Dennis Hawk
New Member
Hey, I'm Tomi S. from Finland. You may remember me - or not - from the Worlds 2008 Top32 performance with Honchkrow Lv.X-Palkia Lv.X-Absol deck. I ended up missing 2009 Worlds despite getting the invite due to expensive flights, but was able to save enough this year to get the 25 hour flight experience to Hawaii (and soon enough, back).
Well, we arrived to Hawaii a couple of days early. I've pretty much played Gigas for the whole season - at least in the tourneys I want to recall - and have seen the matchups pretty throughly, thus thinking that it might stand a change in Worlds metagame (which I presumed to be mostly Luxchomp). I was toying around with GG /w Palkia Lv.X - the BEST tech - and got Miska S. into playing it, but decided to stick with Gigas due to it getting me this far. In the last evening before the tourney I made the final adjustments to the list, making it look like this:
Pokémon (20):
2 Regigigas (Drag off promo)
2 Regigigas Lv.X SF
3 Uxie LA
1 Uxie Lv.X LA
3 Mesprit LA
1 Azelf LA
1 Azelf MT
1 Snover SF
1 Abomasnow SF
1 Unown Q MD
1 Relicanth SV
1 Giratina PL-9
1 Crobat G PL
1 Regice LA
Trainers (26):
3 Pokémon Collector
3 Roseanne's Research
3 Felicity's Drawing
2 Judge
1 Bebe's Search
4 Super Scoop Up
2 Expert Belt
2 Warp Point
2 Pokémon Communication
1 Premier Ball
1 Time-Space Distortion
1 Night Maintenance
1 Pokémon Rescue
Energy (14):
4 Double Colorless
3 Water
3 Fighting
3 Metal
1 Psychic
If I had to explain some of the decisions in the list they would probably be Abomasnow, Relicanth and Psychic energy. Aboma was my Mewtwo/Machamp/Donphan/ERL counter all built into two cards. My list was actually playing 2-2 Obama during the testing period due to better countering of ERL and making Donphan a near autowin, but decided to drop it to 1-1 at the last evening due to bad starts and presumably low Donphan count due to it doing very weakly in Grinders. I added Relicanth and Roseanne's instead, as Relicanth is the cheap counter for Luxray/SP and for some extent, Gengar (Moonlight + Unown Q + Belt = 90). On the tourney morning when recounting the list I noted it to be only 59 cards - and added Psychic due to Gardy. Not only can you Warp Point + Lock Up your way out of Plox, you can also disable DCE + Call attachments with Azelf MT, giving Plox only 5 usable energies to charge up 3-energy attacks (and Spiritomb, too). Of course it should also help with the energy drough I had experienced with only 13 energies.
Well, on to the games. My first round ended up challenging...
Game 1: Bye
Yeah, tough game, the odds were 1:115 for me to get this one.
1-0
Game 2: Sean Takemoto, Australia (Luxchomp)
I got a pretty fast Gigas with Sean struggling with supporter drought. Ended up sacrificing twice, first Azelf MT to get an Ambipom'd energy from him (Rescued it back right away, of course) and to Bright looked Giratina which acted as my Spray counter before Sacrifice. After each Uxie I drop a Judge and he really can't get his game going until I draw the six prizes.
2-0
Game 3: Chris Fulop, USA (Kingdra-Machamp)
The matchup I lost in Nationals Top8. Too bad Fulop isn't drawing supporters from double Uxies and I get T2 Belted 3-energied Abomasnow to draw first 3 prizes with a huge spread. He then gets Kingdra Prime to 2hko my Aboma, with me responding with Crobat G to Uxie (prize) and manually charged Giga Blaster to 40 damaged Kingdra (another prize). He proceeds to Take out Gigas with Machamp with 60 damage on it, I draw like crazy in the next turn trying to get Uxie Lv.X or Belt. I end up getting SSU - Heads - and Flash bite the second Uxie for knockout.
3-0
Game 4: Alessandro Cremascoli, Italy (Cursegar)
I get a fast T3 Gigas with which I drag off a Claydol which was evolved by the active Spiritomb. I Mesprit lock so that he can't Q it so he passes with Claydol active. I attach Belt and get Gigas Lv.X and KO Claydol with Drag off, again Mespritting with the fear of Gengar X. Well it doesn't appear, just the Spiritombs evolving another Gengar without energy. I start Giga Hammering Spiritombs (Stop! Hammer time), he Judges but doesn't get Gengar Lv.X or energy to curse. I get another Gigas X though. I Blaster and Hammer 2 Tombs, he puts down Baltoy and promotes Uxie, I drag off Baltoy for 5th prize. He finally gets Gengar energied and attacked for 80, but when I sacrifice the damages off from Gigas and Mesprit lock with Rescue, he scoops.
