Pokémon TCG: Standard Deck Tech - Lillie's Clefairy ex (Special Event)

Today, we'll explore the list that got 5th place at the Special Event in Turin, Italy, in the hands of a player called Emma Hagen.

It plays a few unusual attackers, like Terastal Koraidon ex from Ascended Heroes, which surprised many players. Another player called James Kowalski also used this strategy and concept at the New Orleans NAIC on June 12, 13, and 14, only a week after the Special Event in Turin, Italy. They changed it slightly, as you'll see below when you compare it to Hagen's list.

Kowalski's list, which used the same strategy as Hagen"/>

Another important detail is that this deck plays attackers for all situations, such as Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex TWM 64 to deal sniper damage, Moltres PFL 14 as a single-prize attacker to deal with Pokémon ex, and Chien-Pao SSP 56 to deal with Stadiums.

That being said, let's see how it works.

Decklist

POKÉMON: 22

4 Mega Kangaskhan ex MEG 104

4 Lillie's Clefairy ex JTG 56

2 Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex TWM 64

1 Koraidon ex ASC 121

3 Latias ex SSP 76

2 Fezandipiti ex ASC 142

4 Meowth ex POR 62

1 Moltres PFL 14

1 Chien-Pao SSP 56

TRAINERS: 28

3 Crispin SCR 133

3 Boss's Orders MEG 114

2 Ciphermaniac's Codebreaking TEF 145

1 Cyrano SSP 170

4 Area Zero Underdepths SCR 131

1 Prism Tower CRI 80

4 Ultra Ball MEG 131

4 Dusk Ball SSP 175

3 Wondrous Patch PFL 94

2 Lillie's Pearl JTG 151

1 Prime Catcher TEF 157

ENERGIES: 10

4 Psychic Energy MEE 5

2 Fighting Energy MEE 6

2 Fire Energy MEE 2

1 Water Energy MEE 3

1 Telepathic Psychic Energy POR 88

Lillie's Clefairy ex: Main Attacker - Countering the Dragon Archetype

This Pokémon stands out because of its ability, Fairy Zone. After you use it, all enemy Dragon Pokémon will be weak to Psychic Pokémon.

So, Lillie's Clefairy ex JTG 56 is an "anti-Dragon" machine, as well as your main answer against the popular Dragapult ex PRE 73. It is also strong against Mega Dragonite ex, which we definitely can't forget.

Its main attack, Full Moon Rondo, deals 20 damage for each Pokémon in play, both yours and the opponent's. Like so, it can deal up to 240 damage!

Here's a tip for the future: this card will be critical when Storm Emerald brings us Mega Rayquaza ex at the end of the year.

Koraidon ex: The Exotic Attacker

Koraidon ex earned a spot on this list because of its first attack, Orichalcum Fang, which is a sort of "retribution" attack. If one of your Pokémon is knocked out, this attack deals 50 + 120 damage in the following turn.

Another great thing about it is the fact it is a Terastal Pokémon, as they can't take damage while they're on your bench.

To retreat it after you attack with it, you can use Latias ex SSP 76, as Koraidon ex is a basic Pokémon.

Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex: Sniper Attacker

This Pokémon stands out because of its attack, Torrential Pump. It deals 100 base damage, but, if you return 3 energies attached to this Pokémon back to your deck, it deals 120 damage to one of the opponent's benched Pokémon as well.

Mega Kangaskhan ex: Alternative Attacker and Card Draw Support

This Pokémon stands out because of its ability, Run Errand. If Mega Kangaskhan ex MEG 104 is your active Pokémon, you may draw 2 cards. This ability can't stack, and you can only use it once per turn.

Usually, you'll put this Pokémon in play early on to draw cards. Afterward, you can use Latias ex SSP 76 to retreat it for free and put another Pokémon in its place.

Mega Kangaskhan ex MEG 104 also deals 200 base damage. You can deal more damage with it if you get lucky with a few coinflips. Each time you get heads, it'll deal 50 extra damage.

