Searching Standard: Kleavor VSTAR

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 Kleavor VSTAR ASR 196, and attempts to utilize Pokemon in your discard pile. Let's get started by taking a look at the deck list.

Kleavor VSTAR ASR 196 is one of the main attackers in this deck. With its Axe Break attack, you'll deal 120 damage to your opponent's Active Pokemon and 60 damage to one of their Benched Pokemon V. You might get lucky and score two Knock Out's at once. Kleavor VSTAR ASR 196 also has the Rampaging Star VSTAR Power that will deal 30 damage for each Pokemon you have in your discard pile. In this deck, you can find yourself dealing a ton of damage with this attack, but you must time when to use it correctly. As you'll see later on, there are different ways to get Pokemon into your discard pile, as well as other payoffs for doing so.

Drawing more cards gives you more options and allows you to find what you need from within your deck more quickly. Bibarel BRS 121 has become a Standard staple, thanks to its Industrious Incisors Ability, which allows you to draw cards until you have five cards in your hand. Even though you can only use this Ability once per turn per Bibarel BRS 121 in play, it will help you draw through your deck quickly if your opponent doesn't have an answer for it. Crobat V DAA 104 also allows you to draw cards, but only on the turn it enters play. Its Dark Asset Ability allows you to draw cards until you have six cards in your hand. Even though it's more limiting than Bibarel BRS 121's Industrious Incisors Ability, it's still quite handy.

Like the Pokemon that allow you to draw extra cards, our next pair of Pokemon are utilized for their Abilities. Oranguru SSH 148 can help smooth out the additional cards you draw with its Primate Wisdom Ability. If you draw something that's not immediately useful, swap it with the top card of your deck. Manaphy BRS 41 helps keep your team safe with its Wave Veil Ability. Any damage done to your Benched Pokemon will be prevented while Manaphy BRS 41 is in play.

Since you're already trying to get Pokemon into your discard pile, why not play Zoroark EVS 103? With Zoroark EVS 103's Phantom Transformation Ability, you can 'transform' Zoroark EVS 103 into any other Stage 1 Pokemon in your discard pile. While there aren’t a ton of Stage 1 Pokemon in this deck to choose from, you do have Bibarel BRS 121 in addition to our next pair of Pokemon.

If your opponent has any Pokemon VMAX in play, you'll want to 'transform' into Mightyena ASR 96. With its Hustle Bark Ability, you'll be able to use its Wild Tackle attack for free if they do have any Pokemon VMAX in play. Flapple EVS 120 is a great choice if your opponent has Pokemon in play with an Ability. If they do, you can attack with Flapple EVS 120's Acidic Mucus attack, which will deal 50 damage for each Pokemon with an Ability your opponent has in play. It's important to remember that neither of these Pokemon can be played without the use of Zoroark EVS 103's Phantom Transformation Ability, so make sure you discard these whenever possible.

To find the Pokemon you need as quickly as possible, you can use this group of Pokemon Items to help. Quick Ball SSH 179 can help you find any Basic Pokemon from within your deck, while Evolution Incense SSH 163 can find any Evolution Pokemon. Ultra Ball BRS 150 isn't limited in what it can find. Also, remember that both Quick Ball SSH 179 and Ultra Ball BRS 150 require you to discard cards, which is a great way to get Pokemon cards into your discard pile.

Another way to discard cards is with Professor's Research BRS 147. You'll end up discarding your hand, but will then draw a new hand of seven cards. Marnie CPA 56 can help you draw new cards, but the main reason to play it is to mess with your opponent's hand, hopefully setting them back in the process. Roxanne ASR 150 is a souped-up version of Marnie CPA 56, but can only be played when your opponent has three or fewer Prize cards remaining.

Gutsy Pickaxe ASR 145 lets you either attach an Energy card to one of your Benched Pokemon, or draw a card. The only drawback is that your opponent will know what the card is. I expect this card will be played in many upcoming Standard decks, because no matter what, the results are all beneficial. Choice Belt BRS 135 already sees a lot of play in Standard, thanks to the additional damage it allows your attacks to do to your opponent's Active Pokemon V.

The final pair of Supporters are both very useful. Boss's Orders BRS 132 allows you to choose any of your opponent's Benched Pokemon to move to their Active Spot. This can either get you a quick Knock Out, or buy you some time if the Pokemon you move isn't able to attack. Raihan EVS 152 allows you to quickly catch up after suffering a Knock Out. Raihan EVS 152 is found in most Standard decks, and with good reason.

The final Trainer cards in this deck are useful cards in the right circumstances. You can attach an Air Balloon SSH 156 to any of the Pokemon in this deck to allow them to Retreat for free. You'll usually want to hold onto Air Balloon SSH 156 until your opponent forces you to switch one of your Benched Pokemon with your Active Pokemon. Ordinary Rod SSH 171 is best used to shuffle back a pair of Fighting Energy. Since some of your attack damage is dependent on the number of Pokemon in your discard pile, you won't often want to choose to shuffle Pokemon back into your deck with Ordinary Rod SSH 171.

Wrapping Up

Kleavor VSTAR ASR 196 requires you to build your deck a certain way in order to maximize the effectiveness of its Rampaging Star VSTAR Power. This deck shows that the payoff can be worth it.

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