Box of Fail
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One deck genre that has not seen much play as of late is spread. Spread decks aim to damage every Pokémon in play on the opposing side at once. Nowadays, spread decks are seen as archaic, ineffective, and no longer suitable for tournament play. While Nidoqueen RR is one of the main catalysts for this common opinion, cards such as Manectric PL and Blissey Prime can cause problems as well. However, assume one could play around those cards – then what would happen? While anti-spread cards have been declining in popularity, the viability of a spreading monster is shooting through the roof. A totally unorthodox deck could definitely stand a good chance of winning a big tournament, provided the correct precautions have been taken. Here is what a new spread deck might look like.
The deck name is due to the fact that you spread butter over toast (the opponent’s Pokémon are toast).
Deck Name: I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
Author: Kevin Chao (Box of Fail)
Date: 4/19/10
Format: DP-HS
Latest Set: HeartGold SoulSilver
Decklist
Pokémon: 20
2 Giratina PL #27
1 Giratina PL #9
1 Giratina LV.X
2 Baltoy GE
3 Claydol GE
2 Spiritomb AR
2 Crobat G
1 Luxray GL
1 Luxray GL LV.X
1 Mewtwo MD
1 Mewtwo LV.X
1 Uxie LA
1 Azelf LA
1 Unown G
Trainers, Supporters, and Stadiums: 26
4 Bebe’s Search
4 Roseanne’s Research
4 Team Galactic’s Invention G-105 Poké Turn
2 Pokémon Collector
2 Expert Belt
2 Premier Ball
2 Team Galactic’s Wager
2 Moonlight Stadium
1 Luxury Ball
1 Warp Point
1 Palmer’s Contribution
1 Night Maintenance
Energy: 14
5 Psychic Energy
4 Double Colorless Energy
4 Call Energy
1 Lightning Energy
So How Do You Actually PLAY It?
This deck is basically a spreading beast that can get set up quicker than many think due to Double Colorless Energy. Darkness Lost is the central focus of the deck, but Strafe and Broken-space Blow are both crucial to the deck’s versatility. This deck sports the ability to do well against virtually any deck that plays Claydol. It is not quite as effective versus SP decks, which is why Mewtwo LV.X earns two spots in the deck.When playing this deck, your goal is dependent on what deck your opponent is playing. The default plan of action is simply to spread damage all over the enemy Pokémon. With the capability to dish out 30 damage to every Pokémon on the opposing side by turn three, Giratina is sure to put pressure on your opponent from the very start. Giratina LV.X’s Poké-Body, Invisible Tentacles, also makes people think twice before making a move. Every time your opponent declares an attack, they must discard a card before performing the attack. This makes them hold on to otherwise worthless cards in order to throw them away, lowering the number of cards they can potentially draw with Cosmic Power or Set Up. Furthermore, in the event that your opponent fails to keep a useless card in hand, they must sacrifice a card from their hand that could have made a big difference otherwise. The deck sports all sorts of tactics. One of the most important is that of Bright Looking a heavy retreater that cannot damage you, such as Claydol GE or Regice LA, and then using Darkness Lost as many times as you can while your opponent is stuck with a fat card in the active, unable to hit Giratina. Spiritomb can also be used to buy time, and to shield a Giratina while the Giratina uses Strafe. Giratina has many options at its disposal, and most of them involve knocking out multiple Pokémon at once and sending them all to the Lost Zone.
Card-for-card
2 Giratina PL #27This card is the preferred basic form. Strafe goes hand-in-hand with Spiritomb, and allows you to employ a hit-and-run strategy similar to that of Gengar Switch, locking your opponent’s trainers while being able to utilize your own, as well as dealing 20 whenever you normally would not, while avoiding most damage done to Giratina. It can be a useful filler attack while you feel unsafe bringing out the heavy hitter just yet, or while you haven’t yet the required energy to use that attack.
