Hey guys, it's been a hot second. We had cold opens and this is not a real cold open, but I just wanted to say we recorded this pod from our hotel in New York city. Um, or my hotel in New York city. I'm here for work this week. And as a result, I think both the audio and the internet are a little bit dicier than usual. Um, I tried to like do some stuff to make it better. Let's see how it goes. Hopefully you guys enjoyed the episode. It's a really good one. Mike is trying extremely hard to get an invite this year. Guys. We're all rooting for him.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Let me get started. Welcome to the Trashalanche is the only podcast about the Pokemon trading card game. Attendance is a hundred percent, but it's a different, a hundred percent cadence here. Mike Shay is here. I'm here. Britt's not here. So we've, we figured out how to round it out at no new five star reviews. If you leave a review, we will read it on the pod. You're probably one of those people who's thinking I haven't left a review and I'm not the kind of person who leaves reviews, but you could be that kind of person. We didn't think we were the kind of people who would record a podcast every week for like three years. And yet here we are. Um, drag and fields are a sponsor. We appreciate the dragon shield guys. Uh, they said they were going to send me some more sleeves before NIC, but apparently there might've been a shipping pickup. So I was going to try and bring you guys some new sleeves might be a sluice for a world. We'll see how it goes. Um, Guys, I thought we should start off by, uh, talking to Mike about what his strategy is for tomorrow. We are recording this podcast Monday night and they short, they. Announced a mere hours ago that there will be the chance to get one of very, very few in AIC tickets for masters. Uh, tomorrow afternoon and Mike is the person most deserving of those tickets. They're flying content creators to Yokohama. All they have to do is let Mike and NAC, and he will fly himself to Yokohama.
Computer Audio-2:So I don't really I don't know, I'm just gonna open a bunch of tabs. And when the time. So I did find out though, when talking to someone about this, that you don't have to refresh the page. On like the. After the first wave, cuz like the first wave, you have to refresh the page for it to like reset. But apparently the. Since you can just click into register. Like, there's actually a button to click to register, like right now. Uh, if you click it, it just says you can't register. But at the second, that button will like.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Age
Computer Audio-2:lead to a real place. Yeah, exactly. So. I don't know. I, I I did find out you don't have to refresh. So you just gotta click right on the right on the millisecond.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:So, so the idea is you open a whole bunch of tabs, then you'd go from tab to tab clicking.
Computer Audio-2:Yep. Pretty much.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Exactly. I love it. I guess.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. I think like a bunch of different windows. Yeah. Yeah. Well, good luck to you, Mike. Um, I hope to see you, I hope to see you in Columbus, but. we'll see. It would be, It it would definitely be exciting to, uh, To get in.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah. I mean, this is, this is the most important thing going on in the Pokemon trading card game.
Computer Audio-2:What I did wanna ask you, what did you mean by they're flying content creators? to Yokohama? I didn't see anything about this.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Here it is June 14th. I'm going to the peak of my world championships in Yokohama is a creator courtesy of Pokemon. Thank you for the free ticket. Really looking forward to this year's worlds and creating some awesome content for y'all.
Computer Audio-2:Nice. Well, That's awesome. I'm glad they're doing that. Yeah. I wonder,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:but also they could have another content creator go to worlds. By earning an actual invite. All they have to do is give him an AIC ticket so he can
Computer Audio-2:Gimme an lc ticket. I'll be, I'll be there. Well, I'll be there anyway. But. it'll be more fun being there if I have the invite.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Exactly. Exactly. Um,
Computer Audio-2:Luckily, I will say we did win, uh, the spectator pass lottery though. Um, well, I didn't personally, but my brother and his girlfriend. Are going and one of them won, So they got. Uh, they're, they're able to get spectator passes for themselves. And then I can just use one of, uh, My friends. like Ross or Pablo So, yeah, I'm sure I'm sure you'll be able to get a spectator pass. Yeah. Yeah, but it was good that my brother was able to get it cuz that was like a big. Question mark for me, if I didn't get my invite, I was like, oh man, am I gonna be able to get them? Spectator passes? Um, cuz you know, if I get my invite, then I can just. Give them. mine.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:yeah, it's a source of stress, right?
Computer Audio-2:Right. So at least that stress is off the table.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Oh, my God that there's a. Yeah, we, we, I, I had four entries for the spectator passes and hit on none of them. So a props to your brother for a apparently being good to randomness.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah, Yeah. we had four. We hit one. so good.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Um, Well, uh, was there some other thing. Um, Oh, and, and apparently a rifle on the internet today. There's all this confusion about the Pokemon store. Did you guys see that?
Computer Audio-2:It did. Yeah. So. It seems like maybe competitors will just be able to go to the store. Um, that's what it seemed like most recently. Uh, I think Rahul posted.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah. Like
Computer Audio-2:screenshot from somewhere. but I did
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:if you had a spectator badge or a competitor badge, you were going to be able to get into the store without having to win a store lottery.
Computer Audio-2:Right. I wonder if they'll still be like Some type of time reservation system. Or not.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Like. When I
Computer Audio-2:cause was
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:at London, I understand how more people than just the spectators and competitors will want to go to the store.
