Hey everyone, I'm excited to begin my first Expanded Tournament Analysis here in the Pokebeach forums which will be featuring Stuttgart, Germany's Regional! Today we'll be going over the state of the Expanded format and how it has shifted since the last Expanded Regional in Costa Mesa, CA where Drampa GX/Garbodor took the win over the raging sea of Zoroark GX. Was Drampa GX/Garbodor able to keep maintain its throne, has Zoroark GX regained the lead, or is their a new competitor to watch out for? All of these things will be discussed in a moment's time, so stay tuned to find out more!
(This article includes cards from the upcoming Pokémon TCG: Forbidden Light expansion, so here is a link to the translations of the unreleased set here on Pokebeach!)
Metagame Preceding Stuttgart --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just over a month ago, Drampa GX/Garbodor managed to place 1st and 6th at Costa Mesa, CA's Regional and be the first deck to topple Zoroark GX variants at an Expanded Regional! With their targets on Zoroark GX, players began to come up with an extreme "multi-lock" deck that can effectively shutdown your opponent and give you enough time to slowly take prizes. With three copies of Parallel City and a Sudowoodo (GRI) to boot, Drampa GX/Garbodor nullifies cards like Zoroark GX that need bench space for damage output. Not to mention having your opponent under ability lock with Garbodor (BKP) and denying Special Energy with Drampa GX's Righteous Edge.
All in all, Drampa GX/Garbodor is definitely a force to be reckoned with, but even as disruptive as it is, sometimes the slow paced game that the deck plays can't delay your opponent long enough to take prizes and is soon overtaken. Hoping to take advantage of this were the ever popular Zoroark GX variants, Gardevoir GX, Greninja Break, Seismitoad EX/Garbodor, and Mill Deck variants (such as Wailord EX).
Now that we've shed some light on the format before Stuttgart, let's go over what really occurred at the tournament!
Master's Division Top 8------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is the Top 8 of Stuttgart's Regional (brought to you by PokeStats.com)!
1st. Pedro Eugenio Torres: Zoroark-GX
2nd. Miloslav Posledni: Zoroark-GX
3rd. Tord Reklev: Zoroark-GX
4th. Cristian Sarnataro: Sableye/Garbodor
5th. Nico Alabas: Zoroark-GX
6th. Philipp Emmerich: Gardevoir-GX
7th. Marco Jackowski: Seismitoad-EX/Garbodor
8th. Martin Guilbert: Zoroark-GX
Pedro Eugenio Torres's List------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ******
##Pokémon - 19
* 2 Shaymin-EX ROS 77
* 4 Zorua SLG 52
* 1 Zoroark BKT 91
* 4 Zoroark-GX SLG 53
* 1 Sudowoodo GRI 66
* 3 Exeggcute PLF 4
* 3 Tapu Lele-GX GRI 60
* 1 Seismitoad-EX FFI 20
##Trainer Cards - 37
* 2 Colress PLS 118
* 2 Hex Maniac AOR 75
* 1 Brigette BKT 134
* 1 Guzma BUS 115
* 1 Ghetsis PLF 101
* 1 N FCO 105
* 1 Acerola BUS 112
* 1 Pokémon Ranger STS 104
* 4 VS Seeker PHF 109
* 4 Puzzle of Time BKP 109
* 4 Ultra Ball SUM 135
* 2 Battle Compressor Team Flare Gear PHF 92
* 2 Red Card GEN 71
* 1 Field Blower GRI 125
* 3 Sky Field ROS 89
* 1 Pokémon Communication BLW 99
* 1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130
* 1 Computer Search BCR 137
* 2 Choice Band GRI 121
* 2 Float Stone BKT 137
##Energy - 4
* 4 Double Colorless Energy SUM 136
Total Cards - 60
****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******
Formidable Foxes--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Though it had faltered at Costa Mesa, Zoroark GX returned as fearsome as ever in Stuttgart, making five Top 8 placements and winning the entire event. With Zoroark GX being great in Standard, it gets even better with cards like Sky Field, Colress, and Exeggcute to boost it higher than thought possible (in the future, when I refer to Zoroark GX on its own, I mean Zoroark GX/Exeggcute). The surprising fact is that even with the Drampa GX/Garbodor on the rise, Zoroark GX managed to take it down and overcome the opposition. Alongside this, Zoroark GX has great matchups all around due to it consistently being able to setup and retaliate to an opponent's attacks. It is also one of the few Zoroark GX variants that can handle an opposing Sudowoodo (GRI) with Exeggecute/Hex Maniac plays to get the job done. This is one reason why Zoroark GX was able to make ten Day 2 appearances and five Top 8 placements.
