Austin 316 S
New Member
Hi every one. I was looking threw some old posts on this board and I came across a topic that said "what is The Cleaner?". BJJ763 may remember me from his old Pokemon league at Toys R' us and my love for The Cleaner. I thought that I could show the new players one of funniest decks in Pokemon history. This is for you I-Man.
Here is the first cleaner deck list from July 8th 1999 when I-man showed it to Chipmunk at the pojo deck garage.
Mind Warp
11- Grass Energy
11- Fire Energy
2 Double Colorless Energy
1- Kangaskhan
2- Eevee
3- Jigglyfuff
3- Koffing
3- Tangela
2- Growlithe
2- Arcanine
2- Charmander
2- Magmar
1- Professor Oak
3- Energy Retrieval
2- Gust of Wind
4- Energy Removal
4 - Bill
2- Switch
Well theres where it all started, I-man changed the name from Mind Warp to The Cleaner Because he wrote the word Clean in his first strategy of the deck.
Here is the jungle upgrade to the deck:
13- Fire
12- Grass
2- Double Colorless Energy
3- Koffing
3- Tangela
3- Jigglyfuff
3- Growlithe
2- Arcanine (The Cleaner Pokemon)
4- Bill
2- Prof. Oak
3-Switch
3- Energy Retreival
4- Energy Removal
Here the deck is starting to take form.
This is the first Fossil upgrade to the deck:
12 Fire
10 Grass
3 Double Colorless
4 Koffing
3 Tangela
3 Magmar
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
3 Lickitung
4 Bill
4 Energy Removal
3 Gust of Wind
2 Switch
2 Prof. Oak
2 Energy Retreival
This was the first time I had ever seen the deck, like most people at the time I thought a deck with no rares could never win, boy was I wrong!
This is one of the most famous upgrades of all time. This is the upgrade the I-Man won his first Tournament with. This is also the first upgrade to have rares in it.
The Cleaner - Final Fossil Upgrade
10 Fire
9 Grass
2 Double Colorless
4 Koffing
2 Tangela
4 Fossil Magmar
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
3 Lickitung
4 Energy Removal
4 Bill
3 Lass
3 Scoop Up
3 Gust Of Wind
2 Energy Retreival
2 Professor Oak
Here is the first Rocket upgrade:
11 Fire
8 Grass
3 Potion Energy
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
4 Koffing
3 Ditto
4 Fossil Magmar
4 Energy Removal
4 Bill
3 Scoop Up
3 Professor Oak
2 Night Garbage Run
2 Lass
2 Goop Gas Attack
2 Gust of Wind
This upgrade was misguided. I-man had some help on this version and he tried to put tech into the deck. I-man realized this version was not going to work so he quickly came up with this upgrade.
The Cleaner final Rocket upgrade
10 Fire
8 Grass
2 Double Colorless
4 F. Magmar
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
3 Koffing
3 R. Oddish
2 Lickitung
4 Bill
4 Energy Removal
3 Scoop Up
3 Gust of Wind
3 Prof. Oak
3 Lass
3 Nightly Garbage Run
As you can see the deck was fixed so well from the first rocket upgrade that there was no need to fix the deck till Gym Heros. I-Man started fixing the deck more during the gym expansions, some changes where minor so I am only going to show you one upgrade from each set.
The Cleaner Last Gym Heros upgrade
10 Fire
8 Grass
3 Double Colorless
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
3 F. Magmar
3 R. Scyther
3 BS. Koffing
3 J. Lickitung
4 Bill
3 Prof. Oak
3 Scoop Up
3 Lass
3 Nightly Garbage Run
3 Gust of Wind
3 No Removal Gym
I-Man took out E.R. for No Removal Gyms because he felt he needed to protect Arcanine better from opponent’s Removal and it was a good way to get rid of other gyms. R. Scyther was also added because he could deal damage and R. Oddish could not.
The Cleaner Last Gym Challenge Upgrade
10 Fire
8 Grass
3 Double Colorless
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
3 F. Magmar
3 R. Scyther
3 K. Koffing LV 15
3 J. Lickitung
4 Bill
3 Prof. Oak
3 Scoop Up
3 Lass
3 Nightly Garbage Run
3 Gust of Wind
3 No Removal Gym
This is one of the most talk about upgrades because the last original Pokemon was taken out, that Pokemon was Base set Koffing and he was replaced with Koga’s Koffing LV 15.
This was another shocking upgrade...
The Cleaner First Neo Upgrade
9 Fire
9 Grass
4 Double Colorless
3 BS. Growlithe
2 BS. Arcanine
3 F. Magmar
3 BS. Koffing
3 NG. Shuckle
3 NG. Milltank
3 Lass
3 Prof. Oak
3 Prof. Elm
3 Nightly Garbage Run
3 Gust Of Wind
3 Scoop Up
3 No Removal Gym
I-Man put Base Koffing back but, now Bill was gone! In the place of Bill there was Prof. Elm which was put in because it helped keep Arcanine from being put into the discard pile, it helped prevent decking, and the no trainers for a turn did not matter because The Cleaner is not a trainer reliant deck.