Its other attack is what makes it a good choice over Giratina PL #10, which is also decent. Broken-space Blow is the ultimate counter to Gyarados SF. Gyarados depends on having three Magikarp in the discard pile to do 90 damage for zero energy. Well, if you knock out a Gyarados or Magikarp with this attack or Giratina LV.X’s Darkness Lost, the Magikarp gets sent to the Lost Zone! This is an amazing way to cripple Gyarados where they can’t recover. When Magikarp is sent to the Lost Zone, Gyarados’s damage output is limited to 60, and the Magikarp is irretrievable. This makes your matchup a LOT easier. Broken-space Blow is useful in general, being capable of permanently removing key Pokémon of any deck from the game, as well as simply dealing 50 damage on the second turn if required. 100 HP is also phenomenal for a Basic Pokémon, and is one of the perks of playing Giratina. Weakness to Dark is not all too serious, but the retreat cost is, which is why Moonlight Stadium earns two spots in this deck.
1 Giratina PL #9
This card is starting to see use as a tech in many metagame decks. Its Poké-Power, Let Loose, can cripple Shuppet decks and Gyarados decks alike. Shuffling in hands is disruptive and fun. Earth Power is actually a very usable attack, and if you flip at least one heads, the outcome is quite good for you. However, the Poké-Power is this card’s calling.
1 Giratina LV.X
This card is the focal point of this deck; without it, it becomes much harder to win most matchups. Its Poké-Body, Invisible Tentacles, is amazing in and of itself. Opponents have to continually supply their hand with garbage just to discard it, making it harder for them to hit cards they need, and placing a burden on them; once they cannot keep unneeded cards flowing into their hand, they will have to give up important cards just in order to attack. If they have no cards at all in their hand, they can’t attack! This Poké-Body gives you the upper hand, which is why it is a good idea to level-up as early as possible, except against decks with Flygon LV.X or Gengar LV.X. This is just another way that Strafe can be useful, allowing you to level-up and then run back to the bench without the help of a trainer card. The Poké-Body can be a hassle, though, because you have to consistently remind your opponent to discard!
The main reason to play this card is its attack, Darkness Lost. By turn three it is possible to be dealing 30 damage to every Pokémon on the other side of the table. This allows you to knock out many support basics such as Uxie LA, Mesprit LA, Azelf LA, Sableye SF, Spiritomb AR, Chatot MD, Crobat G and Baltoy GE, as well as fragile basics of popular decks such as Magikarp SF, Hoppip HS, Gastly SF, and so on. Anyone knocked out by the attack is sent to the Lost Zone, which is pretty incredible. Darkness Lost works best when a hard-to-retreat Pokémon is stuck as your opponent’s active Pokémon. That way, everyone takes damage on their side, but nobody on yours. An early spread to everyone is a force to be reckoned with.
2 Baltoy GE
This little guy is here to evolve into Claydol. Since this deck does not play Rare Candy or Broken Time-Space, you will have to put Baltoy down and wait a turn before using Cosmic Power. Spiritomb can help you get that Claydol up, but you can’t use its Poké-Power that same turn. This Baltoy does not get free retreat from Moonlight Stadium, unlike Baltoy SV. However, Psychic Balance can help if you get a truly atrocious start. This and the SV Baltoy can be used interchangeably based on preference.
3 Claydol GE
3 Claydols are used for additional consistency, but taking one of the Claydols out is fine. It is, once again, a matter of preference. Claydol is used for its Poké-Power, Cosmic Power, which replenishes your hand and prevents decking out. Claydol will keep a steady stream of cards flowing into your hand and help you get Giratina out much, much faster. Just ensure that Claydol doesn’t get trapped up or Shadow Roomed with Unown G.
2 Spiritomb AR
This card helps in many ways. It sets up Claydol when you have no other way to get it, and it locks your opponent’s trainers. It is the best card for Giratina to switch into after Strafe. In addition, if you need to buy time, Bright Look a Claydol or Regice with Luxray GL LV.X and send up Spiritomb. They will likely be stuck for awhile. Spiritomb is especially helpful against SP decks attempting to snipe off Giratina with Garchomp C LV.X, because without the Team Galactic’s Invention cards, they will have difficulty pulling off a Dragon Rush, let alone two. Spiritomb is also effective when the possibility of Team Galactic’s Invention G-103 Power Spray is a risk you cannot take.
