Hello and welcome to another episode of Searching Standard, where each and every week I look for new, innovative decks for you to play in Standard. This week, I'm looking at a deck that was recently featured on the YouTube channel of LittleDarkFury. It features Cinderace ex SCR 28, who has a pair of powerful attacks. Let's get started by taking a look at the deck list.
Cinderace ex Deck
LittleDarkFury
Pokemon
1 Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex 141
1 Budew 4
3 Cinderace ex 28
1 Cleffa 80
1 Cornerstone Mask Ogerpon ex 112
1 Fezandipiti ex 38
1 Munkidori 95
2 Pidgeot ex 164
1 Pidgeotto 17
1 Pidgey 162
1 Pidgey 196
1 Raboot 27
3 Scorbunny 26
Trainers
1 Air Balloon 79
1 Artazon 76
4 Arven 186
2 Boss’s Orders 172
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin 101
1 Counter Catcher 160
1 Crispin 105
2 Hilda 84
3 Iono 185
1 Maximum Belt 154
1 Mela 167
1 Nest Ball 84
1 Picnic Basket 184
3 Rare Candy 191
1 Super Rod 188
1 Switch 194
1 Technical Machine: Evolution 178
3 Ultra Ball 91
Energy
2 Basic Darkness Energy
1 Basic Fighting Energy
4 Basic Fire Energy
3 Ignition Energy 86
As I mentioned earlier, Cinderace ex SCR 28 has a pair of powerful attacks you can use. Flare Strike hits for 280 damage, enough to Knock Out most opposing Pokemon with a single attack. The drawback is that you can't use Flare Strike two turns in a row. Cinderace ex SCR 28 also has the Garnet Volley attack, which requires a very specific set of Energy to use. It's nice how this attack deals 180 damage to any of your opponent's Pokemon, including ones on their Bench.
Both Budew PRE 4 and Cleffa OBF 80 are great early game attackers. They both have attacks that require zero Energy to use, and they only provide your opponent with 1 Prize card if they get knocked Out. Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex TWM 141 is great in the late stages of the game. You'll often be able to use its Blood Moon attack for very little Energy, if any, thanks to its Seasoned Skill Ability.
This deck relies on using Pidgeot ex OBF 164's Quick Search Ability to find the cards you need. You likely won't want to attack with Pidgeot ex OBF 164, so try to keep it safe and sound on your Bench.
Against certain opponents, Cornerstone Mask Ogerpon ex TWM 112 will be the best Pokemon in this deck. Its Cornerstone Stance Ability protects it from taking damage from attacks done by an opponent's Pokemon with an Ability. If you do take damage during the match, you can use Munkidori TWM 95's Adrena-Brain Ability to move some of that damage to your opponent's Pokemon. There's also a copy of Fezandipiti ex SFA 38 in this deck, which has the Flip the Script Ability that offers you some extra cards on a turn after you have a Pokemon get Knocked out. This can help catch you back up after suffering a loss.
Since this deck relies on having specific Energy attached to your team, you can rely on this batch of Supporters to help find whatever Energy you are in need of. Crispin PRE 105 helps find 2 different types of Basic Energy, and can help ramp your Energy attachments. Mela PAR 167 acts as both Energy acceleration and card drawing. There's also a pair of Hilda WHT 84 that can help you find specific Evolution and Energy cards.
To make sure you have the Pokemon you need, this deck runs a pretty standard assortment of Trainer cards to help with this. Artazon PAF 76, Buddy-Buddy Poffin PRE 101, and Nest Ball PAF 84 can all help find the Basic Pokemon you need, but be sure to keep in mind their limitations, which are all different from one another. Ultra Ball PAF 91 can be used to find any Pokemon you need, but it's usually best to find an Evolution Pokemon with it.
Since your main attacker is a Stage 2 Pokemon, you'll likely want to use Rare Candy SVI 191 or Technical Machine: Evolution PAR 178 to help speed up evolving as much as you can.
By playing either Boss’s Orders PAL 172 or Counter Catcher PAR 160, you can choose which of your opponent's Pokemon you will be attacking. Choose whichever Pokemon you will benefit most from. Having a Maximum Belt TEF 154 attached allows a Pokemon to deal an extra 50 damage to an opponent's Pokemon ex. This can often allow you to score a Knock Out with a single attack.
There are times when your Active Pokemon has taken damage and you don't want it getting Knocked Out. For those times, you can attach Air Balloon BLK 79 to it, allowing it to Retreat easier. Alternatively, you could simply play Switch SVI 194, swapping it with a Pokemon from your Bench. You could also play Picnic Basket SVI 184, healing all Pokemon in play of 30 damage. This will heal your opponent's Pokemon too, so keep that in mind when playing it.
The final Trainer cards in this deck are generally Standard staples that are found in most decks. Arven OBF 186 is one of the best Supporters that helps you find specific Item and Pokemon Tool cards. Iono PAL 185 resets both players hands, and can often slow down an opponent's momentum, especially if they are ahead in taking Prize cards. Finally, there is a single copy of Super Rod PAL 188 in the deck, which offers you a way of reusing Pokemon and Basic Energy cards that have gone to your discard pile.
Wrapping Up
If you're looking for a solid deck that can Knock Out opposing Pokemon with a single attack, you should try this deck out. There may be times that you need specific types of Energy in order to attack in the best way possible, but there are enough tools in this deck that you shouldn't have trouble with this too often.
What do you think of this deck? Do you have any suggestions for improvements? Let me know by leaving a comment below. And be sure to join me here again next week as I continue my search for innovative decks in the Pokemon TCG. I'll see you then!
- Mike Likes
