Deck Tech Standard: Scizor - Cumulative Damage Based on Opponent's Abilities

With the cards from Obsidian Flames, we had the appearance of Scizor sv3 205, which deals stratospheric damage against opponent's Pokémon that use abilities - and as the format is full of them, it's a feast for Scizor.

With that said, let's analyze how the deck works.

Decklist

Scizor: main attacker of the deck

What interests us is its first attack Punish Scissors, which for a simple basic metal energy, deals 10 + 50 damage to the opponent's active Pokémon based on the number of opponent's Pokémon in play that have abilities.

And knowing that the most common Pokémon in decks that appear as recurrences are the pair Bidoof CRZ 111 and Bibarel BRS 121 (which already guarantee 100 damage for free); Manaphy BRS 41; Mew CEL 11; Radiant Pokémon like Radiant Greninja ASR 46, Radiant Charizard CRZ 20, and Radiant Alakazam SIT 59 - and with these examples, it is guaranteed at least 150 or 200 damage or even more, for just one energy (not to mention the base damage of +10).

And the water archetype itself, like Chien-Pao ex PR-SV 30, is the one that will suffer the most at the hands of Scizor sv3 205 - in addition to having the ability itself, it depends on Baxcalibur PR-SV 19 and Radiant Greninja ASR 46, ensuring 150 damage. And against Chien-Pao ex PR-SV 30 (whose weakness is the metal type), it doubles the damage to 300, more than enough for a knockout.

Kleavor: second attacker

Here comes its Rout attack, which is perfect for hitting two types of decks:

1) Electric decks, like Miraidon ex PR-SV 28, Raikou V BRS 48, Raichu V BRS 45.

2) Colorless Pokémon like Arceus VSTAR PR-SW SWSH307, Slaking V PGO 58, Wyrdeer V ASR 134.

Since the opponent's deck always lives with the bench filled with 5 Pokémon, it enhances the attack, so it is very likely to deal 150 from the bench plus the 10 base damage, totaling 160, and applying weakness, 320 damage.

Luxray: Lugia VStar counter and some Water Pokémon

It is for situations in the game when the opponent has fewer remaining prize cards to win the match, where you can put it directly on your bench.

And being a stage 2 evolution (even better at saving the evolutionary line, being able to be summoned directly), it accepts Reversal Energy sv2 192, causing 180 damage, and of course, with the damage doubled by weakness to Pokémon like Lugia VSTAR SIT 139, Blastoise ex sv3pt5 9, Starmie V ASR 30 and Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR CRZ GG67, these 180 will become 360 damage!

Radiant Charizard: aggressive attacker for emergencies

With its Excited Heart ability, it becomes ideal for the end of the game when the opponent is about to draw a prize card to win the game since for it to use its Combustion Blast attack (which costs (F)(C)(C)(C)(C)), it can be compensated by the absence of basic fire energy in the deck by using special energy, Luminous Energy sv2 191, to fulfill the effect.

The attack is very strong, but has the downside of not being able to use it on the next turn. However, you can bypass this attack effect by retreating Radiant Charizard and promoting it again to the active position.

If it has the Defiance Band sv1 169 equipped, it can cause 280 damage, destroying any Pokémon VStar in the meta, and we also have the option of Choice Belt ASR 211 against only Pokémon V (unlike Defiance Band that works against any opposing Pokémon).

Furthermore, in more elaborate plays: if the opponent has lost a rare basic Pokémon like a V or an ex, you can use the Echoing Horn CRE 225 to bring it back to the opponent's bench, apply Boss's Orders BRS 132, and score a knockout, getting two prizes for free!

Recursive Pokémon

Card-drawing Pokémon

- Bidoof CRZ GG29 has Carefree Countenance, which prevents it from taking damage on the bench from attacks, which is very useful to gain time to evolve it into Bibarel, which is what interests us - and protects against Pokémon with "sniper" moves like Radiant Greninja ASR 46, Kyogre CRZ 36, Kyogre CEL 3, Heatmor FST 41, and Moltres sv3pt5 146, for example.

- Bibarel CRZ GG25 comes with its Industrious Incisors ability, where you can draw cards up to having five cards in your hand per turn.

Even if the opponent plays Iono sv2 185, Judge FST 235, and even Roxanne ASR 150, this will make little difference to you.