I will show you the upgrade the I-Man hated the most...
The Cleaner - Changing of Time
9 Fire
9 Grass
4 Double Colorless Energy
3 BS. Growlithe
2 BS. Arcanine
3 F. Magmar
3 R. Scyther
2 BS. Koffing
2 J. Lickitung
3 Lass
3 Prof. Oak
3 Prof. Elm
3 Scoop Up
3 Gust of Wind
3 Nightly Garbage Run
2 Computer Search
I-Man hated this upgrade because he put in Computer Search which he said he would never do. He quickly took them out though.
I will skip the next few upgrades because there where only a few minor changes and I will go straight to the final Expansion upgrade.
The Cleaner - Final Official Upgrade
8 Fire
8 Grass
4 Double Colorless
3 BS. Growlithe
2 BS. Arcanine
3 F. Magmar
3 BS. Koffing
3 J. Lickitung
2 ND. Igglybuff
3 Lass
3 Prof. Oak
3 Prof. Elm
3 Gust of Wind
3 Nightly Garbage Run
3 Scoop Up
3 No Removal Gym
3 Gold Berry
The next deck I am going to show you is the last upgrade which was posted on July 9, 2001 on wizpog.
The Cleaner - The Series Finale
8 Fire
8 Grass
4 Double Colorless
3 BS. Growlithe
2 BS. Arcanine
3 F. Magmar
3 BS. Koffing
3 J. Lickitung
2 ND Igglybuff
4 Energy removal
3 Gust of Wind
3 Narrow Gym
3 Professor Elm
3 Professor Oak
3 Switch
3 Night Garbage Run
2 Gold Berry
I-Man wanted The Cleaner to end the way it started with no rares.
Here is what the Strategy of the deck has always been:
The Strategy:
Use the Pokemon and there Status Effects to KO as Many Pokemon as Possible. Preparing the Stage 1 Cleaner Pokemon. After Powering up the Cleaner Pokemon make it Active to clean either A) The Prizes or B) the Bench.
Well there you have it, the history of The Cleaner. When a person says Henry -Michael Brown AKA The Impossible Man was a myth tell them no he was real and his dream of making a deck no one else said could win, win, was real. Thank you for your time.
Austin 316 S
Here is the first cleaner deck list from July 8th 1999 when I-man showed it to Chipmunk at the pojo deck garage.
Mind Warp
11- Grass Energy
11- Fire Energy
2 Double Colorless Energy
1- Kangaskhan
2- Eevee
3- Jigglyfuff
3- Koffing
3- Tangela
2- Growlithe
2- Arcanine
2- Charmander
2- Magmar
1- Professor Oak
3- Energy Retrieval
2- Gust of Wind
4- Energy Removal
4 - Bill
2- Switch
Well theres where it all started, I-man changed the name from Mind Warp to The Cleaner Because he wrote the word Clean in his first strategy of the deck.
Here is the jungle upgrade to the deck:
13- Fire
12- Grass
2- Double Colorless Energy
3- Koffing
3- Tangela
3- Jigglyfuff
3- Growlithe
2- Arcanine (The Cleaner Pokemon)
4- Bill
2- Prof. Oak
3-Switch
3- Energy Retreival
4- Energy Removal
Here the deck is starting to take form.
This is the first Fossil upgrade to the deck:
12 Fire
10 Grass
3 Double Colorless
4 Koffing
3 Tangela
3 Magmar
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
3 Lickitung
4 Bill
4 Energy Removal
3 Gust of Wind
2 Switch
2 Prof. Oak
2 Energy Retreival
This was the first time I had ever seen the deck, like most people at the time I thought a deck with no rares could never win, boy was I wrong!
This is one of the most famous upgrades of all time. This is the upgrade the I-Man won his first Tournament with. This is also the first upgrade to have rares in it.
The Cleaner - Final Fossil Upgrade
10 Fire
9 Grass
2 Double Colorless
4 Koffing
2 Tangela
4 Fossil Magmar
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
3 Lickitung
4 Energy Removal
4 Bill
3 Lass
3 Scoop Up
3 Gust Of Wind
2 Energy Retreival
2 Professor Oak
Here is the first Rocket upgrade:
11 Fire
8 Grass
3 Potion Energy
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
4 Koffing
3 Ditto
4 Fossil Magmar
4 Energy Removal
4 Bill
3 Scoop Up
3 Professor Oak
2 Night Garbage Run
2 Lass
2 Goop Gas Attack
2 Gust of Wind
This upgrade was misguided. I-man had some help on this version and he tried to put tech into the deck. I-man realized this version was not going to work so he quickly came up with this upgrade.
