This article is intended to show how Vileplume UD combined with Spiritomb AR can be an incredibly powerful trainer lock strategy.
The Big Idea
Both Vileplume and Spiritomb have the ability to block you from playing Trainer cards. Vileplume’s strength comes from its Poke-Body “Allergy Flower” which, while in play, does not allow either player to play Trainer. Spiritomb’s Poke-Body “Keystone Seal” has the same effect, but only when Spiritomb is in the active position. The basic strategy is to start with Spiritomb and build Vileplume on the bench, thereby maintaining a trainer lock the entire game.
To run a VileTomb lock, you will most likely want to play 4 Spiritomb and at least a 1-1-1 Vileplume line. To help ensure a quick Spiritomb start, I recommend playing Call Energies and Pokemon Collectors.
So, What’s So Great About VileTomb?
What are the benefits of this strategy? Here are a few:
Benefit #1- Slow Down SP/High Trainer Decks
Can you imagine how you would feel trying to play an SP deck without being able to use your SP Radars, Power Sprays, Energy Gains, or Poke Turns? That’s exactly how your opponent will feel once you’ve got the VileTomb lock on. Or, if your opponent plays a trainer-heavy non-SP deck with cards like Pokemon Communication, Poke-Drawer and Poke-Radar, they will find themselves with a much slower deck with more limited set-up options. Another plus is making the new Legend Box trainer useless for anyone wanting to build around the Legend Pokemon.
Benefit #2- Time to Set Up
Without trainers, the game play definitely slows down, allowing you more time to get your Pokemon set up and evolved. The current metagame relies on quick set-ups, so the VileTomb lock helps even the odds considerably for slower evolution/setup decks.
Benefit #3- Maintain Sleep/Paralyze Special Conditions
With Warp Point and Switch out of commission, your opponent’s options to escape “locking” effects like sleep, no retreat, or paralyze are very limited and can leave you in a power position to control the tempo of the game. See recommended deck builds below for some ideas.
The Downside
Every deck strategy has its downsides and bad match-ups. Here are a few for VileTomb:
A real risk to VileTomb is Dialga G LV.X as its Poke-Body shuts down all non-SP Poke-Bodies, including Allergy Flower and Keystone Seal. If you expect to face Dialga G often, then you may want to consider running a counter like Machamp SF or Blaziken FB LV.X.
Falling Behind and Playing Prize Card Catch-up
Trying to get the lock on means you will likely spend your first few turns setting up the lock and not setting up your primary attacker, giving your opponent time to possibly get a few quick prizes. It may be challenging to make a comeback if your opponent gets too much of a prize card lead, so just be sure that your main attacker can really do the job once your ready to shift from setup mode to full attack mode.
Some Recommended Deck Builds with VileTomb
Bellossom/Vileplume
One strategy is to use Vileplume’s Basic and Stage 1 Pokemon to also set up Bellossom LA as your primary attacker. Bellossom’s “Blend Pollen” attack costs two energy and does 40 damage plus 20 more for each Vileplume and Bellossom you have in play, and a bonus coin flip for burn. Thus, you have an attack that could do 60-120 plus an additional 20 for burn.
Gengar SF’s second attack, “Poltergeist”, does 30 damage times the number of trainer, supporter, and stadium cards in your opponent’s hand. With the trainer lock in effect, “Poltergeist” could do significant damage each turn since your opponent is stuck with unplayable trainers.
Also, Gengar evolves from Gastly whose “Pick Dark” attack for no energy also trainer locks your opponent for 1 turn, so playing this with Viletomb increases your chances of getting the trainer lock on sooner.
Paralyze/Sleep Lock (Gliscor/Magnezone/Parasect)
Another option is to use either Gliscor LV.X or Magnezone LV.X to keep a paralyze lock on your opponent without fear of Poketurns, switches or warp points. I plan to play Magnezone LV.X with Vileplume this fall and utilize “Cyber Shock” to its full potential. The Gliscor lock has the downside of your opponent playing a hand disruption supporter like Looker’s Investigation, but it still may work well.
Another option would be to play Parasect SV with its “Hibernation Spore” attack to put a 2-coin flip sleep effect on your opponent’s active Pokemon. This may work well with VileTomb as it also uses Grass energy.
VileTomb Counters
For those of you facing Viletomb, you may be looking for a few counters. Here are some:
Dialga G LV.X
As noted above, Dialga LV.X can completely shut down Poke-Bodies, thereby eliminating the VileTomb threat.
Chatot MD is a fantastic counter if used at the right time. It’s second attack, “Chatter”, does 20 damage but also prevents your opponent from retreating during his or her next turn. If your opponent has a Spiritomb active, the damage will be zero as Spiritomb has a -20 resistance to Chatot.
Thus, unless your opponent can somehow attack with Spiritomb or plays Warp Energy, the Spiritomb is potentially locked the entire game!
Other
Outside of these 2 options, it is possible to take out Vileplume, but with 120 HP, it is difficult to OHKO if it is on the bench. Using a sniper like Garchomp C LV.X or dragging Vileplume into the active position are options but are not likely to KO Vileplume in 1 turn.
Another option is to shift from a more trainer-based deck build to a more supporter-heavy deck build, but this will definitely slow down your deck some.
Conclusion
VileTomb has a a chance to significantly impact the meta game and offer some playing options that were not available. I encourage everyone to try it out and see what you think. Whether you plan to use it or not, you had best prepare to see it as it should gain popularity. I’d love to hear some other ideas that you have about how to use the VileTomb lock. Good luck!
