States 2010 Previews: Gengar Spiritomb

Written by | March 8, 2010 | 64 comments | 6,238 views | Rating: 0

After playing this a few games, I feel it may actually be the most well rounded deck choice for the first weekend of States:

Pokemon-25
4 Gastly SF
2 Haunter (your choice)
2 Gengar AR (“Curse”)
1 Gengar SF
1 Gengar AR LV.X
4 Spiritomb AR
2 Baltoy GE
2 Claydol GE
2 Mr. Mime MT
1 Mewtwo MD
1 Mewtwo LA LV.X
1 Uxie LA
1 Azelf LA
1 Unown G GE		 Trainers-23
4 Roseanne’s Research
4 Bebe’s Search
1 Luxury Ball
2 Looker’s Investigation
2 Cynthia’s Feelings
2 Expert Belt
3 Rare Candy
3 Moonlight Stadium
1 Night Maintenance
1 Palmer’s Contribution 		Energy-12
8 Psychic
4 Call

Gengar AR Arceus 16I haven’t used the deck that much, so I’m sure the list could use a little work, but it’s a start. I do think the Pokemon are solid (though I’m not sure Gengar SF is needed); Trainers and Energy need the most tinkering.

Using 2 Mr. Mime MT is going to help a lot against Gyarados for sure, and probably Jumpluff to an extent, too. If you don’t think you’ll see any of those decks, you could try a tech Dusknoir DP or Nidoqueen RR instead.

Mewtwo LV.X tech will help against Shuppet and SP. If you can get a Gengar LV.X on the bench with Mewtwo LV.X against against SP, you can shuffle away their Dialga LV.X tech if they use it, and pretty much have your way with them.

Gengar LV.X Arceus AR 97I don’t know how a lot of matchups for this deck go, but with Mewtwo and Mime bolstering your Gyarados and SP matchups, I don’t see how this deck can be bad. And of course, Spiritomb is a nuisance for almost any deck to deal with. It seems pretty well rounded despite its somewhat slow setup.

I like Gengar/Spiritomb over Magnezone/Spiritomb mainly because of Gengar LV.X. Being able to shuffle away your opponent’s LV.X’s is huge, and “Compound Pain” is a great attack to get your last few prizes in one turn if you effectively manage your damage placement with “Shadow Skip” and “Curse”.

Let me know if you have any suggestions for the list and any input on matchups. :)

Image Credits: PokeBeach, Pokegym, and Pokemon Paradijs

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  • Scnappy

    Another great Article,
    I'll Have to Develop my hybrid deck to cope with this at states if I possibly can :p
    just one suggestion you could also mention how to beat these decks :)

  • http://forum.pokemon.fi/ Master Entei

    I've been thinking of running this, and am looking for some tips on what to play and such. You've got good timing. :P I like how Cursegar's got the ability to tech in pretty much a counter for everything: Mime for low energy decks, Mewtwo for SP, Shedinja for the massive load of decks that run Poke-Powered and -Bodied attackers(although hard to get working, because most decks can beat you otherwise), Fainting Spell Gengar for big attackers, and Shuckle for some DCE hate.

    You definetly need an Unown Q on that list, and I'd also take out the Cynthias', but as I said, I'm just trying to build a list as of yet.

  • Tom

    Great article Adam!
    Since im using gyarados, a way to beat Gengar would be really helpful:)
    I guess using a dialga g line could be good against the spirtomb and mr. mime. Its what i use just to get a chance against gliscor/spirtomb and shuppet/spirtomb decks.

  • Tom

    Also, how slow is gengar?

  • bittyboy52/72

    Well at least the ones I played were actually pretty fast it just wasn't T1, so if this is true the definition of “slow” would be anything thats not T1! I really haven't really played many though!

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    It's slow in that you have to directly attach 3 energies to it. All other decks have some sort of energy acceleration or very low energy costs.

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    Yeah I really like how its able to tech too. I thought about Q, either a Q or 4th Moonlight would be good. Having the extra stadium vs Gyarados could help.

  • quaziko

    I do think having the SF Gengar is crucial. It is excellent against Gyarados, SP, and Shuppet, as those decks usually have tons of trainers stocked in their hands. Also, having the ability to snipe and perhaps get a free KO as it dies is big. I do like the list you have, though, seems solid.

