Standard Deck Tech: Kyurem VMax - The Glacial Power

Hello everybody. I'm Rodrigo, and I'm here to bring you more ideas and deck possibilities for the Standard format in the Pokémon TCG.

In this article, with the hype of Lost Origin, let's discuss another deck, with water archetype, that debuted in this set: Kyurem VMax.

Unlike the Lost Zone-themed cards in this set, Kyurem VMax enters the category of common cards like any other VMax, but with the water type instead of dragon.

It can easily fit even in other types of decks, such as Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR ASR 40 (if you want an article joining these forces, we can write about it).

And even with features in this block encouraging water type, such as Melony CRE 146, Nessa VIV 157 and Frosmoth SSH 64, Kyurem has high potential to be featured in the current Standard.

Deck Analysis

The deck aims to power up Kyurem-VMax as much as possible so that it uses its Max Frost attack that does 120 base damage plus 50 for each water energy attached to it that can be discarded to deal this additional damage.

So in a simple and straightforward way, our plan is to energize Kyurem as much as we can with water energy to fulfill this task. So, we have these strategies:

1) Frosmoth SSH 64 with its Ice Dance ability, where you can attach an unlimited number of Water Energy from your hand to a Water Pokémon on your becnh. And with that, we have the synergy of using Capacious Bucket RCL 156 that searches your deck for two water energy cards and puts them in your hand.

2) Nessa VIV 157 is practically a rescue of 4 water energy cards and water Pokémon from the discard pile and put it in your hand, and then, if you rescue 4 water energies, you can complement it with Frosmoth's Ice Dance ability.

3) And finally, we have Melony CRE 146, which is the "Welder", for water types, where the card attaches a water energy from the discard pile to one of your Pokémon V and then draws 3 cards.

So let's get to know the ace of the deck:

Recursive Pokémon

1) Radiant Greninja ASR 46, which with its Concealed Cards ability, you discard an energy card from your hand to draw two cards. And with the Melony CRE 146, you have a systematic cycle of reusing your resources.

2) Oranguru SSH 148 has the ability Primate Wisdom, where it grants a card exchange, in which you choose one from your hand to go to the top of the deck and take that card from the top of your deck to stay in your hand.

So if you combine this ability along with Kyurem VMAX LOR 49 with Glaciated World swapping the top of the deck for water energies, you'll always be powering up your Pokemon.

3) Manaphy BRS 41 because of its Wave Velt ability, which grants protection to your Benched Pokémon if they take direct damage from opponent's attacks, that is, damage from Pokémon with "spread" attack like "snipers" — in case someone wants to target your Frosmoth SSH 64.

4) Lumineon V BRS 40 is like the "Tapu Lele-GX" of the new generation due to its Luminous Sign ability, where if it is played from your hand to your bench, you can look for a Trainer Supporter card in your deck and to your hand, so you can search for the three most important Trainer cards in the deck: Irida ASR 147, Melony CRE 146 and/or Nessa VIV 157.

5) As a complement to draws, we have Bibarel BRS 121 with its Industrious Incisors ability that during your turn, you can draw up to 5 cards i during your turn.

And as a secondary attacker, but that also enters as a "support" we have Eiscue EVS 47, because of its second attack Blockface (one water energy and two colorless energies) where it does 70 damage. and prevent attacks from your opponent's Basic Pokémon, holding the game for a bit.

Trainer Cards

Now let's talk about the most relevant Trainer cards:

- Irida ASR 147 looks for a water Pokémon and a Trainer Item card from your deck, like Choice Belt BRS 135, Air Balloon SSH 156 or Battle VIP Pass FST 225 if it's your first turn.

- Melony CRE 146 to power up a Pokémon V, taking a water energy from the discard and powering it on, and in the process drawing 3 cards.

- Nessa VIV 157 of the Supporter type: it serves for resource recycling, putting a combination of 4 cards, whether they are water Pokémon or water energies, to your hand.

- Boss's Orders BRS 132 is useful to pull a Pokémon from the opponent's Bench to the active position, to perform a specific knockout and guarantee the victory.

- Capacious Bucket RCL 156 serves to draw two water energies from the deck and put them in your hand. It is essential to have this card, especially with the archetype practically 80%/90% water and with Frosmoth to mobilize this energy.

- Training Court RCL 169 serving to get basic energies from the discard and put it in your hand. This effect can be used between turns, both for you and your opponent, and this resource recycling management is ideal as it can combine for Oranguru with the top deck card exchanges and synergize with Kyurem-VMax, or also with the Radiant Greninja.

Advantages

The archetype does a good amount of damage even if it discards two energies in Kyurem-VMax's attack.

Assuming it discards two Energy, its attack grants 100 more damage, dealing 220, and dealing with most Pokémon-V in the format. With 4 energies discarded, it does 320 damage (120 + 200 for each energy being 50 damage), knocking out all VStar and 80% of VMax.

Disadvantages

But even with "Rain Dance" in its favor with energy acceleration, it needs to recover those discarded energy to attack, which delays us can be a nuisance.

In the worst scenarios, if you happen to concentrate a Kyurem-VMax with as much energy as possible to cause a lot of damage and if in a match against Giratina-VStar you use the Star Requiem to knock it out with one blow, in a calculation that you have at least 70% of the deck's energies connected to Kyurem-VMax, it's an issue since we only have nine energies.

Metal archetype decks like Origin Forme Dialga-VStar can be a problem for Kyurem due to type weakness, and Reshiram Amazing Rare decks with Mirage Gate and Radiant Hawlucha are also a problem for Kyurem-VMax, as Reshiram can hit 330 damage with ease.

It's an interesting deck with high destructive power, but with the incessant energy expenditure to be able to attack. It's not the type of deck I would run, as I prefer a consistent deck that avoids spending a lot of energy abruptly.

But that's my personal taste; for a “for fun” battle, it's interesting to see the deck's performance and not rule out the possibility of playing it.