Pokémon TCG: Expanded Deck Tech - Rogue Crabominable (Stellar Crown)

Today, we'll explore a very interesting Expanded strategy! We're talking about Carbominable, a Pokémon that was forgotten by the community, but whose ability is fascinating. It discounts the cost of its attack based on how many Kofu SCR 138 are in the discard pile. The other essential item you'll need for this strategy is Battle Compressor Team Flare Gear PHF 92.

Let's see how it works!

Decklist

Deck Structure

Crabominable

Its ability, Food Prep, discounts the cost of its attacks according to how many Kofu SCR 138 are in your discard pile. For each Kofu in your discard pile, its attacks will cost one colorless energy (C) less.

Its main attack, Haymaker, deals 250 damage and will only cost one Water energy (W) if 4 Kofu SCR 138 are in your discard pile. However, on the next turn, you can't use this attack again.

That's why you'll also use Float Stone BKT 137 on Crabominable. This tool will let you retreat it for free and also put another Pokémon in its place, like Veluza SCR 45. This is how you'll be able to play around Haymaker's drawback.

Veluza

This Pokémon is an alternative attacker in this list. Its attack, Sonic Edge, deals 110 damage and ignores any effects on the opponent's active Pokémon. For instance, it ignores effects that prevent basic Pokémon from dealing damage, and any resistance debuffs.

Just like Crabominable SCR 42, Veluza's ability discounts the cost of its attacks according to how many Kofu SCR 138 are in your discard pile.

Recursive Pokémon

► Cleffa sv3 80's attack draws up to 6 cards.

► Octillery BKT 33's ability, Abyssal Hand, draws up to 5 cards. This list uses this Pokémon instead of Bibarel BRS 121 because it is a Water Pokémon, so you can get it from your deck with Irida ASR 147.

► Manaphy BRS 41's ability, Wave Veil, protects your Pokémon from enemy "sniper" damage.

► Fezandipiti ex SFA 38's ability, Flip the Script, draws up to three cards if your opponent Knocked Out one of your Pokémon in the previous turn.

If you get this opening hand, put Veluza SCR 45 as your active Pokémon and keep Manaphy BRS 41 and Remoraid sv4 33 on your bench, as they're both recursive Pokémon. Remoraid sv4 33 will evolve into Octillery BKT 33 and draw you lots of cards, and Manaphy BRS 41 will protect your Pokémon from "sniper" damage.

After that, you should use Trainers' Mail ROS 92a to get a Trainer from the top of your deck. With it, you'll be able to look at the top 4 cards in your deck and get a Supporter, Stadium, Item, or Tool from them.

You may use Quick Ball FST 237 straight away or save it for later turns.

In this case, you may put Crabrawler UNB 104 or Veluza SCR 45 as your active Pokémon.

Artazon sv2 171 will get you another recursive "baby" Pokémon from your deck so you can set up.

With Battle VIP Pass FST 225, you can get Fezandipiti ex SFA 38 and another recursive basic Pokémon.

Trainers

Supporter to Draw Cards

You won't use this card as much because you need to put all 4 copies of it in your discard pile. However, it does draw cards for you - you can use it to shuffle 2 cards from your hand back into the bottom of your deck and draw 4 new cards.

Supporter to Manipulate Both Players' Hands

This card resets both players' hands according to how many Prize cards they have left. Both of you will shuffle your hands back into your decks and draw an entire new hand according to how many Prize cards you still have left.

Supporter to Draw Water Pokémon and Items

Supporter to Draw Items and Tools

Supporter to "Pull" Enemy Pokémon

Items to Get Pokémon

Item to Get Trainers

Item to Get Energies

Item to Discard Kofus

Item to "Pull" Enemy Pokémon

Items to Recycle Cards

Ordinary Rod SSH 171 recycles Pokémon and basic energies from your discard pile and shuffles them back into your deck. You can use it to recycle up to two copies (of Pokémon or energies) or recycle both - a total of 4 cards.

VS Seeker PHF 109 recycles a Supporter from your discard pile and puts it in your hand.

Night Stretcher SFA 61 recycles a Pokémon or basic energy from your discard pile and puts it in your hand.

Tool

Stadium

This stadium will help you set up your Pokémon on your bench, as it lets you get one "baby" Pokémon from your deck and put it on your bench.

Special Energy

Favorable

Crabominable is great against Charizard VIV 25. They're actually quite similar, considering this Charizard also centers around putting a certain card (Leon) in the discard pile to deal more damage.

Crabominable is also great against ultra rare Pokémon (EX, GX, TAG TEAM-GX, V, VStar, VMax, ex) because of the Prize card race. If you discard all Kofus you have, you'll be able to put pressure on your opponent constantly with Crabominable SCR 42 (250 damage) and Veluza SCR 45 (110 damage).

Cons

This deck struggles against Arceus & Dialga & Palkia-GX CEC 156, Iron Hands ex PRE 31 / Magneton SSP 59 (because they're very fast and aggressive), decks that control bench spots, like Glimmora ex sv3 123, and decks that lean on Avery CRE 130, which are quite disruptive for your set-up.

This deck is quite cheap, and you'll have no trouble getting the cards for it. If you would like to learn more about Pokémon TCG but still play a very fun list, Crabominable is perfect. It is also a great way to explore the Expanded format.

You'll have to learn how to discard Kofu SCR 138 with Battle Compressor Team Flare Gear PHF 92 at the right time, but this shouldn't be too hard. This deck is also quite efficient - you'll make your attacks cheaper and cheaper and deal a lot of damage to "Rule Box" Pokémon and "baby" Pokémon alike.

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

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!