Intellectual Brutality – Noctowl’s Impact on Standard

What’s up guys! It’s Charlie and I’m happy to be back with another article. Last time, I wrote about my top three choices for Worlds; I inevitably ended up playing [card name=”Regidrago VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] alongside fellow writer Isaiah Cheville, Ian Robb, Vance Kelley, Jake Lazzari, and Aaron Friedman. Unfortunately, I lost my win-and-in to Day 2 at 5-3 to an unlikely draw from my opponent. While that was heartbreaking, I was happy to see Ian make it to Top 8 and win his match there as well, which was strong validation that our deck choice was good. I wasn’t satisfied with just seeing him succeed though; I needed a good finish myself. So last week, I decided to take Regidrago VSTAR to Baltimore Regionals for a chance at redemption and finished 16th! Of course, this still wasn’t my goal of first place, but I’ll gladly take it given I bubbled into Top 16. I went 10-2-1, losing to two Ancient box decks and tying a [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] when I had game in hand the next turn. I think Regidrago VSTAR was a great play; it was far and away the BDIF in the Shrouded Fable format as nothing else had anywhere near the power and flexibility that Regidrago VSTAR offered.

[cardimg name=”Noctowl” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”115″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Enough talk about the Shrouded Fable format though, let’s get into the new format! Stellar Crown brings us a lot of interesting new cards, including headliner [card name=”Terapagos ex” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] and crazy new Trainer cards like [card name=”Area Zero Underdepths” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card]. One card stuck out to me as a new favorite though – [card name=”Noctowl” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card]! Reminiscent of [card name=”Inteleon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Drizzile” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] from Sword and Shield, Noctowl’s Jewel Hunt lets you search for two Trainer cards upon evolution, which is quite a ridiculous Ability. It’s even more insane in some ways than Inteleon since the more powerful effect is on the Stage 1, meaning it’s relatively easy to use Noctowl as early as turn two. Cards like [card name=”Fan Rotom” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] are also here to support Noctowl and [card name=”Bouffalant” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] can even help to defend against attacks from the likes of [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Kyurem” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”47″ c=”name”][/card]. Its other downside of course is requiring a Tera Pokemon in play to use Jewel Hunt, but with so many good Tera Pokemon in the format, I don’t think this will be an issue. Overall, I think this card is absolutely insane and I’ve already started thinking about what decks I can play it in.

In this article, we’ll look at two different decks, each of which use Noctowl in a different way. One uses it as its main consistency engine and a way to reliably set up more consistency, and the other uses it to pull off a strong combo turn at any point in the game. I hope this helps to highlight how versatile this card is and that it isn’t necessary to go all-in on Noctowl to get value from it.

Heavy Noctowl Reliance: Terapagos ex / Pidgeot ex

This new [card name=”Terapagos ex” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card] deck has been making the rounds online recently, highlighting Stellar Crown‘s new tailor-made combo with Terapagos ex, [card name=”Noctowl” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Bouffalant” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Fan Rotom” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card]. You can use Fan Rotom to grab a bunch of Basics on turn one, including [card name=”Hoothoot” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card], Bouffalant, and [card name=”Pidgey” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”162″ c=”name”][/card]. Then, with the power of Noctowl, you can set up a Pidgeot ex for more sustainable search, fill your Bench, and do up to 220 damage efficiently with Terapagos ex.

[premium]

[decklist name=”Terapagos Pidgeot” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Fezandipiti ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”38″][pokemon amt=”25″]3x [card name=”Noctowl” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Hoothoot” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Terapagos ex” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Bouffalant” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”164″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Pidgey” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”162″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”20″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Dusclops” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”19″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Duskull” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”18″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Fan Rotom” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Fezandipiti ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”38″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”31″]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Poffin ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”144″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Night Stretcher” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”61″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Feather Ball” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”91″ 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=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Professor’s Research” set=”Sword and Shield Black Star Promos” no=”SWSH178 ” c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Penny” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”183″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Briar” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”132″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Area Zero Underdepths” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”131″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”4″]4x [card name=”Double Turbo Energy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

List Breakdown

Let’s take a look at the list:

Three Bouffalant

[cardimg name=”Bouffalant” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”119″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Bouffalant is an awesome new card that gives you a powerful 60-damage buffer on all your Basic Colorless Pokemon, but it requires having two in play to work. Terapagos ex benefits from more Benched Pokemon, so you’re always happy to make space for Bouffalant on your expanded Bench.

