So, I figured I would write a report of my experience at Georgia States. First of all, the judging staff was phenomenal. The pace of the tournament was WAY better than expected. We all got out of there by 10 o'clock. Thanks to everyone, really. Also, the player turnout was pretty OK, but the level of competition was pretty fantastic. Regardless of what everyone seems to believe, this format is full of an entire arsenal of competition worthy decks. GA States is a HUGE example of how diverse and creative the format can really be... so here is the report...
You will have to excuse my lack of names. I can remember the decks of all of my opponents though, so that is how they will be identified.
I'm a Master. Now, I've been playing Luxchomp since Cities of Fall '09 and done very consistently. Multiple tops at Cities, Top 16 States '10, 6th Regionals '10... So, I figured I would stay with what I know. I'll tell you that I only play the bigger events usually, so I wasn't too comfortable about the meta with little experience against anything but SP and Gyarados. Let me also tell you that I am 0-6 against Gyarados in competitive play. If that tells you anything, it heavily influenced my decklist. That, and the fear of Gengars.
Round 1 vs Mewpherior
I start pretty well with Weavile G and Spray. He sets up a rhino is the Lost Zone turn 1. We pretty much just trade prizes until he started whiffing on Hard Crush. So, I eat up all his Delcatty and Mew, and that's it. Luxray and Uxie were champions of this match.
1-0
Round 2 vs Dusknoir/Vileplume
Well, he did tell me he was playing something kinda funky to start. Unfortunately, I've never faced Vileplume. Ever. And I neglected to kill it. Not only that, I went first, started 5 trainers, Murkrow, and Garchomp C. He starts Tomb, Tomb, Oddish. Ew. I continue to draw trainers and lose after taking only three prizes. Ouch. He destroyed me. Really. Dusnkoir Damage Even... nasty stuff. And constant draw. Good game.
1-1
Round 3 vs Luxchomp
He was new to the deck. I definitely own the mirror. Pretty much a stomp.
2-1
Round 4 vs Tyranitar
I started alright will Garchomp C. She got a T1 T-Tar Prime, but it proceeded to do little damage that I healed off until she killed a Pixie. Then I revenge killed it with Toxicroak. She had no bench. Eh.
3-1
Round 5 vs Machamp
Ah! I go first, starting Murkrow. I draw into a basic, play it down, energy, end. She gets the T1 Machamp and I promote the basic. I have to SP Radar for another basic. She uses Seeker, Take Out for game. Arghhhhhh! Glad you got to Top 16 though with 4-3! That darn Dusknoir/Plume deck got the best of you too!
3-2
So... seriously considered dropping, but, most if not all 5-2 will make it. So I stayed.
Round 6 vs Scizor/Metagross
Honestly, I went off on him pretty. I sniped or Luxray'd all his Beldum, and he could only get one Scizor out. Which he proceded to Life Herb. I eventually got him after wasting 3 attacks over Red Armor haha. I'm such a scrub.
4-2
Round 7 vs Dialgachomp
This match is pretty easy in my opinion but... he used Deafen a lot on my Bronzong G start. I set up behind the Bronzong unable to play any trainers, meaning no way to get him out. I actually used Galactic Switch to knock himself out just to start sniping his Garchomps and Garchomp counters. It went to time, but he couldn't keep up in the prize exchange. Good game though.
5-2
I actually finished Top 16 again this year. So that was awesome. And I did it with the same deck I've been running forever. I was pretty excited at this point. Unfortunately, I have to play Peter Griffin in the Top 16 match. He runs...
Top 16 Match vs Vilegar
Crap. I already had a bad experience with Vileplume today. So. I was doubtful.
Game 1
He starts Spiritomb and Oddish, and I die a little inside. So, I immediately try to setup Luxray under trainer lock. I get his Plume, but it really just isn't in time for me to take all my prizes. I got it to 2-1 in prizes, had to go for knockout on Gengar, he hit Fainting Spell and took his last prize. This was an amazing game. Again, I can't stress the importance of Luxray throughout the day. WAY moreso than Garchomp C. Bright Look > Healing Breath at the moment with all the instant scooping and lack of damage that aren't OHKO's...
