Despite all odds of being a Stage-2 in this modern era, Gardevoir ex has proven to be a force to be reckoned with in the current Pokémon TCG Standard format. With multiple Psychic-type attackers available at your disposal along with One-Hit Knock Out potentials the moment Gardevoir ex hits the field, Gardevoir ex’s endless Psychic Embrace can literally show no mercy to your opponent’s Pokémon’s side of the field.
With the Paldea Evolved set, Gardevoir ex has shot all the way to the top of the competition with Iono, Super Rod, and Reversal Energy being the most notable cards from the set. But wait, what about the Reversal Gardevoir ex/Mewtwo V-UNION deck? Why is it not as popular? Is it better than just a straight Gardevoir ex variant? Well well well, let’s take a lil’ chill pill and get into that shortly.
Embracing Espeon VMAX: Pokémon TCG Malaysia Championship 2023
I love Gardevoir ex, I mean, I love how the deck works. Ever since released in Scarlet & Violet base set, I was committed to playing the deck. When I finished 37th place at Pokémon Malaysia Regionals 2023 with straight Gardevoir ex, I faced a fair share of Lost Box players, and I was not too keen on how Lost Box decks just eats the deck if you didn’t have like a turn 2 Gardevoir ex out and started to pressure them. Even going late into the game, Sableye just cleans up too easily against Gardevoir ex.
At the Malaysia Championships 2023, I knew I must devise a strategy against a Lost Box filled metagame with Paldea Evolved not being legal. Hence the Espeon VMAX inclusion into the deck. Still, this only works if the deck is up and running. Lost Box can still decimate my deck if I don’t get an optimal start. With rigorous testing against skilled Lost Box players, the deck works magically well with optimal setup even when I am a turn behind. Downside is, my Lugia VSTAR and Mew VMAX matchups were less ideal than the usual straight Gardevoir ex.
During the tournament itself, I only faced 3 Lost Zone decks itself and, in 2 of those games, I didn’t have anything close to an optimal setup. Ultimately, I qualified for Day 2 and faced Mew VMAX in Top 16. I managed to win 2-0 against the Mew VMAX but failed to beat a hot streak straight Gardevoir ex in Top 8. Still happy I managed to make it to Top 8 being my second tournament back into the game!
Gardevoir ex ‘Evolved’?
With the upcoming Summer Asia Open tournament this weekend as well as Worlds Championship 2023, Gardevoir ex is slowly settling in the foundations of the deck especially after NAIC 2023 with 2 Gardevoir ex decks making it into the Top 4.
Iono, the core Supporter card for Gardevoir ex, will be the Supporter of choice early game to draw more cards while preserving some resources or mid to late game to disrupt your opponent’s hand.
Super Rod, the literal heavyweight champion card of recovery, is in the deck for a reason, allowing a smoother recovery of cards while still being able to play a Supporter card, unlike before with Miriam as the sole recovery card.
Reversal Energy. With Gardevoir ex being a Stage 2 deck, the deck will most likely fall behind in prizes, and that’s where Shining Arcana Gardevoir comes in with Reversal Energy and starts OHKO-ing VSTAR and VMAX Pokémon alike. There is a caveat though, and that Reversal Energy is not a card you want to see in your early turns as you do not want to attach it nor discard it, hence creating some problems in setting up your board. Oh, and don’t forget Temple of Sinnoh as well, especially your own one in play!
Spiritomb, definitely not the card anyone is hyping on, but this card can single handedly improve your matchups against Mew VMAX and decks that do play Lumineon V. It can also aid your Zacian V bypass Gardevoir ex’s old enemy, Alolan Vulpix VSTAR!
The 2-Embrace of My Life: Is Straight Gardevoir ex better than Reversal Gardevoir ex?
Same core support Pokémon, different decks, and different playstyles. You choose which suits you better.
Straight Gardevoir ex is trying to be as aggressive as possible with a turn 2 Rare Candy into Gardevoir ex. This deck tries to be as consistent and smooth as possible to put pressure on the opponent’s side of the board. With Cresselia picking off your opponent’s Benched Pokemon to Zacian V’s OHKO potential and even Gardevoir ex dealing 190 damage with its bulky HP. As well as Kirlia sitting at the Bench and potential preparations of Shining Arcana Gardevoir, the deck will aim to out-draw your opponent and win with their immense number of resources.