Many lists play two of these, but I think three is almost required because prizing one of them makes it completely irrelevant. Also, opening with one in your hand is pretty good because you can get an extra Hoothoot or Pidgey with Fan Rotom instead (or grab the Noctowl for next turn). Bouffalant is good enough that you want to prioritize it in your list.

Three Hoothoot, Three Noctowl

This list runs a 3-3 Noctowl because you have plenty of Bench space with [card name=”Area Zero Underdepths” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] and many opportunities to search out Trainers that provide value. You usually only want to use Noctowl twice in a game, once to set up your Pidgeot ex and a second time when you need more than one important Trainer in a turn. That could mean setting up a second Pidgeot ex if your first is KO’d or a huge combo turn with [card name=”Briar” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”132″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Prime Catcher ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] to win the game. Overall this count is thick primarily to ensure against bad Prizes, but sometimes you might even find yourself using that third Jewel Hunt to seal the game!

Three Terapagos ex

Terapagos ex is your main attacker, hitting hard every turn with Unified Beatdown until you win. 220 damage might not seem crazy in today’s game, but supporting members like [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] are here to add to that number. Furthermore, Terapagos ex has 290 effective HP when considering Bouffalant’s damage debuff. Terapagos ex is a simple attacker, but that’s all you need with such a strong supporting cast.

Two Pidgey, Two Pidgeot ex

Pidgeot ex has been the most powerful Colorless Pokemon in Standard for a little while now, and it joins all the newcomers in a familiar role. This deck is much better at setting up Pidgeot ex than pretty much any other deck in the past. The ability to use [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Poffin ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] and get [card name=”Fan Rotom” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] for all the pieces you need and then immediately Noctowl for [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Feather Ball” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] to get Pidgeot ex is insane. Once Pidgeot ex is set up, you won’t need to rely on Noctowl nearly as much, but it can still be used to pull off large combo turns. Pidgeot ex is great defense against something like [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card] near the end of the game though, as you get to grab what you need without needing Noctowl in your hand. I think Noctowl and Pidgeot ex are a great one-two punch, with the former setting up the latter with unmatched consistency and providing you even more ways to make huge plays.

Two Fan Rotom

[cardimg name=”Fan Rotom” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”118″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

[card name=”Fan Rotom” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] may look like a mediocre set-up card at first, but it’s actually one of the best cards in this set. On the first turn, Fan Rotom can search out three Colorless Pokemon with 100 HP or less and put them into your hand! This is reminiscent of [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY71″ c=”name”][/card], which was key for the [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] deck to fill its Bench and hit for a huge amount of damage. Conveniently, [card name=”Hoothoot” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Pidgey” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”162″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Bouffalant” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card], and even [card name=”Noctowl” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] all have 100 HP or less, which makes Fan Rotom able to search all of them! A single [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Poffin ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card] now enables you to get Fan Rotom and another Basic like Pidgey, then use Fan Rotom to get Hoothoot and two Bouffalant, more Pidgey, or even a Noctowl for next turn. Even more impressive is the fact Fan Rotom does 70 damage for one Energy if there’s a Stadium in play, which gives you a strong built-in counter for [card name=”Mimikyu” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card]. This card will obviously see play in most Colorless decks, but I think many people underestimate how insane Fan Rotom is!

Two Duskull, One Dusclops, Two Dusknoir

My favorite cards from Shrouded Fable, the [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] line, get another chance to shine here. Dusknoir is especially good in combination with [card name=”Briar” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”132″ c=”name”][/card], allowing you to force your opponent to two Prize cards so you can take an extra Prize with Briar. We went with a 2-1-2 line here because you oftentimes have extra [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] to spare, and the 13 damage counters are much more impactful than the five from Dusclops. Dusknoir is a huge inclusion here and it allows you to win the game before your opponent expects it sometimes as well.

One Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex

[card name=”Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] finds its place here as well for usage near the end of the game, giving you a way to deal 220 damage without needing a full Bench (or 240 if they only have one Prize left). With options like Dusknoir, you can oftentimes force your opponent to one Prize to attack for free. This can help out if you can’t find a [card name=”Double Turbo Energy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card] and lets you reach a higher max damage output from your attacker. Furthermore, 260 HP turns into 320 when you consider Bouffalant, turning Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex into an absolute tank. I think Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex is a great fit here and gives you a late-game attacking option that can hit as hard as Terapagos ex.

