New Archetypes from Pokémon GO

BASIC STRATEGY

Dump as many Magikarp and Gyarados into the discard pile as you can, as fast as you can, using the deck’s discarding options like Professor’s Research, Cinccino’s Make Do ability, Trekking Shoes, Quick Ball, and Ultra Ball. Use Ditto’s Sudden Transformation ability to copy Magikarp’s Raging Fin attack, which does 10 damage plus 30 more damage for each “Magikarp” and each “Gyarados” in your discard pile.

KEY CARDS

• Ditto PGO 53

• Magikarp PGO 21

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

• Hisuian Heavy Ball and/or Peonia as a means of fishing out Magikarp and Gyarados from your Prize cards.

• Roseanne’s Backup as a means of recovering Twin Energy and Double Turbo energy, Choice Belt, and more.

EXAMPLE DECK LIST

Pokémon - 20
4 Ditto PGO 53
4 Magikarp PGO 21
4 Gyarados PGO 22
3 Minccino BRS 124
3 Cinccino SSH 147
1 Manaphy BRS 41
1 Radiant Hawlucha ASR 81

Trainer Cards - 33
4 Professor's Research BRS 147
3 Marnie CPA 56
2 Boss's Orders BRS 132
4 Quick Ball FST 237
4 Trekking Shoes ASR 156
4 Ultra Ball BRS 150
3 Level Ball BST 129
2 Air Balloon SSH 156
2 Choice Belt BRS 135
2 Energy Loto ASR 140
2 Rescue Carrier EVS 154
1 Escape Rope BST 125

Energy - 7
4 Twin Energy RCL 174
3 Double Turbo Energy BRS 151

BASIC STRATEGY

Play down and evolve Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX and use its Underworld Door ability to attach Psychic energy to power up your benched Psychic Pokémon, including other Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX and Mewtwo VSTAR. Attack with Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX’s Max Geist which does 10 damage plus 30 more damage for every Psychic energy attached to all of your Pokémon or with Mewtwo VSTAR’s Psy Purge attack, which does 90 damage for each Psychic energy card you discard from Mewtwo VSTAR (up to 3, or 270 damage).

KEY CARDS

• Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX CRE 75

• Mewtwo VSTAR PGO 31

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

• Instead of relying on the 3-prize Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX engine for energy acceleration, make use of the Lunala and Solrock engine from Pokémon GO.

BASIC STRATEGY

Dump a Shedinja into the discard pile and use Ditto’s Sudden Transformation ability to copy Shedinja’s Life Squeeze attack, which puts damage counters on your opponent’s active Pokémon until it has 10 HP left. Prior to attacking, use Garbodor’s Poisonous Puddle ability to poison that Pokémon, ensuring that the poison damage knocks it out during Pokémon Checkup.

KEY CARDS

• Ditto PGO 53

• Shedinja VIV 66

• Garbodor RCL 118

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

• Manaphy BRS 41 to protect your benched Pokémon.

• Boss’s Orders or Cross Switcher as alternate gusting options.

• Crobat V DAA 104 or the Bibarel engine to help the deck draw more cards, more consistently.

EXAMPLE DECK LIST

Pokémon - 17
4 Ditto PGO 53
3 Cherubi BST 7
2 Cherrim BST 8
3 Trubbish FST 168
2 Garbodor RCL 118
2 Shedinja VIV 66
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46

Trainer Cards - 32
3 Professor's Research BRS 147
2 Bruno BST 121
2 Cynthia's Ambition BRS 138
2 Zinnia's Resolve EVS 164
4 Level Ball BST 129
4 Quick Ball FST 237
3 Ultra Ball BRS 150
2 Air Balloon SSH 156
2 Ordinary Rod SSH 171
2 Pokémon Catcher SSH 175
1 Energy Retrieval SSH 160
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Rescue Carrier EVS 154
2 Temple of Sinnoh ASR 155
1 Training Court RCL 169

Energy - 11
11 Grass Energy SWSHEnergy 1

BASIC STRATEGY

Using a combination of Metal Saucer and manual attachments, prepare to attack with Melmetal VMAX’s G-Max Juggernaut attack, which does 160 damage and does up to 120 more damage if you have a total of 5 Metal Energy attached to Melmetal VMAX. As needed, attack using Zacian V’s Brave Blade attack or with Dialga’s Metal Blast attack.