4-0
Game 5: Gordon Coates, Canada (Plox)
Table number one, sweet. I Warp point trick a Kirlia and take it out with Gigas, but can't deny the Candy-Gallade which takes out Gigas when I finish with Drag off + KO Claydol. Gallade takes 2 prizes until I get Belted Uxie Lv.X KOing it after I Judge and Mesprit. He promotes Belted Gardy, Bebes for Claydol, tries to use Cosmic power until I notice he's under Psychic Bind. Judge confirms, he attaches Call to active with hand side 0. I ponder if I should depend on the topdecks or retreat and Sacrifice with Gigas, I decide to stick with Uxie X as active, Bind and hit him with 70 Psy Restore. He topdecks... Roseanne's, finds 2 Psy energies and Ploxes for KO, prizes 2-1 for him. I promote Uxie, hoping to topdeck Belt or recovery card, doesn't happen. Psy restore for 50, putting Gardy 10 away from KO and promoting Gigas. He draws with everything, gets Gardy X, Psychic, Candy Dusknoir and Bring Downs my Mesprit. GG!
4-1
Game 6: Aziz Al-Yami, USA (Blaziken-Garchomp-Sableye aka Chenlock)
I start with Crobat, Snover and Giratina, he starts with Sableye, 3 SP and Impersonates Cyrus for Spray and Cyrus' Initiative. I Felicity, get Collector but double-heads Initiative takes it and my Azelf MT away. I Giratina (spray) and sleep with Snover, tails. He attaches to Blaziken, plays supporters and passes. I KO Sable with Abomasnow, he Crobat + Blaziken Lv.X for KO. I promote Giratina, draw, pass. He 80s. I draw Roseanne's finally, double Uxie which he can't spray and get something going, but as he Crobat KOs Giratina and Blaziken KOs Crobat, I'm left too far behind. The game finishes 2-1 when time is called with him having Uxie Lv.X and DCE from my Judge for presumed final KO.
4-2
Game 7: Sergio Ortiz, Mexico (Luxchomp + ERL + Manectric)
This game was a bit dubious, I know I have huge resistance and will cut with 4-3, but he isn't as sure. I get T1 Gigas with Downer material, and when I'm using my T2 Felicity's to get Gigas ready for some sacrificing, he claims that I had drawn 5 cards from Feli. This results a lot of Judging action going on in our table due to me putting the 4 drawn cards in the top of my deck, and is resolved with me getting warning from sloppy play and drawing those 4 cards back into my hand. I sacrifice and start KOing stuff. He gets EnteiRaikou LEGEND out from my Judge, but due to careful prize calculation and Sacrificing only Pixies I manage to keep the game from going to Sudden from Thunder fall. I finally sacrifice a Bright looked Giratina from the active position, attach Belt and KO Luxray X with Giga Blaster for final prize.
5-2
I'm finishing 13th after Swiss. Since they decided to have Top32 in Masters, we still have Top32 on Saturday. It's cold in the playing hall already.
Top32: Lorenzo Pieri, Italy (Palkia-Dialga-Luxray-Garchomp)
I start with Snover and struggle to get anything going except for spread when he Dialga G Lv.X KOs my Abomasnow. He then Poketurns Dialga and promotes Palkia to Lost zone the damaged Pixies. I get Belted Gigas X for some Blastering action against Palkia, after which the deck suddenly becomes a Luxchomp. With prizes 3-3 and my Gigas having a Belt which hurts against Promocroak, I Warp Point. He brings out Crobat, I check his Poketurns - all 4 used - and proceed to Lock up with Azelf LA for 3 turns. I then Drag off Garchomp C for KO, he Promocroaks for 130 + Crobat damage, I retreat Gigas and get Sacrifice sprayed, KO Promocroak with Uxie X, he Bright Looks, attaches Gain and Bites my Gigas for 1-1 prizes. I promote Azelf, put down Relicanth with Fighting energy, retreat Azelf and KO Crobat from the bench with Relicanth. 1-0
I start Game 2 with Gigas and DCE, use Azelf to check my prizes and pass. He comes with Ambipom and moves my DCE to Azelf, ouch. I succeed with SSU to Azelf and Collector the AMU trio, putting DCE to Uxie instead. He tries to Snap attack, but we notice that he's an energy short afterwards due to Downer Material and the damage is nullified. That doesn't matter much though - I get Gigas X and Sacrifice for energies, KOing Ambipom. He has to play 3 Uxies and Azelf to bench, which eases my duty as I don't have to worry about Power spray. I decide to keep it that way, doing only Drag Off to SPs if Uxie or Azelf is active. I manage to draw 4 prizes, and when Gigas takes 4 prizes, Toxicroak becomes more ineffective. In the end, it doesn't get energied because of downer material and Gigas proceeds to sweep. I feel a bit sorry for the guy - he ended up losing all his games against Finns...
