Trashalanche — Sliding Over Plays for Blue Ridge and Garbodor / Salazzle
Hello everyone! It’s about to be crunch time for those points! As this season’s League Cups and the third International Championship come to a close, we only have a handful of opportunities to snag Championship Points for a World’s invite. Not to brag, but I am currently at 442 Championship Points, so I am not too worried. I probably would have earned my invite earlier, if I had attended more Regionals and League Cups this year, but I valued my time at home relaxing instead. Top 16 is also something I kind of wish I had striven for, but it adds a level of extra stress on tournaments and forces me to play at tournaments that would be inconvenient for my schedule. At the least, I will attend local League Cups, Madison Regionals, and the upcoming Virginia Regionals.
At the point of me writing this, you know how good your chances are at getting your invite. If you fell short this year and are serious about getting it next year, consider traveling to International Championships. They may be expensive, but they pay out really well to Top 64. Top 64 earns $500 and 60 points. If you strive to do that at every International, you will have half of your invite in the bag. If I went to all of the previous Internationals that were available to me, I would be close to the Top 16. If you cannot afford to do that, the only option for you is to play better or to go to other tournaments. My advice here, aside from reading literature, is to dedicate tens of hours to practice with better players. From my first mentor with Philip Barta to my current Monstar team, I’ve always had partners. Test with people you don’t want to sit across from at a tournament so you can prepare for facing the worst.
I have written this article in hopes of helping you achieve your performance goals for the tournaments in the near future from League Challenges to your next Regionals. To help, I have an assortment of topics to discuss instead of a single focus. First things first, I want to briefly discuss the state of the Standard meta with a short interview with Connor Finton who made Top 4 in the International Championship at Sao Paulo, Brazil. Then I want to discuss my current Volcanion and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Gumshoos-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] lists for Standard. Finally, I will wrap up with a look into what I think will be a strong contender rising from the next set: Garbdor (GUR) / Salazzale.
Interview With Connor Finton
Connor Finton is a rising star in the Pokemon TCG. He joined my team, the Monstars, around the beginning of 2016. Since then, he started dominating large tournaments and has become an invaluable testing partner. He is currently second in North America for Championship Points, even though he has only recently learned how to win a League Cup! I asked him for a quick interview after his excellent finish in Brazil, and he was kind enough to help me out.
Introduction
For those who don’t know the wonderful Connor Finton, tell us about yourself
I’m a competitive player from the Atlanta, GA area. I have been playing competitively for about three years. My major accomplishments are Top 4 at St. Louis Regionals 2015, first place at South Carolina States 2016, first place at North Carolina States 2016, first place at Kansas Regionals 2016, Top 4 at Dallas Regionals 2017, and of course Top 4 at the 2017 Latin American International Championships
As long as I’ve known you, you’ve had a dice holder featuring Mrs. Buttersworth. Why is Mrs. Buttersworth your mascot?
She’s got all of the right curves.
Similarly, you’ve had Rahul Reddy on your playmat. Why is Rahul your playmat?
Cute boys bring good luck.
Decidueye / Vileplume
What were your matchups during Brazil?
Day one
- Round 1: Joao Bastos ([card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]) LWL 0-1
- Round 2: Renan Santos (Volcanion) WLW 1-1
- Round 3: Andre Gropo ([card name=”Passimian” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card]) WW 2-1
- Round 4: Renato Oliveira ([card name=”M Gardevoir-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card]) WW 3-1
- Round 5: Lucas Pedrozas ([card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card]) WLW 4-1
- Round 6: Diego Cassiraga ([card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]) LWL 4-2
- Round 7: Victor Silva ([card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]) WLW 5-2
- Round 8: Augusto Funari (Volcanion) WLW 6-2
- Round 9: Andre Lucas (Volcanion) WW 7-2
Day two
- Round 10: Brent Tonisson ([card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]) WW 8-2
- Round 11: Nicolas Galaz ([card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]) LL 8-3
- Round 12: Robin Schulz (Turbo Dark) WW 9-3
- Round 13: Pedro Cunha de Lacerda ([card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]) WLW 10-3
- Round 14: Yee Wei Chun (Volcanion) ID 10-3-1
Top 8
- Top 8: Philip Schulz (Turbo Dark) LWW
- Top 4: Thiago Giovannetti ([card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]) WLL
It seems like your only losses were against Decidueye / Vileplume, and that there was a lot of it at the tournament! Do you think it was your hardest matchup?
