I decided to go rogue and try an Arceus deck at the Chicago Battle Road. It seems that in Cities and Battle Roads that I go to in January and June, respectively, I take very odd decks that may have serious deficiencies. In this case, I found it to be, obviously, that it didn't get enough draw power if I couldn't get an early Ripple Swell.
On to the matches...
ROUND ONE: Noah vs. Josh W. (Sable-lock): This was my first time ever playing against this deck, so I had no idea what to expect. I led off with a couple of Arceus, and in my hand I had an Expert Belt, Volkner, Great Ball, and a few other immaterial-for-the-discussion cards. He started with Sableye and used Impersonate to get Cyrus's Initiative, and bottom-decked my Volkner's Philosophy. Although I managed to get one Prize Count off, he took out my 120-HP Arceus Lv. X in one turn, right after Dragon Rushing my Bench, with Flash Bite, Flash Bite, Turn, retreat for Crobat, Turn the Active, Flash Bite, Flash Bite, Dragon Rush. I had nothing else to go. Noah loses 0-6 and is now 0-1.
ROUND TWO: Noah vs. Jonny ?. (Jumpluff): I went first and he Candied to Jumpluff turn one... but was dry on Energy! I got a turn-two Ripple Swell, and by the time he got an Energy, I had already taken four Prize cards, as he was 10 damage shy of KO'ing my Belted Arceus X. I would have won even if he KO'd it. Post-mortem, he told me he only runs four Grass Energy in the deck. Noah wins 6-0 and is now 1-1.
ROUND THREE: Noah vs. Antonio S. (Kingdra): He started with a lone Regice, but got Uxie, Broken Time-space, Claydol, and just ran through his deck in a single turn. Although I was mostly drawing dead, I did get off a few Sky Spears on his Benched Pokemon, although it was too-little-too-late. I had no answer for the constant damage to my Bench, since I was unable to set off a Ripple Swell. Noah loses 3-6 and is now 1-2.
ROUND FOUR: Noah vs. Greg J. (Flygon-Nidoqueen-Rhyperior-Crobat Prime) Yes, it was a mishmash deck. I got a Ripple Swell going on turn one (after going second), as he had a lone Baltoy. He evolved it to Claydol, and attached BENCH SHIELD to it in order to prevent me from sniping it with Sky Spear. He sacrificed Nidoran F, and then fielded Rhyperior the next turn. I had to avoid it KO'ing me in a single shot with its Raging Drill, and he had then recovered his Nidoqueen, so that I was shy of KO'ing it. My finessing around his Pokemon didn't work as he Bench Shielded the critical ones, and he was able to shake the Confusion from Mind Bend. Noah loses 4-6 and is now 1-3.
ROUND FIVE: Noah vs. Zachary ?. (Sable-lock) See Game One. Noah loses 1-4 and finishes with a record of 1-4.
Props and slops: None.
On to the matches...
ROUND ONE: Noah vs. Josh W. (Sable-lock): This was my first time ever playing against this deck, so I had no idea what to expect. I led off with a couple of Arceus, and in my hand I had an Expert Belt, Volkner, Great Ball, and a few other immaterial-for-the-discussion cards. He started with Sableye and used Impersonate to get Cyrus's Initiative, and bottom-decked my Volkner's Philosophy. Although I managed to get one Prize Count off, he took out my 120-HP Arceus Lv. X in one turn, right after Dragon Rushing my Bench, with Flash Bite, Flash Bite, Turn, retreat for Crobat, Turn the Active, Flash Bite, Flash Bite, Dragon Rush. I had nothing else to go. Noah loses 0-6 and is now 0-1.
ROUND TWO: Noah vs. Jonny ?. (Jumpluff): I went first and he Candied to Jumpluff turn one... but was dry on Energy! I got a turn-two Ripple Swell, and by the time he got an Energy, I had already taken four Prize cards, as he was 10 damage shy of KO'ing my Belted Arceus X. I would have won even if he KO'd it. Post-mortem, he told me he only runs four Grass Energy in the deck. Noah wins 6-0 and is now 1-1.
ROUND THREE: Noah vs. Antonio S. (Kingdra): He started with a lone Regice, but got Uxie, Broken Time-space, Claydol, and just ran through his deck in a single turn. Although I was mostly drawing dead, I did get off a few Sky Spears on his Benched Pokemon, although it was too-little-too-late. I had no answer for the constant damage to my Bench, since I was unable to set off a Ripple Swell. Noah loses 3-6 and is now 1-2.
ROUND FOUR: Noah vs. Greg J. (Flygon-Nidoqueen-Rhyperior-Crobat Prime) Yes, it was a mishmash deck. I got a Ripple Swell going on turn one (after going second), as he had a lone Baltoy. He evolved it to Claydol, and attached BENCH SHIELD to it in order to prevent me from sniping it with Sky Spear. He sacrificed Nidoran F, and then fielded Rhyperior the next turn. I had to avoid it KO'ing me in a single shot with its Raging Drill, and he had then recovered his Nidoqueen, so that I was shy of KO'ing it. My finessing around his Pokemon didn't work as he Bench Shielded the critical ones, and he was able to shake the Confusion from Mind Bend. Noah loses 4-6 and is now 1-3.
ROUND FIVE: Noah vs. Zachary ?. (Sable-lock) See Game One. Noah loses 1-4 and finishes with a record of 1-4.
Props and slops: None.