Miracle Force — Gardevoir ex Returns to Shine Again

Hello to all PokeBeach readers! This is Gabriel Semedo with another Pokémon TCG article, and this time I want to talk once again about [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card], which disappeared not too long ago, but has returned to shine in the current format thanks to the dominance of [card name=”Regidrago VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card].

[cardimg name=”Regidrago VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”136″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

In the months of November and December, we had some Regional Championships with Surging Sparks. From what we’ve seen, however, little has changed. Regidrago VSTAR established itself as the best deck in format, which has shaken a few things up. The main impact is the fall of [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card], which initially opened the way for [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card] and other decks focused on Basic Pokémon to return to the format. However, this was short-lived. Charizard returned to the metagame, albeit with less of a presence than in previous formats.

The format’s new decks are mostly old decks that have gained new cards. The first is [card name=”Gholdengo ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card], which thanks to the new ACE SPEC [card name=”Energy Search Pro” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”176″ c=”name”][/card] has managed to solve one of its biggest problems: taking Knock Outs on its second turn. Without Energy Search Pro, it was difficult to gather so many Energy cards in just two turns. As a result, most players chose to use [card name=”Raging Bolt ex ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] instead of Gholdengo, since it has a similar strategy but can do lots of damage starting on its very first turn. The second deck is [card name=”Klawf” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Terapagos ex” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card], which is basically a Klawf deck, but much more consistent and complete. Cards like [card name=”Latias ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and the new ACE SPEC [card name=”Precious Trolley” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card] allow the deck to reach a completely different level.

Another apparent change in the metagame is the increase in popularity of decks like Block [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”221″ c=”name”][/card] Control. These two decks are increasingly moving from rogue status to something more mainstream. It’s very likely that you’ll face at least one of them in a Regional Championships, especially on the second day.

The change that catches my attention the most is the return of Gardevoir ex, firstly because I’ve always liked the gameplay and strength of the deck, but also because I see potential for Gardevoir ex to compete at the top tier of a format dominated by Regidrago VSTAR. Regidrago has a target on its back, and the decks people usually use to beat Regidrago are all decks a Gardevoir player loves to play against. In this article, I will talk about my view of Gardevoir ex’s current status and how my list can be a good option for future tournaments.

First, it’s important to understand that the new metagame requires a few changes for Gardevoir lists, even though they gain virtually nothing from Surging Sparks. The first is the choice of Ralts. Since Regidrago VSTAR is the BDIF, you must play a 70-HP Ralts to avoid one-shots from [card name=”Dragapult ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card]. That means you can’t play the [card name=”Ralts” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] with Memory Skip. The Psyshot [card name=”Ralts” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”84″ c=”name”][/card] deals 30 damage, which is great to Knock Out [card name=”Cleffa” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] and help with math in some other cases, but it’s not enough to make us play it over Teleportation Burst, which helps much more in the Blocklax matchup.

The second is the role of Gardevoir ex itself. You already know what Gardevoir ex does, but I want to highlight an important aspect that isn’t often talked about, but is fundamental nowadays: attacking with it. Against Regidrago VSTAR, every attacker in the opponent’s deck has difficulty one-shotting Gardevoir ex. That makes Gardevoir ex not only a great option, but often the best way to win the matchup. This is also true in matchups other than Regidrago VSTAR, which I’ll discuss on a case-by-case basis in the Matchups section below.

Gardevoir’s set of attackers remains pretty similar to past versions of the deck, but the ways they’re used are changing. First, double [card name=”Munkidori” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] is very common in Gardevoir lists now, and this means Munkidori gets used as an attacker more frequently. You can do a lot with just one Munkidori, but Gardevoir is usually in a much stronger position with two of them on the field. Your Bench space is limited because you want multiple of both [card name=”Kirlia” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] and Munkidori on the field, and one way around this problem is to use Gardevoir and Munkidori as attackers. Munkidori’s Ability is so strong, you often win games without needing powerful attacks. Another advantage of two Munkidori and three Darkness Energy is the fact that you can set it up more easily. If you’ve ever played with just one Munkidori and one Dark Energy, you know that in some games it’s simply not possible to bring the two pieces together in time. In a list with two Munkidori, you greatly increase your chances of setting up at least one of them early on.

In contrast, [card name=”Drifloon” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Scream Tail” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] are diminishing in importance. Gardevoir has historically wanted to pile damage onto these two Pokémon to most effectively use their attacks, and of course they are still fundamental pieces today, but over time the deck has started to assign less value to them and more value to Munkidori. As I said, many games are won with just Gardevoir ex and Munkidori. Scream Tail and Drifloon are still great techs, but no longer every-game pieces.

Below, I’ll talk about my current list, some metagame-specific inclusions, some one-or-the-other choices I’ve made, and the deck’s matchup spread.