Computer Audio-2:Oh, yeah.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:So it's, so if they say we're going to extend that beyond just spectators better, but make spectators competitors automatically get in. That's very reasonable.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. Yeah. The store is definitely a huge draw for a lot of people. So. I I, I mean, I hope they let competitors inspectors do that. But,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:yeah, we'll Yeah. Caden was it London? World's he knows the, the, uh, getting into the store craziness.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:it was a shell that was crazy.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah, other important news, um, hurricane moving towards Puerto Rico.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Oh, yeah, we can talk about that for a hot second. I recognize we've talked about this in the past. And, and I re I remember that there was a moment that I used probable as the example of somebody who would be like, you know, what. It might be worth risking my life to lock in top 16 stipend money and roll took offense at that. But like I recognize it is incredibly awkward for people where you're like thousands of dollars and a paid trip to Japan is on the line. Am I willing to like risk my life to go into this hurricane, to like gang points.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. I mean the other, I think, I think for a lot of the. I would not be surprised. If for a lot of top 16 players, the weighing is almost, also not just about their life, but also about whether they'll get stuck there and can't make it to NAIC. I saw, I saw some tweets circulate circulating around about fears of not being able to make it to n I NAIC if they went. If they went to Puerto Rico. So I'm sure there's assuming. Flights aren't being widespread canceled. I'm assuming that, um, there are going to be some people that go. But I don't know the way things are looking it seems like an iffy call. To be honest. Yeah.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah. Uh, That's I, I hope that people, uh, um, uh, you know, are safe and like, whatever. Uh, decisions people feel like they have to make, uh, uh, It works out.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. Yeah. And like, obviously we hope that it doesn't hit. So Puerto Rico is okay as well. Yeah,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah, of course.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. Yeah. But,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:But, it definitely seemed like that hurricane was like the only thing we can. We can know for sure is that it's hitting Puerto Rico.
Computer Audio-2:Right, it seemed, It seems kinda likely at this point, but we'll
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Uh, speed. Speaking of people, uh, uh, going crazy to get some points go, Diane. Szymanski it didn't work out, but I applaud the attempt.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah, I assume she can like get it NAIC, so hopefully she can get it there. That'd
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah. Yep. And, uh, very cool that she and Christopher decided to go down to South Africa to check out South Africa. But I recognize all the Europeans that were there. Like that's just the height of SPE craziness. And hopefully they all had a really good time in South Africa. Because if they weren't going down to have a super fun time in South Africa. It was a crazy point chasing.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. It sounded like a bunch of the people spent the week there and got like a little visit out of it.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah. Yeah. that's really good. Cool. That's really good. Um, speaking of, uh, not having the success at getting points that, uh, that we wanted. How did, uh, this past weekend go, Mike?
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. So I ended up just going to one cup on Saturday. It was in New Jersey. It was the most stacked cup I've ever been to. For sure. Um, there was like 21 people there. Uh, and at least 10 of them needed to like make finals. Um, to get points for one reason or another, So like I played Henry brand round one. Um, which was a fun way to start. Uh, I played, I played,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:but showed up at this cup anyway.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah, well, Henry Henry like kind of needs points to guarantee the day two invite,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:uh,
Computer Audio-2:So understandable. Um, Yeah. We we played, I played, ended up playing Lost box. He was playing Guardi bars still, we had a really close game, but I definitely made a couple mistakes. uh, cuz I'm. Less experienced playing lost box. Uh, so he, he beat me and then round two, I played against another guy that needed to make finals to get his invite. Um, And so he was good. He was playing Lugia and again, lost a really, really close game. Um, really good game. It was, this was the whole tournament, even though it didn't go well, was very good practice. I played some really sweet games. Um, Where. It was it was Lugia matchup and he, I went for the the Greninja. on the
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:And single strike. Oh
Computer Audio-2:yeah. single street.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:hasn't rotated yet. I've been thinking about an ASE too much. I'm sorry. Excuse my
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. So like the key part of the game was I went up two prizes with the Raku. He killed the Raku, And then I went for the ar killed two Archeops play and I grin injured him. And he only had. Two cards in hand. And so he had to judge himself and into the radiant Serena to prevent the double K o the following turn with sli And he hid it. So then I ended up losing that game. Which was really close. So I'm oh two, but my two lo. but I ended up getting uh, paired up that last round. So both two both of my losses, uh, were two. oh, I ended up winning two games and then losing. The last round, um, to another person. Oh, Oh, I had to beat Ryan Antonucci at one and two. uh, Which was funny.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Oh, my God. That is absolutely stacked. Absolutely
Computer Audio-2:so funny. Yeah, I had to beat Ryan at one and two and then round five, if I win, I had actually had a shot to bubble into the top eight still. cuz my resistance was really good. Um, But ended up losing to Aster, Adon. Not the greatest matchup for Lost box when. I wasn't playing kayo. So overall it, it's fine. It was tough, tough cup, but. I really did have fun. The games were, the games were great. Um, so I got one more cup. This coming weekend down near DC. So we'll see, I got the, I got the chance to get an NAIC, and then I got the cup this week. So I'm feeling optimistic. I think I could do it.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:we believe in you as well. Um, How did you feel about loss box?