Zoroark GX wasn't the only deck to make Top 8 (though it did make up most of it), decks like Sableye/Garbodor came in at 4th (Cristian Sarnataro) ahead of Gardevoir GX at 6th (Philipp Emmerich) and Seismitoad/Garbodor at 7th (Marco Jackowski).
Expanded Breakdown--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since this is an Expanded Analysis, let me go over some of the differences between it and Standard so I can clarify my idea of what the format looks like. One thing that I've learned about Expanded is that the "triangle" rule that I apply to Standard isn't really upheld in Expanded. What I mean by this is that there are so many more decks in Expanded that are highly competitive then there are in Standard, meaning that a "triangle" isn't big enough to hold all possibilities. Instead, we have two different styles of decks: Speed and Disruption. Pokémon as a TCG game is based upon these two factors (though the Expanded format gives us a better definition of this), the way a deck handles the prize race determines what type of deck it is. For example, Zoroark GX variants are all about speed, pushing your deck to the limit to take prizes. The moment you start to pull ahead of your opponent almost nothing can stop you from taking the game. On the other hand, decks like Drampa GX/Garbodor focus on slowing your opponent down (by locking them out of certain options like bench space, abilities, etc.) to the point where you start to take the lead in the prize race (if your a VG player, compare it to the Trick Room attack, it is surprisingly similar to that). This is why either version of the deck is able to win against each other, one just has to find a way to get ahead of the other (the only exception to this rule would be Mill Decks since their goal is to run your opponent out of cards, but that is just a different version of the prize race as well).
Now that we have this in mind, how do we use these ideas and the results of this tournament to do better in the future? A deck like Zoroark GX is all about speed and disruption, but what how do we use this knowledge to our advantage? The first thing I would suggest is to asses your deck under these terms and see how you can improve these qualities (whether it's Speed or Disruption) to the point were your deck performs these tasks better. Being able to consistently set up your asset must be your goal, so playing cards of the opposite class may hinder you more than it could help you. Just weighing the cost and benefit of each card with these guidelines in mind will give you a good idea of what should and shouldn't be played.
The "Infinite Force"-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With Zoroark GX taking another Regional win, we must be ever mindful of the danger it poses to other decks in the format. Since Roanoke, VA is the next Expanded Regional, for which the Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon—Forbidden Light expansion will be legal, the time is now to prepare for the upcoming changes to the format. Acceleration cards such as Mysterious Treasure and Beast Ring get thrown into the format along with great attackers such as Naganadel GX, Ultra Necrozma GX, and Zygarde GX. In order to combat this new threat, we need an attacker that is bulky enough to withstand the attacks of these Pokemon (especially Zoroark GX) and to consistently trade prizes with them. Gardevoir GX easily fulfills this position with resistance to [D] types and access to Gallade which hits for weakness on Zoroark GX. Not to mention the capacity to withstand most attacks and deal an absurd amount of damage to your opponents. Here is a list that I have been experimenting with for the past couple of weeks.
