Memphis 2018 4, 35

Archetype: Buzzwole/Lycanroc-GX
Subarchetype: Buzzwole/Lycanroc-GX -- SM-on, no Magcargo
Deck builder: Marcus Guy and Bryan Hunter

Tournament placements: 
2018 Memphis Regionals:

• Michael Bergerac, 4th
• Bryan Hunter, 35th

(The two blank cards are Buzzwole FLI.) 

List (PTCGO exportable):

Pokemon - 14
3 Buzzwole FLI 77
2 Buzzwole-GX CIN 57
3 Rockruff FLI 75
3 Lycanroc-GX GRI 74
1 Diancie Prism Star FLI 74
2 Tapu Lele-GX GRI 60

Trainer - 32
4 Cynthia UPR 119
4 Guzma BUS 115
3 Lillie SUM 122
2 Professor Kukui SUM 128
2 Acerola BUS 112
4 Ultra Ball SUM 135
4 Beast Ring FLI 102
2 Switch SUM 132
3 Choice Band GRI 121
4 Brooklet Hill GRI 120

Energy - 14
9 Fighting Energy 6
4 Double Colorless Energy SUM 136
1 Beast Energy Prism Star FLI 117


Notes:

Michael Bergerac:

• Started 1-2-1 and then didn’t lose until I played Danny [Altavilla] in Top 4. Chimecho is my new arch-nemesis. 
• Shrine of Punishment decks can’t deal with Lycanroc-GX/Acerola/low Item count. 

Marcus Guy:

• When Shrine of Punishment decks took over the meta...I added a fourth Stadium and two Acerola. The matchup went from even to very favorable… If I went to Memphis I would have cut one Acerola for a Judge. If you expect to play against a lot of Shrine decks keep two Acerola… 

Bryan Hunter:

• [Magcargo is] for chumps…

Memphis 2018 18

Archetype: Lapras-GX

Subarchetype: Lapras-GX/Quagsire

Deck builder: Michael Catron

Tournament placements:

2018 Memphis Regionals:

• Michael Catron, 18th

List (PTCGO exportable):

Pokemon - 12

3 Lapras-GX SUM 35

2 Wooper DRM 25

2 Quagsire DRM 26

1 Volcanion Prism Star FLI 31

1 Manaphy SLG 25

1 Kyogre CES 46

1 Palkia-GX UPR 101

1 Tapu Lele-GX GRI 60

Trainer - 37

4 Guzma BUS 115

4 Cynthia UPR 119

4 Lillie SUM 122

2 Professor Kukui SUM 128

4 Ultra Ball SUM 135

4 Aqua Patch GRI 119

2 Acro Bike CES 123

2 Escape Rope BUS 114

1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130

3 Choice Band GRI 121

4 Exp. Share SUM 118

3 Brooklet Hill GRI 120

Energy - 11

11 Water Energy 3

Notes:

Michael Catron:

• The Palkia-GX is the Dragon-type print instead of the Water-type because it’s not weak to Grass. 
• How to win against Vikavolt/Rayquaza-GX: Guzma Vikavolt [and use] Zero Vanish GX.

Memphis 2018 1, 12, 16

Archetype: Malamar
Subarchetype: Malamar/Psychic
Deck builder: Rukan Shao and other Dead Draw Gaming members
Tournament placements:
2018 Memphis Regionals:

• Daniel Altavilla, 1st 
• Rukan Shao, 12th 
• Caleb Gedemer, 16th 

List (PTCGO exportable): 
Pokemon - 19
4 Inkay FLI 50
4 Malamar FLI 51
2 Marshadow-GX BUS 80
2 Deoxys CES 67
1 Necrozma-GX BUS 63
1 Dawn Wings Necrozma-GX UPR 63
1 Mimikyu GRI 58
1 Chimecho CIN 43
1 Tapu Lele-GX GRI 60
1 Marshadow SLG 45
1 Oricorio GRI 55

Trainer - 31
4 Lillie SUM 122
4 Cynthia UPR 119
3 Guzma BUS 115
4 Mysterious Treasure FLI 113
4 Ultra Ball SUM 135
3 Acro Bike PRC 122
2 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130
1 Nest Ball SUM 123
1 Friend Ball CES 131
1 Escape Rope BUS 114
4 Escape Board UPR 122

Energy - 10
10 Psychic Energy 5

Notes:

Rukan Shao:

• Earlier this month, I hinted at a secret deck. It was just Chimecho in Psychic Malamar. I tried to keep the tech a secret, but a lot of people just started figuring it out on their own. Knowing this, I wanted to find a way to improve my deck's matchup against other Malamar decks that might...play...Chimecho. I ultimately settled on Oricorio...as I found it increased my odds of attacking with Deoxys turn 2 from about 50% to 70%. 
• Changes since [2018 Philadelphia Regionals, where Shao finished 2nd with a similar list]: 
• -1 Necrozma-GX, +1 Chimecho. Chimecho helps the Zoroark-GX matchup and one [fewer] Necrozma-GX helps the Shrine and [mirror] matchups. 
• -1 Acro Bike, +1 Oricorio GRI 55. Oricorio serves a similar function to Acro Bike, and improves your Shrine and...mirror matchups considerably. It is basically a dead card against [decks that play] Sudowoodo, though. 
• -1 Friend Ball, +1 Nest Ball. Nest Ball is a lot better vs. ZoroRoc, plus helps you get turn 1 Chimecho lock more consistently. I still don't feel comfortable running two Nest Ball due to late game concerns though. 
• -1 Guzma, +1 Escape Rope. ...I wanted an out to mill decks. I ended up cutting Guzma...as I found it was clunky to draw into [in the] early game. This hurt me a few games, but Escape Rope also helped me a few games. I think I would go back to fourth Guzma if I did not expect mill. And no, I would not cut fourth Escape Board...don't even ask." 
• I am finding myself warming up to Lunala ♢ after Gustavo [Wada's] performance and personally losing twice to BuzzRoc.