Searching Standard: Rapid Strike Malamar

Mike Likes
March 31, 2022
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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 OmniPoke. It's a deck that harnesses the power of Rapid Strike cards to deal a ton of damage. Let's get started by taking a look at the deck list.

Rapid Strike MalamarOmniPoke Inkay 69 Malamar CRE 70 Remoraid 36 Sobble 41 Drizzile 56 Octillery 37 Inteleon 58 Inteleon 43 Escape Rope 114 Evolution Incense 163 Ordinary Rod 171 Tower of Waters 138 Brawly 131 Level Ball 76 Scoop Up Net 165 Cynthia's Ambition 138 Rescue Carrier 154 Fog Crystal 140 Korrina's Focus 128 Psychic Energy 95 Spiral Energy 159

 


Malamar CRE 70 is the main attacker in this deck. By using its Rapid Strike Tentacles attack, you'll deal 40 damage for each Rapid Strike card you reveal from your hand. You'll then shuffle those cards that you revealed back into your deck, where you'll be able to draw them to use again on future turns. So, you can see how important it will be to be able to search your deck for Rapid Strike cards. That's where our next Pokemon helps out.

 


Octillery BST 37 has the Rapid Strike Search Ability, allowing you to search your deck for any one Rapid Strike card each turn. By doing this, you'll be able to guarantee that you can deal a minimum of 40 damage when you attack with Malamar CRE 70's Rapid Strike Tentacles attack. It can also be used to find a copy of Inkay CRE 69 or Malamar CRE 70 if you find yourself without one.

 

 

It shouldn't come as a surprise that drawing additional cards will be very important for this deck. The best way to draw additional cards is by playing Supporter cards. Both Inteleon SSH 58 and Drizzile SSH 56 have the Shady Dealings Ability, allowing you to find Trainer cards from your deck to put into your hand. There is also a copy of Inteleon CRE 43 which has the Quick Shooting Ability, allowing you to place two damage counters on one of your opponent's Pokemon. This is a great way to finish off a Pokemon that you've previously attacked.

 


Both Korrina's Focus BST 128 and Cynthia's Ambition BRS 138 allow you to draw extra cards into your hand. Korrina's Focus BST 128 has you draw until you have six cards in your hand, while Cynthia's Ambition BRS 138 draws cards until you have either five or eight cards in your hand, depending on whether one of your Pokemon was Knocked Out on your opponent's last turn. With both of these cards, you'll want to make sure to play as many cards from your hand prior to playing either of these so that you'll get the biggest bang from your draw.

 


In order to find the Pokemon you need for your deck to run smoothly, you can rely on these cards for help. Brawly CRE 131 will put up to three Basic Rapid Strike Pokemon from your deck onto your Bench. Level Ball BST 129 can be used to search for any Basic Pokemon or Drizzile SSH 56. Finally, Evolution Incense SSH 163 can find any Evolution Pokemon from within your deck. Each of these will help to thin your deck, allowing you to draw other useful cards each turn.

 

By playing Fog Crystal CRE 140, you'll be able to seek out a copy of Psychic Energy from your deck. This is important because there are only six Energy in total within this deck. Since Malamar CRE 70's Rapid Strike Tentacles attack requires one Psychic Energy to use, by playing Fog Crystal CRE 140, you'll be set up for attacking right away.

 

 

With so few Energy in this deck, you won't want to pay the Retreat Cost of your Pokemon if you don't need to. That's where this group of Trainer cards comes in. Escape Rope BST 125 forces both players to switch their Active Pokemon with one from their Bench, with your opponent going first. Tower of Waters BST 138 reduces the Retreat Cost of all Rapid Strike Pokemon by two Energy. That allows every Rapid Strike Pokemon except for Malamar CRE 70 to retreat for free. Finally, Scoop Up Net RCL 165 can be used to return a Pokemon to your hand, which can enable you to move a Benched Pokemon to your Active Spot.

 


The final pair of cards offer you the means of returning things from your discard pile to your hand or deck. Ordinary Rod SSH 171 allows you to shuffle either a pair of Pokemon or a pair of Basic Energy from your discard pile back into your deck. Rescue Carrier EVS 154 allows you to put up to two Pokemon with 90 HP or less from your discard pile into your hand. Since all of the Pokemon in this deck only reward your opponent with a single Prize card when they are Knocked Out, using either of these to get back your important Pokemon can be very helpful.


Wrapping Up

Last week I talked about a Single Strike deck, which plays much differently than this Rapid Strike deck. While this Rapid Strike deck is dependent on having other Rapid Strike cards in your hand, it is capable of dealing more damage with a single attack than the Single Strike deck can deal. If you enjoy being able to deal just enough damage to Knock Out your opponent's Pokemon, you'll want to give this deck a try.

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