KazamBolt
Active Member
I've been playing my incredibly reliable Speedgar deck since Regionals last season, and it has been going well. However, it hasn't been working as well as I wanted, so I started working on a new project. I loved Donphan Prime the first time I saw it, so I played around with it. It was missing that little punch, and it wasn't long before I found it. Mesprit LA was the perfect card for this deck, because if you combine the two, you're dropping between 60 and 80 T2, and Power Lock. I got this deck running just as I wanted, and got off to States.
I pulled up to the venue 45 minutes before registration would end because I needed to find one last Donphan Prime. I had bought one for $5.50 a week before States, but it didn't come in in time :[ Anyways, my friend Aaron helped me get the last one (some dude just gave it to me, I'm paying him back in some way as soon as I see him again). I got registered, and here we go.
7 Rounds
Top 16 :O
Masters Division
Round 1 - Vs. Cursegar
So, I saw the Gastly while he was shuffling, and I start celebrating already. Cursegar is one of my best matchups, because I can OHKO everything they've got once I've got a Donphan with 3 energy and a Belt, and they're doing 40 damage at best by the time their next turn rolls around.
However, that would not be the case in this match. I had a bad start, no supporter all game really. I got really lucky, losing a Wager, but topdecking a Donphan Prime for my active Phanpy. However, he had a god start (Cursegar, double Mime, Spiritomb, Claydol) and I had nothing to answer with.
0-1
At this point, I'm getting kind of worried. Lose again, and there's no way in heck that I'm going to make the T16. However, I get ready to play either way.
Round 2 - Vs. Leafeon/Sceptile
Truthfully, they had no chance at all. I got a T2 Donphan, and they only drew 3 prizes all turn. They barely ran any powers, but I still had the Mesprit Lock up early.
1-1
Round 3 - Vs. (Don't remember)
Yuck. I wish I could remember this, but I don't. That's what I get for waiting five days after the tournament to write my report. I do remember that they barely ran any powers at all, and that I won.
2-1
Things are looking up now.
Round 4 - Vs. Gallade 4
This was one of the coolest decks I saw all day. They ran Gallade 4, Honchkrow G, Uxie LA, and other SP staples. Basically, it was a lot of spreading, and some sniping. I got a good start, and there were two keys for me this game. I got a Nidoqueen out around Turn 4, and that really kept her spreading to a minimum. Also, Mesprit LA was a great thing for this matchup, because she couldn't really spread. It seemed really close, but I don't think she took more than 3-4 prizes. Good game overall though.
3-1
Round 5 - Vs. Omastar/Kabutops
He started with Relicanth and used that Primal Calling attack to get 3 fossils in the hand. Eventually, he got a Kabutops in play, and I thought it was gonna be easy. 2 hits for me to take him out, and because of the Bodies I'm playing, 5 hits for him to knock me out. I got to Copycat for 14, and I think that's the only reason I had a chance in this game. I got 3 Drawers, Nidoran, and Nidoqueen, along with other things. I took out his Kabutops, and I saw how this match was going to get interesting. He had this Omastar doing 30 + 10 for every fossil in his discard, and there were 2-3 from the Kabutops attack at this point. Basically, he was OHKOing me left and right, and I had to 2HKO him. Not good, but I won because his last two prizes were his last two Water Energy. 3rd best deck I saw all day, and good game
4-1
I knew that I could survive anything besides Gyarados after that scare, so I was pretty excited.