  • Matt

    This seems like a pretty good deck just because gengar level x poke-power level down. This could be very effective against a giagla g tech. Metwo x is also another resonable counter against sp decks and shuppet or dunspair decks its good just because its fast. Overall this seems ike a good deck. Great article adam

  • Alex Domini

    I would keep in gengar Sf just because it goes great with tomb, Because it traine locks while you load up then you can hit them with fainting spell i would also take out a Cynthias for a premier ball or a pokemon rescue for more direct “revival” of gengars and techs but great deck overall.
    ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
    B-side 4 ever

  • SMGausch

    I would drop one moonlight for a q: it's search able and sometimes stadiums are a liability against flygon.
    I also think 2 cynthia's and 2 lookers is overkill: drop the cynthia's since lookers is valuable for SF Gengar and against sp and shuppet and add a 1-0-1 dusknoir tech it's invaluable.

  • jangohunter

    does anyone think a Rampardos machamp deck would do good in California states.

  • Bakasoldier

    I like this deck. What if you were to tech in a Shuckles along with an Unown Q. This will help take care of any decks that spam special energy haha

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    Thanks for the suggestions Sam, I really like those fixes.

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    Yeah that could work. I'm not really sure what you're going to shut
    down with Shuckle though…most decks have basic energy.

    Anyone know where Shuckle might help? I'm blanking at the moment.

  • Scnappy

    GG Will hate you lots, now they have DCE and could help if Gyara tries cycloning you.
    Most decks play a couple of special energy because they are so broad. I may be thinking of a totaly different bodey though, also works if Dialga G is using special metals to tank and you have gengar Lv X to deal with their level X.

    Also Flygon wants to use DCE.

  • http://forum.pokemon.fi/ Master Entei

    The problem of Moonlight is that you can't search it, and having 4 clogs up the deck against all other decks than Gyarados. Oh, and Flygon will give you problems, since you'll have to pay an Energy to retreat every time…

  • http://forum.pokemon.fi/ Master Entei

    remove please

  • http://forum.pokemon.fi/ Master Entei

    I was going to say the same, GG/Flygon/Dos, + Pokemon that have Call attached. I thought of it a bit, and came to the conclusion that Shuckle isn't the greatest tech, although not the worst thing you could put in the deck either: you can use it to surprise the opponent if he's got many DCE:s and Calls on the field, but mainly it just does the same as Mr. Mime, makes the opponent attach 3 basic Energy(3 because of Mime). This can be a little problem for some decks that run both Call and DCE but not many basic Energy, as you can promote Spiritomb instead of Shuckle when your opponent would be attaching the 3rd Energy, this way making the opponent always play 3 basic Energy on his big, bulky Pokemon. Now I don't know how many basic Energy GG needs, but my Flygon's got 6. That means that I get to use only 2 attackers before Night Maintenancing Energy back.

  • SMGausch

    I've tried shuckle in shuppet and a lot of hit and run decks, but it's so conditional and overall mr. mime does a better job against everything. This list is starting to get tight already and I think shuckle would be one of the first things left out.

  • dude

    could gg beat pooka /

  • The Breeder

    IMO Mewtwo LvX is redundant in this deck. I mean if you hit-and run with gengar and switch in Spiritomb or Mr.Mime, most SP decks would be in bad shape. Especially an early Spiritomb, which would be devestating for their set-up. Shuppet donk also cries if you manage to get out two Mr.Mime.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/CJ-Gregory/518975016 C.J. Gregory

    I teched in a Relicanth as well and it got me two one hit ko's. Its one fighting energy grand swell attack lets you do 30 damage times the number of stadium, and pokemon tool cards that your opponent has in play. Against SP decks it could be very helpful and it helps because you can snipe Claydols and other Lv. X pokemon that sit on the bench. I played with this deck at Michigan States and it worked pretty well for me! Finished 6-1 and then got knocked out first round to another Gengar/Spiritomb deck.

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    That's what Dylan B has been using in his Gengar build. He's gotten 1st and 2nd at States and is currently the number 1 ranked master, so it must be pretty good.

  • walus

    I didn't want to but after seeing how annoying (good) this deck is to play against, I gotta try it out.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/CJ-Gregory/518975016 C.J. Gregory

    Wow, yeah it must be pretty good then. Also, I didn't have Mewtwo or Mewtwo X as well as rare candies because they are pointless when you can just darkness grace with Spiritomb to evolve your Pokemon. As well as you can't play trainers as long as Spirtomb is your active. Do you think it would be a good idea to put Mewtwo and rare candies in still?

