Gerrard Ng | Attack The Meta With Lost Zone Giratina VSTAR

At the recent Pokémon TCG GrandSlam #3 Invitationals, I decided to play Lost Tina – essentially Giratina VSTAR with the Lost Zone engine. This deck has favourable matchups against most decks in the current Standard meta, except against Lugia VSTAR. I particularly appreciate the flexibility of this deck, especially as I’ve been playing Lost Zone variants since earlier this year.

best suited for BO1

Given that our official tournament format follows Swiss BO1 rules, there’s a risk of encountering bricky situations. Imagine not drawing Comfey or Colress’s Experiment or being stuck with just a lone Cramorant for several turns. 

That’s why I believe other Lost Box variants are weaker, as Giratina V’s Abyss Seeking serves as an additional “draw” option, helping you gather resources and add cards to the Lost Zone, allowing you to keep the game going. With the introduction of Iono in Paldea Evolved, hand disruption has become a thorn in the side for Lost Zone decks, particularly against Lost Zone Turbo/Kyogre. However, Lost Tina isn’t as severely affected by hand disruption.

Lost Tina makes a comeback 

Utilizing the Lost Zone engine with Giratina VSTAR isn’t a novel concept – it was a popular deck when Lost Origin was released. However, the deck fell out of favour compared to other meta decks for quite some time… until now.

Thanks to the inclusion of Jet Energy from Paldea Evolved, Lost Tina now runs much more smoothly. Jet Energy enables you to switch into Comfey or Giratina V to utilize Flower Selecting or Abyss Seeking. Moreover, it acts as an additional Energy that can be used with Giratina VSTAR’s Lost Impact, resulting in more efficient resource management.

Giratina V’s Abyss Seeking also makes it easier to mount a comeback after your opponent plays Path to the Peak + Roxanne/Iono. Let’s not forget Giratina VSTAR’s high HP, making it challenging to be KO’d compared to other Lost Box variants. You can often rely on Giratina VSTAR to launch attacks while disrupting your opponent’s hand with Roxanne/Iono.

Many decks in the current Standard format lack an answer to Giratina VSTAR, allowing you to gain an advantage and dominate the game. It’s a common misconception among players that Lost Tina is weak against other Lost Box variants due to the presence of a 2-Prize Pokemon, but that’s simply not true. In fact, this deck generally has more staying power than other Lost Box variants, as it can set up checkmate scenarios and performs exceptionally well against the plethora of Arceus VSTAR and Gardevoir ex decks in the current meta. Giratina VSTAR’s powerful Star Requiem VSTAR attack can KO formidable foes like Duraludon VMAX or Gardevoir ex, both boasting massive HP.

When to use Abyss Seeking

Abyss Seeking used to be seen as a last resort move, but now is a sound strategy to draw more cards while increasing your Lost Zone. This shift can be attributed to the current slower meta and the decline in popularity of decks like Mew VMAX and Lugia VSTAR. In the previous meta, the presence of Lugia VSTAR and Mew VMAX made Lost Zone Giratina VSTAR a risky choice due to their ability to easily knock out Giratina V. 

As for the best time to use Abyss Seeking in general, it is typically during the early game, in the initial turns before meeting the requirements to use Mirage Gate or Star Requiem. However, there are situations where it is advantageous to prioritize Abyss Seeking over attacking with Cramorant, especially when considering the later stages of the game.

Key cards in Lost Tina

Mirage Gate

Cheat additional Energy cards onto the board, allowing you to set up multiple Giratina VSTAR and counter your opponent’s hand disruption. It often creates checkmate scenarios that your opponent cannot answer. 

Cross Switcher

The ability to use a gust effect while utilizing Colress’s Experiment is incredibly powerful. On turn 2, you can play Colress’s Experiment, Mirage Gate, and multiple copies of Cross Switcher to shift the game in your favour. Most decks struggle to handle this combination, often leading to your immediate victory. Pairing Cross Switcher with another Supporter cards grants a significant advantage. With the deck’s powerful Lost Box engine, you can quickly gain resources.

