Underloved — A Tale of Three Pokemon-GX

By: JW Kriewall · Posted Posted onApr 12, 2017 at 6:33 PM · 0 Comments

Hey PokeBeach readers! I am so excited to be back writing again. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to write because school has been crazy for me. Heaps of music projects have come in and I’ve been playing with a number of area orchestras. Add that to the fact that I’ve been preparing for more auditions to get into more orchestras. I’m delighted to say that things are going well professionally, but that I’ll be taking a bit of a hiatus from music this summer and instead focusing on Pokemon! This summer will provide a much needed (and earned) break from my hectic school schedule. I wasn’t able to attend the National tournament last year because I spent my summer in Colorado studying and playing music. This year, I’ve decided to forgo attending a music festival in favor of traveling, visiting family, hanging with friends, and of course, Pokemon.

I have had the opportunity to play in a number of League Cups this season. I took a win in one of them with [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] and have been unusually experimental at the others I’ve attended. I don’t think I played the same deck for any two League Cups this year. On the one hand, this has been good to keep me mentally on top of the many different decks in our format while building a good understanding of how different decks work against each other. On the other hand, I don’t feel as polished as I normally do with a deck — the exception being [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] which I won with. Though I’ve been on the wrong side of variance in my League Cups, I’ve been able to keep my finger on the pulse of the metagame and, like many others, have closely followed the trends. The sheer amount of viable options in this format is a thing of beauty and I want to take this article to explore some lesser played Pokemon-GX cards that have a niche in our format. We could discuss yet another version of [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] or how my version of Yveltal / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is better because I included one [card name=”Mewtwo” set=”Evolutions” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card], but I spend a lot of time tinkering with decks on PTCGO and would like to show you the best rogue lists I have come up with that utilize some under appreciated GX cards. Whether you’re a new player with limited access to cards, a veteran player looking for something different, or somebody who just wants some lols at a League Challenge, I think this article will have something for you. But first, let’s take a deeper look at the Expanded format.

The Expanded Metagame — What Happened?

I find it both useful and intriguing to look back on the evolution of a metagame over multiple tournaments, especially the Expanded metagame which doesn’t see regular play in most areas. I’ve had one League Cup this year that was Expanded so it is extremely important for me to follow the trends that are established at Expanded Regionals in order to be prepared for the next tournament in that format.

One of the most interesting trends that emerged from St. Louis to Portland Regionals was the shift of the metagame from extreme diversity to distinct similarity. St. Louis’ Top 8 consisted of eight entirely different decks. Everyone analyzed this information as proof of a healthy format. Looking at Portland’s results, can we say the same? With six Dark variants in the Top 8, the metagame certainly narrowed in scope. While [card name=”Sableye” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”62″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is the outlier amongst the Top 8 decks that revolved around Darkness Pokemon, Maxie’s Yveltal and Turbo Darkrai variants that made the Top 8 are two sides of the same coin — heavy hitting decks that rely on Energy acceleration via Items to punish opponents. So, more than half of the Top 8 consisted of the similar Dark decks with [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] and Night March splashed in.

[cardimg name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Bird brains[/cardimg]

It is important to point out the continued viability of [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] / Archeops. The deck won’t die. It had a solid showing in St. Louis and then dominated Portland by taking three of the top four slots. Even when new sets are released and new archetypes are created, Yveltal / Archeops stands out with its unique blend of power and control. The deck has options. Israel Sosa opted in favor of heavy disruption and his list included cards like [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card]. Silent Lab can can put heavy pressure on an opponent through Ability-lock at the beginning of the game while Delinquent really shines at the end of a game when the opponent has few remaining resources. Combined with a variety of attackers for every situation, it makes so much sense why the deck performs well in tournament after tournament. As my good friend Andrew Wamboldt put it, “I never play Yveltal and sit across from my opponent thinking that I can’t win the game.” The deck is just good. It was good, it is good, and there is no reason why it won’t remain good.

