The Final Stretch — Making Last Minute Preparations for Worlds
Hello PokeBeach readers! Isaiah here, and I am happy to be writing another article for you all! Last time, I discussed [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”212″ c=”name”][/card] and how I thought it could be a good off-meta pick for the World Championships in Hawaii this year. Since writing that article, I have unfortunately moved on from playing the deck, but I still do not think the deck is bad. The flaw that I found was that the deck struggled a little more with [card name=”Regidrago VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] than I initially hoped that it would, and with the release of Shrouded Fable on Pokemon TCG Live causing a massive surge in Regidrago VSTAR’s popularity in online events, I feel like playing the deck is a bit too risky with a less than perfect Regidrago VSTAR matchup.
The ongoing development of the metagame in online tournaments has revealed significantly less surprises than I initially anticipated. Although Regidrago VSTAR has been performing well, it has not met my expectations. However, this lack of success could possibly be attributed to the amount of anti-Regidrago VSTAR decks that have started to see play. The biggest case of this being [card name=”Raging Bolt ex ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] which has been tearing up online events, largely thanks to its favored Regidrago VSTAR matchup. At this point in time, it seems like everyone just wants to beat Regidrago VSTAR, but just doing that is not the way to win the tournament. With that said, it is certainly the best first step, so how about how we look at how some of the top decks are able to beat it.
Public Enemy Number 1: Regidrago VSTAR
[cardimg name=”Kyurem” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”47″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
It is no surprise that Regidrago VSTAR is just the deck to beat for this event. In my opinion, it is the best deck in the format, and it is pretty easy to see why. Much like [card name=”Mewtwo and Mew-GX” set=”Unified Minds” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card], the deck just has nearly limitless options being able to insert attackers for pretty much any situation. Not just that, but the deck also has access to the early game consistency engine of [card name=”Teal Mask Ogerpon ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card] , then using [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”173″ c=”name”][/card] as an extremely efficient form of Energy acceleration to power up all of the deck’s most powerful attacks. Finally, the deck really comes together with Regidrago VSTAR’s Legacy Star VSTAR Power, giving you instant access to any resource that you could possibly want during a game. Want another [card name=”Prime Catcher ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card]? Easy. Need another Energy Switch to attack? You got it. Have an atrocious hand and just need a Supporter to get going? Legacy Star can do that too. The Ability truly feels like one of the most overpowered Abilities ever printed on a Pokemon card at times, basically giving the deck a “do whatever you want” button once per game. The key attackers for Regidrago VSTAR are [card name=”Dragapult ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] and the newly released [card name=”Kyurem” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”47″ c=”name”][/card], both of which allow you to cripple the opponent’s setup very early in the game. For example, against Charizard ex decks, you can deny them ever putting Pidgeot ex in play thanks to Phantom Dive onto a Pidgey. Or maybe the opponent failed to establish a [card name=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] on their first turn, well, now they just lose the game on the spot because of Kyurem’s Trifrost. The combination of these two attacks in particular gives the deck so many possible lines to close out the game in unique ways, or you can even just use [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] or Raging Bolt ex to chase one-hit Knock Outs.
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Despite the fact that the deck may seem unbeatable at times, it is not without its weaknesses. The main weaknesses that I have noticed are that it cannot take Prizes on the first turn, that it can easily run out of resources, and that the attacker is high maintenance. These weaknesses, while abundant and seemingly easy to exploit, are much harder to address than one would think, which is a part of why I think so highly of the deck. The easiest weakness to take advantage of is certainly that it cannot use a meaningful attack on the first turn, so exploiting that is probably the primary goal of any deck that hopes to beat Regidrago VSTAR. I think there are two schools of thought for this, where a deck could either start the Prize race by going second, such as how Raging Bolt ex can, or they can be a setup deck as well that just hopes to have such a strong board on turn 2 that there is nothing Regidrago VSTAR can do, such as [card name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”211″ c=”name”][/card].
Raging Bolt ex’s method is extremely good, as the only way that Regidrago VSTAR can really respond is if they play [card name=”Radiant Charizard” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”11″ c=”name”][/card], but even Radiant Charizard is not a sufficient answer if the Raging Bolt player hits enough gust effects in a row. There is quite literally nothing a Regidrago VSTAR player can do against a Raging Bolt ex player if everything goes right for them, other than including the horrible [card name=”Noivern ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”153″ c=”name”][/card]. The other way that I mentioned to exploit this weakness is using Lugia VSTAR, which can take advantage of this flaw in how Regidrago VSTAR decks are built by not having a super vulnerable board if you go second, but when you go first and set up well, your deck becomes almost unbeatable with multiple [card name=”Cinccino ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]in play alongside a turn 2 Summoning Star. Lugia VSTAR is a bit easier for Regidrago VSTAR to beat, though, as the inclusion of [card name=”Temple of Sinnoh” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card] is often enough to cripple some of Lugia VSTAR’s stronger lines, including putting [card name=”Mist Energy ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”161″ c=”name”][/card]or [card name=”V Guard Energy” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”169″ c=”name”][/card] on their Pokemon in order to limit your ability to take multiple Prize cards at once.
