Rockin' Ninetales 15-3
by Pikabruce
Super Trainer Showdown, The Meadowlands, Secaucus, New Jersey
Saturday, November 18, 2000
206 Participants (15+ category)


I played this deck at the East Coast STS.  The deck's strategy is centered on the combination of Brock's Ninetales active, and Dark Dragonair on the bench.  If the combo can be established, the deck is incredibly strong under 15-3 because you have so many different attack options each turn.

Rockin' Ninetales 15-3

3 Brock's Vulpix (50 HP)
3 Brock's Ninetales
3 Dratini
3 Scyther
2 F Magmar
2 Dark Dragonair
1 Erika's Jigglypuff
2 Wigglytuff
2 Clefable (knock out Rocket's Zapdos in one hit)
2 Blaine's Charizard (knock out Scyther with one fire energy)
1 Blaine's Rapidash (free retreat)
1 Aerodactyl (attack weak-to-fighting Pokemon)
1 Dodrio (free retreat, Rage)
1 Lt. Surge's Raticate Lv. 32 (Super Fang for one energy)
3 Double Colorless Energy
3 Full Heal Energy
12 Fire Energy
3 Prof. Oak
3 Nightly Garbage Run
3 Pokemon Trader
3 Computer Search
3 Gust of Wind

Round 1 vs. Hermann K.

Hermann was one of the top German players, and had won a free trip to the STS after competing in Essen, Germany.  The foreign players were permitted to use foreign cards, so it was a novelty for me to be playing against German Pokemon.  He was playing an electric Wiggly deck, with Rocket's Zapdos and Electabuzz.  I was dealt 2 Prof. Oak, and played one (discarding the other) on my first turn to get my combo established.  But he was able to get Wiggly up quickly, backed by a full bench.  I drew a Computer Search, and looked for my other Oak, but it was not in the deck--it was in my prizes.  So I was playing this game as though I only had one Oak.  He knocked out my Brock's Ninetales and then he contined on the attack.  I never took a prize.  0-1.

Round 2 vs. Ed N.

Ed was playing a deck with fire, psychic and electric.  I was dealt Magmar and 2 Vulpix, and I was able to evolve quickly into Brock's Ninetales.  He started with a Blaine's Growlithe, and I knocked it out on my third turn.  He was able to power up Rocket's Zapdos, so I shapeshifted Brock's Ninetales into Blaine's Charizard and remained alive after his 70 HP Electroburn.  I did Roaring Flames for 40 to knock out Rocket's Zapdos, and continued to do Roaring Flames for several turns.  Then I had no more fire energy in hand, but I had another Brock's Ninetales on the bench, ready to go.  So I deliberately shapeshifted my active Brock's Ninetales into Aerodactyl, which immediately knocked itself out because it had 70 damage; then I brought up my other Brock's Ninetales from the bench and shapeshifted into Wigglytuff to continue the attack and claim the rest of my prizes.  1-1

Round 3 vs. Matt S.

Matt was playing a Wigglytuff deck backed by Hitmonchan, Scyther, Tauros and Chansey.  I was dealt a great hand which included Scyther, Brock's Vulpix, Dratini, Brock's Ninetales, and Pokemon Trader.  So I got the combo going quickly and easily took six prizes.  During the game he was only able to get one Wigglytuff into play, and I knocked it out in two turns.  The last two prizes I got were obtained by shapeshifting Brock's Ninetales into Aerodactyl, to knock out Tauros with one hit, and Chansey with two hits.  2-1

Round 4 vs. Ruben V.

Ruben had a Wigglytuff deck backed by Scyther, Rocket's Scyther and Chansey.  I had to start the game with a lone Brock's Vulpix and he got to play first, but luckily for me he only had Chansey.  More luck, and I was able to get the combo into play quickly.  His only two prizes were from Double Edge with Chansey.  His Scyther and Rocket's Scyther were no match for Brock's Ninetales, and when he made Jigglypuff active I shapeshifted into Aerodactyl, to knock out Jigglypuff with one hit, and quickly cleaned up his fire-weak bench.  3-1

Round 5 vs. Jeff B.

Jeff was playing a deck with Rocket's Zapdos, Electabuzz, Scyther and Rocket's Scyther.  I mulliganed, then had to start the game with only two Dratini in play.  Still, I was able to recover and get Brock's Ninetales into play, and took a game advantage.  But after he knocked out two of my Brock's Ninetales, I was unable to establish a third one, and I suddenly ran into a severe energy shortage.  We were down to 1 prize each.  He Electroburned me, and I lost.  Very close game against an excellent player (he ended up 15th). 3-2

Round 6 vs. David M.

David was playing a Clefable/Muk deck, and when he started with Grimer on the bench, I thought I didn't stand a chance.  But he took too long to get Muk into play, concentrating instead on establishing a prize lead.  I was able to get Brock's Ninetales into play and come back.  Finally his Muk was on the bench, and the game went down to the wire, but he decked himself.  4-2.

Round 7 vs. Andrew H.

Andrew was playing an electric/fire deck, with Electrode and Arcanine.  The game was essentially even, when I made a fatal mistake.  His Arcanine with 10 damage had just done Flamethrower for 50 damage to my Brock's Ninetales / Blaine's Charizard.  He had several Pokemon on the bench with no energy, and on my bench all I had was Scyther.  In my hand I had Clefable, Erika's Jigglypuff, Double Colorless Energy, and Pokemon Trader.  After considering my options I decided to leave Erika's Jiggly in my hand and hope to draw another Pokemon on my next turn.  So I discarded Blaine's Charizard, shapeshifted into Clefable, and Metronomed Take Down, thinking this would knock us both out.  It did knock out my Brock's Ninetales / Clefable, but his 100 HP Arcanine was still alive!  He easily did Flamethrower against my lone Scyther, and won the game because my bench was empty.  My stupid, stupid mistake.  (If I had benched my Erika's Jigglypuff, I could have knocked out his Arcanine on my next turn, as it had 90 damage.)  4-3.

Round 8 vs. Gordon Kane

I mulliganed, then I started with only Dratini and Scyther against his Rocket's Zapdos, and I had no card-drawing power in my hand.  Three turns was all it took for him to knock out both my Pokemon. 4-4

So even though I ended the day at 4-4, I still feel my deck was a very good deck for the 15-3 format.  Of my four losses, one was due to a bad draw; one was due to two unusable Prof. Oak; one was due to an energy shortage; and one was due to my own stupid mistake (which was my fault, not the deck's fault).  Also, in two of the lost games I had mulliganed, but my opponents had never mulliganed.  Anyway, I still had a very good time at the STS even though my "dreams of glory" with this deck were dashed.

Pikabruce
pikabruce@asu.edu