Standard Deck Tech: Vikavolt V / Aerodactyl VStar - San Diego Regional

Hello to all. I am Rodrigo, bringing news about Pokémon TCG, and now I bring you the news of the first western Regional, in San Diego, California (USA), with a deck that surprised everyone due to its exotic choice of Pokémon, which became a champion deck, thanks to the player Gibson Archer-Tang, and uses Vikavolt V as a control tool and item cards lock and Aerodactyl VStar to cancel abilities.

Decklist Vikavolt & Aerodactyl

Vikavolt-V: The Main Item Lock Attacker

1)Paralyzing Bolt (L)(C): deals 30 damage and in the next round, the opponent cannot play any Item Trainer cards from hand.

2) Super Zap Cannon (L)(L)(C): deals 190 damage and discards two energies from this Pokémon.

What interests us is its first attack, which locks down any opponent Item use, such as Quick Ball, Level Ball, Ultra Ball (the most common ones), hindering a lot the Mew VMAX FST 114 deck, which uses and abuses cards such as Cram-o-matic FST 229 and Power Tablet FST 236.

Of course, not to mention Vikavolt V DAA 60 deals double the damage to Lugia VSTAR SIT 139 due to its weakness against the electric type. There is its second-biggest advantage, and it is currently the best counter in these generations, before this card rotates in April, because Vikavolt V is from Darkness Ablaze.

Aerodactyl VStar: The Second Attacker

1) Lost Dive (F)(C)(C): deals 240 damage and puts the top 3 cards of your deck in the Lost Zone

2) Ancient Star (C): until this Pokémon leaves play, all opponent abilities which are from V type Pokémon will be disabled, and this Aerodactyl attack will become an ability and only this ability will be enabled (you can't use a VStar Power more than once in the entire game).

Basically, it is the essence of the counter to the Mew VMAX FST 114 draw power, with the use of its countless Genesect V FST 185. That is, by locking down these abilities, the game is over for this deck.

Raikou V and Drapion V

Raikou comes in as a fast attack alternative, so you can speed up damage output with multiple Pokémon. As the game goes on and the respective benches get full, you deal 100 damage counting with your Pokémon, plus 100 damage counting with the opponent's Pokémon and plus the 20 base damage of Raikou V BRS 48 itself, adding up to 220 damage for just two energies.

Drapion is the fourth attacker and is a counter to Mew VMax.

It comes in just to hit double the damage to Mew VMAX FST 114, due to its weakness against the dark type, adding up 380 damage, which is more than enough, besides the energy cost reduction for each Fusion Strike Pokémon in play. As players in average put in three Genesect V FST 185 and one Mew V FST 113, it is more than enough for Drapion V LOR 118 to hit for free.

Recursive Pokémon

- Mew CEL 11 comes in with its ability Mysterious Tail, in which it looks the top 6 cards of your deck and searches for an Item card, reveals it and places it in your hand.

- Radiant Greninja ASR 46 has its ability Concealed Cards, which makes you discard one energy card from your hand to draw the top 2 cards from your deck.

It is basically required to have this Pokémon due to its card draw, and the "Draw Power" synergy, and also, so you can combo with the card Melony CRE 146 to speed up the charging of your V Pokémon.

- Lumineon V BRS 40 has its ability Luminous Sign, which has the effect of searching for a Supporter card in the deck in case this Pokémon is summoned from your hand and put in the bench.

Basically, another important Pokémon to search for resources because besides doing the obvious, it deals 120 damage and can go back into the deck when it uses its attack Aqua Return.

- Galarian Zigzagoon SSH 117 comes in to put in damage markers thanks to its ability Headbutt Tantrum, which states if it is put from your hand to the bench, you may put in a damage counter in one of the enemy Pokémon. And with that, you can "loop" it with Scoop Up Net RCL 165 to collect it and place it back in the bench again, placing more damage counters.

- Crobat V SHF 44 has its ability Dark Asset, which, if placed from your hand to the bench, you draw until you have 6 cards in your hand.

- Ditto V SHF SV118 has its ability V Transformation, which, at any moment of your turn, you can place a Basic V Pokémon from your discard pile over Ditto-V, and it will swap them.