Looking at just the Top 8, while important, does not tell the whole story of what was played at a tournament. Of course, Top 32 doesn’t provide the full story either, but it does give us quadruple the amount of information. By expanding our scope, we can get a clearer picture of what people were playing throughout the swiss rounds and what decks needed to have good matchups against to make it to Top 8. In Portland, an absurd amount of people played [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. While a perfectly fine choice for this event, I was struck at how many did well. Exactly one quarter of the Top 32 field was Darkrai / Giratina. This means that if you had made it into Top 32 and weren’t playing Darkrai / Giratina, you could expect to play against it once about 40% of the time. That is a high matchup percentage and the decks that did well were either able to dodge Darkrai-EX / Giratina (likely Night March) or have a good matchup against it (Primal Groudon and Turbo Darkrai-EX). What made Darkrai-EX / Giratina-EX a good choice for the event? It is hard to say for sure, but being able to handle Night March, [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] while having a decent matchup against Maxie’s Yveltal would certainly be reasons for people to consider it.

Lack of Mega Ray and the Rise of Groudon

The lack of [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] is interesting as well. Just a few weeks prior to Portland, Mega Rayquaza had steamrolled through St. Louis Regionals, breezing its way to a first place finish. However, in Portland, Mega Ray had a number of counters, primary of which was [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card]. Wobbuffet nueters Rayquaza by itself before Primal Groudon swings three times for the win. Groudon / Wobbuffet took five finishes in Top 32, a remarkable amount of finishes considering it had zero Top 32 placements in St. Louis. The lack of [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card], a popular “rogue” option in St. Louis, but otherwise absent in Portland, certainly helped Groudon thrive as well as the heavy amounts of Darkrai-EX decks.

Once in cut though, Groudon wilted. Travis Nunlist took Groudon to the Top 8, but couldn’t advance. Why? Groudon has about a 50 / 50 matchup against the most popular deck in Portland, Yveltal. However, Groudon is an inherently slow deck and relies on [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] in the late game to deprive opponents of resources while mowing down their attackers with Primal Groudon. Many decks are able to thin their decks enough to mitigate the threat of N. When an Yveltal player has access to three [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], they can greatly improve the odds that they see favorable cards at the end of the match. By getting rid of that [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card], or sub-par attacker early you can ensure you up your chances of seeing a [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card], Energy, or other useful card later. Variance (50 / 50 matchups not going the right way) and soft counters like [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Archeops” set=”Noble Victories” no=”67″ c=”name”][/card] likely led to Groudon not advancing further in the tournament, but it was still a great showing from a deck that saw little play the Regionals prior.

What Happened to Decidueye / Vileplume in Portland?

[cardimg name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ align=”right” c=”custom”]The bird has landed.[/cardimg]

[card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] likely had the largest target on its back coming into the weekend. John Kettler‘s brain child was generating an amount of hate that I’ve not seen in recent memory in the Pokemon TCG after thoroughly dominating the field at the International tournament in Australia. Players were (and are) crafting counter decks specifically designed to handle Vileplume’s disruptive powers, or slapping [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card] or extra [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] in existing archetypes with the goal of shutting down the Decidueye’s powerful sniping Ability. Decidueye / Vileplume’s consistent success in Standard and Expanded bred a hate culture against it’s inherent power. Again, Groudon was well up to the task of beating down any Decidueye decks in the field. With a hindered set up under Wobbuffet lock as well as being OHKOd by Primal Groudon, Decidueye / Vileplume struggles mightily against Groudon decks. As the season progresses, I predict the hate against Decidueye decks to die down, thus allowing it to become a major threat again.

