Fates Collide: What You Need to Know and an Early Pick for Nationals
What’s up, Beachgoers? Steve here with another article for you, this time detailing some of the key releases from the brand new Fates Collide expansion and a look at one of my early favorites going into the National Championships this summer.
Why Nationals and not Regionals? Because, simply put, Expanded and I do not get along. We haven’t been buddies since October of 2014, when I rode the Expanded train on day two of the Fort Wayne Regional Championships to a Top 4 finish with my Plasma [card name=”Lugia-EX” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] build. I had bubbled into Top 32, going 6-2-1 with [card name=”Virizion-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”9″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Genesect-EX” set=”Plasma Blast” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] on the first day, and proceeded to win four consecutive rounds to open up day two. It eventually came down to an ID in the final round of Swiss and a victory over [card name=”Donphan” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card] in the Top 8. The journey ended in the hands of Jimmy McClure’s [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card] deck in the semifinals. Since then, Expanded and I have been bitter rivals. Thus, I’m going to stick with Standard for this article.
Anyways, let’s not waste any more time on the past; instead, let’s talk about the present. Fates Collide has introduced a plethora of interesting cards into the Pokemon Trading Card Game. Below, I will discuss new cards and concepts that have come about from the release of this set. I am also going to explain how I feel each of them will impact the game. Let’s take a look, shall we?
The “Fates Collide” to Shake Up the Game
The Flare Witch Project
The first card worth mentioning is Delphox BREAK. While the mystical fox Pokemon’s BREAK Evolution doesn’t offer a new attack, it does offer a powerful new Ability that allows you to attach a Fire Energy from your deck onto one of your Pokemon each turn. Now, you may be wondering if it’s worth BREAK evolving a Stage 2 Pokemon just for this effect, and I’m glad you’re curious. On its own, the answer would be no. However, Fates Collide offers a new Delphox card to go with Delphox BREAK, and Delphox has an extremely powerful attack called Psystorm. This monster of an attack deals 20 damage for every Energy on the field, both yours and your opponent’s. This allows for a potentially devastating amount of damage. What’s better than that? The attack costs only three Colorless Energy, meaning Delphox can be run in a deck of any type.
Delphox is a Stage 2 Pokemon, but with excellent draw support such as [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”name”][/card], the XY version of [card name=”Delphox” set=”XY” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], and the return of [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] to Standard, there are more than enough resources to help set up this wrecking ball of an attacker. Of course, with Delphox BREAK you’ll want to be running a few Fire Energy in order to accelerate from the deck, but the fun doesn’t end there.
[card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] can both be used as additional forms of Energy acceleration in Fire-type decks, while [card name=”Scorched Earth” set=”Primal Clash” no=”138″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] can increase consistency as well as fuel the discard pile with Energy for Blacksmith to take advantage of. Then there is [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], which will increase Delphox’s damage output by 40 with just a single attachment, as opposed to the usual 20 damage from the attachment of a basic Energy. With all of these Energy acceleration options, it doesn’t take long to start hitting heavy.
Overall, Delphox and Delphox BREAK are outstanding cards that will definitely be played and have enormous potential for success, as long as the format doesn’t become ruled by Item lock. Evolution decks haven’t been competitive for the longest time; this could possibly be a turning point.
There is one immediate question in regards to building a Delphox deck: what additional attackers can be used effectively? Admittedly, it can be difficult to find space for more attackers in a deck that is built around such a massive Evolution line, but one or two spaces can be made. While [card name=”Houndoom-EX” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] is appealing due to its ability to accelerate even more Energy via Grand Flame, I’m going to stick with [card name=”Entei” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Charizard-EX” set=”Flashfire” no=”12″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Emboar-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”14″ c=”name”][/card] as the best options here. Charizard-EX seems like the most effective attacker because it is capable of dishing out a respectable 150 damage while not having to discard any Energy, unlike Emboar. If you wanted an Expanded variant, however, you could try [card name=”Entei-EX” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”13″ c=”name”][/card] or even [card name=”Victini” set=”Noble Victories” no=”15″ c=”name”][/card] for an additional attacker.
