Sacramento, Stuttgart, and Surging Sparks Shape the Meta

Hello everyone! Recently we’ve seen two Regionals take place in the new Surging Sparks format, and there were certainly some interesting results. Today I want to take a look at all of the major decks in this format, and discuss their positions in the meta going forward, as well as share my personal opinions on various lists and potential card inclusions.

Sacramento kicked things off in this new format, and the Top 8 seemed to perfectly showcase the duality of the metagame. In finals was a mirror match between two [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card] decks. I was not too surprised by this, as Miraidon got significantly powered up by the new set, utilizing the combination of [card name=”Pikachu ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Area Zero Underdepths” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”131″ c=”name”][/card] to solve Miraidon’s Bench space issues while simultaneously powering up [card name=”Raikou V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”48″ c=”name”][/card]. Miraidon also enjoys [card name=”Latias ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Magneton” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”59″ c=”name”][/card], both of which are new cards that greatly increase the output and efficiency of the deck. [card name=”Gholdengo ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] also made its way into the top cut, including not only the new [card name=”Energy Search Pro” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”176″ c=”name”][/card] for consistency but also [card name=”Togekiss” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] to improve Prize trades.

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

The rest of Top 8 was five [card name=”Regidrago VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] decks, showing that the tried and true meta powerhouse still has fangs despite not improving much from Surging Sparks. However, not all is the same, as [card name=”Alolan Exeggutor ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] found itself in many lists, adding to the litany of Dragon-type Pokemon that Regidrago draws power from. I think this change is rather insignificant, and I’m not even sure that Alolan Exeggutor is worth playing, even though I did play it myself at the tournament. Unfortunately, I somehow choked a 7-0 start, getting three unfortunate ties after that. Regidrago filled the top tables throughout the tournament. Even though it did not make finals, it’s still fair to say that Regidrago dominated Sacramento securing so many Top 8 spots. Finally, [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”234″ c=”name”][/card] lost in asymmetrical top cut. Although Charizard can play [card name=”Precious Trolley” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card] from the new set, most people agree that [card name=”Unfair Stamp” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] is still the better ACE SPEC for Charizard in the current meta. As such, there aren’t any new cards that Charizard commonly plays.

The following week’s Stuttgart Regionals showed us completely different results. The finals was also a mirror match, but this time between Charizard decks. The rest of Top 8 looks like something straight from a random League Cup: [card name=”Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Noctowl” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Dragapult ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Iron Thorns ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Klawf” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card], and two Gholdengo ex decks, of all things. I am quite surprised at this spattering of decks, and most notably an absence of Regidrago! Klawf seems to be the newest fad, utilizing a neat engine around [card name=”Precious Trolley” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card] and Area Zero Underdepths. Day 2 of Stuttgart was littered with Klawf everywhere, yet only one made Top 8. Palkia / [card name=”Noctowl” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] was seen a little bit at LAIC, but never seemed to be a hugely popular meta deck. The Stuttgart list doesn’t add any cards from Surging Sparks, though perhaps it could make use of a Latias ex.

The Gardevoir list is very interesting, aiming to go second with a combination of [card name=”Call Bell” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Arven” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”166″ c=”name”][/card], and Precious Trolley alongside four [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”186″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Lumineon V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card]. When going second, this should be very consistent at filling the board and getting a turn 1 [card name=”Technical Machine: Evolution” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”178″ c=”name”][/card]. The Dragapult Thorns deck also includes Trolley as its ACE SPEC for some reason, and plays a copy of [card name=”Tera Orb” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] as well, which makes sense to me. This is a very unusual deck that hasn’t seen much play before now, and for good reason.

Regidrago VSTAR

There’s no sugarcoating it, Regidrago VSTAR is the best deck.This is reflected in its status as the most popular deck at both Sacramento and Stuttgart. I think this deck is oppressive due to its versatility and the fact that it’s basically impossible to counter.

Regidrago’s combination of attackers are able to shut out a wide variety of other decks. Almost every cool or interesting deck suffers a poor Regidrago matchup. Regidrago’s Achilles’ heel has always been [card name=”Raging Bolt ex ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”208″ c=”name”][/card], which remains popular, but its results are declining. Top players basically never play Raging Bolt, and even among others, there are many new and more interesting decks.

Sacramento was the first tournament this season where Raging Bolt actually wasn’t the most popular deck, though it was still around 11 percent meta share. Raging Bolt has failed to make top cut in the Surging Sparks format, and tends to fall off as one goes deeper into a tournament. As such, a Regidrago player might have to deal with one or two average Raging Bolt players, but if they survive that (which is possible), the rest of its matchups are pretty good. With the likes of Charizard ex, Klawf, and Gholdengo ex increasing in popularity and results, Regidrago is poised for success.