The Cleaner final Rocket upgrade
10 Fire
8 Grass
2 Double Colorless
4 F. Magmar
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
3 Koffing
3 R. Oddish
2 Lickitung
4 Bill
4 Energy Removal
3 Scoop Up
3 Gust of Wind
3 Prof. Oak
3 Lass
3 Nightly Garbage Run
As you can see the deck was fixed so well from the first rocket upgrade that there was no need to fix the deck till Gym Heros. I-Man started fixing the deck more during the gym expansions, some changes where minor so I am only going to show you one upgrade from each set.
The Cleaner Last Gym Heros upgrade
10 Fire
8 Grass
3 Double Colorless
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
3 F. Magmar
3 R. Scyther
3 BS. Koffing
3 J. Lickitung
4 Bill
3 Prof. Oak
3 Scoop Up
3 Lass
3 Nightly Garbage Run
3 Gust of Wind
3 No Removal Gym
I-Man took out E.R. for No Removal Gyms because he felt he needed to protect Arcanine better from opponent’s Removal and it was a good way to get rid of other gyms. R. Scyther was also added because he could deal damage and R. Oddish could not.
The Cleaner Last Gym Challenge Upgrade
10 Fire
8 Grass
3 Double Colorless
3 Growlithe
2 Arcanine
3 F. Magmar
3 R. Scyther
3 K. Koffing LV 15
3 J. Lickitung
4 Bill
3 Prof. Oak
3 Scoop Up
3 Lass
3 Nightly Garbage Run
3 Gust of Wind
3 No Removal Gym
This is one of the most talk about upgrades because the last original Pokemon was taken out, that Pokemon was Base set Koffing and he was replaced with Koga’s Koffing LV 15.
This was another shocking upgrade...
The Cleaner First Neo Upgrade
9 Fire
9 Grass
4 Double Colorless
3 BS. Growlithe
2 BS. Arcanine
3 F. Magmar
3 BS. Koffing
3 NG. Shuckle
3 NG. Milltank
3 Lass
3 Prof. Oak
3 Prof. Elm
3 Nightly Garbage Run
3 Gust Of Wind
3 Scoop Up
3 No Removal Gym
I-Man put Base Koffing back but, now Bill was gone! In the place of Bill there was Prof. Elm which was put in because it helped keep Arcanine from being put into the discard pile, it helped prevent decking, and the no trainers for a turn did not matter because The Cleaner is not a trainer reliant deck.
I will show you the upgrade the I-Man hated the most...
The Cleaner - Changing of Time
9 Fire
9 Grass
4 Double Colorless Energy
3 BS. Growlithe
2 BS. Arcanine
3 F. Magmar
3 R. Scyther
2 BS. Koffing
2 J. Lickitung
3 Lass
3 Prof. Oak
3 Prof. Elm
3 Scoop Up
3 Gust of Wind
3 Nightly Garbage Run
2 Computer Search
I-Man hated this upgrade because he put in Computer Search which he said he would never do. He quickly took them out though.
I will skip the next few upgrades because there where only a few minor changes and I will go straight to the final Expansion upgrade.
The Cleaner - Final Official Upgrade
8 Fire
8 Grass
4 Double Colorless
3 BS. Growlithe
2 BS. Arcanine
3 F. Magmar
3 BS. Koffing
3 J. Lickitung
2 ND. Igglybuff
3 Lass
3 Prof. Oak
3 Prof. Elm
3 Gust of Wind
3 Nightly Garbage Run
3 Scoop Up
3 No Removal Gym
3 Gold Berry
The next deck I am going to show you is the last upgrade which was posted on July 9, 2001 on wizpog.
The Cleaner - The Series Finale
8 Fire
8 Grass
4 Double Colorless
3 BS. Growlithe
2 BS. Arcanine
3 F. Magmar
3 BS. Koffing
3 J. Lickitung
2 ND Igglybuff
4 Energy removal
3 Gust of Wind
3 Narrow Gym
3 Professor Elm
3 Professor Oak
3 Switch
3 Night Garbage Run
2 Gold Berry
I-Man wanted The Cleaner to end the way it started with no rares.
Here is what the Strategy of the deck has always been:
The Strategy:
Use the Pokemon and there Status Effects to KO as Many Pokemon as Possible. Preparing the Stage 1 Cleaner Pokemon. After Powering up the Cleaner Pokemon make it Active to clean either A) The Prizes or B) the Bench.
Well there you have it, the history of The Cleaner. When a person says Henry -Michael Brown AKA The Impossible Man was a myth tell them no he was real and his dream of making a deck no one else said could win, win, was real. Thank you for your time.
Austin 316 S
Last edited:
