Chien-Pao ex Quarterly Report and a Look Towards Twilight Masquerade

Hey PokeBeach readers and Chien-Pao Inc. Shareholders, Ciaran here to give you a shivery update on [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card]! Last time I wrote about Chien-Pao ex was before EUIC, but a lot has happened since then for my favourite ice cat. I have a strong understanding of where the deck currently sits and want to share some more in-depth matchup guides, discuss how to build your ideal 60, and a look ahead to how the deck will fare once Twilight Masquerade comes out!

[cardimg name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”261″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Chien-Pao ex got off to a shaky start in this format, failing to make Top 8 at EUIC, even though the deck was well represented on the second day of competition. Two did make top cut at the Orlando Regional Championships the following weekend, however, and at the Indianapolis Regional Championships, four made top cut! I think it is safe to say that Chien-Pao ex has proven itself as a contender for the best deck in the format. The deck has a fairly strong matchup spread, most notably a favourable matchup against the most popular deck ([card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card]), and the unfavourable matchups are quite low in metashare ([card name=”Snorlax” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card], Ancient box, and decks with [card name=”Banette ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card]).

The deck can also control the Prize trade better than any other in the format, between Chien-Pao ex to take Knock Outs on large two-Prize Pokemon, and [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] which can turn any smaller-HP single-Prize Pokemon into two Prizes.

Chien-Pao ex also rewards well-practiced pilots who have studied and rehearsed the multiple lines available to the deck. One of the reasons I love playing the deck is that every game feels like a unique sequencing puzzle for me to solve. While there are common Prize maps in each matchup, how you can pull them off is always an adventure. To be a strong Chien-Pao ex player you need to be able to adapt on the fly and have your sequencing fundamentals down pat!

The Skeleton Deck List

[decklist name=”Cpao Skeleton” amt=”55″ caption=”” cname=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″][pokemon amt=”13″]2x [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Baxcalibur” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Frigibax” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/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=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]4x [card name=”Irida” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Ciphermaniac’s Codebreaking” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Poffin” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”144″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”189″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Unleashed” no=”82″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Hisuian Heavy Ball” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”146″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Earthen Vessel” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”163″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Prime Catcher” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”PokéStop” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”9″]8x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”EX Emerald” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card]1x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”EX Emerald” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

This, to me, is a skeleton list of cards and their counts that I think 100% should be in any build of the deck. When rounding out the deck we want to focus on a balance of consistency, power, and techs. Personally, I would over-index on consistency first as we want to be able to consistently set up and play the game.

Pokemon

[cardimg name=”Frigibax” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”128″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

When it comes to Pokemon there are a few options to consider; first, let’s talk about whether it is worth it to play one copy of the 70 HP [card name=”Frigibax” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card]? The main reason to play this card is to better protect against [card name=”Sableye” set=”Lost Origin” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card]’s Lost Mine attack. Late in the game if you have your only Baxcalibur Knocked Out it is difficult to set up another one without this Frigibax since the two 60 HP [card name=”Frigibax” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] can get taken out in one attack. The downside to playing the 70 HP Frigibax is that it has a Retreat Cost of two — this can stunt your early games, blocking an easy retreat into [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] to use Shivery Chill or a retreat into an ideal attacker on turn two. The deck also has other bad starters in [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] (if you play it), so I don’t include the 70 HP Frigibax. I feel like the matchups against decks with Sableye are still fine without it, and you can pre-emptively set up your board to protect against Baxcalibur going down by pre-loading Energy into play.

[premium]

Next, let’s talk about if we should run the third copy of Chien-Pao ex. I like having three since it increases your odds of opening it and getting a strong first turn, however, when making space for cards it is one of the first cards I look to cut. The deck plays three copies of [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] so it is easy to recycle Chien-Pao ex, and we have lots of Pokemon search to get Chien-Pao ex if we don’t open it.

One card I didn’t include in the skeleton list, but highly recommend you play is [card name=”Iron Bundle” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card]. This card enables you to force favourable trades almost every single turn.  If your opponent has a target in the Active you can’t Knock Out for two Prize cards you can normally use Iron Bundle to force up a weak single-Prize Pokemon for Iron Hands ex to take out, or a two-Prize Pokemon that Chien-Pao ex can clean up. The card is also super important in the [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] matchup (we will discuss that later…).

