Cyclone Kicking Yourself: An Introspective View
What’s up PokeBeach readers, as I write this I am flying back from Portland, OR where I competed in the most recent Regional Championships in our circuit. While I didn’t perform to my usual standard, I did learn many things this weekend that I will share in this article. I will also include the Lucario-GX / [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] deck that I played in Portland, explain my thoughts on the deck, and detail some possible card changes that may make the concept more viable. With many subjects to cover, I will jump straight into the article.
Processing a Slump as a Player: Get in the Zone
In any competitive game, it is a wise idea to have confidence, but it is often wise to be realistic when it is possible to do so. At the beginning of the 2017-2018 season, I was coming fresh off of my day two advancement at the 2017 World Championships and I felt like I was on top of the world. I used this confidence early on to fuel my desire to play test and ultimately started the season off strongly. During the first quarter of the season, here is what I accomplished by only playing in these events:
- Top 16 Fort Wayne, IN Regional Championships
- Top 32 Hartford, CT Regional Championships
- Top 64 Daytona Beach, FL Regional Championships
- Top 128 London, UK European International Championships
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to use this article as a way to boost myself as a player, but I felt during this time period that I was in ‘the zone’. I was talking with Igor Costa over this weekend and he was explaining to me that he has experienced his stronger showings while being in ‘the zone’. So you may be wondering to yourself, what is ‘the zone’? While it can be difficult to explain, ‘the zone’ can be a numerous amount of things that equal to your current success. With my personal experience and with some insight after talking to Igor Costa, here are some determining factors:
[cardimg name=”Imakuni?” set=”Generations” no=”63″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Don’t get it wrong![/cardimg]
Creating Decks and Defining the Metagame Curve
- When you are on top of your game, you can gain an extra skill set, the ability to metagame properly
- When you fully understand the meta game, you are clairvoyant, allowing yourself to pick the best deck
- In some circumstances, the best deck may be a new deck, something that you have created yourself
- In order to get to this level of playing skill, it is advisable to test for a specific tournament excessively
Confidence in Your Own Capabilities as a Player
- Know what you are capable with by asking yourself questions to determine that placement
- Monitor where you have shown growth as a player and see what you have put in place to achieve that growth (ie. winning a League Cup, making Top 64 at a Regionals, etc.)
- It is better to excel at what you know than to doubt yourself in the process
Networking with Other Players
- Sharing of ideas, strategies, and lists with other players
- Playing with players of a ‘lesser’ caliber of your own to showcase the difference of skill set to set a grounding point
- Playing with players of a more skilled caliber than your own to showcase the difference of skill set to set a hypothetical ceiling point
After looking at all of these different skills that can be used to propel yourself closer to the top as a more skilled player, I can see how I even I can continuously grow as a player. While at the beginning of the season I was hungry for success, I have become jaded by my success, which has likely been the cause for my recent ‘slump’. It can be difficult to admit as a player with any skill set on where you stand, but it is also humbling to discover how much you need to grow. That being said, I want to quickly re-visit my earlier testing regimes to re-evaluate where I am at to eventually get to a level where I can compete with players who are at the top of their game. I would also like to say that I am by no means mocking myself or downplaying where I am at as a player; I need to be level headed from time-to-time to be able to see where I need to grow. My upcoming journey that includes travelling for Internationals will be the test that I need to pass — whether I do well or not is ultimately in my hands.
As we head into a meta game that is somewhat fresh and somewhat new, there were multiple different decks thriving in the Pacific North West this weekend. If you were at Portland, you would know and if you weren’t at Portland, your mind must be blown…
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Portland Metagame Advancements
While most players were excited for the release of Lucario-GX, other top players had a different view of the forthcoming meta game. In the finals of the event, we saw Xander Pero and Colter Decker play a 60-card mirror match using [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM35″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. To be completely fair, the deck has been around for a while, but Pero and Decker were able to predict the meta game with expertise to ultimately win the event. Furthermore, we saw many top players switch to pseudo-lock decks such as [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and ‘attacking’ [card name=”Hoopa” set=”Shining Legends” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card]. I know that if the matchups within the Top 8 of Portland went slightly differently, my friend and teammate, Hunter Butler, may have been able to advance farther with Hoopa. Surprisingly, [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] decks seemed to take a back seat this weekend with the predictions of Lucario-GX being played in high numbers, but Zoroark-GX was paired with Lucario-GX, [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM62″ c=”name”][/card], Lycanroc-GX, and [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] when it was played. Lastly, we saw a mix of [card name=”Tapu Bulu-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM32″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vikavolt” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM28″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM69″ c=”name”][/card] / Lycanroc-GX, and Lucario-GX based variants did well over the course of the weekend. Looking at all of this data, it is likely that these following decks will see slightly heavier play at upcoming League Cups:
[cardimg name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”140″ align=”right” c=”custom”]I am number one![/cardimg]
- Espeon-GX / Garbodor / Garbodor
- Sylveon-GX
- Hoopa
- Buzzwole-GX / Lycanroc-GX
- Lucario-GX Variants
- Zoroark-GX / Lycanroc-GX
- Zoroark-GX / Lucario-GX
- Zoroark-GX / Golisopod-GX
- Zoroark-GX / Gardevoir-GX
