Gardevoir ex in Prismatic Evolutions

[cardimg name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”228″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]Hello everyone! [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] was on the rise at the end of the Surging Sparks format and is looking stronger in Prismatic Evolutions. [card name=”Regidrago VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] was one of your tougher matchups before and has been pushed out of the format by the presence of Budew in multiple decks which has opened the door for Gardevoir ex to be one of the most played decks in the format. However, as Regidrago was pushed out of the format the door has been opened for other decks such as [card name=”Dragapult ex” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] to see success. This has changed the way that Gardevoir ex has been built and essentially prevented the turbo version from seeing play, forcing players into going for heavy [card name=”Technical Machine: Evolution” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”178″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Munkidori” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”95″ c=”name”][/card] to play for a slower game.

Henry Chao won the San Antonio Regional Championships with a slow version of the deck that used the ACE SPEC [card name=”Secret Box” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”163″ c=”name”][/card]. The main reason for Secret Box was to give yourself an opportunity to find both your turn one Evolution and guarantee a draw Supporter on turn two with just the single [card name=”Arven” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”166″ c=”name”][/card]. Additionally, Secret Box lets you play one-of Supporter and Stadium cards such as [card name=”Irida” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”147″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Moonlit Hill” set=”Paldean Fates” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card], and find then at the right time. It also gives you access to [card name=”Artazon” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] early, essentially turning your Arven into your Technical Machine: Evolution, an Item card (likely [card name=”Earthen Vessel” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”163″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Poffin ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”144″ c=”name”][/card]), a follow-up Supporter and an extra Pokemon! Irida is a surprisingly useful card in Gardevoir ex as you can find either [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Manaphy” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] in addition to your Item card, however it is difficult to justify without Secret Box as it can’t find Technical Machine: Evolution early on. Moonlit Hill is in a similar camp to Irida, it’s a very strong card in certain scenarios but weak in many others. I think without Secret Box in your decklist then I would stick to the higher counts of Arven and Artazon, but Irida and Moonlit Hill are solid options if you can find them at the right moment.

Despite the pedigree Secret Box has obtained in Gardevoir thanks to Henry Chao, I still prefer [card name=”Unfair Stamp” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”165″ c=”name”][/card] for the new format. This card has felt so powerful when playing games with Gardevoir, as you can turn your later Arven into draw Supporters. Additionally, if you naturally draw the Unfair Stamp, then you get to draw the five cards and follow it up with a Supporter to either fill in a missing piece in your hand with Arven or manipulate the board with [card name=”Professor Turo’s Scenario” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”171″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card]. Unfair Stamp is especially strong against [card name=”Lugia VSTAR” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card], which is set to become more popular in the format thanks to Regigigas and the strength of [card name=”Iron Hands ex” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”70″ c=”name”][/card]. Henry Chao pioneered the inclusion of [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] in Gardevoir to answer the Lugia matchup, as its Fettered in Misfortune ability prevents them from using [card name=”Lumineon V” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]’s Luminous Sign. While this seems minor, it gives you a great answer to an aggressive Iron Hands ex as you can attack with your Gardevoir ex and put them on two cards, forcing them to find the raw Boss’s Orders while cutting off all their Pokemon search as outs. Additionally, Spiritomb is also strong against any stall deck using [card name=”Rotom V” set=”Lost Origin” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card], as you prevent them from using Instant Charge to build up their hand. I have found Unfair Stamp to be the most widely useful ACE SPEC in Gardevoir decks, however Secret Box is definitely a close second.

Building Gardevoir in the new format has been very difficult. I feel very confident on both Unfair Stamp and Spiritomb as solid inclusions, however there are a ton of tech options for the deck. You can argue for including Manaphy, [card name=”Cresselia” set=”Lost Origin” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Klefki” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Flutter Mane ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card], or Budew as tech Pokemon as they all have applications in certain matchups. One of the nicest aspects of the Gardevoir ex deck is that it can be built to deal with any matchup by combining the right tech cards, however you have to balance this with enough cards to help you play the game. The list I’m currently showcasing is likely to change depending on how the metagame unfolds, but this is what I’ve been liking right now for Gardevoir ex!

