New Archetypes From
Sword & Shield—Fusion Strike
With the arrival of Fusion Strike this November, we’ll have a handful of new deck archetypes joining the fray. As always, some deck archetypes are better than others—some are meme tier and some are merely playable, fun decks without much competitive promise. Lists below are very rough drafts and are intended as a starting place for testing, not as tournament-ready deck lists. Consider using a proxy tool like the one offered by LimitlessTCG to test prior to making any purchases.
Chandelure VMAX
Illus. AKIRA EGAWA
BASIC STRATEGY
Bench and power up Victini V and Chandelure V, choosing which to focus on building up based on your opponent’s deck. For decks that on average have mid to large hand sizes, attack using Chandelure VMAX’s Max Poltergeist attack, which does 70 damage for each Trainer card in your opponent’s hand. For decks that are able to dodge having 4 or more Trainer cards in their hand on average, focus instead on attacking with Victini VMAX and its Max Victory attack. Disrupt your opponent’s setup with Path to the Peak, Marnie, Crushing Hammer, and Fan of Waves.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Rotom Drone to sneak peaks at your opponent’s hand.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 16
3 Chandelure V FST 39
3 Chandelure VMAX FST 40
3 Mew CEL 11
2 Victini V SSH 25
1 Victini V BST 21
3 Victini VMAX BST 22
1 Crobat V DAA 104
Trainer Cards - 33
4 Marnie CPA 56
3 Boss's Orders RCL 154
3 Professor's Research CPA 62
2 Raihan EVS 152
4 Crushing Hammer SSH 159
4 Evolution Incense SSH 163
4 Quick Ball SSH 179
2 Air Balloon SSH 156
2 Fan of Waves BST 127
1 Escape Rope BST 125
1 Switch SSH 183
3 Path to the Peak CRE 148
Energy - 11
7 Fire Energy SWSHEnergy 2
4 Capture Energy RCL 171
ALTERNATE LISTS
Coming soon.
Starmie
Illus. Uta
BASIC STRATEGY
Bench Snom and Staryu and evolve Snom into Frosmoth and Staryu into Starmie as soon as possible. Use Frosmoth’s Ice Dance ability to flood Starmie with energy, then use Starmie’s Rapid-Fisted Star attack, which does 30 damage for each Water energy card discarded from Starmie, to take knockouts on your opponent’s Pokémon, active or benched. Boost Starmie’s damage with Telescopic Sight and Passimian’s Throwing Coach ability.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Barraskewda VIV 42 to snipe damaged benched Pokémon without the need to flood energy on a single Pokémon.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 18
4 Staryu FST 52
4 Starmie FST 53
2 Basculin FST 70
3 Snom SHF 29
3 Frosmoth SSH 64
1 Passimian CRE 88
1 Crobat V DAA 104
Trainer Cards - 31
4 Professor's Research CEL 23
3 Marnie CPA 56
2 Boss's Orders RCL 154
2 Raihan EVS 152
1 Nessa VIV 157
4 Level Ball BST 129
4 Quick Ball SSH 179
2 Air Balloon SSH 156
2 Capacious Bucket RCL 156
2 Energy Retrieval SSH 160
2 Telescopic Sight VIV 160
1 Escape Rope BST 125
2 Training Court RCL 169
Energy - 11
11 Water Energy SWSHEnergy 3
Crabominable V
Illus. MUGENUP
BASIC STRATEGY
Using the deck’s various search cards including Quick Ball and Capture Energy, seek out and bench as many Pokémon as possible to boost the damage of Suicune’s Blizzard Rondo attack which does 20 damage plus 20 more damage for each Benched Pokémon (both yours and your opponent’s). Power up Blizzard Rondo with a combination of manual attachments and attachments from Melony and Raihan. Meanwhile, pile damage counters on your opponent’s Pokémon, preparing them to be knocked out by Crabominable V’s attacks. Using Exp. Share and Melony, power up Crabominable V’s Destroyer Punch attack, which does 90 damage plus 60 more damage for each damage counter on the defending Pokémon.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Gutting the Inteleon engine to use another engine, like the Mew engine, in its place in order to make room for Frosmoth SSH 64.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 19
4 Sobble CRE 41
4 Drizzile SSH 56
3 Inteleon CRE 43
1 Inteleon SSH 58
3 Crabominable V FST 76
2 Suicune V EVS 31
1 Crobat V DAA 104
1 Galarian Zigzagoon SSH 117
Trainer Cards - 31
4 Melony CRE 146
2 Boss's Orders RCL 154
2 Marnie CPA 56
2 Professor's Research CPA 62
1 Raihan EVS 152
4 Level Ball BST 129
4 Quick Ball SSH 179
3 Evolution Incense SSH 163
3 Exp. Share BST 126
2 Capacious Bucket RCL 156
2 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
1 Air Balloon SSH 156
1 Switch SSH 183
Energy - 10
8 Water Energy SWSHEnergy 3
2 Capture Energy RCL 171
Inteleon VMAX
Illus. 5ban Graphics
BASIC STRATEGY
Bench and evolve Inteleon V into Inteleon VMAX, and bench Sobble to prepare it to evolve on subsequent turns to take advantage of Drizzile’s Shady Dealings ability. Use a combination of manually attaching energy and Melony to power up either Inteleon VMAX’s attacks, using them in combination with the sniping power of Inteleon VMAX FST 79’s Double Shooter ability and Inteleon CRE 41’s Quick Shooting ability.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Cutting Inteleon VMAX RCL 50 in favor of an additional Inteleon VMAX FST 79 and additional copies of Suicune V EVS 31, leaning in to it as a main attacker and using Inteleon VMAX FST 79 as a damage augmenter.