Finally, there needs to be a way to balance the draw power so that it isn’t entirely reliant on Supporters, since Blacksmith is such a key component to this deck. Scorched Earth is an outstanding form of draw power that can also double as a counter-Stadium in several matchups, while cards like [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], and even [card name=”Roller Skates” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] can be used to draw more cards without having to burn through the Supporter for the turn. A trio of Shaymin-EX should be included as well, effectively turning every [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] into more draw power, should it be needed.
With the inclusion of the aforementioned draw supports, Energy acceleration, and attackers, I’ve created a core list for a Delphox BREAK deck, so let’s take a look at it here:
[decklist name=”Delphox” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Delphox” set=”XY” no=”26″][pokemon amt=”15″]1x Delphox BREAK (FCL #14)3x Delphox (FCL #13)1x [card name=”Delphox” set=”XY” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Braixen” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Fennekin” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY02″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Charizard-EX” set=”Flashfire” no=”12″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”34″]4x [card name=”Blacksmith” set=”Flashfire” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/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=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”EX Sandstorm” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Scorched Earth” set=”Primal Clash” no=”138″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]7x [card name=”Fire Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”108″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Generations” no=”74″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
As you can see, even without additional cards like [card name=”Max Elixir” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Roller Skates” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card], this list is packed tightly. I’ve opted against Max Elixir largely due to the fact that it’s unable to attach Energy to evolved Pokemon, while Roller Skates’ reliance on a coin flip makes it less attractive than cards like [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card]. I’d also like to fit more copies of [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] in here, but due to the deck’s need to use Blacksmith repeatedly, I’ve opted to only include a single copy.
It’s important to note that Stage 2 decks can be difficult to build due to the amount of space a Stage 2 line takes up on its own, but they can still be worth using with the right attacks and/or Abilities. Delphox definitely fits the bill.
Let’s Hit the Bar(baracle)
Barbaracle has been made into a Water type for the first time in his Pokemon TCG career, and he’s also been made into the best card he’s had yet. While the attack may not be enticing, Barbaracle comes armed with an Ability as well. This Ability prevents the opponent from playing any Special Energy cards from his or her hand as long as Barbaracle is in play and you have a Stadium card in play. If it simply required any Stadium card, this Ability would be game-breaking. As it is though, Barbaracle’s Ability won’t remain online if the opponent puts a Stadium card into play.
As a tech card that ends up being a Bench-sitter, you probably want a more reliable effect out of this card, or at least a more reliable way to keep its effect active. [card name=”Ninetales” set=”Primal Clash” no=”21″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] are Pokemon that could be used to lock your Stadium card into play, but that might be overdoing it a bit. Ninetales seems like a bit of a stretch since it is a Stage 1 line tech, while Giratina-EX can simply lock the opponent out of Special Energy cards by using its Chaos Wheel attack to begin with!
Barbaracle is a neat idea, but I’m afraid it doesn’t quite measure up to the current standards of a playable, Bench-sitting tech card. Keep an eye on him though, as he might become playable down the road.
A Lesson In Spoonbending
The Harry Houdini of the Pokemon World, and most famous Psychic-type Pokemon in the first 149 entries of the original Pokedex, Alakazam, is back and better than ever! Due to legal issues with Kadabra, there hasn’t been an Alakazam card since the Pokemon SP era roughly six years ago — talk about a long time coming!
