Ignatious
New Member
Hello Gymers this is my Top 8 regionals report. First off all, allow me to explain the format overview. When EP came out the only decks I had built were S1 rush and Reshiram Typhlosion. Eventually I built Gothitelle for a br just to test its legitimacy. I went 5-1 and dropped because I really wanted to change the list.
So I figured out that Gothitelle beat the other two decks handily. Around this time I also discovered TheTruth to be a similar deck, with similar effect on the meta game. I had given Zekrom some thought, but quickly dismissed it after afew test games. It set up, but lost against the other decks every time in drawn out games.
Then I decided to give another look at PrimeTime. It had very good outs against all decks except for S1 rush due to its inclusion of Donphan. I didn't particularly mind having that one hard match up concidering that deck under performed against item locks and Tyram.
After a few testing matches I had a list looking something like this:
3-1-3 Magnezone
4-3 Yanmega
1 Pach
1 Cleffa
1 Pichu
4 Copycat
3 Judge
2 Sage
4 Collector
3 Pokegear
3 Catcher
1 Switch
1 PlusPower
4 Junk
4 Candy
4 Comm
10 Lightning
3 Magnemite Simply didn't cut it. Any fast deck takes them out asap. After some advice from Tad Wheeler (Lotad) I also gave Jirachi a shot over Pachirisu. It was fantastic. It allowed me to retireve old energy and provided an additional out vs nearly every deck in the format. I also ran out of Yanmega quite often vs any deck that could OHKO it. In fact, after I included Jirachi, the deck ran exactly like a S1 rush with Jirachi, but with draw power. I rarely attacked with Magnezone, even against decks list TyRam. The game plan began to revolve around Yanmega, taking prizes early with Yanmega, then setting up prizes for Jirachi while gradually developing Magnezone. Also the supperter set up was TOO strong. I needed more space.
The revised list I ended up using looked like this:
4-2-3 Zone
4-3 Mega
2 Jirachi
1 Cleffa
3 Copycat
3 Judge
3 Sage
4 Collector
1 Pokegear
3 Catcher
2 PlusPower
1 Switch
3 Junk
3 Candy
4 Comm
5 Lightning
4 Psychic
2 Rescue
I still debated the 4th Magnemite, and wondered if the 2nd Jirachi would actually be needed. So this is how the rounds went for me:
Round 1 vs S1 Rush
I open with Yanma and have a particularly strong hand, which i was thankful for because my opponent won the flip. He turns over a Zorua, attaches a DCE and drops a Pachirisu with 2 Lightning to win the game. Donk.
0-1
Round 2 vs Starter deck
Yeah....
1-1
Round 3 vs YMCA
She goes first and I'm moderately worried. She attacks fast but I didn't see a fast Zone coming so she could take control very quickly. As expected she attaches to Cinccino and Catchers up my Magneton only to draw no basics with Oak. That lost her the game, but she fought my late game Zones very well regardless.
2-1
Round 4 vs DonChamp
Ah fighting. I didn't expect to see much, but I did expect to see some. My opening was average, I start with Collector and eek. Afterwards my opponent and I took turns drawing and passing. Yes this was with me drawing a new hand every turn with Cleffa. I drew no Comms, no Megas, no Zones, and no Magnetons within 4 eeks. If my opponent could have taken advantage of this, he would have won, but Ieventually set up and took rapid prizes.
3-1
Round 5 vs DnD
Oh boy. This is legitimately a really tough match up, almost a direct counter to my deck. I saw him shuffle and noticed Zekrom, so I made sure to start Jirachi in case he played the donk version. I set up quickly trying to take out Donphans, and late in the game I had 2 Yanmegas in play each with 8 counters and a Zone with 0 counters. No other basics were left! I suicided both Yanmegas leaving me with Magnezone, 0 energy, and 1 prize. I attch. If he could attach a rainbow energy this turn I was in jeapordy of losing to a Bolt Strike, which would make me HAVE to attach next turn and play a Jirachi for game. He whiffed the Rainbow and I win 2 turns later.
4-1
Round 6 vs ZPST
He starts by attaching one energy per turn, which is acceptable only paired against my poor hand. I tried to slow him with down with Catchers and Cleffa until I finally set up. Late game I had few cardsleft in the deck, but was up one prize. He decides to draw pass until I deck. My Magnezone was stuck active and while I COULD have Junked for a Switch, that would have decked me, so I play his game until I have 0 cards lefts in deck and decide to Judge. This leaves me with a few cardsin deck and my opponent was frustrated. He know plays aggresively and KOs Zone. I KO his damaged Zekrom with Yanmega. Unfortunately I didn't draw a Yanma, so if he DCEs his damaged Zekrom, he wins out the prize exchange and I lose. He has only 1 left and I Judged for my last hand match. He didn't have it.
5-1
Round 7 vs TyRam
It may surprise you, but a field of ONLY Reshiram is actually tough for my deck early on. I can attack, allowing him to return Outrage, or Lostburn THREE energy for a OHKO. I could have paced the game and waited it out but his hand seemed so horrible that I felt OK to attack fast. Still debating this choice. He began to set up but I managed to keep only 1 Typh in play at one time. He recovered from a poor set up very well but I still won.