The Lesser Pokemon-GX: Umbreon, Solgaleo, and Lunala

I’d like to take the rest of the article to profile some Pokemon-GX cards that don’t see much play. We’ll take a deeper look at the uses for each card and craft decks based around these “lesser” Pokemon. We don’t take the time to fully understand cards. It is often beneficial for us to dismiss cards immediately. It’s a method of survival in the Pokemon world, especially with how many viable decks there are. Mentally judging cards immediately as good or bad means we can move on to testing the better cards sooner. The more we test with the better cards, the more we can refine lists. The best lists with the best cards are what many of us strive for, but sometimes we dismiss cards too quickly based on how we feel they will fare in the metagame. There’s an immediacy to the decision of whether or not a card is good that can cause us to slip up on a stellar combination. While putting more testing time and thought into cards that better pass the “eye test” usually pays off, we only have to look back to last year’s World Championship to remember that underutilized cards such as [card name=”M Audino-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”85″ c=”name”][/card] can go the distance.

Many of us have our little pet decks. We desire to see them grow into something metagame defining, or at the very least competitive. I wholeheartedly encourage you to breathe life into your pet decks because, as a wise man once said, “Nothing changes if nothing changes.” If you never try an idea out how will you know it’s terrible, or good for that matter? The primary way most players discern between high level cards and bulk-worthy cards is the eye test, but that can be deceiving. A second method is prior knowledge, which bases a card’s current value on how similar cards performed in the future. This is why knowing old format’s can be so important. The Pokemon Company tends to recycle ideas — Dark Patch was pretty darn good for the majority of its lifetime and we could probably say the same about Water Patch. Finally, there’s good old fashioned experimentation. Try out a combo, test a new concept and see if it stands up to the format! Some of my biggest successes were bred out of experimenting with cards others dismissed. The obvious downside to this is that experimentation takes precious testing time which could otherwise be dedicated to studying interactions between top tier decks or perfecting lists. I think it definitely helps to balance testing time between old archetypes and new card combinations because it keeps testing fresh.

Pokemon did a solid job with their first batch of GX cards. Usually Pokemon tries to make new mechanics underpowered simply to ensure that they fit in with what’s currently being played. The first iteration of Mega Pokemon or the old ex Pokemon come to mind. Pokemon-GX, though, did not disappoint. [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card] had a Top 16 finish at an American Regionals, [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”156″ c=”name”][/card] is seeing a ton of play as a tech in a variety of decks and in a deck to itself, [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] has seen moderate play as a Mewtwo counter, [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card]  has been gaining ground and doesn’t look to be going anywhere with the release of Water Patch in the next set, and even the lowly [card name=”Gumshoos-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”157″ c=”name”][/card] found its way into the annoying [card name=”Houndoom-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”153″ c=”name”][/card] mill.

[cardimg name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”140″ align=”right” c=”custom”]A worthy card in its own right.[/cardimg]

The three cards I’d like to profile, while seeing moderate success, are seldom played. The goal in writing about these cards is not to trick anyone into thinking these are the greatest cards ever printed or even that they are components of Tier 1 decks (though [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] certainly could make that argument). The point of this article is to present a card in a list I feel it is best suited for. I have tinkered with these on PTCGO and taken the GX cards mentioned as far as I see them going, creating lists that utilize that card in a fresh, new way. By doing this, I hope to inspire some creativity in your deck building and create a springboard for which you can jump from. If we never experiment and rely only on netdecking, we lose a lot about what makes the Pokemon TCG such a fun game as well as miss out on some pretty neat card interactions.

For the duration of this article, we will stick to the Standard metagame, as I think it has a little more room for the bulky Pokemon-GX to thrive. These decks are the kinds of things I perfect in casual matches on PTCGO and I hope that they serve as creative launching points for your own ideas.

Solgaleo-GX

[card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] was fairly under-the-radar upon release. I certainly didn’t look at the card with any sort of fondness, but its viability grew on me. It saw some success at Athens Regionals when partnered with [card name=”Lurantis-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] for late game Energy acceleration. Can Solgaleo-GX find a home in another competitive deck?

