jeffrey123
New Member
Emboar/Rayquaza/Reshiram FL Regionals report (With List)
Postby I_Watch_Smeargle » Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:45 am
Normally, I don't do reports, but I am waiting on a few people and have some time to do so. I really wasn't too sure if I even wanted to go to Regionals in the first place. Tournaments these days aren't as fun to me as they used to be. Well, I was really determined to do well this event, especially since I had 5-3 whiffed last year off of some INSANE misfortune (prizing 2/3 oddish... catcher yanmega KO etc, tears and all). At the last city of the season, Harrison, the twins and I start discussing what the format is like and how we can counter it. We theory Garbodor, and are convinced that we're all good enough to compile a list that would really do well. Fast forward into the next week. A Facebook secret group is established. We try Darkrai varients, Landorus, etc. It just isn't consistent enough. A new group is established. Now, we decide that consistency is key. Darkrai/Mewtwo/Bouffalant is the play. Not much testing is done, since the deck virtually plays itself. I am not keen on playing a cookie cutter deck, expecting the standard top 32 finish or so, and not being satisfied. I prefer decks with techs, that can make plays, or something not completely uniform. Deciding a deck for this metagame took me much longer than expected.
2 days before the event. Zach Fisher messages me about some sort of Emboar deck. I'm intrigued, but very doubtful. We play a few games and I get rolled. I build a couple of lists and toy around with it. It works decently enough for me to see if I liked it or not. I did. But there was a problem. I also needed 2 Tropical Beach, a huge issue since I have none. After a bit of panicking, I forget about Pokemon with a night out with some friends in college. The following morning involves the usual hangover, me forgetting my dorm key, and all sorts of misfortune, but I end up making it to the event very early that Friday. I call Harrison and we go out to eat and discuss decks. I talk about Emboar and he likes the idea a lot, but questions a few matchups, and i'm not entirely sure of them either.
Hours later, we meet up with a ton of friends and hang out. I decide to play in the side event with a fun deck (Hydreigon/Dusknoir/Darkrai), and end 3-3. So bad, but I did take 5 prizes in a turn. #Whocares. Ahem. Anyways, we go out again, and I end up having no place to stay at 3 AM. So Franco and I play all night in the hotel lobby. I test Emboar for literally 6 hours. A few minor tweaks and it is definitely good. I text a few people but they decide to stay safe with standard stuff. The deck rivaled Keldeo in how great it ran. I had a great shot at winning the event with Emboar. I knew it. I wouldn't have even played it if I thought it wasn't good enough to win. This was the deck. Now all I needed were some Tropical Beaches!
I ended up getting a Tropical Beach from my favorite PTO. I don't ask for 2. I fit another card in and am psyched about doing well, albeit extremely tired. Zach and I play the exact list, card for card. Daniel decides to play our SD. David decides on White Tea. Greg with Ho-oh, Harry with Keldeo. Let's go, time to do it big!
Round 1 vs Mewtwo/Tornadus/Terrakion
I remember being so excited to finally play, knowing that I put a lot of thought and work into my deck. I greet my opponent, and we set up. I open Tepig, and go 2nd. She starts Mewtwo, X Ball for 40. I top deck Fire energy, play N. N'd into 4 energy, Cilan, Catcher. Catcher her Terrakion. She switches. X Ball for game. Oops.
0-1
Honestly, not a great start.
Round 2 vs Garchomp/Floatzel/Theme Deck
I open Rayquaza, bench Tepig. He opens Gible, Buizel. Juniper into godhand, Tropical Beach for 7. He attacks me for 10. Rare Candy into Emboar, Deluge...I mean, Inferno Fandango, and I have 3 Rayquaza with 3 energy each on them T2. I win easily.
1-1
Round 3 vs Rayquaza/Eelektrik/Thundurus
I get a t2 Emboar to his double eel. I remember questioning a lot of his plays, especially loading up a Thundurus over a Zekrom when attacking one of my Rays. The game ends up coming down to him making a huge misplay. He tries to retreat Eelektrik using Skyarrow Bridge, after loading up a Rayquaza to return KO my own. Since he can't retreat, he is forced to pass. I t throws the game into my favor big time, and I catcher his Rayquaza for game.
