Pokémon TCG: Standard Deck Tech - Hop's Trevenant (Miyagi City League Winner)

In this article, we'll discuss a list that centers around Hop's Pokémon and the Trainer's Partner mechanic. In the story, Hop is Leon's brother, and they're both from Galar.

What set this list apart from the others at the Miyagi City League (City Leagues are like western regional tournaments in the East) was Hop's Trevenant. If you'd like to see the list that won the Fukuoka City League, click here.

This simple, powerful, and accessible list gave おきどき the big prize.

Please note that Japanese tournaments feature "best of 1" rounds, which makes their strategies a lot different. Many decks only work in this format and wouldn't be efficient in Western tournaments (which mostly feature "best of 3" rounds). Furthermore, the Standard rotation always hits the East before it hits the West, so we can look at these tournaments to try to predict which cards we'll get soon. The Nihil Zero set, for instance, will be called Perfect Order in the West (and will bring us Meowth ex).

Without further ado, let's see this list!

Decklist

POKÉMON: 16

4 Hop's Phantump ASC 95

3 Hop's Trevenant ASC 96

1 Hop's Zacian ex JTG 111

1 Hop's Cramorant JTG 138

1 Hop's Snorlax JTG 117

1 Shaymin DRI 10

1 Psyduck ASC 39

1 Lillie's Clefairy ex JTG 56

1 Latias ex SSP 76

1 Fezandipiti ex ASC 142

1 Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex TWM 141

TRAINERS: 36

4 Lillie's Determination MEG 119

3 Boss's Orders MEG 114

2 Hassel TWM 151

2 Hilda WHT 84

1 Colress's Tenacity SFA 57

1 Judge DRI 167

4 Postwick JTG 154

4 Poké Pad ASC 198

2 Ultra Ball MEG 131

2 Pokégear 3.0 SVI 186

3 Hop's Bag JTG 147

2 Night Stretcher ASC 196

1 Switch MEG 130

4 Hop's Choice Band JTG 148

1 Unfair Stamp TWM 165

ENERGIES: 8

4 Telepath Psychic Energy M3 79

4 Mist Energy TEF 161

Hop’s Trevenant: The Protagonist

Its greatest strength is its first attack, which is actually a counter-attack.

Horrifying Revenge is better when a Hop's Pokémon was knocked out on the previous turn. If so, it deals 130 damage.

Otherwise, it only deals 30 damage.

Hop’s Cramorant

This Pokémon's attack only works when the opponent has exactly 3 or 4 Prize cards left. If so, then it deals 120 damage.

Hop's Zacian ex

This Pokémon's most powerful attack is Brave Slash, which deals 240 damage. On the following turn, however, you can't use it again.

There is a way to play around this. If we retreat it, this drawback effect will reset, and, if we can set it as our active Pokémon again, we can reuse this attack.

Ideally, we should use two cards to deal more damage with Brave Slash: Postwick and Hop's Choice Band.

This Stadium makes Hop's Pokémon deal 30 extra damage, and the Tool does the same. Hop's Choice Band also makes their attacks cost one colorless energy less when it is attached to them.

The best-case scenario is the following:

If you play these cards correctly, Hop's Pokémon will deal 60 extra damage, and Hop's Zacian ex will deal 300 damage!

Obviously, we can't forget about its first attack, Insta-Strike, which is a sniper attack. It deals 30 damage to the active Pokémon and 30 damage to a benched Pokémon.

With the combo we listed above (Postwick JTG 154 and Hop's Choice Band JTG 148), this attack can deal 90 damage to the opponent's active Pokémon (and it will also cost less energies)!

Lillie's Clefairy ex: Dragon Pokémon Counter

Its ability, Fairy Zone, makes all enemy Dragon Pokémon weak against Psychic Pokémon, so this Clefairy is an "anti-Dragon" machine. It is a nightmare for strategies like Dragapult ex and Mega Dragonite ex.

As for its main attack, Full Moon Rondo, it deals 20 damage for each Pokémon in play, both yours and the opponent's. Like so, it will deal 240 damage if you both fill your boards!

Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex: Late Game and End Game Attacker

This Pokémon is a late game and particularly an end game attacker. Its ability, Seasoned Skill, states that for each Prize card the opponent has taken, its attack costs 1 colorless energy less.

So, if the opponent gets 5 Prize cards, you can use Blood Moon for free and deal 240 damage!

Recursive Pokémon

Pokémon ex

► Fezandipiti ex SFA 38's ability, Flip the Script, draws 3 cards if one of your Pokémon was knocked out by enemy attacks on the previous round.

► Latias ex SSP 76's ability, Skyliner, lets you retreat your basic Pokémon for free.

Baby Pokémon

Hop's Snorlax

Hop's Snorlax's ability also makes Hop's Pokémon deal 30 extra damage (before applying weakness and resistance, and this ability can't stack).

Shaymin - Protect Yourself Against Effects and Attacks

Shaymin's ability protects your benched baby Pokémon from sniper attacks. As such, your opponent won't be able to knock out many of them at once.

Psyduck - Disabling Abilities

Its ability, Damp, disables Dusclops SFA 19's and Dusknoir SFA 20's abilities.

Trainers

Supporters

► Lillie's Determination MEG 119 lets you shuffle your hand back into your deck and draw 6 new cards. If you have exactly 6 Prize cards left, you can draw 8 cards instead of 6.

► We can only use Hassel TWM 151 when one of our Pokémon was knocked out on the previous turn by the opponent. If you do, you may look at the top 8 cards in your deck, pick 3, and put them in your hand.

► Hilda WHT 84 allows you to look in your deck for one evolution Pokémon and one energy (basic or special).

► Colress's Tenacity SFA 57 lets you look in your deck for 1 Stadium and one energy (basic or special).

► Judge DRI 167 sabotages your hand and the opponent's. It forces both of you to shuffle what you have back into your decks and draw 4 new cards each.

► Boss's Orders MEG 114 pulls benched enemy Pokémon to the active spot. You can use it to knock out a particular Pokémon, for instance.

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Items to Get Pokémon

Ultra Ball MEG 131

This card lets you look for any Pokémon (evolution or basic) in your deck as long as you discard 2 cards from your hand.

Poké Pad

Poké Pad will replace Nest Ball sv1 181 after the April rotation hits the West. The only difference is that it only gets baby Pokémon, that is, those that don't have a Rule Box.

You can find its Full Art version and regular version in the Ascended Heroes and Perfect Order sets (in Japan, you can find it in the Nihil Zero set).

This card gets 2 Hop's Pokémon from your deck.

Item to Get Supporters

Item to Recycle Pokémon and/or Energies

This card lets you recycle one Pokémon or one basic energy from the discard pile and put it in your hand.

Tool

This lets you attack with Hop's Pokémon for one colorless (C) energy less. It also makes them deal 30 extra damage (before applying weakness or resistance).

Stadium

This Stadium makes your Hop's Pokémon deal 30 extra damage (before applying weakness or resistance).

ACE SPEC

This card sabotages the opponent's hand.

You can only use it if one of your Pokémon was knocked out on the previous turn by the opponent. If you do, both of you will shuffle your hands back into your decks, and you'll draw 5 new cards. Meanwhile, the opponent will only draw 2 new cards.

This deck is quite practical and straightforward. It plays cards that are accessible and easy to find - Hop's Trevenant, in particular, will be featured on Ascended Heroes.

Furthermore, Hop's Zacian ex JTG 111 is easy to find because it will be featured in a promo box.

Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex TWM 141 also got a promo box of its own, so it's also easy to find.

What do you think? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!