renfield89
New Member
The rotation to HS-On had me very excited for this upcoming Nationals event. Playing SP became so monotonous for me that Pokemon itself became very stale. Having started playing at the inception of Legends Awakened, I had never played a deck that had no Uxie in it prior to testing this format, so I knew early on that I would have to test more than ever to perform well at this event, having experienced no previous formats.
At first, competing with the hyped decks like Emboar/Magnezone and Donphan/Machamp seemed a daunting task, but in practice, the consistency flaws I observed in testing these decks made me wary of trusting the advice of others. I followed several forums very closely, including HayTrainer, SixPrizes, and The Top Cut podcasts, and with two weeks to go before Nationals, I was convinced that Typhlosion, Donphan/Zoroark and Yanmega/Magnezone would be sitting at the top tables. My deck of choice was Typhlosion. It smashed Stage-one variants. It had a draw engine, which I loved. It could stockpile PlusPowers, Reversals ad Junk Arms in hand like no other deck could for continuous KOs. But its weakness to Emboar and Judge scared the ever-living daylights out of me. The list I tested therefore became teched for the Emboar matchup, and the supporters were changed to compensate for disruption.
Fellow Team Sugarbushers Alex and Matt accompanied me on the drive down to Indy over three hours, where we met up with Graham to preregister and playtest. Playtesting at the convention center seemed to undo all of the confidence I had placed in Typhlosion: The Yanmega/Magnezone list our team had worked on was destroying me with early Judges, and I wasn’t even running well versus stage-ones anymore. “Well, looks like you’re not running THAT tomorrow,” Graham commented. What was going on wrong with my deck?
I panicked, and playtested again that night with Alex from midnight to three with Yanmega/Magnezone and Emboar/Magnezone, only to feel more dejected than ever. Alex pointed out that weeks before, my list had run so well, and I remembered all the changes I had made. I decided that Judge and Emboar were the least of my worries. I just needed to do two things to win in the main event: not get donked, and get playable hands to set up a Ninetales. The rest would follow. So I cut my tech, restored the old supporter lines, and trimmed the trainers for more supporters. Streamlined for consistency. It would be Typhlosion or bust.
The Main Event
R1: Brad C. (Zekrom/Yanmega)
Brad was a PokeDad wearing a SixPrizes t-shirt. He opened double Zekrom to my double Vulpix, which was a little unnerving, but going first always helps. I T1 Sage’s Training into Ninetales and Collector, and by T3 I have 2 Ninetales and 2 Typhlosion set up. His deck cannot match my stream of Reshirams, and the game ends after he only gets one Zekrom with the required energy to Bolt Strike. I take six prizes to his one.
1-0
R2: Jennifer A. (Donphan/’Outrage’ and ‘Revenge’ Basics)
My match is played at table one, which is always exciting! Jennifer is playing what I presume to be the underground Donphan variant, which confuses me at first, but is basically built to have outs versus Yanmega and Kingdra. This wouldn’t have been a problem for my deck, but unfortunately we barely get to play any type of game at all. By T3 I have a Ninetales and 2 Typhlosion, while she is still sitting on 1 Donphan, 2 Phanpys and a Reshiram. She is very bitter about her poor draw, so I play quickly and quietly to finish with continuous Blue Flares/PlusPowers, taking six prizes to her one.
2-0
R3: Kyle Sab. (Gengar/Mime Jr./Slowking)
I always look forward to playing a recognizable name, so I get pretty excited for this match when I see the pairing. He opens lone Mime Jr to my Cyndaquil going first, but I have no outs to first-turn him. Instead I play Sage’s Training for Collector and Vulpix and pass. Upon doing my first deck search, I find that I have an 0-1-2 Typhlosion line prized, which is a real bummer. I can therefore only afford to get in one Typhlosion until I draw the others. I take a prize with Tyrogue, earning me a Quilava. He Cursed Drops Tyrogue and Ninetales. Most unfortunately, I finally end up Roast Revealing into the cards I need to get that one Typhlosion in play after he already has 3 Pokemon in the Lost Zone. Now that I can fuel Reshirams, I quickly PP/Blue Flare the Gengar Prime. Slowking & Mime net him another and Mime stays asleep. I Reversal/PP/Blue his only other Gengar in play, leaving his field at Slowking/Jr/Jr/Gastly, but with 4 in the Lost Zone, my inexperience against the deck begins to show. I panick, and use Sage’s, discarding 2 or the 3 Pokemon left in my deck, leaving me with 4 cards in my deck. Enough to take my 3 Prizes, but not if you take Mime Jr into account, which I did not. I lose by decking =/
2-1
This mistake really stings. I set up, I was in a safe place to win, and I blew it. I can't stop thinking, ‘Your deck WILL fail to set up AT LEAST one round, you cannot afford to lose the games where you DO set up.’ But I pick myself up, and move on.
