Deck archetype (TCG): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:20, 22 May 2024

Example of a sucessful archetype at the 2004 World Championships, later printed as a non-legal deck

A deck archetype is a deck, built by players of the Trading Card Game, that utilizes one set structure, although various players may have slight differences between their own decks of the same archetype.

An example of a now-defunct archetype is Haymaker, which commonly used Base Set Hitmonchan and Electabuzz, and Jungle Scyther. While these cards are usually a staple of the Haymaker archetype, they are not required to make a Haymaker deck. For example, instead of using the Jungle Scyther, a player may choose to instead focus on the Fighting-type in the deck, and utilize Fossil Hitmonlee. The exact number and kinds of Trainers used with an archetype may also differ, with some users of Haymaker preferring the drawing power of Professor Oak despite its disadvantage of discarding the entire hand, while others would choose Bill instead.

Deckbuilding guidelines

These guidelines apply to building any tournament legal deck of Pokémon cards.

In a standard legal deck, only four cards of the same name may be included, except for Basic Energy cards and Arceus (in Generation IV), of which there can be as many as a player desires to fill the deck to 60. This four-card rule includes cards with the same name but different effects: a player may have three Stormfront expansion Pikachu and one Majestic Dawn expansion Pikachu, but only four which have the name "Pikachu". Cards that have a different name (Dark Crobat and Crobat, for example) count differently, and thus players may have four of each in their deck. δ Delta Species Pokémon count as the same as their non-δ counterparts.

List of well-known archetypes

This is a list of many of the most competitive decks that were legal during their respective eras of play. Note that variants of some archetypes may have been played in multiple seasons of play. These will be listed during the most recent format in which they were viable.

Base Set-onward

Team Rocket-onward

Neo Genesis-onward

Expedition-onward

EX Ruby & Sapphire-onward

EX Hidden Legends-onward

EX Deoxys-onward

EX Holon Phantoms-onward

Diamond & Pearl-onward

Majestic Dawn-onward

HeartGold & SoulSilver-onward (2011-2012)

Black & White-onward (2012-2013)

Next Destinies-onward (2013-2014)

Boundaries Crossed-onward (2014-2015)

XY-onwards (2015-2016)

Primal Clash-onwards (2016-2017)

BREAKthrough-onwards (2017-2018)

Sun & Moon-onwards (2018-2019)

Ultra Prism-onwards (2019-2020)

Team Up-onwards (2020-2021)

Sword & Shield-onwards (2021-2022)

Battle Styles-onwards (2022-2023)

Brilliant Stars-onwards (2023-2024)

Unlimited

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 ==Deckbuilding guidelines==
 :''These guidelines apply to building any tournament legal deck of Pokémon cards.''
-In a standard legal deck, only four cards of the same name may be included, except for Basic Energy cards and {{TCG|Arceus}} (in [[Generation IV]]), of which there can be as many as a player desires to fill the deck to 60. This four-card rule includes cards with the same name but different effects: a player may have three {{TCG|Stormfront}} {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Pikachu|70}} and one {{TCG|Majestic Dawn}} {{TCG ID|Majestic Dawn|Pikachu|70}}, but ''only'' four which have the name "Pikachu". Cards that have a different name ({{TCG ID|EX Team Rocket Returns|Dark Crobat|3}} and {{TCG ID|Mysterious Treasures|Crobat|23}}, for example) count differently, and thus players may have four of each in their deck. {{TCG|δ Delta Species}} Pokémon count as the same as their non-δ counterparts.
+In a standard legal deck, only four cards of the same name may be included, except for Basic Energy cards and {{TCG|Arceus}} (in [[Generation IV]]), of which there can be as many as a player desires to fill the deck to 60. This four-card rule includes cards with the same name but different effects: a player may have three {{TCG|Stormfront}} expansion {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Pikachu|70}} and one {{TCG|Majestic Dawn}} expansion {{TCG ID|Majestic Dawn|Pikachu|70}}, but ''only'' four which have the name "Pikachu". Cards that have a different name ({{TCG ID|EX Team Rocket Returns|Dark Crobat|3}} and {{TCG ID|Mysterious Treasures|Crobat|23}}, for example) count differently, and thus players may have four of each in their deck. {{TCG|δ Delta Species}} Pokémon count as the same as their non-δ counterparts.
 ==List of well-known archetypes==
@@ Line 314: / Line 314: @@
 *{{TCG|Chien-Pao ex}}
 *{{TCG|Gardevoir ex}}
-*{{TCG|Giratina VSTAR}}
+*{{TCG|Gholdengo ex}}
+*{{TCG|Klawf Electrode}}
 *{{TCG|Lost Box}}
 *{{TCG|Lugia VSTAR}}
 *{{TCG|Mew VMAX}}
 *{{TCG|Miraidon ex}}
+*{{TCG|Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX}}
+*{{TCG|Roaring Moon ex}}
 *{{TCG|Snorlax Stall}}
+*{{TCG|Tsareena ex}}
 *{{TCG|United Wings}}
+==={{TCG|Brilliant Stars}}-onwards (2023-2024)===
+*{{TCG|Ancient Box}}
+*{{TCG|Arceus Giratina}}
+*{{TCG|Arceus Vulpix}}
+*{{TCG|Blissey ex}}
+*{{TCG|Charizard ex}}
+*{{TCG|Chien-Pao ex}}
+*{{TCG|Dragapult ex}}
+*{{TCG|Espathra ex}}
+*{{TCG|Future Box}}
+*{{TCG|Future Iron Hands}}
+*{{TCG|Gardevoir ex}}
+*{{TCG|Gholdengo ex}}
+*{{TCG|Great Tusk Mill}}
+*{{TCG|Lost Box}}
+*{{TCG|Lugia VSTAR}}
+*{{TCG|Roaring Moon ex}}
+*{{TCG|Snorlax Stall}}
 ===Unlimited===