Meta Review for Worlds

Hello everyone! The current Standard format is in an interesting place right now. With no major events taking place in July, there is a month and a half between NAIC and Worlds. This results in a bit of a lull in competitive play, although there are still online Limitless tournaments and the release of the Pokemon GO set to keep players involved.

[cardimg name=”Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”40″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

I touched on the state of the meta in my last article — that is, the format is almost solved. This is due to the top decks being incredibly difficult to counter, which results in a meta that has developed and stabilized much more quickly than usual. [card name=”Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Arceus VSTAR” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”123″ c=”name”][/card] have established and maintained their stranglehold on the meta because they are extremely powerful, consistent, and well-rounded. It’s hard to imagine any deck being better than them, or even being able to beat them consistently.

There are a host of other decks that see middling play. [card name=”Mew VMAX” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] has sunk significantly in terms of success, but still sees play consistently. Other decks, such as [card name=”Blissey V” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Ice Rider Calyrex VMAX” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Duraludon VMAX” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”220″ c=”name”][/card], see fringe play from time to time, and they can perform well given a good run. Online tournaments show us off-meta decks that can snag a top finish here and there, but there aren’t any rogue decks that are worth writing home about.

That said, after playing this format quite a bit, there are a few things I want to point out and discuss. If you plan on playing in any competitive environment for the foreseeable future, a strong understanding of the meta is important, to say the least. This can help you make an informed deck choice and be knowledgeable about your matchups. I won’t be talking about just one or two specific decks today, but instead giving a commentary on all of the main players.

I’ll be ranking the decks as well. Each of these decks can win a major event given the right circumstances, so while the rankings are based on my informed opinions, they aren’t necessarily set in stone. These rankings are my perceived power level of the decks considering the meta surrounding them. Popularity or Tier List rankings would look quite different (though I will still discuss the popularity and threat level of each deck).

9. Arceus VSTAR / Duraludon VMAX

Duraludon has had middling popularity for its entire existence. It was written off by several competitive players, myself included, but then it surprised many of us by winning Milwaukee Regionals. However, even after winning that event, it more or less dropped off the face of the earth for NAIC. It has since returned to its middle-of-the-road status in online events.

The biggest problem that Duraludon faces is its poor Arceus VSTAR / [card name=”Inteleon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”58″ c=”name”][/card] (AI) matchup. Previously, Duraludon was gatekept out of the format by its miserable Mew matchup, but as Mew declined, AI popped off in popularity. The combination of these two poor matchups is the sole reason that Duraludon is ranked last among the meta decks. I consider the deck to be unplayable as a result.

However, if you somehow dodge those two matchups, this deck looks insane. Its biggest strength is its Palkia matchup, which is not an auto-win but is still solidly favored. Palkia’s popularity is on par with AI, so having this matchup is quite good. Duraludon is a strong deck on its own, and it’s very difficult for most decks to take down two Duraludon VMAX with healing cards mixed in. Because of this, Duraludon is an anti-nonsense deck that naturally beats most miscellaneous things you’ll run into. If you ever find a tournament where you don’t expect much Mew or AI, Duraludon is the play.

I don’t expect Duraludon to be popular going forward, so I would be willing to take a loss to it. If I do run into Duraludon and am not prepared for it, I’ll chalk it up to bad luck.

8. Blissey V

Blissey is a strong deck, and despite its low ranking, it has the potential to do well in any event. It’s only ranked low because the other decks in the format are so good. Blissey’s biggest weakness is that it has a near auto-loss against [card name=”Flying Pikachu VMAX” set=”Celebrations” no=”7″ c=”name”][/card], which remains a force in the meta after it won NAIC. Blissey also gets trounced by any deck containing [card name=”Starmie V” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”30″ c=”name”][/card], which can coincidentally be played by both of the top two decks in the format. Fortunately for Blissey, Starmie has been removed from most decks — it may linger in some Palkia lists but won’t be seen in AI anymore. Blissey had the biggest target on its back at NAIC, following its performance at Milwaukee, but that target has since disappeared.

Blissey destroys AI, and that is a huge point in its favor. It’s also decent against Palkia and Mew. It can run circles around Palkia players who don’t know the matchup, but if they have Starmie, that advantage is offset. It loses to Duraludon, but that may not even be worth mentioning. Aside from that, Flying Pikachu, and Starmie, Blissey has the ability to beat everything while remaining a powerful deck at its core. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Blissey do well, as it has a reasonable chance of sneaking past its bad matchups.