The last Pokemon to consider adding is [card name=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]. This card is very helpful when you go second against Lost Zone decks and in Chien-Pao ex mirror. The downside, however, is that it doesn’t have a lot of utility in other matchups, and if you start it then you lose a Bench spot. Bench spaces are at a premium for this deck, and having Manaphy in play can often ruin your setups. I am always on the fence about including Manaphy, but Chien-Pao ex and Lost Zone have been performing well lately so it is probably worth the inclusion.

Supporters

[cardimg name=”Ciphermaniac’s Codebreaking” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”198″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Moving on to Trainer cards let’s start with Supporters. I think playing four copies of [card name=”Irida” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card] is obvious, but I also think you need at least two copies of [card name=”Ciphermaniac’s Codebreaking” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card]. Ciphermaniac’s Codebreaking has been such a great addition to the deck and a major boost in consistency. Between [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Bibarel” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”PokéStop” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] the card effectively reads “Put two cards into your hand”. This is super strong for a deck like Chien-Pao ex that relies on combos of cards to set up and continuously take Prizes.

One Supporter that has been picking up in popularity is [card name=”Cyllene” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card]. This card can be unreliable since it requires you to flip coins to use, but the upside is super powerful. The ability to reuse cards such as [card name=”Prime Catcher” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Unleashed” no=”82″ c=”name”][/card] can be game-saving sometimes. The card also helps protect against [card name=”Eri” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”199″ c=”name”][/card] when your opponent hits high-priority cards out of your hand. If you decide not to play Cyllene I would probably play a third copy of Ciphermaniac’s Codebreaking instead.

I want to briefly talk about why I don’t think [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card] are necessary in the deck. Previously Iono was played in the deck as a fifth consistency Supporter since we couldn’t play five copies of Irida. Ciphermaniac’s Codebreaking is just better since it guarantees us what we want for the turn. Both Iono and Boss’s Orders have more power as situational Supporter cards, but the problem is we don’t have an easy way to draw them when we need them. If we draw them too early they also clog our hand for Bibarel, and they also run the risk of falling victim to [card name=”PokéStop” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card]. For those reasons, I don’t think it makes sense to run them in the deck.

Items

I think Item cards have the most flexibility when it comes to the deck. One thing that is great about [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] is that we can get away with running one-of Item cards since they are easily searchable with Irida or Ciphermaniac’s Codebreaking.

One thing I want to call out is that you need to be playing a full four copies of [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Poffin” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card]. The early game is all about getting an ideal board prepared and these cards help establish that. Ultra Ball is also a key card on turn two, unlocking [card name=”Bibarel” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] which is the primary draw engine of the deck.

[cardimg name=”Canceling Cologne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”136″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

[card name=”Canceling Cologne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] seems like an obvious inclusion in the deck, but the more I have played this format I have come to rely on it less and less. This card shines in the [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, allowing [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] to Moonlight Shuriken two weak Pokemon and end the game on the spot. It also lets you come back from Prize card deficits by weaving in a single-Prize Pokemon that can take two Prize cards itself. The reason I don’t think it’s necessary is that it feels like a ‘win more’ card a lot of the time. You can out-trade Charizard ex without this card as long as they don’t take a two-Prize card lead on you, which they shouldn’t since we are a faster deck. In other matchups where you can pull off the combo like [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] and Lost Zone box I feel like you can just use [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] for similar effectiveness. Canceling Cologne does also have some other niche use cases, things like shutting off [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]’s Block or [card name=”Mimikyu” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”37″ c=”name”][/card]’s Safeguard. With Charizard ex being so prevalent in the format I think it is super justifiable to include Canceling Cologne, but for now, I have been playing without it in my deck.

Next, I want to discuss how many [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] to run. I’ve been playing with four copies in my deck; playing four helps protect against [card name=”Eri” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”146″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Technical Machine: Devolution” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”177″ c=”name”][/card], but it also just helps to naturally draw the card early. Being able to free up my [card name=”Irida” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Ciphermaniac’s Codebreaking” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] selection for another card opens up some super powerful second turns. It’s also nice to be able to discard a Rare Candy or two throughout the game and not have to worry about setting up a second [card name=”Baxcalibur” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] if one ever goes down. I’ve actually won a couple of games at tournaments because my opponent assumed I only ran three copies!