Basculin FST 70 to take advantage of its attack as a finishing attack to take out your opponent’s damaged Pokémon.
Rapid Strike Energy to power up Inteleon VMAX FST 79 in a single attachment, reducing the deck’s reliance on Melony.
Galarian Zigzagoon SSH 117 as an extra out to a damage counter to set up knockouts or to finish off damaged Pokémon.
Crobat V DAA 104 as an out to draw more cards.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 20
4 Inteleon V RCL 49
2 Inteleon VMAX RCL 50
2 Inteleon VMAX FST 79
4 Sobble CRE 41
4 Drizzile SSH 56
2 Inteleon CRE 43
1 Inteleon SSH 58
1 Suicune V EVS 31
Trainer Cards - 31
4 Melony CRE 146
3 Professor's Research CPA 62
2 Boss's Orders RCL 154
1 Marnie CPA 56
4 Evolution Incense SSH 163
4 Quick Ball SSH 179
3 Level Ball BST 129
2 Air Balloon SSH 156
2 Capacious Bucket RCL 156
2 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
1 Escape Rope BST 125
3 Training Court RCL 169
Energy - 9
9 Water Energy SWSHEnergy 3
ALTERNATE LISTS
Boltund VMAX
Illus. PLANETA Tsuji
BASIC STRATEGY
Bench and evolve Mareep into Flaaffy and use Boltund V’s Electrify attack and Flaaffy’s Dynamotor ability to get additional energy into play. Use Boltund V’s Bolt Storm attack—or, after evolving, Boltund VMAX’s Max Bolt attack—to take knockouts, using Tapu Koko V primarily as a pivot to load up energy with Flaaffy’s Dynamotor ability, as necessary.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Boltund V FST 103 both for its Smash Turn attack to switch it out of the Active Spot when necessary and for Electrobullet, which can be used to finish off your opponent’s damaged benched Pokémon.
Zekrom VIV 60 as a single prize option to help offset the prize trade.
Vikavolt V DAA 60 to stall behind Paralyzing Bolt, as necessary.
Cheryl to heal off Boltund VMAX, after which you can simply reattach the discarded energy with Flaaffy’s Dynamotor ability.
Rose as another option to quickly attach two energy cards, making it possibly to have a fresh Boltund VMAX ready to attack right away.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 18
4 Boltund V RCL 67
3 Boltund VMAX FST 104
4 Mareep CRE 47
4 Flaaffy EVS 55
2 Crobat V DAA 104
1 Tapu Koko V SSH 72
Trainer Cards - 29
4 Marnie CPA 56
4 Professor's Research CPA 62
3 Boss's Orders RCL 154
4 Quick Ball SSH 179
3 Evolution Incense SSH 163
3 Level Ball BST 129
2 Air Balloon SSH 156
2 Switch SSH 183
4 Stormy Mountains EVS 161
Energy - 13
9 Lightning Energy SWSHEnergy 4
4 Speed Lightning Energy RCL 173
ALTERNATE LISTS
Mew VMAX
Illus. 5ban Graphics
BASIC STRATEGY
Bench Mew V and Genesect V, filling your bench with Genesect V and a spare Mew V as quickly as possible. Use Genesect V’s Fusion System ability to draw cards, especially after discarding your hand with Peony to find specific Trainer cards in your deck. Evolve Mew V into Mew VMAX and use its Cross Fusion Strike to copy Genesect V’s Techno Blast attack. To wall against VMAX decks, copy Latias’ Dynabarrier attack. To spread damage counters, copy Oricorio’s Intense Drop attack instead. Boost Mew VMAX’s attack damage with Vitality Band and Power Tablet.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Pokégear 3.0 as a means of more easily finding Peony.