R4: Zachary B. (Donphan/Yanmega)
Another big name. This helps me to take my mind off of the last round, and I feel even better when he flips over Phanpy. The game opens very rocky for me, as he hits two Reversals to score back-to-back KOs on 2 Cyndaquils, but I make a fast recovery and set up through Twins. I Candy my 3rd Cyndaquil, Revive another, and double PP/Blue Flare his Donphan. The next Donphan has two damage counters on it, which makes me feel good about my board position, until he POTIONS. Ugh, the look on my face. We begin a prize race, where he scores a KO on a Vulpix and with Reversal, and KOs one Reshiram, and I double PP/Blue Flare two more Donphans in addition to Reversaling one Yanma. Two prizes left each. A Tyrogue is sitting on my bench from the start of the game, a sitting duck for Yanmega. I cannot score a prize, so I promote Typhlosion and Flare Destroy the only energy away from his Donphan. On his turn he hits Reversal and brings a Reshiram with 6 damage counters. He plays PlusPower, and Junipers to draw almost his entire deck, seven of eight cards. He does a deck search with Communication, and announces that to his dismay, his last two prizes are his last Fighting energy, and his only Switch to snipe with Yanmega. Unable to attack, I take my prizes. What a finish. Great game Zach.
3-1
R5: Sam H. (Emboar/Reshiram/Ninetales)
Sam gets a faster start than me, only needing one Emboar, but I negate this advantage by Reversaling the Emboar and hitting it for 20 with Outrage. I have the cards in hand next turn to get Typhlosion and have a PlusPower, so I feel good, until he Judges me. He still could not immediately retreat, so he passes. I get a Typhlosion and set up another Quil, but no Pluspower. I hit for 120, ten short =/ He finds the Switch, of course, and begins the KO race with Reshiram. I get the second Typhlosion, whiff on Reversal to get his Emboar back out, and resort to Blue Flaring his Reshiram. I can tell that he is amazed that my Typhlosion build is keeping up with his Emboar, as I keep PlusPowering or Junk Arming to return every KO despite the damage counter I’m placing on my Reshirams. Eventually its 2-2, and he Candys into the BadBoar, uses his 4th Fisherman for 4 fires and KO’s a Reshiram for 150. He has no energy in play, has the Emboar with 140 damage and another benched Tepig. I Reversal and KO his Emboar. He Candies into another Emboar, but can only find 3 Energy in his deck, and uses Hear Crash for 50. I triple PP/Blue Flare for the win, and sigh a relief to get past a bad matchup.
4-1
R6: Chad H. (Emboar/Magnezone)
I’m playing another quality player in the Pennsylvania state champ. I am wary when he wins the flip and shows Tepig and Magnemite, another bad matchup, but to my surprise, he passes. I end up with T2 Typhlosion and Ninetales and Reversal KO his Magneton, and then Tepig for the game. Sorry you had such a bad draw, man.
5-1
R7: Peter O. (Yanmega/Magnezone)
I finally face my first PrimeTime of the day, and in the hands of a skilled Florida player. I win the flip and Communication for a Vulpix, play it down with my two opening Cyndaquils, and bench the Cleffa in hand to Eeeeeeek. He is really displeased with his hand, but manages to KO my Cleffa. I Twins and get fully set up on T3, where the best thing on his field is a Magneton, which I Reversal and Blue Flare. A few turns later, I whiff on two Junk Arm’d Reversals, Sage into another Reversal and KO a second Magneton, to which he scoops. He was visibly frustrated, and for some reason didn’t think much of me as a player. Hate the game, bro.