By far the hardest matchup over the course of the tournament was the [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] mirror. In fact, it was the only matchup I lost.
What are Decidueye’s easiest matchups?
In general, I think that Dark variants are very favorable, especially with [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] in Decidueye.
What do you think is Decidueye’s hardest viable matchup?
I really want to say the mirror. I’d honestly rather play against almost anything other than the mirror. That being said, whenever you sit across from a Volcanion you feel a little shaky.
The List
Let’s take a peek at your list
[decklist name=”aa” amt=”60″ caption=”ff” cname=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″][pokemon amt=”24″]4x [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Dartrix” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”10″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Rowlet” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”9″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Gloom” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”2″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Oddish” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”1″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Beedrill-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY157″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”29″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Revitalizer” set=”Generations” no=”70″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Forest of Giant Plants” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”7″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”91″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Most players have taken Tauros-GX out of their lists. Why have you decided to keep it?
[cardimg name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
[card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] was the MVP of the tournament for me. Forcing your opponent to deal with Tauros under Item-lock, while you are putting on pressure with Feather Arrow is super good.
Garbodor is a problem for Decidueye / Vileplume, however, you didn’t play any. Do you think Beedrill-EX worth it?
It honestly depends on the meta. For Brazil it wasn’t worth it, and my only relevant attack with the card was a Pin Missile to donk [card name=”Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”85″ c=”name”][/card] early in the tournament.
One notable count is your Lysandre count. Why the three Lysandre?
[card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] is one of the best cards in the deck. One Lysandre on a heavy retreater is often a win condition for Decidueye.
What do you think of Jolteon-EX and Regice in the deck?
I personally think that the straight version is better. The [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] version makes favorable matchups better. The biggest difference is the Volcanion matchup, however, that matchup is already very winnable. I think it just suffers a bit too much with a loss of consistency. It also has a worse matchup versus the mirror.
What would be your “61st“ card?
A fourth Grass Energy or a second [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card].
Any final comments on the state of the meta?
Decidueye is the best deck in format. There is honestly nothing right now that solidly beats the deck. That being said I’m hopeful that Guardians Rising will help to bring more diversity into the meta.
My Take on the State of Standard
I am in complete agreement with Connor Finton. I think [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] is the unequivocal best deck in Standard. It has hard counters, like [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Aerodactyl” set=”Fates Collide” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card], but these decks have trouble with the rest of the meta, and cannot meet Decidueye at the top tables often enough to stop it. Furthermore, Decidueye can actually beat anything if it goes first and has a devastating start. For this reason, my honest opinion is just for everyone to play Decidueye / Vileplume for the best results. Like Night March last year, it is clearly the best deck, purely because Item-lock and consistent chip damage is too strong. This is due to the way we build our decks. Most of our consistency comes from Item cards, specifically [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card]. The easiest fix would be to have a consistency engine less reliant on Items, but these engines are far less effective. Furthermore, the lists of Decidueye / Vileplume are evolving to counter the counters. Vileplume with [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Regice” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] is not new to the competitive scene since its big break at Worlds last year, but pairing them with Decidueye is something we haven’t had to deal with before. Not being able to attack your opponent while under the pressure of constant chip damage is not only crippling to the game state, but to the morale of the player.
If you do not want to participate in the toxicity that is this deck, I will offer two more decks for this short-lived Standard meta. In my previous article, I go in-depth on how to play against Decidueye / Vileplume and I bring up the weakness of Decidueye / Vileplume. Between Yveltal / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Aerodactyl” set=”Fates Collide” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] I covered Ability-lock, high Retreat Costs, and Energy denial. However, I never focused on the easiest strategy: overpowering your opponent. Two decks that focus on this strategy and have relatively high win-rates versus Decidueye / Vileplume are [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] and Volcanion. In this article, I present builds of these decks with extra measures to fight without access to valuable Items.