Regidrago VSTAR’s other major weaknesses kind of go together, which are that it is easy to run out of resources and that Regidrago VSTAR is a bit high maintenance. If there were a deck that could abuse these facts, it would be quite good against Regidrago VSTAR. One of the main examples of a deck that can do this is [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], largely thanks to [card name=”Scream Tail” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Unfair Stamp” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card]. This combination of cards allows you to trap a Regidrago VSTAR if it ever prematurely uses Trifrost, then you can start picking off Pokemon on the Bench while they struggle to do much of anything. Additionally, [card name=”Munkidori” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card]’s Mind Bend is extremely good against Regidrago VSTAR because they play few switching effects.
Despite having a theoretically good matchup against Regidrago VSTAR with multiple factors in its favor, I have found that Gardevoir ex does somewhat struggle in the matchup if the opponent properly manages their resources, and especially their use of Trifrost. In my experience, it is not uncommon for people to use Trifrost way too early against Gardevoir ex, assuming that the deck has no way to get back into the game, so they will also expend a ton of resources, including their Legacy Star to do so, but oftentimes just one turn of missing with Regidrago VSTAR against Gardevoir ex can allow them to get back into the game at full strength and beat you anyway. Instead, you should try to save Legacy Star for a late game Trifrost to take your final three Prize cards instead of your first three. The results will be much better.
With multiple weaknesses, I have found myself being a bit hesitant to commit to playing Regidrago VSTAR for the World Championship. While the deck is the best deck, expecting to hit a bunch of mirror matches and decks built to beat you does not feel great, so I have tried my hardest to find other options, but I have had varying degrees of success. Oftentimes, the best decks into Regidrago VSTAR get obliterated by another deck that I expect to play against (usually [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”234″ c=”name”][/card]), or the decks that beat everything else lose to Regidrago VSTAR. After several loops through this process, I feel like I have found a few solid alternatives.
What Else Is Good for Worlds?
The decks that I would consider for the World Championships fall into one of two categories, either they beat everything but [card name=”Regidrago VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] or they beat Regidrago VSTAR and lose to most other things. While I think both of these strategies are reasonable, I feel that both are almost too risky for an event where we are not 100% sure of what decks will be the most played at the World Championship.
Roaring Moon ex
[cardimg name=”Pecharunt ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”93″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
One of the most overlooked options in this format has been [card name=”Roaring Moon ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card], and I am not entirely sure why. Perhaps it is just because the deck has not been good for the last few formats, so people assume it cannot be good now, but my testing has lead to the opposite conclusion. The new cards in Shrouded Fable, most importantly [card name=”Pecharunt ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”39″ c=”name”][/card] and the elusive [card name=”Fezandipiti ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card], are especially good for this deck, giving it more stability throughout the game offering instant access to switch effects and card draw, both of which are things that the deck has struggled with in the past.
Additionally, both Pecharunt ex and Fezandipiti ex can double as solid attackers in a variety of matchups. Not just that, but the deck has a exceptional Regidrago VSTAR matchup, with my personal record being a remarkable 19-0. The deck absolutely obliterates Regidrago VSTAR, for lack of a better way of putting it, and that is a high demand trait going into the World Championships in Hawaii. However, one issue that the deck has is that it has a few really, really bad matchups. Most notably, the deck effectively concedes the second the opponent flips over a [card name=”Charmander” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], as [card name=”Radiant Charizard” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”11″ c=”name”][/card] is an absolute nightmare to deal with at times, as is the [card name=”Dusclops” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”19″ c=”name”][/card] line from the new set. The deck is also pretty poor into some of the less common decks in the current format, such as Turbo Lost Zone, which I do not necessarily expect to be common at the World Championships, but I do expect it to see at least some play. The event will have over 1000 people, after all. Otherwise, I do think that this deck is reasonably well positioned for the World Championships, and I do not fault anyone for wanting to give it a try.
Charizard ex
Speaking of Charizard ex, I still think that this deck is extremely strong for the World Championships. Acting as the deck with the most powerful late game in the format, this deck can often turn into an unstoppable beast in most matchups. The addition of Fezandipiti ex, Dusclops, and possibly even Pecharunt ex and [card name=”Binding Mochi” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] are all good improvements to an already great deck. Despite this deck’s incredible late game, though, is that the deck can struggle to get that far, especially against Regidrago VSTAR. In my testing, Regidrago VSTAR’s win rate against Charizard ex is upwards of 80% when you get to go first, but if Charizard ex gets to go first, the matchup is much more reasonable, and may even be slightly favored for Charizard ex.
