The big tournaments are coming soon, (Regionals, Nationals and even World) and some of your guys just don't know what to play. Play a Luxchomp? Bored. Play a Vilegar? Not really funnier, where you just have to bring a Vileplume and GG. Maybe a Stage 2 deck? Too slow, easily countered and, same and same strategy. Well, in this article, I am giving you a deck idea: SSablock! This deck is (might be) a meta deck, is fast enough, hits hard, snipes and have tons of possibilities... Everything to give you a chance to win the big trophy, but with a entertaining tournaments and fun matches. So, without going further, let's start.
Recently, I haven't seen any Sablock players, probably because of the Starters like Spritomb, Smeargle or even Sableye. Those guys mess up the hand lock, which was supposed to assure you the win. I even tried to play Sablock, but I just can't keep the lock for much. Plus, Sableye is a given prize to my opponent, as they will break the lock and set a powerful pokemon to KO my poor 60 hp Sableye. More, sometimes, I start the game with Sableye and use Impersonate, but don't know what to take: Judge or Cyrius' Initiative. I use Judge, but often give myself a handlock and give my opponent a better hand. Then, I get donked, thanks to myself. Or, I use Cyrius's Initiative and flip (let's just take the 50% of the time) on one heads. I look into my opponent's 5 card hands: Energy, Pokemon Collector, Cyrius Conspiracy, Energy Gain, Pokemon Collector. Woow. What I take? A Cyrius? He will have a lot of chance drawin it back with a Uxie. Then I get donked. (Seriously, it happens to me very often) Then, I stopped, desperate to play this deck. But then, a light stated to shine in my head: the genius (ok, maybe) idea to make the Sablock deck better: SSablock
Basically, the deck focuses on a very accurate hand lock, and then, owns your opponent with the SP engine and try to Seeker for the fast win. The first three turns of the match is very crucial and needs to be done without mistakes, as whether this is going to give you a hard match, or an very easy win. I know, your guys want the detailed strategy, hum? Here it is.
1st Step
Instead of having a Sableye Start, which guarantees you to start, I chose Smeargle (There are four of them in the deck). The main point is that with Smeargle, you can know what your opponent has in his or her hand. Plus, you get 50% of chance being the one who can use T/S/S (but with the B/W, you have 100%, yes). More, you get to use a Supporter you find there, as Cyrius or Collector. Everyone has Collector in their decks, as in this deck. So the probability of using one in the first turn is big. And Finally, the use of Portrait in late game.
2nd Step
1st possiblity
Your opponent starts really bad and has a pretty meh hand, without any Supporters or anything useful. What you have to do is that you have to use your Collector to get a Unown Q to retreat, a Sableye (There is only one in the deck and is enough) and another pokemon like Garchomp C (set) or Chatot G (disrupt). Then, you use Sableye's Impersonate to use Cyrius Initiative and GG. Well not really, but your opponent's pretty much dead.
2nd possibility
Your opponent starts really good, like the example given above, with 2 Collectors and all that. You Portrait to get the info and then use Collector as cited above. Then, Judge (4 in the deck again). Hopefully get a Chatot G to lock or even SP radar to get it. Finally, retreat and Impersonate for the Cyrius Initiative for the GG. Again not really, but... you know.
3rd Step
Finish him off! Garchomp C Lv.X will finish the pokemon that he tries to set with his thin resources. Honchkrow, Blaziken FB, even Sableye gets rid of your opponent's pokemons. Power Spray to Power lock. Seeker at the right moment for the win.
Absol G was put into the deck because in the strategy, there is no pokemon who can place a constant damage on the defending pokemon. While Absol is a Dark pokemon and can provide a constant 70, he is also a counter against Gengar and Trainer Lock (discard trainers), which is the biggest enemy of the deck. Finally, its darkness send can get rid of your opponent's top deck, if necessary.
This deck is truly fun to play, but requires a few skills. Oh, I almost forgot, If you don't start with Smearle or Sableye, you just do what SP players usually do: SP engine. And, watch for the moment to seal your opponent even mid-game! Yes the deck can do so, as after each KO, Smeargle will go on active, and you know what to do. Here is a (big) squeleton or the deck.
