Hey everyone! I’m going to be talking about the top decks in each division that won in the United States Nationals, how Nationals will affect Worlds. I will be dividing all the information into chunks by division. Then I will give some advice for people trying to grind into Worlds, and I’ll include my Nationals report!
United States Nationals Results
Juniors
Junior Division Champion: Xander Pero with Roserade UL / Ursaring Prime / Vileplume UD / Yanmega Prime
Junior Division Runner-Up: Sydney Morisoli with Reshiram BLW / Emboar BLW
Top Decks:
Reshiram/Emboar, Zekrom, Following decks are guesses (I couldn’t find enough information): Donphan/Machamp, Donphan/Yanmega/Zoroark, Magnezone/Emboar
Anything unexpected?
Looking at Xander’s deck, it seems really weird at first, but makes sense. Ursaring Prime was played because Teddiursa could initiate the Trainer lock on turn 1, and then if you could get Vileplume out on turn 2, your opponent may not have had a chance to play a single Trainer all game.
The Yanmega was used as an energy efficient attacker, and Roserade could inflict both confusion and poison to further pester your opponent.
Seniors
Top Two:
Senior Division Champion: David Richard with Yanmega/Zoroark/Donphan
Senior Division Runner-Up: Jimmy McClure with Magnezone/Yanmega
Top Decks:
Magnezone/Yanmega, Donphan/Yanmega/Zoroark, Kingdra/Yanmega/Jirachi, Magnezone/ Emboar, Donphan/Machamp, Zekrom
Anything unexpected?
Nothing was really unexpected. Stage ones (aka Donphan, Yanmega, and Zororak) counters about every deck. Magnezone/Yanmega was expected because of such consistency and speed along with Kingdra/Yanmega/Jirachi which wins games with spread and is very fun and consistent with the right build.
Magnezone/Emboar is great if it sets up and can beat about everything. Donphan/Machamp is pretty fast and consistent if you play a good list. Zekrom was hyped from Canadian Nationals and is very fast. Everything went as thought and the speediest and most consistent decks won.
Masters
Top Two:
Masters Division Champion: Justin Sanchez with Magnezone/Yanmega
Masters Division Runner-Up: Kyle Sucevich with Donphan/Yanmega/Zoroark
Top Decks:
Magnezone/Yanmega, Donphan/Yanmega/Zoroark, Kingdra/Yanmega/Jirachi, Magnezone/ Emboar, Donphan/Machamp, Zekrom
Anything unexpected?
Nope. Once again the speediest and most consistent decks won just like the seniors information. Everything went as was predicted.
How the Results will Impact Worlds
These results will give people an idea of what to expect at Worlds so try to test against every deck mentioned above, it will definitely give you an edge in confidence and in real play. You will be playing the best players from around the world so be prepared.
Tips for Grinding into Worlds
The last chance qualifier for Worlds, otherwise known as Grinders, is a chance for players going to Worlds without an invite to qualify to play in the big event. Pokemon recently changed the rules for grinders, the tournament will be single elimination with a best of three games format.
This might not seem promising, but I personally think it’s okay. If you play best of three you have an even chance of winning the round. Losing a game to a donk or something similar won’t ruin your day. Plenty people without the invite will probably not be taking the hike to California to just get eliminated first round.
This will make it a little easier for those who do come. In this Grinder you’ll want to play a deck you know can have a 2/3 or higher win rate against every deck in the format. You won’t be able to afford an autoloss. Don’t assume you’ll get lucky and not play the deck all day either; it will come to bite you in the back.
Try to play a meta-counter deck like Donphan/Yanmega/Zoroark or something like that. It has really good matchups all around the board due to having counters for almost every deck. I think this would be one of the best, if not the best choice for grinders.
If your going to play something like Magnezone/Emboar (which I don’t suggest), try to play against meta-counter decks to make sure you have a good matchup against them, if you don’t, don’t play the deck.