Computer Audio-2:I enjoyed playing it. I think I should have just played. Kayra though. Um, just the way that, the way that the meta kinda shaped up. Um, I thought that was No, I just played like the turbo build. With the, uh, trucking shoes. and well, Uh, I changed a couple cards from Missoula's list, but that it, it was like, you know, three four seal stone, three vacuum, couple changes from. Their latest list. But Kayra would've been good just based on the decks that I played. against, like Lugia, ster, Aldon. but. it's Okay. Um, It was fun playing Lost box. It's. Challenging still, even in best of one. Um, where you have more time to think. But I'll probably play guardian next week though.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Fair enough. Fair enough. All right guys. Let's uh, um, Uh, so the other thing I wanted to ask you about before we talk about prepping for any IC is, um, I don't know if you guys saw that. They announced a couple of Riley's retros happening in the IC. And I thought there's nobody better than Mike to ask when, uh, people are saying like, what deck should I play at random retro? Uh, a tournament. So I thought I get a. Spicy I'd take from you. So they've announced two events. I tried to get Liam to sign up and he was like, no, no, no. We're way, way too busy. But Thursday. They're doing a 2017 in AIC format.
Computer Audio-2:Okay.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:That was the toward playing Drampa guard, but beats John Kettler in the finals.
Computer Audio-2:Mm-hmm.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Tournament. Um, What is the optimal play for 2017 and AIC.
Computer Audio-2:Espeon Garbs really good.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Now, so, so Liam and Walker, both top aided in juniors, playing SB garb. And they both lost in top eight to a guy playing grenade. Two guys playing Greninja. and then both those guys proceeded to lose in top four and then finals to Regan red slop who wanted playing zirconias. Which just goes to show. There is absolutely no justice.
Computer Audio-2:That's
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Although, I know Kaden's a believer in his hernias, generally speaking.
Computer Audio-2:Like, like the, with Hoho, the rainbow road.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:I
Computer Audio-2:Old fashioned Rainbow Road. Or was it,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Uh,
Computer Audio-2:I think it
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:right.
Computer Audio-2:I think that could have been like the zur break. Yeah. that's what I, That's what I was thinking. It was. Um,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:He was playing zirconias breaking Galvin, Sheila. I believe.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. Okay.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:No. Uh, no, it was just, no, it was, it was rainbow force erroneous. With,
Computer Audio-2:okay.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Angela.
Computer Audio-2:Yep.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Like.
Computer Audio-2:Uh, was this ho or Max Elixir?
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:um, was he playing. Yeah, it was playing max elixirs.
Computer Audio-2:Max Alexa, this is my, one of my favorite decks of all time. Mm-hmm. Uh, I won Ana Anaheim Regional's with this deck. Um, And it is an absolute blast would highly recommend you can probably just grab Regan's list and run with it. Um, it, It's so much fun. You gotta hit your max Elixers though, if you whiff your max Elixers, you're kinda screwed,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:right? Right. As, as always, always max elixir decks. When you hit your max elixir here, like this tech is great.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Um, I know, I know Liam looks back and says Drampa garb is like the most skillful deck in the history of a skillful decks. I should play Drampa garb. Every chance I get. did you
Computer Audio-2:Yeah.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:have a particular strong opinion during that period of time Mike? Or was that, was that the period where you were not playing that much?
Computer Audio-2:Uh, I played that year. Um, I wasn't super comfortable in the RPA Garb mirror, but like all my friends really liked Drampa garb. Like Sam had won that regionals. Uh,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:in AIC and playing Drampa garb that
Computer Audio-2:yeah, Like he won the regionals with RPA Garb and then he, he was gonna play it. Uh, again, some of the other X vs guys were gonna play it. Um, I think me. Ross and Pablo, all three of us, I think played Deci ui Ninetails, tappa Koko. Which was a really fun deck. I really liked that deck, but it's. Jamo Garb Matchup is not the best. So, I don't know if I would play that again, but it was a really fun deck. Um, we also, um, really liked, or I really liked uh, dark Cry, like turbo, dark. in that format, like, I felt like it was pretty good against, um, The dar uh, the garb decks.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Right.
Computer Audio-2:I don't, I don't really remember what my list looked like. Um, but yeah, looking back on it, I would probably play Drampa Garber as Espeon Beyond garb. They're just so good.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah. I feel like given the chance to play those decks, you should play those techs because those debts are just like super fun to play.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. Spic Quinn. I like Spic Quinn too. that format. Quinn was pretty fun too.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah. What was best for Quinn? The deck that that year was at like the prior year. I remember that. I mean, there was one, it was the prior year, I guess it was nationals because.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah, Quin night, March won. Uh, Yeah. Nick Robinson won 2016, but 2017 ves Bitcoin was still a deck. Um, Yeah.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:When was, when was Vestal? Couldn't Vileplume a deck. Was it 2016 or 2017? It
Computer Audio-2:2016. Yeah. 2016. Cuz that was like, it was the same time as Trevenant and
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:yeah. Yeah, yeah. yeah. That's right. I looked back and I think in 2016, I feel like that was like, If you could play that deck. Well, yeah, that was like the ultimate high roll deck. at the end of term one, you either know you won the round or you've known. Lost
Computer Audio-2:Yeah,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:you decked yourself. I guess it's great. All Right?
Computer Audio-2:uh, There's like a Zoroark MPA deck too. Right? That was pretty good.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah. Uh, Andrew Mahoney toppy did with a Zoroark break deck.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. Yeah. And I think. I don't know if Andrew played like the the. Ryon,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Oh, no, he didn't play to drop us.
Computer Audio-2:Did he play? Umbrian GX?
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:He did not.
Computer Audio-2:Okay. I think it was like Sena, Well, that was the year that Sena got banned, but he was, he was like six and oh or something like that before he, he got disqualified from the tournament, but he was playing some type of Drampa. Zork. I thought he had Umbrian GX too, but I don't remember. Um, And that deck was good, That, that's a cool deck. There's a lot of cool decks. That's a good format. Did you say they're doing a second one as well?
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah. so so on Sunday, and this is the one where you have to tell me what the good decks work. Cause I don't know on Sunday they're doing a 2010. Uh, us nationals, I think.
Computer Audio-2:Well, 2010, the two best decks by far are Gardevoir and Lux Chomp. Those are like by far the best two decks.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Oh, I mean, if Luxray Trump has a deck, then that's like a, um, That's a good deck.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah, Lux Chomps really good. Dialga jumps also
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:vary. I was about to say, Dialga chomp. I know his Brits all-time favorite deck. I'm sure when he listens back to this pod and thinks about how he was not able to make it, he will say, this was my chance. I finally. It was going to give them a form to talk about the audit shop for five minutes
Computer Audio-2:maybe, Maybe, maybe we can. uh, We can, we can mention it next week. if he's on, cause it'll still be.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:to run it back next week.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. But yeah, 20 ten's a good. a pretty decent format, but I, if I was playing 2010, I would definitely play Gardevoir. I top 16 nationals that year with Gardevoir.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Nice. Nice. And maybe that explains why you, I was, I was going to say it's, uh, it's astounding that I can say 2010 us nationals. And you're just like instantly, here's all the decks. Here's like, Uh, for format near and dear to a Mike's heart. Good times.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah. You guys want to talk about a little about NIC testing and how it's going.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Um, I've started
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:testing or are you still focused on the current format? Because you got to get through one more weekend.
Computer Audio-2:Well, now this, this weekend has new format. So. the cup I'm going to in DC, does. Yeah. So I I'm, I'm really just starting to think about it. I'm a couple days in. but Kidden, you've probably been thinking about it. More than I have. amount.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:several hours of games last night at the railing.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. Yeah. Were testing with Liam yesterday. And, um, some initial takeaways. So, so far. I've tested. Um, mew Scalibor, Um, lost box and Lugia Colorless Lugia. And so I'll kind of just go through with a few of my takeaways on some of those decks. Um, first of all, mew, I played primarily the DTE version. Because I I still think the DT version is better than fusion Mew. Um, it's definitely worse against Spiritomb, but I think if you're expecting Spiritomb you just shouldn't play mew. Um, period. So I, I would not, I would not go in with fusion mew thinking, oh, I can just beat everyone's spirit tombs and drape beyonds because it's, it's not gonna be. It's not gonna be good. So I've been playing, um, DTM U Um, it's felt pretty strong. Um, actually quite strong keep pace with most of the meta. Um, Has a little bit of trouble with back scalibor, but it's not too bad to be honest. And it's biggest problem Isum If someone's running Spira tube, um, it is. Very very hard to play the game. Um, just like how if someone ran Kke last format. Um, it was also near impossible to play the game. Um, if anyone's running Spirit team, it's almost a sure loss. Uh, so I would say. Mew for NAIC is a very, it's a very strong deck. Um, but I would say a risky medical. I would probably only pick it. If I felt confident that there wasn't gonna be much. spirit to, Um, Th As for, uh, Lugia, I've done some testing with Carlos Lugia. Carlos Lugia feels fantastic. Very consistent. I've been running it with four jet energy. Um, which has felt frankly amazing just for maneuverability. Um, I, I think one of the biggest thing that stood out to me with Kless Lugia is its lack of reliance on Archeops in the early turns. Like oftentimes you can just get attacking and running now that you have the four DT and Snorlax as a primary attacker. Like oftentimes you can get attacking and running without. Without two Archy ops and you can be completely okay. Um, hit Getting two arch Archeops on turn three and that's not a problem in the same way it has been within previous decks and previous iterations of Lugia. That's a pretty big plus. Yeah. Yeah, it, it's really big cuz also you can go if you just get DT energy on Snorlax and swing with it turn two, no Archeops needed. And then the following turn you get Archeops you can just throw a therapeutic energy on. To heal off that sleep. Um, Right. You don't have to have the therapeutic energy on when you attack with the Snorlax, you can put it on after. Um, So I, this has felt very good. I