Jet Energy

This Special Energy provides versatility by allowing you to use Comfey’s Ability twice or as a switching out. By attaching it to Giratina V, you can use its Abyss Seeking attack, allowing you to accumulate even more cards in your Lost Zone to activate Mirage Gate or use Star Requiem later in the game. 

Super Rod

This card enables the reuse of valuable resources that would otherwise be discarded. Although the rotation of Ordinary Rod has diminished the power level of Lost Box, Super Rod has revitalized the deck, making it significantly stronger. Super Rod surpasses Energy Recycler in terms of effectiveness.

Tech cards to consider

Arven

The ability to search for an Tool card like Choice Belt or Cleansing Glove is incredibly powerful against Gardevoir ex/Mew VMAX. It also allows you to find combo pieces such as Cross Switcher and Mirage Gate, or even Lost Vacuum to accelerate reaching 10 cards in the Lost Zone.

Lost Vacuum

Getting to 10 cards in the Lost Zone without relying heavily on Comfey is beneficial against Lost Box variants. Additionally, it can remove your opponent’s key Tool cards. 

Cleansing Glove/Choice Belt

Both cards provide an additional 30 damage boost you need against Psychic-type and Pokemon VSTAR and VMAX decks. Dealing with Lugia VSTAR and Arceus VSTAR can be challenging if they have V Guard Energy attached, so Choice Belt helps to counter that.

Temple of Sinnoh

This card proves useful against V Guard Energy and Reversal Energy. However, personally, I have reservations about it since it also prevents the use of your own Jet Energy. If there is a surge in Lugia VSTAR and Arceus VSTAR/Giratina VSTAR decks, it may be worth considering. YMMV.

Raihan

This card is broken. It allows you to take any card from the deck when you’re behind in Prizes. Sometimes, you can even accelerate energy to use Lost Impact before reaching 7 cards in the Lost Zone. It works well against Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX / Inteleon VMAX. (Read more about that matchup below.) Acquiring cards like Mirage Gate or Cross Switcher just when you need it is extremely useful, so I would recommend including Raihan if you can find space in your deck.

Manaphy

Personally, I hate this card a lot. This deck functions similarly to Lost Zone Goodra VSTAR, where you want your opponent to target your Comfey early in the game, allowing you to exploit powerful hand disruption cards like Roxanne when they take a Prize lead. However, if you notice an increase in Lost Zone Kyogre/Chien Pao ex decks, it’s acceptable to include Manaphy in your deck.

Spiritomb/Drapion V

I don’t believe these cards are necessary tech options for the deck. Cleansing Gloves seems like a much better choice as it avoids starting with a Basic Pokemon that could potentially cost you the game in other matchups. However, if you expect to face Mew VMAX and Lugia VSTAR decks, Spiritomb seems like a good inclusion. Being able to disrupt their Genesect V and Lumineon V in the early game is very powerful, allowing you to gradually accumulate your resources.

The ideal turn 1 and turn 2

For an optimal start, it’s ideal to have Battle VIP Pass, Nest Ball, Colress’s Experiment, and Comfey in your opening hand. Depending on the matchup, your board should consist of Comfey, Giratina, and Radiant Greninja. During your first deck search, it’s crucial to prioritize the following IMPORTANT cards:

• Cross Switcher
• Mirage Gate
• Energy
• Super Rod
• Switching options (Escape Rope, Switch Card, Switch)
• Supporters (Iono and Roxanne)
• Stadium (Path to the Peak)

By focusing on these key cards, you can establish a strong foundation for Lost Tina’s strategy in the early turns.