5-3 ew...
Game 2
I start Luxray/Call Energy. He has nothing but Spiritomb. I turn 2 him with Luxray X.
6-3
Game 3
I start Uxie/Call Energy. He has the EXACT same hand and has nothing but Spiritomb. After shuffling profusely. I turn 2 him with Uxie X.
7-3
On to the top 8 against... Paarth Shah.
Top 8 Match vs Dialgachomp
Game 1
I start broken. Luxray/Call Energy/Cyrus again. He doesn't get ANYTHING. No turn one Deafen, and I proceed to roll. Really. He drew nothing for about 6 turns, and the game was over.
8-3
Game 2
Again, I get a Call Energy, but with a Garchomp start. I get the sniping off as he continues to draw poorly. Finally, he got a Collector, but it was really too late. Luxray X tanked for sure. He is obviously amazing in the matchup. Also, Power Spray really got the better of him. Still, Deafen was a nuisance. I win with 2 Garchomp X setup. Good half of a game.
9-3
So what is left in the top 4? Vilegar, Yanmega/Magnezone, Lostgar, and my Luxchomp. And I get to play Aaron Curry from Florida next, who is running...
Top 4 Match vs Lostgar
Game 1
I have no experience against this deck. Plain and simple. Fortunately, I have Honchkrow AND Weavile to put a beating on his Gengars. As he put it, "Why do I have to face the Luxchomp with all this Gengar hate?" Honestly, his setup was pretty poor. I think he drew about 10 cards one turn and got absolutely nothing. After setting up his Gengar SF, I disposed of it. He missed the Spell and scooped for time.
10-3
Game 2
My setup is fantastic with me going second and having a Collector and very few Trainers against his Spiritomb start. He actually got setup this game, but Weavile really trounced him. He got half his Lost World requirement, but I took 6 prizes fairly quickly with Luxray, Weavile, and Garchomp.
11-3
Wow. On to the top table. So Vilegar was facing Yanmega/Magnezone... Guess what came out on top? I had to spar with Jim... '09 FL State champ... woo.
Top 2 Finals Match vs Yanmega/Magnezone
Game 1
I'm pretty stoked for this match. I have weakness on Yanmega and Toxicroak G on Magnezone. And he doesn't have power kill. Therefore, Bright Look runs rampant on his Yanmega. Spiritomb is a pain, but I ran through it, then proceded to take a prize per turn.
12-3
Game 2
He gets set up way better this time with Spiritomb and Magnezone. After I rid the world of his first Tomb with Luxray, he blew me up with 3 energy from Magnezone. I revenge killed with Toxicroak and his already 10 damage from a Rainbow Energy. Again, this game gets really tricky and very close. Unfortunately, his Judges and Let Looses don't ever "stick" me as he would put it. Seriously. Drew into Cyrus all day. He brought it to 1-1 prizes with a Thunder Fall from Entei/Raikou LEGEND (!!!!!!) which took 3 -_-* Fortunately, I had the Aaron's to get my Luxray X and Electric energy back to Bright Look a Yanmega and Flash Impact for game. Good game.
13-3
And there it is. I am Justin Florio. I won GA States '11 in Masters. With Luxchomp. Your opinion might be that I used an easy deck to play. Well, sure. But all decks are easy to play. If you grasp the game and its concepts, isn't any deck you decide to play for a competitive event "easy" to play? Consistency is key everyone. But seriously. This States especially showed signs of a FLOURISHING format/metagame. The diversity of the decks I saw is really keeping me playing this game. And coming off a win at States of course. Look. All I am saying is. There are SO many decks to play. Luxchomp is obviously fantastic. But, we should all be incredibly weary for Regionals. Top 16 here showed
Luxchomp
Dialgachomp
Lostgar
Vilegar
Magnezone/Yanmega
Sablelock
Machamp
Dusknoir/Vileplume
Tyranitar
...and some others I can't remember.