Pokemon:
4 Smeargle UD
1 Sableye SF
1 Unown Q MD
1 Uxie LA
1 Azelf LA
1 Chatot G SV
1 Crobat G PL
2-2 Garchomp C Lv.X SV
1-1 Absol G Lv.X
T/S/S
1 Aaron's Collection
2 Bebe's Search
3 Cyrius Conspiracy
2 Cyrius Initiative
4 Judge
2 Pokmon Collector
2 Professor Oak's New Theory
2 Seeker
2 Energy gain
3 SP radar
3 Poke Turn
3 Power Spray
Energies
4 DCE
2 SP Dark
1 Dark Basic
So this is a 52 card squeleton. I know this is very tight but you need those to be consistent. It will need 12 energies in total. Depends on what you will play.
Testplay
SSablock VS Luxchomp
60%win 40%lose
The match-up is almost even. Luxchomp's good hand is always messed up by the hand lock, but the other times, or SSablock could not get the lock, or the Judge gives Luxchomp a good hand.
SSablock VS Gyarados
75%win 25%lose
Really, G-dos hates early hand disruption. Normally, you will only see one G-dos in the whole game, but you will already have a lot of advance. As G-dos plays Sableye, be sure to Overconfident it, on your first turn with the help of Crobat G and disrupt with a Judge, before attacking. If not, he will just use Impersonate and Impersonate to destroy to beautiful handlock. Keep the Judges going and GG.
SSablock VS Vilegar
30%win 70%lose
Hard indeed, because of the trainer lock and the Spiritomb Start. The only way to beat it is a early hand lock. And then, swipe everything with Garchomp C and Absol G. Be careful when using Absol's Darkness send, you might break the lock for them. (Actually, I was against a Vilelostgar deck and lost because of that. Otherwise, the lock would have been kept and I might had a chance to win)
Normally, I do not like to share my strategy, but I said to myself: "hey, be open and share your ideas with others! Why not? Maybe this deck will become a Tier 1 deck, we never know (it has a lot of chance, playtested
)." Hope you guy enjoyed reading this, and make the deck to do fun matches (and destroy everyone). Good Luck!
PS: SSablock is for Smeargle Sableye (duh) Lock (this too). This is my first article.
Recently, I haven't seen any Sablock players, probably because of the Starters like Spritomb, Smeargle or even Sableye. Those guys mess up the hand lock, which was supposed to assure you the win. I even tried to play Sablock, but I just can't keep the lock for much. Plus, Sableye is a given prize to my opponent, as they will break the lock and set a powerful pokemon to KO my poor 60 hp Sableye. More, sometimes, I start the game with Sableye and use Impersonate, but don't know what to take: Judge or Cyrius' Initiative. I use Judge, but often give myself a handlock and give my opponent a better hand. Then, I get donked, thanks to myself. Or, I use Cyrius's Initiative and flip (let's just take the 50% of the time) on one heads. I look into my opponent's 5 card hands: Energy, Pokemon Collector, Cyrius Conspiracy, Energy Gain, Pokemon Collector. Woow. What I take? A Cyrius? He will have a lot of chance drawin it back with a Uxie. Then I get donked. (Seriously, it happens to me very often) Then, I stopped, desperate to play this deck. But then, a light stated to shine in my head: the genius (ok, maybe) idea to make the Sablock deck better: SSablock
Basically, the deck focuses on a very accurate hand lock, and then, owns your opponent with the SP engine and try to Seeker for the fast win. The first three turns of the match is very crucial and needs to be done without mistakes, as whether this is going to give you a hard match, or an very easy win. I know, your guys want the detailed strategy, hum? Here it is.
1st Step
Instead of having a Sableye Start, which guarantees you to start, I chose Smeargle (There are four of them in the deck). The main point is that with Smeargle, you can know what your opponent has in his or her hand. Plus, you get 50% of chance being the one who can use T/S/S (but with the B/W, you have 100%, yes). More, you get to use a Supporter you find there, as Cyrius or Collector. Everyone has Collector in their decks, as in this deck. So the probability of using one in the first turn is big. And Finally, the use of Portrait in late game.