One Fezandipiti ex

[card name=”Fezandipiti ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] has exceeded everyone’s expectations, even mine, which were high prior to Worlds. I knew I wrote about it as a role-player card that would appear in a few Worlds Top 8 lists, but it appeared in over half of the lists! Fezandipiti ex is game-changing and adds insult to injury for any opponent trying to disrupt your hand. With [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card], Noctowl, and Fezandipiti ex together, your opponent will always struggle to target your draw and search. Fezandipiti ex is definitely insurance, but powerful insurance in case you get disrupted and lose your Pidgeot ex in the same turn.

One Penny

[cardimg name=”Penny” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”252″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

[card name=”Penny” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”183″ c=”name”][/card] finds a space here as a way to heal a [card name=”Terapagos ex” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] after it attacks. I only play one here, but that’s almost always all you need, as it could get you a turn back that you need to win the Prize trade. With [card name=”Bouffalant” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] defending your Colorless Basics, it’s relatively likely an opponent will fail to OHKO your Terapagos or Bloodmoon Ursaluna at least once in a game, at which point you can go grab Penny and effectively take a free extra turn.

Not playing Penny feels like a huge mistake when you have such easy ways to search it out and a high likelihood of avoiding OHKOs, so I think this card is critical.

Three Iono

[card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card] is your best early and mid-game Supporter in this deck since you don’t need [card name=”Arven” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”166″ c=”name”][/card] the same way [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] does. Also, you get to take advantage of Cursed Bomb giving your opponent an extra Prize card, which means Iono gives them one less card in hand. If you have ways to get Noctowl, you have every card you need, so there’s no need to play Supporters to search out your Trainers.

One Briar

[card name=”Briar” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”132″ c=”name”][/card] is the hot new Supporter that gives you a way to take an extra Prize if your opponent has exactly two Prize cards remaining. This card has received a lot of hype, and I think it’s completely deserved. Using Dusclops and Dusknoir to force your opponent to exactly two Prizes is pretty easy and that extra Prize card often wins you the game on the spot. I think the best decks going forward will be the ones that can use Briar more effectively than others, and this one is one of the best at it for sure.

One Feather Ball

[card name=”Feather Ball” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] hasn’t seen too much play in its history, but it’s a great inclusion here as a zero-cost way to search out [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card]. Noctowl’s ability to search for both Rare Candy and Feather Ball gives you Pidgeot ex instantly, which is the most efficient way we’ve seen yet to set it up, not even requiring a Supporter! Feather Ball is a great one-of here since you usually only need to do this once, and if you need it again, you can always use an Ultra Ball.

One Counter Catcher

[card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] is amazing here as you can force yourself to go behind with [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] and abuse the zero-cost gust effect freely. Noctowl’s ability to grab it is also insane, making it only a single [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”196″ c=”name”][/card] away. This deck has unparalleled ways to search the deck for the Trainers it needs, so a strong but situational card like Counter Catcher is a perfect fit.

One Prime Catcher

Since I’m not opting to play any Basic Energy here, [card name=”Prime Catcher ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] is a much better fit than something like [card name=”Sparkling Crystal” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”142″ c=”name”][/card]. This deck is aggressive and Prime Catcher will be strong in aggressive decks until it rotates. It’s still by far the universally best ACE SPEC and will continue to be that, so it’s an easy choice to play here.

Four Area Zero Underdepths

[cardimg name=”Area Zero Underdepths” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”174″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

As a spiritual successor to [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Area Zero Underdepths” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] brings back the ability to put eight Pokemon on your Bench, provided you have a Tera Pokemon in play. This boosts Terapagos ex’s max damage output up to 240 (220 with [card name=”Double Turbo Energy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card]) which is respectable.

This needs to be combined with [card name=”Dusclops” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”19″ c=”name”][/card] and Dusknoir to be truly dominant, but this deck absolutely needs to have eight Pokemon on its Bench for most of the game. Playing four means I’ll be more likely to find it early, which is critical with cards like [card name=”Fan Rotom” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] grabbing so many Pokemon.