So does Alakazam-EX live up to its hype? Well, let’s see. For starters, Alakazam-EX has a subpar 160 HP, which is 10-20 HP less than the average Pokemon-EX. However, the Psychic King offers a solid attack called Suppression, dealing out three damage counters to each of the opponent’s Pokemon that has any Energy attached to it. Did I mention it also has an Ability? That’s right, when Alakazam-EX evolves into M Alakazam-EX, you get to drop more damage counters onto the opponent’s Pokemon; two onto his or her Active Pokemon and three more onto one of their Benched Pokemon! What’s better than that is M Alakazam-EX can take advantage of all the damage spread out by its previous form, dealing 10 damage plus 30 more damage for each damage counter already on your opponent’s Active Pokemon! With [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] in play, both Alakazam-EX and M Alakazam-EX can attack for a single Psychic Energy, meaning you don’t even have to devote many slots in your deck to Energy and can still claim easy KOs through this deadly combo! I wonder if anything else can drop damage counters with an Ability…
Ah, that’s right — Bats! Trained by Bruce Wayne themselves, [card name=”Golbat” set=”Generations” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Crobat” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] lay down two and three damage counters, respectively, when they are put into play. The entire Crobat line can also spread damage via their attacks, all of which can be used at no cost if Dimension Valley is in play! While none of these attacks are going to be able to OHKO any of the opponent’s Pokemon-EX, they can lay down enough damage for M Alakazam-EX to clean up afterwards. This makes it even easier to pull Prize cards each turn and corner the opponent into an uncomfortable position after just a couple of turns. Talk about a rough day at the tables!
Fellow PokeBeach premium writer Nicholena Moon recently wrote an article with more details on the M Alakazam-EX / Crobat deck, so I’m not going to go into great detail about the list, as hers is extremely similar to my own. It may seem clunky at first glance, but this thing can go off at any moment and make even the more secure of opponents fall out of their chair in a single turn. The first time this happened to me, I briefly pondered the idea of finding a new hobby. Maybe juggling spoons?
A New Species Has Arrived!
Charmanders are red, Squirtles are blue
Night March is broken, and now it has Mew
Poetry aside, let’s have a look at this new Mew card, and why it has been gaining so much hype lately. To put things simply, Mew’s Ability is reminiscent of the [card name=”Mew-EX” set=”Dragons Exalted” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] that still sees a lot of play in the current Expanded format. While Mew-EX is only legal in Expanded, Mew takes over in Standard and has a few more things going its way. First and foremost, it is not a Pokemon-EX, so it only yields one Prize card to the opponent when it gets Knocked Out. Secondly, it can retreat for free, and who doesn’t love a free retreating copycat Pokemon?
On the flipside, Mew has only 50 HP. Apparently a 70 HP setback is the price to pay to give up one Prize instead of two. Mew’s Ability also only allows it to copy the attacks of your Benched Basic Pokemon, rather than Mew-EX, which could copy the attacks of all other Pokemon in play. Still, this is a boon in Night March decks due to providing an extra attacker without the need for [card name=”Revive” set=”Black and White” no=”102″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Buddy-Buddy Rescue” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”135″ c=”name”][/card]. It also makes [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] a bit less necessary as an alternative attacker, at least for those who prefer that build in particular.
Mew can also take advantage of [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card]. If there is a [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] on your Bench, it can copy Night March for a single Energy. This reintroduces the concept of basic Energy cards into Night March, thus granting Night March players a more reliable way to deal with [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. That said, I do feel that Mew has been a bit over-hyped. I don’t expect to see much of this card outside of Night March decks. Sure, you could try to use it in a [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] deck as a single-Prize puncher, but with only 50 HP this little guy will get KO’d fast and will likely end up being a waste of a precious [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card]. Nonetheless, I feel Mew is worth mentioning, as Night March will likely continue to see play and Mew is bound to be included in post Fates Collide lists.
I’ve composed a simple deck list that demonstrates the synergy between Mew and Night March:
[decklist name=”Night March / Mew” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″][pokemon amt=”18″]4x [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Lampent” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”42″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x Mew (FCL #29)1x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”77″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”36″]3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Teammates” set=”Primal Clash” no=”141″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”102″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Target Whistle” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”106″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”6″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”111″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”EX Ruby and Sapphire” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
2x Mew
Mew‘s ability to use Night March as an attack essentially offers an additional Night Marcher to attack with. You can then be even more reckless with the deck and have fewer repercussions for doing so. As you may already know, I’m a huge fan of aggressive gameplay. In the past, I’d often paired Night March with [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] so I wouldn’t run out of attackers from being hyper-aggressive with [card name=”Battle Compressor” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card]. Cards like [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Milotic” set=”Primal Clash” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] are able to reinforce this strategy even more since they are able to retrieve [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”103″ c=”name”][/card] and Pokemon from the discard. With Mew, I’ve found myself able to leave out Vespiquen and still maintain enough Pokemon and Energy to continue to attack, still using Puzzle of Time as a fallback option in the case that I do happen to run out of resources.