Earlier I said I wouldn’t run [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card], but what about [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card]? Gusting is one of the strongest effects in the game, and it seems like we wouldn’t want to solely rely on [card name=”Prime Catcher” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] right? I don’t think that statement is true, and Prime Catcher has been enough for me. I play [card name=”Iron Bundle” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] to make sure I am always making favourable Prize trades and have [card name=”Cyllene” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] if I need a second Prime Catcher. Normally Chien-Pao ex wants to play from ahead so [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] is a dead card. There are games where you are down a Prize where it can shine, but you normally just need that one turn of gust to fix a Prize map.

PokeStop

Finally, let’s discuss the [card name=”PokéStop” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] count. I don’t think you can get away with running less than two, but I strongly recommend playing three. This card just unlocks so many plays! Our deck is so heavily filled with Items that PokeStop acts as a pseudo-draw engine, and the later in the game we get the more heavily weighted the deck is with Item cards. This card also combos super well with Ciphermaniac’s Codebreaking; A super common play to do one turn one is to use Ciphermaniac’s Codebreaking for [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Poffin” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] and combo it with a PokeStop to get set up.

My Current 60

[decklist name=”Ciaran’s 60″ amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″][pokemon amt=”15″]2x [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Baxcalibur” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Frigibax” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/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=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Iron Bundle” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”36″]4x [card name=”Irida” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Ciphermaniac’s Codebreaking” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Cyllene” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Poffin” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”144″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Unleashed” no=”82″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”189″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”188″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Hisuian Heavy Ball” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”146″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Earthen Vessel” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”163″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Prime Catcher” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”PokéStop” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”9″]8x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”EX Emerald” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card]1x [card name=”Lightning Energy” set=”EX Emerald” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

This is my current 60. I’ve opted to include Iron Bundle, [card name=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], and Cyllene, and then bumped up my counts of Rare Candy and PokeStop. My list is fairly simple and not super tech-heavy. I value setting up and getting to play the game!

Matchups

Charizard ex | 60-40

I’m going to start off with the most popular deck in the format, and one you need to be well prepared for if you want to have a deep run in any tournament you attend. This matchup changes a lot depending on what ACE SPEC they play, and if they play [card name=”Eri” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”146″ c=”name”][/card] and/or [card name=”Technical Machine: Devolution” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”177″ c=”name”][/card]. If your opponent plays [card name=”Maximum Belt” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card] then they can threaten our [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] even when we are at six Prizes. If you know your opponent plays this card then don’t open Chien-Pao ex when you go second. If that does happen and you fall behind in the Prize race you can fix it by pulling off a [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] play with [card name=”Canceling Cologne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card], however, if you don’t play Cancelling Cologne like me you will lose in this scenario.

If they play [card name=”Prime Catcher” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] then that is the easiest variant for us to play against, and it seems most [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] lists are opting to play this as their ACE SPEC of choice. Chien-Pao ex is always safe in the Active before we have taken a Prize in this case.

[cardimg name=”Hero’s Cape” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”152″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

If they play [card name=”Hero’s Cape” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”152″ c=”name”][/card] then they can create a gigantic 430 HP Charizard ex that requires all eight of our Water Energy to take out. Normally when my opponent puts a Hero’s Cape on their Charizard ex I just use [card name=”Iron Bundle” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Prime Catcher” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] to ignore it. Usually, you will prize at least one Energy so it isn’t even possible to take out the Charizard ex, and if you can it is normally your last Prize card.

Eri and Technical Machine: Devolution are a bit trickier to play around. I would just be mindful of turns where it looks like your opponent can pull off Eri. It is normally in the middle of the game once they have [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Bibarel” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] established. Sometimes if I have two Bibarel set up I hold off on using Industrious Incisors if I don’t need anything else for the turn since I don’t want to fall victim to an Eri. With Technical Machine: Devolution it is normally a desperation play from your opponent since they lose a lot of tempo to pull it off. Just be mindful of how many [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”191″ c=”name”][/card] you have left and think about how devastating the Devolution would be. Normally by Game 3 you should have a good pulse of whether or not your opponent plays these cards.

Something else I want to talk about is what to do if your first Knock Out is going to be for one Prize. If you take a Prize with [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] then you leave yourself open to a Charizard ex responding with a [card name=”Defiance Band” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card]. If this happens you will be down in the Prize trade. It is pretty easy to fix this, you just need to use [card name=”Prime Catcher” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] and take a Prize with a single-Prize Pokemon such as [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card]. From there you force your opponent on to odd Prize cards and you get to be on an even Prize map.

If your opponent has a [card name=”Charmander” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Cleffa” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] in the Active you can use [card name=”Frigibax” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] to take your first Prize. This forces your opponent to put a Charizard ex into the Active and take a one-Prize Knock Out. From there you are in the driver’s seat and should have a relatively easy game.

