An EUIC Meta Preview
Hello everyone! With the last weekend of pre-rotation Regionals behind us and Scarlet & Violet‘s release, we have finally entered the new format! Just around the corner are the European International Championships, which will be the first major event played in the new format in our circuit (that being, outside of Japan). Because Japan has been playing with this format for some time already, we have some results and expectations for what will happen in our meta. Some of the pre-rotation decks survive, with some needing more changes than others, while the Scarlet & Violet set also introduces some new archetypes. Today I’ll be discussing the top meta decks that we can expect to see, along with their strengths, weaknesses, and overall position in the meta. I am also excited because I am sure that this format is under-explored, so I expect new decks and ideas to pop up and see success at any time.
A Look at the EUIC Format
Many players have already been testing this format for some time, but it is still fairly new to me personally. I’ve just finished playing the Fort Wayne Regionals in the pre-rotation format, so I haven’t gotten a chance to explore many new concepts or form an opinion on whether I like the format yet. That said, I still have somewhat of a grasp of all the known quantities such as decks that have previously existed or that have been played in Japan. My next articles will likely focus more on specific decks.
The Lost Zone Engine
The Lost Zone decks are almost undisputedly the strongest archetype in the post-rotation format. Previously, Lost Box was considered a strong Tier 2 contender and was always highly represented at major tournaments. The single biggest factor that works in Lost Box’s favor is that the rotation doesn’t hit it that hard — while many decks lose key power cards or components of their engines, Lost Box loses… almost nothing. Scoop Up Net was a strong card for Lost Box, but this is the only real loss for the deck. Such a loss is trivial in comparison to the damages the other archetypes suffer. The absence of Scoop Up Net is easily mitigated by increasing counts of switch cards and the new Beach Court Stadium. The rotation of Quick Ball and Capture Energy is seamlessly patched up by Nest Ball and even Ultra Ball. Overall, Lost Box remains at the same power level while everything around it becomes weaker.
Both toolbox versions and Giratina VSTAR-based versions of Lost Zone decks are strong contenders. The toolbox version loses a few potential attackers to rotation. In particular, several Lightning-type favorites such as Zekrom, Raikou, and Zeraora are no longer available, however, this isn’t a huge deal. Thanks to the versatility of Mirage Gate, this deck is only limited by your imagination. Should the need arise, I’m sure Lost Box will find new Lightning-types or fall back on the trusty Raikou V. Rayquaza also rotates, meaning that this version won’t exist anymore. I’ve always favored the toolbox version anyway, and again, you can play any attacker of choice alongside Mirage Gate.
The more popular Japanese lists feature the staple attackers of Sableye, Cramorant, and Radiant Greninja, and they utilize Sky Seal Stone alongside attackers such as Raikou V, Galarian Zapdos V, and Drapion V. I think Dragonite V warrants some consideration as well. As you can see, these attackers are no different than pre-rotation, which makes the deck an appealing choice. If the same formula was successful in an objectively stronger format, it stands to reason that it will be even better in a weaker one.
This concludes the public portion of this article.
If you'd like to continue reading, consider purchasing a PokeBeach premium membership! If you're not completely satisfied with your membership, you can request a full refund within 30 days.
Each week we post high-quality content from some of the game's top players. Our article program isn't a corporate operation, advertising front, or for-profit business. We set our prices so that we can pay the game's top players to write the best content for our subscribers. Each article topic is carefully selected, goes through multiple drafts, and is touched up by our editors. We take great pride in our program!