Carl’s Cache: My “Noble Victory” + Who needs Ninetales?

pokevault.comHello 6P.com and welcome to another edition of Carl’s Cache. This article is going to be on my Regionals Tournament and that’s pretty much it.

I started my actual testing, mainly with David Cook, about a two weeks before Regionals. After having a strong showing at a BR and overall good results with my MegaJudge list, I was pretty set on that deck. Unfortunately, the more testing I did, despite trying various ideas, I found I couldn’t get consistent wins against TyRam and ZPST, so I decided to abandon the deck.

Later on I decided to try TyRam w/ Kingdra, not anticipating it would work. However, it tested very well and I knew I had found my Regionals deck. Unfortunately, the deck had some inherent weaknesses, such as Gothitelle and Ross.Dec, so after reading about various techs I added in a Bellsprout and 2 Rescue Energy to help in those matchups, after taking some advice from Matt Nawal.

So, I sleeved up my deck in my Skyla Sleeves that I had “saved” specifically for the event, and we’re on our way.

Round One v. Timothy K w/ ReshiBoar

We flip over our basics, and I see a Tepig and Reshiram. “Really? Round One?” Luckily his start is iffy at best and I’m able to KO all of his Tepigs. Unfortunately he is constantly using Pokémon Catcher on my basic Cyndaquils for his prizes.

I end up coming back and get it to the point where his only chance of winning is hitting a DCE and either a 3rd Pokémon Catcher or a 4th Junk Arm, both of which aren’t typically played in high counts in ReshiBoar. Of course he plays a high Catcher count, and hits the DCE off of a PONT for the win. GG.

So, I’m 0-1 and already in danger of having to win out (heaven forbid I put myself in a good position to top cut) and I’m at a table so low it isn’t even COLORED… Not good.

Round Two v ??? (but he was super nice) w/ Stage One Rush (Zoroark/Donphan/Yanmega)

pokebeach.comMy start is absolute crud, and he gets like a turn two Yanmega and Donphan. I was able to stall a little bit with a Pokémon Catcher on a Phanpy. We then Eeek, and draw/pass for a while, but he eventually gets aggressive and KOs a Horsea and a Cyndaquil.

At some point he takes 2 Prizes instead of one, which gets me a prize penalty. I’m able to come back, and get set up. My end game then consisted of using Flare Destroy on his energies on Donphans and 1HKOing Zoroarks/Yanmegas, which was just enough to get me the win by a prize. GG.

1-1

Round Three v. Why can’t I remember names (really nice guy too) w/ Beartic/Floatzel/Blastoise

We flip over basics, and I realize he is playing a deck designed just to beat mine. :(

We both get bad starts and the game is Eeek, draw, pass for a while. Once we were set up, though, his whole deck was in 1HKO range because I played Kingdra. That is exactly what happened, not all that exciting. Really good game, but just a standard prize exchange.

2-1

Round Four v. I will never remember names (local kid) w/ Ross.Dec w/ Beartic

FINALLY! I hit a deck that I overteched for. I was really scared early, he got a turn two Beartic attacking and Vileplume, but no Reuniclus or hand. This allowed me to bring up a Duosion with Bellsprout TM one turn, retreat, and KO Duosion. Then I brought up his Solosis and got another KO. Then he couldn’t move damage anymore. Not that close, but scared me a ton early game.

So, I was 3-1 and was in decent position to cut once I confirmed with Chris Fulop that all 6-2’s would cut, except maybe one.

Round Five v. Issac Sores w/ MewLock

pokebeach.com

YAY, MY FIRST GAME AT DOUBLE DIGIT TABLES. :)

So we flip over and I was pretty confident in the matchup against the deck – the Typhlosions KO’d his Mews, and if I got setup the Muk wasn’t a problem. The problem in this game was my Cleffa stayed asleep for five turns and I had SCD (Severe Clumping Disorder) and never got a deck search. Once I get “setup,” relatively, I storm back, but I just ran out of steam. GG.

3-2

So, I KNOW that I have to win out. not the most thrilling idea ever ,but it was onto Round 6.

Round Six v. Colin Peterik w/ Ross.Dec

This was an insanely intense game, we both set up and Eeek for a long time. While Eeking I setup KOs on his bench with Kingdra Prime, while slowly building up a Reshiram. I end up getting a 4 Prize lead before he gets going, but he whiffs on a Rainbow Energy. Also, by using Bellsprout to drag up and kill a Reuniclus he ran out of places to put damage from ESL. GG.

