Today was awesome. Really. I think I should tell you what my decklist was for today and compare to what I wanted it to be before I tell you how it went.
What I wanted my deck to look like
What it really was:
Pokemon
4 Reshiram
3-1-3 Typhlosion Prime (HGSS Cyndaquil)
2-2 Ninetales (1 Vulpix from CL :/)
1 Cleffa
Trainers & Supporters
4 Professor Oak's New Theory
2 Pokemon Collector
4 Pokemon Communication
3 Pokemon Catcher
3 Rare Candy
2 Professor Juniper
3 Junk Arm
3 Sage's Training
3 PlusPower
2 Switch
1 Dual Ball
1 Super Rod
Energy
11 Fire Energy
2 Rescue Energy
Yup, this was my build. When you're a poor teenager in LA who can't put all his money towards Pokemon, the logical thing to do is to run at least one Dual Ball in place of Pokemon Collectors.
Pre-Tournament
Woke up early (like 7) to take a shower, have breakfast, and leave because this was sort of far away from me and registration started early. I get to the library where it was being held and I saw a kid outside looking kind of lost. My Dad and I walk in and the kid follows us in. When we get down to the room where it was taking place, pretty much no one was there. It was a lot of staff getting the room ready and a few players. I sat at a table and sorta just waited until people started showing up. A few minutes after my Dad left, the kid who followed my Dad and I in sat across from me and just awkwardly shuffled his deck. Then he goes "hey" and we introduce ourselves and get into a practice duel. I wrecked him pretty fast and then I asked him if I could see his deck. It was weird. It was some sorta Landorus/Carracosta/Rocky Helmet + Druddigon/Krookodiledeck. After a few more games (I won each), I gave him some cards to put in his deck and looked in his tradebook and told him what to put in. I think I told him to take out two Super Rods, a Landorus, 2 Water Energy, and a Fighting Energy for three Ns, Kyurem, Terrakion, and another Druddigon. After that, we playtested a few more times and he did way better (I still won though). Then another kid came by and we traded a bit. Later on, Player Meet took place, which I don't quite understand the point of, and the player across from me was my friend from League. It was cool. We just exchanged pleasantries until pairings were up.
Round 1: Vs. EelZone (John something)
Mulliganed three times. I was like "Great, mulliganing a lot against EelZone." However, my fourth hand was nice. Drew into Reshiram, Cyndaquil, and Vulpix (the three best friends that anyone could have). I forget the details, but I drew into PONT and then drew into Rare Candy + Typhlosion, Ninetales, and Collector. I got set up way faster than him, even with his mulligans, and proceeded to pillage his village 6-0.
1-0
Round 2: Vs. Vanilluxe + Fliptini (Guy from my league)
I was happy to get to see Aren because I usually win against him. So I asked him what he was running today and he told me Vanilluxe. Wonderful :/. Even better was when I mulliganed three times again. I went first and started with Reshiram and either Vulpix or Cyndaquil (I forget). Doesn't matter because I collectored first turn. On his turn, he PONTed his mulligans, so I was sorta happy about that. I got set up at a reasonable pace, but he did too. I forget the details, but I had the upper hand and he needed to draw Vanilluxe at a certain time. But he didn't. I killed his Vanillish and he drew Vanilluxe the following turn. He stalled well, but with three cards left in my deck, I drew the last prize.
2-0
Round 3: Vs. DonChamp I think (Brian something something)
A lot of my friends lost to this guy, so I was nervous. I started with Reshiram and Vulpix. He started with Phanpy and Terrakion. I went first again and Dual Balled to get Cyndaquil. Then I used Sage's Training. I was pretty set up and got out Typhlosion and Ninetales the next turn. He played Donphan, but I believed in the heart of the cards and used two PlusPower and Blue Flared. Not much to do after that, so he just played an energy on Terrakion. My Dad walked in to check on me right as I was finishing up. It was cool my Dad watched for the last few turns.
3-0
Between Round 3 and Round 4:
I just watched a battle unfolding between EelZone and Chandelure next to me. I was playing the dude who won, so I was obviously hoping for EelZone to win. I hate trainer lock with a passion. Seriously. EelZone guy was about to win if he drew into a lightning energy. He didn't. Chandelure wins and I was sad.