1x Jirachi
[card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”name”][/card] is an excellent card in the current format and a solid answer to Night March’s problem with [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]. With Jirachi and [card name=”Dimension Valley” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] both in play, Mew can use Stardust with no Energy attached, ditching a Special Energy card from the opponent’s Active Pokemon and making Mew invulnerable for a turn. Stardust can also work against [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] with a [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Next Destinies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], even if they’ve used Flash Ray on the previous turn. This can also be effective in the mirror match or against [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] variants to buy you a turn should you whiff an Energy to use Night March instead.
1x Startling Megaphone
This card was dropped from a lot of competitive deck lists since many players of stopped playing [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Legendary Treasures” no=”68″ c=”name”][/card]. It became a [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] target instead of an obstacle. While Garbodor still doesn’t warrant the use of [card name=”Startling Megaphone” set=”Flashfire” no=”97″ c=”name”][/card] in most decks, [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Assault Vest” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card] can all create problems for Night March, but can be easily dealt with by this card. While [card name=”Xerosic” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] can also deal with Pokemon Tool cards, it also uses up your Supporter for the turn and thus can’t be used as part of a broken Teammates play. While some players might think Startling Megaphone isn’t necessary, I feel as though the deck is running a bit thin on Tool removal with only one Xerosic as an option.
1x Escape Rope
[card name=”Escape Rope” set=”Plasma Storm” no=”120″ c=”name”][/card] has practically become a staple card for me in decks that run exclusively Basic Pokemon, as [card name=”Jolteon-EX” set=”Generations” no=”28″ c=”name”][/card] presents a rather frustrating issue for decks like this. With Escape Rope, you can send Jolteon-EX back to the opponent’s Bench, thus resetting the effect of its Flash Ray attack. Then, you can use [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card] to bring Jolteon back into the opponent’s Active slot, allowing you to one-shot it with Night March. The inclusion of Escape Rope can also take the slot of one of the two spaces normally reserved for [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”name”][/card]. Of course, this card has other uses, but it’s primarily included over a second Float Stone due to Jolteon-EX’s presence in the format.
2x Psychic Energy
Basic Energy haven’t seen the light of day in Night March lists since [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] was released in BREAKpoint. With Mew‘s ability to use Night March for a single Energy, the list can effectively include one or two basic Energy again. While they remain ineffective when attached to [card name=”Joltik” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card] and a bit slow with [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card], the Energy can also fuel [card name=”Jirachi ” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY112 ” c=”name”][/card]’s attack if you don’t have a Mew available or want to conserve Mew to use as an extra Night Marcher. As for Energy type, either Psychic or Lightning Energy work here. I’ve chosen Psychic Energy due to Pumpkaboo needing an extra Energy to use Night March, and both of their first attacks deal a lousy 10 damage for one Energy.
Overall, this list is similar to the Night March lists that had performed well during the State Championships. While it has fewer tech cards due to the addition of Mew and the basic Psychic Energy, the engine and support remains nearly identical. However, despite the addition of Mew to Night March, I feel that the reintroduction of [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] into Standard will make this deck slightly less powerful than it has been over the last six months. I’m not saying Night March won’t be a good deck, but rather, it won’t be the format’s lone top tier deck anymore.
[premium]
We’re Sorry About Toad!
I still remember when Water Pokemon Master first posted Marowak’s translation to PokeBeach several months ago! For a while, I was wondering if this card would ever see production outside of Japan, but it has arrived in the form of a normal rare in the new Fates Collide expansion. Marowak offers a near useless attack, but more than makes up for it with its Bodyguard Ability which prevents all effects of the opponent’s attacks that affect you or the cards in your hand. This puts a stop to the effects of [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”20″ c=”name”][/card]’s Quaking Punch and [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card]’s Chaos Wheel attacks, to name a couple, turning them into lackluster attackers that don’t deal enough damage to warrant use without their disruptive effects.