6-2
Top 16: Wai Kit Lam, Hong Kong (Luxray-Garchomp-Infernape)
I start with Azelf MT. Attach metal, and hope I don't get Donked... 20 damage short. Well, the rest of the hand is pretty awesome, Belt, Premier, Roseanne's, DCE, Felicity, Rescue. Get fast Gigas and KO his Garchomp with Psychic, which seems to be his only Psy energy as Promocroak never hits Gigas in the game. He tries to charge Infernape instead but I double Drag off + Crobat KO it, putting me ahead in prizes. Gigas pretty much sweeps after this due to Downer lock.
I start the second game with Mesprit. He gets an aggro start with Luxrays KOing my Azelf MT. When I get Gigas, I TSD to get Azelf back... For 3 tails. Promocroak then OHKOs Beltless Gigas with 2 bats, and he proceeds to sweep before I can charge up another Gigas. I scoop when I draw nothing from Felicity with him having one prize left. 1-1
Third game is short and sweet. He gets T2 Dragon Rush despite my AMU, and KOs first Azelf MT and then Mesprit. I get Gigas up with sacrifice, him having 0 energies on the field and Night Maintenance + Roseanne the pixies back. I KO Crobat after Warp Point with Hammertime, he gets a turn... And time is called with him leading 5-3 in prizes. 1-2
6-3
Well, I can't really be angry. The flips could have worked better, but that's what you get from playing those. After the games, I get to give a short interview about the deck to pokemon.com - way to increase popularity! It seemed that the deck was noted many times during the weekend, with me being the only one - at least in Masters - playing that in the tourney. I get my prizes and ålay a few fun games with my new Canadian and UK friends, but don't really have the energy left which this deck requires to be played correctly. I go for a short shopping and walking on bay to clear my head, then go to check out the closing seremonies and get some sleep.
So here I am, in the hotel lobby, writing this report with my Nokia N900, waiting for departure to another 25-hourer to home. Gigas will return even stronger in the next season, I already have the plans for it... And that will be some fun times.
Aloha!
Well, we arrived to Hawaii a couple of days early. I've pretty much played Gigas for the whole season - at least in the tourneys I want to recall - and have seen the matchups pretty throughly, thus thinking that it might stand a change in Worlds metagame (which I presumed to be mostly Luxchomp). I was toying around with GG /w Palkia Lv.X - the BEST tech - and got Miska S. into playing it, but decided to stick with Gigas due to it getting me this far. In the last evening before the tourney I made the final adjustments to the list, making it look like this:
Pokémon (20):
2 Regigigas (Drag off promo)
2 Regigigas Lv.X SF
3 Uxie LA
1 Uxie Lv.X LA
3 Mesprit LA
1 Azelf LA
1 Azelf MT
1 Snover SF
1 Abomasnow SF
1 Unown Q MD
1 Relicanth SV
1 Giratina PL-9
1 Crobat G PL
1 Regice LA
Trainers (26):
3 Pokémon Collector
3 Roseanne's Research
3 Felicity's Drawing
2 Judge
1 Bebe's Search
4 Super Scoop Up
2 Expert Belt
2 Warp Point
2 Pokémon Communication
1 Premier Ball
1 Time-Space Distortion
1 Night Maintenance
1 Pokémon Rescue
Energy (14):
4 Double Colorless
3 Water
3 Fighting
3 Metal
1 Psychic
If I had to explain some of the decisions in the list they would probably be Abomasnow, Relicanth and Psychic energy. Aboma was my Mewtwo/Machamp/Donphan/ERL counter all built into two cards. My list was actually playing 2-2 Obama during the testing period due to better countering of ERL and making Donphan a near autowin, but decided to drop it to 1-1 at the last evening due to bad starts and presumably low Donphan count due to it doing very weakly in Grinders. I added Relicanth and Roseanne's instead, as Relicanth is the cheap counter for Luxray/SP and for some extent, Gengar (Moonlight + Unown Q + Belt = 90). On the tourney morning when recounting the list I noted it to be only 59 cards - and added Psychic due to Gardy. Not only can you Warp Point + Lock Up your way out of Plox, you can also disable DCE + Call attachments with Azelf MT, giving Plox only 5 usable energies to charge up 3-energy attacks (and Spiritomb, too). Of course it should also help with the energy drough I had experienced with only 13 energies.