4-2

Round Seven v. I can’t even remember locals names now w/ MegaZone

This was a great game, I get a good setup, but don’t get many KOs because he KOs my Kingdra and Horseas instantly. He also KOs my Reshiram using THREE energy, very key. I began counting his energies and using Pokémon Catcher to Flare Destroy and eventually run him out of energies. At the end he only has one thing that can attack, Yanmega Prime, and I just drag it up and Blue Flare, essentially for game. I end up completing the 4 Prize rally two turns after that.

5-2

That was another close, great game. To me, it proved that TyRam required at least some skill to run, and I now love my Typhlosion Primes.

Round Eight v. David Brown w/ Stage One Rush (Donphan/Yanmega/Zoroark/Zekrom)

pokebeach.comThis was a battle of attrition. We both drew dead most of the game, but I kept using some stalling tactics to deny him prizes. At some point he whiffs on energy for a while and I just Outraged for my last prizes. GG.

I really didn’t want to win my last game like that, but he did say that I just grinded through the early part and came back (I got down by 2 Prizes) so my deck just got through it. Kind of like a running game in football, I guess.

6-2

So, I get into T32 and get my matchup, Gothitelle. :)

T32 v. Bryan Le w/ Gothitelle

Game One

I get a good start and get out 2 Typhos and 2 Kingdras plus a Reshiram and just steamroll. Especially once I was able to bring up a Reuniclus and ran him out of damage slots even with Blissey Prime.

Game Two

No stage ones prized, but I couldn’t draw into them. My bench was 4 Cyndaquil and 2 Horsea :(

Game Three

He gets a bad start, lots of Solosis, and I just get aggressive early on against a lone Goth. He whiffs on Reuniclus and has no chance.

So, we end up having T16 on Sunday, and nothing exciting really happened.

It stunk to KO a friend, but I overteched for it and it worked.

T16 v. Amanda Salienk (not sure if I got last name right) w/ TyRam w/ Kingdra Prime

pokebeach.comShe goes first both games, but never sets up in either and I got pretty good starts, so I swept her.

I learn after (from Matt) that apparently she looked at the list of top 16, and was ticked she lost to me because I was the least qualified to win. Not going to lie, that made my day when I heard that. :)

Skinny white kid in muscle shirt and shorts for the win. :)

T8 v. Pooka w/ TyRam

As promotion for the site, I’m not going to post a report for this match. The Top Cut will have it up on their site at some point.

T4 v. Jack Iler w/ TyRam

Another Ohioan friend. :(

When we flip over, I remark, “Am I the only one…” and he replies “Not playing Ninetales? Yes.” That was funny. My memory is a bit fuzzy but game one I’m pretty sure I just got the initial lead and held it throughout the match.

The next game I won (I can’t remember if he won game two or not), but he gets nothing the entire game and I just setup. GJ on top 4 Jack.

T2 v. My memory is really bad w/ Donphan/Zoroark/Zekrom/Tornadus

This match will be on The Top Cut as well.

I ended up winning Regionals :)

I was pretty pumped and it was just awesome, I’m pretty sure I had about 20 people open packs for me, so that was fun too. Megan got 7th and Beckett P. from Ohio got 2nd in Jrs. Austin H won in Srs, and I won in Masters, so we were close to getting a sweep. ;)

Props

• Ohio people for cheering me on, it was pretty cool.
• Matt telling me to just keep winning and his deck advice (as always).
• Really good packs.
• John Lathem pulling a FA Victini in the packs I gave him. Without him I wouldn’t be playing this game, so big shout out to him.
• Other awesome OH people/friends I saw:

• Reed, Henry, Zele, Austin, Ty, Tad, Beckett, Matt, Adler, Jake, Austin, Kim, Mike, Jack, Jacob, John, Mike Collins (who DIDN’T kill me despite having to judge all my top 16 matches :P), Moms of players, Joey, Megan, David, Dan, Ryan and Alex (sadly they couldn’t make it) :(, AJ, Misplay Mike, Chance, Andrew, Shawn, and Chris. :) Hopefully I didn’t forget anybody, but shout outs to everybody.

Great event run by Derek

Pooka!!!

Slops:

• Venue, other than seating wasn’t the best.
• Literally no VGC.
• Joey bubbling out @ 17th in Seniors.
• Not much to complain about.

After some debating, here’s my list:

Pokémon – 21 4 Cyndaquil HS 2 Quilava HS 4 Typhlosion Prime 2 Horsea UL 1 Seadra UL 2 Kingdra Prime 1 Bellsprout TM 1 Cleffa HS/CL 4 Reshiram BLW

Trainers – 26 4 Pokémon Collector 4 Pokémon Communication 4 Rare Candy 2 Pokémon Catcher 2 Junk Arm 1 Switch 1 Energy Retrieval 3 Sage’s Training 3 Professor Juniper 2 Professor Oak’s New Theory

Energy – 13 11 R 2 Rescue

So, there you have it! ;)