Marowak is a Stage 1 Pokemon with 100 HP, which isn’t the greatest, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to bring into play. My guess is that people will opt to leave this card on the sideline at first, but if Seismitoad-EX or Giratina-EX begin to see excessive play again, Marowak will be used as a means of slowing them down. This could also result in Seismitoad-EX decks running [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card] to fight off Marowak’s Bodyguard Ability in order to retain their strategy. However, enough Garbodor could cause people to drop Marowak from their lists all over again, and so the cycle continues. Therefore, Marowak’s use will depend largely on the metagame.
The Greatest Show On Earth’s Pulse
While Psychic-types get a big boost with both Mew and the M Alakazam-EX line, Fighting-types have also gained new support in Fates Collide. In fact, Fighting-types gained a lot of new support! Regirock-EX, Zygarde-EX, and Carbink BREAK are all great additions.
Regirock-EX’s Regi Power Ability increases the damage dealt to the opponent’s Active Pokemon by 10 for each of your Fighting-type Pokemon, except for itself, of course. This is basically [card name=”Deoxys-EX” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card] for Fighting-types. While Regirock-EX may have an underwhelming attack, dealing 100 for three Fighting Energy, its Ability is the sole reason it would be in any deck in the first place. Combined with the use of [card name=”Strong Energy” set=”Furious Fists” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Fighting Fury Belt” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”99″ c=”name”][/card], and [card name=”Fighting Stadium” set=”Furious Fists” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card], there is potential to do even more damage than what was previously possible with [card name=”Lucario-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card] on the first turn! With four Regirock-EX, a Fighting Stadium, and a Muscle Band, Lucario-EX can deal a whopping 130 damage for a single Strong Energy! That’s insane! But why should the fun stop there?
There is also Zygarde-EX! Similar to that of Lucario, Zygarde-EX has three attacks and a lot of HP. In fact, it actually has 190 HP, which is 10 more than what a typical Pokemon-EX has in the current format! Throw in its first attack, Land’s Pulse, which deals 20 damage plus 20 more damage if there is a Stadium card in play, and that’s 60 damage to a Pokemon-EX when Fighting Stadium is in play. You can further increase this damage by using a Strong Energy to fulfill the Energy requirement and attaching a Muscle Band, bringing the output up to 100. With an army of four Regirock-EX on the Bench, you will be hitting for 140 with one Energy! If there is an additional Strong Energy on Zygarde, the power of its second attack, Cell Storm, can be unleashed for 40 more damage, dealing 180 and effectively OHKOing the majority of Pokemon-EX in the game right now! Then there is Zygarde-EX’s final attack, Land’s Wrath, which deals a vanilla 100 damage for three Energy. I guess you could use this to OHKO a Mega Evolution? Either way, that’s a lot of damage!
Oh, wait a second. There is also Power Memory, a Pokemon Tool card that grants Zygarde-EX yet another attack! This time the attack is called All Cells Burn, and burn they do. Zygarde-EX is able to unleash a massive 200 damage attack for three Energy, discarding three Energy in the process. Now, you may be wondering, why this is even necessary when it’s already possible to deal so much damage with Cell Storm and Land’s Wrath? All Cells Burn requires fewer damage buffers to hit the desired 240 damage in order to one-shot a Mega Evolution Pokemon, namely [card name=”Primal Groudon-EX” set=”Primal Clash” no=”151″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”M Rayquaza-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card] — there is not always going to be four Regirock-EX and a pile of Strong Energy to work with. Of course, after discarding all that Energy, you’ll have to start all over with Land’s Pulse while you build back up… or will you?
The final piece of Fighting-type support is the Carbink BREAK line; however, I will first discuss the two different Carbink in Fates Collide. The first one offers a previously-known Ability called Safeguard, preventing all effects of attacks, including damage, done to Carbink by Pokemon-EX. This is always a useful Ability to have, even with counters such as [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Hex Maniac” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”75″ c=”name”][/card] running around.
