Poliwrath Deck from Twilight Masquerade Expansion Set
The Poliwrath deck from the Twilight Masquerade Expansion Set has proven to be quite unique and powerful. Despite being a Stage 2 Pokémon, Poliwrath offers significant strategic advantages with its two distinct attacks.
Key Components of the Deck
- Poliwrath:
- Hypnosis: For one Water energy, your opponent's active Pokémon is now asleep. This attack is useful for stalling as it prevents the opponent from attacking or retreating, although they can flip a coin to wake up during Pokémon Checkup.
- Jumping Uppercut: For two Colorless energy, this attack deals 120+ damage. You can choose to deal an additional 120 damage (240 total) but must shuffle Poliwrath and all attached cards back into your deck. This attack is particularly powerful against basic EX or V Pokémon.
- Polywhirl and Poliwag:
- Poliwhirl has the Hypnosis attack as well.
- Poliwag has the Bubble attack for one Water energy to deal 10 damage and potentially paralyze the opponent’s active Pokémon with a successful coin flip.
- Energy Cards:
- Double Turbo Energy: Provides two Colorless energies but reduces attack damage by 20.
- Reversal Energy: Counts as one Colorless energy or three energies of every type if you have fewer prizes than your opponent, beneficial for Evolution non-rule box Pokémon.
- Hero Cape: This spec card maximizes Poliwrath's HP up to 270, enabling it to survive stronger attacks.
- Town Store Stadium: Allows you to search your deck for Hero Cape after shuffling Poliwrath back into the deck, ensuring your Pokémon remain strong.
- Mimikyu: With its Safeguard ability, it prevents any attack damage from your opponent's Pokémon EX or V, making it a great blocker.
- Wheezing: Great for its "Let’s Have a Blast" ability, causing a reciprocal knockout if knocked out by an opponent’s attack on a heads coin flip.
- B Barrel: Acts as the draw engine for the deck along with Skwovet, making the deck more consistent.
- Cleffa: Acts as a pivot with its zero Retreat cost and “Grasping Draw” attack to draw cards until you have seven cards in hand.
- Irida: A useful supporter card that allows you to search your deck for a Water type Pokémon and one item card, which is beneficial given the deck’s water Pokémon focus.
- TM Crisis Punch: For three Colorless energy, this tool card can deal 280 damage when your opponent has one prize card remaining, helpful in critical game moments.
Strategies and Gameplay
This deck incorporates both stalling and heavy-hitting strategies, making it versatile in various game situations. The main tactic revolves around using Hypnosis to stall, allowing time to set up Poliwrath or other crucial Pokémon. The Jumping Uppercut attack is central to the deck's offensive strategy, especially because it can deal significant damage.
Including Hero Cape and Town Store Stadium helps maintain Poliwrath's longevity on the field. Mimikyu and Wheezing provide defensive strategies to counter the opponent's attacks, while B Barrel and Cleffa enhance the deck's consistency by improving draw power.
Irida and TM Crisis Punch are critical in tight situations, offering powerful search capabilities and high damage output respectively. The strategic depth of the deck lies in combining these elements to achieve a balanced approach, both defensively and offensively, ensuring you have the upper hand against various types of opponents.
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