Muscovy Level X
New Member
Regionals is just around the corner. For those of you whoare still debating how to counter all those arch type decks, look no farther.
This includes decks like Quickitune, Banette, Gardilade, Infernacatty, DarkVile, Tsunami, Electivire (Magphlosion coming soon), and several poular cards.
Decks
Gardilade
Overview
Gardilade is one of the most popular decks at the moment. The sheer damage from Gallade, as well as surprises and Poke-Power locking from Gardevoir and Gardevoir Lv.X make it a formidable deck.
Sample List
1 Gardevoir Lv.X SW
3 Gardevoir SW
3 Gallade SW
3 Kirlia SW
4 Ralts SW
2 Furret SW
2 Sentret SW
1 Pachirsu GE
(19 Pokemon)
4 Rare Candy
4 Celio's Network
4 Roseanne's
4 Team Galactic's Mars
2 Night maintenance
3 Team Galactic's Wager
2 Warp Point
(24 Trainers)
4 DRE
1 Special :dark:
2 Basic :dark:
6
sychic:
4 :fighting:
(17 Energy)
Variables
Most Gardillade decks look very close to the sample list. Trainer cards always differ, and some people choose to use Claydol or Absol as an opener/supporting Pokemon.
Advantages
The biggest advantages come from decks that rely on a Pokemon like Stanler in the early game. Absol's Baleful Wind has a good chance of discarding most of the opponent's hand oner several turns. The other big type of aceleration, Poke-Powers, can also be stopped by Gardevoir. Decks like Infernacatty and Magmortar are easy to beat useing Psychic Lock.
How to Defeat it
There is no miricle deck that can easily beat Gardilade. Sableye, the very card the deck sometimes uses, is the best defence against it. Disable can slow down Absol, and render the non-Lv.X Gardevoir useless. It would be best to have only one or two as techs, idealy with a Pachi to search. The best strategy would be to NOT send up a Trainer card searcher, and focus on building up the bench. You have to be careful not to recieve a T2 loss.
Infernacatty
Overveiw
This is one of the older decks, not much different from the DP prerelease. It's a powerful deck, though it's speed can be argued over.
Sample List
1 Infernape lv.X DP
3 Infernape DP
2 Monferno DP
3 Chimchar DP
1 Delcatty ex CG
2 Delcatty PK
3 Skitty PK
2 Blaziken PK
1 Blaziken GE
1 Combusken GE
3 Torchic GE
2 Speed stadium DP
1 Scott PK
4 Rare candy GE
3 Roseanne's research SW
4 Bebe's search MT
2 Night maintenance MT
2 Dusk ball MT
2 Felicity's
2 Team Galactic's Wager
2 PlusPower
4 Double rainbow energy
11 Fire
Variables
You'll see Infernacatty decks without the Blaziken line. Those are more Speed based, and not as powerful in the late game compared to this version.
Advantages
This deck almost has an auto win against grass decks. It's also good against things like Blissey or Magphlosion, anything that takes a while to set up.
How to Beat it
Cessation Crystal and Gardevoir both mess these up, as they are so reliant on Poke-Powers. Empoleon is also good against Infernape, because it can take a Flare Blitz and still have a range of HP that PlusPowers can't quite deal with.
Banette
Overview
Banette is the fastest T2 deck there is. It can have some risksdark: Pokemon), but the results are always worh it.
Sample List
3 Banette SW
1 Banette PK
4 Shuppet CG
(8 Pokemon)
4 Quick ball
4 Great Ball
4 Felicity's Drawing
4 Team Galactic's Wager
4 Profesor Oak's visit
4 Roseane's
4 PokeNav
3 Pheobe's Stadium
2 Cessation Crystal
3 Night Maintenance
(36 Trainers)
4 DRE
12 Psychic
(16 Energy)
Variables
Most Banette decks shift around the numbers of Banette between PK and SW. Some decks actualy run a basic line, but those aren't realy T2.
Advantages
Because of the Dark weakness, Banette is great against Psychic decks. Any deck that can't either stall or match Banette's speed usualy loses. The only deck that can have frequent victories is Honchrow (Those pesky :dark: Pokemon).
How to Defeat it
Dark Pokemon is the way to go. If you can't run a dark deck, a Sableye should help; though it only stalls. Also Absol is also golden here, for Raid's effect can have good use.
