Hello and welcome to another episode of Searching Standard, where each and every week I look for new, innovative decks for you to play in Standard. This week, I'm looking at a deck that was recently featured on the YouTube channel of LittleDarkFury. It features Gengar ex TEF 104, who makes things a bit tricky for your opponent to keep Energy attached to their Active Pokemon. Let's get started by taking a look at the deck list.
While you have Gengar ex TEF 104 in play, its Gnawing Curse Ability will place 2 damage counters on your opponent's Pokemon whenever they attach an Energy from their hand to that Pokemon. This Ability will stack, so if you have multiple copies of Gengar ex TEF 104 in play, each of them will place 2 damage counters. Gengar ex TEF 104 also has the Tricky Steps attack which will deal 160 damage, plus you can move an Energy from your opponent's Active Pokemon to one of their Benched Pokemon if you would like. This can force them to need to attach more Energy in order to attack, placing additional damage counters on that Pokemon.
To help you draw specific cards, this deck relies on Pidgeot ex OBF 164's Quick Search Ability. Take note that you have to use Rare Candy SVI 191 to evolve from Pidgey OBF 162 to Pidgeot ex OBF 164. You'll also need to use Rare Candy SVI 191 to evolve Gastly TEF 102 into Gengar ex TEF 104 if you want to be able to get more than one into play.
Both Munkidori TWM 95 and Radiant Alakazam SIT 59 have Abilities that allow you to move around damage counters. Use Munkidori TWM 95's Adrena-Brain Ability to move damage from Gengar ex TEF 104, keeping it in the game longer, and use Radiant Alakazam SIT 59's Painful Spoons Ability to Knock Out previously damaged Pokemon that have retreated to the "safety" of the opponent's Bench. Pecharunt ex SFA 39 has the Subjugating Chains Ability that can help your team remain mobile, but its best use is as a finisher. With Pecharunt ex SFA 39's Irritated Outburst attack, you'll deal 60 damage for each Prize card your opponent has already taken. The possibility of 300 damage for just 2 Energy is a great rate of return.
Cleffa OBF 80, Rotom V LOR 58, and Fezandipiti ex SFA 38 all have ways of allowing you to draw extra cards. Cleffa OBF 80 can use its Grasping Draw attack to refill your hand to 7 cards. Plus, this attack requires zero Energy to use, so you can attach your Energy somewhere where it can be of better use. Rotom V LOR 58 has the Instant Charge Ability, which allows you to draw 3 cards, but also ends your turn. Finally, for those turns where you just had a Pokemon get Knocked Out, you can use Fezandipiti ex SFA 38's Flip the Script Ability to draw 3 cards, hopefully helping you to recover from your loss.
By attaching Handheld Fan TWM 150 to Gengar ex TEF 104, you'll be able to move 2 Energy away from your opponent's Active pokemon before they're able to attach a new Energy. Technical Machine: Devolution PAR 177 is included in this deck as a silver bullet card to use against decks that rely on evolved Pokemon. Unfair Stamp TWM 165 can be played after having one of your Pokemon get Knocked Out, giving you a chance to reset your opponent's hand and the possibility to regain some lost momentum.
Both Dark Patch ASR 139 and Earthen Vessel PAR 163 help you find the Energy you need with this deck. Dark Patch ASR 139 offers a way of reusing Energy that has gone to your discard pile, while Earthen Vessel PAR 163 allows you to search out the Energy from your deck. Pokémon League Headquarters OBF 192 makes the attacks of Basic Pokemon cost one additional Energy, which shouldn't hurt you as much as it might hurt your opponent.
Helping you find the Pokemon you need are the usual suspects: Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144, Nest Ball SVI 181, and Ultra Ball SVI 196. Each of these Items has specific requirements for the Pokemon it can search for or certain requirements that must be met in order to play the Item. If you remember these requirements, you should have no problem using the correct Item for the job.
By playing Arven SVI 166, you'll be able to search your deck for an Item and a Pokemon Tool to put into your hand. Two of the best things you can search for will be Rare Candy SVI 191 and Handheld Fan TWM 150. Forest Seal Stone SIT 156 offers you another way to search your deck for any specific card you might need, thanks to it providing the attached Pokemon the Star Alchemy Ability VSTAR Power. This deck also includes a pair of Iono PAL 185 that you can play to disrupt your opponent's hand and slow down their momentum, while providing you with a new hand of your own.
To maximize the effectiveness of your attacks, you can use either Boss’s Orders PAL 172 or Counter Catcher PAR 160 to swap out your opponent's Active Pokemon with one from their Bench. Doing this can also help ensure that they are unable to attack you during their turn.
By playing Professor Turo's Scenario PAR 171, you'll return one of your Pokemon in play to your hand, discarding any attached cards in the process. This can be a great way of denying your opponent the opportunity to Knock Out a wounded Pokemon and taking any Prize cards in the process. The final card in this deck is Super Rod PAL 188, which is useful in allowing you to shuffle back Pokemon or Basic Energy from your discard pile to your deck.
Wrapping Up
While Gengar ex TEF 104 might not hit for the most damage, playing against it can be frustrating. Use your opponent's frustration to your benefit, and hopefully you'll pull out the victory.
What do you think of this deck? Do you have any suggestions for improvements? Let me know by leaving a comment below. And be sure to join me here again next week as I continue my search for innovative decks in the Pokemon TCG. I'll see you then!
- Mike Likes