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[decklist name=”Gardevoir ex” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″][pokemon amt=”19″]4x [card name=”Ralts” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Kirlia” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Gardevoir ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Munkidori” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/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]1x [card name=”Cresselia” set=”Lost Origin” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Klefki” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Drifloon” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Scream Tail” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Spiritomb” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”31″]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]2x [card name=”Professor Turo’s Scenario” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” 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=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Earthen Vessel” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”163″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Crimson Invasion” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Night Stretcher” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”61″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Unfair Stamp” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”165″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hisuian Heavy Ball” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”146″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Technical Machine: Evolution” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”178″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Bravery Charm” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”173″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Artazon” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”171″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” 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=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”129″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist][cardimg name=”Bravery Charm” set=”Stellar Crown” no=”175″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

The main thing many players would notice when looking at this list is the lack of Budew. Budew was originally thought to bring Gardevoir ex into being one of the best decks in the format and I do believe that it helps its position in the metagame, just not in the Gardevoir deck. Itchy Pollen is a very strong attack, however the later it gets used the worse it is in most matchups, and this deck really relies heavily on using Technical Machine: Evolution in the early game. If you’re committing to using Itchy Pollen early on, it often leads to you using your Ultra Balls to find Kirlia, typically resulting in heavy card disadvantage for you. While you can use just one Itchy Pollen then pivot into Technical Machine: Evolution, this often results in the Budew being stuck on your board. Gardevoir tends to be a deck which struggles with board space, which is why I’ve adopted the two Professor Turo’s Scenario and one [card name=”Bravery Charm” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”173″ c=”name”][/card] combination which Henry Chao used in San Antonio. Budew tends to be especially worse for your board space if you have to bench Radiant Greninja, as your ideal board involves two Munkidori and three [card name=”Kirlia” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card]. While the Professor Turo’s Scenario can help you with fixing your board, I haven’t found enough value from Budew recently to have it be worth including.

This has become especially relevant as the two decks that Budew is very strong against ([card name=”Charizard ex” set=”Obsidian Flames” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] and Regidrago VSTAR) have all but disappeared from the metagame. With this shift, being good against Dragapult ex, [card name=”Miraidon ex” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”81″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Archaludon ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] and the mirror match have been more important to me. While Budew seems solid against Miraidon ex, it’s often too slow since they’re guaranteed to have a turn of Item cards either going first or second. In fact, Miraidon is almost unwinnable if you’re going first as you have no answer to a turn one Iron Hands ex, unless you play Klefki. I’ve found Klefki to be a more narrow but sometimes more effective disruption card than Budew as it can be used when you go first. While you typically will opt second in the blind to increase your odds of hitting Buddy-Buddy Poffin early, having disruption for Miraidon decks when you go first is very important. The rest of the metagame has also adapted to Budew, with [card name=”Lance” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”159″ c=”name”][/card] in Dragapult ex decks being an effective answer and with Archaludon being naturally resistant to it. Klefki is also very strong against Lost Box, which has started to pick up in popularity at the Merida Regional Championships. This is also why I’m including Manaphy in the deck, the Lost Box and [card name=”Ceruledge ex” set=”Surging Sparks” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] matchups are both almost unwinnable without it. You can cut the Manaphy for something like Budew if you’re expecting a lot of Regidrago or Charizard, however as the metagame has mostly adapted to Budew I think it’s okay to not play it. I still think Budew is a very powerful card in Dragapult ex, however due to the board space issues and competing with Technical Machine: Evolution I decided to omit Budew from this decklist.