It is quite useful to bring Drapion V LOR 118 or Aerodactyl V LOR 92 over.

- Zapdos PGO 29 has its ability Lightning Symbol, in which it grants 10 damage more to your Basic electric Pokémon.

Trainer Cards

- Melony CRE 146 is useful to charge one basic water energy from the discard pile in one of your V Pokémon, and if you do, you draw 3 cards.

- Judge FST 235 is useful to shuffle your hand and the opponent's hand back into the deck, and then you both draw 4 cards.

- Boss's Orders BRS 132 is useful to drag in one specific Pokémon from the enemy bench, so you can damage it to victory, and therefore speed up the acquisition of Prize cards.

- Lost Vacuum LOR 162, to be used, needs you to put another card from your hand in the Lost Zone. If you do, you choose a Tool or Stadium card in play and send it to the Lost Zone.

- Scoop Up Net RCL 165 is useful to collect a Pokémon in play back to your hand that isn't GX or V, this way "looping" the Galarian Zigzagoon SSH 117 damage.

- Trekking Shoes ASR 156 enables you to look at the top card in your deck, and you may choose to get that card you saw and place it in your hand or discard it.

- Ultra Ball BRS 150 is useful to search for any Pokémon in your deck, as long as you discard two cards from your hand.

- Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146 is useful to search for any Basic Pokémon that is in the Prize card pile. If you find one you want, get that Pokémon and swap it for this card.

- Quick Ball FST 237 is useful to search for a Basic Pokémon in your deck, as long as you discard one card from your hand.

- Battle VIP Pass FST 225 is useful to search for two Basic Pokémon in your deck and put them in play, but this card can only be played during your first round, so, the soonest you set up this card in the first round, the better.

- Cross Switcher FST 230 is useful to cause an effect similar to Guzma: you can only play this card if you have two copies of it in hand. If you do, you switch one of the enemy benched Pokémon into the Active position and then, you do the same with your Pokémon, from the bench to the Active position.

- Forest Seal Stone SIT 156, when equipped to a Basic V Pokémon, allows you to use its search ability to search any card in your deck and place it in your hand. But the effect of this card is equivalent to a VStar power, that is, you can only use this type of rule once in a turn, as you're unable to use an ability or a VStar attack twice.

Stadium

Training Court RCL 169 is useful precisely to get a basic energy from the discard pile and place it in your hand.

With that, you can use the synergy of recalling this energy, using Radiant Greninja ASR 46's ability discarding it to draw 2 cards and afterward, use Melony CRE 146 to charge up one of your V Pokémon.

And also, recovering these basic electric energies in case your opponent plays Temple of Sinnoh ASR 155 to disable the effects of special energies in your deck, or get a fighting/normal type energy to attach to Aerodactyl VStar.

Special Energies

Speed Lightning Energy RCL 173 is useful only for the electric types, in which, if attached to them, you draw 2 cards.

Advantages

The deck's main focus is to control abilities and item locks, which many decks such as Mew V FST 113 and Genesect V FST 185 use.

There is also the existence of water decks such as Ice Rider Calyrex VMAX CRE 46 or Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR ASR 40 which use and abuse Sobble, Drizzle and Inteleon line abilities with Shady Dealings, and particularly to be a "counter" to the electric types, as they deal double the damage to them.

Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX CRE 75 decks which use and abuse its charging ability, which also gives you an advantage against them, because of your Aerodactyl VStar.

Disadvantages

- Deck setup may be slow if any important cards are in the Prize card pile; for instance, if Drapion V is there, against the Mew VMAX FST 114 deck, or if the basic energies are there too.

- Decks which have Temple of Sinnoh ASR 155 to lock down special energies, Speed Lightning Energy RCL 173.

It is a deck that, when all cards that are required in the first turns come, you pilot the deck easily, and it is smooth riding, that is, starting with Battle VIP Pass, so you can put at least Raikou V as your main attacker and card draw, and Radiant Greninja in the bench to discard your water energies and create the synergy system with Melony and charge up your V Pokémon all at once and then prepare Vikavolt V or Aerodactyl V according to what you need in the game.

Now it's up to you: what did you think of the deck? What are your considerations and opinions regarding it? You're welcome to comment down below, as your opinion is valued.

See you next time!