- Skwovet sv1 222 has Nest Stash: on your turn, you can shuffle your hand into the deck and draw only one card.

It is a way to "clean up" the hand when it reaches the point of having cards that can hinder your development in plays, and it can combine with Bibarel's ability to renew the hand's card draw by up to 4 cards.

Bench protection against opponent's sniper Pokémon

Starting hand

In this simulation, the steps are simple:

1) Place Skwovet sv1 222 as active (because it is the only basic that came in your hand).

2) Then, use a Nest Ball sv1 255 to search for a Scyther sv3pt5 123; and in this case, use an Escape Rope BUS 163 to target Skwovet sv1 222 as active because it will be useful for long-term card filtering on the bench, and for prevention, it's better to keep it safe, as you have Bibarel CRZ GG25 in your hands.

3) Here comes the decisive question: if you want to speed up your game, you can use an Ultra Ball BRS 186 to search for Bidoof CRZ GG29 by discarding the cards Iono sv2 185 and Professor's Research (Professor Oak) CEL 23 as a tribute to the effect, and then rely on the luck of Bibarel's ability; or you can pass a turn, in this case using the Ultra Ball BRS 186, discarding Iono sv2 185 and Bibarel CRZ GG25 to then play Bidoof CRZ GG29 and use Professor's Research (Professor Oak) CEL 23 to draw 7 new cards, discarding your current hand.

Trainer Cards

Supporter with card-drawing functions

Supporter with the "catcher" function against the opponent's Pokémon

Supporter to sabotage the opponent's hand

Supporter for recycling Pokémon and energies

This card is relatively useful for two factors:

1) The deck only has a stage 1 Pokémon as the main attacker, which is easy and quick to assemble.

2) Since Scizor itself depends on only one basic energy to deal damage, it's easy to recover some metallic basic energy from the discards and assemble a new Scizor.

Pokémon search items

Item "catcher" of basic opponent Pokémon from the discard pile to the bench

Item for recycling Pokémon and energies

Item for recycling Supporters

Tools for damage enhancement to Pokémon

Stadiums

- Artazon sv2 171 serves to search for basic Pokémon that do not have a "Rule Box" and put them on your bench, like a kind of Nest Ball (the stadium's effect applies to both players).

- Practice Studio sv2 186 serves to increase the damage of your stage 1 Pokémon by an additional 10 damage - which is useful to close any pending damage with the Scizor sv3 205 attack in a specific sum. (the stadium's effect applies to both players).

Special Energies

- Reversal Energy sv2 192 serves for evolved Pokémon that do not have a "Rule Box" and, in case you are losing the game, it is ideal for Luxray sv2 71.

- Luminous Energy sv2 191 serves as a kind of "wildcard energy" to meet the need for a metallic energy for Scizor sv3 205 or a fire energy for Radiant Charizard CRZ 20.

Advantages

- Against a Lost Box deck that includes versions of Giratina VSTAR CRZ GG69 or Hisuian Goodra VSTAR LOR 136.

- Against a deck with Charizard ex sv3 125.

- Against a deck with Chien-Pao ex PR-SV 30 (mainly due to weakness and the use and abuse of the abilities that the deck has).

- Against a deck with Lugia VSTAR SIT 211.

- Against a deck with Gardevoir ex sv1 86.

- Against a deck with Miraidon ex PR-SV 28.

- Against a deck with Arceus VSTAR CRZ GG70 with variations using Duraludon VMAX CRZ 104, Umbreon VMAX EVS 95, Leafeon VSTAR CRZ 14.

- Against a deck with Inteleon VMAX FST 266.

- Against a deck with Mew VMAX LOR TG30.

Disadvantages

- Decks that are "Single Prize" because in the prize race, it depends on who can knock out first to take the lead in the game; so, these matches are slightly uncomfortable.

- United Wings decks, like in this example.

- Decks that do not use many Pokémon with abilities, causing Scizor sv3 205 to lose strength in its damage.

It is an inexpensive, useful, and very practical deck to assemble, and it can respond to many strong decks in the current format, as the vast majority, if not all, use Pokémon with abilities - making Scizor sv3 205 a destruction machine on the field, and in the best of situations, it can reach up to 310 damage with just one energy!

Until next time!