Deck Matchups

VS Arceus VSTAR / Duraludon VMAX / Umbreon VMAX

This matchup strongly favours Lost Zone Giratina. The ability to utilize the Star Requiem attack allows you to score a KO on formidable Pokemon like Duraludon VMAX and Umbreon VMAX. Umbreon VMAX is unable to effectively counter Lost Zone Giratina as its attacks lack the necessary power to OHKO a Giratina VSTAR, which you possess. The general Prize trade-off in this matchup should be 2-3-1, utilizing Lost Impact followed by Star Requiem, and then any additional plays to secure victory.

VS Arceus VSTAR / Giratina VSTAR

This matchup is slightly less favourable compared to Arceus VSTAR with Duraludon and Umbreon, but still fairly good. They also have access to Giratina VSTAR’s Lost Impact. However, your hand disruption is not as strong against them, as they sometimes bench Bibarel. Their ability to utilize Path to the Peak and Judge can occasionally lead to unfavourable hands, since you lack the advantage of Radiant Greninja’s Concealed Cards Ability for additional drawing power. The general Prize trade-off in this matchup should be 2-2-2, as they usually do not bench down Bibarel. This may vary depending on specific scenarios.

Key cards in matchup and potential tech cards:

• Choice Belt is good inclusion as it provides damage to offset the effects of V Guard Energy.
• Temple of Sinnoh offers flexibility by serving as a counter to opposing Path to the Peak or negating the effects of V Guard Energy.

VS Gardevoir ex

This matchup is slightly favourable for Lost Zone Giratina, but it can be a close one. Playing optimally and understanding the capabilities of Gardevoir ex each turn are crucial. In this matchup, your goal is to set up a scenario where you are not vulnerable to hand disruption and can effectively clean up the opponent’s board using Sableye when they attach Psychic Energy using Psychic Embrace to KO your Giratina VSTAR. 

Path to the Peak can become a win condition when combined with hand disruption from Roxanne or Iono, preventing them from using Psychic Embrace. Setting up two fully charged Giratina VSTAR is key. There is no general Prize map in this matchup, but the aim is to buy enough time to make it difficult for Gardevoir ex to close out the game quickly, especially considering the potential inclusion of Sky Seal Stone, which puts you on a 3-turn clock.

Key cards in matchup and potential tech cards:

• Cleansing Glove is an interesting inclusion as it allows you to KO Cresselia with Cramorant’s Spit Innocently in the early game.

VS Mew VMAX (both Fusion Strike & DTE Path to the Peak variant):

This matchup is unfavourable. The addition of Spiritomb tips the matchup in your favour as these variants of Mew struggle to set up quickly. If they attach Fusion Strike Energy early to Genesect V, they cannot use Meleotta to KO your Giratina V in the early game. Once you can use Mirage Gate, it becomes an opportunity to stabilize and utilize powerful hand disruption supporters and Path to the Peak to stop them from taking their last two Prize cards.

Key cards in matchup and potential tech cards:

• Cleansing Gloves can be used to KO Deoxys with Cramorant or Mew VMAX with Lost Impact.
• Choice Belt is a worse option compared to Cleansing Glove but serves a similar purpose.

VS Rapid Strike Inteleon / Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX

This matchup is not great and feels like a 40-60 disadvantage. Avoid benching too many Comfey to prevent easy Yoga Loops into G-Max Rapid Flow. Their use of the Double Gunner Ability gives them multiple early Prizes, so understanding the Prize map is crucial as you will often be taking 3-3. 

The absence of Lightning-type attackers like Raikou V makes this matchup a little bit sketchy. Depending on your starting hand, you can use Cramorant to damage Rapid Strike Urshifu V, allowing you to clean up later with Lost Impact into Star Requiem. Raihan is extremely useful in this matchup as you don’t need to rely on Mirage Gate to use an early Lost Impact. Medicham V’s Yoga Loop is difficult to play around, but using Switch Cart might help delay the turn when they execute Yoga Loop. 

