Well let me start this article off by simply introducing myself. My name is Oscar Morales I’m from California, and I’m a 23 year old college student who works full time, attends classes part time, goes out during the night time and plays Pokémon the rest of the time. But enough about me. Let’s get to the reason why you all decided to click on this page, the tournament report and decklist.
After a rather disappointing week one for me, I wasn’t in the most pleasant of moods, I had gone 5-3 at the California state championships and placed really low to say the least. So I start texting one of my Poké-friends around midday Friday and find out he is willing to give me a ride all the way to Arizona since he’s going anyway (thank you Kenny) so I immediately start thinking about what deck to run and what changes I can make to my current list.
After contemplating Luxchomp, Sablelock, and Dialgachomp I decide on using Dialgachomp after learning that both Pooka and Con Lee topped week 1 with their own Dialga variants.
So after several hours of deep thought and analyzing where my deck went wrong during week 1 this turns out being my final list, and I’ll explain why I chose some cards and why that certain quantity seeing as how my Dialgachomp build differs from the norm.
| Pokémon – 19
2 Dialga G |
Trainers – 28
4 Cyrus’s Conspiracy |
Energy – 13 |
Pokémon
pokemon-paradijs.comDialga G LV.X
I chose a 2-2 line where most decks stick to 3-1 for turn 1 Deafens or 2-1 for extra tech room, but I decided 2-2 was best to help combat the phantom menace known as Vilegar since I only run 2 Power Spray in my deck so chances are my Dialga would be Level Downed by Gengar LV.X this always gave me a chance to draw into DGX faster.
Garchomp C LV.X
Honestly the one deck that influenced me the most when making this deck was Luxchomp. As you can see I don’t even tech stadiums in this deck to combat Lostgar or Gyarados because honestly like it or not Luxchomp is BDIF right now and the one thing that keeps Dialgachomp from topping most times is the sheer speed at which Luxchomp can set up compared to Dialgachomp so I decided on a 3-1 line to help me in the Garchomp/Dragonite/Ambipom battle
Dragonite FB/Ambipom G/Toxicroak G
Now many of you may be thinking that all 3 of these Luxchomp counters + a 3-1 Garchomp C LV.X line is overkill but I believe them to be necessary since Dialgachomp looses in speed so it has to make up for it by keeping up in the prize exchange once it gets started.
All other Pokémon are standard in any Dialgachomp list so I will skip those.
Trainers/Supporters/Stadiums
The basic SP engine and Consistency Cards are present but I’ll only go over the odd choices so as to defend myself and my crazy ideas!
Junk Arm/VS Seeker
I find it necessary I should start with both of these cards as they are the two cards that influenced my trainer line up the most with both of these present I’m allowed to only run 1-of some supporters such as Looker’s, Bebe’s, Aaron’s, and Twins. The Junk Arm also helps in dropping some trainer counts, that’s why I only run three energy gain, two SP radar, two Power Spray, and 1 Expert Belt also when needed Junk Arm can empty your hand of useless techs to get something useful such as a fifth Poké Turn!
pokebeach.comPremier Ball/Pokémon Communication/Bebe’s/Aaron’s/SP Radar
I find 2 premier Ball and Pokémon Communication helped this deck out a lot since I only played 1 Garchomp C LV.X between these cards I was Guaranteed to nab it whenever I needed it. Premier Balls also help to recover a Knocked Out Pokémon as does Aaron’s Collection which are both necessary to recover my lone Garchomp C LV.X
Twins
This card is so terribly underrated especially in Dialgachomp! Chances are that in any major tourney your bound to face at least two Luxchomps and maybe a Gyarados that alone condones the use of Twins both are decks that can out speed you, this is where you turn both of those decks speed against them, it’s so helpful to be able to search out two DCE with twins and keep up with the prize exchange against Luxchomp or to search out your single Expert Belt against Gyarados or two of anything you need for that specific match. And one is all the deck needs since its searchable by Cyrus not to mention all the Twins shenanigans you can commit with VS Seeker and Junk Arm.
Looker’s Investigation
A near staple in Dialgachomp, deafen for a couple turns followed by Looker’s say goodbye to all your stockpiled trainers!
Everything else is self-explanatory including the energy line up, nothing too flashy there.
Tournament Report
We leave California at Midnight and arrive in Arizona at 6 am. By we I mean 2 masters (Kenny and I) and 2 Seniors (Josh and Kristy). By this time we’ve all been awake for at least 24 hours. Needless to say we eat breakfast make last minute preparations, register and start round 1!
Attendance is announced at 82 for masters so we’re gonna go 7 rounds and a top cut of 16.
Round 1 vs. Joseph with Luxchomp
He starts Unown Q to my Garchomp C immediately we both cringed at the sight, I hate to start a tournament on such a sour note, he can’t do anything so he passes throughout this whole move I felt like a jerk, I collector for Uxie, Unown Q and that’s it why drag it out longer? I quick onto Garchomp C use set up with Uxie attach an energy to him and psychic restore for the win. I offered a friendly he refused and I didn’t pursue the matter any further I would probably have done the same if I were on the receiving end of that.