Blissey
Overview
This is one of the most varied decks. The deck I will cover is the Absol one, only because I am more familiar with it. The variants section includes details of all common Blissey combos.
Sample List
4 Blissey MT
4 Chansey MT
3 Happininy MT
4 Absol SW
2 Pachirisu GE
(17 Pokemon)
4 Celio's Network
4 Dual Ball
2 Cessation Crystal
2 Drake's Stadium
2 Island Hermit
4 Super Scoop Up
3 Team Galactic's Wager
3 Team Galactic's Mars
2 Strength Charm
(24 Trainers) 58
1 Basic Dark
4 Special Dark
3 Boost
3 Holon FF
6 Fire
(17 Energy)
Variables
There are no guarantees on how people will run Blissey. Common setups include Blissey/Absol, Blissey/Togekiss, Blissey/Weavile, Blissey/Banette (don't know if it's a good idea, though), Blissey/Lucario, and T2 Blissey. There are so many, so don't complain if I missed one. Blissey goes with pretty much anything.
Advantages
Another deck that becomes unstopable in the late game. They are all good and relativly fast. I recomend Absol/Blissey for simplicity and disruption, but Blissy goes with tons of other cards just as well.
How to Beat it
Blissey is one of the tougher decks to beat, simply because of it's variations. All I can really say is "there will be Blissey decks at Regionals". Lucario is a good counter, as is anything that's fast. Sniping decks like Magmortar are also good, because only the Weavile decks charge Blisey up within 3 turns or so, and charging Blisseys normaly sit on the bench. (I'm not ignoreing Togekiss, it just isn't constant; it ca't really be measured in turns).
Electivire
Overveiw
It has seen less and less play lately, but it's a good deck. These can be anoyingly versitile with a good set of cards.
Sample List
3 Elekid DP
3 Electabuzz DF
1 Electivire SW
2 Electivire DP
1 Electivire Lv.X MT
3 Trapinch HP
1 Vibrava DF:42
2 Flygon(d) HP
1 Flygon ex(d) DF
1 Magnemite PK
1 Magneton PK
1 Rayquaza ex(d) DF
4 Holon's Castform HP
3 Rare Candy HP
2 TVR DF
3 H.Mentor DF
2 Celio's Network CG
2 Bebe's Search MT
1 Team Galactic's Wager MT
1 Scott PK
1 Lake Boundary MT
2 Plus Power DP
1 Windstorm CG
1 Warp Point CG
1 Night Maintenance MT
8 Lightning Energy
3 (d) Rainbow Energy HP
2 DRE CG
2 Scramble DF
1 Cyclone PK
Varients
Don't expect the cardlist to differ much, but playing strategys and exact numbers of cards frequently change.
Advantages
This is the only deck that can do much against Empoleon or Feraligatr. It must be played cautiously against almost any other deck, because it has unstopability, not pure strengh.
How to Beat it
Fighting Pokemon work well, but realy a fast Pokemon line or a sniping Pokemon can win surprisingly easily.
Tsunamis (probably spelled wrong)
Overveiw
This was one of the big decks at States. It has a high win streak, and works very well with techs.
Sample List
4 Totodile
3 Croconaw
4 Feraligatr
3 Skitty
3 Delcatty
1 Delcatty ex
1 Magnemite
1 Magneton
4 Pachirisu
1 Holons Castform (for ditching DRE, if no longer needed)
3 Celios
3 Great Ball
3 Roseannes
2 Night Maintenance
3 RC
4 Profesor Oak's Visit
4 DRE
2 Scramble
11 Water
Varients
This is one of the big decks for tech cards. Expect surprises.
Advantages
Probably the fastest water deck, so it will be particularly good against Infernacatty and Magphlosion.
How to Beat it
Lightning Pokemon like Electivire work well here. If you run a fire deck, fit one of two cards in like Sableye or Raikou, something that can mess them up for a bit.
Quickitune
Overveiw
One of the older Speed decks. It's fast, but is bad if it sets up slow.
Sample List
4x Kricketot
4x Kricketune
4x Quick Ball
4x Castaway
4x Celio's Network
3x Night Maintenance
3x Island Hermit
3x TV Reporter
3x Great Ball
2x Plus Power
2x Copycat
2x Team Galactic's Wager
2x Roseanne's Research
2x Warp Point
2x Cessation Crystal
2x Strength Charm
4 Double Rainbow Energy
10 Grass Energy
Varients
The only important diferance you may see if DREs switched for crystal beach. Some may run something like Absol, but that takes away the point of a speed deck.