haven't. done testing with single strike. Um, but I imagine it's still strong. Probably better against me. Um, Probably worse against Spec Scalibor. Um, maybe I don't know. Uh, but I I would need to do some more testing with single strike that's on my list. Uh, lost box feels. Very good. Um, as always, I think Lost box is gonna be good until, until the day it rotates. Um, It's super odd is a huge addition. Um, and WNO is pretty scary. Um, it's not that much worse than judge besides on the last turn. Um, and you can usually thin your deck enough to play around it at that point, at least that's the hope. Um, Io. Yeah. IO is definitely spooky for Lost box, but it's still a very strong contender. Um, I personally have been liking the turbo version. Um, I don't think you necessarily need kayo, Um, But if definitely, I think Kay Kayo, the big matchup, or Kira is better is against Lugia. So if you think there's gonna be a lot of Lugia, um, then I would probably lean into, uh, That'll probably lean into Kiger. but part of the reason why I'm, I don't really wanna play Kiger is because, um, I think a lot, basically everyone's gonna be running Manaphy. Um, largely due to, and potentially even two Manaphy largely due to also the introduction of back scalibor. um, and back Scalibor has been the deck I've probably done the most reps with. And honestly, I went in thinking it was gonna be. I. Not that good. Um, but it has felt frankly phenomenal. Um, The consistency with which you can hit turn to ninja. is kind of insane. Um, I've been running it with Palkia I've been running Gem Pal Palkia. And it has felt. Very oppressive and very, very strong. Um, so would highly recommend what was up
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:to two Palkia.
Computer Audio-2:Tutu, Palkia and I, my I'm currently going with a 10 water energy for SCR, uh, for superior energy retrieval. Um, which has felt. Correct. Largely. I I've seen people running three, um, superior energy retrieval, but I, I think. I, It's really important, especially on those early turns to just raw draw into it. Um, Like I've found that in a lot of match-ups you kind of have to raw draw into a Superior energy retrieval turn. Like three or four. In order to keep going in the game. Um, And running four just maximizes your odds for that, but the deck feels insane. Uh, IITA as always is a completely bonkers supporter. And makes the deck function. So, this is definitely my top choice right now, although that's very subject to change in. there are a lot of decks. I haven't. Tested and some match-ups I haven't tested with that. Um, haven't, haven't touched guard yet. Reversal guard seems interesting. Um, I'm, well, I I don't know if it's gonna be quite good enough. Uh, I think potentially standard guardian might just be better. Yeah. That's sort of where I'm at right now. So. Backs calibur. Are you playing cross switchers, cologne or no? Yes. Uh, I think you kind of have to run cross switchers, cologne. Um, uh, I think a lot of match-ups become, like, I think you lose to guardian if you don't run them. Mm-hmm. I think you have a hard time with lost box. If you're not running it. Uh, so I I think you kind of have to run CrossFitters cologne. Yeah. No, that makes sense. I uh, I played three games on ladder today with Guard and three games in a row. I queued into Bsca. Well, one of them didn't run back sc, It was just like Palkia Champa, which I thought was cool. Um, And all three games, they got Turn to Cross Switch or Cologne, gritt, And I was like, Come on. you can't like,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Thinking about the me.
Computer Audio-2:It gives you That consistent Of getting that combo, like, right. It's not that consistent getting it turned two. right. Well, Um, So it depends. I've been hitting it pretty consistently as well. Like, like not, not every time, but like, About as often as you hit turn to attack with Melo, Etta With fusion mew. Okay. Like I've been hitting it about that
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:mean that can't be true.
Computer Audio-2:to whether or not you o open
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:cards. How can that be true? Like when you era, you could only get one piece, man.
Computer Audio-2:Well, but you keep in mind, you have Greninja draw. Um, so you're seeing four extra cards just off of ninja each turn. You also have a surprising amount of deck then, Um, to just churn pieces out of your deck. And if you're going, if you're going second, you get Two. Here it is. So are you playing poke stops? I'm running pokey stop as well. Okay. Which is also helps with that yeah, Poke stops probably pretty uh, important for that. Yeah. I feel like going second. It's actually much more. Like going second. is reasonable. To pull it off. If if you're going first, that's like, I I think it's probably really hard. but second.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:just trying to everything.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. Yeah. I'm also running the birol. Um, yeah. Yeah, yeah. of course I'm running Birol of course, which helps also helps just finding cards to, to. for that turn too. Uh, but yeah, I've found if you hit, if you have v i p pass in your hand, turn one. Um, you're gonna be seeing a lot of cards. Yeah. So makes sense. Yeah. It feels like as guardy, it feels like if they get that. Combo off on turn two. like, you just can't win. Yeah. Like you need so much, you need so much to go right for you the rest of the game. And. Like two of your, your. two of your draw cards are just gone immediately. That's like the biggest part. Um, In order to pull off like the combos later on, you can't do it without. Without your draw engine.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah. Maybe if all your routes and Kirlia is there in the discard that. And can you win?