2-1
Round 4 vs Keldeo/Blastoise
I get a T2 Emboar. He gets a T2 Blastoise. I play Rayquaza. He plays Keldeo. I play Rayquaza. He plays Keldeo. I play Rayquaza. I win. We literally both setup at the same pace.
3-1
Round 5 vs Keldeo/Blastoise
I start Tepig to his Squirtle/Squirtle/Squirtle. My hand is dead and luckily, I topdeck a Computer Search for a Juniper roughly 4 turns into the game. While attempting to setup, I sacrifice 3 Tepig. He played DCE, which made it that much more difficult. I finally setup a 'Boar and take 4 prizes, only down 1-2. However, in the time it took me to setup, he had been accumulating energy cards and retrievers in his hand. He drops Cilan/Retrieval for game. My setup was so slow that game.
3-2
Round 6 vs Tornadus/Landorus
This was honestly one of my favorite matches to play, ever. I start off thinking that I would be losing, I whiff a supporter for nearly 4 turns. After that heart attack, I finally am able to get out Emboar to load up Rayquazas. He didn't set up well either thought, and I was always one turn ahead. After a slight energy drought, he makes a sturdy comeback. All of a sudden, there's a Tornadus EX with an Eviolite active, KOing my Rayquaza. My last Rayquaza is pushed up with a lightning energy on it. I look at my card from the N...Skyla! Now if I could just top-deck a...Energy Retrieval!!! Now I can get my last 2 Energy Retrieval for game! That was a close one!
4-2
Round 7 vs Darkrai/Sableye/Landorus
This game was a thriller as well. I open Tepig, Emboar, 6 energy. She opens Sableye and Darkrai. I attach and hit for 10 with Ember. I laugh nervously as she sets up. Luckily, she plays Crushing Hammer and has no way to set up an energy acceleration scenario. I top deck...Rare Candy! I evolve into Emboar, rain down the energy, and KO her Sableye. My hand is now 0, and my prize is a Juniper! She is surprised lol. From there we trade EXs, and her N's lategame were scary, but I was always able to get out of them. Good game.
5-2
Ok. Here we are again. 5-2. No need to get your hopes up or defeat yourself, but just play smart. You got this...there's no way you can prize stuff to lose again, I think to myself. Haaaaa.
Round 8 vs Rayquaza/Eelektrik/Emolga
I open Rayquaza and Tepig to his Emolga. He wins the flip. N takes my good hand and gives me 2 energy, a Tepig, and an Emboar. He then gets 3 Tynamo out. I top deck Ultra Ball and set up an Emboar super quickly with the help of a Rare Candy topdeck. I am able to get 1 Rayquaza out and Dragon Burst his active Zekrom, knowing that I would be return KO'd by his Rayquaza. I needed to draw 1 supporter to attempt to setup. My prize is an energy card. It is turn 6. I have played no supporter. I push up a Reshiram. KO'd. Topdeck...no supporter. I push up Tepig. KO'd. Topdeck Energy Retrieval. My last Pokemon is Emboar. I push him up. Topdeck... nothing. 11 turns. No supporter, is that a record?
annnnnnnnd that's all, folks!
Pokemon: (12)
4-Tepig (60 Hp)
3 Emboar (Must be promo)
3 Rayquaza EX
1 Mewtwo EX
1 Reshiram
Trainers: (34)
4 Professor Juniper
4 Skyla
2 N
1 Bianca
1 Cilan
4 Rare Candy
4 Energy Retrieval
4 Switch
4 Ultra Ball
1 Tropical Beach
3 Pokemon Catcher
1 Computer Search
1 Tool Scrapper
Energy: (14)
10 Fire
4 Lightning
I truly believe that Emboar could have won this tournament. The deck is incredibly consistent and is such a powerhouse. It just requires a player who doesn't have horrendous luck. I was so upset that for the second year in a row, I had luck ruin my tournament. Bummed but getting over it.
And as always, Props and Slops
Props:
Mcdonalds (24 piece with Large Sweet Tea is only $5.33!!!)