****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ******
##Pokémon - 20
* 1 Shaymin-EX ROS 77
* 1 Ralts BUS 91
* 1 Kirlia BUS 92
* 3 Gardevoir-GX BUS 93
* 2 Gallade BKT 84
* 1 Giratina PR-XY XY184
* 1 Oricorio GRI 56
* 3 Ralts PLS 59
* 3 Tapu Lele-GX GRI 137
* 1 Kirlia BKT 69
* 1 Alolan Vulpix GRI 21
* 1 Remoraid BKT 32
* 1 Octillery BKT 33
##Trainer Cards - 29
* 1 Acerola BUS 112
* 2 Brigette BKT 134
* 2 Choice Band GRI 121
* 1 Colress PLS 118
* 1 Computer Search BCR 137
* 1 Cynthia UPR 119
* 1 Field Blower GRI 125
* 1 Guzma BUS 115
* 1 Max Potion BKP 103
* 1 N FCO 105
* 1 Parallel City BKT 145
* 2 Professor Sycamore BKP 107
* 4 Rare Candy SUM 129
* 1 Super Rod BKT 149
* 1 Teammates PRC 141
* 4 Ultra Ball SUM 135
* 4 VS Seeker PHF 109
##Energy - 11
* 7 Fairy Energy 9
* 4 Double Colorless Energy SUM 136
Total Cards - 60
****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******
Card Choices--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Giratina: With Greninja Break being a big threat to this deck, I've decided to nip it in the bud and throw in the Giratina PR. Not to mention Mysterious Treasure in Forbidden Light being a big asset to Trevenant Break, so Giratina will be helpful if you ever run into one of them.
1 Super Rod: I've never been a big fan of two Rescue Stretcher in this deck, especially since I have one Max Potion and only 7 Fairy Energy. I have enough Gardevoir GX, Gallade, etc. in deck that even if one gets K.O., I can shuffle them back into the deck (with some much needed energy) using Super Rod while I attack with another Pokémon. It also leaves room for another slot to fit in other techs such as Acerola.
4 VS Seeker: Item lock can be rough, but I find that the fourth VS Seeker helps in so many other matchups that it is hard to pass up the fourth. When Forbidden Light is released, I will probably remove the fourth VS Seeker for a Diantha since it has a better effect and is a Supporter (so Item Lock isn't as powerful).
Potential Techs-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Bunnelby (PRC): If your afraid of Mill Decks, this would be my go-to option as a counter tech. Though Oranguru (ULP) shuffles one extra card from your discard pile into your deck, Bunnelby can also be offensive and mill your opponent's deck with the Burrow attack.
1 Seismitoad EX (FFI): This would be included with Karen (PR) instead of Oricorio (GRI 56) and is almost just as effective combo against Night March or Vespiquen variants. The only reason I would play this over Oricorio is if I felt that Item Heavy decks such as Gyarados, Gallade/Areodactyl, etc. were getting more popular. When playing against such decks, I could use Seismitoad EX to effectively shut them down which Oricorio can't do.
1 Diantha (Forbidden Light; FLI): Though I think that this card is better in decks like Xerneas Break, I find that the ability to retrieve any two cards from your discard pile (after one of your [F] types has been K.O.ed of course) is hard to surpass. It gives me options to retrieve a recently K.O.ed Pokémon, Rare Candy, Energy, and practically anything that I could ever want.
Matchups------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night March has been known to give Gardevoir GX trouble, but I find that Gallade allows you to take advantage of your opponents Zoroark GX in play (and if they don't play Zoroark GX, you can take out Shaymin EXs instead). This forces your opponent to take out a one-prize attacker while filling up their discard pile with Pokémon for Oricorio to take advantage of. Just try and stay ahead in the prize race to take command of the game early before Night March gains an edge and steamrolls you.
If it gets set up, Glaceon GX/Barbaracle can shut you out of a game before it really begins. The only piece of advice I can give you is to stick to Gardevoir GX and utilize your opponent's energy attachments for damage output. If you can put your opponent in the position of not having any energy in play (by two-hit-K.O.ing a Glaceon GX or somehow getting enough energy to OHKO), you can buy yourself time to set up more Gardevoir GXs. Besides that, try and look for anyway out of the lock (using Octillery instead of Shaymin EX and Tapu Lele GX, Guzma up something that isn't Glaceon GX, etc.) and buy yourself some time.
Conclusion----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Virginia Regionals is just around the corner, so now is the time to begin preparing for changes to come with the release of Forbidden Light in a few weeks time. Testing and becoming familiar with your deck ahead of time is key to success along with knowing the format and how your deck is able to exploit the hidden weaknesses of other decks. Gardevoir GX is definitely a top contender in my opinion, but other decks like Zoroark GX variants, Drampa GX/Garbodor, and a whole assortment of different strategies are definitely tournament worthy (as we can see from the results of Stuttgart Regionals). Are there any cards in Forbidden Light that can deny these decks victory, or shall we see another sea of Zoroark GX wash over the entire format? Check back next time in the Pokebeach forums for discussions on these topics and loads more! Don't forget to check out my Article Homepage on past decks and tournaments as well.