Volcanion
[premium]
[decklist name=”aa” amt=”60″ caption=”aa” cname=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″][pokemon amt=”11″]4x [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Volcanion” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”14″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Energy Retrieval” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”116″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Scorched Earth” set=”Fates Collide” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]12x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”12″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Card Explanations
In general, with the way we have our decks set up, adding more Supporters in lieu of Items is a bad idea. However, when you are unable to use Items because around 40% of the field is Item-lock, more Supporters becomes the way to go.
Two Olympia
[cardimg name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I added an [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] in complete response to the added [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] being played in Decidueye. As Connor said, Lysandre is a win condition in most games, where Decidueye pulls a heavy retreater to the front, and chips at the back. Having another out to reuse Volcanic Heat doesn’t hurt either.
Three Lysandre, One Pokemon Ranger
This is also in response to [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Regice” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] being included in [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card].
Entei
[card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] is still an extremely popular deck. I am strongly considering it for Virginia Regionals myself. [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”14″ c=”name”][/card] is the only true counter to the deck, because it trades two-for-one with [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card].
Entei is also extremely helpful versus [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]. It soaks two Feather Arrows and a Razor Leaf before it goes down, offering only one Prize. If Decidueye has a full Bench, which they often do to fit their strategy, Entei OHKOs Decidueye, and only requires two Steam Ups for their common Pokemon-EX/GX attackers.
Two Scorched Earth, One Sky Field
Under Item-lock, we don’t have access to our draw outs. [card name=”Scorched Earth” set=”Fates Collide” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] helps us dig just a little deeper to get what we want for the cost of an Energy. It also helps in the [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] matchup if you can run them out of Stadiums.
One Fighting Fury Belt
The extra health has rarely mattered for most matchups, except for against [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card]. Yveltal / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] is not very popular right now, Turbo Dark is popular instead. The damage does matter versus [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card], though. It takes three Steam Ups and a Belt to OHKO a Belted Lapras with Volcanic Heat.
Three Max Elixir, Three Trainers’ Mail
The cuts for the extra Supporters have to come from somewhere.
How to Play the Deck
For a detailed guide to common matchups, please refer to my previous article. The only new meta deck is Quad Lapras.
There’s not really much to playing Volcanion, though. You want to use [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY173″ c=”name”][/card]’s Steam Up Ability to augment your attacks. The optimal starter is [card name=”Volcanion” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY145″ c=”name”][/card], as it has an attack for a single Energy that accelerates attackers on your Bench. In general, you want to trade one-Prize attackers for two Prizes, then follow up by sweeping with the large Volcanion-EX. This sets up a seven-Prize game for your opponent. You can 2HKO bulky two Prize attackers with two baby Volcanion, and then later trade [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”14″ c=”name”][/card] for another two Prizes, setting up three non-EX Pokemon to be Knocked Out, which also leads to a seven-Prize game for your opponent.
Versus Decidueye / Vileplume Without Jolteon: Moderately Favorable
Just because you have type advantage doesn’t mean this matchup is easy. A rule of thumb that I have while playing this deck, is to not bench a [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] unless I can commit two Energy to it that turn, or I have an [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] in hand (as they cannot [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] you in the same turn). Usually, I find myself only needing two Volcanion-EX for any situation.
Your statistically most likely starter is Volcanion-EX, so if they have the turn one [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], you will have to rely on finding a [card name=”Volcanion” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY145″ c=”name”][/card] and an [card name=”Olympia” set=”Generations” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] to be able to attack on the first turn with a Power Heater. Their most dangerous attackers are [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card]. Prioritizing KOing these will make for an easy game. This means saving resources until you can OHKO them. [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”14″ c=”name”][/card] is a really strong attacker in this matchup too.
Versus Decidueye / Vileplume With Jolteon: Slightly Favorable
[cardimg name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
[card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] is annoying, but 70 damage per turn is not too much to fret about. I think the easiest thing to do is try to eliminate [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] as quickly as possible. You can get lucky if they leave Jolteon-EX Active (which is common because of its free Retreat), and blow them up with a Steam Up-augmented, turn one Volcanic Heat or Combat Blaze.
Aside from that, the goal is to [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] and destroy Vileplume to give you access to [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] to abuse either the [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] combo or to gain access to [card name=”Pokémon Ranger” set=”Steam Siege” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card].