6-1
Round 8 vs Tyram (POOKA!)
Okay so I play Pichu in EVERY set up deck I build. No one else does. BUT POOKA DOES!! I knew I wasn't crazy. So he goes firstwith a typical 'fill your bench' game. I have a decent hand so I'm fairly confident I can disrupt him on the following turn. He T2 Typhlosions, and plays Quilava. I evolve to Yanmega and T2 Zone. But no catcher. =[ So I'm immediately down a turn, which is acceptable. I retreat to sac a basic. On my next turn .... No Catcher! I know how this match up works, I can't go 2nd, AND whiff two turns and still pull through. I scoop and sort my deck for top 32.
6-2
Top 32 vs Gothitelle
I have a mean Gothitelle list sitting in my bookbag so I know how touch this match up can be. I soon discover that he doesn't run Pichu. =] Also, he T2 Goth locks me, but I use Jirachi right away to devolve, and he can't respond. I take many prizes and he scoops. 1/0 Game 2 he simply coulnt set up. No Pichu means I can eat up Item lock like no tomorrow. 2/0
7-2
Top 16 vs Zekrom
Anyone who tells me this is a bad matchup I will disagree with entirely. I understand my deck can't as easily beat his from coming back from behind, but that will only usually happen if he goes first. Usually the first turn flip decides this match up, therefore it's 50-50. Anyways we start and he goes first. Yay. I get donked lol. 0/1. I go first this time and run over his set up. 1/1. Game 3 I expect to lose, but his hand eventually turns out to be verybad. I set up and run over his field. A very poor best of 3, but that is usually how this match up goes. 2/1
8-2
Top 8 vs DnD
Okay so I can beat a poor version of this deck in swiss, but in the cut I highly doubt it. It counters my deck. I go first and T2 Catch and KO his only Phampy. I continually KO and setup KOs.. Maybe I could win! But no he still ended up winning. 0/1. I go first again, with amuch more poor start. I get rolled. 0/2
8-3
So I'm satisfied with my losses and my placing. This makes my 6th regional making at least top 8 in a row so I can leave with my reputation standing.
I doubt PrimeTimes playability from here on, but if I had to make changes I'd do the following:
-1 Junk Arm
-1 Jirachi
-1 Rescue
+1 Switch
+1 Catcher
+1 Lightning
Pros:
KOing lots of Donphan
Top 8ing AGAIN!
Deck choice
My list making top 8 in Seniors
Cons:
Horrible match up in top
Round 1 donk
Lucky format
So I figured out that Gothitelle beat the other two decks handily. Around this time I also discovered TheTruth to be a similar deck, with similar effect on the meta game. I had given Zekrom some thought, but quickly dismissed it after afew test games. It set up, but lost against the other decks every time in drawn out games.
Then I decided to give another look at PrimeTime. It had very good outs against all decks except for S1 rush due to its inclusion of Donphan. I didn't particularly mind having that one hard match up concidering that deck under performed against item locks and Tyram.
After a few testing matches I had a list looking something like this:
3-1-3 Magnezone
4-3 Yanmega
1 Pach
1 Cleffa
1 Pichu
4 Copycat
3 Judge
2 Sage
4 Collector
3 Pokegear
3 Catcher
1 Switch
1 PlusPower
4 Junk
4 Candy
4 Comm
10 Lightning
3 Magnemite Simply didn't cut it. Any fast deck takes them out asap. After some advice from Tad Wheeler (Lotad) I also gave Jirachi a shot over Pachirisu. It was fantastic. It allowed me to retireve old energy and provided an additional out vs nearly every deck in the format. I also ran out of Yanmega quite often vs any deck that could OHKO it. In fact, after I included Jirachi, the deck ran exactly like a S1 rush with Jirachi, but with draw power. I rarely attacked with Magnezone, even against decks list TyRam. The game plan began to revolve around Yanmega, taking prizes early with Yanmega, then setting up prizes for Jirachi while gradually developing Magnezone. Also the supperter set up was TOO strong. I needed more space.
The revised list I ended up using looked like this:
4-2-3 Zone
4-3 Mega
2 Jirachi
1 Cleffa
3 Copycat
3 Judge
3 Sage
4 Collector
1 Pokegear
3 Catcher
2 PlusPower
1 Switch
3 Junk
3 Candy
4 Comm
5 Lightning
4 Psychic
2 Rescue
I still debated the 4th Magnemite, and wondered if the 2nd Jirachi would actually be needed. So this is how the rounds went for me:
Round 1 vs S1 Rush
I open with Yanma and have a particularly strong hand, which i was thankful for because my opponent won the flip. He turns over a Zorua, attaches a DCE and drops a Pachirisu with 2 Lightning to win the game. Donk.
0-1
Round 2 vs Starter deck
Yeah....
