Pokemon Deck Tech – Venomoth/Spidops ex Control

Stall and control decks are nothing new to Pokemon, especially with Block Snorlax still seeing play. The release of 151 gave a few tools for a version that actually wins by taking prizes. You can find a copy of the deck list on pokemoncard.io. Let’s go over the basics of the deck.

The main focus of the deck is Venomoth. While it has the Speed Wing attack doing 90 damage for 1 grass and 2 generic, we will never use it. The main attack is Perplexing Powder. For 1 grass energy, it deals 30 damage, confuses target, and your opponent won’t be able to play Item cards from their hand next turn. This effect ranges from annoying to disastrous. While it doesn’t stop Supporters, Pokemon Tools, or Stadiums, being unable to play Escape Rope, Lost Vacuum, or even Rare Candy can ruin many turns.

Of course, if the opponent retreats to the bench, the new attacker avoids confusion damage. The Trap Territory Ability of Spidops ex can mitigate this. Each Spidops on your bench increases your opponent’s active Pokemon retreat cost by 1. Having 1 in play turns even a single cost retreat into a tough decision. The effect is compounded with each additional Spidops ex you use. It can also use Wire Hang to deal 90 plus 30 for each energy in the opposing Pokemon’s retreat cost.

The other Pokemon in the deck are 1 Manaphy, 1 Mew ex, and 1 Radiant Alakazam. Manaphy uses the Water Veil Ability to keep your bench safe, while Radiant Alakazam uses Painful Spoons to spread damage counters to your opponent’s bench. Mew ex is mostly useful for the Restart ability, as you want to get set up as quickly as you can. It also acts as a secondary attacker if you need damage more than the item lock.

Trainer cards are mostly used to dig through your deck as quickly as possible to get the pieces you need to lock your opponent. Iono is mostly disruption, but can prevent you from decking out if the game goes too long. I included 1 copy of Avery as another source of disruption. If you force a support Pokemon in the active spot before playing Avery, you force your opponent to discard 1 or 2 potential attackers. Of course, if you get it early in the game, forcing your opponent to get rid of draw support can be devastating. Pokemon League Headquarters potentially stops the opposing Pokemon from attacking, and is especially effective against Miraidon ex decks.

As it stands, the deck is solid. If you get the lock in place by your second turn, your opponent will have a frustrating experience. Of course, if you can’t get the lock early, you won’t be nearly as effective. While it may not be a top-tier deck, it has solid matchups against several archetypes. The deck uses pieces many decks already use, so it’s easy to build. Give it a try and see how it works in your local league.