Seismitoad EX (TCG)
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Seismitoad EX was a Pokémon Trading Card Game deck archetype mainly played in the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons. The deck's strategy revolved around control tactics while dealing damage to the opponent's Pokémon. This deck was very successful while it was in the Standard format, ranking 2nd and 3rd place in the 2015 Pokémon Trading Card Game World Championships Masters Division. Winner of the Senior Division Patrick Martinez's version was printed as a promotional World Championships deck, Punches 'n' Bites.
Strategy
Seismitoad-EX was a unique Basic Pokémon that allowed to lock the opponent out of Item cards while dealing damage to the opposing Pokémon in the first turn the player could attack, due to its main attack being able to be used with a single Double Colorless Energy; it was common to use its item lock attack during most of the game as it reduced the viable cards the opponent could play and considerably slowed down their pace. Cards that removed or prevented the Item card lock were only released later in the format and not as effective in dealing against the deck.
Seismitoad-EX had a decent amount of HP and the deck included ways to let it survive more turns, either by healing Seismitoad-EX or discarding Energy from the opponent's Pokémon, as well to deal more damage; Energy disruption allowed to deal against attackers that needed multiple Energy such as from Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX. By using fewer attackers, the deck had space to play supporting Pokémon to draw more cards between turns or damage opposing Pokémon with their Abilities.
Key cards
- Seismitoad-EX - Quaking Punch dealt 30 damage and prevented the opponent from playing Item cards from their hand. With damage modifiers, the damage could knock out some Basic Pokémon in a single turn and Pokémon-EX in three to four turns. Grenade Hammer dealt 130 damage and could be an option for the late game, but required
Energy which was not played for many lists. - Slurpuff - Supporting Pokémon that allowed to draw cards during the player's turn. Used before Shaymin-EX was released.
- Shaymin-EX - When played into the Bench, its Ability allowed to draw cards until the player had 6 in the hand. Its attack, while low damaging, could be used for the same type of Energy that the deck had and allowed to shuffle Shaymin-EX and its attached cards to the player's deck.
- Muscle Band - Added 20 damage to the Pokémon's attacks this card was attached to against the defending Pokémon.
- Hypnotoxic Laser - Poisoned the defending Pokémon and could also leave it Asleep depending in a coinflip. The poison added damage over time to knock out opposing Pokémon in less turns. Usually paired with Virbank City Gym.
- Lysandre's Trump Card - While legal for play, it shuffled the player's cards from the discard pile back into their deck. This allowed disrupting cards to be played constantly, and this card could be reused later with VS Seeker.
- AZ - Returned a Pokémon to the player's hand, discarding all cards attached to it. Could remove Shaymin-EX in the Active spot and damaged Seismitoad-EX. Super Scoop Up was also played and returned the Pokémon's attached cards to the player's hand, but required a coin flip and as an Item card was not so useful in mirror matches.
- Double Colorless Energy - Provided the right amount of
Energy to use Seismitoad-EX's attack in one attachment. As a Special Energy card, the player was limited to 4 copies of it.
Typical decklist
Possible tech cards
The following cards are often used in Seismitoad-EX in place of certain cards included in the above lists.
- Crobat - Golbat and Crobat's Abilities put damage counters in one of the opponent's Pokémon when put into play. Their attacks could be used for a single Energy if needed and, along with Plasma Storm Zubat while it was legal for play, the whole line had no Retreat Cost. Also benefited from the deck using cards that returned the Pokémon from play to the player's hand for reusing the Abilities.
- Manectric-EX - Secondary attacker that dealt increased damage if the defending Pokémon had a Pokémon Tool card attached to it; this variant usually played Head Ringer to ensure the additional damage.
- Giratina-EX - As a secondary attacker Giratina-EX required more turns to be setup and the inclusion of Double Dragon Energy into the deck, but dealt more damage and another type of card lock to the opponent, as well being immune to Mega Evolution Pokémon.
- Garbodor - Removed all other Abilities while it had a Pokémon Tool card attached to it.
- Pokémon - A variant that played secondary attackers and Manaphy-EX for free Retreat Cost. Usually only played Basic Energy in place of Double Colorless Energy.
- Head Ringer - Could be attached into opposing Pokémon-EX to make their attacks cost one additional Energy.
- Xerosic - Counter to Head Ringer, could also remove Special Energy and Tool cards from the opponent's Pokémon.
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This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. |