Reversal Gardevoir ex/Mewtwo V-UNION on the other hand is the complete opposite, where the deck wants to take its time and setup multiple Kirlia and attacking with Shining Arcana Gardevoir turn 3 with Reversal Energy. Gardevoir ex only comes into play late into the game when Mewtwo V-UNION is ready to show and tell with its attacks. Non-stop Iono every turn is aimed to disrupt your opponent while you set-up your big combos.
From my point of view, straight Gardevoir ex decks edges out ahead slightly against Reversal Gardevoir ex decks. Piloting straight Gardevoir ex is much easier and less punishing when you make a mistake compared to Reversal Gardevoir ex. Although when it does reach the late game, Reversal Gardevoir ex is an extremely powerful deck with the combination of Iono and Mewtwo V-UNION coming into play at the same time can throw almost any deck into chaos.
Switching Penny Away?
Gardevoir ex decks tend to play Penny to aid in maneuvering or picking up damaged Pokémon. Switch is also now in conversation with the recent NAIC 2023 Top 4 Gardevoir ex list that played Switch instead of Penny.
Either way, it’s fine, Penny aids against Lost Box matches while Switch helps in getting some Pokémon out from the Active position without using too many resources. Switch is a much more aggressive approach in maneuvering which still allows you to play a Supporter card while Penny can recover a damaged Pokémon.
Deck Matchups with Straight Gardevoir ex
VS Arceus VSTAR/Duraludon VMAX/Umbreon VMAX
The true counter deck if they managed to set-up their Umbreon VMAX. Truly horrendous feeling seeing Kirlia getting KO Turn 2 and then Gardevoir ex getting OHKO by Umbreon VMAX. Truly the only way is set-up your board of Kirlia as best you can and start going on the offense with Zacian V once Gardevoir ex is up and running. Ideally, OHKO the Arceus VSTAR with your Zacian V. Shining Arcana Gardevoir is not ideal as the attacker as you can get KO-ed with their Radiant Alakazam moving the damage around. Don’t forget as Arceus VSTAR decks tend to play Path of the Peak, so try to hoard your stadium removals and not discard them. Panic Mask can also derail a lot of your plans in OHKO-ing so be wary of it and try to utilize Cresselia to help aid damage recovery on your Pokémon. Hope some of the Iono can disrupt Arceus VSTAR deck and they not getting their Umbreon VMAX out (they usually would only evolve it when they want to bring something out into the Active). This is not a favorable matchup at all, but if they do miss a turn, you can use all the Kirlia you want and give yourself enough momentum of resources to hopefully able to OHKO Arceus VSTAR and friends.
Key cards in the matchup: Zacian V, Stadium Removals
Potential tech cards: Lost Vacuum, Spiritomb PAL, Drifloon SV1 + Bravery Charm
VS Gardevoir ex
This is all about who can set up their Gardevoir ex and KO Kirlia on the Bench. Cresselia can snipe Kirlia on the Bench, lowering their number of draws. Shining Arcana Gardevoir is next up once Cresselia is KO-ed. You would only use Zacian V as your last attacker in the game, if able due to mirror matches tend to be single prize exchanges. Energy management is incredibly important as you don’t want to get Boss Order-ed and stalled. Removing some of your damaged Pokémon in play can also be a clutch late game.
Key cards in the matchup: Rare Candy, Cresselia, Penny, Collapsed Stadium
Potential tech cards: Wyrdeer V, Bravery Charm, Agatha
VS Arceus VSTAR/Giratina VSTAR
A 50/50 matchup all depends on if you can set up your board quickly before they start to power up multiple Giratina VSTAR attackers. Save your stadiums/Worker for this match as they will spam down Path to the Peak whenever possible. Their Bibarel allows them to draw cards even after Iono-ing them so remember to utilize Shining Arcana Gardevoir as an attacker to take KOs (as they only use 2-Prize attackers) and go on the offense. Reversal Energy is key (if you do play it) in taking the first 2-Prize KO with your Shining Arcana Gardevoir. A higher number of Stadiums/Worker can help with the matchup.