Seriously. I love this game right now. I love the format. And I love MY meta in particular. If you saw my matchups, I had no repeats decks as opponents for all of Swiss. And then in top, I only played one of the same decks from swiss, Dialgachomp. Honestly... I can't wait to see you guys at Regionals. See ya.
You will have to excuse my lack of names. I can remember the decks of all of my opponents though, so that is how they will be identified.
I'm a Master. Now, I've been playing Luxchomp since Cities of Fall '09 and done very consistently. Multiple tops at Cities, Top 16 States '10, 6th Regionals '10... So, I figured I would stay with what I know. I'll tell you that I only play the bigger events usually, so I wasn't too comfortable about the meta with little experience against anything but SP and Gyarados. Let me also tell you that I am 0-6 against Gyarados in competitive play. If that tells you anything, it heavily influenced my decklist. That, and the fear of Gengars.
Round 1 vs Mewpherior
I start pretty well with Weavile G and Spray. He sets up a rhino is the Lost Zone turn 1. We pretty much just trade prizes until he started whiffing on Hard Crush. So, I eat up all his Delcatty and Mew, and that's it. Luxray and Uxie were champions of this match.
1-0
Round 2 vs Dusknoir/Vileplume
Well, he did tell me he was playing something kinda funky to start. Unfortunately, I've never faced Vileplume. Ever. And I neglected to kill it. Not only that, I went first, started 5 trainers, Murkrow, and Garchomp C. He starts Tomb, Tomb, Oddish. Ew. I continue to draw trainers and lose after taking only three prizes. Ouch. He destroyed me. Really. Dusnkoir Damage Even... nasty stuff. And constant draw. Good game.
1-1
Round 3 vs Luxchomp
He was new to the deck. I definitely own the mirror. Pretty much a stomp.
2-1
Round 4 vs Tyranitar
I started alright will Garchomp C. She got a T1 T-Tar Prime, but it proceeded to do little damage that I healed off until she killed a Pixie. Then I revenge killed it with Toxicroak. She had no bench. Eh.
3-1
Round 5 vs Machamp
Ah! I go first, starting Murkrow. I draw into a basic, play it down, energy, end. She gets the T1 Machamp and I promote the basic. I have to SP Radar for another basic. She uses Seeker, Take Out for game. Arghhhhhh! Glad you got to Top 16 though with 4-3! That darn Dusknoir/Plume deck got the best of you too!
3-2
So... seriously considered dropping, but, most if not all 5-2 will make it. So I stayed.
Round 6 vs Scizor/Metagross
Honestly, I went off on him pretty. I sniped or Luxray'd all his Beldum, and he could only get one Scizor out. Which he proceded to Life Herb. I eventually got him after wasting 3 attacks over Red Armor haha. I'm such a scrub.
4-2
Round 7 vs Dialgachomp
This match is pretty easy in my opinion but... he used Deafen a lot on my Bronzong G start. I set up behind the Bronzong unable to play any trainers, meaning no way to get him out. I actually used Galactic Switch to knock himself out just to start sniping his Garchomps and Garchomp counters. It went to time, but he couldn't keep up in the prize exchange. Good game though.
5-2
I actually finished Top 16 again this year. So that was awesome. And I did it with the same deck I've been running forever. I was pretty excited at this point. Unfortunately, I have to play Peter Griffin in the Top 16 match. He runs...
Top 16 Match vs Vilegar
Crap. I already had a bad experience with Vileplume today. So. I was doubtful.
Game 1
He starts Spiritomb and Oddish, and I die a little inside. So, I immediately try to setup Luxray under trainer lock. I get his Plume, but it really just isn't in time for me to take all my prizes. I got it to 2-1 in prizes, had to go for knockout on Gengar, he hit Fainting Spell and took his last prize. This was an amazing game. Again, I can't stress the importance of Luxray throughout the day. WAY moreso than Garchomp C. Bright Look > Healing Breath at the moment with all the instant scooping and lack of damage that aren't OHKO's...
5-3 ew...
Game 2
I start Luxray/Call Energy. He has nothing but Spiritomb. I turn 2 him with Luxray X.