Pros of Solgaleo-GX

  • 250 HP – 250 is a fantastic amount of HP to have as it puts you out of OHKO range by one of the most explosive and hard hitting decks in the format — [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. That said, I will not be able to make use of this advantage in my deck list because the Energy of choice for Solgaleo-GX will be [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card].
  • Great GX attack – The GX attack on Solgaleo is great for a couple of reasons. It can quickly set up a board and it can thin your deck. Sol Burst allows you to efficiently power up multiple attackers. It can even accelerate Special Energy and that is a concept I’ll exploit below. Additionally, using Sol Burst is the equivalent of using one and two-thirds of a [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. The ability to thin your deck is something that has been absent from the Standard metagame since Battle Compressor’s rotation.
  • Heavy hitter – Solgaleo’s attack OHKOs just about everything in the format except for itself, ironically. The card designers knew what they were doing when they created this attack. It hits for a massive amount of damage, but is a glass cannon by needing to discard the Energy. Powerful attack, but discarding all Energy attached makes it difficult to reuse the next turn. A balanced, but strong attack.
  • Maneuverability – Solgaleo’s Ability ensures that you always have the right attacker in the Active spot when you need it. Assuming there’s no [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card] and assuming a [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] hasn’t been played, Solgaleo-GX’s Ability brings a level of fluidity to decks that normally rely on the underwhelming [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]. With Ultra Road, attackers can have more useful Tools attached instead of Float Stone.

Cons of Solgaleo-GX

  • Stage 2 – Being a Stage 2 is rough. [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] mows down your Basics, [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] can lock you out of a game, and your deck can force you to draw clunky, unplayable hands. The format just doesn’t look kindly on Stage 2s right now because of the speed of the format and the soft disruption such as Item-lock, [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”Generations” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card].
  • Over-reliance on Ability – Solgaleo is incredibly reliant on its Ability. Switching between attackers is crucial to setting the deck up. Once Solgaleo hits the field, you expect to be able to use its GX attack. If Ultra Road is shut down by Ability-lock, it can make it difficult to get Solgaleo Active. If you do get it powered up and attack with Sunsteel Strike, Solgaleo-GX is forced to discard all Energy after attacking which leaves it in a highly vulnerable position should the opponent Ability-lock you.

[premium]

[decklist name=”Solgaleo-GX” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”143″][pokemon amt=”15″]3x [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Cosmoem” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”65″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Cosmog” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”64″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY71″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”32″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”EX Sandstorm” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Nest Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”123″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”13″]5x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card]4x [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

The list above is not only fun, but also competitive. Essentially, I’ve taken out the [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Yveltal” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC16″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] that are usually present in a [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]  deck and swapped them for a Solgaleo-GX line. Solgaleo gives a few new and improved tricks to the deck, chiefly guaranteed Energy acceleration. How many times have you played with Turbo Dark or Darkrai / Giratina and miss two or more Max Elixir? How often do you play games where you just can’t seem to find [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card]? [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] gives you a strong form of Energy acceleration to have you smashing opponents immediately after a Sol Burst. The beauty of Sol Burst is that it attaches any Energy to your field meaning you can get as many as nine Energy on your board by turn two (10 when you include the Rainbow attachment necessary to attack with Solgaleo). This means that a Darkrai-EX can swing for as much as 270 by your third turn, which is way more explosive than regular Darkrai / Giratina.

Another advantage this deck has over Turbo [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] is Solgaleo-GX’s attack. Turbo Darkrai really struggles when one of its Energy hoarding Pokemon gets KOd. When 80 damage gets wiped off your board because a Giratina-EX was Knocked Out that had two [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] attached, you are often put in a compromising spot where you’re unable to get another OHKO off. Solgaleo patches this late game damage output problem by hitting most Pokemon for OHKOs. Being able to swing for 230 to close out a match is a common route to take to finish games.