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[decklist name=”Gardevoir ex” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″][pokemon amt=”18″]2x [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Kirlia” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ralts” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Munkidori” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Drifloon” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”155″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Scream Tail” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Klefki” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”159″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mawile” set=”Lost Origin” no=”71″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”32″]4x [card name=”Arven” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”166″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Turo’s Scenario” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”240″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Unfair Stamp” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”165″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pal Pad” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”132″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Poffin ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”144″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”181″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hisuian Heavy Ball” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”146″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Earthen Vessel” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”163″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”188″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”160″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Bravery Charm” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”173″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Technical Machine: Evolution” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”178″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Artazon” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]7x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]3x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Klefki for Iron Thorns

[card name=”Klefki” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] has a very useful Ability if you start the game with it, but that’s rare. Sometimes it’s worth paying the Retreat Cost to promote Klefki to the Active Spot, but this is only likely to be effective if you go first. The main reason Klefki is worth deck space is that it disables [card name=”Iron Thorns ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]’s Ability, allowing Gardevoir ex to use its Ability.

Mawile for Comebacks

[card name=”Mawile” set=”Lost Origin” no=”71″ c=”name”][/card] makes a lot of sense with double Munkidori, enabling a strategy where you stall a non-attacker in the opponent’s Active Spot while slowly transferring damage onto their field. Theoretically, this combo only does limited damage, but with [card name=”Professor Turo’s Scenario” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Pal Pad” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”182″ c=”name”][/card], you can do a lot with Munkidori’s Ability.

Manaphy versus Rabsca

I played against Cery Jones recently, a first-season Masters player who has already made Top 128 at LAIC and 17th at Sacramento Regionals, and she was playing Gardevoir with [card name=”Rabsca ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card]. I was using Regidrago, and Rabsca gave me trouble in two of the three games.

I recently decided to test it out, but ultimately I felt it wasn’t worth it. One of the main reasons is that it will not always be possible to set up Rabsca, such as when one of the pieces is in the Prizes, or when you can’t attack with [card name=”Technical Machine: Evolution” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”178″ c=”name”][/card] on your first turn. Even if you do set it up, it can be circumvented with [card name=”Canceling Cologne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card]. There are many ways for Rabsca not to work, and only a few ways it helps you more than Manaphy. Manaphy is much simpler to set up, it protects you from [card name=”Kyurem” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”47″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card], and it’s much easier to return to the field after being Knocked Out.

Radiant Greninja versus Tatsugiri

I can understand the value of [card name=”Tatsugiri” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card], but I don’t like it, not at least having to choose between it and Radiant Greninja. I think a lot about using Tatsugiri and Radiant Greninja in the same list, though. The person who gave Tatsugiri a little popularity outside of Japan was Keito Arai, who made Top 4 at NAIC and won at Perth with a Gardevoir list that played Tatsugiri and did not play Radiant Greninja. The entire list was adapted to make Tatsugiri have more value than Radiant Greninja. For example, the list does not play [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”181″ c=”name”][/card], but does play two [card name=”Artazon” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card].

Even so, the most popular lists in North America use Radiant Greninja and Nest Ball, and I prefer it that way, too. However, I see no reason not to consider Tatsugiri alongside Radiant Greninja. Tatsugiri is another good starter Pokémon, it can be found with [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Poffin ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card]and it performs a completely different function from Radiant Greninja.

Pal Pad versus Fourth Iono

The last thing I want to highlight in the list is the inclusion of Pal Pad in place of the fourth [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card], a card that was considered a staple until Toronto Regionals. This is because Pal Pad lets you use Professor Turo’s Scenario and [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card] more than once, and this means a considerable improvement in some matchups, such as Blocklax and [card name=”Pidgeot ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”164″ c=”name”][/card] Control.

Another advantage of Pal Pad is that it gives you more freedom to discard Supporters from your hand. Especially in the first few turns, it’s difficult to choose discards for Refinement, and sometimes you end up having to pitch Turo or Boss while knowing you might miss it later. When your opponent knows you can’t use Boss’s Orders, they feel very comfortable.

Matchups

Regidrago VSTAR (40–60)

I need to test this matchup more from the perspective of the Gardevoir player. I believe it is a slightly bad matchup for Gardevoir, basically because Gardevoir needs a lot of things to go right for Regidrago to not destroy its setup.

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

To begin with, let’s talk about the worst possible scenario, which is the famous Kyurem–plus–Canceling Cologne combo. When I’ve played Regidrago, there have only been a few times that I achieved the combo on my second turn, and even then, it sometimes wasn’t worth losing all the Energy, especially if I’d already used my VSTAR Power. My advice here is to play as if this combo isn’t going to happen. Just drop Manaphy and set up normally.