Until next time!
~FrostBiter12
(This article includes cards from the upcoming Pokémon TCG: Forbidden Light expansion, so here is a link to the translations of the unreleased set here on Pokebeach!)
Metagame Preceding Stuttgart --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just over a month ago, Drampa GX/Garbodor managed to place 1st and 6th at Costa Mesa, CA's Regional and be the first deck to topple Zoroark GX variants at an Expanded Regional! With their targets on Zoroark GX, players began to come up with an extreme "multi-lock" deck that can effectively shutdown your opponent and give you enough time to slowly take prizes. With three copies of Parallel City and a Sudowoodo (GRI) to boot, Drampa GX/Garbodor nullifies cards like Zoroark GX that need bench space for damage output. Not to mention having your opponent under ability lock with Garbodor (BKP) and denying Special Energy with Drampa GX's Righteous Edge.
All in all, Drampa GX/Garbodor is definitely a force to be reckoned with, but even as disruptive as it is, sometimes the slow paced game that the deck plays can't delay your opponent long enough to take prizes and is soon overtaken. Hoping to take advantage of this were the ever popular Zoroark GX variants, Gardevoir GX, Greninja Break, Seismitoad EX/Garbodor, and Mill Deck variants (such as Wailord EX).
Now that we've shed some light on the format before Stuttgart, let's go over what really occurred at the tournament!
Master's Division Top 8------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is the Top 8 of Stuttgart's Regional (brought to you by PokeStats.com)!
1st. Pedro Eugenio Torres: Zoroark-GX
2nd. Miloslav Posledni: Zoroark-GX
3rd. Tord Reklev: Zoroark-GX
4th. Cristian Sarnataro: Sableye/Garbodor
5th. Nico Alabas: Zoroark-GX
6th. Philipp Emmerich: Gardevoir-GX
7th. Marco Jackowski: Seismitoad-EX/Garbodor
8th. Martin Guilbert: Zoroark-GX
Pedro Eugenio Torres's List------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ******
##Pokémon - 19
* 2 Shaymin-EX ROS 77
* 4 Zorua SLG 52
* 1 Zoroark BKT 91
* 4 Zoroark-GX SLG 53
* 1 Sudowoodo GRI 66
* 3 Exeggcute PLF 4
* 3 Tapu Lele-GX GRI 60
* 1 Seismitoad-EX FFI 20
##Trainer Cards - 37
* 2 Colress PLS 118
* 2 Hex Maniac AOR 75
* 1 Brigette BKT 134
* 1 Guzma BUS 115
* 1 Ghetsis PLF 101
* 1 N FCO 105
* 1 Acerola BUS 112
* 1 Pokémon Ranger STS 104
* 4 VS Seeker PHF 109
* 4 Puzzle of Time BKP 109
* 4 Ultra Ball SUM 135
* 2 Battle Compressor Team Flare Gear PHF 92
* 2 Red Card GEN 71
* 1 Field Blower GRI 125
* 3 Sky Field ROS 89
* 1 Pokémon Communication BLW 99
* 1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130
* 1 Computer Search BCR 137
* 2 Choice Band GRI 121
* 2 Float Stone BKT 137
##Energy - 4
* 4 Double Colorless Energy SUM 136
Total Cards - 60
****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******
Formidable Foxes--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Though it had faltered at Costa Mesa, Zoroark GX returned as fearsome as ever in Stuttgart, making five Top 8 placements and winning the entire event. With Zoroark GX being great in Standard, it gets even better with cards like Sky Field, Colress, and Exeggcute to boost it higher than thought possible (in the future, when I refer to Zoroark GX on its own, I mean Zoroark GX/Exeggcute). The surprising fact is that even with the Drampa GX/Garbodor on the rise, Zoroark GX managed to take it down and overcome the opposition. Alongside this, Zoroark GX has great matchups all around due to it consistently being able to setup and retaliate to an opponent's attacks. It is also one of the few Zoroark GX variants that can handle an opposing Sudowoodo (GRI) with Exeggecute/Hex Maniac plays to get the job done. This is one reason why Zoroark GX was able to make ten Day 2 appearances and five Top 8 placements.
