Blastoise Variants

Mora

Don't Panic
Member
The reason for playing Jirachi is that it's a way to search out Archie's Ace, and it can be searched out with Ultra Ball, a card that already thins your hand and so synergizes with Archie's fulfilling the requirement that it be the only card in your hand in order to play it. And the reason for playing two of them is in case one of them is prized, since getting out Blastoise turn one is very important. Similar reasoning with Shaymin, since it's a way to draw into either Archie's or cards to help you get your hand size down to one.
 

Chewy

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Its exactly like Mora said, Jirachi-EX is often an integral part of turn 1 Blastoise, you play 2 because you dont want to just lose because your 1-of is prized. In fact, the deck plays all the important combo pieces as a 2-of for exactly that reason.
 

tototavros

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I was talking about multiple copies, shaymin, I can understand, but not 2 jirachi.
I don't want to be seen as piling on, but I just want to inject some math here.

According to Pojo's X-Act (a Maltese mathematician who loves Pokemon, he has some good articles on Smogon as well), a singleton copy (1 card) will be prized 10% of the time, while if you play 2 copies, the chance of it being prized is 0.85%. If you're a Blastoise player, your only hope is going aggro Mewtwo and drawing it off of your prizes, which is not a game-winning plan, especially due to a lack of DCE which allow you to more quickly respond to Mewtwo wars.
 

gumball51321

*thumbs up*
Member
I guess I didn't see the two part of it.
I don't want to be seen as piling on, but I just want to inject some math here.

According to Pojo's X-Act (a Maltese mathematician who loves Pokemon, he has some good articles on Smogon as well), a singleton copy (1 card) will be prized 10% of the time, while if you play 2 copies, the chance of it being prized is 0.85%. If you're a Blastoise player, your only hope is going aggro Mewtwo and drawing it off of your prizes, which is not a game-winning plan, especially due to a lack of DCE which allow you to more quickly respond to Mewtwo wars.
that changes everything. its too bad I cant afford a second jirachi.
 

redsky22

Aspiring Trainer
Member
is it really necessary to have 2 jiracjis and 2 shaymins? there is to keep in mind that if you fill the bench too fast, you can't get blastoise to the bench, and half the time, you don't even need jirachi. I mean, if you're going to play the deck, play this list or something similar.

yes but I feel like the 2 Jirachis are needed and shaymin as well because without jirachi you cannot really get the Archies turn one and your talking about filling up your bench. You can always use battle compressor and stuff to discard the extra pokemon you don't need.

I guess I didn't see the two part of it.
that changes everything. its too bad I cant afford a second jirachi.

proxies are a thing your know at least for testing.
 
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MaD_DoG

Defying physics since 2012
Member
You may be able to cut back one shaymin, but 2 jirachi is necessary to this deck. Without it it makes it much more hard to get the t1 blastoise and if you cut down to one then it might be prized.
 

gumball51321

*thumbs up*
Member
yeah, that's what changed my mind after playing a bunch of games. but it's actually the same for shaymin, because if all you have is ultra ball to work with, this still gives you a chance to draw into things like acro bike and trainer's mail and stuff like that
 

awesomeMSG

Just a guy who wants to master Greninja BREAK
Member
Is maintenance worth playing? I see some people doing that to bring down the hand size, but I don't believe the worlds master's winner used it and managed to get a turn 1 blastoise.
 

gumball51321

*thumbs up*
Member
your right he didn't, and after playing a few games without the turn one archie, I realized that maintenance was blocking up the hand space which could've had more valuable use, and about 1/10 maintenance played, it would actually give me something I needed. so it might not even be worth playing, but I played just about every variant of blastoise I could think of, and still not very much luck with every game
 

SRreplet51

Aspiring Trainer
Member
So I have a question because I found out my cities are going to be expanded and I have a list similar that runs two AT articuno, one fliptini, one muscle band and a mewtwo ex and one less acro bike but I'm trying to figure out weather adding a Jirchi XY promo 67 is a good idea? To help in vespiqueen, Seismitoad and night March match ups.

is it really necessary to have 2 jiracjis and 2 shaymins? there is to keep in mind that if you fill the bench too fast, you can't get blastoise to the bench, and half the time, you don't even need jirachi. I mean, if you're going to play the deck, play this list or something similar.