One cut I made to fit these tech cards was removing the 4th [card name=”Iono” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”185″ c=”name”][/card] which felt very uncomfortable; however, I was able to justify it due to the Unfair Stamp inclusion. I think if you aren’t expecting much Lost Box or Ceruledge ex, then either the fourth Iono or the Budew would be next on my list of cards to add to the deck after cutting Manaphy. While Iono is one of the strongest cards in the current format, you are often using Arven on the first few turns to find Technical Machine: Evolution and you can draw deeper with Kirlia, making up for the lack of Iono. I did experiment with a few other options such as cutting the [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”181″ c=”name”][/card] or the second [card name=”Counter Catcher” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”160″ c=”name”][/card], however Iono ended up being the cut that impacted the deck in the least negative way. I found cutting the second Counter Catcher to be especially impactful in the mirror match and the Lugia matchup, as you need to be able to target Pokemon on your opponent’s Bench to overcome a poor start in those matchups. Additionally, Counter Catcher is a very important card in the Dragapult matchup as it’s often your best way to come back from an early board wipe by the Dragapult deck.

While one copy of Bravery Charm seems low, it is often fine as this deck’s main attacker tends to be Gardevoir ex. When you set up both Munkidori with Darkness Energy attacked, you often have enough damage output by dealing 60 to your opponent’s board each turn while hitting for 190 with Gardevoir ex. This is where the extra copy of Professor Turo’s Scenario comes in, as your opponent (especially in the Archaludon or Dragapult matchups) will likely be trying to two-hit KO the Gardevoir ex. Professor Turo’s Scenario wipes their attack by healing the Gardevoir ex and then allows you to heal the 60 from Psychic Embrace with both Adrena-Brain. Playing two copies of Professor Turo’s Scenario heavily synergizes with having Gardevoir ex as your main attacker which is why, along with the board fixing reason, that I decided to play two copies of it.

The one Bravery Charm is still useful at the end of the game for a big [card name=”Drifloon” set=”Scarlet and Violet” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Scream Tail” set=”Paradox Rift” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card]; however the Bravery Charm game plan is often weak to opposing [card name=”Jamming Tower” set=”Twilight Masquerade” no=”153″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Lost Vacuum” set=”Lost Origin” no=”162″ c=”name”][/card] to take Knock Outs during their turn. This is especially true as the format has slowed down due to Budew, making the aggressive Bravery Charm game plan not as strong. I did consider cutting the Bravery Charm and the Drifloon entirely and playing a list similar to what saw success in the Twilight Masquerade format, but having the option to deal 300 damage has come up a ton when I’ve been playing games with this deck. While it’s down to only a single copy, Bravery Charm has too much versatility for me to consider cutting it entirely.

[cardimg name=”Cresselia” set=”Lost Origin” no=”74″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Cresselia is a solid card for the Dragapult ex matchup, which is one of the most important matchups in the current format. Dragapult ex is typically difficult for you thanks to the board wipes available through [card name=”Dusknoir” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Dusclops” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”19″ c=”name”][/card], making it very important to target down the Duskull early. Additionally, [card name=”Radiant Alakazam” set=”Silver Tempest” no=”59″ c=”name”][/card] makes it a risk to leave damage on your board, which is why Cresselia is such as strong attacker. You typically need to alternate between attacking with Moonglow Reverse and using Miracle Force, to avoid spreading out your Psychic Energy too much. If you can, staying at the same number of Prize cards as your opponent is very important to prevent them from using Counter Catcher. The best play from the Dragapult side is usually to bring up one of your Kirlia and KO both of them while playing an Iono, cutting off your options. The best way for you to win the matchup is to target down their small Pokemon without damaging your own board, making Cresselia a fantastic answer to their game plan. I would just be careful about attacking too aggressively with Gardevoir ex, as even if you use Professor Turo’s Scenario to pick it up they can still KO the Kirlia off your Bench while forcing you to chain the Turo. Dragapult ex is one of the most board-focused matchups, and making sure you keep the damage off your board is crucial to coming out ahead. I will also note that this matchup is most of the reason why I decided to include the two [card name=”Night Stretcher” set=”Shrouded Fable” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] and one [card name=”Super Rod” set=”Paldea Evolved” no=”188″ c=”name”][/card] in this list as opposed to saving space with two Super Rod. Night Stretcher is crucial for chaining Munkidori when your opponent is targeting them down and is worth the extra deck slot.

