll want to put [card name=”Path to the Peak” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”213″ c=”name”][/card] into play on turn 1, to hopefully slow down their assault, or at least make it so that they need to find an out, which can use up resources that might otherwise go toward getting a turn 1 KO. If you aren’t, then it can be a decent idea to hold the Path to the Peak in hand so that you can use Starbirth in your following turn. If you’re up against [card name=”Mew VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”269″ c=”name”][/card], then you’ll want to find [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] as well, to fully shut down their Abilities.

[cardimg name=”Bibarel” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG25″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Once you are set up and attacking, you’ll want to establish your [card name=”Bibarel” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG25″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Skwovet” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”222″ c=”name”][/card], and try to get a few alternate attackers set up. Your goal at this point will also be to brick your opponent with [card name=”Judge” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”235″ c=”name”][/card]. Take note of what your opponent plays during their turn; if their hand appears weak, then it can be better to not play a Supporter at all rather than give your opponent a chance to draw into a better hand. As the game progresses, you’ll want to switch from using Judge to playing [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”269″ c=”name”][/card], so that your opponent gets fewer cards to work with. When deciding whether to play Judge or Iono, since you have Bibarel, your opponent getting fewer cards is typically going to be a higher priority than you getting more cards. The only exception to that is if you need to find a certain card to maintain your advantage, in which case it can be worth it to draw more yourself. Think about if what you need has the potential to win/lose the game if you find/don’t find it, or if it’s more of a luxury to have. In the former case, play the Supporter that draws you more cards, if it’s the latter, play the Supporter that draws your opponent fewer cards.

As for which alternate attacker to prioritize, that depends on the matchup. In general, against Pokemon VSTAR decks, you’ll want Giratina VSTAR, against Basic Pokemon ex decks you’ll want Regigigas VSTAR, and against Charizard ex you’ll want Serperior VSTAR, though most of the time, all three can be useful in some way.

Matchups

For the matchup section, I’m going to mainly be referring to the third list when going over them; with that said, a lot of these tips work for all three decks, outside of specific scenarios like using Serperior VSTAR against Charizard ex.

Vs Charizard ex

This deck is more or less built to beat [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], making this one of your better matchups. With that said, Charizard ex can still win if you aren’t careful. The key to this matchup is that the Charizard player can’t actually get a OHKO until you are down to three Prizes (or two in the case of Arceus VSTAR and Giratina VSTAR), whereas you can OHKO the Charizard ex with Regal Blender. You also have OHKO potential by using Lost Impact against [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card], or by KOing [card name=”Rotom V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card] if it has remained in play. Charizard decks are also quite vulnerable to Path to the Peak, since they need their Abilities to be active to accelerate Energy or use Quick Search. Both in the early game and in the late game, Path to the Peak + Judge / Iono is going to be important to slowing them down. This is especially the case late, since that’s when you’re going to be at your most vulnerable to Burning Darkness. Regigigas VSTAR can act as a slightly tankier option in the mid-game, as it does withstand the scenario of Burning Rondo when three Prizes are taken and [card name=”Vitality Band” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card] is attached, but other than that, it’ll be even with Arceus VSTAR and Giratina VSTAR. Serperior VSTAR is the most vulnerable, as it can be KO’d by Burning Rondo a Prize earlier if the Charizard player plays Choice Belt, or if the opponent plays an alternate Fire-type attacker like [card name=”Entei V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card]. The top Charizard lists from San Antonio notably played neither of those cards, but some do, so you’ll want to be careful.

Vs Miraidon ex

Against [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card], the goal is to survive the early-game onslaught, and then work to out-trade your opponent. Early Path to the Peak is important in this match, as it will more or less win you the game right off the bat if your opponent can’t bounce it. Once they are set up, however, their Abilities become much less useful, and while shutting down Restart and Tandem Unit is helpful, it isn’t critical to do so until the late game. So, with your Path to the Peak, you’ll want to get one down on turn 1, and then save the others for later on when they’ll have more of an impact. Your other important cards in this matchup will be Regigigas VSTAR, Giratina VSTAR, [card name=”Professor Turo’s Scenario” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”257″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Cheren’s Care” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG58″ c=”name”][/card]. Giratina VSTAR and Regigigas VSTAR can OHKO Miraidon ex, whereas Serperior VSTAR cannot unless you use Star Winder. When trading 2HKOs, Professor Turo’s Scenario gives you a way to undo some of their attacks, which likewise gives you a way to get ahead in the match. Most of the time in this matchup, your opponent will go ahead early, so having ways to get back in the lead are quite important. If you’re playing the first list (Serperior without Regigigas), then you’ll need to utilize those scoop up cards, or else focus heavily on getting Giratina VSTAR powered up. The most common way to lose this match is if the Miraidon ex player can OHKO your Arceus V with an Energy card attached on their first turn, so if you can, try to have something else in the Active Spot, ideally a non-Pokemon V.