One of the main drawbacks is the deck can be inconsistent. Its primary problem is the deck’s reliance on [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]. In order to get a Sol Burst off, you must find one of your four copies of Rainbow Energy. In my testing, I’ve found this to be the biggest shortfall of the deck. Additionally, setting up Solgaleo-GX can be a nightmare. Sometimes you will have one piece and not the other, or have to discard too many resources on turn one. Occasionally, you miss getting a [card name=”Cosmog” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] down on turn one and are resigned to passing for a few turns before getting Energy into play. If you’re unable to get a Sol Burst off early enough, your deck becomes so, so bad. While this deck is more explosive than Darkrai / Giratina and can hit for more damage, it certainly struggles with consistency issues.

The deck also struggles with Ability-lock. It is very important to be able to fluidly move your Solgaleo in and out of the Active position. You usually don’t want to attack with Solgaleo-GX after a Sol Burst, so you want to make sure you can get Darkrai or Giratina in the Active. Ultra Road is a powerful Ability, but has many counters in this format. [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] are significant hindrances to this deck as they limit the maneuverability of attackers. I would recommend this deck in a meta that has little Ability disruption.

Umbreon-GX

[cardimg name=”Umbreon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”80″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Calling all Dark Pokemon![/cardimg]

I was so hyped for [card name=”Umbreon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card]  when it came out. It’s basically [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card], but with a better attack cost! Darkrai is still seeing play in the Expanded format so a Night Spear-esqe attack should theoretically make for a great deck in Standard. Though it is a Stage 1, the traditional set up needed to get into play is mitigated by [card name=”Eevee” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”101″ c=”name”][/card]’s Energy Evolution Ability. Umbreon-GX seems to have a lot going for it, however, the metagame hasn’t proved favorable for it.

Pros of Umbreon-GX

  • Good attack – Shadow Bullet shines as a cost efficient way to 2HKO a Pokemon-EX as well as set up KOs for following turns. The snipe effect on Shadow Bullet is something we do not see much of in Standard, save for Fright Night [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card]. Sniping the Bench can be important, and set you up to win.
  • Disruption – Umbreon’s other two attacks provide the card with a level of control. Switching with Strafe means your opponent has to either hit into the Pokemon of your choice or waste resources trying to get around it. Strafing into [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] can slow an opponent down and hinder the strategy of their own deck. Dark Call can really stop a deck in its tracks. Whether it’s a [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] that’s getting too big, or you know that late game your opponent is low on Energy, Dark Call can put pressure on your opponent to find resources.
  • Stage 1 – Because [card name=”Umbreon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] is a Stage 1, it opens up uses with the type modifying powers of the other Eeveelutions ([card name=”Flareon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Vaporeon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”22″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Jolteon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card]). Since they can all evolve from the same Eevee, it is simple to get the Weakness advantage onto the board.

Cons of Umbreon-GX

  • Damage output – While Umbreon’s attacks are good in a vacuum, the metagame makes certain demands on decks. One magic number of the current metagame is 110 — the number to OHKO a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] and 2HKO most Mega Pokemon. [card name=”Umbreon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card] cannot hit this number. In fact, Umbreon caps at 90 to the Active, but can do slightly more with modifiers like [card name=”Reverse Valley” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] in play. The fact that Umbreon struggles to take KOs is a major weakness of the deck.
  • Awkward Energy costs – Though Shadow Bullet is a better Energy cost than [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card]’s Night Spear, Darkrai had a major advantage in [card name=”Dark Patch” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. Aside from [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] which is clunky at best and useless at worst, Umbreon-GX has far less support. Also, the card developers made a crucial error in my opinion when creating the Energy cost for Dark Call. As Dark Call needs two Darkness Energy to attack, the Umbreon-GX player can often find themselves needing to attach three or four Energy to Umbreon-GX. Since all these Energy attachments must be manually attached, any Energy disruption from the opponent or OHKOs can set you back severely.
  • Situational GX attack – While strong, the GX attack is situational. First, it requires that your opponent have Energy attached. A deck like [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] only needs one Energy to attack, so Dark Call likely will have an underwhelming effect against a deck like that. Second, it requires that there are worthy Energy to discard. If a [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card] has seven Energy cards attached, discarding two of them isn’t going to prevent you from getting blasted next turn. Dark Call is best when coupled with a disruption Supporter like [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] in order to stifle the amount of options your opponent has.