I was shocked to see no Regidrago in top cut of Stuttgart, as the meta seemed to be quite favorable for it. Nonetheless, there were still plenty in Day 2, and the margins for making cut are extremely thin under the new tournament structure. Most people are under the impression that Regidrago is unfavored against Miraidon ex. While this is a close and volatile matchup, playing it a few times has led me to believe that Regidrago is slightly favored. Regidrago has some occasional issues with speed and consistency, which Miraidon will always punish. However, when Regidrago gets to play its game, it has several strong options against Miraidon, which always remains its linear self.

I was surprised that I was the only Regidrago who was able to beat Landen, who won Sacramento with Miraidon. Perhaps I will discuss the matchup more in-depth in a future article. After playing some more Regidrago in this format, I believe I’ve nailed the list down. I think this is unequivocally the best deck in the Surging Sparks format:

[premium]

[decklist name=”drago” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Squawkabilly ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”169″][pokemon amt=”19″]3x [card name=”Regidrago VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Regidrago V” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Teal Mask Ogerpon ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”25″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Dragapult ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Giratina VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”131″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Kyurem” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”47″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Radiant Charizard” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”20″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Cleffa” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”80″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Iron Bundle” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Fezandipiti ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”38″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mew ex” set=”151″ no=”151″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Squawkabilly ex” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”169″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”31″]4x [card name=”Professor’s Research” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”84″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Earthen Vessel” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”163″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Energy Switch” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”173″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”188″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Canceling Cologne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Switch” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”194″ 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=”Jamming Tower” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”153″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]7x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”152″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]3x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”153″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist][cardimg name=”Alolan Exeggutor ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”242″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This list is just two cards off what I played at Sacramento, where I had the experimental [card name=”Alolan Exeggutor ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] alongside the mirror tech [card name=”Hisuian Goodra VSTAR” set=”Lost Origin” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] in place of the second [card name=”Dragapult ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”200″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Iron Bundle” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card]. However, I have not found much use for Goodra, as it often ends up being irrelevant in the mirror. There are some situations where it can be good, but overall, it’s not that impactful. Iron Bundle is much stronger, easier to use, and more widely useful in other situations. It is a better mirror tech than Goodra, but if you’re playing a local meta without many [card name=”Regidrago VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card], it probably isn’t worth including. I would bring Iron Bundle to Regionals in this format over Goodra.

Alolan Exeggutor is somewhat useful at times, but usually I’d rather have Dragapult. In most games, I don’t ever use Exeggutor, but I almost always want Dragapult. Whenever I naturally draw into Exeggutor and can easily discard it, I can’t help but wish it was Dragapult instead. You can get away with playing one Dragapult though. Exeggutor has some strong niche use cases, such as being strong into [card name=”Pikachu ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”238″ c=”name”][/card], Control or Stall decks, and [card name=”Terapagos ex” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”170″ c=”name”][/card] with [card name=”Bouffalant” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card]. Basically, it is good for bypassing defensive effects. In theory, it can win the mirror by sniping their Regidrago behind their Active [card name=”Cleffa” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”202″ c=”name”][/card], but I often found myself in that situation, and did not want to risk the coin flip leaving my Regidrago vulnerable. Exeggutor can conveniently take a two-Prize KO, but two Dragapult attacks over two turns does the same thing, while not activating [card name=”Fezandipiti ex” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card]’s Flip the Script or making you as vulnerable to [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”269″ c=”name”][/card].

The addition of [card name=”Tera Orb” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”PokéStop” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Noctowl” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] are nice consistency cards that are featured in some lists. Tera Orb and PokeStop aren’t bad, but they don’t have enough consistency or output if you ask me. Noctowl is a bit clunky and sometimes ends up being a liability. As such it’s only useful in some matchups while taking up two deck spots. [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card] is great in theory, but it doesn’t end up being as impactful as you think due to it being hard to find and use. [card name=”Capturing Aroma” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”153″ c=”name”][/card] seems like a useful card that I’d like to try out, though I’m unsure if it’s better than Tera Orb. Notably, Tera Orb is worse if your list doesn’t have Exeggutor, and by extension, so is PokeStop. [card name=”Temple of Sinnoh” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”214″ c=”name”][/card] is a relic of the past with [card name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”211″ c=”name”][/card] all but died out.