Four Double Turbo Energy

Double Turbo Energy is the only Energy of choice here, but that’s fine as you don’t need that many attacks to win. It’s searchable with Pidgeot ex and usable on both Terapagos ex and Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex, and as mentioned before, you don’t even need an Energy for your last attack sometimes. Lastly, since you play four Stadium cards, [card name=”Temple of Sinnoh” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card] is rarely an issue. I don’t think you need any more than this, and a build with Basic Energy would look different, so this is all I’d consider for Energy right now.

Light Noctowl Reliance: Miraidon ex

That’s all for Terapagos ex; it’s one of the best users of [card name=”Noctowl” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] from the new set and this list highlights how powerful it can be when you have access to multiple Jewel Hunts per game. This next list, however, doesn’t look like one where Noctowl would usually fit, but I think it could add a ton of power and late-game flexibility.

[decklist name=”Miraidon ex” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Noctowl” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”115″][pokemon amt=”16″]2x [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”81″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Raikou V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”48″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Squawkabilly ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”169″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Raichu V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”45″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mew ex” set=”151″ no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Fezandipiti ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”38″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mewtwo ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”58″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Zapdos” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”29″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Iron Bundle” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Noctowl” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoothoot” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”28″]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Electric Generator” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”170″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch Cart” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hisuian Heavy Ball” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”146″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Prime Catcher ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Board ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”159″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Bravery Charm” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”173″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Vitality Band” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”197″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Forest Seal Stone” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Arven” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”166″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Cassiopeia” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Area Zero Underdepths” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”131″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”16″]15x [card name=”Basic Lightning Energy” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”257″ c=”deck2″ amt=”15″][/card]1x [card name=”Double Turbo Energy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

I don’t think many people have thought about what Noctowl can add to decks when it’s only a 1-1 line. This new [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card] deck has been making the rounds online, focusing much more on [card name=”Raikou V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”48″ c=”name”][/card] and the added damage provided by [card name=”Area Zero Underdepths” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] to hit for more damage efficiently. [card name=”Mewtwo ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card] makes an appearance here for nothing more than being a Lightning-type Tera Pokemon, which is searchable by Tandem Unit and allows you to expand your Bench to eight Pokemon. If I were to play a second Tera Pokemon, it would likely be a [card name=”Terapagos ex” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] since it actually does something, but one has felt fine so far.

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

For those of you who remember [card name=”Peony” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] being the feature Supporter in some Miraidon ex decks, Noctowl brings back the familiar effect of searching for two Trainer cards and putting them in your hand. Luckily, Noctowl isn’t a Supporter and also doesn’t discard your hand, making it insane! Sometimes, Miraidon ex feels like it needs a bit of extra gas in the mid-game, particularly if you’re reaching for a huge KO with [card name=”Raichu V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”45″ c=”name”][/card]. This could involve finding a gust card like [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card] in combination with [card name=”Electric Generator” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”170″ c=”name”][/card] to grab some extra Energy, getting another Area Zero Underdepths out of your deck to refill your Bench after it’s countered, or even grabbing double [card name=”Electric Generator” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] to increase your Energy presence. We already play four [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”196″ c=”name”][/card], so Noctowl is only one ball away and can win you the game with the perfect two Trainer cards.

Lastly, on the final turns of the game, Miraidon ex often struggles with putting together a game-winning combo. We already have [card name=”Mew ex” set=”151″ no=”151″ c=”name”][/card] to get three cards in our hand and [card name=”Fezandipiti ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] to add even more, but Fezandipiti ex is often the target of late-game gusts. If you only have Mew ex, all you need is an Ultra Ball off of Restart to grab Noctowl, which will oftentimes grab you everything you need to win.

Conclusion

This concept is still under-explored and the list is otherwise pretty basic, but it’s something I’m certainly looking into as a way to make Miraidon ex even better. Any deck that can bench a Tera Pokemon can use [card name=”Noctowl” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card], so make sure to keep your mind open to all the places it can fit. A 1-1 line of a Stage 1 is low commitment, and for such a high power effect like Jewel Hunt, you should consider it in pretty much every place you can.

That’s all for today’s article, I hope you enjoyed reading it! I’m not going to Louisville, so my testing for Stellar Crown will continue to be exploratory for a bit longer until the meta is more defined and I can start preparing for LAIC. I’ll be back soon with another article talking about some more decks I’ve been liking in the lead-up to Louisville. As always, feel free to comment below with any thoughts or reach out to me on X (@C4_TCG) if you have any questions. Thank you again for reading and I hope to see you in the next one!

– Charlie

[/premium]