Outside of this matchup, Charizard ex does struggle with a suspect [card name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”211″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, but its other matchups are pretty good overall. As for a deck list, I have a bit of a unique philosophy on Charizard ex right now, as I think one of the best ways for it to overcome its current issues is to make the deck much more aggressive, adding Pokemon cards like [card name=”Gouging Fire ex ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card]and utilizing [card name=”Prime Catcher ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] as your ACE SPEC of choice. These cards make the Regidrago VSTAR matchup much closer and offer unique lines in the mirror and against Gardevoir ex that may not have been possible before. I would say that, if you feel comfortable losing to what will probably be the most played deck in the room, Charizard ex is probably the best deck to play with such a good matchup spread otherwise.
Lugia VSTAR
In the previous Twilight Masquerade format, I strongly believed that Lugia VSTAR was the single best deck in the format and it was not particularly close. Despite that, it failed to put up stellar finishes at the North America International Championships, barring a couple of Top 32s. This was largely because of so many people were teching to beat Lugia VSTAR by adding [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”162″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Temple of Sinnoh” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”214″ c=”name”][/card] into their decks.
In the Shrouded Fable format, while Lugia VSTAR did not gain much of anything from the new set, a lot of people have been cutting their anti-Lugia VSTAR cards in favor of playing with new toys. Between that and Regidrago VSTAR pushing down some of Lugia VSTAR’s harder matchups, I think that the deck has received a breath of fresh air and is poised to make a deep run at the World Championships. Not just that, but without explicit techs from Regidrago VSTAR, it is nearly impossible for Regidrago VSTAR to have a favorable matchup into Lugia VSTAR, making Lugia VSTAR one of the only decks in the game that can claim a universally good matchup spread. Currently, I would call Lugia VSTAR my backup pick for the World Championships, but if I am playing it safe with my choice, I feel like my time is best spent with Regidrago VSTAR. However, if you believe that your [card name=”Capturing Aroma” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”153″ c=”name”][/card] will always give you the result you need and have strong enough aura, Lugia VSTAR is borderline unbeatable, and a great play for the World Championships.
Quad Iron Thorns
[cardimg name=”Iron Thorns ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”196″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Yeah, this inclusion surprised me a bit too.
As I keep exploring the Shrouded Fable format, I keep circling back to one of the weirdest decks in the game: Quad [card name=”Iron Thorns ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. Despite being a deck built to do basically nothing, the deck is so good at doing exactly what it needs to do every single game. Just start with Iron Thorns ex, attach Energy cards onto it, and start using Volt Cyclone.
Initialization is one of the most powerful Abilities in the game right now, shutting off so many essential abilities including Teal Dance, Legacy Star, Infernal Reign, and Summoning Star. Crippling many of the best decks in the format, Iron Thorns ex is in a position to make a deep run as a weird off-meta option that happens to run hot. Its matchup spread is remarkable and all of its bad matchups are not in a position where they can reasonably expect to do well, which is the perfect storm for a deck like this to make a deep run. Be careful, though, as the deck does take collateral damage from an influx in [card name=”Canceling Cologne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] being included to beat Block [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] decks.
Conclusion
I learned to play the Pokemon TCG back in late 2011, with my first tournaments taking place in 2012. The first World Championships that I ever got to watch was the 2012 event, which was the last one held in Hawaii until this year. Ever since then, I have wanted the chance to experience something so incredible that I had to miss out on, and now that it is finally here, I am ecstatic. Everything that I have done in the Pokemon TCG has lead up to this event, and I am so excited to finally have this opportunity.
That first World Championships is a bit iconic in Pokemon history, as it marked the most dominant performance of a deck in Pokemon TCG history, with seven of the Top 8 decks featuring [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] and all eight decks featuring [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”Next Destinies” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card]. With such a simple format, it is hard to think how we ever enjoyed the game back then. However, the current Pokemon TCG Standard format is much different. There are many, many decks that can reasonably be considered competitive in the current format, many of which I neglected to mention in this article, such as [card name=”Dragapult ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Chien-Pao ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card]. The format is so wide open, even though there is certainly a big bad in the form of Regidrago VSTAR. While I personally think that there is a chance that Regidrago VSTAR puts up results like Darkrai-EX did back in 2012, I do think it is entirely possible that we see the complete opposite with eight different decks in the Top 8, which is one of the most beautiful things about this format. It is no doubt that Pokemon TCG history will be made again this year in Hawaii, and I am looking forward to seeing how it is done.
With that, this article comes to a close. As always, I hope you enjoyed reading this article, as it took a bit of a different form from my typical style of writing. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out in the comments or on social media.
Until next time!
– Isaiah
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