Heidi
Harry
David
Daniel
Zach
Chris Bianchi
Franco
Bobbby Malec <3
Slops:
Chevys
Dennys
Dead Draw
Keldeo
No Sleep
Postby I_Watch_Smeargle » Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:45 am
Normally, I don't do reports, but I am waiting on a few people and have some time to do so. I really wasn't too sure if I even wanted to go to Regionals in the first place. Tournaments these days aren't as fun to me as they used to be. Well, I was really determined to do well this event, especially since I had 5-3 whiffed last year off of some INSANE misfortune (prizing 2/3 oddish... catcher yanmega KO etc, tears and all). At the last city of the season, Harrison, the twins and I start discussing what the format is like and how we can counter it. We theory Garbodor, and are convinced that we're all good enough to compile a list that would really do well. Fast forward into the next week. A Facebook secret group is established. We try Darkrai varients, Landorus, etc. It just isn't consistent enough. A new group is established. Now, we decide that consistency is key. Darkrai/Mewtwo/Bouffalant is the play. Not much testing is done, since the deck virtually plays itself. I am not keen on playing a cookie cutter deck, expecting the standard top 32 finish or so, and not being satisfied. I prefer decks with techs, that can make plays, or something not completely uniform. Deciding a deck for this metagame took me much longer than expected.
2 days before the event. Zach Fisher messages me about some sort of Emboar deck. I'm intrigued, but very doubtful. We play a few games and I get rolled. I build a couple of lists and toy around with it. It works decently enough for me to see if I liked it or not. I did. But there was a problem. I also needed 2 Tropical Beach, a huge issue since I have none. After a bit of panicking, I forget about Pokemon with a night out with some friends in college. The following morning involves the usual hangover, me forgetting my dorm key, and all sorts of misfortune, but I end up making it to the event very early that Friday. I call Harrison and we go out to eat and discuss decks. I talk about Emboar and he likes the idea a lot, but questions a few matchups, and i'm not entirely sure of them either.
Hours later, we meet up with a ton of friends and hang out. I decide to play in the side event with a fun deck (Hydreigon/Dusknoir/Darkrai), and end 3-3. So bad, but I did take 5 prizes in a turn. #Whocares. Ahem. Anyways, we go out again, and I end up having no place to stay at 3 AM. So Franco and I play all night in the hotel lobby. I test Emboar for literally 6 hours. A few minor tweaks and it is definitely good. I text a few people but they decide to stay safe with standard stuff. The deck rivaled Keldeo in how great it ran. I had a great shot at winning the event with Emboar. I knew it. I wouldn't have even played it if I thought it wasn't good enough to win. This was the deck. Now all I needed were some Tropical Beaches!
I ended up getting a Tropical Beach from my favorite PTO. I don't ask for 2. I fit another card in and am psyched about doing well, albeit extremely tired. Zach and I play the exact list, card for card. Daniel decides to play our SD. David decides on White Tea. Greg with Ho-oh, Harry with Keldeo. Let's go, time to do it big!
Round 1 vs Mewtwo/Tornadus/Terrakion
I remember being so excited to finally play, knowing that I put a lot of thought and work into my deck. I greet my opponent, and we set up. I open Tepig, and go 2nd. She starts Mewtwo, X Ball for 40. I top deck Fire energy, play N. N'd into 4 energy, Cilan, Catcher. Catcher her Terrakion. She switches. X Ball for game. Oops.
0-1
Honestly, not a great start.
Round 2 vs Garchomp/Floatzel/Theme Deck
I open Rayquaza, bench Tepig. He opens Gible, Buizel. Juniper into godhand, Tropical Beach for 7. He attacks me for 10. Rare Candy into Emboar, Deluge...I mean, Inferno Fandango, and I have 3 Rayquaza with 3 energy each on them T2. I win easily.
1-1
Round 3 vs Rayquaza/Eelektrik/Thundurus
I get a t2 Emboar to his double eel. I remember questioning a lot of his plays, especially loading up a Thundurus over a Zekrom when attacking one of my Rays. The game ends up coming down to him making a huge misplay. He tries to retreat Eelektrik using Skyarrow Bridge, after loading up a Rayquaza to return KO my own. Since he can't retreat, he is forced to pass. I t throws the game into my favor big time, and I catcher his Rayquaza for game.
2-1
Round 4 vs Keldeo/Blastoise
I get a T2 Emboar. He gets a T2 Blastoise. I play Rayquaza. He plays Keldeo. I play Rayquaza. He plays Keldeo. I play Rayquaza. I win. We literally both setup at the same pace.
3-1
Round 5 vs Keldeo/Blastoise
I start Tepig to his Squirtle/Squirtle/Squirtle. My hand is dead and luckily, I topdeck a Computer Search for a Juniper roughly 4 turns into the game. While attempting to setup, I sacrifice 3 Tepig. He played DCE, which made it that much more difficult. I finally setup a 'Boar and take 4 prizes, only down 1-2. However, in the time it took me to setup, he had been accumulating energy cards and retrievers in his hand. He drops Cilan/Retrieval for game. My setup was so slow that game.
3-2
Round 6 vs Tornadus/Landorus
This was honestly one of my favorite matches to play, ever. I start off thinking that I would be losing, I whiff a supporter for nearly 4 turns. After that heart attack, I finally am able to get out Emboar to load up Rayquazas. He didn't set up well either thought, and I was always one turn ahead. After a slight energy drought, he makes a sturdy comeback. All of a sudden, there's a Tornadus EX with an Eviolite active, KOing my Rayquaza. My last Rayquaza is pushed up with a lightning energy on it. I look at my card from the N...Skyla! Now if I could just top-deck a...Energy Retrieval!!! Now I can get my last 2 Energy Retrieval for game! That was a close one!
4-2
Round 7 vs Darkrai/Sableye/Landorus
This game was a thriller as well. I open Tepig, Emboar, 6 energy. She opens Sableye and Darkrai. I attach and hit for 10 with Ember. I laugh nervously as she sets up. Luckily, she plays Crushing Hammer and has no way to set up an energy acceleration scenario. I top deck...Rare Candy! I evolve into Emboar, rain down the energy, and KO her Sableye. My hand is now 0, and my prize is a Juniper! She is surprised lol. From there we trade EXs, and her N's lategame were scary, but I was always able to get out of them. Good game.
5-2
Ok. Here we are again. 5-2. No need to get your hopes up or defeat yourself, but just play smart. You got this...there's no way you can prize stuff to lose again, I think to myself. Haaaaa.
Round 8 vs Rayquaza/Eelektrik/Emolga
I open Rayquaza and Tepig to his Emolga. He wins the flip. N takes my good hand and gives me 2 energy, a Tepig, and an Emboar. He then gets 3 Tynamo out. I top deck Ultra Ball and set up an Emboar super quickly with the help of a Rare Candy topdeck. I am able to get 1 Rayquaza out and Dragon Burst his active Zekrom, knowing that I would be return KO'd by his Rayquaza. I needed to draw 1 supporter to attempt to setup. My prize is an energy card. It is turn 6. I have played no supporter. I push up a Reshiram. KO'd. Topdeck...no supporter. I push up Tepig. KO'd. Topdeck Energy Retrieval. My last Pokemon is Emboar. I push him up. Topdeck... nothing. 11 turns. No supporter, is that a record?
annnnnnnnd that's all, folks!
Pokemon: (12)
4-Tepig (60 Hp)
3 Emboar (Must be promo)
3 Rayquaza EX
1 Mewtwo EX
1 Reshiram
Trainers: (34)
4 Professor Juniper
4 Skyla
2 N
1 Bianca
1 Cilan
4 Rare Candy
4 Energy Retrieval
4 Switch
4 Ultra Ball
1 Tropical Beach
3 Pokemon Catcher
1 Computer Search
1 Tool Scrapper
Energy: (14)
10 Fire
4 Lightning
I truly believe that Emboar could have won this tournament. The deck is incredibly consistent and is such a powerhouse. It just requires a player who doesn't have horrendous luck. I was so upset that for the second year in a row, I had luck ruin my tournament. Bummed but getting over it.
And as always, Props and Slops
Props:
Mcdonalds (24 piece with Large Sweet Tea is only $5.33!!!)
Heidi
Harry
David
Daniel
Zach
Chris Bianchi
Franco
Bobbby Malec <3
Slops:
Chevys
Dennys
Dead Draw
Keldeo
No Sleep