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    I would still use Rare Candies because you can get a quick Gengar out
    that way, you won't always start with Spiritomb. And Mewtwo tech can
    single handedly beat SP if they don't have a counter…you just gotta
    wonder how many people are using counters and how effective they are.
    Dusknoir is another option as a tech, seems pretty good to me.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/CJ-Gregory/518975016 C.J. Gregory

    What would the Dusknoir do for me? Yes, most of the SP decks I have faced haven't really had a counter for Mewtwo but I'm also finding that just having 2 Mr. Mime's solves the problem for SP decks and especially gyarados and jumpluff as well. How do you think a Giritina would work as a tech? Use it to spread damage to just about everyone? Also what about Nidoqueen?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/CJ-Gregory/518975016 C.J. Gregory

    Dude can't believe you made this deck! But trust me you will have fun!

  • walus

    I tested Giratina out tonight…seems like to much energy to manually attach. It would be great with some sort of energy acceleration…I definitely feel like there's enough room in the deck for a solid tech (mewtwo, nidoqueen, dusknoir, giratina, maybe metagross?) , just finding the right one has been the problem for me.

  • jordanbakersays

    P.S. CJ I'm still pissed at you for selling that Luxray X. Just sayin.

  • walus

    yup, tested against a Flygon variant (keeping confidential) tonight and it's definitely a mismatch, like 70/30 in favor of the particular variant I was playing.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/CJ-Gregory/518975016 C.J. Gregory

    I am sorry Jordan. I didn't know that jumpluff/luxray would be such an effective combo. I'll try to pull another one for ya :)

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/CJ-Gregory/518975016 C.J. Gregory

    Hmmm. I wonder why you struggled so much against the Flygon variant. Could you just not get anything set up or what happened? And in response to your other post, I think I'm going to try putting in a Nidoqueen or a Dusknoir and see how it works out.

  • walus

    I don't know about Dusknoir. Seems like to much work for a MAYBE power. If he's sniped on the bench the power wont be triggered, and it has to be damage so anything that places damage counters wouldn't trigger the pokepower either. I'm also not a big fan of giving my opponent a prize for a power to take effect, for what could only last one turn before they put out a stadium and send your now useless Dusknoir x back to your hand.

  • walus

    No I was completely set up and running, the variant I was playing could be seen as almost an anti Cursegar deck though…and read what I wrote about Dusknoir, you can try it but it doesn't seem very good to me.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/CJ-Gregory/518975016 C.J. Gregory

    may i ask what else was in the flygon deck you faced?? and yeah i was thinking the same thing about Dusknoir. I'm not even gonna try it but I am gonna try putting in Nidoqueen and maybe giritina. but as you said earlier that didn't work too well. I like my deck how it is right now too.

  • jordanbakersays

    Regice is my new best friend after metting Mr. Mime at States.

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    Dusknoir from Diamond and Pearl…look it up :P I wouldn't use the LV.X.

  • walus

    ohhh haha. I figured it was the x because of the spread, yea that one was used against me in Michigan states. The power is scary to play against and hard to play around. It would suck if i got pulled out without your moonlight in play though. Have you tested with it?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/CJ-Gregory/518975016 C.J. Gregory

    Well you could always Warp Point the Dusknoir back to the bench. Also that's why I still use the 4 Poke-Drawers, because when you play two at the same time you can look for any two cards from your deck and get a Moonlight Stadium or whatever else you need! I would recommend the Poke-Drawers

  • walus

    That's true, and with multiple moonlight stadium it wouldn't be much of a problem at all, unless maybe if your playing Flygon. I love the idea of the drawers but I would always be way too impatient with them when I used them hahah.

  • Ben

    Hi, I have tried gengar a lot now and I can give you my deck list so you can got some ideas!

    Pokemon-27
    4 Gastly SF
    3 Haunter (your choice)
    2 Gengar AR (“Curse”)
    1 Gengar SF
    1 Gengar AR Lv.X
    4 Spiritomb AR
    2 Baltoy GE
    2 Claydol GE
    1 Mr. Mime MT
    1 Mewtwo MD
    1 Mewtwo LA Lv.X
    1 Uxie LA
    1 Azelf LA
    1 Unown G GE
    1-0-1 Nidoqueen

    Trainers-21
    4 Roseanne’s Research
    4 Bebe’s Search
    1 Luxury Ball
    2 Looker’s Investigation
    2 Expert Belt
    3 Rare Candy
    3 Moonlight Stadium
    1 Night Maintenance
    1 Palmer’s Contribution
    Energy-12
    8 Psychic
    4 Call

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    Looks pretty good! I would probably play an Unown Q and maybe try 2 SF 1 AR Gengar. Also maybe cut a couple Energy for an extra Expert Belt and Looker's/Cynthia's Feeling, but nice list.

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