Round 4: Vs. Chandelure (Javier Torres)
Terrible match up. I somehow managed to draw five prizes through killing all his other non-Chandelures as he was waiting for Blissey. He got Blissey and eventually got me. Hate Chandelure.
3-1
Between Round 4 and Top Cut
After power shuffling a thousand times because all my trainers were bunched up in what was my huge hand in the previous game, my friends came to see how I was doing. I told them and they said I probably was making top cut. They put the pairings up for Round 5/Top Cut, and yeah, It was me Vs. Chandelure guy again. Yay.
Top Cut Match:
Round one went basically the same as my previous match. I think basically everything happened the same. I put 120 on each Chandelure and then he Blisseys. I put 120 on each Chandelure again and he eventually wins. Round two was funny. Basically everything happened the same except I scrambled to get two Typhlosions out before Vileplume came out to play. With two Typhlosions out, he eventually scooped. Final Round was horrendous. I drew pretty much all my trainers, like 10 times in a row. he picked off my Cyndaquils one by one and then my Reshirams one by one. GG.
After Top Cut
A lot of the seniors left by the time the Final Cut was finished. The judge asked for my information and then I talked to Aren and a couple other friends. I went and claimed my ten packs and pulled:
FA Terrakion (eww. Wanted N or Cobalion)
Kyurem
Chandelure (hate you)
Archeops
Carracosta
Eelektrik
3x Rocky Helmet
Leavanny
Beheeyem
Cofagrigus
RH Donphan-Counter Crygonal
Net Force Reuniclus
2 Zebstrika
After I opened my packs, I said bye to everyone and left. Not bad for a first City Championship if I do say so myself.
Props:
Final Cut
Somewhat decent pulls
Seeing Aren & his sister
Helping Carlos out
Getting Collector a lot even though I run two
Double PlusPowering Donphan
Having a 20+ card hand full of trainers against Vileplume
Beating Vanilluxe with three cards in deck
Dual Ball working well
Slops:
Cold Shower
FA Terrakion
Chandelure
Mulliganing three times twice
Chandelure again
Playing against Chandelure four times in all
Thank you for reading. If you read every word in this post, you deserve a medal.
What I wanted my deck to look like
What it really was:
Pokemon
4 Reshiram
3-1-3 Typhlosion Prime (HGSS Cyndaquil)
2-2 Ninetales (1 Vulpix from CL :/)
1 Cleffa
Trainers & Supporters
4 Professor Oak's New Theory
2 Pokemon Collector
4 Pokemon Communication
3 Pokemon Catcher
3 Rare Candy
2 Professor Juniper
3 Junk Arm
3 Sage's Training
3 PlusPower
2 Switch
1 Dual Ball
1 Super Rod
Energy
11 Fire Energy
2 Rescue Energy
Yup, this was my build. When you're a poor teenager in LA who can't put all his money towards Pokemon, the logical thing to do is to run at least one Dual Ball in place of Pokemon Collectors.
Pre-Tournament
Woke up early (like 7) to take a shower, have breakfast, and leave because this was sort of far away from me and registration started early. I get to the library where it was being held and I saw a kid outside looking kind of lost. My Dad and I walk in and the kid follows us in. When we get down to the room where it was taking place, pretty much no one was there. It was a lot of staff getting the room ready and a few players. I sat at a table and sorta just waited until people started showing up. A few minutes after my Dad left, the kid who followed my Dad and I in sat across from me and just awkwardly shuffled his deck. Then he goes "hey" and we introduce ourselves and get into a practice duel. I wrecked him pretty fast and then I asked him if I could see his deck. It was weird. It was some sorta Landorus/Carracosta/Rocky Helmet + Druddigon/Krookodiledeck. After a few more games (I won each), I gave him some cards to put in his deck and looked in his tradebook and told him what to put in. I think I told him to take out two Super Rods, a Landorus, 2 Water Energy, and a Fighting Energy for three Ns, Kyurem, Terrakion, and another Druddigon. After that, we playtested a few more times and he did way better (I still won though). Then another kid came by and we traded a bit. Later on, Player Meet took place, which I don't quite understand the point of, and the player across from me was my friend from League. It was cool. We just exchanged pleasantries until pairings were up.