When testing with Umbreon, I found that my most successful games were the games I could put the most damage on the board in the least amount of time. The other Eeveelutions provide the crucial damage boost needed to pull out games.

[decklist name=”Umbreon-GX” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Umbreon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”80″][pokemon amt=”20″]3x [card name=”Umbreon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”80″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Vaporeon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”22″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Jolteon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Flareon” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”13″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Eevee” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Zorua” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Weavile” set=”Steam Siege” no=”61″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Sneasel” set=”Steam Siege” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”30″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Wide Lens” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”95″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Next Destinies” no=”87″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Reverse Valley” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]6x [card name=”Darkness Energy” set=”Diamond and Pearl” no=”129″ c=”deck2″ amt=”6″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]

Deck Breakdown

[card name=”Weavile” set=”Steam Siege” no=”61″ c=”name”][/card] is a nifty inclusion in the deck. I like Weavile because there’s a number of Tools that you want to attach to an Umbreon. You need some way to get rid of old ones, and until Field Blower comes out in the next set, this will have to do. Unlike Field Blower, Weavile lets you maintain the Tools instead of discarding them, making your [card name=”Exp. Share” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”118″ c=”name”][/card] much more valuable. Weavile also lets you play down Wide Lens early in the game to be able to use it later.

[cardimg name=”Weavile” set=”Steam Siege” no=”61″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Sneaky Sneaky[/cardimg]

Wide Lens is a fairly crucial component to the deck. We want to make sure that we are hitting the bench for Weakness as much as possible to set up KOs. Because Umbreon-GX doesn’t take OHKOs often, we want to maximize damage output to control KOs as much as possible. Additionally, hitting a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] for 60 is pretty solid and getting two attacks off means damaging the Active threat and taking two Prizes from a Benched Shaymin.

[card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] gives the deck the one Energy attacker it craves. It also helps a great deal in the [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] matchup, as well as provides some maneuverability with its Stand In Ability.

What I’ve enjoyed about this deck is the many ways there are to play it. Some games you are reliant on hitting for 30 or 60 damage while strafing into a [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card]. Other games it is crucial to get an early Shadow Bullet and weaken your opponent’s entire field. Rushing Zoroark is also extremely viable as Zoroark can prey upon your opponents mistake of benching too many Pokemon. Still other games come down to the last man standing — which is often you after a crucial Dark Call / [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] combo. The deck doesn’t lack options.

This deck struggles with Item-lock. Though Vileplume is a great partner for [card name=”Umbreon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”80″ c=”name”][/card], going against it can be difficult for this deck, especially going second unless you are able to get the [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card] Active. The deck also has issues if it prizes the Eeveelution designed for the matchup. Full disclaimer: I never said these decks were high tier competitive!

Lunala-GX

[card name=”Lunala-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card] is another underutilized, yet moderately playable card. There are a few different routes that one could go to make a list with this card. The card should remind you of [card name=”Aromatisse” set=”XY” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card], however there are two major differences: Its high HP and usable attacks. Where Aromatisse was a passive partner in Fairy Toolbox decks, Lunala-GX can take an active role by attacking. I’ve actually seen a version of this deck being shown off on a Youtube video so someone else is also working on this concept!

Pros of Lunala-GX

  • High HP – [card name=”Lunala-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] excels because it can take a hit from pretty much anything without a Darkness typing. If you choose to attack with it, you likely are not OHKOing the Pokemon you’re attacking into so having a high amount of HP means you can likely absorb the hit and [card name=”Max Potion” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] the damage away.
  • Tricky Ability – Lunala-GX’s Ability is one that we’ve seen on previous Pokemon such as Aromatisse and can date all the way back to Base Set Venusaur. The Ability opens itself up to a multitude of surprise plays, such as the inclusion of tech attackers and opportunities to eliminate damage with Max Potion while conserving Energy.

