Hello, Cut or Tap readers! If you’ve seen my Twitter and event placements recently, you’ll know I have been a huge Gardevoir fan pre- and post-rotation. The built-in consistency of the deck gives you a ton of options each turn, while having multiple different ways to play the game, whether aggro or tanky, and overall it’s been one of my favorite decks this year, getting me around 450 points. Gardy is also looking to be one of my top contenders for NAIC, with a ton of new options from Twilight Masquerade that boost the consistency and power level of the deck, so let’s break down some of these improvements, and why the deck is so good.
New Additions
After placing 2nd at the Champions League in Sapporo, Japan, Gardy has gained a lot of traction, with two key cards being added. The first of these is Hyper Aroma, which allows us to search out three Kirlias. This is a solid replacement for Mirage Step Kirlia, and a boost in consistency compared to Technical Machine: Evolution, however the dependency on your ACE SPEC means that if it is prized, you are going to brick the game, and if you draw it off your prizes later, it’s not going to get much value, so your opponent will be advantaged. Also, you have to use your ACE SPEC slot on Hyper Aroma, as opposed to other strong options like Scoop Up Cyclone, Unfair Stamp, or Hero’s Cape. I’m unsure what is the best way to move forward, as the Hyper Aroma engine feels very consistent, but the other ACE SPECs are just so powerful, the slightly worse TM: Evo engine might be worth it. With that in mind, I would recommend just going with the consistency mindset, especially into a brand new format at NAIC. Maybe in the future, depending how our meta develops, it will be better to shift to a different ACE SPEC.
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