KEY CARDS

• Melmetal VMAX PGO 48

• Zacian V SSH 138

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

• Energy Switch to move energy around as necessary to ensure Melmetal VMAX is able to get maximum value out of its G-Max Juggernaut attack.

• Diancie ASR 68 to protect Melmetal V as you power it up to prepare to evolve it and use Melmetal VMAX to attack.

EXAMPLE DECK LIST

Pokémon - 14
4 Mew CEL 11
2 Melmetal V PGO 47
2 Melmetal VMAX PGO 48
2 Zacian V SSH 138
1 Crobat V DAA 104
1 Dialga CEL 20
1 Pumpkaboo EVS 76
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46

Trainer Cards - 35
3 Boss's Orders BRS 132
2 Marnie CPA 56
4 Metal Saucer SSH 170
4 Quick Ball FST 237
4 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
4 Trekking Shoes ASR 156
4 Ultra Ball BRS 150
2 Air Balloon SSH 156
2 Choice Belt BRS 135
2 Energy Search SSH 161
2 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
2 Training Court RCL 169

Energy - 11
11 Metal Energy SWSHEnergy 8

ALTERNATE LISTS

• KatanaTCG’s version of this archetype

BASIC STRATEGY

Using a combination of Miltank’s Miracle Body ability and Snorlax’s Block ability, prevent your opponent from successfully attacking, using gusting cards like Boss’s Orders, Cross Switcher, and Pokémon Catcher to strand their Pokémon in the Active Spot all whilst removing their energy with Crushing Hammer, Fan of Waves, and Sidney. Drive them closer and closer to deckout using Lure Module and Cursed Shovel.

KEY CARDS

• Snorlax PGO 55

• Miltank ASR 126

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

• Additional disruption options, like Path to the Peak or Temple of Sinnoh.

• Alternate Supporter recovery in the form of Team Yell’s Cheer.

EXAMPLE DECK LIST

Pokémon - 7
4 Snorlax PGO 55
3 Miltank ASR 126

Trainer Cards - 51
4 Boss's Orders BRS 132
2 Avery CRE 130
2 Bruno BST 121
1 Peonia CRE 149
1 Sidney FST 241
4 Crushing Hammer SSH 159
4 Cursed Shovel RCL 157
4 Lure Module PGO 67
4 Pokémon Catcher SSH 175
4 Quick Ball FST 237
4 Yell Horn DAA 173
2 Cross Switcher FST 230
2 Fan of Waves BST 127
2 Pal Pad SSH 172
2 Pokégear 3.0 SSH 174
2 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
1 Echoing Horn CRE 136
1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
1 Ordinary Rod SSH 171
4 Jubilife Village ASR 148

Energy - 2
2 Capture Energy RCL 171

BASIC STRATEGY

Evolve Aipom into Ambipom early to abuse its Primate Dexterity ability, which requires you to flip a coin each time your opponent would do damage to Ambipom via an attack—and a heads on that coin flip means that Ambipom takes no damage and survives to the next turn to use its Full Tilt Fling attack, which has you flip a coin for each energy card attached to Ambipom and does 60 damage for each heads you flip. When Ambipom isn’t ready, use Miltank and its Miracle Body ability to wall against Pokémon V to stall for a turn or two.

KEY CARDS

• Ambipom PGO 57

• Miltank ASR 126

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

• Cherrim BST 8 for its Spring Bloom ability as an alternate means of flooding Ambipom with energy, freeing up the spots that Gardenia’s Vitality takes for stronger draw Supporters, like Marnie or Professor’s Research.

• Manaphy BRS 41 to protect your benched Pokémon.

EXAMPLE DECK LIST

Pokémon - 15
4 Aipom PGO 56
4 Ambipom PGO 57
2 Bidoof BRS 120
2 Bibarel BRS 121
2 Miltank ASR 126
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46

Trainer Cards - 32
4 Gardenia's Vigor ASR 143
3 Boss's Orders BRS 132
2 Marnie CPA 56
4 Quick Ball FST 237
4 Trekking Shoes ASR 156
4 Ultra Ball BRS 150
2 Air Balloon SSH 156
2 Choice Belt BRS 135
2 Level Ball BST 129
1 Escape Rope BST 125
1 Ordinary Rod SSH 171
3 Path to the Peak CRE 148

Energy - 13
9 Grass Energy SWSHEnergy 1
4 Twin Energy RCL 174