1-1
Round 3 vs YMCA
She goes first and I'm moderately worried. She attacks fast but I didn't see a fast Zone coming so she could take control very quickly. As expected she attaches to Cinccino and Catchers up my Magneton only to draw no basics with Oak. That lost her the game, but she fought my late game Zones very well regardless.
2-1
Round 4 vs DonChamp
Ah fighting. I didn't expect to see much, but I did expect to see some. My opening was average, I start with Collector and eek. Afterwards my opponent and I took turns drawing and passing. Yes this was with me drawing a new hand every turn with Cleffa. I drew no Comms, no Megas, no Zones, and no Magnetons within 4 eeks. If my opponent could have taken advantage of this, he would have won, but Ieventually set up and took rapid prizes.
3-1
Round 5 vs DnD
Oh boy. This is legitimately a really tough match up, almost a direct counter to my deck. I saw him shuffle and noticed Zekrom, so I made sure to start Jirachi in case he played the donk version. I set up quickly trying to take out Donphans, and late in the game I had 2 Yanmegas in play each with 8 counters and a Zone with 0 counters. No other basics were left! I suicided both Yanmegas leaving me with Magnezone, 0 energy, and 1 prize. I attch. If he could attach a rainbow energy this turn I was in jeapordy of losing to a Bolt Strike, which would make me HAVE to attach next turn and play a Jirachi for game. He whiffed the Rainbow and I win 2 turns later.
4-1
Round 6 vs ZPST
He starts by attaching one energy per turn, which is acceptable only paired against my poor hand. I tried to slow him with down with Catchers and Cleffa until I finally set up. Late game I had few cardsleft in the deck, but was up one prize. He decides to draw pass until I deck. My Magnezone was stuck active and while I COULD have Junked for a Switch, that would have decked me, so I play his game until I have 0 cards lefts in deck and decide to Judge. This leaves me with a few cardsin deck and my opponent was frustrated. He know plays aggresively and KOs Zone. I KO his damaged Zekrom with Yanmega. Unfortunately I didn't draw a Yanma, so if he DCEs his damaged Zekrom, he wins out the prize exchange and I lose. He has only 1 left and I Judged for my last hand match. He didn't have it.
5-1
Round 7 vs TyRam
It may surprise you, but a field of ONLY Reshiram is actually tough for my deck early on. I can attack, allowing him to return Outrage, or Lostburn THREE energy for a OHKO. I could have paced the game and waited it out but his hand seemed so horrible that I felt OK to attack fast. Still debating this choice. He began to set up but I managed to keep only 1 Typh in play at one time. He recovered from a poor set up very well but I still won.
6-1
Round 8 vs Tyram (POOKA!)
Okay so I play Pichu in EVERY set up deck I build. No one else does. BUT POOKA DOES!! I knew I wasn't crazy. So he goes firstwith a typical 'fill your bench' game. I have a decent hand so I'm fairly confident I can disrupt him on the following turn. He T2 Typhlosions, and plays Quilava. I evolve to Yanmega and T2 Zone. But no catcher. =[ So I'm immediately down a turn, which is acceptable. I retreat to sac a basic. On my next turn .... No Catcher! I know how this match up works, I can't go 2nd, AND whiff two turns and still pull through. I scoop and sort my deck for top 32.
6-2
Top 32 vs Gothitelle
I have a mean Gothitelle list sitting in my bookbag so I know how touch this match up can be. I soon discover that he doesn't run Pichu. =] Also, he T2 Goth locks me, but I use Jirachi right away to devolve, and he can't respond. I take many prizes and he scoops. 1/0 Game 2 he simply coulnt set up. No Pichu means I can eat up Item lock like no tomorrow. 2/0
7-2
Top 16 vs Zekrom
Anyone who tells me this is a bad matchup I will disagree with entirely. I understand my deck can't as easily beat his from coming back from behind, but that will only usually happen if he goes first. Usually the first turn flip decides this match up, therefore it's 50-50. Anyways we start and he goes first. Yay. I get donked lol. 0/1. I go first this time and run over his set up. 1/1. Game 3 I expect to lose, but his hand eventually turns out to be verybad. I set up and run over his field. A very poor best of 3, but that is usually how this match up goes. 2/1
8-2
Top 8 vs DnD
Okay so I can beat a poor version of this deck in swiss, but in the cut I highly doubt it. It counters my deck. I go first and T2 Catch and KO his only Phampy. I continually KO and setup KOs.. Maybe I could win! But no he still ended up winning. 0/1. I go first again, with amuch more poor start. I get rolled. 0/2
8-3
So I'm satisfied with my losses and my placing. This makes my 6th regional making at least top 8 in a row so I can leave with my reputation standing.
I doubt PrimeTimes playability from here on, but if I had to make changes I'd do the following:
-1 Junk Arm
-1 Jirachi
-1 Rescue
+1 Switch
+1 Catcher
+1 Lightning
Pros:
KOing lots of Donphan
Top 8ing AGAIN!
Deck choice
My list making top 8 in Seniors
Cons:
Horrible match up in top
Round 1 donk
Lucky format
