Starter shells
Main Decks
Early archetype directions for a format where engines matter, attacks are clean, and the card pool still has secrets.
Archeops Sandaconda
Accelerate special energies with Archeops to power up bulky attackers. Sandaconda V in combination with Stone energy becomes very difficult to OHKO. Other attackers provide variety and greater damage output thanks to powerful attack or by covering relevant weaknesses.
CoreArcheops, Sandaconda, Stone Fight Energy, items and tools to survive long enough to charge powerful attackers.
PressureFast energy charging from the deck, big basics with high HP.
WatchEarly disruption and fragility of the engine with no on board card advantage.
Deck Notes: Radiant Eternatus, Cinderace V and Wishiwashi are flex slots that can be changed with other attackers to cover relevant weaknesses.
Inteleon Togekiss
Set up a fast togekiss thanks to the consistency provided by Jirachi and Drizzile to gain a fast prize advantage thanks to the Wonder Kiss ability. In the mid and late game use gusting effects to target weaker pokémon on the bench if Togekiss attacks are no longer enough to take KOs.
CoreTogekiss, Drizzile, Inteleon, Will, Double Colorless Energy.
PressureFast set-up and gust effects.
WatchItem lock and pokémon with high HP.
Deck Notes: Best match-ups for this deck are decks that need to set-up multiple pieces. Stall decks with huge HP pokémons are this deck’s worst nightmare.
Kecleon weakness sniper
Use Flaaffy to charge Kecleon, then change its type according to the relevant weakness you need to hit. 180 damage should be enough to hit most of the format but you can raise this number using Electropower or Supereffective Glasses. Use Raichu GX for a heavy hit when necessary.
CoreKecleon, Flaaffy, Kirlia, Electropower.
PressureFast stream of basic attackers thanks to Flaaffy’s Dynamotor.
WatchAbility lock and pokémon with no weakness.
Deck Notes: Adjust the basic energies in the dack based on your taste and what you think will be the relevant weaknesses to hit.
Lost zone Slaking
Use the powerful card-advantage engine given by Comfey and Colress’s Experiment to fuel your lost zone and start accelerating energies as soon as possible with Mirage Mirror. Regidrago hits hard and helps refuel your hand while Slaking V is a wall that hits like a truck. Remember to use the stadium to your advantage to shut off Slaking’s otherwise detrimental ability to be able to attack even when you have an even number of prize cards.
CoreRegidrago, Slaking V, lost zone engine.
PressureFast and consistent set up, basic attackers with high damage output.
WatchStadium war, slow set up without mirage gate.
Deck Notes: The lost zone engine can be adapted to a variety of strategies. Prism cards are uniquely useful as they authomatically goes to the lost zone after use.
Use these as invitations, not tier labels.
The format manifesto points to many legal cards still waiting to be discovered. Treat each shell as a starting engine and explore the many options still available.