Computer Audio-2:Yeah, I did. One of them added insult to injury. He also got the lost city turned too. And I was like, come on. dude. Yeah, That's that's, that's insane. But like, I feel like, I feel like you have to run Poka. Stop cuz. um, like maybe you play like one less city. But yeah, the Poka stop probably helps the consistency of that. Really good. of like also there aren't that many resources that like really burn to discard. And this is another reason why I'm running the four superior energy retrieval. is because I've been pokey stopping very aggressively. Mm-hmm. Um, and it's felt you play. Do you play one super Rod? No super Rod. Okay. You could do, like if you were really worried about Poco Stop Discards, you could play one of those, I guess, too. but Yeah. probably not. Oh, Oh, yeah, for sure. The other big one, the other big thing to keep in mind against decks, like especially guardian, not as, quite as much Lost box, but it still matters against Lost box, but. Even if you don't get the turn two or turn three, like Cross Switch or cologne ninja play. They still had to put down a Manif turn one. Just in turn one, turn two. Just in fear of that.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:problem is when you, like, when every day feels like the first thing they have to do is go get a Manaphy man. That's sucks. Like the sucks for last box sucks for Gardy like And it's both the resources of going to get it. And it's the bench space. Like it's just a hassle, you know,
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. So I. I think, um, I think back Scalibor is so far my preliminary testing has felt really, really strong and it's definitely. That that and Lugia are my two top choices right now. But again, I still haven't. I have not tested Garda yet. So, I mean, guard definitely feels really good. Um, overall. Yeah. But it's not like it's, it's honestly not. Leagues and leagues better than it was in the last format. Like, I don't know. super Rod Definitely helped, but it's not like this, like the, the fundamental issues with the deck are still there. Like it still takes. A turn or two to get going, like, uh, some of the match-ups are pretty dependent on you getting the turn two candy guard, Like the lost box matchup is just still significantly better. With, with candy Guard IO Only helps so much. Um, Being able to chain iOS is pretty. Can, can be pretty good though. Like, it just means that. Your opponents are more likely to whiff and, you know, lose a a tempo. At some point throughout the game. But yeah. Idea that just off no head. Is it worth adding back in the IDA To guard running one yita? Oh, Maybe. Like, like on the ee Manaphy or if they're not playing. if They're not playing backs or like Lost box. You can also just grab the ninja. Yeah. And being able to grab that candy turn one doesn't seem horrible. I don't know. Maybe something worth testing just popped into my head. Yeah, it seems reasonable for sure. There's some games like where you have lumon or ultra ball in hand. And you're like, I don't really wanna research, but like I have to research and like Ida could be good sometimes in those situations for sure. And it's obviously just good to draw it. Uh, Naturally, especially when you're going second. Find the VIP pass. Also one thing. that Liam said to me last night, that really resonated with me. Is, and this is slightly off topic, but on the topic of Spiritomb. Um, Spiritomb is frankly just in a really good space right now, even outside of, uh, even outside of mew. Like if, if you can afford to run it, throwing it down against. a deck like, like, um, like Lugia or a little bit guardian, not as much guardian, the big one's Lugia. Yeah. If you throw it down against Lugia. Like Lugia is a very lumin Reliant deck. Mm-hmm. Um, so it's, there are a lot of decks that frankly struggle to set up without lumen. So Spiritomb, don't forget. Spiritomb is not just good against Mew. It doesn't just shut off Gen Sec, but it shuts off lumen as well. Yeah. I was watching Maho was streaming today. Some. In real life. Uh, games and he was playing Spiritomb in guard. Mostly for the ME matchup, but when he was playing against Lugia, He really prioritized getting it down. at, you know, certain key points and you're right. It, it especially shuts off. Lucia's uh, ability to gust, um, whenever it wants, and that can be particularly important. In the Gardy versus Lugia matchup cuz you often, the way that guardian loses is getting guardian Ex boss. ked At the wrong time. And so if you can, spirit tune prevents that. Like that's pretty, that's pretty strong for sure.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:It's like a poor man's path when you Iona somebody. Right.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. Yeah. That too.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Like a bowl card, doesn't become an out.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. Uh, Caden, you're lu, your colorless Lugia list. Did it play any like big attacker, like the weirder. I'm running the weird ear. I think you ki I think you have to run the weird ear. I think Lugia needs some weight to one shot. Yeah. Um, so I've been running the weird ear for dt. Uh, for DT has felt great, especially like I was talking about before with not nec being less reliant on Archeops. Turn two. Um, So I the word deer has fell. Pretty important in a lot of match-ups you play drap young too, right? I do have drap young, Yeah. Yeah. I feel like drap Young's, I feel like you have to play drap beyond in that because. It's obviously you don't have a, you don't have a way to one shot you or guard X without it. I mean, you have the weirder, but like it gives you a second way. And that was, that's like such a big draw. of The single strike person. Is that you have evil, tall and two Tyranitar? avatars. So like those match-ups have pretty good coverage because of that. Yeah, and I think it's very important for people not to forget that DRA Pion is not just good against me, but also you can absolutely just manually power it up. And Gus kill Aard. and that is a pivotal part of why you were in dra Pion. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I will say though, that is one thing that the deck has, the deck has felt like it's been lacking. Dark attackers. Dark is just such a good type right now. Um, And, and I definitely missed having two tiar and a yal for just a plethora of, uh, attackers. Although I have been running. Um, the one Roseanne's in, in my LucMetal list, just to be able to grab back stuff like the drape on, Um, It gets back into as as you do. Yeah. It's really, Yeah, it gets back energy. gets back the sta the stadium, like it's just good card. Cool. Yeah. that's sort of, that's sort of where, where I'm at. Uh, I'm definitely gonna test guard. Um, And I I think. I don't know, I'm torn a lot of decks. Feel really strong right now. And frankly, this, I love it. I'm loving this format. Um, this, this format is a ton of fun. I've been having a blast with a bunch of these decks. Um, I I have a little. Sweet spot in my heart for, for. back caliber in part, cuz I loved Palkia Intel back in the day and and anything that runs Polk and Iita makes me a little happy. So. Back in the day I say like, it was like a few months ago. Are you scared of luck? Are you scared of Luxray at all? Am I scared of Luxray. I mean, Like. A little bit, I think. Um, I think in a best of three format, I'm a little less scared of it. Especially since Berg finishes games pretty fast. Mm-hmm. With, With Greninja and with just being able to one shot stuff. So, and so I feel pretty confident I can play around Luxray. If I know they have it in their deck. And even if they gust one shot like a bulky or something, I'm not that worried about it. It's it's fine. Um, It's definitely a little scary though. Yeah. I'm more scared of it with Lugia, to be honest. Like if Against Lugia. If they throw it down and get that KO Turn two on my, on my Lugia. I'm just crippled. you. Wait, what do you mean? Wait, get the KO on VStar or something. If I'm swinging with VStar. Oh, you're saying like, as Lugia, you're scared of Jamo or Wait, yeah. No, no. As Lugia, I'm scared of Luxray. Oh, oh, Oh, oh oh. yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. That makes sense.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Is Luxray really good. I know I texted you about this earlier in the week, Mike, like I look at Luxray and I'm like, it seems like it's like this. Super fun, splash, a bull attack or. That absolutely annihilated stuff.
Computer Audio-2:You just gotta be, I mean, like the only decks that I can see it. it have a place in right now is Gardevoir and Lost box to some extent, but like, Lost box, you're not gonna play the reversal energy, right. You're just gonna wait for a moment to play it down in the Mirage gate to it. That's what I've been. I have a Luxray on my deck and that's what I've been doing. Yeah. Yeah. It felt solid. You just have no way to search it, though, right? You have no way to search the Luxray. Yeah, but you see so many cards in lost box that it's. Not a huge problem. And worse, If worse comes to worse, you always do have. have seal stone, but I mean, of course you would rather not seal stone for it. True. Brandon. you still there?
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yep.
Computer Audio-2:Okay. Your video's like very, uh, paused.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:York city hotels. What up?
Computer Audio-2:Just making sure that we're still recording. Um, Yeah. So I. I would say, definitely give back. Scalibor a try. Um, but yeah, I'm pretty, I'm pretty interested in, it. I played a little bit of games with it. I haven't played any with the Palkia. In the deck, I've just played it straight. I saw some people playing uh, Arceus in it as well. I think like Alex sch Mansky, and. Uh, someone else did well in the late night. Last week with that. Have you tried any Arceus in there? I have not, I've been playing pretty much solo. I played a little bit of straight and then pretty quickly pivoted to the Paul Key version. Um, Yeah, because also the other great thing about the Palkia aversion is Um, I've been, I've found that it makes hitting turn two ninja, like actually substantially easier. Um, cuz if, if I can star portal for turn two ninja, I'm gonna do that. And it works out pretty well. Yeah. Yeah. No, that makes sense.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Although I could see how, like, Archeops like, if you're looking for a way to get a lot of energy on board really fast. Here's a fairly hard to kill attack or they get the tons of energy on the board. Super fast.
Computer Audio-2:Well, ar I, I don't even think they, they use the Archeops for that because Arceus can only attach to V Pokegear mod.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Right.
Computer Audio-2:So. I think they just use it for Starr pretty much. Which is very fair to be honest. Mm-hmm. Like I. I will say though, having Polk as an attacking option. Is really, really good. Um, And, and I guess you can also attack with rcs, but. I. well, hmm, yeah. Okay. I don't actually hate the rcs. I, I'm gonna give that a try. Yeah. Yeah. That seems actually, pr, that seems quite good. Definitely worth trying. Yeah.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah.
Computer Audio-2:Um, One of the interesting things about Gardevoir that I've found is that I feel like there's way too many good cards to put in Gardevoir right now. Um, Like there's a lot, like even just stadiums, there's like three or four good stadiums you could play. And I feel like what you decide for your stadiums is largely reliant on. Like how you build the rest of your deck. Like if you include the minion, you probably wanna keep collab stadium in the deck. Um, If you want to play drift loon, you have to play champions festival. If you, you know, are taking a a week or Lugia matchup, um, You or you are taking a weaker Lugia matchup if you don't play Temple of cno. So if you don't play Temple, maybe you wanna play sky seal stone. So I feel like there's a lot of interesting, like, uh, deck building decision making, especially when it comes around to the stadiums and how it affects uh, the rest of the cards. that you play. Yeah. Which is cool. Yeah. Guardian is definitely interesting. I'm looking forward to testing it. It's next on my docket. So.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Is there anything else? I feel like a, this puts people at a pretty good place for, uh, uh, this weekend.