Zoroark GX wasn't the only deck to make Top 8 (though it did make up most of it), decks like Sableye/Garbodor came in at 4th (Cristian Sarnataro) ahead of Gardevoir GX at 6th (Philipp Emmerich) and Seismitoad/Garbodor at 7th (Marco Jackowski).
Expanded Breakdown--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since this is an Expanded Analysis, let me go over some of the differences between it and Standard so I can clarify my idea of what the format looks like. One thing that I've learned about Expanded is that the "triangle" rule that I apply to Standard isn't really upheld in Expanded. What I mean by this is that there are so many more decks in Expanded that are highly competitive then there are in Standard, meaning that a "triangle" isn't big enough to hold all possibilities. Instead, we have two different styles of decks: Speed and Disruption. Pokémon as a TCG game is based upon these two factors (though the Expanded format gives us a better definition of this), the way a deck handles the prize race determines what type of deck it is. For example, Zoroark GX variants are all about speed, pushing your deck to the limit to take prizes. The moment you start to pull ahead of your opponent almost nothing can stop you from taking the game. On the other hand, decks like Drampa GX/Garbodor focus on slowing your opponent down (by locking them out of certain options like bench space, abilities, etc.) to the point where you start to take the lead in the prize race (if your a VG player, compare it to the Trick Room attack, it is surprisingly similar to that). This is why either version of the deck is able to win against each other, one just has to find a way to get ahead of the other (the only exception to this rule would be Mill Decks since their goal is to run your opponent out of cards, but that is just a different version of the prize race as well).
Now that we have this in mind, how do we use these ideas and the results of this tournament to do better in the future? A deck like Zoroark GX is all about speed and disruption, but what how do we use this knowledge to our advantage? The first thing I would suggest is to asses your deck under these terms and see how you can improve these qualities (whether it's Speed or Disruption) to the point were your deck performs these tasks better. Being able to consistently set up your asset must be your goal, so playing cards of the opposite class may hinder you more than it could help you. Just weighing the cost and benefit of each card with these guidelines in mind will give you a good idea of what should and shouldn't be played.
The "Infinite Force"-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With Zoroark GX taking another Regional win, we must be ever mindful of the danger it poses to other decks in the format. Since Roanoke, VA is the next Expanded Regional, for which the Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon—Forbidden Light expansion will be legal, the time is now to prepare for the upcoming changes to the format. Acceleration cards such as Mysterious Treasure and Beast Ring get thrown into the format along with great attackers such as Naganadel GX, Ultra Necrozma GX, and Zygarde GX. In order to combat this new threat, we need an attacker that is bulky enough to withstand the attacks of these Pokemon (especially Zoroark GX) and to consistently trade prizes with them. Gardevoir GX easily fulfills this position with resistance to [D] types and access to Gallade which hits for weakness on Zoroark GX. Not to mention the capacity to withstand most attacks and deal an absurd amount of damage to your opponents. Here is a list that I have been experimenting with for the past couple of weeks.
****** Pokémon Trading Card Game Deck List ******
##Pokémon - 20
* 1 Shaymin-EX ROS 77
* 1 Ralts BUS 91
* 1 Kirlia BUS 92
* 3 Gardevoir-GX BUS 93
* 2 Gallade BKT 84
* 1 Giratina PR-XY XY184
* 1 Oricorio GRI 56
* 3 Ralts PLS 59
* 3 Tapu Lele-GX GRI 137
* 1 Kirlia BKT 69
* 1 Alolan Vulpix GRI 21
* 1 Remoraid BKT 32
* 1 Octillery BKT 33
##Trainer Cards - 29
* 1 Acerola BUS 112
* 2 Brigette BKT 134
* 2 Choice Band GRI 121
* 1 Colress PLS 118
* 1 Computer Search BCR 137
* 1 Cynthia UPR 119
* 1 Field Blower GRI 125
* 1 Guzma BUS 115
* 1 Max Potion BKP 103
* 1 N FCO 105
* 1 Parallel City BKT 145
* 2 Professor Sycamore BKP 107
* 4 Rare Candy SUM 129
* 1 Super Rod BKT 149
* 1 Teammates PRC 141
* 4 Ultra Ball SUM 135
* 4 VS Seeker PHF 109
##Energy - 11
* 7 Fairy Energy 9
* 4 Double Colorless Energy SUM 136
Total Cards - 60
****** Deck List Generated by the Pokémon TCG Online www.pokemon.com/TCGO ******
Card Choices--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Giratina: With Greninja Break being a big threat to this deck, I've decided to nip it in the bud and throw in the Giratina PR. Not to mention Mysterious Treasure in Forbidden Light being a big asset to Trevenant Break, so Giratina will be helpful if you ever run into one of them.