A point in Gardevoir’s favor is the fact that Regidrago decks no longer play [card name=”Hawlucha” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card], so Ralts survives Dragapult ex’s attack. Another relevant point is the fact that they only play one copy of Dragapult ex to make room for [card name=”Alolan Exeggutor ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] , a worse attacker in this matchup. One of the best attackers on Gardevoir’s side is Gardevoir ex itself, so long as you can set it up without damaging it, as Regidrago doesn’t have any Pokémon that can OHKO it.

Remember that Regidrago lists play [card name=”Jamming Tower” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”153″ c=”name”][/card], the Stadium that nullifies the effects of Pokémon Tools, so save your Artazon.

Mawile is a good way to win games if the opponent has already spent all of their switching resources, which is usually just one copy of [card name=”Switch” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”194″ c=”name”][/card] and a [card name=”Prime Catcher ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card], plus the VSTAR Power to possibly return them.

I prefer to let the opponent go first; in this matchup, that means they’re unlikely to pull off the Kyurem–and–Canceling Cologne combo. They will probably attack, but it will more likely be with Dragapult ex or [card name=”Hisuian Goodra VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card].

Understand that Regidrago VSTAR will probably start ahead on Prizes, and that’s a good thing, because it means you can use [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Unfair Stamp” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card]. Gardevoir and Munkidori are your main strategy during most of the match, until you’re ready to finish things with Drifloon or Scream Tail.

Raging Bolt / Roaring Moon / Gouging Fire (70–30)

I group these three decks together to illustrate why you should choose Gardevoir over Regidrago for a Regional Championships. These three matchups are the three worst matchups for Regidrago VSTAR in the current format, while they are all good matchups for Gardevoir. With the increasing success of Regidrago, we will likely see more and more decks focused on beating Regidrago, which is all good news for Gardevoir.

Of course, each of the three matchups is different in the details, but they all use Basic Pokémon, including Pokémon ex, against a deck that can play most of the time with just single-Prize Pokémon. This math typically adds up in Gardevoir’s favor.

Although [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card] is similar to these three, Iron Hands ex skews the Prize trade by taking two Prizes when it Knocks Out a single-Prize Pokémon.

Klawf / Terapagos (70–30)

Another good reason to use Gardevoir over Regidrago! This matchup is balanced for Regidrago, but it’s easy for Gardevoir. [card name=”Klawf” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] cannot OHKO Gardevoir ex, so the Prize trade is favorable for Gardevoir, who has an easy time Knocking Out Pokémon ex on Klawf’s side of the field.

Charizard ex (40–60)

Nothing has changed here. If Gardevoir doesn’t play [card name=”Technical Machine: Devolution” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”177″ c=”name”][/card], the matchup will continue to be bad for it. The good news is that with Regidrago’s success, fewer players are using Charizard ex.

It is very difficult for Gardevoir to KO a Charizard ex, and almost impossible to KO a second one and the same game. Get ready to play without Gardevoir ex on the field, as the opponent will probably target it and use [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] to Knock Out any Kirlia you set up.

Remember that Gardevoir ex wants to win on the opponent’s lack of resources, so I always focus on Knocking Out [card name=”Pidgey” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”196″ c=”name”][/card] and Pidgeot ex and trying to take advantage of the inconsistency that causes with Iono, Unfair Stamp, and Counter Catcher. Mawile is a very powerful weapon since Charizard has few switching resources, especially if there is no Pidgeot ex on the field to offer an easy search.

Lugia VSTAR (50–50)

While Lugia VSTAR has some strong weapons in this matchup, such as Iron Hands ex, it can’t always deliver everything it promises. It’s also easy to tech for this matchup, usually with [card name=”Temple of Sinnoh” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”214″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card] to remove [card name=”Legacy Energy” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”167″ c=”name”][/card]. Without one of these cards, you’ll need to bypass Legacy Energy’s effect by taking the Knock Out with Munkidori’s Ability.

The only way for Lugia VSTAR to OHKO Gardevoir ex is with [card name=”Cinccino ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Wyrdeer V” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card], so if you can Knock Out the [card name=”Minccino ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] and control your opponent’s Energy, then it’s okay to use Gardevoir ex to take Knock Outs.

Final Thoughts

Gardevoir ex is a good response to the metagame shift being wrought by the dominance of Regidrago VSTAR. I must acknowledge that Regidrago is still quite good and likely the best deck in format in a vacuum, but there is a very real path in the metagame for Gardevoir to do very well. Gardevoir is good if you feel that the number of decks focused on beating Regidrago is high, because most of Regidrago’s worst matchups are good for Gardevoir. Additionally, while Regidrago generally has balanced matchups, Gardevoir’s matchups tend to swing farther one way or the other. More of them are favorable than unfavorable, though.

If I were choosing a deck for a Regional Championships, I would say that with Regidrago I have a better chance of making Top 32, while with Gardevoir I have a better chance of winning the tournament.

That’s all for today. I hope you enjoyed it, and see you next time!

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