Quad Lapras: Favorable
This deck is all about Energy denial, and stalling. We have [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] and baby [card name=”Volcanion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”25″ c=”name”][/card], to do our bidding, as well as [card name=”Energy Retrieval” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”116″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card]. You don’t want to overextend too much, but you want to try to eliminate [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card] as fast as possible. The longer the game goes on, the more Blizzard Burns they can pull off and steal games with.
[card name=”Team Skull Grunt” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] can be a pain in clutch situations so finding your [card name=”Fisherman” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] and Retrievals help with this. Other than that, this matchup is straightforward, you just hit as hard and fast as possible, and don’t let them regain their footing.
Closing Thoughts on Volcanion
I think Volcanion is well suited in the meta right now. I don’t know if it is too strong for the meta, where people will try to flood it with [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. I am of the mind that Volcanion has a pretty decent matchup against Mega Rayquaza, but it does lean in the Flying Dragon’s favor.
Mega Rayquaza / Gumshoos-GX
[card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] has been hyped as one of the best decks to play since the beginning of the season. This is because Night March is rotated and gone, and nothing else can quite keep up with the massive damage that it can put out. When I first played it at Athens Regionals, I could easily see why it is a good deck. I was going to put this deck in my last article, but I didn’t think it would be received well, and [card name=”Wobbuffet” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC11″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Aerodactyl” set=”Fates Collide” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] was rogue enough! Since then, however, other players have had the idea, the most prominent probably being a tenth place at the Latin America Internationals. Without further adieu, here is my list.
[decklist name=”aa” amt=”60″ caption=”aa” cname=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″][pokemon amt=”17″]3x [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]4x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Gumshoos-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Yungoos” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Manaphy-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Dragonite-EX” set=”Evolutions” no=”72″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”34″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ 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=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Rayquaza Spirit Link” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”87″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Primal Clash” no=”127″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”9″]5x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”Evolutions” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Card Explanations
Manaphy-EX, Water Energy
This is the part that saves you from [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] stalls. Free Retreat on literally anyone is great. This can be countered by Feather Arrowing [card name=”Manaphy-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card] to death, but the pressure that [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] typically puts on Decidueye will prevent this. Energy is your most precious resource in Mega Ray, which brings us to our next point.
Five Energy, Four Mega Turbo
[cardimg name=”Manaphy-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”32″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
I went over this in my first article, but I think it is appropriate to reiterate it here. Five Energy ensures that you will find it when you need it, especially for other matchups when you often need to use Basic Energy as [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] fodder to feed into [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card].
The biggest problem [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] has is not finding enough Pokemon or Stadiums which prevents you from attacking consistently. The extra copies of the cards you need to use your attacks helps immensely versus all matchups. Five Energy allows you to attach three Basic Energy in cases where your opponent has a lot of Special Energy hate ([card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card]). This makes it so they need a lot to deplete your Energy resources.
Gumshoos-GX
Speaking of resources, the best way to know when to overextend or not is to literally look at your opponent’s hand. Often when I play [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], I ask myself questions like “should I play this Special Energy because they might have a Hammer?” or “should I discard a [card name=”Sky Field” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”89″ c=”name”][/card] with this [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card], or are they going to replace my Stadium next turn?”.
Gumshoe Chance GX is also a powerful attack that swings games. [card name=”M Mewtwo-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”64″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] all stack Energy, and all are destroyed by this attack when they do. You can also use [card name=”Gumshoos-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card]’s Headbutt Bounce attack for 100 damage to KO those pesky [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] without risking your Mega Rayquaza.
Super Rod Over Buddy-Buddy Rescue
In an ideal world, I would play both, but I can’t fit both into this deck. [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] is objectively better because it can save you from deck out. Although it doesn’t put exactly what you want into your hand, it can save you from a devastating [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] where you had to discard multiple [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card].
Skyla
This is a common card in Mega Rayquaza decks. I only play this card because of the awesome draw power we have with two [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] and four [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. Sometimes you just need to guarantee one Item.
Oranguru
I wasn’t sure about this card, but I often find myself [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card]’d down to low hand sizes and unable to climb out of them. [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] puts my hand in at least [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card] range, which can let me get a [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] if my Bench allows. Also just drawing one or two extra cards before you play Shaymin-EX gives you the slight edge of consistency that is so often needed in this deck. It can also be situationally useful as a non-EX attacker.