Advantages
Generaly good against anything. It works best agains slow decks like Blissey, because they don't have time to realy load anything with energy.
How to Beat it
Fire types walk all over this deck. It can be easily beaten by any well played deck though, if the deck is fast.
DarkVile
Overveiw
A very powerful deck once it gets set up. often wins in games longer than 10 turns.
Sample List
2 Darkrai lv.X
2 Darkrai
3 Weavile SW
1 Weavile DP
4 Sneasle
4 Crawdaunt ex
4 Corpish
4 special Dark
7 basic Dark
6 Water
2 moonlight stadium
1 Crystal beach
1 Windstorm
2 premier ball
4 Bebe's
3 Roseanne's
4 Felicity's drawing
4 Team Galactic's Wager
1 Night maitinence
1 Warp point
Variants
Wigglytuff are common with Darkrai, so watch out. Also you will encouter decks that have a Pakia Lv.X to take advantage of Moonlight stadium, so be warned. Some decks run an attacker other than Crawdaunt, but most people find Crawdaunt the best.
Advantages
Good against any fire deck. Also works well against Banete, because of Dark Engage.
How to Defeat it
The best way to defeat it is in a T2 or T3 setup. You'll lose if it becomes drawn out. Sableye (I recomend 1 as a tech in anything) can be anoying if you Disable the only loaded Crawdaunt, and snipeing messes things up.
Tech Cards
Claydol
Use
Claydol is a card searching engine all on its own. Cosmic power can alow you to get extra cards, at the small expence of shuffleing some away (big deal). It makes it a key overall tech, in anything that needs a lot of cards.
Countering
Realy, all you can use is Cessation Crystal or SW Gardevoir.
Pachirisu
Use
This card has seen enough play for a lifetime. It grabs basic Pokemon very effectivly, and provides some protection against Pokemon Tools.
Countering
It may be good, but many people overuse it. Be ready to play at least one Pachi deck at regionals. Lucario is the best bet, beause of T2 Fighting attacks. There's no great basic Pokemon, but Sableye's disable can wreak their aceleration.
Please note that it'll be about another day before all the intended material is up. PM me if you want to help with this, or post an article for a deck that isn't up yet. I apretiate all help.
This includes decks like Quickitune, Banette, Gardilade, Infernacatty, DarkVile, Tsunami, Electivire (Magphlosion coming soon), and several poular cards.
Decks
Gardilade
Overview
Gardilade is one of the most popular decks at the moment. The sheer damage from Gallade, as well as surprises and Poke-Power locking from Gardevoir and Gardevoir Lv.X make it a formidable deck.
Sample List
1 Gardevoir Lv.X SW
3 Gardevoir SW
3 Gallade SW
3 Kirlia SW
4 Ralts SW
2 Furret SW
2 Sentret SW
1 Pachirsu GE
(19 Pokemon)
4 Rare Candy
4 Celio's Network
4 Roseanne's
4 Team Galactic's Mars
2 Night maintenance
3 Team Galactic's Wager
2 Warp Point
(24 Trainers)
4 DRE
1 Special :dark:
2 Basic :dark:
6
sychic:4 :fighting:
(17 Energy)
Variables
Most Gardillade decks look very close to the sample list. Trainer cards always differ, and some people choose to use Claydol or Absol as an opener/supporting Pokemon.
Advantages
The biggest advantages come from decks that rely on a Pokemon like Stanler in the early game. Absol's Baleful Wind has a good chance of discarding most of the opponent's hand oner several turns. The other big type of aceleration, Poke-Powers, can also be stopped by Gardevoir. Decks like Infernacatty and Magmortar are easy to beat useing Psychic Lock.
How to Defeat it
There is no miricle deck that can easily beat Gardilade. Sableye, the very card the deck sometimes uses, is the best defence against it. Disable can slow down Absol, and render the non-Lv.X Gardevoir useless. It would be best to have only one or two as techs, idealy with a Pachi to search. The best strategy would be to NOT send up a Trainer card searcher, and focus on building up the bench. You have to be careful not to recieve a T2 loss.
Infernacatty
Overveiw
This is one of the older decks, not much different from the DP prerelease. It's a powerful deck, though it's speed can be argued over.