Vs Lost Zone Giratina VSTAR

[cardimg name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG69″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This is one of the more awkward matchups for Arceus, as [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] can OHKO you, and Path to the Peak doesn’t do much to slow them down. So, two of your big advantages are gone. To win this matchup, you’ll want to jump out to an early lead, use Professor Turo’s Scenario or Cheren’s Care to prevent your opponent from getting an early KO, then use Giratina VSTAR to get a OHKO on the opponent’s Giratina VSTAR. To secure that early lead, you’ll want to use your disruption tools to impact your opponent’s consistency while taking KOs every turn (ideally on [card name=”Comfey” set=”Lost Origin” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card], to further slow them down). Judge is good for shuffling away their big hands, especially if they had used [card name=”Colress’s Experiment” set=”Lost Origin” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card] on the previous turn. You can also use Path to the Peak to turn off [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card], which is recommended. While attacking, you’ll want to power up a Giratina VSTAR and a non-Giratina attacker, preferably Regigigas VSTAR. The Giratina you’ll want to save for when your opponent puts down Giratina; the non-Giratina attacker will be what you go into after bouncing away with Professor Turo’s Scenario. Whenever your opponent puts down [card name=”Giratina V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”186″ c=”name”][/card], you’ll also want to KO it if you can, by using [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] and a Pokemon that can deal 220 damage. Not only will this make it harder for them to get Giratina VSTAR into play, but it’s also an extra Prize, which makes winning the game easier! Finally, being able to use Regigigas VSTAR at the right time is key to giving you an extra turn to get ahead. The best time to use it is with your second attacker in the midgame (that is, the one that you plan to use after using Professor Turo’s Scenario / Cheren’s Care), when your opponent is about to attack with Giratina VSTAR, but isn’t yet at the 10 cards they need to use Star Requiem. If you use the Regigigas VSTAR earlier than that, your opponent may simply be attacking with their [card name=”Cramorant” set=”Lost Origin” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card] anyway, and thus will put you into KO range; if you use it later, then the opponent can get around it with Star Requiem. In either of those cases, it won’t have done its job to buy you a turn. If it does do its job, and you get hit for a non-OHKO, then you’ll ideally want to use your second scoop up Supporter that turn, so you prevent a future KO from Radiant Greninja or [card name=”Sableye” set=”Lost Origin” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card]. If you’re playing the non-Regigigas variant, then the strategy is actually the same, just with [card name=”V Guard Energy” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”215″ c=”name”][/card] and a different Pokemon VSTAR instead of the Regigigas.

Vs Gardevoir ex

The Arceus vs [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] matchup is pretty much the same as it has been since Gardevoir ex came out. That is, a lot will come down to whether or not you can establish an early Prize lead, and whether or not you can prevent at least one turn of their attacks by keeping Path to the Peak in play and shutting down Psychic Embrace. It will take your opponent a few turns to get to the point where they can OHKO your Pokemon VSTARs, but once they do, they’ll likely be able to every turn, with either [card name=”Gardevoir” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Celebrations” no=”16″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Scream Tail” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card]. You also can’t OHKO Gardevoir ex, which can give them a way to force a 2HKO trade or buy a turn if they need it. To win this matchup, you’ll need to start taking Knock Outs on turn 2, and you’ll want to use Judge to slow down your opponent’s set up for as long as you can. If your opponent does try to get a 2HKO, use Professor Turo’s Scenario or Cheren’s Care to prevent that and buy yourself an extra turn. [card name=”Box of Disaster” set=”Lost Origin” no=”214″ c=”name”][/card] is particularly important in this matchup, but you want to be careful to use it at a time when your opponent isn’t likely to have [card name=”Lost Vacuum” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] to get rid of it. I recommend trying to use it later on (when your opponent is threatening OHKOs), immediately after using [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”269″ c=”name”][/card]. Whether your opponent attacks into you or not, you’ve effectively bought yourself a bonus Prize, which can be the difference between winning and losing. [card name=”Radiant Alakazam” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”59″ c=”name”][/card] can also be helpful, either to finish off a Pokemon, or to damage a Pokemon in such a way that your opponent can attach one fewer Energy to that Pokemon with Psychic Embrace. The latter two decklists have a much better matchup into Gardevoir thanks to including those cards.

Vs Mew VMAX

[cardimg name=”Spiritomb” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”89″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This deck saw less play in Portland than in earlier Paradox Rift events, but it can still be dangerous. Against [card name=”Mew VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”269″ c=”name”][/card], you’ll want to get Spiritomb in play right away to shut off their [card name=”Genesect V” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card]. Like against Miraidon, sometimes this will simply win you the game right away, which is always nice! Path to the Peak is also good as a second option, though do keep in mind that Mew decks play a ton of ways to get around Path, especially since they tend to play it themselves. Against Fusion Mew, you’ll want both Spiritomb and Path to the Peak in play for maximum Ability prevention. [card name=”Fusion Strike Energy” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”244″ c=”name”][/card] can protect the [card name=”Genesect V” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”255″ c=”name”][/card] from the effects of Spiritomb’s Fettered in Misfortune, but that won’t do anything if they can’t also bump the Path to the Peak from play. If your opponent does get around the Ability lock, continue to replace the Stadium and use your hand disruption. As for attacking, you have a pretty big advantage there, as it is difficult for Mew to get a OHKO, and you have both Professor Turo’s Scenario and Cheren’s Care to prevent a 2HKO. You can also OHKO a Mew VMAX by using Lost Impact with an attached [card name=”Choice Belt” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”211″ c=”name”][/card]; at other points of the game, you can either go for a 2HKO, or KO a pair of [card name=”Mew V” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”251″ c=”name”][/card] and/or Genesect V for your remaining Prizes.

Overall, Arceus VSTAR remains a competitive deck, even if its meta share has gone down. If you were a fan of Arceus, but haven’t managed to find a variant of it that works, definitely try these out; if you weren’t, then hopefully these lists will change that! Again, I recommend the hybrid decklist most of all, but all three are both solidly competitive and fun to play. We’ve now come to the end of the article, but as always, if you have any questions about any of the decks, or anything else for that matter, be sure to ask away in the comments! As always, best of luck to everyone, and stay safe!

Thanks for reading!

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