1 Super Rod: I've never been a big fan of two Rescue Stretcher in this deck, especially since I have one Max Potion and only 7 Fairy Energy. I have enough Gardevoir GX, Gallade, etc. in deck that even if one gets K.O., I can shuffle them back into the deck (with some much needed energy) using Super Rod while I attack with another Pokémon. It also leaves room for another slot to fit in other techs such as Acerola.
4 VS Seeker: Item lock can be rough, but I find that the fourth VS Seeker helps in so many other matchups that it is hard to pass up the fourth. When Forbidden Light is released, I will probably remove the fourth VS Seeker for a Diantha since it has a better effect and is a Supporter (so Item Lock isn't as powerful).
Potential Techs-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Bunnelby (PRC): If your afraid of Mill Decks, this would be my go-to option as a counter tech. Though Oranguru (ULP) shuffles one extra card from your discard pile into your deck, Bunnelby can also be offensive and mill your opponent's deck with the Burrow attack.
1 Seismitoad EX (FFI): This would be included with Karen (PR) instead of Oricorio (GRI 56) and is almost just as effective combo against Night March or Vespiquen variants. The only reason I would play this over Oricorio is if I felt that Item Heavy decks such as Gyarados, Gallade/Areodactyl, etc. were getting more popular. When playing against such decks, I could use Seismitoad EX to effectively shut them down which Oricorio can't do.
1 Diantha (Forbidden Light; FLI): Though I think that this card is better in decks like Xerneas Break, I find that the ability to retrieve any two cards from your discard pile (after one of your [F] types has been K.O.ed of course) is hard to surpass. It gives me options to retrieve a recently K.O.ed Pokémon, Rare Candy, Energy, and practically anything that I could ever want.
Matchups------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night March has been known to give Gardevoir GX trouble, but I find that Gallade allows you to take advantage of your opponents Zoroark GX in play (and if they don't play Zoroark GX, you can take out Shaymin EXs instead). This forces your opponent to take out a one-prize attacker while filling up their discard pile with Pokémon for Oricorio to take advantage of. Just try and stay ahead in the prize race to take command of the game early before Night March gains an edge and steamrolls you.
If it gets set up, Glaceon GX/Barbaracle can shut you out of a game before it really begins. The only piece of advice I can give you is to stick to Gardevoir GX and utilize your opponent's energy attachments for damage output. If you can put your opponent in the position of not having any energy in play (by two-hit-K.O.ing a Glaceon GX or somehow getting enough energy to OHKO), you can buy yourself time to set up more Gardevoir GXs. Besides that, try and look for anyway out of the lock (using Octillery instead of Shaymin EX and Tapu Lele GX, Guzma up something that isn't Glaceon GX, etc.) and buy yourself some time.
Conclusion----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Virginia Regionals is just around the corner, so now is the time to begin preparing for changes to come with the release of Forbidden Light in a few weeks time. Testing and becoming familiar with your deck ahead of time is key to success along with knowing the format and how your deck is able to exploit the hidden weaknesses of other decks. Gardevoir GX is definitely a top contender in my opinion, but other decks like Zoroark GX variants, Drampa GX/Garbodor, and a whole assortment of different strategies are definitely tournament worthy (as we can see from the results of Stuttgart Regionals). Are there any cards in Forbidden Light that can deny these decks victory, or shall we see another sea of Zoroark GX wash over the entire format? Check back next time in the Pokebeach forums for discussions on these topics and loads more! Don't forget to check out my Article Homepage on past decks and tournaments as well.
Until next time!
~FrostBiter12
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