Blissey isn’t popular enough to worry about during deck selection. It is good enough to play, but I think many other decks are just better options.

7. Flying Pikachu VMAX

This is probably the most controversial placement on my list. I don’t think this deck is great in the current meta. It did just win NAIC, but it had a lot of good luck and was piloted by one of the best players — if not the best player — in the world. In my opinion, this deck is just an inferior version of AI, but that deck is so good that even a lesser version of it is quite strong. While the deck does have Flying Pikachu to solve a few matchups, it operates similarly to AI with Trinity Nova and [card name=”Cheren’s Care” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] spam strategies.

Flying Pikachu was incredible when [card name=”Regigigas” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] and Blissey roamed the lands, but it still has utility for its primary enemy, that being Palkia. The deck goes positive against Palkia, but the matchup is surprisingly contentious for what is supposed to be an example of a hard counter. The Mew matchup can go either way, and is completely dependent on their draws under [card name=”Path to the Peak” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”148″ c=”name”][/card], so there’s not much to say about that one.

Flying Pikachu’s biggest weakness is its matchup against AI, especially with AI being at the peak of its popularity. In this matchup, it truly is an inferior version of AI. As long as both decks are able to stabilize, the matchup becomes a resource war that AI always wins. However, Flying Pikachu can still eke out a win through early aggression.

I would not feel comfortable playing this deck, but it is certainly a solid deck that many players continue to use. Its surprise factor has worn off and its anti-meta characteristic along with it. Due to its continued popularity, you should be prepared to face it regardless of how good you think the deck is. I would rather not play a deck that loses to Flying Pikachu, and would only consider doing so if my other matchups were incredible.

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6. Mew VMAX

Mew’s placement is rather low considering how powerful of a deck it is. At the end of the day, I’m not too sure about Mew in the current meta. It still has potential to do well, and it is capable of beating everything. That said, though, it’s also capable of losing to everything, as it’s inconsistent and reliant on luck. Mew is struggling right now due to all of the top decks playing Path to the Peak and [card name=”Roxanne” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card], a deadly combo that is nearly uncounterable. It’s especially unfavored against Palkia, and more or less 50-50 against Arceus variants, depending on draws and Path sticking.

Like Flying Pikachu, Mew continues to see play and must be respected, but I would not play it myself. The deck has lots of inherent power and explosiveness, which is why it’s still around. Its luck-based nature combined with the hostile meta is the reason why it isn’t the dominant force it once was.

Another thing I’ll mention is that I don’t think the [card name=”Pokemon Catcher” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”105″ c=”name”][/card] version is the way to go, even though it is more popular than the non-Catcher version. Pokemon Catcher is mostly useful when you are going second and reaching for the turn-one KO combo, and only if the opponent has a two-Prize Pokemon on the Bench and not the Active Spot. More often than not, playing a more consistent version that can use [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card] several times is sufficient to win games. Catcher has some upsides, but the deck that has to be built around it is suboptimal compared to the non-Catcher version.

5. Ice Rider Calyrex VMAX

Take Ice Rider’s ranking with a grain of salt, as it’s the deck I’ve played the least. I could easily see it being a top-three deck, but for now it’s in the middle of the pack.

Ice Rider is now universally being played alongside Palkia, as Palkia is simply an amazing card with decent Ice Rider synergy. The question is whether you play them with Inteleon or [card name=”Bibarel” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card]. The Inteleon engine is no doubt better in a vacuum, but it is extremely weak to Roxanne. We are in a Roxanne-heavy meta right now, with both Palkia and Arceus able to utilize the card consistently. The Bibarel version eliminates this weakness at the cost of a less consistent engine and larger weakness to [card name=”Miltank” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”126″ c=”name”][/card].

Ice Rider is in a favorable position right now because it is great at slaughtering Pokemon VSTAR. With just a [card name=”Choice Belt” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card], Ice Rider’s Max Lance hits for the magic number 280. In case of [card name=”Big Charm” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card], this deck can also include [card name=”Tool Scrapper” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”168″ c=”name”][/card] and/or [card name=”Leon” set=”Vivid Voltage” no=”154″ c=”name”][/card]. Inteleon easily makes these combos, but with Bibarel you may need a little bit of luck.

If you asked me a week or two ago whether or not Ice Rider should be respected, I’d have said absolutely not. However, it appears to be gaining some traction, as it is one of the few decks that can prey on the top meta decks. Ice Rider’s Max Lance attack is no joke, and the card is so strong because of the absurd amount of Water-type support.