6-1
R8: Dan R. (Donphan/Zoroark/Yanmega)
Dan and I play all the time in the Midwest, so its lame that we have to meet up here. Nothing goes my way in this match, as I once again prize 2 Typhlosions. He KOs 3 Reshirams with Reversal/Foul Play before I ever manage to get set up. Somehow I take three prizes off of Reversal and Tyrogue, but the 2 Typhlosions were in my last 3 prizes, never allowing me to come back.
6-2
R9: Brian V. (Emboar/Magnezone)
I open Tyorgue and Reshiram, Collector, and Mischevious Punch his Tepig for 30. I score a knockout on it next turn, and get my first Typhlosion in play to his field of Magnezone, Magnemite and Tepig. He Eeeeeeeks after evolving into Pignite and Magneton. I use 4 Reversals/Junk Arms before hitting the last one to KO the Pignite, and am now fully set up. His third Tepig turns out to be prized, and I basically double PP/Blue Flare to sweep the remaining Magnezones, which could barely attack without the rain dance.
7-2
Top 128: Tim S. (Emboar/Magnezone)
Sucks to be playing another Indiana native, but that’s the draw.
G1: He does not draw smoothly off of his T2 Magnezone, and I starting OHKOing from T3 on. With five prizes taken to his zero in less than ten minutes, he finally RDLs me for 2, but I also OHKO that for a win.
G2: I open with Tyrogue and Reshiram, and nothing else of substance. He goes first, benches and RDL from his opening hand and Eeeeeeeks. I KO it, but still have nothing. I hit his RDL for 30 twice and then goes ahead with Ozone Buster. I finally draw a Ninetales and mount a comeback, but with the prizes 1 to 2 in my favor, he uses a second RDL for the win.
G3: My hand is garbage. I bench a Vulpix, Cyndaquil, and Eeeeeeek. He benches an RDL, attaches to it, Tyrogues me, and stays asleep. Time is called. I get Typhlosion and Reshiram going, and pass. He wakes up, benches Mite and Pig, attaches, and Mischevious Punches, STAYS ASLEEP >< I lose if I cannot take a prize. I Roast Reveal into 1 Reversal and 1 Junk Arm, plus the Sage, Junk Arm and 2 PlusPower in Hand. I Reversal, tails. Junk Arm, tails. Sage for Reversal and Junk Arm. Reversal, tailsssssssss, Junk Arm, HEADS! I double PP/KO the RDL for the win!
Top 64: Andrew M. (Yanmega/Kingdra/Jirachi)
Andrew arrives a little late, and shuffles a little long, which irks me at first since we start late, but he turns out to be a really nice guy. First person to shake my hand between every top cut match, and I thought that was a great gesture.
G1: I win the flip with Vulpix and see his Horsea. Very favorable matchup. I cannot first-turn him, so I Collecter for 2 Cyndaquil and Reshiram, hold the Reshiram in hand so that I can explode with Communication T2 into Ninetales and Typhlosion. Unfortunately, this god-hand never comes to fruition after his T1 Judge. I draw 2 fires and 2 Typhlosions =/ He gets T2 Yanmega and after he takes two Sonicboom prizes, I scoop, having drawn nothing.
G2: I set up by T3 and steamroll. He scoops when prizes are two to five in my favor.
G3: I open Vulpix and Reshiram, and fires/Reversals/Pluspowers to his double Horsea. Stupidly enough, Horsea’s 1 for 10 attack puts a dumb amount of pressure on my Vulpix, lol. I cannot leave it active now, since it’s a free prize with Horsea’s 2 for 20 attack next turn. But, retreating to Reshiram, means I cannot retreat easily to Eeeeeeek which I get a Comm/Collector/whatever. This never comes to matter, as when I topdeck hope in Sage, all I ever see is 1 Ninetales and more Sage’s. I only get one turn of Roast Reveal thanks to Yanmega, and keep manually attaching to Blue Flare, to no avail. Road/dream ends =/
I am a little heart-broken, since I lost to my best matchup on bad hands, and the bracket was actually very favorable for my deck. A big opportunity was lost, so I sulk for awhile afterward. Come Sunday, though, we return to watch the top cut matches, and my spirits rise. There’s always next year.
Plus, the Sugarbush basketball games were epic. Great trip overall.
Props:
-Alex, Matt and Graham. Great teammates and friends
-Typhlosion. We had a good run!
