Mew VMAX – Fusion Strike
Date Reviewed: November 25, 2021
Ratings Summary:
Standard: 5.00
Expanded: 4.00
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is horrible. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
Otaku
3rd-Place in our countdown goes to… Mew VMAX (SW – Fusion Strike 114/264, 268/264, 269/264)! It has no Ability, so there’s no significant drawback to being a Pokémon with a Rule Box. Being a Pokémon V has its usual drawbacks of being excluded from some otherwise useful support and being subject to some solid anti-Pokémon V effects. There are a few beneficial effects that work specifically for Pokémon V. Continuing to state the obvious – because it is easy to forget when we get to the awesome – Mew VMAX is worth three Prizes when KO’d and has to deal with anti-VMAX effects on top of the more general Pokémon V counters. The payout for dealing with this is an improved HP score and better effects (relative to costs), and access to Pokémon VMAX support. I’m not sure if that last bit has actually done anything much good, but I’ll still mention it.
VMAX is also the card’s Stage of Evolution. They evolve directly from their corresponding Basic Pokémon V, in this case Mew V. Pokémon VMAX are basically Stage 1 Pokémon that do not count as Stage 1 Pokémon with respect to the game rules or card effects. They can access their own VMAX support, as well as general Evolution support. The next thing to know about Mew VMAX is that it is one of the new Fusion Strike Pokémon! This is definitely and advantage for the card, gaining access to their support. Mew V (SW – Fusion Strike 113/264, 114/264, 250/264, 251/264) is also a Fusion Strike Pokémon, more than enough reason to use it over Mew V (SW – Darkness Ablaze 069/189).
Mew VMAX has 310 HP, just over the minimum 300 we’ve seen on other Pokémon VMAX. While this means it is a little easier to OHKO than most other Pokémon VMAX, even the 300 HP ones still aren’t easy to OHKO. Mew is [D] Weak, which could be a problem Not the dominant type but still showing up in competitive play. [F] Resistance is appreciated; [F] decks have a strong presence right now, and while it won’t protect from Bench hits by Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX, at least when Active, Mew VMAX fakes being a 340 HP Pokémon. Mew VMAX has a perfect, free Retreat Cost. This is great, and what I tend to expect on “smaller” Pokémon.
Mew VMAX knows two attacks. We’re going to cover “Max Miracle” to get it out of the way. Priced at [PP], it lets Mew VMAX do 130 damage to your opponent’s Active while ignoring all effects on your opponent’s Active. Note that Weakness and Resistance are not effects, so those still apply. I’d call this a decent attack, but remember what I said; we’re just getting this one out of the way! It is the secondary “filler” attack of the card! The real show comes from “Cross Fusion Strike”. Priced at [CC], this attack lets you select any attack you want that is printed on your Fusion Strike Pokémon, then use it as the rest of this attack. You don’t have to sweat the copied attack’s printed Energy cost, but you do have to worry about any costs or requirements that are printed as part of the copied attack’s effect.
We’ve seen attacks like this on many cards, sometimes they’re great, sometimes they’re just okay. So, what makes Mew VMAX’s option so good? Even though you’re limited to an incredibly shallow pool of Pokémon, you’ve got Elesa’s Sparkle to help with Energy acceleration, and Fusion Strike Energy block opposing Abilities that directly affect Mew VMAX. If you can use that, then a manual Energy attachment readies Mew VMAX to use almost any attack on a Fusion Strike Pokémon. The following all have attacks that – even at a glance – could be worth copying:
- Genesect V
- Deoxys (SW – Fusion Strike 120/264; SW – Black Star Promos SWSH170)
- Meloetta (SW – Fusion Strike 124/264)
- Latias (SW – Fusion Strike 193/264; SW – Black Star Promos SWSH171)
- Latios (SW – Fusion Strike 194/264)
That may not seem like much, but it is a nice mix of brute force and technical attackers who are all Basic Pokémon. The attacks also cost more than [CC], so you’ll get at least a slight price break using them via Cross Fusion Strike. While the other Pokémon can already use it, since they’re also Fusion Strike cards, it is important to remember Power Tablet as well.
Okay, that is Otaku’s Theorymon, how about actual results? At the time of writing, Mew VMAX/Genesct V decks have just edged out Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX/Umbreon VMAX decks for metagame share. You can see for yourself if that is still true; it is admittedly a narrow lead. I don’t know how well it will do in the Expanded Format; there are no current results but Mew VMAX gains access to Double Colorless Energy, Max Potion, Acerola, etc. I think Mew VMAX’s prospects are looking good there. Mew VMAX was my 6th-Place pick and I’m glad it rose to 3rd-Place in our collective countdown. It may have even deserved higher…
Ratings
- Standard: 5/5
- Expanded: 4/5
Vince
Editor’s Note: Vince had Mew VMAX as his 5th-Place pick.
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