I'm ready to go an hour early, and I'm really keen to get started and play some pokeymanz. I help out a kid named sam right up his decklist, a Machamp deck (with 1 Machamp TM), and play a few practice games using a friends deck. It's this cool Dialgachomp variant with Darkrai G (to beat Vilegar).
I bum around for a while more, and Corfield (our TO and judge for today) tells us that we'll have 4 rounds for Masters, and 3 for Juniors/Seniors, as well as clarifying that each Match will consist of best of three rounds. He calls out pairings, and I go find a table
Game 1 - Eric with Donphan/Hippowdon
Eric is a Pokedad, and his son was playing Luxchomp. I've never actually played him before, so I have no idea what to expect.
He starts off strong, and set up his first Hippowdon T2, with a Fighting and a Rescue Energy, and Sandslash Dig Downing on the bench for another energy every turn or so. I sacrifice two Spiritombs to him, so that (along with an Uxie Drop, and a PONT) I can set up Ninetales, Nidoqueen and Typhlosion HS, and Rare Candy-ing out the Typhlosion Prime I needed to get going.
I took the First KO with Typhlosion's Fire Spin, and kept the pressure on, reclaiming the Lead with 4-2. He managed to build a Donphan Prime with 3 Fighting Energy, but missed the KO on my Typhlosion by 10, because Nidoqueen is best. I slapped an Expert Belt on Typhlosion next turn, to get the extra 20 damage needed to beat Exoskeleton. He draws just as time is called. He looks at his field of Phanpy and Sandslash, and offers the Handshake.
1-0
During this game, one of my Sleeves ripped, but Eric offered to lend me his spare set. I thank him, and spend a few minutes resleeving, and put the last card in its new (and much less celebi) sleeve, before heading over to hear pairings
Game 2 - Kalen with Dialgachomp
Kalen is a pretty cool guy, and he and I crack jokes (he's much funnier than I am) throughout. I'm a bit nervous, because I generally lose to Kalen, despite hitting DGX for Super Effective.
I open with a lone Spiritomb, with a hand of two Typhlosion Prime, Ninetales, two Stark Mountain and 2 Energy. I consider scooping up right there and then, and going to the next round, but I decide to play it out. Trainer Lock hurts him, but he gets a Cyrus Chain running, while I have nothing. I take it to around T5, maybe? Regardless, I build a Nidoqueen and Typhlosion Prime, lose my Infernape before I can retrieve the Lv. X out of the prizes, and Only take his GCX. He's got a 5-2 lead on me, and I scoop when Dialga G X's pokebody turns off Maternal Comfort. I should have known I was beaten earlier, but I wasted time trying to come back from a horrible disadvantage
Round 2 has him open with Unown Q, and I know its possible for me to donk it, but I can't get the Expert Belt thats needed. I end up using an Uxie drop for nothing, but I manage to end with a Typhlosion HS, Vulpix, Cyndaquil and Nidoran F (along with the Uxie), and he Pokemon Collector's out of his bad start. I retreat to Spiritomb, and Build up Ninetales and Quilava, until he Crobat Drops and Claw Swipes to cripple it. I just put down a second, and Darkness Grace anyway!
We move into time, just as we both finish setting up our fields, and I send up Typhlosion HS on the knockout (5-4 in his favour). I can take two prizes over the course of two turns, so I win on Game State. This takes us to Sudden Death
He opens Crobat G, while I get Cyndaquil and Nidoran F. He had chosen to go first, and just passed to me, unable to do anything. I Candy into Nidoqueen, attach a Fire and hit for 10. Next Turn, he drops a collector, grabbing Dialga, Garchomp and Crobat. He retreats his Active Crobat for Garchomp, pops a DCE, and hits for 30 (along with 10 from flash bite). I put down everything in my hand, and Collector, grabbing two Uxies and a Vulpix. I put them all down, grabbing 6 from my first Uxie, and nothing from my second (he only had 1 power spray, and this way I got one less card), and evolve into Quilava, attach fire and swing for 30. Next turn, he triple Flash Bites and attaches a S.Metal, using Earthquake to take his last prize. Shame, since I had another fire and a Typhlosion Prime in hand, and could KO anything he had on his field next turn. He deserved it though
1-1
Game 3 - Luke with Scizor Prime
This game is heavily stacked in my favour, and Luke tells me after that the only way he can realistically beat Charizard and the like is a T1/2 donk, because they just tear through his deck otherwise. This is true in our game, and I take the time to set up my field before going aggressive. I OHKO Scizor Prime, and he scoops up.
Next Round, He opens horrendously. He showed me his starting hand afterwards, which contained nothing but Skarmory, Energy Retrieval/Manipulation and S.Metals. He didn't draw a single playable supporter or trainer, or even another basic, the whole game. Sorry Luke.
2-1
Game 3 - Myles with Tyranitar
Myles is a great player, and our win/lose ratio to each other is about even. I played against this deck yesterday, and it is a monster in every sense of the word.
The first (and only) round was very intense. I sacrificed two prizes early on with Spiritombs, desperately trying to reach my set up before he got out Tyranitar's and knocked the crap out of me. It pays off, and by the time I'm ready to fight, I have Nidoqueen (with a belt and a psychic energy. I never use it to attack, because I never had a spare moment to load Ruthless Tail), Typhlosion Prime, Quilava and Ninetales.
I take two quick prizes (one of which was an Umbreon), and he takes an Uxie. I retreat out into a Typhlosion Prime, with no energy, and start reloading my Typhlosion HS. I put 1 Fire on him, and one on my Second Typhlosion Prime (I Rare Candy'd up my active one) with Afterburner, and manually attached one to Prime. He promotes Tyranitar with 2 Special Darks, a DCE and a Belt. Megaton Tail makes quick work of my Active Prime. I send up the second, and afterburner a Fire onto Typhlosion HS, and attach a Psychic to Prime. Flare Destroy gets rid of DCE, and Myles just attaches a third S.Dark, which hits for 110 with Power Blow. I top nothing, attach a Fire with Afterburner to prime, and Flare destroy a S.Dark and hope for the best. Time is called here, and I'm turn 0.
He attaches a normal Dark Energy, and Power Blows again. I send up Typhlosion Normal, and topdeck Fisherman. Four Fires later, I Roast Reveal into Infernape FB and some other, unimportant stuff. I then attach a Fire to Infernape and Magma Punch to KO. Turn 3 of Time, and he sends out Absol G, holding a DCE. He ponders his next move for a while, before warp pointing (I send out Infernape FB) out into Houndoom Prime, attach a Belt and a normal Dark, and pass to me. He knows I cant attach a Belt to my Typhlosion, due to the Unown Q he's holding, so he tries to win on Time. I topdeck Infernape X (although I could have Bebe'd for it regardless) and Level Up, using Threatening Roar to force him to send out his Absol, free Retreat to Typhlosion, and Fire Spin to put us on 1 prize each. He uses Uxie to Psychic Restore and return it and the Normal Dark he attached to it back to the deck, and we both turn to Corfield to pass judgement on who wins.
This is what the Game state looks like: I have Typhlosion HS, with 1 Fire Energy, Ninetales, Infernape X and Nidoqueen with Belt and 1 Psychic. Myles has Houndoom Prime with 1 Dark and an Expert Belt, and a Benched Eevee. He says that he cannot take a prize in his turn, while I sag in relief, and show that I could attach a Fire to Typhlosion, Threatening Roar out Houdoom and Magma Punch Eevee for the last prize. I win on Game State.
Also, if he'd kept Uxie front and center, I could have retreated to Nidoqueen who was hitting for Exactly 70 with Mega Punch.
3-1
The winner of the tournament is Vilegar, beating Kalen's Dialgachomp in the Finals, and Tiebreakers put me second, even though Kalen beat me (Everyone I vs'd went 2-2 or better). I get 10 packs of Triumphant, and some cool stickers and pencils.
Thanks to Corfield for organising everything and judging, and thanks to everyone who played, I guess
This is the list I used:
4-2-2 Typhlosion Prime
0-0-1 Typhlosion HS
2-2 Ninetales HS
1-1-1 Nidoqueen RR
1-1 Infernape E4 Lv.X
2 Uxie LA
1 Unown Q
3 Spiritomb
3 Pokemon Collector
3 Proffessor Oak's New Theory
2 Bebe's Search
1 Palmer's Contribution
1 Interviewer's Questions
1 Fisherman
1 Twins
2 Pokemon Communication
2 Rare Candy
1 Luxury Ball
2 Expert Belt
2 Stark Mountain
1 Broken Time Space
10 Fire
2 Psychic
2 Rescue
I bum around for a while more, and Corfield (our TO and judge for today) tells us that we'll have 4 rounds for Masters, and 3 for Juniors/Seniors, as well as clarifying that each Match will consist of best of three rounds. He calls out pairings, and I go find a table
Game 1 - Eric with Donphan/Hippowdon
Eric is a Pokedad, and his son was playing Luxchomp. I've never actually played him before, so I have no idea what to expect.
He starts off strong, and set up his first Hippowdon T2, with a Fighting and a Rescue Energy, and Sandslash Dig Downing on the bench for another energy every turn or so. I sacrifice two Spiritombs to him, so that (along with an Uxie Drop, and a PONT) I can set up Ninetales, Nidoqueen and Typhlosion HS, and Rare Candy-ing out the Typhlosion Prime I needed to get going.
I took the First KO with Typhlosion's Fire Spin, and kept the pressure on, reclaiming the Lead with 4-2. He managed to build a Donphan Prime with 3 Fighting Energy, but missed the KO on my Typhlosion by 10, because Nidoqueen is best. I slapped an Expert Belt on Typhlosion next turn, to get the extra 20 damage needed to beat Exoskeleton. He draws just as time is called. He looks at his field of Phanpy and Sandslash, and offers the Handshake.
1-0
During this game, one of my Sleeves ripped, but Eric offered to lend me his spare set. I thank him, and spend a few minutes resleeving, and put the last card in its new (and much less celebi) sleeve, before heading over to hear pairings
Game 2 - Kalen with Dialgachomp
Kalen is a pretty cool guy, and he and I crack jokes (he's much funnier than I am) throughout. I'm a bit nervous, because I generally lose to Kalen, despite hitting DGX for Super Effective.
I open with a lone Spiritomb, with a hand of two Typhlosion Prime, Ninetales, two Stark Mountain and 2 Energy. I consider scooping up right there and then, and going to the next round, but I decide to play it out. Trainer Lock hurts him, but he gets a Cyrus Chain running, while I have nothing. I take it to around T5, maybe? Regardless, I build a Nidoqueen and Typhlosion Prime, lose my Infernape before I can retrieve the Lv. X out of the prizes, and Only take his GCX. He's got a 5-2 lead on me, and I scoop when Dialga G X's pokebody turns off Maternal Comfort. I should have known I was beaten earlier, but I wasted time trying to come back from a horrible disadvantage
Round 2 has him open with Unown Q, and I know its possible for me to donk it, but I can't get the Expert Belt thats needed. I end up using an Uxie drop for nothing, but I manage to end with a Typhlosion HS, Vulpix, Cyndaquil and Nidoran F (along with the Uxie), and he Pokemon Collector's out of his bad start. I retreat to Spiritomb, and Build up Ninetales and Quilava, until he Crobat Drops and Claw Swipes to cripple it. I just put down a second, and Darkness Grace anyway!
We move into time, just as we both finish setting up our fields, and I send up Typhlosion HS on the knockout (5-4 in his favour). I can take two prizes over the course of two turns, so I win on Game State. This takes us to Sudden Death
He opens Crobat G, while I get Cyndaquil and Nidoran F. He had chosen to go first, and just passed to me, unable to do anything. I Candy into Nidoqueen, attach a Fire and hit for 10. Next Turn, he drops a collector, grabbing Dialga, Garchomp and Crobat. He retreats his Active Crobat for Garchomp, pops a DCE, and hits for 30 (along with 10 from flash bite). I put down everything in my hand, and Collector, grabbing two Uxies and a Vulpix. I put them all down, grabbing 6 from my first Uxie, and nothing from my second (he only had 1 power spray, and this way I got one less card), and evolve into Quilava, attach fire and swing for 30. Next turn, he triple Flash Bites and attaches a S.Metal, using Earthquake to take his last prize. Shame, since I had another fire and a Typhlosion Prime in hand, and could KO anything he had on his field next turn. He deserved it though
1-1
Game 3 - Luke with Scizor Prime
This game is heavily stacked in my favour, and Luke tells me after that the only way he can realistically beat Charizard and the like is a T1/2 donk, because they just tear through his deck otherwise. This is true in our game, and I take the time to set up my field before going aggressive. I OHKO Scizor Prime, and he scoops up.
Next Round, He opens horrendously. He showed me his starting hand afterwards, which contained nothing but Skarmory, Energy Retrieval/Manipulation and S.Metals. He didn't draw a single playable supporter or trainer, or even another basic, the whole game. Sorry Luke.
2-1
Game 3 - Myles with Tyranitar
Myles is a great player, and our win/lose ratio to each other is about even. I played against this deck yesterday, and it is a monster in every sense of the word.
The first (and only) round was very intense. I sacrificed two prizes early on with Spiritombs, desperately trying to reach my set up before he got out Tyranitar's and knocked the crap out of me. It pays off, and by the time I'm ready to fight, I have Nidoqueen (with a belt and a psychic energy. I never use it to attack, because I never had a spare moment to load Ruthless Tail), Typhlosion Prime, Quilava and Ninetales.
I take two quick prizes (one of which was an Umbreon), and he takes an Uxie. I retreat out into a Typhlosion Prime, with no energy, and start reloading my Typhlosion HS. I put 1 Fire on him, and one on my Second Typhlosion Prime (I Rare Candy'd up my active one) with Afterburner, and manually attached one to Prime. He promotes Tyranitar with 2 Special Darks, a DCE and a Belt. Megaton Tail makes quick work of my Active Prime. I send up the second, and afterburner a Fire onto Typhlosion HS, and attach a Psychic to Prime. Flare Destroy gets rid of DCE, and Myles just attaches a third S.Dark, which hits for 110 with Power Blow. I top nothing, attach a Fire with Afterburner to prime, and Flare destroy a S.Dark and hope for the best. Time is called here, and I'm turn 0.
He attaches a normal Dark Energy, and Power Blows again. I send up Typhlosion Normal, and topdeck Fisherman. Four Fires later, I Roast Reveal into Infernape FB and some other, unimportant stuff. I then attach a Fire to Infernape and Magma Punch to KO. Turn 3 of Time, and he sends out Absol G, holding a DCE. He ponders his next move for a while, before warp pointing (I send out Infernape FB) out into Houndoom Prime, attach a Belt and a normal Dark, and pass to me. He knows I cant attach a Belt to my Typhlosion, due to the Unown Q he's holding, so he tries to win on Time. I topdeck Infernape X (although I could have Bebe'd for it regardless) and Level Up, using Threatening Roar to force him to send out his Absol, free Retreat to Typhlosion, and Fire Spin to put us on 1 prize each. He uses Uxie to Psychic Restore and return it and the Normal Dark he attached to it back to the deck, and we both turn to Corfield to pass judgement on who wins.
This is what the Game state looks like: I have Typhlosion HS, with 1 Fire Energy, Ninetales, Infernape X and Nidoqueen with Belt and 1 Psychic. Myles has Houndoom Prime with 1 Dark and an Expert Belt, and a Benched Eevee. He says that he cannot take a prize in his turn, while I sag in relief, and show that I could attach a Fire to Typhlosion, Threatening Roar out Houdoom and Magma Punch Eevee for the last prize. I win on Game State.
Also, if he'd kept Uxie front and center, I could have retreated to Nidoqueen who was hitting for Exactly 70 with Mega Punch.
3-1
The winner of the tournament is Vilegar, beating Kalen's Dialgachomp in the Finals, and Tiebreakers put me second, even though Kalen beat me (Everyone I vs'd went 2-2 or better). I get 10 packs of Triumphant, and some cool stickers and pencils.
Thanks to Corfield for organising everything and judging, and thanks to everyone who played, I guess
This is the list I used:
4-2-2 Typhlosion Prime
0-0-1 Typhlosion HS
2-2 Ninetales HS
1-1-1 Nidoqueen RR
1-1 Infernape E4 Lv.X
2 Uxie LA
1 Unown Q
3 Spiritomb
3 Pokemon Collector
3 Proffessor Oak's New Theory
2 Bebe's Search
1 Palmer's Contribution
1 Interviewer's Questions
1 Fisherman
1 Twins
2 Pokemon Communication
2 Rare Candy
1 Luxury Ball
2 Expert Belt
2 Stark Mountain
1 Broken Time Space
10 Fire
2 Psychic
2 Rescue
