Searching Standard: Mewtwo VSTAR
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 Mewtwo VSTAR PGO 31 alongside Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX CRE 75. Let's get started by taking a look at the deck list.
Mewtwo V PGO 30 is the main attacker in this deck. By attacking with its Psy Purge attack, you can deal up to 270 damage. As you'll see, there are ways to increase this damage, making it possible to Knock Out nearly any opposing Pokemon with a single attack. Unfortunately, using this attack requires you to discard Energy from Mewtwo V PGO 30, so you'll need a way to attach additional Energy quickly.
With a copy of Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX CRE 75 on your Bench, you'll be able to utilize its Underworld Door Ability to attach a Psychic Energy card from your hand to one of your Benched Psychic-Type Pokemon. Doing this will also allow you to draw two cards, helping you to get another Psychic Energy card into your hand for a future activation of Underworld Door.
Both Radiant Hawlucha ASR 81 and Choice Belt BRS 135 can be used to increase the damage done by attacking with Mewtwo V PGO 30's Psy Purge attack. While Radiant Hawlucha ASR 81 is on your Bench, its Big Match Ability will provide an additional 30 damage to your attacks against your opponent's Active Pokemon VMAX. Attaching a Choice Belt BRS 135 will increase the damage done to your opponent's Active Pokemon V by 30 damage. Either of these will make it possible to score a OHKO (One-Hit Knock Out) against an opposing Pokemon V.
Galarian Articuno EVS 63 is a great backup attacker in this deck. When you play Galarian Articuno EVS 63 to your Bench, its Cruel Charge Ability allows you to attach up to two Psychic Energy cards to it from your hand. This allows you to attack with its Psylaser attack, which will deal 120 damage to any one of your opponent's Pokemon. Pick off a weakened Pokemon from your opponent's Bench, and then use Scoop Up Net RCL 165 to return Galarian Articuno EVS 63 so you can snipe again in the future.
Crobat V DAA 104 serves a single purpose in this deck, to draw additional cards with its Dark Asset Ability. With a bit of luck and some planning on your part, you can play Crobat V DAA 104 to your Bench as the last card in your hand. This will give you the maximum bonus from Dark Asset, drawing six additional cards. But even if you are only able to draw two or three cards, those additional cards could be just what you need to win the game.
Since you'll be discarding Energy each time you attack with Mewtwo V PGO 30's Psy Purge attack or Galarian Articuno EVS 63's Psylaser attack, you'll likely need ways to reuse those Energy cards. With Training Court RCL 169 in play, each player will be able to put a basic Energy card from their discard pile into their hand. While this Stadium will potentially help your opponent, hopefully it will help you more. You can also play Energy Retrieval SSH 160 to return a pair of basic Energy cards from your discard pile to your hand. Finally, with Fog Crystal CRE 140, you'll be able to search your deck for a Psychic Energy card to put into your hand. You can also use Fog Crystal CRE 140 to search your deck for any Basic Psychic-Type Pokemon to put into your hand, if you find yourself in need of one.
This group of Trainer cards is found in nearly every Standard deck. They all help you find the Pokemon you need so that your deck will run smoothly. Quick Ball SSH 179 can help find any Basic Pokemon from within your deck, while Evolution Incense SSH 163 can only find Evolution Pokemon. Ultra Ball BRS 150 can be used to find any Pokemon you need, regardless of whether it is Basic or Evolved. It can also find Pokemon V, VMAX, and VSTAR.
The more cards you have in hand, the greater your options. All of these cards help you draw extra cards, which allows you to find what you need more quickly. Marnie CPA 56 also acts as a reset button for your opponent's hand. She can slow down your opponent's momentum by disrupting their plans. Professor's Research BRS 147 offers some card drawing power. You'll draw seven cards, but at the cost of discarding your current hand first. Finally, Avery CRE 130 provides you with a modest amount of new cards, but also lowers the amount of Benched Pokemon your opponent has. This is another form of disruption that can throw off your opponent's game plan.
By using Boss's Orders BRS 132, you'll be able to choose which of your opponent's Pokemon are in their Active Spot. This allows you to make an attack that you know will Knock Out your opponent's Active Pokemon. It also allows you to choose a Pokemon that will provide you with multiple Prize cards when it is Knocked Out.
The final Trainer card in this deck is Air Balloon SSH 156. By attaching Air Balloon SSH 156 to Mewtwo VSTAR PGO 31, you'll allow it to retreat for free. This is important, as you'll always want to move Mewtwo VSTAR PGO 31 back to your Bench after using its Psy Purge attack. That way you can use Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX CRE 75's Underworld Door Ability to load it back up with Energy for its next attack.
Wrapping Up
Is Mewtwo VSTAR PGO 31 the breakout star of the Pokemon GO expansion? Only time will tell, but this deck proves that Mewtwo VSTAR PGO 31 has what it takes to be competitive.
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