Well, on to the games. My first round ended up challenging...
Game 1: Bye
Yeah, tough game, the odds were 1:115 for me to get this one.
1-0
Game 2: Sean Takemoto, Australia (Luxchomp)
I got a pretty fast Gigas with Sean struggling with supporter drought. Ended up sacrificing twice, first Azelf MT to get an Ambipom'd energy from him (Rescued it back right away, of course) and to Bright looked Giratina which acted as my Spray counter before Sacrifice. After each Uxie I drop a Judge and he really can't get his game going until I draw the six prizes.
2-0
Game 3: Chris Fulop, USA (Kingdra-Machamp)
The matchup I lost in Nationals Top8. Too bad Fulop isn't drawing supporters from double Uxies and I get T2 Belted 3-energied Abomasnow to draw first 3 prizes with a huge spread. He then gets Kingdra Prime to 2hko my Aboma, with me responding with Crobat G to Uxie (prize) and manually charged Giga Blaster to 40 damaged Kingdra (another prize). He proceeds to Take out Gigas with Machamp with 60 damage on it, I draw like crazy in the next turn trying to get Uxie Lv.X or Belt. I end up getting SSU - Heads - and Flash bite the second Uxie for knockout.
3-0
Game 4: Alessandro Cremascoli, Italy (Cursegar)
I get a fast T3 Gigas with which I drag off a Claydol which was evolved by the active Spiritomb. I Mesprit lock so that he can't Q it so he passes with Claydol active. I attach Belt and get Gigas Lv.X and KO Claydol with Drag off, again Mespritting with the fear of Gengar X. Well it doesn't appear, just the Spiritombs evolving another Gengar without energy. I start Giga Hammering Spiritombs (Stop! Hammer time), he Judges but doesn't get Gengar Lv.X or energy to curse. I get another Gigas X though. I Blaster and Hammer 2 Tombs, he puts down Baltoy and promotes Uxie, I drag off Baltoy for 5th prize. He finally gets Gengar energied and attacked for 80, but when I sacrifice the damages off from Gigas and Mesprit lock with Rescue, he scoops.
4-0
Game 5: Gordon Coates, Canada (Plox)
Table number one, sweet. I Warp point trick a Kirlia and take it out with Gigas, but can't deny the Candy-Gallade which takes out Gigas when I finish with Drag off + KO Claydol. Gallade takes 2 prizes until I get Belted Uxie Lv.X KOing it after I Judge and Mesprit. He promotes Belted Gardy, Bebes for Claydol, tries to use Cosmic power until I notice he's under Psychic Bind. Judge confirms, he attaches Call to active with hand side 0. I ponder if I should depend on the topdecks or retreat and Sacrifice with Gigas, I decide to stick with Uxie X as active, Bind and hit him with 70 Psy Restore. He topdecks... Roseanne's, finds 2 Psy energies and Ploxes for KO, prizes 2-1 for him. I promote Uxie, hoping to topdeck Belt or recovery card, doesn't happen. Psy restore for 50, putting Gardy 10 away from KO and promoting Gigas. He draws with everything, gets Gardy X, Psychic, Candy Dusknoir and Bring Downs my Mesprit. GG!
4-1
Game 6: Aziz Al-Yami, USA (Blaziken-Garchomp-Sableye aka Chenlock)
I start with Crobat, Snover and Giratina, he starts with Sableye, 3 SP and Impersonates Cyrus for Spray and Cyrus' Initiative. I Felicity, get Collector but double-heads Initiative takes it and my Azelf MT away. I Giratina (spray) and sleep with Snover, tails. He attaches to Blaziken, plays supporters and passes. I KO Sable with Abomasnow, he Crobat + Blaziken Lv.X for KO. I promote Giratina, draw, pass. He 80s. I draw Roseanne's finally, double Uxie which he can't spray and get something going, but as he Crobat KOs Giratina and Blaziken KOs Crobat, I'm left too far behind. The game finishes 2-1 when time is called with him having Uxie Lv.X and DCE from my Judge for presumed final KO.