6-3
Game 3
I start Uxie/Call Energy. He has the EXACT same hand and has nothing but Spiritomb. After shuffling profusely. I turn 2 him with Uxie X.
7-3
On to the top 8 against... Paarth Shah.
Top 8 Match vs Dialgachomp
Game 1
I start broken. Luxray/Call Energy/Cyrus again. He doesn't get ANYTHING. No turn one Deafen, and I proceed to roll. Really. He drew nothing for about 6 turns, and the game was over.
8-3
Game 2
Again, I get a Call Energy, but with a Garchomp start. I get the sniping off as he continues to draw poorly. Finally, he got a Collector, but it was really too late. Luxray X tanked for sure. He is obviously amazing in the matchup. Also, Power Spray really got the better of him. Still, Deafen was a nuisance. I win with 2 Garchomp X setup. Good half of a game.
9-3
So what is left in the top 4? Vilegar, Yanmega/Magnezone, Lostgar, and my Luxchomp. And I get to play Aaron Curry from Florida next, who is running...
Top 4 Match vs Lostgar
Game 1
I have no experience against this deck. Plain and simple. Fortunately, I have Honchkrow AND Weavile to put a beating on his Gengars. As he put it, "Why do I have to face the Luxchomp with all this Gengar hate?" Honestly, his setup was pretty poor. I think he drew about 10 cards one turn and got absolutely nothing. After setting up his Gengar SF, I disposed of it. He missed the Spell and scooped for time.
10-3
Game 2
My setup is fantastic with me going second and having a Collector and very few Trainers against his Spiritomb start. He actually got setup this game, but Weavile really trounced him. He got half his Lost World requirement, but I took 6 prizes fairly quickly with Luxray, Weavile, and Garchomp.
11-3
Wow. On to the top table. So Vilegar was facing Yanmega/Magnezone... Guess what came out on top? I had to spar with Jim... '09 FL State champ... woo.
Top 2 Finals Match vs Yanmega/Magnezone
Game 1
I'm pretty stoked for this match. I have weakness on Yanmega and Toxicroak G on Magnezone. And he doesn't have power kill. Therefore, Bright Look runs rampant on his Yanmega. Spiritomb is a pain, but I ran through it, then proceded to take a prize per turn.
12-3
Game 2
He gets set up way better this time with Spiritomb and Magnezone. After I rid the world of his first Tomb with Luxray, he blew me up with 3 energy from Magnezone. I revenge killed with Toxicroak and his already 10 damage from a Rainbow Energy. Again, this game gets really tricky and very close. Unfortunately, his Judges and Let Looses don't ever "stick" me as he would put it. Seriously. Drew into Cyrus all day. He brought it to 1-1 prizes with a Thunder Fall from Entei/Raikou LEGEND (!!!!!!) which took 3 -_-* Fortunately, I had the Aaron's to get my Luxray X and Electric energy back to Bright Look a Yanmega and Flash Impact for game. Good game.
13-3
And there it is. I am Justin Florio. I won GA States '11 in Masters. With Luxchomp. Your opinion might be that I used an easy deck to play. Well, sure. But all decks are easy to play. If you grasp the game and its concepts, isn't any deck you decide to play for a competitive event "easy" to play? Consistency is key everyone. But seriously. This States especially showed signs of a FLOURISHING format/metagame. The diversity of the decks I saw is really keeping me playing this game. And coming off a win at States of course. Look. All I am saying is. There are SO many decks to play. Luxchomp is obviously fantastic. But, we should all be incredibly weary for Regionals. Top 16 here showed
Luxchomp
Dialgachomp
Lostgar
Vilegar
Magnezone/Yanmega
Sablelock
Machamp
Dusknoir/Vileplume
Tyranitar
...and some others I can't remember.
Seriously. I love this game right now. I love the format. And I love MY meta in particular. If you saw my matchups, I had no repeats decks as opponents for all of Swiss. And then in top, I only played one of the same decks from swiss, Dialgachomp. Honestly... I can't wait to see you guys at Regionals. See ya.
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so definitly respect. Gl the rest of the season