Chili & Cilan & Cress as a way of quickly filling your bench and/or hand with Fusion Strike Pokémon.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 13
4 Mew V FST 113
3 Mew VMAX FST 114
4 Genesect V FST 185
1 Latias FST 193
1 Oricorio FST 42
Trainer Cards - 37
3 Boss's Orders RCL 154
3 Marnie CPA 56
3 Peony CRE 150
2 Elesa's Sparkle FST 233
4 Power Tablet FST 236
4 Quick Ball SSH 179
4 Switch SSH 183
3 Evolution Incense SSH 163
3 Fog Crystal CRE 140
2 Air Balloon SSH 156
2 Escape Rope BST 125
1 Vitality Band SSH 185
3 Old Cemetery CRE 147
Energy - 10
4 Capture Energy RCL 171
4 Fusion Strike Energy FST 244
2 Psychic Energy SWSHEnergy 5
ALTERNATE LISTS
Deoxys
Illus. Kouki Saitou
BASIC STRATEGY
Bench Houndour and evolve it to Houndoom as quickly as possible. Prepare Deoxys to use its Photon Boost attack by attaching Fusion Strike Energy to it—either directly or with the acceleration provided by Elesa’s Sparkle. Fulfil Photon Boost’s [C][C][C] attack cost and increase its damage with Single Strike Energy accelerated by Houndoom’s Single Strike Roar ability.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Single Strike Urshifu V BST 85, Stonjourner BST 84, or Seviper CRE 102 as an alternate attacker when Fusion Strike Energy runs dry.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 14
4 Deoxys FST 120
4 Houndour BST 95
4 Houndoom BST 96
2 Crobat V DAA 104
Trainer Cards - 36
4 Marnie CPA 56
4 Professor's Research CEL 23
2 Boss's Orders RCL 154
2 Elesa's Sparkle FST 233
4 Power Tablet FST 236
4 Quick Ball SSH 179
4 Urn of Vitality BST 139
3 Evolution Incense SSH 163
2 Air Balloon SSH 156
2 Level Ball BST 129
1 Ordinary Rod SSH 171
4 Tower of Darkness BST 137
Energy - 10
4 Fusion Strike Energy FST 244
4 Single Strike Energy BST 141
2 Rapid Strike Energy BST 140
Steelix
Illus. Ryota Fuse
BASIC STRATEGY
Play down Onix, Cherubi, and Minccino, evolving them to Steelix, Cherrim, and Cinccino. Play down Old Cemetery, then use Cherrim’s Spring Bloom ability to attach energy to Steelix, damaging it in the process. With the damage from Old Cemetery, attack using Steelix’s Powerful Rage attack, which does 20 damage for each damage counter on Steelix.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Evolution Incense to make it easier to find Steelix.
An alternate setup engine in place of Cinccino, like Mew CEL 11, Jirachi VIV 119, or Crobat V DAA 104.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 21
4 Onix FST 138
4 Steelix FST 139
3 Cherubi BST 7
3 Cherrim BST 8
3 Minccino SSH 145
3 Cinccino SSH 147
1 Tropius EVS 6
Trainer Cards - 28
4 Professor's Research CPA 62
3 Marnie CPA 56
2 Boss's Orders RCL 154
2 Raihan EVS 152
4 Level Ball BST 129
4 Quick Ball SSH 179
3 Energy Retrieval SSH 160
2 Ordinary Rod SSH 171
4 Old Cemetery CRE 147
Energy - 11
11 Grass Energy SWSHEnergy 1
Gengar VMAX
Illus. 5ban Graphics
BASIC STRATEGY
Bench Houndour and evolve it to Houndoom as quickly as possible. Play down Umbreon V and Gengar V and power up their attacks with a combination of manual attachments and acceleration from Houndoom’s Single Strike Roar ability. Attack and take knockouts with Gengar VMAX’s Panic Fear attack, Umbreon V’s Moonlight Blade attack, or Umbreon VMAX’s Max Darkness attack.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Single Strike Urshifu V BST 85 to hit an additional typing for weakness.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 20
4 Houndour BST 95
4 Houndoom BST 96
3 Umbreon V EVS 94
3 Umbreon VMAX EVS 95
2 Gengar V FST 156
2 Gengar VMAX FST 157
2 Crobat V DAA 104
Trainer Cards - 30
4 Marnie CPA 56
4 Professor's Research CPA 62
2 Boss's Orders RCL 154
4 Quick Ball SSH 179
4 Urn of Vitality BST 139
4 Evolution Incense SSH 163
2 Air Balloon SSH 156
1 Escape Rope BST 125
1 Switch SSH 183
4 Tower of Darkness BST 137
Energy - 10
4 Capture Energy RCL 171
4 Single Strike Energy BST 141
2 Hiding Darkness Energy DAA 175
ALTERNATE LISTS
Morpeko
Illus. Teeziro
BASIC STRATEGY
Bench Houndour and evolve it to Houndoom as quickly as possible. Play down Morpeko, attach Cape of Toughness to it, and using a combination of switching cards and Spikemuth and attachments from Houndoom’s Single Strike Roar ability, get damage on it to boost the damage of its Explosive Discontent attack, which does 30 damage for each damage counter on Morpeko.