I could see myself playing Ice Rider if it proved itself in testing; it just happens to be the deck I’ve played the least at this point in time. Don’t be surprised if you face Ice Rider at any future tournaments, and definitely develop a game plan against it!

4. Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR

[card name=”Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”114″ c=”name”][/card] is a deck that I rate rather highly. If you ask me, it’s the most slept-on deck in the format: the deck has incredible power, but is underexplored and underrepresented.

[cardimg name=”Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”114″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]

Dialga functions similarly to Mew, but can more easily incorporate [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] without it being a liability. It still doesn’t enjoy facing Path to the Peak, but it can at least deal with it. Dialga can also more easily play around Roxanne because it can set up checkmates, or use [card name=”Mew” set=”Celebrations” no=”11″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”name”][/card] to mitigate hand disruption. Like Mew, Dialga is capable of winning any matchup depending on how the cards fall. [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] gives it a crazy turn-one option in case of going second, which is just as consistent as Mew’s turn-one Meloetta, if not more so.

[card name=”Cross Switcher” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”230″ c=”name”][/card] can be utilized with terrifying consistency, leaving options open for draw Supporters or Energy acceleration cards such as [card name=”Cyllene” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] (for [card name=”Metal Saucer” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”170″ c=”name”][/card]) or [card name=”Marnie’s Pride” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card]. I’ve seen slower and more stable versions of Dialga out and about, such as those with more Supporters, [card name=”Bird Keeper” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”159″ c=”name”][/card] packages, [card name=”Diancie” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Bronzong” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”TG11″ c=”name”][/card], etc. In my opinion, the turbo version is superior and it isn’t even a question.

Due to Dialga’s low popularity, it isn’t a deck you need to be worried about facing. It’s certainly possible that you’ll run into one, but it’s much more likely that you won’t. Dialga is a deck that I would strongly consider playing myself, though. My current list isn’t anything crazy, but it has been refined over time and has proven itself to be a strong contender.

[decklist name=”dialga” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”114″][pokemon amt=”13″]2x [card name=”Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Origin Forme Dialga V” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Mew” set=”Celebrations” no=”11″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Crobat V” set=”Darkness Ablaze” no=”104″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Radiant Greninja” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”46″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Zacian V” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”37″]1x [card name=”Marnie’s Pride” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Cyllene” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Boss’s Orders” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”154″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Avery” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Cross Switcher” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”230″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Quick Ball” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”179″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Metal Saucer” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”170″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Energy Search” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”161″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Scoop Up Net” set=”Rebel Clash” no=”165″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trekking Shoes” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Battle VIP Pass” set=”Fusion Strike” no=”225″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”150″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Hisuian Heavy Ball” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”146″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Big Charm” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”158″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Air Balloon” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”156″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”10″]10x [card name=”Metal Energy” set=”XY” no=”139″ c=”deck2″ amt=”10″][/card][/energy][/decklist]The deck aims to sweep all six Prizes with one large Dialga VSTAR. Zacian is a lower-maintenance attacker that can be used in some situations, such as on turn one. Even if you go first and don’t plan on attacking with it, Intrepid Sword is very useful. [card name=”Marnie’s Pride” set=”Brilliant Stars” no=”145″ c=”name”][/card] should be in every Dialga list but isn’t yet for some reason. Cyllene is far more versatile, but comes with that dicey 25% chance of failing. It’s hard to say which one is better. [card name=”Avery” set=”Chilling Reign” no=”130″ c=”name”][/card] has some synergy here as it removes two Pokemon from the board before Dialga removes two more, which limits opponents’ options and makes it unlikely for them to recover. [card name=”Big Charm” set=”Sword and Shield” no=”158″ c=”name”][/card] gives Dialga the necessary survivability against the likes of Mew and Palkia.

3. Mewtwo V-UNION

[card name=”Mewtwo V-UNION” set=”Sword and Shield Black Star Promos” no=”SWSH159 ” c=”name”][/card] is a bit tricky to rank as it is strictly an anti-meta deck. That said, it is an amazing anti-meta deck. Mewtwo boasts highly favorable matchups against both AI and Palkia, and it remains fairly strong against Flying Pikachu and Mew as well, though those matchups are a bit more contentious. Mewtwo’s matchup spread alone is enough to make the deck stand out. It’s able to deal with all of the most popular decks.