Round 1: Vs. EelZone (John something)
Mulliganed three times. I was like "Great, mulliganing a lot against EelZone." However, my fourth hand was nice. Drew into Reshiram, Cyndaquil, and Vulpix (the three best friends that anyone could have). I forget the details, but I drew into PONT and then drew into Rare Candy + Typhlosion, Ninetales, and Collector. I got set up way faster than him, even with his mulligans, and proceeded to pillage his village 6-0.
1-0
Round 2: Vs. Vanilluxe + Fliptini (Guy from my league)
I was happy to get to see Aren because I usually win against him. So I asked him what he was running today and he told me Vanilluxe. Wonderful :/. Even better was when I mulliganed three times again. I went first and started with Reshiram and either Vulpix or Cyndaquil (I forget). Doesn't matter because I collectored first turn. On his turn, he PONTed his mulligans, so I was sorta happy about that. I got set up at a reasonable pace, but he did too. I forget the details, but I had the upper hand and he needed to draw Vanilluxe at a certain time. But he didn't. I killed his Vanillish and he drew Vanilluxe the following turn. He stalled well, but with three cards left in my deck, I drew the last prize.
2-0
Round 3: Vs. DonChamp I think (Brian something something)
A lot of my friends lost to this guy, so I was nervous. I started with Reshiram and Vulpix. He started with Phanpy and Terrakion. I went first again and Dual Balled to get Cyndaquil. Then I used Sage's Training. I was pretty set up and got out Typhlosion and Ninetales the next turn. He played Donphan, but I believed in the heart of the cards and used two PlusPower and Blue Flared. Not much to do after that, so he just played an energy on Terrakion. My Dad walked in to check on me right as I was finishing up. It was cool my Dad watched for the last few turns.
3-0
Between Round 3 and Round 4:
I just watched a battle unfolding between EelZone and Chandelure next to me. I was playing the dude who won, so I was obviously hoping for EelZone to win. I hate trainer lock with a passion. Seriously. EelZone guy was about to win if he drew into a lightning energy. He didn't. Chandelure wins and I was sad.
Round 4: Vs. Chandelure (Javier Torres)
Terrible match up. I somehow managed to draw five prizes through killing all his other non-Chandelures as he was waiting for Blissey. He got Blissey and eventually got me. Hate Chandelure.
3-1
Between Round 4 and Top Cut
After power shuffling a thousand times because all my trainers were bunched up in what was my huge hand in the previous game, my friends came to see how I was doing. I told them and they said I probably was making top cut. They put the pairings up for Round 5/Top Cut, and yeah, It was me Vs. Chandelure guy again. Yay.
Top Cut Match:
Round one went basically the same as my previous match. I think basically everything happened the same. I put 120 on each Chandelure and then he Blisseys. I put 120 on each Chandelure again and he eventually wins. Round two was funny. Basically everything happened the same except I scrambled to get two Typhlosions out before Vileplume came out to play. With two Typhlosions out, he eventually scooped. Final Round was horrendous. I drew pretty much all my trainers, like 10 times in a row. he picked off my Cyndaquils one by one and then my Reshirams one by one. GG.
After Top Cut
A lot of the seniors left by the time the Final Cut was finished. The judge asked for my information and then I talked to Aren and a couple other friends. I went and claimed my ten packs and pulled:
FA Terrakion (eww. Wanted N or Cobalion)
Kyurem
Chandelure (hate you)
Archeops
Carracosta
Eelektrik
3x Rocky Helmet
Leavanny
Beheeyem
Cofagrigus
RH Donphan-Counter Crygonal
Net Force Reuniclus
2 Zebstrika
After I opened my packs, I said bye to everyone and left. Not bad for a first City Championship if I do say so myself.
Props:
Final Cut
Somewhat decent pulls
Seeing Aren & his sister
Helping Carlos out
Getting Collector a lot even though I run two
Double PlusPowering Donphan
Having a 20+ card hand full of trainers against Vileplume
Beating Vanilluxe with three cards in deck
Dual Ball working well
Slops:
Cold Shower
FA Terrakion
Chandelure
Mulliganing three times twice
Chandelure again
Playing against Chandelure four times in all
Thank you for reading
. If you read every word in this post, you deserve a medal.