Sample List
1 Infernape lv.X DP
3 Infernape DP
2 Monferno DP
3 Chimchar DP
1 Delcatty ex CG
2 Delcatty PK
3 Skitty PK
2 Blaziken PK
1 Blaziken GE
1 Combusken GE
3 Torchic GE
2 Speed stadium DP
1 Scott PK
4 Rare candy GE
3 Roseanne's research SW
4 Bebe's search MT
2 Night maintenance MT
2 Dusk ball MT
2 Felicity's
2 Team Galactic's Wager
2 PlusPower
4 Double rainbow energy
11 Fire
Variables
You'll see Infernacatty decks without the Blaziken line. Those are more Speed based, and not as powerful in the late game compared to this version.
Advantages
This deck almost has an auto win against grass decks. It's also good against things like Blissey or Magphlosion, anything that takes a while to set up.
How to Beat it
Cessation Crystal and Gardevoir both mess these up, as they are so reliant on Poke-Powers. Empoleon is also good against Infernape, because it can take a Flare Blitz and still have a range of HP that PlusPowers can't quite deal with.
Banette
Overview
Banette is the fastest T2 deck there is. It can have some risks
dark: Pokemon), but the results are always worh it.Sample List
3 Banette SW
1 Banette PK
4 Shuppet CG
(8 Pokemon)
4 Quick ball
4 Great Ball
4 Felicity's Drawing
4 Team Galactic's Wager
4 Profesor Oak's visit
4 Roseane's
4 PokeNav
3 Pheobe's Stadium
2 Cessation Crystal
3 Night Maintenance
(36 Trainers)
4 DRE
12 Psychic
(16 Energy)
Variables
Most Banette decks shift around the numbers of Banette between PK and SW. Some decks actualy run a basic line, but those aren't realy T2.
Advantages
Because of the Dark weakness, Banette is great against Psychic decks. Any deck that can't either stall or match Banette's speed usualy loses. The only deck that can have frequent victories is Honchrow (Those pesky :dark: Pokemon).
How to Defeat it
Dark Pokemon is the way to go. If you can't run a dark deck, a Sableye should help; though it only stalls. Also Absol is also golden here, for Raid's effect can have good use.
Blissey
Overview
This is one of the most varied decks. The deck I will cover is the Absol one, only because I am more familiar with it. The variants section includes details of all common Blissey combos.
Sample List
4 Blissey MT
4 Chansey MT
3 Happininy MT
4 Absol SW
2 Pachirisu GE
(17 Pokemon)
4 Celio's Network
4 Dual Ball
2 Cessation Crystal
2 Drake's Stadium
2 Island Hermit
4 Super Scoop Up
3 Team Galactic's Wager
3 Team Galactic's Mars
2 Strength Charm
(24 Trainers) 58
1 Basic Dark
4 Special Dark
3 Boost
3 Holon FF
6 Fire
(17 Energy)
Variables
There are no guarantees on how people will run Blissey. Common setups include Blissey/Absol, Blissey/Togekiss, Blissey/Weavile, Blissey/Banette (don't know if it's a good idea, though), Blissey/Lucario, and T2 Blissey. There are so many, so don't complain if I missed one. Blissey goes with pretty much anything.
Advantages
Another deck that becomes unstopable in the late game. They are all good and relativly fast. I recomend Absol/Blissey for simplicity and disruption, but Blissy goes with tons of other cards just as well.
How to Beat it
Blissey is one of the tougher decks to beat, simply because of it's variations. All I can really say is "there will be Blissey decks at Regionals". Lucario is a good counter, as is anything that's fast. Sniping decks like Magmortar are also good, because only the Weavile decks charge Blisey up within 3 turns or so, and charging Blisseys normaly sit on the bench. (I'm not ignoreing Togekiss, it just isn't constant; it ca't really be measured in turns).
Electivire
Overveiw
It has seen less and less play lately, but it's a good deck. These can be anoyingly versitile with a good set of cards.
Sample List
3 Elekid DP
3 Electabuzz DF
1 Electivire SW
2 Electivire DP
1 Electivire Lv.X MT
3 Trapinch HP
1 Vibrava DF:42
2 Flygon(d) HP
1 Flygon ex(d) DF
1 Magnemite PK
1 Magneton PK
1 Rayquaza ex(d) DF
4 Holon's Castform HP
3 Rare Candy HP
2 TVR DF
3 H.Mentor DF
2 Celio's Network CG
2 Bebe's Search MT
1 Team Galactic's Wager MT
1 Scott PK
1 Lake Boundary MT
2 Plus Power DP
1 Windstorm CG
1 Warp Point CG
1 Night Maintenance MT
8 Lightning Energy
3 (d) Rainbow Energy HP
2 DRE CG
2 Scramble DF
1 Cyclone PK
Varients
Don't expect the cardlist to differ much, but playing strategys and exact numbers of cards frequently change.
