Another day, another Pokemon TCG Pocket event. Specifically, another battling event, where, this time around, we have to win five matches in a row to collect all the limited edition badges. That might be easier said than done when you’re facing up against Mewtwo ex after Mewtwo ex, with a Misty flipping five heads in a row thrown in the mix for good measure. The Genetic Apex SP Emblem Event 1 (catchy name, that) can quickly get frustrating, but I’m here to show you how to win, and win fast.
This event seems to be emulating the Pokemon League in the main series games, in which you have to make your way through a gauntlet of the Elite Four followed by the Champion. If you lose, you have to start all over again. The problem is, the main series games have been getting progressively easier over the years, and the Elite Four doesn’t feel like much of a challenge any more. If Geeta used a Mewtwo that could one-hit KO the majority of your Pokemon before you had a chance to strike back, it would be more of an equivalent to the Pocket experience.
I follow the Pokemon TCG Pocket tournament scene from afar, despite the fact that it all seems to rely far too much on RNG to be very competitive. I know that Starmie ex combined with a good Misty has won more events than any other deck. That’s followed by Mewtwo.
Therefore, I went in with a meta deck of my own. Expecting to see Starmie after Starmie, I opted for the super-effective Pikachu ex and Zapdos ex deck that I had great success with earlier in the game. I love Lightning-types, too, so I wasn’t exactly selling my soul. However, my results were mixed.
I didn’t encounter a single Water-type deck in the ladder. What I did find were numerous Mewtwo, who could set up quicker than me and one-shot most of my ex monsters. I won a couple, but never built momentum. In four matches I went 2-2, and never felt confident. So I adapted, and brought out the big guns. By which I mean Jessie and James.
I’ve already waxed lyrical about my Team Rocket deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket, but it has once again given me great success. In a field filled with Mewtwo decks, go for something that beats Mewtwo.
Mewtwo players get scared when they see Dark-types. They misplay. Your super-effective damage increases Weezing’s meagre attacks to do 60 damage a turn for a single energy, plus another 10 in your opponent’s turn. You can set up quickly, three-hit KO a Mewtwo ex, two-hit KO a Mewtwo with Weezing alone, while comfortably tanking two Psychic Spheres before Koga-ing yourself back to your hand, fully healing in the process.
If you’ve also got Arbok set up, it’s even easier. For just two energies you can do 80 damage to Mewtwo, plus that Weezing poison that you should have set up. One hit from Weezing, Koga into Arbok next turn, and you’ve knocked out a Mewtwo ex in two turns. If it gets off a Psydrive in return, you’ve only given up one prize.
However, the real utility of this deck is its flexibility. You can pivot so freely between the one-retreat cost Arbok and Koga-able Weezing. You can keep things poisoned or prevent your opponent from switching out. This deck can take all comers. It beat plenty of Mewtwo during this event, but also took on a couple of Arcanine and a mirror match versus a deck that added Muk to the equation. I think this diluted the deck’s potential, even if it was the closest match of the series, but I want to try that Venoshock out now, too. Maybe Muk instead of Arbok, instead of as well as?
My Team Rocket deck didn’t lose in the event, and I got the top badge in just nine matches. Four with Pikachu ex, a clean sweep of five with Weezing and Arbok. Of course, a lot of this depends on your matchups and if I’d encountered five Starmie with Pikachu it likely would have gone well from me. But this event is not about pure power, it’s about consistency. The ability to position and reposition with Weezing, the fact that most opponents don’t really know what to expect when they see a Koffing on the field, and the speed at which you can set up makes this a formidable option.
Playing the meta is boring. Playing the meta is predictable. Play something weird. Not like a Caterpie deck, not even Articuno and Arcanine weird. But something your opponents aren’t used to facing. And humble their mighty immersive arts with clever play and toxic fumes.
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