Everything is bigger in Texas...including our HP.

[chrataxe]

I am reffering to Steelix of course. I took my crazy Jirachi "Detouring" Twins build to the DFW area this weekend...come to find out, the damage out put in Texas is bigger as well....being a native Texan, I should have known...

I usually don't like to write reports unless I do really well, but my wife went in early which means I came home early...and I have nothing better to do.

As usual, I apologize, I am HORRIBLE with names. If the details aren't exact, I've slept since then!

Ft Worth
Round 1
Steelix vs Gyarados
I have real mixed emotions about this game. There is a part of me that hates the way this game went. There is another part of me that says I just played the match perfect. He goes first and Impersonates for 2 Karp and Regice (or Azelf, can't remember). I start a lone Skuntank G, attach a call, Judge, and Call. He impersonates for the same. I have no energy, so I Judge, again. He impersonates for the same. I still have no energy (I ran 16, btw) but, once again, have the Judge, and drop it. He impersonates for a Volkner but doesn't have a Karp. I think I have one energy but still nothing to do, so I judge AGAIN (that's 4). He impersonates for something, can't remember, and I judge AGAIN. Lol, at this point, he looks at me and is like "man, you've GOT to be kidding me!?" Well, since he could never get a Gdos swinging, he didn't KO my Jirachi and to set off my chain so I just pass until I can dump enough energy on Steelix. Time is called and I FINALLY put Steelix up to take the first prize. He puts up Gdos but can't attack but drops 4 flash bites on a Jirachi just to say he put some damage on the field. Next turn, I OHKO GDOS and he passes for the game. Come to find out, he had 2 Karps prized. He got one out but I just shuffled it away as soon as he did. Honestly, it wouldn't have mattered, I judged him 6 times in the game....watch out for that Junk/VS Seeker combo! He never gets a Karp in the discard.

Round 2
Steelix vs Joe w/ Gyarados
Joe seemed like a really cool guy so I hated how this turned out for him. I don't remember too many details about this one but I do remember he had 1 karp and Azelf prized. It may sound strange, but the slower my opponent sets up, the slower it takes me to set up since I can't start my Twins chaining until they KO my Jirachi. Well, he struggles to get his Karps discarded due to some Judging but does finally get 2 in there and starts swinging for 60. He sets off my chain and I OHKO Gdos the rest of the match. while only taking 20. GG man, sorry we couldn't have a slug fest.

Round 3 vs Michael w/Jumpluff
When I figured out he was running Jumpluff, I was like, eh, whatever. Oops. He takes 3 prizes in 3 turns and is blowing through my Jirachi's so fast, I'm having trouble getting my Onix out. I finally manage to get a Steelix set up and leave my bench to just a Blissey to limit his damage and reduce it even more with my Special Metals. He nets 20 Damage after I "Nurse Call" and I just sweep for 6 straight.

Round 4 vs Alec with Vilegar
This match up isn't TOO bad for me, though it isn't easy at all. Unfortunately, I don't remember much about this match, just that it was really, really long. But, it was hands down the best match all day and possibly the best I've ever played. Matches like this is why people play Pokemon. I drop a barrage of Judges (like I do) to slow down his set up. This one is tough since he doesn't set off my "Final Wish" power. Alec plays really well all match by not KO'ing my Jirachis early on to let me use my twins and keeping my bench cluttered. In the end, he flips 0-2 on Fainting Spell and I am able to grab key stadium + "Poison Structure" and "Psychic Restore" ko's by stacking energy with Energy Stream and reating and I win in like the 6th turn of sudden death. I will say that I absolutely despise Vilegar as I think it takes zero talent to trainer lock and get KO'ed but I will say Alec played very, very well and I give him kudos for playing a great match.

Round 5 vs Rokman w/Luxchomp
I'm a bit flustered by this match as I couldn't seem to get set up no matter what. I start 2 Onix....which is what I consider the Death Start against Luxchomp (even worse that Skuntank) since I have no shelter from him raining down on both early on. I do get a few Jirachi's out and I am able to detour a Twins eventually but find that my other Onix is prized (or so I thought) and I only run 3. He Garchomp bite KO's my Jirachi and I revenge KO the Garchomp he didn't level up with Chansey. I take another cheap prize but can't really do anything without a Steelix. He eventually gets promocroak out FTW. So, I pick up my prizes...no Onix. Hmmm...I dig through my deck...no Onix....hmmm...I dig through my discard...THREE ONIX. I'm STILL not sure what happened. I do remember using Junk Arm early on but I don't really think I would have ditched my 3rd Onix when I started with 2. I really think my cards stuck together and I accidentally discarded it when I Junk Armed. I like to tell myself I'm stupid and discarded it, that makes me feel better. Either way, he steam rolled me, GG.

So, I go into T4 as the 2 seed.

T4 vs Alec w/ Vilegar
Well, much like the first match, I don't remember a whole lot about this one. I draw nothing but Judges early on and wreck my set up. Once again, he plays well by not Shadow Rooming Jirachi and denying me my Twins all game. He hits 3 tails in a row and Fainting Spell since I can't set up my Skuntank or Uxie and have to drop both early and he KO's them quickly. He is wise with his BTS and recovers quickly every time with his Rescue energy. He has my bench pretty banged up and I am down by one and have to force the fainting spell: tails I win, heads, he wins........heads. I scoop and move to game 2.

Game 2
Details are fuzzy about this one, but he rolls over me pretty easy, pretty much have board control all game.

GG's man, I had a blast playing you. You played awesome and I'm glad you went on to win.

So, I figure the answer to my problem is to use 1 Jirachi LA to help with Gengar. As soon as the match ends, I put it in there and head home.

