Standard Deck Tech: Gengar - 151 Sub Set Build

With the upcoming release of the "151" (Pokémon Card 151 or 151 Kanto Sub Set) special set, I'll be posting Deck Techs for Standard with theories with the new cards, which will come in mid-September for us in the west.

It's worth mentioning that cards have numbers and codes based on the eastern version, that is, sv2a, which can't be used in tournaments! They will only be legal to use when they come to the west with the American translation, and the sv3a code.

Today, we'll discuss a decklist with one of the strongest "Single Prize" Pokémon in the set, which is no one other than Gengar ex.

Decklist

Gengar ex: The Star of the Deck

Poltergeist (P): your opponent reveals their hand. This attack deals 50 damage for each Trainer type card you find over there.

Spooky Dive (P)(C): deal 110 damage and place 3 damage counters on one of your opponent's Pokémon in any way you prefer.

Even if Gengar's HP is mediocre compared to a stage 2 Pokémon, considering it is only 130, it can cause a lot of damage.

With its first attack, if your opponent has 7 Trainer cards in hand, they'll be dealt 360 damage, which is currently enough to take down all Pokémon in the format. Furthermore, in the current format, many Trainer cards are used to increase damage. As many players use Bibarel BRS 121 to draw cards, you'll almost certainly find many Trainer cards.

Drapion V: Fusion Strike, Single Strike and Rapid Strike "Counter"

Your goal is to deal double damage to Mew VMAX LOR TG30, because of its Dark type weakness, totaling 380 damage.

As the player who uses Mew always needs Genesect V FST 185, they'll always guarantee Drapion V LOR 118's attack cost exemption, which guarantees it is an excellent counter.

Recursive Pokémon

"Sniper" Target Defense

Manaphy prevents damage coming from Pokémon such as Kyogre CRZ 36 and Heatmor FST 41.

Draw Pokémon

- Bidoof CRZ 111 has the ability Carefree Countenance, which protects it from bench damage dealt by attacks, which is very useful to evolve it to Bibarel.

- Bibarel BRS 121 comes in with its ability Industrious Incisors, which allows you, once per turn, to draw until you have five cards in hand.

Pokémon to Lock Down your Opponent

- Mimikyu sv2 97 has Safeguard: it doesn't take damage from Pokémon V (that includes all of them, including VStar, VMax, VUnion or V) and ex.

It is very useful as an attacker against your opponent's Pokémon V and Pokémon ex, being able to lock down their attacks; besides that, it can help place as many damage counters as possible, which will help our Gengar sv2a 94.

- Spiritomb sv2 89 has Fettered in Misfortune: if it is in play, all basic Pokémon V in play don't have abilities.

This is excellent to take down Mew VMAX LOR TG30 decks which depend on Genesect V FST 185, which is the deck's main "core" to draw resources.

Remember this Spiritomb doesn't need to be the active Pokémon; it can be on the bench and activate its ability!

- Klefki sv1 96 has Mischievous Lock: if this Pokémon is set as the active Pokémon, all basic Pokémon in play (yours and the opponent's) won't be able to use abilities.

Klefki is another way to lock down Lost Box decks which depend on Comfey LOR 79 to build their set-up, and disrupt your opponent's game plan.

Remember, we have to be careful: just like it can sabotage your opponent's basic Pokémon, it can sabotage ours, such as Manaphy BRS 41, which protects your Gastly LOR 64 from enemy "sniper" damage, besides also sabotaging Radiant Alakazam SIT 59 and Spiritomb sv2 89.

- Radiant Alakazam SIT 59 has Painful Spoons: this Pokémon, on your turn, can move two damage counters between your opponent's Pokémon.

It is very useful to complete whatever damage you need, even more so if we have the stadium Old Cemetery CRE 147 in play.

Trainer Cards

Supporter: Card Draw

"Catcher" Role Supporter

Supporter: Locking Down your Opponent's Hand

Supporter to Recycle your Pokémon

Pokémon Searcher Items

Fog Crystal CRE 140 is useful to look for a basic Psychic energy or a basic Psychic Pokémon, which is quite useful to set up your Gastly or search for your Psychic energies so Gengar can use its first attack.

Set Up Item

Rare Candy PGO 69 is a vital card to speed up your game plan, as it is with it you'll skip steps in your Pokémon evolution lines.

General Recycling Item

Estadium

Old Cemetery has an effect that is valid for both players: if the player's Pokémon isn't a Psychic type and is energized from hand (the cost of this energy), it gets two damage counters.

This helps Radiant Alakazam SIT 59 mobilize damages, and also helps Gengar sv2a 94 eventually knock down opponents by using the Poltergeist attack.

As the meta is on a course increasingly more focused on an evolution line setup, using many Trainer cards to help set up and look for Pokémon, such as Ultra Ball, Nest Ball, Level Ball, not to mention Rare Candy itself to speed up evolutions, it is a great time for Gengar to deal massive damage.

We also have in the meta ultra rare decks such as V and VStar, which carry around 28 to 33 and sometimes even 42 Trainer cards, buffing our Gengar's attack.

Advantages

- Fighting type decks, such as Single Strike Urshifu VMAX BRS TG29 and Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX BRS TG30, because of the Psychic type weaknesses.

- Lost Box decks, because of Spiritomb sv2 89 and Klefki sv1 96 as Pokémon which lock down the opponent.

- It can counter some Pokémon, such as Chien-Pao ex sv2 274, Lumineon V BRS 156, Miraidon ex sv1 244, Genesect V FST 254 and all Radiant Pokémon (as they are basic) due to Spiritomb sv2 89 and Klefki sv1 96's abilities when played together.

Disadvantages

- Darkness archetype decks, such as Darkrai VSTAR ASR 99.

- United Wings decks with Murkrow sv2 131, because of their Darkness type. As a "Single Prize" deck, even if they face losses as their Pokémon are knocked out, they get stronger for each Pokémon discarded in the discard pile, increasing their base damage as main attacker.

The victory in this case will be in the hands of the player "who starts hitting first", and as this deck's core is based on basic Pokémon, your opponent has greater odds.

- We have a relatively slow deck to set up. Pokémon which are more explosive to set up, such as VStar, can easily ruin our plans, even more if these decks have an evolution Pokémon with abilities, such as Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR CRZ GG67.

It is a very interesting and strong deck to put to practice. If you were here for Sun & Moon, when we used Gengar & Mimikyu-GX TEU 53, you'll like the nostalgia of playing this list.

For those who are new to the game, you'll enjoy the goal of dealing damage according to the number of Trainer cards your opponent has, which can easily guarantee high numbers.

See you next time!