Standard Deck Tech: Tyranitar (Paldea Evolved)

With the cards from Scarlet & Violet: Paldea Evolved, we have the option of a focused deck with the "baby" rarity that is very strong and efficient.

Today, we will talk about the Tyranitar from this collection, for those who want to create an affordable and cost-effective deck for the Standard format.

Decklist

Tyranitar: the deck's main attacker

1) Attack - Rout (D): deals 30 damage plus 30 for each Pokémon on your opponent's bench.

2) Attack - Dread Mountain (D)(D): this attack deals 230 damage and discards 4 cards from the top of your deck.

Its first attack, Rout, should be used more frequently as it doesn't have side effects on your deck like the second attack. Rout can reach up to 180 damage. The value of dealing 180 damage for just one energy is very good, taking down even the Stage 2 "baby" Pokémon that usually exist.

As for its second attack, Dread Mountain, it can deal devastating damage at a high cost, which is discarding 4 cards from the top of your deck. However, in return, it deals 230 damage to the opponent, which can knock out most basic V Pokémon and even other basic ex Pokémon!

It's a terror for Psychic types, as this archetype will gain a lot of strength with the arrival of cards from the 151 Kanto Sub Set.

Strong starting hand

1) Ideally, on your first turn, get your two Larvitar ready for the game.

Play Battle VIP Pass FST 225 so you can then put another Larvitar into play, and if possible, Radiant Greninja, to speed up the card drawing process. Be cautious about energy expenditures since the deck only contains 10 units.

2) Place Manaphy on your first turn to ensure the deck's defense.

3) Having moved on to the second turn, if your opponent hasn't disrupted your hand with Iono or Judge yet, you can use Ultra Ball BRS 150 to search for Tyranitar, as you have Rare Candy PGO 69 to accelerate the evolution of your Larvitar to Tyranitar without going through the normal evolutionary steps (Larvitar >> Pupitar >> Tyranitar).

Recursion Pokémon

- Manaphy BRS 41 has Wave Veil, which prevents all opponent's attacks to your Pokémon on the bench while it's in play.

It basically prevents direct attack damage and even "snipers," for example, attacks from Jolteon VMAX EVS 51 and Kyogre CRZ 36. However, Manaphy doesn't prevent damage counters/markers, that is, from attacks like Sableye LOR 70's Lost Mine.

- Radiant Greninja ASR 46 has Concealed Cards, allowing you to discard an energy card from your hand during your turn to draw 2 cards from the top of your deck.

Trainer Cards

Supporters

- Professor's Research (Professor Sada) sv1 189 serves as "draw power": discard your hand and draw 7 cards.

- Raihan EVS 152 serves as a resource filter, but only after your Pokémon has been knocked out in the previous turn:

You can attach a basic Energy from the discard pile to any of your Pokémon in any way you like. Additionally, you search your deck for any card and put it into your hand.

This one is crucial for recycling practically a whole evolutionary line of Larvitar and two more Pokémon, as the card can recycle up to 5 Pokémon from the discard pile back into the deck, and you draw 3 cards in the process, serving as a "draw power."

It's also useful if, due to an unfavorable situation, you use Tyranitar's Dread Mountain attack and discard 4 cards from the top of your deck, and those cards are Pokémon.

Boss's Orders (Ghetsis) sv2 172 is used to bring out a specific Pokémon from your opponent's bench for a finishing blow,

One strategy with Boss's Orders is to target ultra rare Pokémon like Lumineon V PR-SW SWSH250 and Squawkabilly ex sv2 169, basic ex and V Pokémon with HP around 230, and especially high-HP Psychic Pokémon like Mew VMAX LOR TG30, Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX ASR TG30, Mewtwo VUnion, and in the future, upcoming Alakazam ex sv2a 65, which will be a strong card for the archetype due to its high HP and staying on the bench to deal damage.

- Iono sv2 185 is extremely powerful, combining the effects of its predecessors N FCO 105 and Marnie SSH 169: you and your opponent shuffle your hands into your decks and put them at the bottom. Then, you draw cards from the top of the deck equal to the number of Prize Cards in play, in this case, for each player's ongoing game.

For example: if your opponent has 2 Prize Cards and you have 4 Prize Cards and you use this card's effect, you shuffle your hands to the bottom of the deck, and then your opponent draws only 2 cards while you draw 4 cards.

Items

- Pokégear 3.0 sv1 186 is used to filter the top of your deck, looking at the top 7 cards and searching for a Supporter card. You reveal it to your opponent and put it into your hand.

- Pal Pad sv1 182 is an item used to recycle two Supporter cards from the discard pile back into the deck.

It's ideal to recycle Boss's Orders (Ghetsis) sv2 172 to bring out key opponent's Pokémon for using your Dread Mountain attack and eliminating them.

- Ultra Ball sv1 196 is used to search for any Pokémon, whether it's an evolution or basic, common or ultra rare, as long as you meet the requirement to discard two cards from your hand to play it.

- Nest Ball sv1 181 is used to search for a basic Pokémon from your deck and put it directly onto your bench.

- Battle VIP Pass FST 225 is used only on your first turn of the game: search for two basic Pokémon from your deck and put them directly onto your bench.

- Energy Recycler BST 124 is essential because the deck only contains 10 basic Darkness energies, and considering the risks of using the Dread Mountain attack and discarding 4 cards from the top of the deck - be careful not to lose it.

- Super Rod sv2 188, being a reprint from the Black/White era, serves as another recycling option, as it puts 3 cards back into the deck, including basic energies and Pokémon.

If by chance you use the Dread Mountain attack and you discard 4 cards from the top of the deck, and those happen to be 4 energies and a Pokémon, Super Rod can be effective in these situations.

Tool

Exp. Share is used to move energies between your Pokémon that have it equipped.

It maintains the energy flow between your Pokémon, always keeping a Tyranitar ready for battle with at least one guaranteed energy, aside from the one used for the turn.

Advantages

- Psychic archetype decks, which take double damage due to their weakness to Dark type.

- Deck focused on "baby" Pokémon, meaning the opponent only takes one prize card per knockout, so it's not a significant loss compared to decks relying on "ultra rare" cards.

- Simplicity in assembling Pokémon and energizing, as the strongest attack in the game, Dread Mountain, only requires two Darkness energies.

Disadvantages

- Grass archetype decks, due to Tyranitar's weakness. For instance: Wo-Chien ex sv2 27, Shaymin VSTAR BRS 14, Serperior VSTAR SIT 8, and Meowscarada ex sv2 15.

- United Wings decks, like this example, due to their quick setup and explosive energizing.

- Decks with Collapsed Stadium BRS 137 and also using the card Avery CRE 130, which can reduce the number of ready-to-go Pokémon on your bench.

It's a casual deck, designed for those who want to venture into the Standard format and want to save with an affordable, practical, and easy-to-assemble deck. Excellent for beginners and for those who are starting to collect cards from Paldea Evolved to play; it has a well-structured strategy, dealing a raw damage of 230 for two energies and one energy causing up to 180 damage.

Until next time!