This list should not be surprising, as all of those decks are strong and will be played to strong results at League Cups. Now there are also other decks that were floating around the meta game, but not seeing the same levels of success. Those decks include the following:
- [card name=”Alolan Dugtrio” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Starmie” set=”Evolutions” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card]
- [card name=”Empoleon” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]
- [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]
- [card name=”Hoopa” set=”Shining Legends” no=”55″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Wishiwashi-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”38″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Xurkitree-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM68″ c=”name”][/card]
- [card name=”Ho-Oh-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Turtonator-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card]/ [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY173″ c=”name”][/card]
- [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Weavile” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card]
- Zoroark-GX / [card name=”Missing Clover” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card]
- [card name=”Rampardos” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”65″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Talonflame” set=”Steam Siege” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card]
- [card name=”Raichu-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Pachirisu” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”49″ c=”name”][/card]
- [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM69″ c=”name”][/card] /[card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]
- [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] Variants
Anything that was not listed is either a simple oversight or a rarely played deck. If you are trying to figure out a deck to play, I recommend picking a deck from the first half of the decks listed because those decks are naturally stronger than the decks listed below them. Honestly, some of the decks listed in the lower half do have an opportunity to jump back into the upper echelon of decks, but the meta game would need to work in their favour at that point in time.
Since most of the decks I have listed have been featured on the site already, I will dive into the newest deck on the list, Lucario-GX. I still want to explore the ‘straight variation’ of Lucario-GX a bit more as we embark further into our new meta game, I do want to showcase the list that I played in Portland:
Lucario-GX / Lycanroc-GX
[decklist name=”Lucario-GX / Lycanroc-GX” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″][pokemon amt=”18″]4x Lucario-GX4x [card name=”Riolu” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”66″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Remoraid” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Regirock-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”43″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Rockruff” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”73″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”34″]4x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”148″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Cynthia” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Shining Legends” no=”68″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Evosoda” set=”Generations” no=”62″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”8″]4x [card name=”Fighting Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Fates Collide” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Four Lucario-GX, Four Ultra Ball, and Two Evosoda
In this Lucario-GX variant, it makes total sense for us to max out on our Lucario-GX line because the deck plays out like a combo deck. The strategy of this deck is to use Aura Strike to to an insane amount of damage for a single Energy card and to use Cantankerous Beatdown GX when our opponent can’t Knock Out Lucario-GX. In some rare circumstances, it is possible for use Cyclone Kick to Knock Out almost any Pokemon, but it is uncommon due to cards such as [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card] being played in our current format.
One Lycanroc-GX
Similar to [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Lycanroc-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card] is used in this deck to bring up the Pokemon that we want to Knock Out with Lucario-GX by using its Bloodthirsty Eyes Ability. Furthermore, if your opponent is able to Knock Out your field of Lucario-GX, it is advisable to use Lycanroc-GX to attack with Dangerous Rogue GX to take a big Knock Out in the game. It is wise to remember that if you use Dangerous Rogue GX, your opponent will be able to safely two-hit your Lucario-GX because Cantankerous Beatdown GX is no longer an option. This is due to the current rules of the game that allow you to use only one GX attack per game so make sure you have a plan before using either of your available GX attacks in this deck.
Three Regirock-EX, Four Professor Kukui, Four Choice Band, and Four Strong Energy
With the goal of this deck being able to hit for a one-hit Knock Out with Aura Strike, it is mandatory for us to have the proper damage modifiers to back us up. Lets check out how this math works out:
[cardimg name=”Choice Band” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”162″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Sup, GX Pokemon?[/cardimg]
- Aura Strike = 120 Damage
- Cyclone Kick = 130 Damage
- [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] = 30 Damage
- [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Fates Collide” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] = 20 Damage
- [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card] = 20 Damage
- [card name=”Regirock-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card] = 10 Damage
Looking at this math, it is possible to do anywhere from 120 to 240 damage for up to two Energy on a Lucario-GX — this is all without factoring in Weakness at all either! In most cases, the most popular GX Pokemon all plateau at either 170 HP, 190 HP, or 210 HP so we have plenty of wiggle room there.
In the somewhat rare event that you are able to power-up a Lucario-GX with three Energy, Cyclone Kick offers a consistent damage output, in comparison to the ‘combo-move’ of Aura Strike. The damage output isn’t incredibly more than Aura Strike, but with the additional Energy attachment, it is possible to successfully attach another Strong Energy! That being said, the range of Cyclone Kick can go from 130 to 270 damage which is enough to Knock Out Pokemon with larger amounts of HP such as [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card].