How to Play the Deck
I’m often asked whether or not you should go first while playing this deck. In this format, you should always go first, solely because of [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card]. This deck can attack on the first turn, but it is not as consistent as Night March attacking on the first turn. Even if it was, I would go first as I did when I played Night March.
On your first turn going first, you want to ideally get two [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], one Energy attachment, and play [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card]. Anything further than that is overextending. After that, you can start building your Bench and taking Knock Outs, but don’t extend too far until you are ready to KO something. Personally, I only play one [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card] on my turn one, so that I can save the others for later.
Matchups
Decidueye / Vileplume: Favorable
[cardimg name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
This is the only matchup you want to overextend in on turn one. If you can [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] on the first turn, it essentially guarantees that you will have a second turn of Items. You want to be able to play as many Items down as possible, hopefully at least successfully hitting one or two [card name=”Mega Turbo” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”86″ c=”name”][/card].
Once you’re firmly set in Item-lock is when you slow down your approach. Try to use [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] to rid yourself of most of your leftover Items. When hitting Basic Pokemon-EX only play down what is necessary to KO them so that you can save the extension for hitting [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card]. Because your opponent’s hand is stagnant due to the same Item-lock, you can use [card name=”Gumshoos-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card]’s Ability to predict their every move and play around them as necessary.
[card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] can be a problem because it hits for Weakness hits, but Mega Ray easily OHKOs a Jolteon-EX with a [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] without using a Stadium. [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] is the next biggest threat. [card name=”Tauros-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card] isn’t such a big deal, because you can two hit it if you don’t find the Stadium, with a Sky Return followed by an Emerald Break.
[card name=”Regice” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”24″ c=”name”][/card] is the only problem, if your opponent chooses to play it. Your only outs are [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”name”][/card] and Gumshoos-GX.
Turbo Darkrai: Favorable
Turbo Darkrai has a really low damage output in the beginning of the game. If you have a good start, you can often take two Pokemon-EX KOs with one [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] before your opponent can KO one. This leaves you with two Prizes to get with two more available Mega Ray.
Dark Dragons: Slightly Favorable
[card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] takes awhile to power up. To power it up in one turn, you need a [card name=”Double Dragon Energy” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card], two [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card], and a way to switch it into the Active. It isn’t impossible, but even then, we can use [card name=”Gumshoos-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] to OHKO the single Tina. The other issue is [card name=”Salamence-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY170″ c=”name”][/card], but once you get through the Dragons, there really isn’t anything in your way. The downside of this matchup is when you cannot deal with the dangerous Dragons. If your deck fails you, then it can go down hill very fast in this matchup.
M Mewtwo-EX / Espeon-GX: Even
I don’t think that this deck is too hard to play against now that you have a counter to them OHKOing your [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card]. Mewtwo is also playing more [card name=”Shrine of Memories” set=”Primal Clash” no=”139″ c=”name”][/card] and less [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] to counter [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], making the matchup even easier as you only need to go through losing all of your Pokemon once.
Yveltal-EX: Slightly Unfavorable
Fright Night [card name=”Yveltal” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”94″ c=”name”][/card] is a pain for this matchup if they start it. Even with the Delta Evolution trait, you still want to be able to evolve multiple Rayquaza without ending your turn.
[card name=”Gumshoos-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card] should be saved for a bigger [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY150″ c=”name”][/card], should they stack one with Energy. This KO option can swing the matchup heavily in your favor if you catch an Yveltal-EX with four Energy on it.
Volcanion: Moderately Favorable
[cardimg name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”14″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
People still don’t believe in using [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”14″ c=”name”][/card] in Volcanion. Mike Newey, who recently won Utah Regionals didn’t play a copy. Without Entei, there’s nothing to stop [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] from completely steam rolling, unless they are able to KO three [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card]. In this matchup, you really want to find your [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] as quickly as possible, and use it as many turns in a row as possible.
Lapras-GX: Extremely Favorable
The way I play Mega Ray, with heavy focus on Energy, Lapras is a joke matchup. They spam Hammers, but you take your time to get three Basic Energy on a Mega Rayquaza and blow them out of existence. [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”name”][/card] also helps this matchup, as you can retrieve Energy to just manually attach with later. It does require you to have a full Bench, but as long as you don’t overextend, this matchup is an easy one.
