It's that time again, folks. A time when all the creams of the PTCG crop duke it out to the very best like no one ever was (at least until the next season). And believe me when I say that this is a prime moment for the format, with a bunch of wild decks in the format, such as Charizard ex, Dragapult ex, Gardevoir ex, Raging Bolt/Ogerpon, and Regidrago VSTAR. But so far, there is one area of the game that's been oft neglected: Fantasy Teams.
This provides players with a way to predict the specific cards (not decks!) that are going to come out on top in the end. Within lie 6 cards from 5 categories: ex cards, V/VMAX/VSTAR Cards, Rule Box-Less Cards, Rule Box-Less Ancient/Future Cards, and 2 cards from the new Shrouded Fable set. So, the question arises: "What will this Fantasy Team Look Like?"
Gardevoir ex: Once rotation occurred, many players thought this deck had fallen off a bit due to the relatively devastating loss of Zacian V and Shining Arcana Gardevoir, both of which were essential for both energy acceleration and attacking. However, in the coming months, Gardevoir found a new method of play where it would use it's ability to put Psychic Energy and Damage Counters onto Drifloon and Scream Tail and then let the opposition have it (damage, that is). But along came a pernicious primate to shift damage counters around like it was nobody's (monkey) business.
Dragapult ex: Back when I first learned about this card via Twilight Masquerade's mini reveal in March, I didn't think it would do much. But then the card was revealed, and Holy Bees. We got the best Dragon-Type card since Giratina VSTAR. HP that was 10 HP short of Charizard's, an inexpensive attack that did 200 Damage AND let you put 6 damage counters on any opposing Benched Pokémon, all bolstered by a pre-evolution that functioned like Air Mail Pidgeotto from Team Up and the fact that there were multiple ways you could play this deck led to a deck that kicked tail and took names in competitive play.
Raging Bolt/Ogerpon: With its low-cost Bellowing Roar attack that made it a beefier Chien-Pao ex, Raging Bolt ex was one of those cards that had potential in the format, but always seemed to be lacking something to make it work. Sandy Shocks ex was not that something, as nobody wanted to wait for their opponent to take 2 prize cards. Thankfully, Teal Mask Ogerpon ex came along and became that something, providing Raging Bolt with two engines: one for energy acceleration and one for drawing, which ultimately helped it become a Grade-A Menace.
Lugia VSTAR: Back when this card first dropped, it showed great power through and through. Rainbow? Rain-Go for it! Single Strike? Double Down! In modern times, it's relied on colorless energies, Cinccino, and other new means of steamrolling.
Manaphy: Keeps Damage from reaching the bench.
Munkidori: Once it got ahold of a Dark Energy, it's capable of moving damage counters off of you and onto your enemies.
Archeops: How Lugia got ahold of Special Energies.
Flutter Mane: Good for shutting off Abilities.
Iron Bundle: Good for Gusting.
Sandy Shocks: A nice single prize attacker for Raging Bolt.
Kyurem: On top of being good in Regidrago, this card also scared the living daylights out of Lost Box players once a Colress' Experiment card got into the discard pile by reducing the attack cost of this card.
Duskull/Dusknoir: 4/13 Damage Counters and then getting knocked out is exactly what decks like Charizard and Dragapult ordered.
This provides players with a way to predict the specific cards (not decks!) that are going to come out on top in the end. Within lie 6 cards from 5 categories: ex cards, V/VMAX/VSTAR Cards, Rule Box-Less Cards, Rule Box-Less Ancient/Future Cards, and 2 cards from the new Shrouded Fable set. So, the question arises: "What will this Fantasy Team Look Like?"
Potential Candidates
ex Cards
Charizard ex: Ever since this card dropped in Obsidian Flames, Charizard has consistently wreaked havoc on the meta, and who could blame it? A Dark-Type Tera card with 330 HP, an ability that can accelerate Fire Energies to your Pokémon upon evolving, AND an attack that stronger with each Prize Card your opponent takes? Of course I'm going to want to ride this into the sunset! There are no Grass-Type decks in the meta that can stop it! And as the meta progresses, it showed little to no sign of slowing down any time soon.Gardevoir ex: Once rotation occurred, many players thought this deck had fallen off a bit due to the relatively devastating loss of Zacian V and Shining Arcana Gardevoir, both of which were essential for both energy acceleration and attacking. However, in the coming months, Gardevoir found a new method of play where it would use it's ability to put Psychic Energy and Damage Counters onto Drifloon and Scream Tail and then let the opposition have it (damage, that is). But along came a pernicious primate to shift damage counters around like it was nobody's (monkey) business.
Dragapult ex: Back when I first learned about this card via Twilight Masquerade's mini reveal in March, I didn't think it would do much. But then the card was revealed, and Holy Bees. We got the best Dragon-Type card since Giratina VSTAR. HP that was 10 HP short of Charizard's, an inexpensive attack that did 200 Damage AND let you put 6 damage counters on any opposing Benched Pokémon, all bolstered by a pre-evolution that functioned like Air Mail Pidgeotto from Team Up and the fact that there were multiple ways you could play this deck led to a deck that kicked tail and took names in competitive play.
Raging Bolt/Ogerpon: With its low-cost Bellowing Roar attack that made it a beefier Chien-Pao ex, Raging Bolt ex was one of those cards that had potential in the format, but always seemed to be lacking something to make it work. Sandy Shocks ex was not that something, as nobody wanted to wait for their opponent to take 2 prize cards. Thankfully, Teal Mask Ogerpon ex came along and became that something, providing Raging Bolt with two engines: one for energy acceleration and one for drawing, which ultimately helped it become a Grade-A Menace.
V/VMAX/VSTAR Cards
Regidrago VSTAR: Like Raging Bolt before it, this was a card that once again needed something to get it to go-go-go, and Teal Ogerpon ALSO provided that. Granted, Energy Switch was needed to get this deck going, but once it did, it was capable of using the attacks of discarded Dragon-Type cards like mad.Lugia VSTAR: Back when this card first dropped, it showed great power through and through. Rainbow? Rain-Go for it! Single Strike? Double Down! In modern times, it's relied on colorless energies, Cinccino, and other new means of steamrolling.
Non-Rule Box and Ancient/Future Cards
Snorlax: The card you wish upon your worst enemies.Manaphy: Keeps Damage from reaching the bench.
Munkidori: Once it got ahold of a Dark Energy, it's capable of moving damage counters off of you and onto your enemies.
Archeops: How Lugia got ahold of Special Energies.
Flutter Mane: Good for shutting off Abilities.
Iron Bundle: Good for Gusting.
Sandy Shocks: A nice single prize attacker for Raging Bolt.
New Cards from Shrouded Fable
Loyal 3/Pecharunt ex: Okidogi provides a wildly intense attack when poisoned, Munkidori became a single prize attacker when Pecharunt was out, Fezandipiti let you draw 3 cards when your Pokémon got knocked out, and Pecharunt brought up Dark Pokémon from the Bench to the Active Spot.Kyurem: On top of being good in Regidrago, this card also scared the living daylights out of Lost Box players once a Colress' Experiment card got into the discard pile by reducing the attack cost of this card.
Duskull/Dusknoir: 4/13 Damage Counters and then getting knocked out is exactly what decks like Charizard and Dragapult ordered.