Crowley
Round 1
Steelix vs Milo w/Leafeon (Magmortar Tech)
He was judging the day before so he knew I was playing Steelix. He goes strait for the Magmortar and starts setting up. He waits and waits and finally starts KO'ing Jirachi's knowing what would happen. I Detour 2 twins (meaning I searched for 11 cards out of my deck). I'm thinking time is getting low and I need to start moving but that Magmortar on the bench scares me. I look at it and know I can either Judge now and wait one turn or go ahead and start rolling with STeelix (I was going to drop a BB to grab a KO and Energy Stream and I was hording Herbs). He has 2 Cherrim's on the bench and I know that a belted Magmortar will fall 20 shy, so I go for it, figuring I can take the hit and use the Herbs to be safe. Well, he drops the belt and a Buck's to OHKO my Steelix....well, like I said, I should have known everything in Texas was bigger! He told me afterwards that he was holding them forever and he was afraid that I was going to judge him before I attacked...I'm such an idiot!

Round 2
Steelix vs Venasaur
Cool idea, I love that card, but doesn't do much to Steelix, lol. Though, it did go on forever because I forgot that Deevoluter counts as his attack and I was thinking he would Deevolute me then him my Onix for weakness. So, I judged him over and over and then it dawned on me late game, if he Deevolutes me, duh, I just evolve again since it COUNTS AS THE ATTACK!!! Then, I forgot to attach an energy, delaying another turn, and finally roll over him.

Round 3
Steelix vs Donphan
She is a new player that played her deck very well, she just didn't seem to know the meta game well enough. She went for the Jirachi KO's and dropped easy Flash Bites on Steelix that I easily healed. She miscalculates damage later on and I KO her to seal the deal. Had she calculated correctly, I wouldn't have mattered much, she would have been 10 shy even if she dropped that crobat on the correct Steelix. But, I had one on the bench ready to go and I forgot to Nurse Call the turn before, so it all worked out.

Round 4
Steelix vs Dana w/SP
Let me start by saying Houndoom G is the sickest TECH in the game. By no means a great deck, but as a TECH, it is absolutely disgusting. This starts VERY slow, to which I give Dana a lot of credit. Had he bum rushed me, I would have walked all over him. But, since he didn't, he got an awesome set up. He locks up Chansey for a long time with Houndoom then brings up his Honchkrow SV. I give him 2 Jirachi and detour my Twins and set up decently. I stupidly drop a Chansey and he crobat drops/Dragon Rush KO's...I knew it was coming and was like "NOOOOOOO" as soon as I set it down. Ah well, it wouldn't kill me.My last Twins, I can't decide if I want to get 1 Special Metal or 1 Life Herb. I have zero specials attached (just couldn't find them after a barrage of judges) but I opt for the Herb. He brings up Krow, I go ahead and bring up Steelix for the KO since I figured he was the biggest threat. He sends up Uxie. I look at my hand, I had just drawn a Junk Arm, didn't see anything I calculate his damage with Houndoom to be 140, 20 shy, and KO Uxie. He draws and I look at my hand and I'm like, "Wait, why didn't I Junk Arm for VS Seeker and Twins for 2 Special Metal and Energy STream?" I'm flustered and I toss my cards down in an obvious sign of disappointment. If you noticed that Dana, I apologize, it was just angry that I made such a stupid mistake in an intense match. Either way, he will fall 20 shy of the KO....until he drops a belt and a DCE and KO's Steelix. Ouch. Who plays belts in SP? Nice move man. Once again, the damage is always greater in Texas. I just scoop after that and I left fairly quickly, partly because of the weather and the drive home and because I wasn't too happy with myself. I'm fairly confident I would have won had I grabbed my metals. He even told me afterwards, "man, I was just hoping you didn't judge me again because I was holding my belt," which just made me feel really stupid again because I had a Judge in hand and the ability to get one if I didn't (Junk Arm). But, lessons learned.


So, thanks to everyone for the good matches and thanks to the TO's for the events. Just be aware of the next time you see me, I won't discriminate between Texans and Okies, you will all feel the wrath of my giant metal snake and this time, I WILL account for that massive Texas damage...

[jogon]

Hey, Joe with Gyarados here

Your deck was awesome! I really loved the twins detour twins. :)

[chrataxe]

Thanks man! I saw you went on take take 3rd at crowley, congrats.

[Yoshi-]

How wouldve 2 sp metals helped you? If he was 20 shy and you get 2 sp metals and he uses belt its exactly the same as it was before?

Anyway, thanks for the good read ;)

[chrataxe]

Originally Posted by Yoshi-

How wouldve 2 sp metals helped you? If he was 20 shy and you get 2 sp metals and he uses belt its exactly the same as it was before?

Anyway, thanks for the good read ;)

Sorry, he was 40 shy. Houndoom does 60 x 2 = 120. When he belted, it put his damage output to 160, my exact HP with my belt. If I had 2 Special Metals, he would have hit me for 140.

Sorry bout that.

[DoomScizor]

Very good performance, I was wondering how Healix was doing, Looks solid but I'm still not to sure about running it. lol. But when you said Something about Shadow Rooming Jirachi to activate final wish....Shadow room is placing damage counters not Damage. So It would never activate it.

[chrataxe]

Originally Posted by DoomScizor

Very good performance, I was wondering how Healix was doing, Looks solid but I'm still not to sure about running it. lol. But when you said Something about Shadow Rooming Jirachi to activate final wish....Shadow room is placing damage counters not Damage. So It would never activate it.

Yeah, shadow room doen't activate jirachis power. if I said otherwise, I apologize. I meant that I put them down for easy prizes so I would fall behind but he wouldnt bite.

steelix is a good play in this meta I think. but, since it takes so long to set up, any fire hurts.