-P!P, for rotating to HS-On and for holding another fantastic tournament
Slops:
-Jared. Come to Nationals for once.
-Gust-of-wind game effects.
Thanks for reading everyone,
Kyle L.
At first, competing with the hyped decks like Emboar/Magnezone and Donphan/Machamp seemed a daunting task, but in practice, the consistency flaws I observed in testing these decks made me wary of trusting the advice of others. I followed several forums very closely, including HayTrainer, SixPrizes, and The Top Cut podcasts, and with two weeks to go before Nationals, I was convinced that Typhlosion, Donphan/Zoroark and Yanmega/Magnezone would be sitting at the top tables. My deck of choice was Typhlosion. It smashed Stage-one variants. It had a draw engine, which I loved. It could stockpile PlusPowers, Reversals ad Junk Arms in hand like no other deck could for continuous KOs. But its weakness to Emboar and Judge scared the ever-living daylights out of me. The list I tested therefore became teched for the Emboar matchup, and the supporters were changed to compensate for disruption.
Fellow Team Sugarbushers Alex and Matt accompanied me on the drive down to Indy over three hours, where we met up with Graham to preregister and playtest. Playtesting at the convention center seemed to undo all of the confidence I had placed in Typhlosion: The Yanmega/Magnezone list our team had worked on was destroying me with early Judges, and I wasn’t even running well versus stage-ones anymore. “Well, looks like you’re not running THAT tomorrow,” Graham commented. What was going on wrong with my deck?
I panicked, and playtested again that night with Alex from midnight to three with Yanmega/Magnezone and Emboar/Magnezone, only to feel more dejected than ever. Alex pointed out that weeks before, my list had run so well, and I remembered all the changes I had made. I decided that Judge and Emboar were the least of my worries. I just needed to do two things to win in the main event: not get donked, and get playable hands to set up a Ninetales. The rest would follow. So I cut my tech, restored the old supporter lines, and trimmed the trainers for more supporters. Streamlined for consistency. It would be Typhlosion or bust.
The Main Event
R1: Brad C. (Zekrom/Yanmega)
Brad was a PokeDad wearing a SixPrizes t-shirt. He opened double Zekrom to my double Vulpix, which was a little unnerving, but going first always helps. I T1 Sage’s Training into Ninetales and Collector, and by T3 I have 2 Ninetales and 2 Typhlosion set up. His deck cannot match my stream of Reshirams, and the game ends after he only gets one Zekrom with the required energy to Bolt Strike. I take six prizes to his one.
1-0
R2: Jennifer A. (Donphan/’Outrage’ and ‘Revenge’ Basics)
My match is played at table one, which is always exciting! Jennifer is playing what I presume to be the underground Donphan variant, which confuses me at first, but is basically built to have outs versus Yanmega and Kingdra. This wouldn’t have been a problem for my deck, but unfortunately we barely get to play any type of game at all. By T3 I have a Ninetales and 2 Typhlosion, while she is still sitting on 1 Donphan, 2 Phanpys and a Reshiram. She is very bitter about her poor draw, so I play quickly and quietly to finish with continuous Blue Flares/PlusPowers, taking six prizes to her one.
2-0
R3: Kyle Sab. (Gengar/Mime Jr./Slowking)
I always look forward to playing a recognizable name, so I get pretty excited for this match when I see the pairing. He opens lone Mime Jr to my Cyndaquil going first, but I have no outs to first-turn him. Instead I play Sage’s Training for Collector and Vulpix and pass. Upon doing my first deck search, I find that I have an 0-1-2 Typhlosion line prized, which is a real bummer. I can therefore only afford to get in one Typhlosion until I draw the others. I take a prize with Tyrogue, earning me a Quilava. He Cursed Drops Tyrogue and Ninetales. Most unfortunately, I finally end up Roast Revealing into the cards I need to get that one Typhlosion in play after he already has 3 Pokemon in the Lost Zone. Now that I can fuel Reshirams, I quickly PP/Blue Flare the Gengar Prime. Slowking & Mime net him another and Mime stays asleep. I Reversal/PP/Blue his only other Gengar in play, leaving his field at Slowking/Jr/Jr/Gastly, but with 4 in the Lost Zone, my inexperience against the deck begins to show. I panick, and use Sage’s, discarding 2 or the 3 Pokemon left in my deck, leaving me with 4 cards in my deck. Enough to take my 3 Prizes, but not if you take Mime Jr into account, which I did not. I lose by decking =/
2-1
This mistake really stings. I set up, I was in a safe place to win, and I blew it. I can't stop thinking, ‘Your deck WILL fail to set up AT LEAST one round, you cannot afford to lose the games where you DO set up.’ But I pick myself up, and move on.