4-2
Game 7: Sergio Ortiz, Mexico (Luxchomp + ERL + Manectric)
This game was a bit dubious, I know I have huge resistance and will cut with 4-3, but he isn't as sure. I get T1 Gigas with Downer material, and when I'm using my T2 Felicity's to get Gigas ready for some sacrificing, he claims that I had drawn 5 cards from Feli. This results a lot of Judging action going on in our table due to me putting the 4 drawn cards in the top of my deck, and is resolved with me getting warning from sloppy play and drawing those 4 cards back into my hand. I sacrifice and start KOing stuff. He gets EnteiRaikou LEGEND out from my Judge, but due to careful prize calculation and Sacrificing only Pixies I manage to keep the game from going to Sudden from Thunder fall. I finally sacrifice a Bright looked Giratina from the active position, attach Belt and KO Luxray X with Giga Blaster for final prize.
5-2
I'm finishing 13th after Swiss. Since they decided to have Top32 in Masters, we still have Top32 on Saturday. It's cold in the playing hall already.
Top32: Lorenzo Pieri, Italy (Palkia-Dialga-Luxray-Garchomp)
I start with Snover and struggle to get anything going except for spread when he Dialga G Lv.X KOs my Abomasnow. He then Poketurns Dialga and promotes Palkia to Lost zone the damaged Pixies. I get Belted Gigas X for some Blastering action against Palkia, after which the deck suddenly becomes a Luxchomp. With prizes 3-3 and my Gigas having a Belt which hurts against Promocroak, I Warp Point. He brings out Crobat, I check his Poketurns - all 4 used - and proceed to Lock up with Azelf LA for 3 turns. I then Drag off Garchomp C for KO, he Promocroaks for 130 + Crobat damage, I retreat Gigas and get Sacrifice sprayed, KO Promocroak with Uxie X, he Bright Looks, attaches Gain and Bites my Gigas for 1-1 prizes. I promote Azelf, put down Relicanth with Fighting energy, retreat Azelf and KO Crobat from the bench with Relicanth. 1-0
I start Game 2 with Gigas and DCE, use Azelf to check my prizes and pass. He comes with Ambipom and moves my DCE to Azelf, ouch. I succeed with SSU to Azelf and Collector the AMU trio, putting DCE to Uxie instead. He tries to Snap attack, but we notice that he's an energy short afterwards due to Downer Material and the damage is nullified. That doesn't matter much though - I get Gigas X and Sacrifice for energies, KOing Ambipom. He has to play 3 Uxies and Azelf to bench, which eases my duty as I don't have to worry about Power spray. I decide to keep it that way, doing only Drag Off to SPs if Uxie or Azelf is active. I manage to draw 4 prizes, and when Gigas takes 4 prizes, Toxicroak becomes more ineffective. In the end, it doesn't get energied because of downer material and Gigas proceeds to sweep. I feel a bit sorry for the guy - he ended up losing all his games against Finns...
6-2
Top 16: Wai Kit Lam, Hong Kong (Luxray-Garchomp-Infernape)
I start with Azelf MT. Attach metal, and hope I don't get Donked... 20 damage short. Well, the rest of the hand is pretty awesome, Belt, Premier, Roseanne's, DCE, Felicity, Rescue. Get fast Gigas and KO his Garchomp with Psychic, which seems to be his only Psy energy as Promocroak never hits Gigas in the game. He tries to charge Infernape instead but I double Drag off + Crobat KO it, putting me ahead in prizes. Gigas pretty much sweeps after this due to Downer lock.
I start the second game with Mesprit. He gets an aggro start with Luxrays KOing my Azelf MT. When I get Gigas, I TSD to get Azelf back... For 3 tails. Promocroak then OHKOs Beltless Gigas with 2 bats, and he proceeds to sweep before I can charge up another Gigas. I scoop when I draw nothing from Felicity with him having one prize left. 1-1
Third game is short and sweet. He gets T2 Dragon Rush despite my AMU, and KOs first Azelf MT and then Mesprit. I get Gigas up with sacrifice, him having 0 energies on the field and Night Maintenance + Roseanne the pixies back. I KO Crobat after Warp Point with Hammertime, he gets a turn... And time is called with him leading 5-3 in prizes. 1-2
6-3
Well, I can't really be angry. The flips could have worked better, but that's what you get from playing those. After the games, I get to give a short interview about the deck to pokemon.com - way to increase popularity! It seemed that the deck was noted many times during the weekend, with me being the only one - at least in Masters - playing that in the tourney. I get my prizes and ålay a few fun games with my new Canadian and UK friends, but don't really have the energy left which this deck requires to be played correctly. I go for a short shopping and walking on bay to clear my head, then go to check out the closing seremonies and get some sleep.
So here I am, in the hotel lobby, writing this report with my Nokia N900, waiting for departure to another 25-hourer to home. Gigas will return even stronger in the next season, I already have the plans for it... And that will be some fun times.
Aloha!
Same with LuxApe with Garchomp C.
