The new Team Up – Chilling Reign meta has brought an exciting fresh overhaul to an otherwise stale meta since the last rotation (and with what’s happening around the world). The coming of Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX and Ice Rider Calyrex VMAX, the new additions for Rapid Strike and Single Strike, plus other interesting additions like Inteleon and the Galarian bird trio have shaken up the format.
It’s clear that there are three top decks in the current meta: Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX, Eternatus VMAX, and Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX forms the new “meta triangle” as one can beat another. It’s either you’re playing one of these decks, or you’re playing something that has answers to all of them.
Enter Colin Tang’s take on an old favourite in its swansong – Arceus & Dialga & Palkia-GX (ADP-GX), this time along with Galarian Moltres V and Galarian Zapdos V for the ride. This deck finished 2nd in the 123-player LUX SERIES Season #1 Week 3 tournament. Several people have also copied his base deck list to get respectable finishes at the recent major 262-player The Sunday Open with Atlas Collectables.
How did the idea for ADP-GX / Galarian Moltres V and Galarian Zapdos V come about?
It was mainly because I didn’t have Chilling Reign code cards yet! But in any case, I wanted a deck that was favourable to both Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX and Eternatus VMAX. Also, the flexibility of the deck means you’re able to use almost any attack available, even Crobat V’s attack.
How is the deck played?
That’s the beauty of this deck – it’s flexibility. It all depends on the matchup. For Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX, it’s about setting up your two Galarian Moltres V. For other matchups, you would follow a more standard ADP-GX sequence of play and subsequently stream up attackers. In this deck, you are able to turbo charge energies via three methods:
- Metal Saucer
- Galarian Moltres V
- ADP-GX’s Ultimate Ray attack
However, as the deck has so many different Energy types and components, it does have a higher tendency to brick.
How do you face these matchups?
Shadow Rider Calyrex (with / without Alcremie VMAX)
This deck is very favourable against both versions of Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX considering the Darkness-type Weakness is to your advantage. The two Galarian Moltres V should easily manage the Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX and the other Tag Team Pokemon-GX that are weak to Darkness-type, such as Gengar & Mimikyu-GX and Trevenant & Dusknoir-GX. The only thing to be careful of is if Shadow Rider player includes Mewtwo & Mew-GX. Generally, the ADP-GX is not needed in this matchup.
Against lists that include Alcremie VMAX, you have Mawile-GX and Zacian V that should be able to KO the cake.
Eternatus VMAX
This used to be a difficult matchup for ADP-GX decks previously, but current Eternatus VMAX lists don’t usually play Crushing Hammer. Setting up an ADP-GX and Galarian Zapdos V should have this matchup in the bag.
Pre-Chilling Reign, the fear was that once your ADP-GX is KO’d, you are not able to consistently stream attackers. However with the addition of Galarian Moltres V and the extremely cost efficient Galarian Zapdos V, the matchup is now more favourable. I matched with two Eternatus decks in my first two rounds of the LUX tournament.
Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX
This match is not exactly favourable, with slight advantage towards Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX especially if they are playing the Inteleon version especially as this deck does not include Mew to prevent Bench sniping. Also it is rather awkward prizing as you generally have to take down a 4+2 or 2+2+2 Prizes. This can be seen in the final match with Shun Ito of the LUX SERIES Season #1 Week 3 tournament.
Arceus & Dialga & Palkia-GX / Zacian V
About 50-50 but it is still more favourable to the original ADP-GX for the fact that it is more consistent and is likely able to set up the Altered Creation GX attack earlier.
Pikachu & Zekrom-GX
This is also a 50-50 match up. You have a Galarian Zapdos V that can help the matchup depending on how many Boltund V’s are played, but you need to be careful of the usual Raichu & Alolan Raichu-GX’s Paralyze + Reset Stamp play.
Decidueye
Not favourable – I need to tech an Aegislash V for this matchup. Without Aegislash V, you need to use the ADP-GX’s Altered Creation GMAX and subsequently manage to take two prizes, with the subsequent four Prizes being from Mawile-GX being able to put one Basic Pokemon on the Bench and using Echoing Horn for another.
Ice Rider Calyrex
Extremely favourable – with the Ice Rider Calyrex VMAX not setting up very fast explosive attacks, any Metal-type Pokemon like Mawile-GX or Zacian V should easily allow you to finish the game quickly.
Lucario & Melmetal-GX
Lucario & Melmetal-GX would be a slightly favourable matchup as they are slower in setting up. The issue traditional ADP-GX / Zacian V decks had in this matchup was that once the Lucario & Melmetal-GXs’ Full Metal Wall GX attack kicks in, you’re short of attackers and the numbers become awkward unless you use Tool Scrapper. Another issue was that you would not be able to stream attackers consistently unless you set it up early and not rush for an early Altered Creation GX.
With the new build it’s more favourable. With Moltres V, you’re able to stream attackers and Energy after the Altered Creation GX. The deck has more energies after all compared to the usual ADP-GX build.
Would you make any changes to the deck?
I am potentially considering a bench barrier Mew and / or Aegislash V depending on the meta.
The Southern Islands 