Computer Audio-2:Yeah. Yeah, we talked about pretty much, all of the, like the top five-ish decks or so the only other deck. The other deck, that's in kinda like the same popularity as the other decks that we talked about. Um, is actually like Giratina. lost box. I feel like it did get some buffs in this set with Jet energy and, um, I don't know, I've played against a decent amount on ladder. and they seem,
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:if you. You play against so good.
Computer Audio-2:Um, and they're, they've been playing, um, two Roxanne with paths to the peaks and, um, that's pretty good against. Guardian or it has been cuz you have the, you know, the regular pressure of a, of a lost box deck, but you. you do have the Giratina, Um, to threaten. You know. a k uh, Pretty much a KO on a guardian X And then you have Roxanne path at the end as well. It's been, um, It's been pretty tough. Ultimately it's probably just too weak against other loss zone decks. Um, But. It is interesting that it is a little bit better. I think it's the debt. It's the. loss zone deck that gains the most from jet energy, for sure. Which is not nothing to. Jet. Energy's a really good card. So, yeah. I have been loving jet energy. really cool. Also important thing because I, I know most people probably wouldn't make this mistake, but I made this mistake when I first, um, when I first played, with it. Um, wordier for Lugia, uh, wordier is just any way you go into the active, not just if you hard retreat. So if you play switch or use jet energy, that works for the purposes of wordier ability. Good to know. I got, I I have my league this week on Wednesday, so I'm excited to, to play games. I r l in this format. that'll be my first time playing. In real life with, with new cards.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:Yeah. All right. The last question I had about a prepping is do you think people will play a lot of Spiritomb.
Computer Audio-2:Well, my answer to this a few days ago, was gonna be. Um, I think Puerto Rico will largely decide that. But given how that's looking. Um, I think. I think the answer is. No, I don't. I think a lot of people will end up cutting it. Um, Maybe not. Yeah. I don't really know. I think part, part of me want, wants there to be no, no, Spirit too. But I will probably not be running. spirit too. I feel like, um, There's like a few decks that are obviously more likely to play. Beard tomb. Um, like, I don't think lost, there's no way like a lost box. is gonna play beard tomb, or at least I can't imagine. Um, But like Gardevoir and Archist decks. I feel like are the two ones to watch. Um, because those are just the decks that have the most difficult new match-ups. Um, and G War in particular, it seems quite good. cuz you can fog crystal for it. Um, it's just very like you play all of this ball search that finds it anyway. Uh, so it's really easy to find in Gardevoir. Uh, and. And like we talked about before, it also is pretty good against Lugia. So. Yeah. Guardia's probably the one deck, I would really heavily consider running. it. Yeah. yeah, Right. Exactly. It's. not a staple in guard for sure. Like I said, there's a lot of good cards you could play. But I wouldn't be surprised if like, 40 to 50% of guards had it. Maybe that's a little high, but I dunno, between one third and one half. Of guard DeVores will probably play spirit too. That would be. My guess. Yeah. I mean, the promise of getting, of just being able to throw in one card and then forgetting about an Entire matchup is very promising. Yeah.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:But I recognize what people really want to do is say I'm going to throw a zero cards in and forget about that entire matchup, because nobody's going to run that deck because they're scared of. Is doing it right.
Computer Audio-2:Yep. That, yeah. I will say if you're Lugia and you see your, your opposing guard throw down a Spiritomb. They almost certainly do not run Skys seal. Mm-hmm. They're almost certainly running four seal stone because running Spiritomb and Skys seal feels at least in like intuitively very redundant to me. Yeah. That's a lot of respect for Lugia. Yeah. Yeah, I agree. The stone thing is actually interesting in Gardevoir because. Like a lot of the lists that I've seen in this format don't run any, they don't run forest or sky. Uh, so. I don't know. I don't really know what the deal with that is, I guess, cuz you're maybe, cuz you're only running one Zacian and a lot of people have been cutting lumin on as well. So they're just less targets, but lum minion's still like pretty broken. I'm pretty sure I would still play Lumin on. Yeah. Yeah. I will say if people are running one Zacian. Um, especially in decks like meu, Um, running Lost City becomes fantastic. If you can lost city to Zacian as like a big tanky deck, it's a little less impactful than it was if they ran one Zacian last form because the reversal energy, if they're running it. So that their, their guardian can actually one, their baby guardian can actually one shot, but, um, getting, getting that zaine in the loss zone is pretty, pretty solid. that makes Yeah.
MacBook Pro Microphone-1:All right guys. Good stuff. We've given people something to chew on. Uh, um, next week obviously will be the real, real, real, uh, prep for an AIC episode. Hopefully Mike will have a ticket.
Computer Audio-2:Hopefully.