When you get down to two Prize cards your opponent will often use [card name=”Radiant Charizard” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card]. This can be annoying, but there is a simple way around it; you just need to use [card name=”Iron Bundle” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] to force your opponent to give you a single-Prize Pokemon that you can use [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] on, or they will promote a two-Prize Pokemon that you can finish off with Chien-Pao ex.

This is a matchup you should spend a lot of time testing, and getting a good feel for the common lines. As long as you set up you should normally come out the victor, but don’t get too relaxed if you get paired against this in a tournament!

Giratina VSTAR | 60-40

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

Lost Zone [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] is another strong matchup for us. Unlike normal Lost Zone decks, this version is a bit slower as it normally foregoes cards like [card name=”Forest Seal Stone” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Lost Vacuum” set=”Lost Origin” no=”162″ c=”name”][/card]. They also need to use a two-Prize Pokemon as one of their main attackers which accelerates the Prize trade.

The main way you will lose this matchup is if you get hit with a [card name=”Roxanne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] in the late game and your [card name=”Bibarel” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] gets taken out. It is super important that you get two Bibarel set up as it pretty much guarantees a win in the late game.

Another thing to look out for is when you are in danger of having [card name=”Baxcalibur” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] getting wiped out. If you think this is going to happen then you want to get your board ready with Energy. Usually, the best way to do this is by attacking with Iron Hands ex and then leaving one Water on Chien-Pao ex. This way if your opponent attacks with a Giratina VSTAR then you can just attach to Chien-Pao ex and you will have enough Energy to take out the Giratina VSTAR.

Lost Zone Box | 50-50

This matchup depends heavily on if you play [card name=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] or not; if you do, I’d say this matchup becomes favourable. If you don’t then it normally comes down to who wins the coin flip. If you go second without Manaphy you will fall victim to a Moonlight Shuriken on a couple of [card name=”Frigibax” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. Once you go down two Prize cards it is hard to come back since your opponent can just use their two-Prize Pokemon to out-trade you.

If you go first, or if you play Manaphy you normally get the chance to take two Prize cards first. If you can establish an [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] then you normally take a hold of the game. Your opponent will need to use a two-Prize Pokemon to respond and then you can just use Chien-Pao ex to continue Prize trading

Arceus VSTAR | 70-30

[card name=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] is probably the easiest matchup for the deck. [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] just out-trades these decks too well. Even if your opponent plays [card name=”Maximum Belt” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card] and takes a Prize lead you still win if you respond with a Chien-Pao ex Knock Out. They will respond with a [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card], but then won’t have a way to take their last Prize if you take it out. If you go first the matchup becomes even easier since you get to take the first two Prize cards.

[cardimg name=”Lost City” set=”Lost Origin” no=”161″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

One way you can lose is if both of your Baxcalibur get sent to the Lost Zone with [card name=”Lost City” set=”Lost Origin” no=”161″ c=”name”][/card]. If your opponent sends one of your Baxcalibur to the Lost Zone you don’t want to respond with Chien-Pao ex right away.

The optimal play is to use [card name=”Prime Catcher” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] to take out a Bibarel with Iron Hands ex and leave one Water Energy on a Chien-Pao ex. If you do this you essentially checkmate your opponent — even if they Lost Zone your second Baxcalibur you can just attach to Chien-Pao ex and take your last two Prize, and if they Knock Out Iron Hands ex you just need a [card name=”Superior Energy Retrieval” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] to finish the game off with a Hail Blade from Chien-Pao ex.

Gardevoir ex | 65-35

[card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] is a deck that has started to see a rise in popularity lately but is fairly simple for us to take down. This matchup just boils down to using [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] to continuously take two Prize cards and setting up multiple Bibarel so you don’t lose to [card name=”Scream Tail” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] in combination with a [card name=”Roxanne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card]. If you play [card name=”Canceling Cologne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] then this is a matchup where the combo can be game-ending if you take out two [card name=”Kirlia” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card]. Some Gardevoir ex lists play [card name=”Eri” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”146″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Technical Machine: Devolution” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”177″ c=”name”][/card] so watch out for that, but this matchup should be fairly easy.

Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR | 45-55

I’d say this matchup swings a lot depending if you go first or second. When going first you can apply a lot of pressure on their [card name=”Beldum” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”117″ c=”name”][/card] since most [card name=”Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] lists don’t play [card name=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]. If you can stunt their [card name=”Metang” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] from coming in to play you will be at a big advantage. When you go second, however, you will be on the back foot.

When playing from ahead always try and think about how the VSTAR attack can flip the game into a favourable position for your opponent. They can very quickly take out both your [card name=”Baxcalibur” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] or your [card name=”Bibarel” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]. A way to play around this is to pre-load a bunch of Energy into play or by benching a third [card name=”Frigibax” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] so you stay protected.

Ancient Box | 25-75

Ancient box is your worst matchup by far. They hit hard and fast, while also scaling into the late game with single-Prize Pokemon that we can’t use Amp You Very Much on. Your one way to win this matchup is to spam Moonlight Shuriken — if your opponent doesn’t put [card name=”Ancient Booster Energy Capsule” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”159″ c=”name”][/card] on their Pokemon then you can finish them off with two attacks from [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card]. If they do put the [card name=”Ancient Booster Energy Capsule” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”159″ c=”name”][/card] down then you can use Iron Hands ex to finish them off. This is a matchup where you will need all three of your [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] to continuously recycle Iron Hands ex and Radiant Greninja. This play does get ruined by a single [card name=”Penny” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”183″ c=”name”][/card], but you don’t really have a better option.

Snorlax Block | 25-75

Block [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] is one of the most frustrating decks to go up against. Between Eri and [card name=”Miss Fortune Sisters” set=”Lost Origin” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card], your Item cards are never safe, and if you ever have a [card name=”Bidoof” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”111″ c=”name”][/card] hit the board then you usually are going to have it come to the Active Spot pretty quickly. Your ideal scenario in this matchup is to start a lone Frigibax and evolve it up to Baxcalibur. Whenever you draw Pokemon use [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”196″ c=”name”][/card] to get them out of your hand and safe from [card name=”Erika’s Invitation” set=”151″ no=”160″ c=”name”][/card]. Once they are in the discard you want to use Super Rod to put them back in the deck and safe from [card name=”Mantine” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card]. [card name=”Prime Catcher” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] is super clutch in this matchup, not just to gust up [card name=”Rotom V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card], but it also acts as a switching out. If you play [card name=”Canceling Cologne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] you can shut off Block for a turn as well. With some heads on [card name=”Cyllene” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] you get to recycle these cards which can give you a fighting chance.

Pidgeot ex Control | 60-40

[cardimg name=”Iron Bundle” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”56″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Unlike Snorlax, this version of control doesn’t focus on locking Pokemon in the Active. It is much easier to put pressure on this version of the deck since they rely heavily on two-Prize Pokemon such as [card name=”Luxray V” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”50″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card]. Don’t be scared to set up Bibarel in this matchup, because if you don’t you are super vulnerable to Roxanne and [card name=”Radiant Charizard” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] wreaking havoc on you late game. Try and save Prime Catcher for an opportune moment and use Cyllene to bring it back if you can. [card name=”Iron Bundle” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] is a super strong card if your opponent tries to stick a Snorlax in the Active to buy time.

This matchup is definitely something you can lose since they play so many ways to discard your resources, but I’ve found as long as I can put on the pressure I normally come out on top.

Closing Thoughts and Looking Ahead

I’ve been asked a lot if I think [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] is still viable in our next format, and I think the answer is yes. Dragapult ex does look scary for the deck, but I don’t think the matchup is as bad as people are making it out to be. Dragapult ex is a Stage 2 that requires Energy acceleration to set up. Chien-Pao ex should be able to put some pressure on in the early game. While Dragapult ex can eliminate [card name=”Baxcalibur” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] from the board eventually you should be able to use [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card] and Chien-Pao ex to have enough Energy ready on board to protect against this.

Unfortunately, I think you do need to run one 70 HP copy of both [card name=”Frigibax” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Bidoof” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] going forward to help make the matchup more manageable. This is a matchup I will be practicing a lot heading into NAIC, so feel free to message me in a couple of weeks time to see how I feel about it.

Hopefully, you learned a thing or two about Chien-Pao ex today, and feel more confident in building the deck. If you have any questions about cards I didn’t mention today please feel free to ask about them down below in the comments! If you are willing to put in the time to learn the deck I think it is super well-positioned in the current meta game! I will be at LA Regionals and NAIC so please feel free to come say hi if you see me!

Until next time, best of luck in all your games, and I hope your PokeStop always give you three Items!

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