The second Carbink offers a far more unique Ability in the form of Energy Keeper which prevents your Pokemon’s basic Energy cards from being discarded by the opponent’s cards’ effects! This is like a lighter version of Primal Groudon’s Ω Barrier Ancient Trait, shielding Fighting Energy from the opponent’s [card name=”Crushing Hammer” set=”Kalos Starter Set” no=”34″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Team Flare Grunt” set=”XY” no=”129″ c=”name”][/card]. You could even toss this into non-Fighting decks, as Energy Keeper protects every type of Energy as long as it’s a basic Energy!
Finally, let’s check out Carbink BREAK. For a single Fighting Energy, Carbink BREAK deals 20 damage and puts any two Energy from the discard pile onto any one of your Fighting-type Pokemon! The synergy this card has with Zygarde-EX and Power Memory is ridiculous and allows you to abuse Power Memory over and over again, provided you have some switching cards to get Zygarde out of the Active position after launching its massive attack. If you’re able to overcome that obstacle, however, you have a massive wrecking ball on your hands!
Nicholena’s most recent article also has a Zygarde-EX deck list, as she wrote about Zygarde-EX and M Alakazam-EX decks almost exclusively, and my lists for both decks are pretty similar to hers.
Overall, Fighting-types probably gained the most support from Fates Collide, with so many new Tools to work with as well as reprints of both Strong Energy and Scorched Earth. Consider me grateful that [card name=”Focus Sash” set=”Furious Fists” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] didn’t receive a reprint, though!
N’s Return to Standard
It’s now time to address the mastodon in the room — [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]. With all the older cards that have seen reprints lately, it shouldn’t be a huge surprise to see N returning to Standard, especially after his absence left players with no reliant draw Supporters outside of [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card]. Well, worry no more, as N is back with his shuffle-draw and disruption tactics that you either love or hate. Personally, I’m thrilled to see this card come back, even though I couldn’t wait to see it go last fall.
While Standard seemed fun in the BREAKthrough format, I did not like the BREAKpoint-infused version of Standard at all. [card name=”Puzzle of Time” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] made certain decks ridiculous and the format became almost entirely matchup-based, meaning luck of getting paired up against the right or wrong decks often decided games before they were even played. How does N change that, you ask? Well, N is the great equalizer. With [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card], you could drop an opponent’s hand down to four cards, but no lower. N, on the other hand, can drop them all the way down to one card, which is a huge hit on decks like Night March that need to continue to attach Energy every turn.
This is also highly effective against decks like [card name=”Trevenant BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”66″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Vileplume” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”3″ c=”name”][/card], where Item lock has been a serious issue with a lack of quality draw Supporters. Running four copies of both Professor Sycamore and N will make it twice as likely that you’ll be able to stream draw Supporters and continue to build resources in order to eventually take down these two frustrating oppositions. With Night March, Trevenant, and Vespiquen / Vileplume all being affected by the release of N, which decks really benefit from his return?
The biggest beneficiaries are [card name=”Yveltal” set=”XY” no=”78″ c=”name”][/card] variants, whether they’re running off of [card name=”Yveltal-EX” set=”XY” no=”79″ c=”name”][/card] or the more recently popular [card name=”Zoroark” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”91″ c=”name”][/card] line. Dark decks have been consistently topping big events since the release of Dark Explorers in 2012, and that isn’t going to change anytime soon. Right now, Yveltal variants are some of the most well-rounded decks in the game, capable of beating almost any deck in the current format. N’s inclusion into Standard Dark variants will only make them more consistent and thus more powerful in the tournament scene.
Another card that should see a resurgence in play due to N’s reprint is [card name=”Seismitoad-EX” set=”Furious Fists” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card]. While not the powerhouse it was last year, N’s disruptive tactics have always been welcomed by Seismitoad-EX, which can be paired with [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], Crobat, [card name=”Giratina-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”57″ c=”name”][/card], or just about anything else you can think of. If players choose to accept Pokemon’s apology and start teching in Marowak, that could cripple both Seismitoad-EX and Giratina-EX, but until then, I like where Seismitoad-EX sits among the Fates Collide Standard format.
