Mimikyu – Team Up Pokemon Review

Otaku

This week, we’re taking a break from Sword & Shield to look at some of the cards that appeared in decks which have performed well over the last month or so, but which haven’t yet received a review.  Up first is Mimikyu (SM – Team Up 112/181, which should look very familiar: if not for having a different Type, it would be a reprint of another Mimikyu (SM – Guardians Rising 58/145, SM – Black Star Promos SM99), one which we looked at nearly two years ago!

Both Mimikyu are Basic Pokémon, so they’re easy to put into play and to run.  Neither are Pokémon-GX, Ultra Beasts, Prism Star cards, etc.; they’re just regular, plain Pokémon.  70 HP a highly probable OHKO.  No Weakness is the best and no Resistance the worst, but the HP means neither matter.  A Retreat Cost of [C] is very good; easy to pay or to even zero out.

Mimikyu knows two attacks, “Filch” and “Copycat”, the former costing [C] and the latter priced at [YC].  Filch lets you draw two cards, while Copycat copies the effects (including damage) of whatever attack your opponent used during their previous turn, excluding GX-attacks.  Filch is filler, not good but at least not too bad, either; drawing two cards can sometimes jump-start your deck if its stalled out.

Copycat can be strong and versatile, though also a bit finicky.  It can’t copy GX-attacks, and other attacks may not be worth copying for various reasons.  Where Copycat truly shines is when it can copy big attack – again, excluding GX-attacks – for a fraction of the cost.  Not just in terms of Energy, but in Stage and/or Prizes as well.

The [P] Typing of the older Mimikyu (SM – Guardians Rising 58/145, SM – Black Star Promos SM990) was and still is great, due to the available support and metagame relevant Type-matching.  Today’s Mimikyu is [Y] Typed, and are still have some nifty Type-based tricks, not that they’ll be getting anymore now that the Typing has been retired from active production.  Nothing new that is [Y] Weak is going to be released, but nearly all XY-era and SM-era Dragon Types take double damage…

…and that includes current powerhouse Arceus & Dialga & Palkia-GX!  While that TAG TEAM is primarily for its GX-attack, it does still use its regular attack from time to time, and other cards in its decks still attack.  Copycat can turn those attacks into reliable OHKO’s thanks to [Y] Weakness.  In fact, ADP decks themselves are running this Mimikyu, most likely for mirror match-ups.

In Expanded, we’re also seeing it used in Ultra Necrozma (SM – Comsic Eclipse 164/236) decks, more or less for the same reasons as in Standard.  In the Limited Format, you’re going to want to run this in most of your decks.  Mulligan decks or those without any Fairy Energy should skip it, though the latter might still use it just for Filch if you need filler.

Ratings

Standard: 3/5

Expanded: 3/5

Limited: 4/5

Mimikyu is a good example of TecH.  It isn’t meant to be the focus of your deck, but it can be a great addition even if it isn’t an easy inclusion, all based on the match-ups you need the most help with… but it also can easily not be worth the effort.  With as popular as ADP decks are, though, I’m thinking it probably will be so long as your deck can power it up, preferably in a single turn for the surprise factor.

Vince

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