Single Prize Attackers

Moltres PFL 14 will deal with enemy Pokémon ex. It will deal 20 + 90 damage if the opponent's active Pokémon is a Pokémon ex.

Chien-Pao SSP 56's ability, Snow Sink, will allow you to control the board. If you play it from your hand to your bench, it will discard a Stadium.

Occasionally, it can deal 120 damage and even recycle one energy attached to it back to your hand. Like so, you won't lose any energies.

Recursive Pokémon

Rule Box Pokémon

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

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

Finally, Meowth ex POR 62's ability, Last-Ditch Catch, is what makes it stand out. When you play this Pokémon from your hand to your bench, you may look for 1 Supporter in your deck, reveal it, and put it in your hand.

You can also use it as an alternative attacker because Tuck Tail deals 60 damage and returns this Pokémon and all cards attached to it to your hand. This is a great way to protect Meowth ex POR 62 once it's on your bench, as it would usually give your opponent 2 Prize cards when knocked out.

Trainers

Supporters

Crispin SCR 133 lets you get 2 basic energies from your deck. You may then attach one directly to one of your Pokémon and keep the other in your hand.

This is a great way to set up your Pokémon, particularly Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex TWM 64.

Ciphermaniac's Codebreaking TEF 145 allows you to look for 2 cards in your deck, then shuffle it. Afterward, you may put the 2 cards you chose at the top of your deck however you like.

This strategy is useful with Mega Kangaskhan ex MEG 104's ability.

Cyrano SSP 170 lets you look for 3 Pokémon ex in your deck.

Boss's Orders MEG 114 lets you pull an enemy Pokémon to the active spot. You should use it to knock out any particularly problematic Pokémon.

Items to Get Pokémon

Ultra Ball MEG 131 lets you get any Pokémon from your deck (Evolution or Basic) as long as you discard 2 cards from your hand.

Dusk Ball SSP 175 lets you look at the bottom 7 cards in your deck and get any Pokémon you find there.

Item to Recycle Cards and Basic Energies

This card lets you attach 1 basic Psychic energy to one of your benched Psychic Pokémon. You'll use it almost exclusively on Lillie's Clefairy ex JTG 56.

Tool

This card is great with Lillie's Clefairy ex JTG 56. If it is knocked out by an enemy attack, instead of drawing 2 Prize cards, the opponent will draw only 1.

With this card, you won't have to worry about the Prize card race, particularly when the opponent knocks out your Lillie's Clefairy ex.

Stadiums

Area Zero Underdepths SCR 13 will expand your bench from 5 slots to 8 as long as there is a Terastal Pokémon ex in play.

You should use this Stadium with Koraidon ex ASC 121.

Prism Tower CRI 80 lets you discard 2 cards from your hand to draw 1. It is one of the new cards from Chaos Rising.

ACE SPEC

This ACE SPEC is considered an Item. It lets you pull a benched enemy Pokémon to the active spot, then swap your own active Pokémon with one of your benched Pokémon.

It's incredibly strong, particularly when you manage to catch your opponent off guard and pull one of their Rule Box Pokémon.

Special Energies

Telepathic Psychic Energy POR 88 lets you look for 2 basic Psychic Pokémon and put them on your bench if you attach it from your hand to one of your Psychic Pokémon. It was released in Mega Evolution: Perfect Order.

This deck is pretty expensive because it plays many copies of Lillie's Clefairy ex JTG 56 and Latias ex SSP 76, which are quite valuable in Standard. The same goes for Meowth ex POR 62, which sees play in many decks and will remain seeing play for 2 years because of how versatile it is.

Emma's list proved that, with a little bit of training, you can create strategies from scratch. You don't have to play the same lists over and over again, like Dragapult ex PRE 73.

This deck was incredibly successful and performed just as well as Kowalski. The two lists are very similar.

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

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!