If any deck is going to have a bad matchup, you you shouldn’t play it.
My U.S. Nationals Report (Seniors Division)
Before Nats I playtested every day on PlayTCG, Redshark, at home, and at league. I bounced around lots of deck ideas and finally came to the choice of Magnezone/Emboar or MagneBoar. I tested and tweaked the deck for a number of weeks and came to a nice solid, consistent, and fast list.
I tested that up until the day of Nationals and was confident in my deck choice! This was my third Nationals, and my first two I didn’t do the greatest at; I was hoping for redemption. I was prepared and walked into the convention center ready to play!
Day 1
Coming into day one I was extremely excited! This was my first tournament since Regionals. I sat down for the players meeting and learned that we were going to be playing nine rounds with a top 64 cut. Soon after, the round one pairings were up!
Game 1 vs LostGar
I started okay with a Cleffa and him with a Gastly. I knew that I would need to topdeck another basic or I might lose. I go and I didn’t get another basic. Oh dang. He went and Sneaky Placemented my Cleffa and now I really needed to get that basic. I went and topdecked a Judge, which was okay.
I used the Judge and got a Reshiram which I attached to. He went and used Sneaky Placement. I figured he had a bad hand after the Judge so I attached to the Reshiram and retreated my Cleffa. I did Outrage and then he used Sneaky Placement again! He continued to do this while I KOed everything. I’m off to a 1-0 start!
1-0
Game 2 vs Magnezone/Blastoise/Feraligatr Prime
I started a Cleffa and a Magnemite on bench. I used Eeeeeeek and got a Rare Candy and a Magnezone. He passed with a Totodile active and Squirtle and Magnemite on bench.
I went and Rare Candied into Magnezone. He set up a Magnezone and started to set up a Feraligatr. I KOed everything he sent up and I’m onto 2-0!
2-0
Game 3 vs Donphan/Machamp/Samurott
I was a little nervous because he got two byes from getting second at Regionals. But I could tell he started poorly from his facial expressions. He started with a Phanpy active and a Machop and a Oshawott on bench. I set up a T2 Magnezone and an Emboar soon after.
He could never set up completely and the best he could do was a Donphan out which I KO’d with a Lost Burn burning four energies. After that he just sent up random basics and I KOed. Alright, 3-0 is great!
3-0
Game 4 vs Kingdra/Yanmega/Jirachi
I started good and I think she had an okay start. She got out a turn two Yanmega Prime. She KOed my Cleffa that I started with, and I was able to get a Magnezone running on T2. We went back and forth after I set up an Emboar about turn three.
Finally I broke away with knocking out her last Yanmega. She tried setting up a Jirachi and rolled three ones on Stardust Song. I knocked out the Jirachi and had one prize left. She sent up a Kingdra Prime to see if I could knock it out, I got the energies on my Magnezone and knocked out the Kingdra for the win! 4-0 is awesome!
4-0
Game 5 vs Magnezone/Yanmega
I opened with a nice hand with a Cleffa active and Magnemite on bench. I sorta misplayed by putting the Cleffa out in active. (I should have put the Magnemite active.) He went first and I was going second. He started with a Tyrogue active and knocked out my Cleffa. I had a Collector in my hand so I wasn’t worried.
Well the problem is that my other Cleffa was prized… I grabbed a Magnemite, Reshiram, and a Tepig with Pokemon Collector and played them down. I topdecked garbage for four turns straight while he used Linear Attack to grab cheap and quick prizes. I finally topdecked the Magnezone and got an RDL out and an Emboar.
I sent RDL out and grabbed two prizes with Ozone Buster. He sent out his Magnezone Prime and Lost Burned a ton of energies to KO my RDL and win the game. I lost my first game but that’s okay. You win some and lose some. I have four more games tomorrow and I’m really excited!