Octillery is vital for their deck, and by eliminating Octillery and utilizing hand disruption along with the potential tech inclusion of Temple of Sinnoh, you can leave them with limited options as Rapid Strike Energy becomes as useful as a single Colorless Energy.

Key cards in matchup and potential tech cards:

• Temple of Sinnoht urns off Rapid Strike Energy through hand disruption.
• Raihan allows you to cheat energy to pull off an early Lost Impact.
• Lost Vacuum increases your Lost Zone count without benching too many Comfey.
• Manaphy is important in this matchup to prevent them from using G-Max Rapid Flow, although Manaphy is often the target of Inteleon’s Double Gunner followed by Medicham V’s Yoga Loop, rendering it ineffective. Generally not worth considering.

VS Lugia VSTAR

Regardless of the type of Lugia VSTAR deck, this matchup is unfavourable. Utilizing Spiritomb and Path to the Peak early on denies them setup options, particularly by disabling Lumineon V’s ability. This allows you to put Giratina V in the Active Spot and use Abyss Seeking. V Guard Energy can be incredibly frustrating, as Lugia VSTAR with V Guard Energy attached becomes immune to being KO’d by Lost Impact. Time your Cross Switcher plays as it is crucial for chasing Prize cards, and a balanced 2-2-2 Prize mapping is important to win the match.

Key cards in matchup and potential tech cards:

• Temple of Sinnoh turns off Single Strike Energy through hand disruption, preventing Tyranitar from securing OHKOs.
• Spiritomb disables Lumineon V.
• The deck heavily relies on Lugia VSTAR’s Summoning Star ability. Lugia players disrespecting Path to the Peak by removing Pumpkaboo from their decks allows you to take control of the game if Path to the Peak remains on the board for a few turns.

VS Lost Box

The matchup may vary depending on the build, but let’s cover the matchup against the most popular variant of Lost Box at NAIC: Lost Box Forest Seal Stone. This matchup is favourable for Lost Zone Giratina. They often rely on Dragonite V to attempt to KO your Giratina VSTAR, but this strategy doesn’t work well as Sableye can often clean up the damaged Comfey, granting you two Prizes. Not having Manaphy is fine in this matchup, as you want them to use Radiant Greninja to KO your two Comfey so that you have access to Roxanne, or simply play Iono so they draw into fewer cards. 

Turbo Lost Box lacks the resources to deal with two Giratina VSTAR on your Bench, and don’t hesitate to use Star Requiem on a single-Prize Pokemon. The goal is to aim for taking a Prize every turn. 

A common misconception is that you always have to use Cramorant on turn 2, which is often not the case. Abyss Seeking allows you to build up the Lost Zone more quickly, allowing you to accumulate more resources. It’s generally beneficial if they use Dragonite V to KO your Giratina VSTAR, as it leaves a two-Prize Pokémon on their Active Spot and damages their own Pokemon on the Bench. Giratina VSTAR can withstand multiple attacks from Turbo Lost Box, as Sableye and Cramorant are their strongest single-Prize attackers, with a maximum output of only 120 damage per turn.

No tech cards are worth considering for this matchup; the deck is strong as it is.

VS Chien Pao ex / Baxcalibur

This is one of the worst matchups for Lost Box Giratina VSTAR. The deck operates too quickly, with Chien-Pao ex’s attack and ability allowing for an early KO against Giratina V. There is also no efficient way to knock out Baxcalibur. Dealing with an early Subspace Swell from Origin Forme Palkiva VSTAR can be challenging, so hoping your opponent bricks is your best option. Practicing your “Swiss dodging skills” would be beneficial here. It’s unlikely that this deck will have a popular presence, as it doesn’t fare well against the current meta. Occasionally, victory can still be achieved with Path to the Peak and hand disruption, buying you an additional turn.

No tech cards are worth considering here; the matchup is simply bad. 

Next season goals

My goal for the next season is to achieve a strong placement at the International Championships I choose to attend, and potentially qualify for Worlds through the TPC system here in Singapore.