Round 6 - Vs. Luxchomp
Cool, I thought I had a pretty good chance in this matchup, and that's one of the main reasons I was playing this deck. However, I foolishly started with an Unown Q to keep a Mesprit in my hand. He went first, and I almost wet myself because he could have easily donked me with a DCE. However, he didn't have one or didn't play it (he's a nice guy) and he just attached a lightning and ended. It's unfortunate to say, but I dropped the power lock, Uxie'd for Bebe's, Fighting, Phanpy, and a second drawer to match the one in my hand. I could easily get the Belt, BTS, and Donphan to complete the donk. I apologized, and it was a good thing that he still got into the top cut ^_^
5-1
Round 7 - Vs. Dusknoir/Gengar
I finally got the god start, and had him locked 2 of the first 3 turns. He started with Spiritomb, and I still was able to get the Donphan out. I knocked out the 'tomb, and began beasting. His Dusknoir was his only weapon with his Night Spin attack, but I got rid of that possibility because got the 3 Energy attached early on and began sweeping. I even got to use my Uxie-Belt combo to get rid of his Gengar SF and get around Fainting Spell. He scooped after I got 3 prizes and he took none.
6-1
Top cut for sure, and I was feeling really good. I turned in my deck, and found out I was playing Dialga/Chomp :/
Top 16 - Vs. Dialga/Garchomp
I'll save you the details, but he won only because Dialga shut off my bodies. Otherwise, I would have been dealing 110 per turn, healing 10 between, and taking 20 less from his attacks.
0-1
I was stupid at this point, and opened the second game with only one basic even thought I had 4 in my hand. He had the Ambipom G - DCE donk, and my day was ended.
0-2
6-2
Was I upset? Yeah. But not at the guy I lost to. He's a great player, ended up getting 2nd overall when all was said and done, and he owed me because I knocked him out of the Top 4 at a City at the same venue. I was upset with me, but I decided not to beat myself up for it. I had a good laugh about it with him and the judges and left. I did gain over 60 rating points, and got over my goal of 1700 for the year (1715+!). It was a great day, and I had a fun time. I also found out that Donphan is a sweet deck, and I'm gonna have some good fun with it once Gyarados, its biggest threat, is rotated.
Props:
The guy who loaned me the 4th Donphan (I owe you big!)
My mom's friend for taking me home, otherwise, I couldn't have gone
My friend Aaron for winning Seniors (Only because I loaned him a Mime for his Cursegar deck xD)
Aaron's sis for winning Juniors
Donphan for doing well
Rating points!
Brandon for making T8 at Ohio
My other friend also named Alex for getting 3rd in Juniors
The judges (I didn't hear of any mistake they made)
Our wonderful TO
Thanks for reading ^_^
I pulled up to the venue 45 minutes before registration would end because I needed to find one last Donphan Prime. I had bought one for $5.50 a week before States, but it didn't come in in time :[ Anyways, my friend Aaron helped me get the last one (some dude just gave it to me, I'm paying him back in some way as soon as I see him again). I got registered, and here we go.
7 Rounds
Top 16 :O
Masters Division
Round 1 - Vs. Cursegar
So, I saw the Gastly while he was shuffling, and I start celebrating already. Cursegar is one of my best matchups, because I can OHKO everything they've got once I've got a Donphan with 3 energy and a Belt, and they're doing 40 damage at best by the time their next turn rolls around.
However, that would not be the case in this match. I had a bad start, no supporter all game really. I got really lucky, losing a Wager, but topdecking a Donphan Prime for my active Phanpy. However, he had a god start (Cursegar, double Mime, Spiritomb, Claydol) and I had nothing to answer with.
0-1
At this point, I'm getting kind of worried. Lose again, and there's no way in heck that I'm going to make the T16. However, I get ready to play either way.
Round 2 - Vs. Leafeon/Sceptile
Truthfully, they had no chance at all. I got a T2 Donphan, and they only drew 3 prizes all turn. They barely ran any powers, but I still had the Mesprit Lock up early.
1-1
Round 3 - Vs. (Don't remember)
Yuck. I wish I could remember this, but I don't. That's what I get for waiting five days after the tournament to write my report. I do remember that they barely ran any powers at all, and that I won.
2-1
Things are looking up now.