Pokémon:11
Keldeo-EX x3
Blastoise x2
Mewtwo-EX x1
Jirachi-EX x1
Shaymin-EX x1
Exeggcute x1
Kyogre-EX-DEX x1
Articuno x1

Trainer: 35
Computer Search x1
Professor Juniper x1
N x1
Archie's Ace in the Hole x2
Lysandre x1
Rough Seas x2
Muscle Band x1
Float Stone x1
Ultra Ball x4
Battle Compressor x4
Superior Energy Retrieval x4
VS Seeker x4
Trainers' Mail x4
Acro Bike x4
Professor's Letter x1

Energy: 11
Water Energy x11

Free Space:3

I feel like this would be a better skeleton list than the one listed. since I have to resort tcg one to test decks, and I can't afford all of this( even though I got deals from kids at school to get 3 shaymins), you guys have to judge whether or not this list is efficient enough, but I can't always get the turn one archie even though I based the list off of Jacob Van Wagner, but this is as good as it gets. free space for another shaymin, a second prof.s letter, or a town map or what? idk, so whatever. against corruption decks like garbodor/ sableye/ bunnelby, I can't win ever. just help me out by telling me how to beat these decks while listing more ways to add consistency.
Yes I do believe running two copies of jirachi, Shaymin and exxeggcute is necessary.
 
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gumball51321

*thumbs up*
Member
SRreplit51, promo jiraci isn't worth playing. And neither is fliptini. You should also run4 acro bikes instead of 3.post your list for further help
 

SRreplet51

Aspiring Trainer
Member
SRreplit51, promo jiraci isn't worth playing. And neither is fliptini. You should also run4 acro bikes instead of 3.post your list for further help
Hmm I'm just thinking in case of Seismitoad and vespiquen but you might be right, and even though fliptini might be a doubtful addition the only Blastoise deck that won after week one of autumn regionals, won at San Jose with a fliptini and two ancient trait articuno. And I will post my deck but check the deck garage.

In the Deck Garage, of course ;)

You may post decklists here, but only as a means to add to the discussion. If you're looking for advice on your list, then it belongs in the Deck Garage.
Will do
 

gumball51321

*thumbs up*
Member
So, I started playing the deck again(Though I never stopped playing on TCG One), and I found a good list that deals with relatively unfavorable matchups.
Here it is:

Pokémon:14
  • 3 Keldeo-EX
  • 2 Blastoise
  • 2 Jirachi-EX
  • 2 Shaymin-EX
  • 2 Articuno AT
  • 2 Exeggcute
  • 1 Kyogre-EX DEX
Trainers:35
  • 1 Comp. Search
  • 2 Juniper
  • 1 N
  • 2 Archie's Ace
  • 1 Lysandre
  • 1 Rough Seas
  • 1 Muscle Band
  • 1 Float Stone
  • 4 Ultra Ball
  • 4 Trainers' Mail
  • 4 VS Seeker
  • 4 Battle Compressor
  • 4 Superior Energy Retrieval
  • 4 Acro Bike
  • 1 Town Map
Energy:11
  • 11 Water
So, it's probably weird I don't play Mewtwo, but Keldeo makes it irrelevant. Like most people were saying, Articuno is great with dealing with non-EX decks- like Night March, which won College Station Cities down here in Texas, so I play 2. And for more variety, I play Kyogre from Dark Explorers, Which , combined with Articuno, beats Night March, and Vespiquen. This probably won't be my list for long, because there's almost no way to get 100% constancy with the deck, me and everyone here is I'm sure, practicing new ways to get consistency easily. I don't see why the skeleton list showed Fisherman, because that card is basically garbage in this deck. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm looking forward to putting Time Puzzle Bracelet in this deck. Anyone who agrees?
 