R4: Zachary B. (Donphan/Yanmega)
Another big name. This helps me to take my mind off of the last round, and I feel even better when he flips over Phanpy. The game opens very rocky for me, as he hits two Reversals to score back-to-back KOs on 2 Cyndaquils, but I make a fast recovery and set up through Twins. I Candy my 3rd Cyndaquil, Revive another, and double PP/Blue Flare his Donphan. The next Donphan has two damage counters on it, which makes me feel good about my board position, until he POTIONS. Ugh, the look on my face. We begin a prize race, where he scores a KO on a Vulpix and with Reversal, and KOs one Reshiram, and I double PP/Blue Flare two more Donphans in addition to Reversaling one Yanma. Two prizes left each. A Tyrogue is sitting on my bench from the start of the game, a sitting duck for Yanmega. I cannot score a prize, so I promote Typhlosion and Flare Destroy the only energy away from his Donphan. On his turn he hits Reversal and brings a Reshiram with 6 damage counters. He plays PlusPower, and Junipers to draw almost his entire deck, seven of eight cards. He does a deck search with Communication, and announces that to his dismay, his last two prizes are his last Fighting energy, and his only Switch to snipe with Yanmega. Unable to attack, I take my prizes. What a finish. Great game Zach.
3-1
R5: Sam H. (Emboar/Reshiram/Ninetales)
Sam gets a faster start than me, only needing one Emboar, but I negate this advantage by Reversaling the Emboar and hitting it for 20 with Outrage. I have the cards in hand next turn to get Typhlosion and have a PlusPower, so I feel good, until he Judges me. He still could not immediately retreat, so he passes. I get a Typhlosion and set up another Quil, but no Pluspower. I hit for 120, ten short =/ He finds the Switch, of course, and begins the KO race with Reshiram. I get the second Typhlosion, whiff on Reversal to get his Emboar back out, and resort to Blue Flaring his Reshiram. I can tell that he is amazed that my Typhlosion build is keeping up with his Emboar, as I keep PlusPowering or Junk Arming to return every KO despite the damage counter I’m placing on my Reshirams. Eventually its 2-2, and he Candys into the BadBoar, uses his 4th Fisherman for 4 fires and KO’s a Reshiram for 150. He has no energy in play, has the Emboar with 140 damage and another benched Tepig. I Reversal and KO his Emboar. He Candies into another Emboar, but can only find 3 Energy in his deck, and uses Hear Crash for 50. I triple PP/Blue Flare for the win, and sigh a relief to get past a bad matchup.
4-1
R6: Chad H. (Emboar/Magnezone)
I’m playing another quality player in the Pennsylvania state champ. I am wary when he wins the flip and shows Tepig and Magnemite, another bad matchup, but to my surprise, he passes. I end up with T2 Typhlosion and Ninetales and Reversal KO his Magneton, and then Tepig for the game. Sorry you had such a bad draw, man.
5-1
R7: Peter O. (Yanmega/Magnezone)
I finally face my first PrimeTime of the day, and in the hands of a skilled Florida player. I win the flip and Communication for a Vulpix, play it down with my two opening Cyndaquils, and bench the Cleffa in hand to Eeeeeeek. He is really displeased with his hand, but manages to KO my Cleffa. I Twins and get fully set up on T3, where the best thing on his field is a Magneton, which I Reversal and Blue Flare. A few turns later, I whiff on two Junk Arm’d Reversals, Sage into another Reversal and KO a second Magneton, to which he scoops. He was visibly frustrated, and for some reason didn’t think much of me as a player. Hate the game, bro.
6-1
R8: Dan R. (Donphan/Zoroark/Yanmega)
Dan and I play all the time in the Midwest, so its lame that we have to meet up here. Nothing goes my way in this match, as I once again prize 2 Typhlosions. He KOs 3 Reshirams with Reversal/Foul Play before I ever manage to get set up. Somehow I take three prizes off of Reversal and Tyrogue, but the 2 Typhlosions were in my last 3 prizes, never allowing me to come back.