The last deck that I feel gains a big boost from the return of N is [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card]. While getting [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] into play can be a bit of a chore, the deck has proven competitive when built and played correctly. It has a lot of solid matchups against popular decks like Yveltal, Night March, and Giratina-EX builds. Greninja’s biggest downfall has been its reliance on inconsistent draw Supporters such as Judge, [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”159″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Shauna” set=”Generations” no=”72″ c=”name”][/card], and even [card name=”Ace Trainer” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”69″ c=”name”][/card]. Greninja players can now drop those cards in favor of three or four copies of N, which should immediately bolster the consistency of the deck and make it even easier to set up the board. Right now, I feel that Greninja is an early favorite for the National Championships, and I absolutely love the potential of this deck going forward.
Let’s Build Greninja!
Okay, so I’m pretty excited about the boost [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] decks gained from [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card]’s return and from the impact it has on major decks like Night March. In fact, I’m so excited that I am going to show you guys my post Fates Collide Greninja list for Standard. Let’s start with the list, and then I’ll go over the card choices for you.
[decklist name=”Frogs” amt=”60″ caption=”I have draw Supporters now?!” cname=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″][pokemon amt=”19″]3x [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Frogadier” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”39″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Froakie” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”38″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Remoraid” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”31″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Wally” set=”Radiant Collection 2″ no=”RC27″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Skyla” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Fisherman” set=”HeartGold and SoulSilver” no=”92″ 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=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Dive Ball” set=”Primal Clash” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Sacred Ash” set=”Flashfire” no=”96″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Professor’s Letter” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”146″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]2x [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”8″]8x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”EX Emerald” no=”103″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
4x N
As the deck list shows, I’ve opted to run a full four copies of [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card], eliminating the need for other draw Supporters outside of [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ c=”name”][/card]. You may also notice that I’ve ditched all of the [card name=”Lysandre” set=”Flashfire” no=”104″ c=”name”][/card], an idea I got after playtesting a recent [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] list that won a Regionals outside of North America. With Greninja and [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] already able to attack the Bench via their Water Shuriken and Giant Water Shuriken Abilities, respectively, Lysandre has become more of a luxury than a necessity in this deck. In its place, I’ve opted to include two copies of the promo [card name=”Jirachi” set=”XY Black Star Promos” no=”XY67 ” c=”name”][/card] to deal with the myriad of Special Energy that are currently being played.
I had originally omitted [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] from this list as well, but felt inclined to reintroduce it due to N’s reprint, as a single Octillery can save you from a late game N to one or two cards with its Abyssal Hand Ability. This gives the deck consistency throughout the mid and late game, and allows you to overcome the usual one- or two-Prize deficit that Greninja decks tend to give up in the first few turns.
2x Silent Lab
This is a newcomer to [card name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ c=”name”][/card] lists for me. I’ve always played Rough Seas to use in combo with [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card]’s massive 170 HP. However, since none of the Basic Pokemon in this list have Abilities, why not use [card name=”Silent Lab” set=”Primal Clash” no=”140″ c=”name”][/card] instead? This can shut down the opponent’s ability to use [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Hoopa-EX” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”36″ c=”name”][/card] to set up their board quickly, slowing them down enough to allow you to bring a pair of Greninja into play. If you can do this without giving up a Prize card, you’ve probably already won. While Silent Lab will become less relevant once Greninja starts using Shadow Stitching to lock down all of the opponent’s Abilities, it is a monster in the early game, which is when it is needed most.
0x Rare Candy
[cardimg name=”Greninja” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”40″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Another card I’ve chosen to leave out is [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”EX Holon Phantoms” no=”90″ c=”name”][/card], which means that [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] will be forced to evolve through [card name=”Frogadier” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”39″ c=”name”][/card], whether it starts with a [card name=”Froakie” set=”XY” no=”39″ c=”name”][/card] or comes into play via another Frogadier’s Water Duplicates attack. Cutting Rare Candy leaves enough space to run four copies of [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] as well as a four-two split between [card name=”Dive Ball” set=”Primal Clash” no=”125″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Level Ball” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”76″ c=”name”][/card], making it easy to search for and set up Pokemon.