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littywitty

Chris Collins
Member
So, I started playing the deck again(Though I never stopped playing on TCG One), and I found a good list that deals with relatively unfavorable matchups.
Here it is:

Pokémon:14
  • 3 Keldeo-EX
  • 2 Blastoise
  • 2 Jirachi-EX
  • 2 Shaymin-EX
  • 2 Articuno AT
  • 2 Exeggcute
  • 1 Kyogre-EX DEX
Trainers:35
  • 1 Comp. Search
  • 2 Juniper
  • 1 N
  • 2 Archie's Ace
  • 1 Lysandre
  • 1 Rough Seas
  • 1 Muscle Band
  • 1 Float Stone
  • 4 Ultra Ball
  • 4 Trainers' Mail
  • 4 VS Seeker
  • 4 Battle Compressor
  • 4 Superior Energy Retrieval
  • 4 Acro Bike
  • 1 Town Map
Energy:11
  • 11 Water
So, it's probably weird I don't play Mewtwo, but Keldeo makes it irrelevant. Like most people were saying, Articuno is great with dealing with non-EX decks- like Night March, which won College Station Cities down here in Texas, so I play 2. And for more variety, I play Kyogre from Dark Explorers, Which , combined with Articuno, beats Night March, and Vespiquen. This probably won't be my list for long, because there's almost no way to get 100% constancy with the deck, me and everyone here is I'm sure, practicing new ways to get consistency easily. I don't see why the skeleton list showed Fisherman, because that card is basically garbage in this deck. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm looking forward to putting Time Puzzle Bracelet in this deck. Anyone who agrees?

Your list seems good, but some changes can definitely be made.

As far as the Kyogre goes, its a perfect tech vs Vespiquen, so I would keep it 100%. But some unnecessary cards I see in your list include Town Map and Rough Seas. These slots ca be filled for a Parallel City and Fisherman.

As far as the Fisherman goes, its a fantastic card in this deck. Even though its a supporter for pretty much a SER, you would be suprised to see that even 11 Water and 4 SER isnt enough to finish a lot of close games. It is also a SER you can search out with VS Seeker. The utility it provides the deck is exactly what the deck needed. Absolute one-of.
 

gumball51321

*thumbs up*
Member
Your list seems good, but some changes can definitely be made.

As far as the Kyogre goes, its a perfect tech vs Vespiquen, so I would keep it 100%. But some unnecessary cards I see in your list include Town Map and Rough Seas. These slots ca be filled for a Parallel City and Fisherman.

As far as the Fisherman goes, its a fantastic card in this deck. Even though its a supporter for pretty much a SER, you would be suprised to see that even 11 Water and 4 SER isnt enough to finish a lot of close games. It is also a SER you can search out with VS Seeker. The utility it provides the deck is exactly what the deck needed. Absolute one-of.
Why would I play Parallel City? The point is to OHKO everything with Keldeo, and lowering my own damage is basically contradicting myself, and the other effect is horrible, because half of the time, I need the space for Blastoise/Shaymin/Jirachi/etc. And Fisherman wastes my supporter and clogs my hand early game, where I want to burn my hand down to 0.
 

SRreplet51

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Why would I play Parallel City? The point is to OHKO everything with Keldeo, and lowering my own damage is basically contradicting myself, and the other effect is horrible, because half of the time, I need the space for Blastoise/Shaymin/Jirachi/etc. And Fisherman wastes my supporter and clogs my hand early game, where I want to burn my hand down to 0.
I will say parallel city is definetely never making my archies blastoise list, but i will agree with littywitty on the fisherman, i recently attended my local cities and the only reason I won my third game in Top 8 is because of fisherman, drew in the prizes after a knock out, got knocked out myself and retaliated with the fishermen for my last two prizes/
 
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