2 Crobat G
These cards are useful when you are 10 or 20 damage short of a needed knockout. They can easily make the difference between a win or a loss. Just put one down, and any Pokémon of your choice takes 10 damage! This really helps when spreading to certain Pokémon that are liable to be removed from the field in the near future by a card effect, or when trying to get a Gyarados and Magikarp knocked out by Broken-space Blow to be sent to the Lost Zone.
1 Luxray GL
This Pokémon is used to level-up into one of the best cards in the format, Luxray GL LV.X. However, it has some perks of its own. Its first attack, Bite, can donk quite handily with Double Colorless Energy, and either Expert Belt or some Flash Bites. Trash Bolt can also deal impressive damage to a Gyarados. 80 HP is a blessing as well.
1 Luxray GL LV.X
Bright Look is ridiculous, plain and simple. When leveled-up from Luxray GL, Luxray GL LV.X has the amazing ability to choose a benched Pokémon of the opponent’s and force it active. This goes hand-in-hand with Darkness Lost. Retreat via Moonlight Stadium, Bright Look Claydol or Regice or some sort of heavy retreater, play Team Galactic’s Invention G-105 Poké Turn, put the Luxray back on your bench, and Darkness Lost. If you can get 2 or 3 Darkness Lost attacks with this tactic, which is often the case, you often win the game just like that. If your opponent has six Pokémon in play, often you can KO enough to win before they have the chance to bench another. Luxray can also aid in Lost Zoning a benched Gyarados, or even attacking in and of itself. For a Lightning Energy and any other energy, you can deal 60 damage. This is a useful tactic at times if your Giratina has just been knocked out.
1 Mewtwo MD
This is the basic Mewtwo to use for Mewtwo LV.X. With Energy Absorption, you can repeatedly recharge Giga Burn, and Psyburn is useful for knocking out small basics without discarding energy. Recover can be useful if you are worried about being Flash Bit to death. 90 HP is also good, second only to the Rumble Promo Mewtwo, which can be used if you are truly worried about Garchomp C LV.X.
1 Mewtwo LV.X
SP decks are not the best matchup for Giratina. Mewtwo LV.X is your insurance against those decks. Psybarrier renders basic Pokémon useless against Mewtwo. Even if your opponent plays a counter, it takes a lot of time and effort to get it set up. Mewtwo LV.X is best set up under Spiritomb lock, where your opponent will have much trouble knocking it out. Since this deck is Psychic-type, Mewtwo will not find itself short of the right type of energy. Also, if you yourself are walled by a Mewtwo LV.X, this is your counter. Just take more prizes than them with Luxray, and wall with a lone Mewtwo. When time is called, you will win, and meanwhile their Mewtwo cannot touch yours and vice-versa.
1 Uxie LA
This Pokémon is simply a draw card when you need it immediately. If your hand is total garbage save a Bebe’s Search, this card could save the day. Psychic Restore is also used to knock out Gengar SF without triggering Fainting Spell.
1 Azelf LA
With so many Pokémon in this deck that have one copy, Azelf’s Time Walk serves as insurance that you can access what you need when you need it. If you prize either of your Luxray cards, or Mewtwo cards, or even your Giratina LV.X, Azelf will save the day. Without this guy, you might have to play the whole game without Giratina LV.X! Keep in mind that if a crucial card is prized and your opponent is in a position to play Team Galactic’s Invention G-103 Power Spray, you should make Spiritomb active before dropping Azelf.
1 Unown G
This card is highly important in some matchups. It can protect Claydol from Shadow Room, or even protect Giratina LV.X from Take Out! It is also important to watch out for Chatter when Spiritomb is active. If this seems possible to you, GUARD Spiritomb.
4 Bebe’s Search
This card is still good. Searching for any Pokémon is wonderful. Simple.
4 Roseanne’s Research
This is quite possibly the best Supporter Card in the format (although Cyrus’s Conspiracy is definitely up there), as it is extremely versatile. Energy or basic Pokémon, or even a combination of the two. That will definitely help Giratina set up quickly.