1-0
Round 2 vs. Zachary with Sablelock
pokebeach.comThis match is the proof that karma does exist and oh boy does it!! I start off with Dialga G and Lucario GL I believe to his Sableye and I forgot what else but he turn 1 impersonates for a collector and grabs Chatot G, Murkrow, and Garchomp C. I start horribly, 2 Pokéturns, Power Spray, Junk arm, and Energy Gain I believe no Energy or Supporters.
He notices I don’t attach an Energy and pounces on the opportunity to disrupt all i can remember is that 4 turns later and a couple Garchomp C Snipes and Chatot G Drops I’m left with no Pokémon on the bench and he takes a 3rd prize but I’m left with no Pokémon to promote. Karma came back to bite me in the butt!!
1-1
Round 3 vs. ??? Blastgatr
I feel bad he was probably the nicest of all my opponents and I forgot his name. He had a really good Blastgatr deck that could have been better had he run Professor Oaks instead of Bills and Mom’s Kindness. So anyway he starts Spiritomb and Tododile to my Dialga G and Garchomp C. He Darkess Graces into Groconaw and ends.
I start by attaching a special metal and I collector for Bronzong G, Uxie and Crobat G I set Bronzong G and setup with Uxie thats all I could do due to Spiritomb so I pass play. He Bebe’s for Feraligatr evolves sets Squirtle on bench and ends turn. I attach DCE to Dialga G, Cyrus For Cyrus, Poké Turn, Basic Metal and Second Strike for Knock Out he’s left with promoting Feraligatr out.
He Pokémon communications for Blastoise and Rare Candies into Blastoise at which point he puts a DCE on it and Rain Dances two water onto him (Scary Stuff) the rain dances 2 more onto Feraligatr Prime in an attempt to retreat. He’s left with two cards in hand I’m expecting an Uxie but he passes. I build up a DGX and search a Garchomp C LV.X with premier ball and I cyrus for a Cyrus, Power Spray, and Metal I second Strike for 50.
He then attempts to Uxie I spray he ends. I add 1 more metal and remove lost I hit tails. He draws into bill attaches, retreats to Blastoise and washes out Bronzong G for the KO. I Flash Bite for the Knock Out on Feraligatr he then cant set up anymore with rain dance so its only a matter of turns till I take out the Blastoise as well with both DGX and Garchomp C LV.X.
2-1
Lunch Break by this time it was 1 o’clock and all of us in our group were 2-1 and on our 30th hour without sleep, it was hell!
After a quick bite to eat we continue on through.
Round 4 vs. Desmond with Sablelock
I setup turn 2 DGX with Belt, he sets up turn 3 Honchkrow from Supreme Victors and Knocks Out my Belted DGX im down by 2 Prizes. I sacrifice My Ambipom G by taking a turn to tail code the DCE over to an Azelf a move which ultimately wins me the match. He Galactic Switches a dark energy over to Honchkrow and attaches a psychic to Knock Out Ambipom.
I flash bite Honchkrow I Cyrus for twins and Poké Turn and I rush Honchkrow. He shuffles my hand away sends out Crobat G and ends, sucks because I had twins. I retreat get out Uxie X Warp and send out powered up Dragonite thanks to trade off, lookers his hand away and KO his Crobat. He Starts Setting up Garchomp and I believe he earthquakes for KO. I follow it up by Sending up My Garchomp C and Earthquake.
He Giratina Drops and I top deck into 2 DCE Cyrus and Premier Ball. After This he can’t keep up with my SP hate deck and we get called into time we’re at 1-2 Prizes in my favor and he’s staring down a Dragonite FB a Garchomp C and Uxie X with DCE and Energy Gain in hand. He dragon rushes Garchomp C and I respond with Drogonite FB. Best game I’d Had in a while! Thanks for an awesome game!
3-1
Round 5 vs. Kim with Speed Gyarados
I believe he’s a tournament organizer from Northern California we wish each other best of luck and begin, now theoritically this is a match I should be dreading DGX’s tanking ability cannot keep up with base damage 90, so far I’m 3-0 against Gyarados in competitive play so I have ways of playing around it.
Luckily he can’t set up for the first couple of turns and it becomes a really long drawn out game due to deafen and power spray I keep his Magikarp in hand. The 1 turn I take to break the lock he explodes and starts swinging for 60 I get a prize but I start using all my resources to keep him from getting a single prize. He finally takes one and time is called at 5-5 Prizes (I know thats how slow and well thought out of a match it was on both our parts).
I tried to keep him from getting another prize because all I needed was one final dragon rush on any benched Pokémon to get the win but in the end it was a misplay on his part that won me the match. Instead of Knocking Out my Garchomp C LV.X with 60 damage on it already he regi moved it away to toss his last Magikarp guaranteeing me the win by sending out my DGX which couldn’t get Knocked Out that turn and allowing me the dragon rush the turn after. Really good game sir!!