The second copy of [card name=”Sacred Ash” set=”Flashfire” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] can also help out here, putting a full line of [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] back into the deck along with an additional copy of whichever card benefits you the most during the time of use. Even without Rare Candy, I’ve found that this deck sets up every bit as consistently as with it, and maybe even more so due to the inclusion of four Trainers’ Mail and a six-gauge ball engine.
1x Muscle Band
I love this card in [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] decks because it makes the math significantly better against a lot of targets. Shadow Stitching now does 60 damage instead of 40, OHKO’ing a [card name=”Pumpkaboo” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”44″ c=”name”][/card] on contact and making 2HKOs possible without having to use Moonlight Slash and free up the opponent’s Abilities for a turn. With that said, Moonlight Slash can now deal 100 damage with a [card name=”Muscle Band” set=”XY” no=”121″ c=”name”][/card] attached, which can effectively OHKO even the biggest Pokemon-EX with the help of some Water Shurikens. I actually wanted to include two copies of Muscle Band in this list, but due to the need for [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card], I was forced to cut one for a Float Stone, since getting Octillery stuck in the Active spot from an opposing Lysandre is never a good situation.
1x Delinquent
[card name=”Delinquent” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”98″ c=”name”][/card] is a card that I feel can slide into most decks, and it’s almost always worth the one slot. While it doesn’t do much if the opponent has four or more cards in hand, if you can catch them with three or fewer cards, you can cripple them almost entirely. It is especially powerful in [card name=”Greninja” set=”XY” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] builds because you can drop the opponent’s hand down to zero cards, then use Shadow Stitching to seal their Pokemon’s Abilities away the following turn. This means no [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card] to draw them out of the situation, so unless they top deck a Supporter or [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”EX FireRed and LeafGreen” no=”100″ c=”name”][/card], you’ve probably got at least one free turn to take another swing at them. Shadow Stitch again on your next turn, and you’ve probably got full control by then. It might be situational, but Delinquent wins games. It’s as simple as that.
The Impact of Eight Reliable Draw Supporters
[cardimg name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”107″ align=”right” c=”custom”]I’m not alone anymore![/cardimg]
I cannot stress to you enough how much the return of [card name=”N” set=”Dark Explorers” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card] means to this deck and to the format as a whole. [card name=”Judge” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”143″ c=”name”][/card] was an unreliable form of shuffle-draw and a weak form of disruption that several players cut from their lists in favor of faster engines, while both [card name=”Shauna” set=”XY” no=”127″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Professor Birch’s Observations” set=”Primal Clash” no=”134″ c=”name”][/card] provided minimal shuffle-draw support, at best. With four copies of both N and [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card], there is now a complete Supporter lineup to go with the four copies of [card name=”VS Seeker” set=”Phantom Forces” no=”109″ c=”name”][/card] and other various forms of draw power, such as [card name=”Shaymin-EX” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”106″ c=”name”][/card] or [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”name”][/card]. This also means “reach” cards like [card name=”Trainers’ Mail” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card] and [card name=”Acro Bike” set=”Primal Clash” no=”122″ c=”name”][/card] become less integral to some decks, although I still expect Trainers’ Mail to see a bit of play because of how effective it has proven to be.
Ability-based Item lock is on the way down thanks to N, as are turbo speed decks like Night March and other [card name=”Vespiquen” set=”Ancient Origins” no=”10″ c=”name”][/card] variants. While being able to attach an Energy and attack every turn is great, the disruptive power of a late game N will make it more important to have a secondary attacker waiting on the Bench instead of relying on drawing into another Energy card every turn.
This should even out the playing field and allow both Pokemon-EX decks and single-Prize attackers alike to be competitive, and should open up the format to a point where there isn’t one deck that wins at least half a series of major tournaments on its own. This will make the Pokemon TCG more enjoyable than it has been for the last six months, and will hopefully solidify Standard as the format to play in the future.
That’s all I’ve got for you guys right now. I hope you’ve enjoyed my article, and I promise that it won’t be so long until my next article is available for all of you to read! Feel free to contact me in the Subscribers’ Secret Hideout, or send me a private message. My username is WorldRenownedHeretic, if you’d like to chat or have any questions! I hope to see you guys at Georgia Regionals!
Cheers,
Steve Guthrie
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