You can only use Cantankerous Beatdown-GX when Lucario-GX has been damaged, but don’t let that decide how you view this attack. In most circumstances beyond chip damage of 10 to 30 damage, Cantankerous Beatdown GX can do an absurd amount of damage. Lucario-GX still gets the benefit of all the damage modifications that the other attacks have all benefited from. That being said, we can safely add upwards of 120 damage to any amount of damage on Lucario-GX to improve our OHKO potential.
Four Brooklet Hill, Four Riolu, Two Remoraid, and One Rockruff
In a combination deck, it is advisable to be able to get out your support Pokemon and [card name=”Brooklet Hill” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] is a strong because it can easily get that job completed. In this deck, Brooklet Hill can search out every Basic Pokemon that this deck has to offer, with the only exception being the lone copy of [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”name”][/card] in the list. Beyond getting [card name=”Rockruff” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”73″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Remoraid” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”32″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Riolu” set=”Ultra Prism” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] to set-up plays to Evolve them later, it is also possible to search for [card name=”Regirock-EX” set=”Fates Collide” no=”43″ c=”name”][/card] to add extra damage to your available attacks.
Possible Card Changes
While I would like to believe that my list for Portland was perfect, I am a realistic person; I try to improve everything that I possibly can. Below are a list of potential card inclusions that are possible to be interchanged throughout the list.
Buzzwole-GX
I am torn on the inclusion of this card, but I think it seems like a strong inclusion because you can use Jet Punch to either soften up threats or to finish the job after using Aura Strike. Originally, when I was looking at Michael Pramawat’s list before Portland, I was perplexed by the inclusion of [card name=”Buzzwole-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM69″ c=”name”][/card] because I view that card as an Aborption-GX slave! That being said, now that I can see how the card works, I am more inclined to include this card in an updated list. In order to make room for this card, I would look into cutting an ‘extra’ card such as the fourth [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”name”][/card].
Wally
[cardimg name=”Wally” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”107″ align=”right” c=”custom”]Please play me![/cardimg]
Now this may just be a pipe dream, but I think [card name=”Wally” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC27″ c=”name”][/card] can be included as either a one-of or two-of to get that juicy turn one OHKO on a Pokemon such as Tapu Lele-GX. I understand that it is stronger on turn one, but I keep asking myself why am I not playing a card that gives me the option to win on the first turn of the game. Furthermore, Wally isn’t a dead card during the latter half of the game because you can still use it to fulfill the requirements for Lucario-GX to use Aura Strike. I will make this clear, I haven’t tested this card, it may be bad, but the idea is worth looking into.
Super Scoop Up and / or Acerola
After seeing Pramawat’s Lucario-GX list from Portland, I have no reason to doubt that [card name=”Super Scoop Up” set=”Shining Legends” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] and Lucario-GX are stuck together like two peas in a [card name=”Metapod” set=”Evolutions” no=”4″ c=”name”][/card] (bad pun – I know!). Before the tournament, I was torn on this card because it sounded fine, but it also added in a flip card into the deck. In some circumstances, it is necessary to run flip-cards in your deck, I decided against it, but Pramwat also took the deck to a Top 32 finish while I missed out on points. On the other hand, [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”name”][/card] is another card that I heavily considered approaching Portland, but it didn’t see much use during testing. In the end, I am sure both of these cards are decent inclusions in most Lucario-GX variants, but they likely fall to personal preference.
Pokemon Catcher
If I am correct, Igor Costa and his testing group came up with this idea, tested the deck out, the deck was leaked before Portland, and they stayed away from playing the deck to avoid mirror matches all day. I do think that [card name=”Pokémon Catcher” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card] can be a strong inclusion in this deck, it falls into a similar category as Super Scoop Up for me because it is another flip card. I will likely test this card the most because it seems like the most promising inclusion in the deck, but I foresee myself failing to enjoy using a card that brings the game closer-to-chance than skill.
A Conflicted Path!
I feel like I just went through a therapy session writing that article because a certain weight has been lifted off of my chest. While I can sometimes solve my problems by writing, I sometimes need to solve other issues by being practical. In my most recent conflict, I am unsure if I want to continue to chase a Top 16 placement in North America because I have had a recent string of bad luck in Costa Mesa, Charlotte, and Portland. I know that I picked strong decks for these events, play tested to avoid making mistakes, and played with extreme wit — it is not always possible to succeed. That being said, there is a certain uncertainty for me to go to anything beyond what I have booked due to the uphill battle I seem to be facing. At this current moment, I am personally debating a trip to Germany to play in a Regional Championships which may end up being a huge gain for some Championship Points. Regardless, I still have Internationals in Brazil booked so I can always have a strong performance at that event. I guess time will allow me to decide?!?…
For updates on my travel plans, tournament schedule, premium deck lists, strategies, and my most recent articles, feel free to check out and follow my professional Pokemon Twitter @ zlesage_pokemon. If I you ever see me playing in a Pokemon tournament internationally or if you are local to me in the Greater Toronto Area, feel free to chat with me at any time. I always enjoy talking to new players, people from around the world, and aspiring Pokemon trainers!
Until next time,
Zach
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