Charizard ex

Although [card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”223″ c=”name”][/card] wasn’t in the Top 8 of Sacramento, it did make asymmetrical cut and also placed 11th. And of course, it took first and second at Stuttgart. Charizard is second only to Regidrago VSTAR, and this reminds me of the Worlds format. Charizard is really, really strong right now. I played it to LAIC (a week before Sacramento) and made Top 64, which isn’t anything to write home about, but I was somewhat close to making a real run. Again, thin margins.

My only gripe with Charizard is that it’s slightly unfavored into Regidrago, but that almost doesn’t matter when its other matchups are so good. Charizard is a [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”244″ c=”name”][/card] player’s biggest fear, and is also strong into [card name=”Raging Bolt ex ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”208″ c=”name”][/card], unlike Regidrago. If you think about it, Regidrago’s Regidrago matchup is 50-50, which is only a little better than Charizard’s. Charizard takes a much better matchup into aggressive decks like Raging Bolt and Miraidon, which Regidrago envies. Charizard is also fine into the likes of [card name=”Gholdengo ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”252″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Klawf” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card], just like Regidrago. It doesn’t take a genius to see that Charizard could be the best play into the current meta, and its Regidrago matchup is very playable if a little unfavored.

The list that won Stuttgart is clean and standard. After trying both five and six Fire Energy, I strongly feel that six is the correct amount, especially with Cleffa in the deck. There are also many times where you want to commit three Energy to [card name=”Radiant Charizard” set=”Crown Zenith” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] or Fezandipiti ex. The extra Fire Energy gives the deck more power and flexibility, while not always awkwardly relying on [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”276″ c=”name”][/card] during the mid-game.

Cuttable cards include the second [card name=”Duskull” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Briar” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card], or [card name=”Night Stretcher” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”251″ c=”name”][/card]. Personally, I think one copy of Duskull is perfectly fine, but two is okay too. Briar is undoubtedly powerful, but very hard to use. Briar is definitely better with two Duskull, but it’s hard to find space for everything. Cleffa is very nice as a boost to consistency as well as an option to set up under Ability lock.

The second placed list played two PokeStop, which strikes me as an edgy choice. Not only is this bad, but it’s completely antithetical to how the deck works. Most Sacramento lists played [card name=”Canceling Cologne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card], as did I at LAIC. This is just a meta call aimed at [card name=”Iron Thorns ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”196″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Snorlax” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. I’m somewhat indifferent to the card overall, but it’s nice to have a way to win against those annoying decks. Charizard has been around 8% meta share at these two Regionals, and since people love playing Charizard when it’s good, I expect that to slightly increase going forward.

Miraidon ex

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

After its dominant showing at Sacramento, Miraidon ex had an 8% meta share at Stuttgart, but did not make Top 8. Miraidon is undoubtedly a very strong deck, although it is rather linear and predictable. I think Landen’s winning list from Sacramento is super clean and nearly optimized. My only disagreement is that it definitely should include [card name=”Lost Vacuum” set=”Lost Origin” no=”217″ c=”name”][/card], as the card enables many strong plays alongside [card name=”Area Zero Underdepths” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”174″ c=”name”][/card], and is just a solid card in general that helps out Miraidon.

I don’t think the second copy of [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”248″ c=”name”][/card] is necessary at all. The inclusions of the fourth copy of [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”189″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”264″ c=”name”][/card] are extremely good, as the deck wants to gust almost every turn once it starts attacking. Counter Catcher can be activated by using [card name=”Magneton” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”59″ c=”name”][/card] if you’re on even Prizes, which is nuts. Iron Bundle efficiently complements the aggressive nature of the deck as well, and is a huge pain for Regidrago VSTAR in particular, as it easily gets around that Radiant Charizard.

I still think my [card name=”Professor’s Research” set=”Celebrations” no=”23″ c=”name”][/card]-focused build of Miraidon is good as well, though I don’t know which version is better, or if it even matters. The winning list does not play [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card], which is probably fine. I think Radiant Greninja is quite handy, but it can become a liability in some situations. The second place Miraidon list from Sacramento does play Radiant Greninja, but also plays lots of [card name=”Irida” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”186″ c=”name”][/card].

But to me, Irida is just bad in this deck. Even if you only play one or two Tool cards, the option to play [card name=”Arven” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”235″ c=”name”][/card] for searching [card name=”Forest Seal Stone” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] is too strong and consistent. Searching out Water-type Pokemon is trivial and low priority. Just like with the PokeStop Charizard list, this edgy pick lost to the superior version in the finals of a mirror match. That said, a bad version of a good deck is still a good deck, and apparently can still do well in tournaments.

Miraidon doesn’t really have any particularly good matchups, but it is a classic case of a broken deck with a bad on-paper matchup spread, which we have seen many times before. I think it may dip in popularity a little bit, but it’s still a deck that commands respect.