Round 4 - Vs. Gallade 4
This was one of the coolest decks I saw all day. They ran Gallade 4, Honchkrow G, Uxie LA, and other SP staples. Basically, it was a lot of spreading, and some sniping. I got a good start, and there were two keys for me this game. I got a Nidoqueen out around Turn 4, and that really kept her spreading to a minimum. Also, Mesprit LA was a great thing for this matchup, because she couldn't really spread. It seemed really close, but I don't think she took more than 3-4 prizes. Good game overall though.
3-1
Round 5 - Vs. Omastar/Kabutops
He started with Relicanth and used that Primal Calling attack to get 3 fossils in the hand. Eventually, he got a Kabutops in play, and I thought it was gonna be easy. 2 hits for me to take him out, and because of the Bodies I'm playing, 5 hits for him to knock me out. I got to Copycat for 14, and I think that's the only reason I had a chance in this game. I got 3 Drawers, Nidoran, and Nidoqueen, along with other things. I took out his Kabutops, and I saw how this match was going to get interesting. He had this Omastar doing 30 + 10 for every fossil in his discard, and there were 2-3 from the Kabutops attack at this point. Basically, he was OHKOing me left and right, and I had to 2HKO him. Not good, but I won because his last two prizes were his last two Water Energy. 3rd best deck I saw all day, and good game
4-1
I knew that I could survive anything besides Gyarados after that scare, so I was pretty excited.
Round 6 - Vs. Luxchomp
Cool, I thought I had a pretty good chance in this matchup, and that's one of the main reasons I was playing this deck. However, I foolishly started with an Unown Q to keep a Mesprit in my hand. He went first, and I almost wet myself because he could have easily donked me with a DCE. However, he didn't have one or didn't play it (he's a nice guy) and he just attached a lightning and ended. It's unfortunate to say, but I dropped the power lock, Uxie'd for Bebe's, Fighting, Phanpy, and a second drawer to match the one in my hand. I could easily get the Belt, BTS, and Donphan to complete the donk. I apologized, and it was a good thing that he still got into the top cut ^_^
5-1
Round 7 - Vs. Dusknoir/Gengar
I finally got the god start, and had him locked 2 of the first 3 turns. He started with Spiritomb, and I still was able to get the Donphan out. I knocked out the 'tomb, and began beasting. His Dusknoir was his only weapon with his Night Spin attack, but I got rid of that possibility because got the 3 Energy attached early on and began sweeping. I even got to use my Uxie-Belt combo to get rid of his Gengar SF and get around Fainting Spell. He scooped after I got 3 prizes and he took none.
6-1
Top cut for sure, and I was feeling really good. I turned in my deck, and found out I was playing Dialga/Chomp :/
Top 16 - Vs. Dialga/Garchomp
I'll save you the details, but he won only because Dialga shut off my bodies. Otherwise, I would have been dealing 110 per turn, healing 10 between, and taking 20 less from his attacks.
0-1
I was stupid at this point, and opened the second game with only one basic even thought I had 4 in my hand. He had the Ambipom G - DCE donk, and my day was ended.
0-2
6-2
Was I upset? Yeah. But not at the guy I lost to. He's a great player, ended up getting 2nd overall when all was said and done, and he owed me because I knocked him out of the Top 4 at a City at the same venue. I was upset with me, but I decided not to beat myself up for it. I had a good laugh about it with him and the judges and left. I did gain over 60 rating points, and got over my goal of 1700 for the year (1715+!). It was a great day, and I had a fun time. I also found out that Donphan is a sweet deck, and I'm gonna have some good fun with it once Gyarados, its biggest threat, is rotated.
Props:
The guy who loaned me the 4th Donphan (I owe you big!)
My mom's friend for taking me home, otherwise, I couldn't have gone
My friend Aaron for winning Seniors (Only because I loaned him a Mime for his Cursegar deck xD)
Aaron's sis for winning Juniors
Donphan for doing well
Rating points!
Brandon for making T8 at Ohio
My other friend also named Alex for getting 3rd in Juniors
The judges (I didn't hear of any mistake they made)
Our wonderful TO
Thanks for reading ^_^
