Expanded Deck Tech: Paldea Starter Decks - Meowscarada, Skeledirge and Quaquaval

In this article, I'll discuss deck suggestions using the Paldea starters, taking advantage of the fact these Pokémon were just released in the new Standard format block, but their goal will be centered on the Expanded format. Here, you can see interesting ideas for these decks, or even get inspired with other possibilities for even other strategies.

Meowscarada ex

Decklist

Goal

This deck is quite simple: you'll place as many damage counters as you can on your opponent with Meowscarada ex PR-SV 33's ability to optimize its attack, dealing 100 + 120 damage. Like so, you'll discard your basic Grass energy with this ability's effect and pay for the regular attack cost with Double Colorless Energy SUM 136.

We don't have many attack Pokémon because we don't have that much space, so we focused on Trainers to optimize Meowscarada ex PR-SV 33's setup. Nonetheless, you'll have draw power with Bibarel CRZ GG25, and damage with Radiant Alakazam SIT 59's ability, to complement Meowscarada ex PR-SV 33's ability.

To get energies from the discard pile, if you happen to run out of basic energies, we chose to use Superior Energy Retrieval PLF 103 to look for 4 energies (even if you need to discard two cards in your hand, this helps you filter your hand and get rid of "dead" cards) and to even help with Gardenia's Vigor ASR 143's combo to set up energies on your benched Pokémon.

Considering we don't have a way to filter energies, we have Viridian Forest TEU 156, which helps you pull one basic energy from your deck at the cost of discarding a card from your hand. This helps with Meowscarada ex PR-SV 33's ability combo. We also have Professor's Letter BKT 146 and Net Ball LOT 187 as items.

This deck, even though it looks "harmless" because it deals less damage than others, is quite dangerous for those who underestimate it, and it works with a "stacked damage" strategy, which spreads throughout the board.

Skeledirge ex

Decklist

Goal

This deck has two goals:

1) Take enough damage as a "tanker", considering Skeledirge ex PR-SV 34 has one of the highest HP amounts in the format (340 points), which guarantees it a lot of durability (except against Water Pokémon that apply weakness, but we solve this with Weakness Policy BUS 126).

2) Working with this "tanker" trait, we capitalize on it and use healing resources, such as Max Potion GRI 128a and Cheryl BST 123 to heal Skeledirge ex PR-SV 34. This Pokémon's attack cost is easy to pay: it's just two Fire energies, which can be moved with Welder UNB 189a (if you have two energies in hand) or Blacksmith FLF 88 (to grab energies from the discard pile).

This deck also has the following recursive Pokémon:

1) Skeledirge ex sv4 137, in its Terastal form, which can counter Water Pokémon that represent the "Ice type", such as Kyurem VMAX LOR 49, Chien-Pao ex PR-SV 30, and Ice Rider Calyrex VMAX ASR TG29. Its ability is also similar to Volcanion-EX STS 115 because, after discarding a basic Fire energy from your hand, all your Pokémon's attacks will be buffed by 60 damage on that turn.

2) Ninetales TEU 16 acts as a sort of "Boss's Orders". Therefore, by discarding these Fire energies, you can combine this Pokémon with Blacksmith FLF 88's effect to easily recharge your Skeledirge ex PR-SV 34, and you'll always have constant answers for the attacks you'll receive on that turn.

3) Chi-Yu ex sv2 40 delays your opponent because it "mills" them, which means, they'll discard the top two cards in their deck. Its attack, besides dealing a "reasonable" amount of damage, also helps you charge your benched Pokémon, helping you prepare new attackers, such as Radiant Charizard CRZ 20.

This is the strongest and most aggressive of the decks in this article, based on the Paldea starters trio, because it has fast answers to your opponent's plays, and because it is easy to set up energies to its Pokémon, which means dealing damage is also easier.

Quaquaval ex

Decklist

Goal

This deck has everything that is a standard in Pokémon TCG, but it also has a more complex way of setting up recursive Pokémon: Blastoise PLB 16's setup (you can also use Baxcalibur PR-SV 19, but the principle is the same).

This deck's strong suit is how fast and explosive it is when it attaches energies to Pokémon by using Blastoise PLB 16's Deluge ability. To achieve this, you need to play this move: use Archie's Ace in the Hole PRC 124. If you have this card in your hand - and nothing else, just this card - you can bring any Water Pokémon from the discard pile to your bench and also draw 5 cards. By playing this card, you'll save some slots in your deck because you won't need to use your Pokémon's evolution lines or Rare Candy to evolve Squirtle >> Wartortle >> Blastoise.

With this Pokémon set, you won't have to worry about Quaquaval ex PR-SV 35's second attack. This attack returns two energies attached to it to your hand, and allows you to add new healing mechanics to this deck, such as the ones in my "Maybe Board suggestions". We have a few alternatives, such as Max Potion BKP 103, an excellent item that fully heals one of your Pokémon, but forces you to discard any energies attached to the Pokémon that was healed. Considering you cheat out the energy effect, returning them to your hand, you aren't punished by losing the energies you attached.

You can set up Quaquaval ex PR-SV 35 fast with its (W) (C) energies, and, if you have these energies in your hand, you'll be able to play combos, for instance, using Radiant Greninja ASR 46 on the next turn. Like so, you'll be able to use its ability, Concealed Cards, discarding one energy from your hand and drawing two new cards.

Another example that returns energy cards to your hand is the Volcanion ◇ FLI 31 combo (which is also on my Maybe Board), which is another possibility to help you set up your Pokémon. This card is like a Boss's Orders SHF 58 (which is in the usual list, but can be swapped if you want to). Of course, if you choose this Pokémon, be careful with stadiums like Silent Lab PRC 140 and Path to the Peak CRE 148, which disable Volcanion ◇ FLI 31's ability effect.

We have the following support Pokémon:

1) Radiant Greninja ASR 46, whose attack is a way to deal "sniper" damage, dealing 90 damage to two of your opponent's Pokémon, and discarding the energies attached as its attack cost. This helps you complement Quaquaval ex's damage, considering its 230 damage added to the 90 damage dealt by Radiant Greninja ASR 46 total 320 damage!

Additionally, its ability discards one energy from your hand and draws you 2 cards.

2) Octillery BKT 33: its ability is the same as Bibarel PR-SW SWSH188's, and it is easier to set up due to two efficient cards: Irida ASR 147 and Dive Ball PRC 125.

3) Finally, we have Lumineon V PR-SW SWSH250, which has a nice attack that deals 120 damage. After attacking, it returns to your deck, which means it won't occupy space on the bench as a "dead weight", and it won't be a source of two Prize Cards for your opponent. Additionally, its ability searches for Supporter cards in your deck at the moment it is played from your hand to the bench.

Despite the fact it is easy to pay for Quaquaval's attack cost, and the fact this deck has many "staple" cards from the Water archetype, the greatest difficulty is playing the hand discard combo to use Archie's Ace in the Hole PRC 124, so you can put Blastoise PLB 16 in play.

These were our deck suggestions with the Paldea starters. I tried to bring Pokémon options that match the Trainer cards, and, of course, promote the new attackers that came in the last block, which have higher HP and bigger damage outputs.

See you next time!