Final Thoughts on Mega Rayquaza
This is one my favorite picks for Virginia Regionals. I think it has the capability to beat any deck in the format, especially since they are gearing towards more Supporters and less Items. This lets [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] outspeed most things in the meta.
Trashalanche is Treasure: A Look at Guardians Rising
One of the most hyped decks looking into the next set is Garbodor. Locking your opponents out of Items is one thing, but encouraging your opponent to play them is what this deck does best. Most chatter around the game, however, only mentions using Garbodor from Guardians Rising with [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”from”][/card]. I do not think this is the most optimal setup as Field Blower makes your Garbodor useless. Also, I believe you need an alternate attacker because Garbodor’s damage is highly reliant on your opponent. Instead, I think abusing Tapu Lele-GX to have utmost consistency and as a secondary attacker as well as Salazzle to augment damage is a much better strategy.
[decklist name=”aa” amt=”60″ caption=”aa” cname=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″][pokemon amt=”18″]4x Garbodor (GUR #51)4x [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x Salazzle (GUR #16)3x Salandit (GUR #15)2x Tapu Lele-GX (GUR #60)2x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”34″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”78″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x Rescue Stretcher (GUR #130)2x Field Blower (GUR #125)2x Choice Band (GUR #121)2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”8″]4x [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
How to Play the Deck
While testing this, I usually take a passive stance. If my opponent discards several Items, I will have no problem destroying my opponent with only Garbodor. However, if my opponent plays slowly, and doesn’t attach Items I will stack Energy on Tapu Lele with a Choice Band to obliterate my opponent’s field. With Salazzle’s Hot Poison Ability, you put pressure on your opponent to start playing the game. This means they will eventually start playing Items to get set up so that you can sweep with a one-Prize attacker.
Editor’s note: For those of you unaware, the mechanics of Burn have changed recently.
Card Explanations
Two Tapu Lele-GX
Wonder Tag is a wonderful and welcomed Ability in this game. It allows you to have the consistency of the formats of old. Also, while having 170 HP, and an X-Ball-esque attack, it becomes an incredible staple in every deck.
Four Trubbish from BREAKpoint
I think this is the stronger [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”name”][/card] to use. In a bind, you can delete Energy off of your opponent’s field to buy you time to do damage. It is also a great turn one attack if you lost the coin flip.
3-3 Salazzle, Four Rainbow, Four Double Colorless Energy
Salazzle serves a secondary purpose besides putting on pressure with Hot Poison. It is a Fire-type that can hit pesky Grass Pokemon, such as [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], for Weakness! I play a 3-3 and no [card name=”Devolution Spray” set=”Evolutions” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] because you only need to pull the Ability off a handful of times. However, if you need to, I included a path to do it again in this deck.
Two Field Blower, Two Parallel City, Two Rescue Stretcher
Field Blower by itself can augment Garbodor‘s damage. If you discard two Tools from your opponent’s field, it adds up to 40 more damage to Trashalanche.
Aside from that, it can be used in a cute little combo to reuse Salazzle, [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], and Tapu Lele-GX. You fill your Bench with your support Pokemon, [card name=”Parallel City” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] limiting your Bench, Rescue Stretcher, and then they are available in your deck again for use. With the help of [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”name”][/card], I have been able to pull this off quite a few times in my testing.
Two Choice Band, Two Float Stone
[card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card] is not necessarily needed, because everyone except for your main attacker just has one Retreat. However, it is nice to have switching cards for any occasion.
Choice Band, in conjunction with hot poison adds 60 damage to both Garbodor‘s Trashalanche and Tapu Lele-GX’s Energy Drive. In addition, a Choice Band on Salazzle OHKOs [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] when you use Flamethrower.
Conclusion
The season is coming to an end, but the oppressive format of [card name=”Decidueye-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card] will hopefully follow. In this article, I have focused on overpowering your opponent using pure strength and combo decks, as I usually like to play. I would much rather have a Night March format, than an Item-lock heavy format, and am looking forward to the change!
As always, I hope you enjoyed my article and please feel free to follow up with any questions. I am genuinely excited for Guardians Rising, and hope to bring you exciting content in the future.
[/premium]