Advantages
This is the only deck that can do much against Empoleon or Feraligatr. It must be played cautiously against almost any other deck, because it has unstopability, not pure strengh.
How to Beat it
Fighting Pokemon work well, but realy a fast Pokemon line or a sniping Pokemon can win surprisingly easily.
Tsunamis (probably spelled wrong)
Overveiw
This was one of the big decks at States. It has a high win streak, and works very well with techs.
Sample List
4 Totodile
3 Croconaw
4 Feraligatr
3 Skitty
3 Delcatty
1 Delcatty ex
1 Magnemite
1 Magneton
4 Pachirisu
1 Holons Castform (for ditching DRE, if no longer needed)
3 Celios
3 Great Ball
3 Roseannes
2 Night Maintenance
3 RC
4 Profesor Oak's Visit
4 DRE
2 Scramble
11 Water
Varients
This is one of the big decks for tech cards. Expect surprises.
Advantages
Probably the fastest water deck, so it will be particularly good against Infernacatty and Magphlosion.
How to Beat it
Lightning Pokemon like Electivire work well here. If you run a fire deck, fit one of two cards in like Sableye or Raikou, something that can mess them up for a bit.
Quickitune
Overveiw
One of the older Speed decks. It's fast, but is bad if it sets up slow.
Sample List
4x Kricketot
4x Kricketune
4x Quick Ball
4x Castaway
4x Celio's Network
3x Night Maintenance
3x Island Hermit
3x TV Reporter
3x Great Ball
2x Plus Power
2x Copycat
2x Team Galactic's Wager
2x Roseanne's Research
2x Warp Point
2x Cessation Crystal
2x Strength Charm
4 Double Rainbow Energy
10 Grass Energy
Varients
The only important diferance you may see if DREs switched for crystal beach. Some may run something like Absol, but that takes away the point of a speed deck.
Advantages
Generaly good against anything. It works best agains slow decks like Blissey, because they don't have time to realy load anything with energy.
How to Beat it
Fire types walk all over this deck. It can be easily beaten by any well played deck though, if the deck is fast.
DarkVile
Overveiw
A very powerful deck once it gets set up. often wins in games longer than 10 turns.
Sample List
2 Darkrai lv.X
2 Darkrai
3 Weavile SW
1 Weavile DP
4 Sneasle
4 Crawdaunt ex
4 Corpish
4 special Dark
7 basic Dark
6 Water
2 moonlight stadium
1 Crystal beach
1 Windstorm
2 premier ball
4 Bebe's
3 Roseanne's
4 Felicity's drawing
4 Team Galactic's Wager
1 Night maitinence
1 Warp point
Variants
Wigglytuff are common with Darkrai, so watch out. Also you will encouter decks that have a Pakia Lv.X to take advantage of Moonlight stadium, so be warned. Some decks run an attacker other than Crawdaunt, but most people find Crawdaunt the best.
Advantages
Good against any fire deck. Also works well against Banete, because of Dark Engage.
How to Defeat it
The best way to defeat it is in a T2 or T3 setup. You'll lose if it becomes drawn out. Sableye (I recomend 1 as a tech in anything) can be anoying if you Disable the only loaded Crawdaunt, and snipeing messes things up.
Tech Cards
Claydol
Use
Claydol is a card searching engine all on its own. Cosmic power can alow you to get extra cards, at the small expence of shuffleing some away (big deal). It makes it a key overall tech, in anything that needs a lot of cards.
Countering
Realy, all you can use is Cessation Crystal or SW Gardevoir.
Pachirisu
Use
This card has seen enough play for a lifetime. It grabs basic Pokemon very effectivly, and provides some protection against Pokemon Tools.
Countering
It may be good, but many people overuse it. Be ready to play at least one Pachi deck at regionals. Lucario is the best bet, beause of T2 Fighting attacks. There's no great basic Pokemon, but Sableye's disable can wreak their aceleration.
Please note that it'll be about another day before all the intended material is up. PM me if you want to help with this, or post an article for a deck that isn't up yet. I apretiate all help.
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