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 Cubchoo BLK 25 and Beartic BLK 26, who each have an attack that prevents your opponent from attacking on their following turn. Let's get started by taking a look at the deck list.
Cubchoo / Froslass
LittleDarkFury
Pokemon
2 Beartic 26
1 Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex 141
2 Budew 4
2 Cubchoo 25
3 Froslass 53
1 Maractus 8
3 Munkidori 44
1 Relicanth 84
3 Snorunt 51
Trainers
1 Air Balloon 79
2 Artazon 76
4 Arven 186
1 Bravery Charm 173
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin 144
4 Counter Catcher 160
1 Earthen Vessel 106
1 Gravity Gemstone 137
4 Iono 80
1 Nest Ball 84
2 Night Stretcher 61
4 Professor's Research 122
1 Super Rod 188
1 Technical Machine: Devolution 177
1 Ultra Ball 196
1 Unfair Stamp 165
Energy
4 Basic Darkness Energy
3 Basic Water Energy
2 Reversal Energy 192
Cubchoo BLK 25 is the main star of this deck. For just a single Energy, you can use its Snotted Up attack. While this attack only deals 10 damage to your opponent's Active Pokemon, it also prevents that Pokemon from attacking during your opponent's next turn. Similarly, Beartic BLK 26 has the Sheer Cold attack, which also prevents your opponent's Active Pokemon from attacking, but it deals 150 damage. The drawback is that this attack requires 4 Energy to use. Luckily, though, this deck includes a copy of Relicanth TEF 84, which has the Memory Dive Ability. This Ability allows an evolved Pokemon to use the attacks from their previous evolutions, so you can have the extra HP that Beartic BLK 26 provides while still using Cubchoo BLK 25's Snotted Up attack for just 1 Energy.
Since Cubchoo BLK 25's Snotted Up attack doesn't deal much damage, you'll need some other ways of getting damage onto your opponent's team of Pokemon. That's where Froslass TWM 53 and Munkidori PRE 44 come in. come in. With Froslass TWM 53's Freezing Shroud Ability, you'll be placing damage counters between each player's turn on any Pokemon (other than Froslass) that has an Ability. This damage adds up over time, and before you know it, your opponent's team will be close to being Knocked Out. If Freezing Shroud places damage on members of your own team, you can utilize Munkidori PRE 44's Adrena-Brain Ability to move that damage onto your opponent's Pokemon.
Both Budew PRE 4 and Maractus JTG 8 are included in this deck as early game attackers. Budew PRE 4's Itchy Pollen needs no Energy to use, plus it prevents your opponent from playing Item cards from their hand on their next turn. Maractus JTG 8 can use its Corner attack to keep the Defending Pokemon from retreating. It also acts as a deterrent for your opponent attacking due to its Exploding Needles Ability. Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex TWM 141 is here for the late game, often being able to use its Blood Moon attack for free thanks to its Seasoned Skill Ability.
Gravity Gemstone SCR 137 isn't seen in most decks, but it plays a key role in this deck. If it's attached to your Active Pokemon, the Retreat Cost for both Active Pokemon is one Energy more. That makes it more costly for your opponent to try to retreat, wasting more of their precious resources if they do. Both Unfair Stamp TWM 165 and Counter Catcher PAR 160 allow you to choose which of your opponent's Pokemon to be in their Active Spot. Take advantage of this and move someone there that has a high Retreat Cost and will provide you with multiple Prize cards when Knocked Out.
Artazon PAF 76, Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144, and Nest Ball PAF 84 are all standard ways to help you find the Basic Pokemon you need. These cards are usually found in nearly every Standard deck.
Ultra Ball SVI 196 is also found in most decks, but it has a limited presence here since the only evolution Pokemon you want to find right away is Froslass TWM 53. Earthen Vessel PRE 106 is very helpful in finding Basic Energy you need, and Bravery Charm PAL 173 gives a HP boost to any unevolved Cubchoo BLK 25 it's attached to.
If you're looking to draw a bunch of new cards, there's no better Supporter to play than Professor's Research PRE 122. By discarding your current hand, you'll be able to draw a brand new hand of 7 cards. Iono PAF 80 also has the potential to draw you a lot of new cards, but her primary inclusion is to disrupt your opponent's hand and hopefully slow down any momentum they may have had. Arven OBF 186 is the best Supporter in Standard when you need to search your deck for specific things. He'll help you find an Item and a Pokemon Tool.
There will be times when the cards you need have made their way to your discard pile. Fear not, though, because both Night Stretcher SFA 61 and Super Rod PAL 188 can help with this. Both allow you the chance to reuse Pokemon or Basic Energy cards, though the way they do it is very different.
The final Trainer cards in this deck are both cards that can get you out of a bind. By attaching Air Balloon BLK 79 to a Pokemon, you reduce its retreat Cost by 2 Energy. This can help you for those times your opponent switches your Active Pokemon with one from your Bench. Technical Machine: Devolution PAR 177 offers you a way to devolve your opponent's team of Pokemon, which can possibly cause them to be Knocked Out on the spot if they have taken some damage.
Wrapping Up
By not allowing your opponent to attack, you can slowly chip away at their HP while building up your team. If you enjoy playing decks that make your opponent frustrated, give this one a try.
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