When I first saw this deck at NAIC, I thought it was completely bananas, the best deck ever. After playing it a bit, the deck is actually incredibly fragile and more skill-intensive than I expected. As an anti-meta deck, it can be toppled by anything surprising or out of the ordinary. Ice Rider with Leon and Tool Scrapper destroys it. Fringe attackers such as [card name=”Lunatone” set=”Pokemon GO” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Regidrago” set=”Evolving Skies” no=”124″ c=”name”][/card], and any Dark-type Pokémon just do too much damage. Even a Palkia list with the necessary techs can beat it. In short, any deck that can deal with multiple Miltank and KO one Mewtwo will beat this deck. It just so happens that the top decks struggle with the task.

Despite its placement at NAIC and strength against the meta decks, Mewtwo remains unpopular. I probably won’t be teching for the deck at Worlds because people just don’t play it. Mewtwo definitely can win any event if it finds the matchups, and it takes advantage of a predictable meta. Therefore, it’s certainly worth testing and considering as a play. But people in general don’t favor these types of stall/anti-meta decks, and this particular deck is very tricky to play. Because of this, it has low popularity and little success at online tournaments, even though everyone knows about it.

2. Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR

[card name=”Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR” set=”Astral Radiance” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] has a bit too much power packed into one card. Combined with the Inteleon engine, Palkia is consistent and well-rounded. The deck has few weaknesses to exploit. Everyone knows this deck by now, and it is the most popular deck alongside AI for good reason. For any tournament in this format, you cannot afford to have a bad Palkia matchup.

Turbo Palkia has dropped off the face of the earth, but if you ask me, that deck is still strong. It is hard to justify when one can pick the Inteleon version, but the turbo version is more consistent when it comes to early pressure. In particular, Turbo Palkia can almost always get the turn-two Boss KO on anything it wants. The Inteleon version cannot do that consistently, and needs a well above-average start to do so.

Palkia / Inteleon is an amazing deck, but it the list for it has not been solved. Every tournament presents multiple different versions of the deck. The most favored version seems to be the second-place NAIC list, with slight variations here and there. In my opinion, the Japanese Rare Candy version is far superior. This was the one that placed Top 8 at NAIC and Milwaukee, piloted by Noah Yoshida and Franco Takahashi respectively. One of Palkia’s main strengths is how dynamic and versatile it is. Once it begins to set up, it can make crazy combos thanks to the Inteleon engine. This allows it to find six Prizes efficiently and also gives the player lots of agency. The Rare Candy list plays to these strengths better than any other.

However, as the meta develops and decks like AI and Ice Rider increase in popularity, Palkia lists should adapt accordingly. Choice Belt is way too good against Arceus and mirror, so I think a second copy should make its way into most lists. Tool Scrapper is handy against AI, but nearly useless everywhere else. [card name=”Tool Jammer” set=”Battle Styles” no=”136″ c=”name”][/card] has been in and out of lists. It’s good against mirror, Ice Rider, and sometimes Mew, but strictly worse than Choice Belt against AI. Big Charm is even more useless against AI, but gives the deck a bit of help against Flying Pikachu, while still increasing survivability against mirror and Ice Rider just like Jammer. Between Scrapper, Jammer, and Big Charm, Palkia should play one of the three. I can’t definitively say which is best.

Palkia is ranked second strictly because it is weak against Flying Pikachu, while AI is strong against it. Palkia is definitely better against Mew, but AI is still alright in that matchup. In a vacuum, Palkia is the better deck. In the meta, I think AI has a slight edge. When it comes to head-to-head, the matchup between AI and Palkia is close to 50-50. AI may have a slight edge, but there are so many variables.

1. Arceus VSTAR / Inteleon

My last article covered AI extensively, so I will refer you to that one and won’t repeat myself too much here. AI has insane matchups, going 50-50 or better against just about everything. Its success and popularity of late have been off the charts. AI is well-rounded and difficult to counter, so it does not really care about the enormous target on its back. The deck can easily tech various cards to cover weaknesses or particular matchups. Like Palkia, you can’t play a tournament without at least a 50-50 matchup against it. I’ve played this deck so much already, and it isn’t particularly fun or interesting to begin with, but the deck is so absurdly good right now that I have to consider it for Worlds.

Conclusion

You didn’t need me to tell you that AI and Palkia are the two best decks in the format. Even my dog knows that. However, the other decks have been shifting around lately, and these things are important to keep track of. Dialga and Turbo Palkia are slept on. Mew and Flying Pikachu stock are going down. Ice Rider stock is going up. I also tried to include useful tips about each of the decks, so I hope this article was informative and offered some direction when it comes to choosing a deck.

Thanks for reading!

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