I have seen a few players at the Merida Regional Championships include [card name=”Hero’s Cape ” set=”Temporal Forces” no=”152″ c=”name”][/card] for the Dragapult matchup, which does make sense to protect either your Kirlia or your Gardevoir ex. Hero’s Cape can also essentially take up the spot of Bravery Charm and serves similar purposes when you don’t use it to protect your Pokemon. Many decks do still play Tool removal, as Jamming Tower is present in many decks. However, Tool removal cards aren’t very prevalent in the Dragapult matchup, potentially making it a strong option. I currently believe that, while the idea does have applications, Hero’s Cape is less versatile than Unfair Stamp. I think that it is worth keeping in mind when playing against Gardevoir ex though, and potentially including Tool removal in Dragapult ex as Hero’s Cape has the potential to throw a massive wrench into their board wipe game plan.

One card which I would also consider including is Flutter Mane. Flutter Mane is very strong in the mirror match as it allows you to KO Kirlia with just the damage snipe from Hex Hurl and two full uses of Adrena-Brain. Flutter Mane is also useful in the mirror to trap an opposing Gardevoir ex in the Active Spot, with Midnight Fluttering preventing them from using Psychic Embrace. This is especially useful if you are removing their only Kirlia from play, as you force them to have their only Boss’s Orders to continue playing the game. You can prepare for this play by using Psychic Embrace pre-emptively on your Gardevoir ex, allowing you to retreat it and use Psychic Embrace again. Notably, I have found Cresselia to be solid in this matchup to target down your opponent’s Munkidori, especially if you begin attaching with Gardevoir ex. You can Adrena-Brain for 30, then Moonglow Reverse for 80 to remove the Munkidori from the Bench. Using Scream Tail to KO Munkidori off the Bench is also solid, however you do have to be careful of the Scream Tail getting return KO’d by Adrena-Brains. You can either just put the 40 on the Scream Tail to deal 80 and make up the extra 30 with an Adrena-Brain or attach a Bravery Charm, preventing your opponent from taking what is essentially a free Prize card.

I also wouldn’t overthink going ahead or behind in this matchup, while Counter Catcher is a very strong card I don’t believe that it is worth stifling your own game plan to have access to. This is especially true as taking the matchup is very board focused, typically the player with the better Pokemon in play will win. As both players have so many ways to attack the Bench, the matchup does tend to favour the player with the initiative. Notably, I would be very careful about using your Unfair Stamp early. You ideally want to save Unfair Stamp for a turn where you can remove all the Kirlia from play and stick them with a low hand. Being the player to Unfair Stamp second is typically the way to go, as the best answer to an Unfair Stamp putting you at two cards is to Unfair Stamp them back, putting you to five. Manaphy can be neat in this matchup, however it is usually strongest after they have already powered up Scream Tail as they have already committed Energy and damage to it. If you can leave those in play, and bench Manaphy, you stifle their recourses by trapping Energy on the Scream Tail. This is another matchup where the Night Stretchers are very important, since you struggle to keep Kirlias in play it’s so important to recover Pokemon and Darkness Energy back into your hand. The mirror is a complex matchup to play and Flutter Mane can be strong in it; I would play more games to fully make a final decision about that tech inclusion.

Gardevoir ex has been one of my favourite decks for a long time, and with Refinement Kirlia about to rotate the deck looks like it’s got it’s last few tournaments ahead. I’m still very unsure about the optimal decklist for this format. If you are planning on playing the deck for EUIC, I would pay attention to the results of the Puerto Rico SPE and Merida Regionals and choose your tech cards accordingly. Good luck if you are playing the deck, it’s a ton of fun and gives you many lines of play!

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