KEY CARDS
Switching Cards (Escape Rope, Scoop Up Net, Switch, Bird Keeper)
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Hiding Darkness Energy as an additional switching option.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 14
4 Morpeko FST 109
3 Houndour BST 95
3 Houndoom BST 96
2 Crobat V DAA 104
2 Mew CEL 11
Trainer Cards - 39
3 Professor's Research CEL 23
2 Bird Keeper DAA 159
2 Boss's Orders RCL 154
2 Marnie CPA 56
4 Cape of Toughness DAA 160
4 Level Ball BST 129
4 Quick Ball SSH 179
4 Switch SSH 183
3 Escape Rope BST 125
3 Scoop Up Net RCL 165
2 Urn of Vitality BST 139
1 Ordinary Rod SSH 171
1 Rescue Carrier EVS 154
4 Spikemuth DAA 170
Energy - 7
4 Single Strike Energy BST 141
3 Darkness Energy SWSHEnergy 7
Let's All Rollout
Illus. Mizue
BASIC STRATEGY
Fill your bench with a Chansey and various Let’s All Rollout Pokémon. Evolve Chansey into Blissey to protect your Let’s All Rollout Pokémon from the attacks of Pokémon VMAX with Blissey’s ability. Hit, where possible, for Weakness to try to keep up in the prize trade—and to conserve resources, especially Twin Energy. Use a manual attachment and Raihan when Twin Energy isn’t available.
KEY CARDS
Let’s All Rollout Squad (Marill FST 58, Jigglypuff FST 110, Sandshrew FST 131, Togedemaru FST 157, Wooloo FST 221)
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Pyukumuku FST 77 for an additional draw option and Scoop Up Net as a way both to remove Pyukumuku when forced to start with it and as a way to help clear spread damage.
Capture Energy to help get your Let’s All Rollout Pokémon in play so that they can contribute to your damage from the bench.
Vitality Band to boost the damage of the Let’s All Rollout attack.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 19
4 Chansey FST 202
4 Blissey FST 203
3 Jigglypuff FST 110
3 Sandshrew FST 131
3 Togedemaru FST 187
2 Marill FST 58
Trainer Cards - 32
4 Professor's Research CPA 62
3 Marnie CPA 56
3 Raihan EVS 152
2 Boss's Orders RCL 154
4 Level Ball BST 129
4 Quick Ball SSH 179
3 Great Ball CPA 52
3 PokéGear 3.0 SSH 174
2 Air Balloon SSH 156
2 Evolution Incense SSH 163
2 Rescue Carrier EVS 154
Energy - 9
5 Water Energy SWSHEnergy 3
4 Twin Energy RCL 174
Greedent VMAX
Illus. PLANETA Mochizuki
BASIC STRATEGY
Weaken your opponent's Pokémon with Suicune V's Blizzard Rondo attack and Inteleon CRE 43's Quick Shooting ability. Then, use Greedent VMAX's first attack to finish off your opponent’s damage Pokémon. Although the attack only does 30 damage, if you knock out one of your opponent's basic Pokémon with it you take two additional prize cards. If necessary, devolve the damage Pokémon with Banette's Curse of Devolution first to make that Pokémon a Basic Pokémon again to get the extra prize cards.
KEY CARDS
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Pairing Greedent VMAX with Dragapult VMAX RCL 93, using Greedent VMAX to take knockouts against Pokémon setup by Dragapult VMAX’s attacks.
Toy Catcher as an Item-based gusting alternative to take advantage of the fact that your opponent’s Pokémon will often be just on the edge of being knocked out.
Tool Scrapper to remove damage reducing and HP increasing tools.
Vitality Band and/or Powerful Colorless Energy to boost Greedent VMAX’s damage to make it easier to take knockouts and to get the extra prize cards.
EXAMPLE DECK LIST
Pokémon - 23
4 Sobble CRE 41
4 Drizzile SSH 56
2 Inteleon CRE 43
1 Inteleon SSH 58
3 Suicune V EVS 31
2 Greedent V FST 217
2 Greedent VMAX FST 218
2 Shuppet VIV 67
2 Banette VIV 68
1 Crobat V DAA 104
Trainer Cards - 28
4 Melony CRE 146
2 Boss's Orders RCL 154
2 Marnie CPA 56
2 Professor's Research CPA 62
1 Raihan EVS 152
4 Level Ball BST 129
4 Quick Ball SSH 179
3 Evolution Incense SSH 163
2 Capacious Bucket RCL 156
2 Echoing Horn CRE 136
1 Air Balloon SSH 156
1 Switch SSH 183
Energy - 9
7 Water Energy SWSHEnergy 3
2 Capture Energy RCL 171