2nd Step
1st possiblity
Your opponent starts really bad and has a pretty meh hand, without any Supporters or anything useful. What you have to do is that you have to use your Collector to get a Unown Q to retreat, a Sableye (There is only one in the deck and is enough) and another pokemon like Garchomp C (set) or Chatot G (disrupt). Then, you use Sableye's Impersonate to use Cyrius Initiative and GG. Well not really, but your opponent's pretty much dead.
2nd possibility
Your opponent starts really good, like the example given above, with 2 Collectors and all that. You Portrait to get the info and then use Collector as cited above. Then, Judge (4 in the deck again). Hopefully get a Chatot G to lock or even SP radar to get it. Finally, retreat and Impersonate for the Cyrius Initiative for the GG. Again not really, but... you know.
3rd Step
Finish him off! Garchomp C Lv.X will finish the pokemon that he tries to set with his thin resources. Honchkrow, Blaziken FB, even Sableye gets rid of your opponent's pokemons. Power Spray to Power lock. Seeker at the right moment for the win.
Absol G was put into the deck because in the strategy, there is no pokemon who can place a constant damage on the defending pokemon. While Absol is a Dark pokemon and can provide a constant 70, he is also a counter against Gengar and Trainer Lock (discard trainers), which is the biggest enemy of the deck. Finally, its darkness send can get rid of your opponent's top deck, if necessary.
This deck is truly fun to play, but requires a few skills. Oh, I almost forgot, If you don't start with Smearle or Sableye, you just do what SP players usually do: SP engine. And, watch for the moment to seal your opponent even mid-game! Yes the deck can do so, as after each KO, Smeargle will go on active, and you know what to do. Here is a (big) squeleton or the deck.
Pokemon:
4 Smeargle UD
1 Sableye SF
1 Unown Q MD
1 Uxie LA
1 Azelf LA
1 Chatot G SV
1 Crobat G PL
2-2 Garchomp C Lv.X SV
1-1 Absol G Lv.X
T/S/S
1 Aaron's Collection
2 Bebe's Search
3 Cyrius Conspiracy
2 Cyrius Initiative
4 Judge
2 Pokmon Collector
2 Professor Oak's New Theory
2 Seeker
2 Energy gain
3 SP radar
3 Poke Turn
3 Power Spray
Energies
4 DCE
2 SP Dark
1 Dark Basic
So this is a 52 card squeleton. I know this is very tight but you need those to be consistent. It will need 12 energies in total. Depends on what you will play.
Testplay
SSablock VS Luxchomp
60%win 40%lose
The match-up is almost even. Luxchomp's good hand is always messed up by the hand lock, but the other times, or SSablock could not get the lock, or the Judge gives Luxchomp a good hand.
SSablock VS Gyarados
75%win 25%lose
Really, G-dos hates early hand disruption. Normally, you will only see one G-dos in the whole game, but you will already have a lot of advance. As G-dos plays Sableye, be sure to Overconfident it, on your first turn with the help of Crobat G and disrupt with a Judge, before attacking. If not, he will just use Impersonate and Impersonate to destroy to beautiful handlock. Keep the Judges going and GG.
SSablock VS Vilegar
30%win 70%lose
Hard indeed, because of the trainer lock and the Spiritomb Start. The only way to beat it is a early hand lock. And then, swipe everything with Garchomp C and Absol G. Be careful when using Absol's Darkness send, you might break the lock for them. (Actually, I was against a Vilelostgar deck and lost because of that. Otherwise, the lock would have been kept and I might had a chance to win)
Normally, I do not like to share my strategy, but I said to myself: "hey, be open and share your ideas with others! Why not? Maybe this deck will become a Tier 1 deck, we never know (it has a lot of chance, playtested
)." Hope you guy enjoyed reading this, and make the deck to do fun matches (and destroy everyone). Good Luck!PS: SSablock is for Smeargle Sableye (duh) Lock (this too). This is my first article.