4-1
Day 2
Game 6 vs Donphan/Machamp
I start Cleffa to his Tyrogue and he goes first. He KO’s my Cleffa with Mischievous Punch for KO. Oh no I’m starting to lose a lot in a row…
4-2
Game 7 vs Reshiram/Emboar/Simisear
To start this game I mulliganed six times. That already gave her a clear advantage. To add to that I had a relatively bad start. I started a Reshiram active to her Reshiram active, Tepig and Pansear on bench. I was a little worried because I didn’t even know what Pansear evolved into let alone knowing what it did. She went first and attached a Double Colorless to her Reshiram and used Outrage.
I went, topdecked a Pokemon Collector and grabbed a Tepig, Magnemite, and Cleffa. I attached to Reshiram and passed. She went and did Outrage again and got a Simisear out. I went, drew, and attached to Reshiram and retreated to Cleffa. I used Eeeeeeek and got a great hand; a Rare Candy, Magnezone, some Trainer and some Energies.
I got a tails on sleep and she went and set up a Emboar. I went and tried a Reversal on the Emboar and got a heads. Unfortunately I didn’t have anything to knock out the Emboar… She used a switch to switch out her Emboar and sent up a Reshiram and KOed my Cleffa. I sent up a Magnezone and KOed the Reshiram with Lost Burn.
I could only set up one Magnezone and after two turns it was knocked out. I then tried using RDL to catch up and got down to one prize. The Simisear ended up really helping her with spreading twenty to the bench and it did twenty to my RDL once. I had an Indigo Plateau in play which would have normally helped my RDL, but it had twenty on it already so she sent up her Bad Boar and KOed my RDL for her last prize and the game.
4-3
Game 8 vs Crobat/Hypno/Vileploom
I know I need to win here to have a chance to compete for a top 64 spot and I start off really good. I get a turn two Magnezone going and an Emboar soon after. He used Crobat to do big damage, and used Hypno to put me to sleep so I could not retreat or attack.
The Vileplume was to pretty much to seal the deal for him, but he never got one out until the very end of the game. He had bad flips on Sleep Pendulum and I just KOed Crobats really easily with their weakness to Lightning. He slowed me down when I had one prize left with Vileplume, but I topdecked a Lightning to KO his Crobat with Lost Burn for the game.
5-3
Game 9 vs Magnezone/Emboar (Mirror)
I knew coming into this game I absolutely needed to win in order to even have a chance at top 64. I started pretty good with a Magnemite and a Cleffa. I put the Magnemite out first judging how my fifth game started. He even started with a Tyrogue so I was glad I put the Magnemite out. He went first and did thirty to my Magnemite.
I went and retreated the Magnemite, sent up Cleffa and used Eeeeeeek. I got really good stuff; a Rare Candy and Magnezone. I was asleep so he couldn’t hurt me and set up an Emboar and two Magnezones and then passed. I went and attached an Energy to Magnezone and used Cleffa’s Eeeeeeek.
I needed to get some basics or I was in trouble; I didn’t. He went and passed because my Cleffa was asleep again. I retreated my Cleffa and sent up Magnezone to KO his active Tyrogue. He went and sent up a Magnezone and Lost Burned for 150 and the knock out.
I was left with Cleffa and needed the topdeck or a tails on sleep. I drew and there was no basic. Now a game on a coin flip. I Eeeeeeked and just my luck; a heads. Game over.
5-4
I was really hoping to top 64 this year, but instead I go 5-4 just like last year even with a similar scenario. Oh well I had lots of fun. I ended up taking 114th place out of 250 people.
Props:
Starting 4-0- Meeting friends from online
- Playing in side events
- Reverse holoing out my MagneBoar
Slops:
- Missed cut
- Getting donked by a Tyrgoue
- Bad starts
My YouTube
Check out my YouTube channel! I have recorded matches, tips, cards of the day, tournament reports, and much more! Enjoy!
Closing
Thank you for reading! I hope you did great at Nationals and have a great end to a great Pokemon season!