4 Team Galactic’s Invention G-105 Poké Turn
This card can allow you to set up another Bright Look after using one by picking Luxray GL LV.X back up. It is also necessary, if you have already retreated for Luxray, to send Giratina back up so that you can actually attack. Do not forget to put Luxray back on the bench after the Poké Turn!
This card can also be used to reuse Flash Bites, or simply to pick up a Pokémon SP to make room for a different Pokémon on your bench.
2 Pokémon Collector
Grabbing 3 Pokémon is not as good as the flexibility of Roseanne’s Research, but one can only run four of any given card, save basic energy and Arceus, so Pokémon Collector is used to further up consistency.
2 Expert Belt
These can make Darkness Lost do 50 to the active and 30 to each benched Pokémon. The extra 20 to the active is surprisingly impactful. It also allows Broken-space Blow to deal 70 damage, increasing your chances of Lost Zoning a Magikarp or some other important card. However, the main reason this card is important is that it gives Giratina LV.X a whopping 150 HP. This makes it very hard to knock out. It also allows Strafe to deal 40 damage and switch.
2 Premier Ball
Premier Ball is a useful card in here, as it can get Giratina, Luxray, or Mewtwo from either the deck or discard pile. It does not cost your once-a-turn supporter usage, and is quite effective. It is especially important for retrieving a knocked out Giratina LV.X.
2 Team Galactic’s Wager
Hand disruption is a very potent trick that cripples decks such as Gyarados and Shuppet, but can be effective against anyone with a good hand regardless of deck choice. If your opponent is doing well, you might want to drop one of these. It is very effective against Gyarados immediately after Sableye SF Impersonates for Pokémon Collector, and it can also be used simply to salvage your bad start. A useful card indeed.
2 Moonlight Stadium
This is definitely one of the most important cards in the deck. Giratina’s retreat cost is so outrageous that you probably will never actually pay it. This is where Moonlight comes into play. Free retreat for Spiritomb, Giratina, and Mewtwo is quite a good deal. It allows Luxray to work, and lets you Strafe with Spiritomb lock indefinitely. Try to only play it down when you need it against decks like Gyarados which run an overabundance of Stadium Cards, so that your opponent does not simply override your Moonlight before you have a chance to utilize it.
1 Luxury Ball
Luxury Ball simply lets you search your deck for a Pokémon. That is worth a deck space. Only one, though, due to its effect.
1 Warp Point
Warp Point is something which almost all decks should run at least one copy of. Especially considering Giratina’s high retreat cost without Moonlight Stadium, Warp Point deserves a spot should your Moonlights be inaccessible.
1 Palmer’s Contribution
This is one of your two recovery cards, the other being Night Maintenance. It allows you to retrieve those Pokémon and Energy Cards which have been lost in battle.
1 Night Maintenance
This card is the other recovery card in the deck, and it is a less powerful Palmer’s Contribution. The upside is that you do not have to use your Supporter for the turn in order to play Night Maintenance.
5 Psychic Energy
A basic energy card necessary to power Giratina’s attacks. This card can fill all energy requirements in the deck, save for Baltoy’s Spin Turn, Claydol’s Spinning Attack, Spiritomb’s Will-o’-the-wisp, Luxray’s Trash Bolt, and Luxray LV.X’s Flash Impact.
4 Double Colorless Energy
This card made Giratina a whole lot faster. Only with Double Colorless Energy can you Broken-space Blow on turn two, or Darkness Lost on turn three. On top of this, it helps Luxray GL use Bite and Trash Bolt, the former of which could even donk.
4 Call Energy
While this card stops Giratina from getting a turn three Darkness Lost if attached, it is extremely important for digging yourself out of a poor opening hand. Without this card, Giratina would be much less consistent and much more donkable. After all, if you open with any Pokémon besides Giratina, Call Energy instantly becomes the right play.
1 Lightning Energy
This energy card is solely in the deck to take advantage of Trash Bolt and Flash Impact, two formidable attacks of Luxray’s that can be used after Giratina is knocked out and another one is charging up on deck.