Key cards in the matchup: Stadium removal, Shining Arcana Gardevoir, Reversal Energy
Potential tech cards: Lost Vacuum
VS Mew VMAX (both Fusion and DTE Path Variant)
Just play Spiritomb from Paldea Evolved. DTE Mew VMAX just loses to Spiritomb while Fusion Mew VMAX still can get a bit of their gears rolling if they have a great starting hand. Required you don’t have a horrible start, Spiritomb can give you a head start in setting up. If your Spiritomb does get KO, just Super Rod it and get it back on the Bench. If it gets KO into the Lost Zone then just proceed to use your early turns of setup to lay the smackdown with your attackers. Fusion Mew VMAX plays Eiscue to snipe Spiritomb but setting up Manaphy as well protect your Bench. Too many hoops to jump for the Mew VMAX giving you room to just set up your attackers and take 2-3 KOs for the game.
Key cards in the matchup: Spiritomb Paldea Evolved, Reversal Energy
Potential tech cards: Agatha, Drifloon SV1 + Bravery Charm
VS Rapid Strike Box
Slightly unfavored matchup as you take some time to develop your board. Once a few Double Gunner abilities have been used, they will prep for the Yoga Loop combo. Getting Gardevoir ex turn 2 would be key to put on the pressure on their Inteleon VMAX, but Cresselia is the key card to use once they utilize 1-2 Double Gunner abilities. You would unlikely see Urshifu VMAX come into play as they are weak to Psychic but they can utilize it during the turn they are going to Yoga Loop. Manaphy is a key card to protect in the mid game so make sure not to slam your Manaphy too early as it would be a target of Double Gunner. Radiant Alakazam is a key card to KO if you can afford to as it gets free KOs after a few Double Gunner abilities have been used. Remember to keep your stadium cards as it can remove their key stadium card for pivoting options. Their main weakness is drawing power so mid game Iono can derail their combo plays too. Only use Shining Arcana Gardevoir as a last resort attacker as if you go all-in, it’s a free KO from their end as they have Radiant Alakazam.
Key cards in the matchup: Penny, Collapsed Stadium, Zacian V
Potential tech cards: Picnic Basket, Espeon VMAX (against Yoga Loop), Enarmorus V (against Double Gunner ability)
VS Lost Box
The overall worst matchup for Straight Gardevoir ex. Too fast and too much Bench pressure from both Radiant Greninja and Sableye. Aggro Lost Box can reach sometimes Turn 2 Sableye and it would just be over. Rare Candy is your best friend in this matchup, negating the slow setup and putting the pressure on them instead. Ideally, a Turn 2 Gardevoir ex and Cresselia would fair a good chance against them. Don’t give them easy prizes on the Bench to get the free KOs. Penny/Collapsed Stadium is key in removing damaged Pokémon in play. Iono them as much as you can to disrupt their hand throughout the game.
Key cards in the matchup: Penny, Collapsed Stadium, Cresselia, Rare Candy
Potential tech cards: Picnic Basket, Espeon VMAX (Against Sableye)
VS Chien Pao ex/Baxcalibur
50/50 matchup from the get-go. The popular variant that utilizes Cross Switcher and Canceling Cologne is a threat if they manage to combo it early. Just set up the best of your ability and go for Baxcalibur if they only set up one. If not, go for Chien Pao ex as its ability is too dangerous to leave in the Active position (they always need cards to discard from their hand). Getting on the offense as fast as you can always helps in this matchup, as they are slower in drawing through their deck early. If somehow this goes to the late game, Iono is key as they would need at least 3 cards in hand to use Superior Energy Retrieval to recover their Energy cards.
Key cards in the matchup: Shining Arcana Gardevoir
Potential tech cards: Driffloon SV1 + Bravery Charm
VS any Alolan Vulpix VSTAR
Spiritomb PAL and Zacian V it into oblivion.
Key cards in the matchup: Spiritomb PAL, Zacian V
Potential tech cards: Mimikyu ex
The Southern Islands 