Raging Bolt ex

Raging Bolt is still pretty popular at around 10% of decks at both Regionals. However, its recent results have been lackluster. I actually think Raging Bolt is still great, and if a strong player picks up the deck, they will enjoy the easier [card name=”Regidrago VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] matchup as well as decent enough matchups against the rest, although no standouts like Regidrago.

Not only is it hard to find a deck that is favored against Regidrago, but since Regidrago is the most popular deck, it makes Raging Bolt quite an enticing play. Like Miraidon ex, Raging Bolt wins games due to being an inherently broken deck. Its Charizard ex matchup isn’t great, but it is much better than Miraidon’s and is very playable. The winning Louisville list I cooked up is still relevant and optimal, though there is some merit to considering [card name=”Latias ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] (because it’s a good card) or Iono (for the Lost Box matchup).

Gholdengo ex

This deck has managed to sneak its way into several top cuts in a row, showing that [card name=”Gholdengo ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”252″ c=”name”][/card] has evolved past the point of being a meme. [card name=”Energy Search Pro” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”176″ c=”name”][/card] is a ridiculous card in this deck, and many lists have included [card name=”Togekiss” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] as well, which makes some sense for how linear the deck’s game plan is.

This deck requires a bit of luck to have a fast setup, similarly to Terapagos. If it doesn’t have the gas to start the game, it sputters out and struggles. That said, its win rate apparently remains viable enough, just like Terapagos. Energy Search Pro clashes with the old variant using [card name=”Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR” set=”Crown Zenith GG” no=”GG67″ c=”name”][/card], which is a decent attacker and also facilitates Radiant Greninja. This makes the deck more linear, but Togekiss makes up for that, giving you more Prize cards in exchange for a flexible game plan.

However, Owyn Kamerman made Top 8 with a list that uses both Energy Search Pro and Palkia, foregoing the Togekiss. I am a huge fan of this, as Togekiss is high maintenance and unreliable. Unfortunately, this list is basically forced to play a lot of Energy to accommodate both the ACE SPEC and Palkia, but that sometimes works with Gholdengo’s attack, as the extra raw Energy replace the need for regular [card name=”Energy Retrieval” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card].

I’m surprised that Gholdengo’s meta share has not yet surpassed 5%, as it seems to be a popular deck. I also think that Gholdengo is the easiest deck to play, allowing a wide range of players to find success. I would expect more Gholdengo in the future, especially considering its string of successes. If you are considering the deck, I think Owyn’s Palkia version from Stuttgart is the best list for the deck out there.

Lost Box

[cardimg name=”Pikachu ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”238″ align=”left” c=”none”][/cardimg]

This deck has been somewhat popular at the Regionals due to the [card name=”Pikachu ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”238″ c=”name”][/card] hype, however I do not think this deck is very good in the current meta. Lost Box is notorious for its terrible Regidrago VSTAR matchup, and it’s not even that great against other decks (like Charizard ex) to make up for it.

To reflect this, Lost Box’s results in this format have been quite bad. Pikachu ex is a strong card, and Mirage Gate is the perfect way to utilize it, but Lost Box is just not good enough and the environment is too hostile for it. As far as the right list for the deck, I don’t know and I couldn’t care less. The Lost Box lists seem to be relatively uniform at the moment, and the list seems fine to me.

Other Decks

Klawf seems to be quite hot at the moment, but I suspect this to be a passing fad, as people just love the deck. It’s not good into Regidrago VSTAR, Charizard ex, or most intelligent players with practice against it. [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”233″ c=”name”][/card] is a deck I’ve never been a fan of, as it seems to struggle with consistency and being chronically mid. I don’t have a strong opinion about whether or not you should play Gardevoir. I think the [card name=”Call Bell” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] list is not ideal, as it wastes too many deck spots, including the ACE SPEC spot, and relies too much on going second, although it is cool at least. As much as I hate to admit it, Henry Chao’s [card name=”Secret Box” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”163″ c=”name”][/card] build is the best way to play the deck.

Terapagos is still relevant, but it is just getting outshined. I think Terapagos is certainly worth playing, as the deck is still powerful and has good matchups. As much as I would love for [card name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”211″ c=”name”][/card] to roll over and disappear, I actually think it’s still decent. It struggles against Lightning-type Pokemon, but the meta is diverse enough for Lugia to stand a chance. I think decks like [card name=”Dragapult ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”200″ c=”name”][/card] and Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR are mid, and I don’t see a compelling reason to play them over the variety of stronger options.

That’s all for today—thanks for reading!

[/premium]