Cons of Lunala-GX

  • Stage 2 – For the same reasons as [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], Stage 2s have a difficult time in this metagame. Lunala is quite powerful, but the space dedicated to getting it into play is meaningless if you never get it into play.
  • Dark Weakness – this is a tough one to swallow. Both [card name=”Darkrai-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] are major players in the meta right now. Without Energy attached, Yveltal needs five Energy and a [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card] to KO Lunala-GX, or six Energy without Fighting Fury Belt. Darkrai-EX requires five Energy in play with a Fighting Fury Belt to OHKO Lunala-GX. Playing with Lunala-GX against a Darkness type deck means you will have to do most of your attacking with an attacker that is not Lunala. Unfortunately, since Darkness decks have such a hold on the meta, Lunala may never shine. However, in a favorable meta, this deck certainly has a place.

[decklist name=”Lunala-GX” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Lunala-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”66″][pokemon amt=”18″]2x [card name=”Lunala-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Cosmoem” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”65″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Cosmog” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”64″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”158″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”32″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”EX Sandstorm” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Next Destinies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Emerging Powers” no=”94″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]5x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card]4x [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”152″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/energy][/decklist] 

This is probably the most off-the-wall deck I’ve made in this format, however it is one of the most versatile. With six different viable attackers ([card name=”Lunala-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card], Mewtwo-EX, [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]) this deck can certainly shift directions on a dime. Being so diverse in attackers can lead to awkward spots where you run out of the right attacker for the given matchup. Sometimes you gotta improvise, and this deck can (and does) do that.

[cardimg name=”Lunala-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”153″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Bat Attack![/cardimg]

The main strategy of the above deck is to get a quick Solgaleo-GX out and attacking with Sol Burst to explode Energy to your field. This deck is not as reliant on Sol Burst as the Darkrai / Giratina / Solgaleo deck from earlier in the article because you ideally conserve every Energy you attach. After a Sol Burst, you retreat into the preferred attacker of choice; Mewtwo-EX, Lugia-EX, or Giratina-EX. Mewtwo-EX is usually the default pick as it can soak up damage and dish it right back with its Damage Change attack. I’ve found that Lugia is a worthy attacker because of its Deep Hurricane attack which is our Stadium counter in this deck. I found it just wasn’t feasible with a list running two Stage 2s to cut consistency in favor of one or two counter Stadiums. Thus, Lugia fills the role of attacker and Stadium removers should a hindering Stadium such as [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] infringe on your strategy.

You’ll notice I’ve opted here for maximum consistency — Four [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card], Four [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card], and four [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. These cards ensure that I draw into the cards I need at the right time. There is merit in running a [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card], which I might cut an N for, but I’ve found that these counts are necessary to make this complicated deck run.

One Double Colorless Energy was added for removing [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] from your field. Whenever Sky Return is an option, I try to remove the Shaymin liabilities. However, with a deck like this is simply is not always feasible to Sky Return with Psychic Energy because you need two Basic Energy attachments to fulfill the attack requirement. As this deck wants to keep Energy on the board and not pick it up to the hand, DCE eliminates this hindrance. It also can get a quick Lugia-EX going in the early game if you need that aggression.

Conclusion

For what they are, the Pokemon-GX cards make for decently competitive decks. Tier 1? Maybe not. Unplayable? Definitely not. While there are upsides and downsides to each of my GX centered decks, the main thing to remember is that these decks can expand our understanding of the available card pool and can point us toward great decks. Sometimes one only needs to make a tweak or two to an average deck to take it to the next level. I hope you’ve been inspired! Good luck at your next tournament!

~JW

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