Beating the Crowd – Matchups
Matchups are listed with the first percentage being the approximate likelihood that Giratina will win, and the second being the approximate likelihood that Giratina will lose.Gengar Switch: Their trainer lock doesn’t really faze you, save for the stopping of Premier Balls and Poké Turns. Try to Bright Look Claydol and then Darkness Lost their every last Pokémon to death. The Gengar LV.X is a huge problem because it can shuffle in your Giratina LV.X, so if they manage to get one out, try to Lost Zone it. Spreading is priority, though.
60-40
Gyarados: This is really a very, very easy match. You can sacrifice a prize or two. All that matters is that at the end of the day, you somehow get a Magikarp into the Lost Zone. Broken-space Blow is good at this, and Darkness Lost works if for some reason they have a Magikarp on the bench. Once a Magikarp is put in the Lost Zone, you can Darkness Lost to spread as much as you’d like.
80-20
Luxchomp: Try to get out Mewtwo and win. If they play a counter, then this is a pretty tough matchup because Garchomp C LV.X messes with your spread. Spiritomb is key here, and so is knocking out any basic Garchomps on their bench. If you can keep them clear of benched Garchomp and nab a couple of prizes with Darkness Lost, you have a good shot of winning. Keep Giratina exposed versus Garchomp, as you are resistant. It will be an uphill battle though.
30-70 if they play a Mewtwo counter
Sablelock: I have not tested against this deck more than a few times, but I would put this matchup in Sablelock’s favor, considering that Giratina has weakness and would struggle with repetitive disruption. I will not place a statistic on this, as I have far too little experience with the deck for that.
Advantage Sablelock
Luxpluff: Jumpluff is scary in how fast it is. How Giratina will fare against Jumpluff is dependent on how many Warp Points Jumpluff plays. The strategy against Jumpluff is simply to Bright Look Claydol or Regice and spread. Spiritomb should be used to slow them down as well. If you can get in three turns or so of spread, you should win. If they play three Warp Points, you are done for.
20-80 if they play three or more Warp Points
50-50 if they play fewer than three Warp Points
Gengarchomp: This matchup should be pretty good for Giratina. Bright Look Claydol, spread. Watch out for Gengar LV.X, but this matchup should not be too bad. Make sure to Flash Bite or Psychic Restore Gengar SF to death, and avoid knocking it out with Darkness Lost and being subsequently knocked out by Fainting Spell.
60-40
Shuppet: Put down a single Spiritomb. Then, if they play Regice, Bright Look it and spread. If not, they will be slowed down significantly. Play Mewtwo, as well, to force them to waste resources. Spreading should win you the game, but you can Strafe and switch for Spiritomb if you want to play it safe.
60-40
Plox: This matchup would be a piece of cake if not for Gallade. The moment they put down a Gallade with an energy, try to knock it out, but if you cannot, then just Bright Look Claydol and spread. Save for Gallade, the matchup is very much in your favor.
70-30
Dialgachomp: This matchup is pretty bad for you. They shut down your Invisible Tentacles and Keystone Seal, as well as Mewtwo LV.X. They lock Moonlight Stadium. They will spray your Bright Look. They will heal your spread away with Garchomp. Can you say ‘autoloss’?
20-80
Changing it Up – Techs
These are cards you can try and fit into the deck to counter your metagame or simply match your playstyle.
These are cards you can try and fit into the deck to counter your metagame or simply match your playstyle.
Giratina PL #10: Over Slash puts 10 damage on all of your opponent’s Pokémon for a Double Colorless Energy. This was in the original list, and may be a good idea.
Spiritomb LA: This card has found its way in and out of this deck. Dropping it on your bench allows you to spread 10 more damage to all those Pokémon you hurt with Darkness Lost.
Lucario GL: This is an anti-Nidoqueen tech. It allows you to one-hit KO Nidoqueen with Broken-space-Blow if you have a Belt, which Lost Zones the threat to your spreading.
Ampharos PL: A 1-1-1 Ampharos line would solve some problems, but would be a little clunky. It solves the problem of Garchomp C LV.X, Gengar LV.X, and Blissey Prime, which all inhibit your spreading. You would need to use Spiritomb to get it out.
Bronzong MD: Simply a spread card to use with Giratina.
Abomasnow SF: Another spread card, which can utilize Double Colorless Energy.
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