Event Winter Regionals: What's the Play?
- Thread starter socery
- Start date
It really depends on the meta. If there's a lot of Vespiquen, decks that beat Vespiquen will do well. If there's a lot of Toad, decks that beat it will do well etc. Also, for I think Florida and Oregon BreakPoint will be legal, so there could be some new decks and buffs to decks like Night March.
Well, yes, metacalling would be strong at any tournament. I kinda get that. For this I'm more looking for specific decks. Or just good plays in general.
I think the most successful decks during Cities were Vespiquen, Yveltal, and Toad with either Bats or Giratina.
I will be running Vespiqueen Flareon myself, as I see it as my best Expanded play.
First of all, I do not believe there will be any specific "meta" for Regionals since these tournaments (especially the St. Louis one) can draw players from all around the country as we've seen in recent years. So, it is quite difficult to predict what decks might dominate given all the players' local meta games, playing styles, etc. However, there are a few decks, IMO, that players should expect to encounter:
Blastoise-Keldeo
Yveltal-Darkrai
Bee-variants
NM-variants
Yveltal-Archeops
MMan-variants
Ray-Eels
Mewtwo-Eels
Toad-Bats
Lucario-Bats
Yveltal-Darkrai
Bee-variants
NM-variants
Yveltal-Archeops
MMan-variants
Ray-Eels
Mewtwo-Eels
Toad-Bats
Lucario-Bats
Sableye is definitely the play. It's one of the strongest lock decks out there. If you're looking for something that has good matchups against almost everything, Sableye/Garbodor is the way to go.
If you are thinking about meta-counter, Landorous/Raichu could do well. Landorous can beat bees and NM and Rachu could beat M Ray, and could do well against Yveltal. Run Xerosic/ E hammers, and you can beat MMan. You can also run some lefeon for Blastoise/Keldeo. Just some meta-counter thoughts. From a new player, don't take it to seriously.
This deck is HIGHLY dependent on getting heads on the Crushing Hammers and Super Scoop Ups. And if this deck is Item-locked, it is at a huge disadvantage. Lastly, it also has a very difficult time against decks that can hit multiple Pokemon (e.g., Landorus EX).
For a "new" player, you are quite insightful. As an "old" player, I concur with your thoughts about the anticipated meta at the upcoming Regionals. Combining Fighting, Lightning and Leafeon (specifically Plasma Freeze) Pokemon will do well, IMO.
And I can't even test my theorymon
On a side note, Vespiquen/Flareon with an Archie's Empoleon (For Draw) looks like a good play right now.
Sure you can - either play-test "live" with other players or online. I've been testing my version of the deck for 2 weeks now.And I can't even test my theorymon
I am not a big expanded player, with only two expanded decks both being rogue. I will probably end up playing one of which. After cities, I feel most decks that do lots of damage come out on top. Something like blastoise/black keuyrem (With the addition of crystal wall) I may consider playing just because of how much high hitting decks are in expanded.
Would you use Archie's to get out Blastoise? And if you are running Black Ballista Kyurem, would it be worth running a Smeargle to color swap water energies for electric energies? Might it also be worth running an extra muscle band so you can OHKO almost every single played pokemon?
As most of our cities were expanded, the best deck I saw play was a straight up Darkria Yveltal Yvetal ex / dark patch deck. It didn't even run archelops. It was just the classic deck from 2012 and out of 6 cities I believe the deck top cut three times. It is just a really strong deck with dark patch + shaymin ex in the mix turn one is pretty big. The card though that was huge in expanded was Ghetsis. I have it up on my channel where a Yveltal/Archelops deck just runs over a heavy night march item deck because of first turn Ghetisis. I saw it done to a blastoise and a flareon deck. Because expanded is so item heavy, Ghetsis was a first turn decimator in the rounds I saw played.
For Florida when Breakpoint is legal I would probably suggest something in line of:
MManectric/Manectric/Wobbuffet/Garbardor/Rough Seas
Toad/Garbardor/Red Card/GlalieEX
HexMarch
Entei/Charizard
Since these decks still have already strong existing consistent lists and also get some new cards that can give the edge, like Max potion/EmboarEX/Fighting belt/Delinquent.
However I think people will go tangent with decks like Trevenant, Greninja, Fairy and face the reality of lock decks. Some could do well but too many will be about that probably don't have the optimal lists and especially when no ones really been exposed to the different ideas.
I personally would take the opportunity to play my Greninja list.
Edit: Ignore me, still in the mind frame for standard format. I don't think too much will change heavily for Expanded, i really don't have much ideas for Expanded with the new set. Probably expect more Vileplume and Sableye/Garbs than normal.
MManectric/Manectric/Wobbuffet/Garbardor/Rough Seas
Toad/Garbardor/Red Card/GlalieEX
HexMarch
Entei/Charizard
Since these decks still have already strong existing consistent lists and also get some new cards that can give the edge, like Max potion/EmboarEX/Fighting belt/Delinquent.
However I think people will go tangent with decks like Trevenant, Greninja, Fairy and face the reality of lock decks. Some could do well but too many will be about that probably don't have the optimal lists and especially when no ones really been exposed to the different ideas.
I personally would take the opportunity to play my Greninja list.
Edit: Ignore me, still in the mind frame for standard format. I don't think too much will change heavily for Expanded, i really don't have much ideas for Expanded with the new set. Probably expect more Vileplume and Sableye/Garbs than normal.
Last edited by a moderator: