Tournament Kenta Nishi's 16th place Deck

[Dante 21]

A few hours ago when I check Limitless.tcg Niigata Championship, we finally got Kenta Nishi's Lycanroc-GX/Alolan Persian deck profile. I get why most cards are there, except Alolan Persian. That's why his deck got my attention even before the deck list was revealed, especially it got 16th place out of 1226 participants.

Pokemon - 18
3 Rockruff FLI 75
1 Rockruff GRI 73
2 Lycanroc-GX SM8b 61
2 Lycanroc-GX GRI 74
2 Alolan Meowth LOT 118
2 Alolan Persian LOT 119
2 Tapu Lele-GX GRI 60
1 Diancie Prism Star FLI 74
1 Ditto Prism Star LOT 154
1 Buzzwole FLI 77
1 Larvitar LOT 115

Trainer - 32
4 Cynthia UPR 119
3 Lillie SUM 122
3 Professor Kukui SUM 128
2 Guzma BUS 115
1 Acerola BUS 112
4 Ultra Ball SUM 135
3 Nest Ball SUM 123
1 Timer Ball SUM 134
1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130
1 Energy Loto GRI 122
1 Escape Rope BUS 114
1 Field Blower GRI 125
1 Enhanced Hammer GRI 124
2 Choice Band GRI 121
2 Escape Board UPR 122
2 Brooklet Hill GRI 120

Energy - 10
6 Fighting Energy 6
4 Double Colorless Energy SUM 136

This thread is to ask, why Alolan Persian, and is there any video showing this deck match online? I cannot find anything so far because it was probably overshadowed by the new/hype Greninja-GX/Meganium deck. That deck was super cool, but Kenta's deck deserve some recognition too, even a little by the pokemon community.

 

[Vom]

I think it's there as a free one-prize attacker that deals decent damage early in the game, as you can discard the opponent's Energy with Lycanroc.

 

[Dante 21]

I think it's there as a free one-prize attacker that deals decent damage early in the game, as you can discard the opponent's Energy with Lycanroc.

Thank for replying but, I pretty much figure that out myself. In our 1st turn going 2nd Meowth deal 70dmg, next turn if not Koed (Which is weird as it is after the opponent's second turn, who go 1st btw= huge advantage) evolve into Persian who now deal (If not energy due to Lycanroc-GX) 90dmg, totaling 160dmg. Not enough to KO Lele-GX unless with Professor Kukui or/& Choice Band.

The problem to my understanding are the same reason why we don't use Alolan Persian from Lost Thunder, how on earth after turn 3 does the active GX or not koed pokemon have no energy, and Koed with Kukui/Choice Band in turn 4? Even with Lycanroc-GX remove 1 energy, there should be at least 2 energies attached to the defending poke. This will work if there are 2 Lycan, or a special energy removed by Enhanced Hammer, but how often does this happened, that help in the long run. And obviously, the biggest problem is Rockruff cannot evolve in the turn it was play, so there will be energies attached at the opponent 2nd turn (Unless Koed by Meowth).

At that tournament, we all know Zapdos/Jirachi is the most used deck, but if we do the math, Meowth & Persian can only Koed Zapdos in 2 turn (That's not good). Yes, Jirachi can be Koed in turn 1 going 2nd, but so what. A little roadblock in the long run, they had plenty of Switch/Escape Rope, and most of the players know Zapdos is a hot deck that can attack the turn it was play, so they likely figured out some ways to minimize damage in their future play out. Kenta can also not used Meowth in his 1st turn, but that doesn't seem to be smart, as now Persian can only deal 90dmg with Lycan/ Guzma help (Not good enough), or not going to be used at all, resulting in 4 dead cards by default.

I wish there was a detail translated article to read, or watch some video matches with this deck. I'm not questioning Alolan Meowth at all, it is a great card. I'm questioning Alolan Persian. This build is original, and I really like creative deck, it's cool. If this deck is not a one time thing like Alolan Exeggutor, then I would like to try and see this deck in our future standard meta.

 

[AuraJackle]

Your putting allot of thought into a deck that was played by a player who is probably allot better than you and only probably only played the once this kind of deck shows up all the time in Japanese tournaments because the way there tournaments are structured and the fact that people like to experiment with new decks. I very much doubt the validity of this deck as a staple in standard same with the ridiculous Greninja/meganium deck. Lastly I'd like to point out that just about every good deck in standard attacks with 1 attachment or has acceleration so if Persian is for instance attacking a zoroark all you really need is a e-hammer or a lycanroc to get the damage out it's not that uncommon that Persian would get its max damage out if you can keep the energy off the single attachment attackers. Through against decks like ray and malamar it would be particularly useless.

 

[snoopy369]

My suspicion is it's to counter some specific Psychic types that are weak to Darkness. I don't know the Japanese meta well, but for example if DW Necrozma GX is on the other side, you may be able to gust it in (or even if it's the starter for the other side) and then OHKO it, if it's energyless. Obviously the Lycanroc synergy is also there - Lycanroc can kick energy off of pokemon.

90 is also a nice amount for some support bench pokemon via the other Lycanroc - think Malamar, for example - and can hit for 120 for free with choice band (it's not playing Devoured Field or it could even hit 130).

Overall I think it's just adding another cheap bench threat that forces opponents to either spread out their energies or to focus on it. The more threats, the better, right?