6-2
R9: Brian V. (Emboar/Magnezone)
I open Tyorgue and Reshiram, Collector, and Mischevious Punch his Tepig for 30. I score a knockout on it next turn, and get my first Typhlosion in play to his field of Magnezone, Magnemite and Tepig. He Eeeeeeeks after evolving into Pignite and Magneton. I use 4 Reversals/Junk Arms before hitting the last one to KO the Pignite, and am now fully set up. His third Tepig turns out to be prized, and I basically double PP/Blue Flare to sweep the remaining Magnezones, which could barely attack without the rain dance.
7-2
Top 128: Tim S. (Emboar/Magnezone)
Sucks to be playing another Indiana native, but that’s the draw.
G1: He does not draw smoothly off of his T2 Magnezone, and I starting OHKOing from T3 on. With five prizes taken to his zero in less than ten minutes, he finally RDLs me for 2, but I also OHKO that for a win.
G2: I open with Tyrogue and Reshiram, and nothing else of substance. He goes first, benches and RDL from his opening hand and Eeeeeeeks. I KO it, but still have nothing. I hit his RDL for 30 twice and then goes ahead with Ozone Buster. I finally draw a Ninetales and mount a comeback, but with the prizes 1 to 2 in my favor, he uses a second RDL for the win.
G3: My hand is garbage. I bench a Vulpix, Cyndaquil, and Eeeeeeek. He benches an RDL, attaches to it, Tyrogues me, and stays asleep. Time is called. I get Typhlosion and Reshiram going, and pass. He wakes up, benches Mite and Pig, attaches, and Mischevious Punches, STAYS ASLEEP >< I lose if I cannot take a prize. I Roast Reveal into 1 Reversal and 1 Junk Arm, plus the Sage, Junk Arm and 2 PlusPower in Hand. I Reversal, tails. Junk Arm, tails. Sage for Reversal and Junk Arm. Reversal, tailsssssssss, Junk Arm, HEADS! I double PP/KO the RDL for the win!
Top 64: Andrew M. (Yanmega/Kingdra/Jirachi)
Andrew arrives a little late, and shuffles a little long, which irks me at first since we start late, but he turns out to be a really nice guy. First person to shake my hand between every top cut match, and I thought that was a great gesture.
G1: I win the flip with Vulpix and see his Horsea. Very favorable matchup. I cannot first-turn him, so I Collecter for 2 Cyndaquil and Reshiram, hold the Reshiram in hand so that I can explode with Communication T2 into Ninetales and Typhlosion. Unfortunately, this god-hand never comes to fruition after his T1 Judge. I draw 2 fires and 2 Typhlosions =/ He gets T2 Yanmega and after he takes two Sonicboom prizes, I scoop, having drawn nothing.
G2: I set up by T3 and steamroll. He scoops when prizes are two to five in my favor.
G3: I open Vulpix and Reshiram, and fires/Reversals/Pluspowers to his double Horsea. Stupidly enough, Horsea’s 1 for 10 attack puts a dumb amount of pressure on my Vulpix, lol. I cannot leave it active now, since it’s a free prize with Horsea’s 2 for 20 attack next turn. But, retreating to Reshiram, means I cannot retreat easily to Eeeeeeek which I get a Comm/Collector/whatever. This never comes to matter, as when I topdeck hope in Sage, all I ever see is 1 Ninetales and more Sage’s. I only get one turn of Roast Reveal thanks to Yanmega, and keep manually attaching to Blue Flare, to no avail. Road/dream ends =/
I am a little heart-broken, since I lost to my best matchup on bad hands, and the bracket was actually very favorable for my deck. A big opportunity was lost, so I sulk for awhile afterward. Come Sunday, though, we return to watch the top cut matches, and my spirits rise. There’s always next year.
Plus, the Sugarbush basketball games were epic. Great trip overall.
Props:
-Alex, Matt and Graham. Great teammates and friends
-Typhlosion. We had a good run!
-P!P, for rotating to HS-On and for holding another fantastic tournament
Slops:
-Jared. Come to Nationals for once.
-Gust-of-wind game effects.
Thanks for reading everyone,
Kyle L.
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