So at this point I’m 4-1 and I’m feeling really good about myself having won two really well fought matches. I check up with my friends and both seniors we came with made top cut and my friend Kenny was 3-2 still keeping optimistic of top cutting with good resistance.
Round 6 vs Carmelita with Kingdra/Donphan
Talk about unexpected, the sheer damage output to this deck even though I beat her would get her through the rest of the competitors and her way back into top cut. Well I say unexpected but I myself have made a version of this deck so I knew what to expect.
Honestly the only reason I won is because I sprayed her Uxie Twice leaving her with no cards in hand. She went through four, that’s right four Garchomp C LV.X. I had to use two Premier Balls, Aaron’s Collection, and VS seeker to keep up with her. She had turn 2 Kingdra Prime Belted. I Never let her setup a Donphan and I took out her belted Kigdra all with a combination of dragon rush, flash bite, and earthquake.
5-1
Okay final round in Swiss I knew I was making top cut regardless so I felt a sense of relief and it was this sense of relief combined with it being my 35th hour without sleep that lead to a bunch of sloppy plays that would ultimately lead me to my horrible top 16 opponent because had I won this match up I would’ve faced a different opponent in top cut.
Round 7 vs. Jared with Gengar 
My series of misplays started with me terribly misinterpreting this match up, he played Gengar not Vilegar so I spent alot of resources trying to bring out DGX when I didn’t have to. To give u a look into how grossly I spent my resources I wasted 3 DCE’s in one turn, one on retreating DGX one on junk arm to get back something useless and one on Dragon Rushing….epic fail.
Even with all that though by keeping week support Pokémon out of my bench and using my trainers up I brought it to 1-1. I’m not knocking him down he did well to make such a good deck though GG!
So after a couple minutes standings are shown and both me & Kenny made top cut Im seeded 9th while he is seeded 11th. We are now in zombie mode, so dead without sleep but like always we go on through. And as for the title of this long tournament report 8 of the top 16 players were from California so we invaded!!
Top 16 vs. Matthew with Luxchomp
This is the opponent I regret facing. Continue reading and you will find out why, had it not been for this I probably would’ve advanced to top 8 vs Dialgachomp a match I’ve been practicing constantly, oh well I’ve got California Regionals to look forward too.
Match 1
I completely dominate and take 6 Prizes within 15 minutes to his zero, he draws no supporters.
Match 2
He opts for me to go first I start with a lone Uxie, but my hand is killer Collector, DCE, Special Metal Energy Gain, Warp, and Premier Ball Everything I could hope for I thought I was gonna own again. As soon as I see that he Collectors for Crobat G Uxie and Unown Q, I immediately realize he’s going for the donk and sure enough he does.
Match 3
I opt for him to go first I start with Azelf (a pixie again) My hand is crap DGX, DGX, Metal, Metal, Poké Turn, Poké Turn, I don’t draw into anything, needless to say he donks again.
So I end up getting kicked out in top 16 when I know it was a match I could take with all my SP Hate, but at least my friend Kenny went into top 4 with Luxchomp Congrats man!! And if any of you are wondering top 4 looked like so:
1. Matt With Vilegar
2. Eric Ha with Sablelock
3. Kenny Britton with Luxchomp
4. ??? with Dialgachomp
Thank you to all of you for sticking with me till the end, it might be too long but I try to explain my moves as best as possible. Look forward to future articles from me, I already have an article on testing in my mind! So now for the usual pros ans slops sections :
Pros
Top Cutting
Taking the road less traveled and using Dialgachomp
having overall great opponents and a good time
Everyone in Team Majestix for Topping (Kenny 3rd in Masters, Kristy Top 8 seniors, Josh 2nd Seniors, Me top 16 Masters)
Slops
Getting donked twice in the same match
Not facing a single Vilegar all day
40 + hours without sleep
Hey, nice article. I got dribbled down from the bunch of 4-2’s in my tourney but it was my first States so i was happy anyhoo. BTW what is a “Groconaw ” and a “Drogonite FB?” lol thats pretty funny.
nice to see some dialga chomp list here at 6P, Good luck on regionals or so
good article overall
“The chance to draw into DGX faster…” I don’t know about all that, if you’re relying on top decks to get DGX to break the Trainer lock, lets say you just used your last Power Spray and had to shuffle DGX back in your deck. You have no Bebe’s or Cyrus in your hand and only trainers. You have 30 cards left in your deck. With 3-1 DGX your chance of topping the X is 1/30 or 3%. With a 2-2 line, your chance of topping the X is 2/30, or 6%. This figure is almost insignificant, and certainly doesn’t justify straying from the tried and true 3-1 line. Assuming you play 3-1, that puts you at 16 basics. The chances of opening with a Dialga just jumped up from 12% to 18%. Cut me a slice of that!
Now that I took some time to look back on it those matches did suck. x_x Oh well, you did really well with a solid list. I’ve played Dialga for a long amount of time and it was on my final list of deck choices before I fell in love with Lux again. Good luck at your future tournaments, dude.