Curiouser & Curiouser (Meowscarada ex / Vespiquen ex)

This seems like such a fun version of the deck! Have you had the chance to test it against some of the more Meta ones?

@screamybutt: I've been maining pure DTE focused Meowscarada ex with Bibarel/Skwovet draw engine since I first started about 2 weeks ago. So Vespiquen ex seemed like a perfect pair to test out. With my initial build of this version, I went 8-0 against new Zard ex decks, but then started running into frequent mulligans and consistency issues, so I've been tweaking it as I see fit, until I get the perfect build haha. Twice now I've taken 7 and 8 prizes with Vespiquen KO-ing a V or Vstar in the active and 2 benched utility mons in the same swing. Those finishers make the slight consistency issues a lot less painful 😉😁 it's beyond satisfying to take out 3+ of the opponent's pokes at the same time 😈

@screamybutt: Zard ex matchups are basically just a race and a counter typing matchup. Meows typically 1 shots Zard ex, but dies easily to Entei or PoGo Zard, while Zard will always 1 shot Vespiquen. Vespi survives the other Fire mons well though due to the Tera Psychic. 

Tina Lost Zone in theory should be an easy matchup, but they've been winning those races 9/10. The comfeys *should* be easy pick-offs, but hasn't happened yet.

Chien is a toss up, if I manage to snipe the Frigibax or boss it up before getting 1 shotted, I'm pretty good there. Someone earlier hit my meows for 660 lol completely unnecessary but I got a chuckle out of it.

Usually destroys new Scizor builds, playing around it is generally easy. Prioritize setting up Vespi because she doesn't have an ability, don't bench anything you don't have to. Same goes for Glimmora EX, just keep the bench small. If you can manage to get a meows a vespi and zam out that's really all you need. Maybe try setting up another but anymore is just excess if you're already ahead and in a good spot. Prevents Avery and Collapsed stadium from messing with you too much as well.

I assume Gardy wouldn't be too bad, just try to take out the Kirlias and Mew early, Cresselia can be problematic though if you've got a wide damage spread on them

Hey thanks for such detailed responses! I really appreciate it. I put the deck together online to test it and it seems like trying to start Vesp early is not the way to go? In a situation where you're forced to get Vesp out ahead of a Meows what would you suggest? Imo this is a situation where a Switch or Escape Rope would be useful. In my full Meows deck I run 2 Ropes but idk what you would want to substitute in your list.

screamybutt 

Correct. Because we don't have any bulkier starting options, you almost always need to start from behind and just use your opening sprigatito or combee to either search up 2 more basics to hand, slap 10 damage onto their opener if that's enough for a future 1HKO from a Meows, or search up an item with Combee. Good items to dig for are nest ball to get Hisuian Basculin out and re-stabilize your bench (replace a Meows or combee whichever you need and find R. Zam), Exp Share if your bench is looking okay, energy search or retrieval if you're low on opening energy and early basics are going to get KOd and you actually have the energy in the discard. It's situational but should be easy to tell which is best to grab.

Because of the almost always slow starts, I'm wondering if running 2 Reversal Energy would be worth it. I always seem to draw into the 1 copy in the early game or when I'm actually ahead OR can never seem to find it when I actually need it late game lol could be good, but switch and rope are also great options if you aren't keen on playing most games at a deficit. Lemme know what you end up trying out!

I linked a video from last night with an epic comeback at the end of the game, pretty much showcasing the exact type of strategy I just mentioned. Just cycling around basics for their 1 energy attack effects until you can stabilize. Might help to watch it. Glad you're testing things out with it and showing so much interest 😁

@screamybutt: just as I posted that last comment, I proceeded to play two games for my daily objectives, where I accelerated incredibly quickly. A second copy of Reversal would not have helped, and I Prof. Researched away the copy that's already in. I'm thinking the build is pretty solid as is, it may not always be the MOST consistent, but when it pops off it sure pops off, and even when it starts off slow, the comeback game is very strong with all the bench damage and counters manipulation. It plays differently than pure Meows though, so might just take some time to get a feel for it, the different sequences and such.

So idk what I would recommend to cut if you want to throw in a Rope or Switch. Maybe 1 basic grass might not hurt too bad, but that's less Bouquet Magics then. Maybe the Energy Search or 1 Retrieval.

The second game I played I only had R. Alakazam as my basic opener, but was able to hit a double grass energy attached off of Gardenia's and retreat Zam with a DTE like I refer to in the initial description of the deck. 

Best advice though is to still go into every game expecting to play the long game and take 3-4+ prizes with one big Vespi closer, and adjust accordingly if you accelerate faster than expected.

Thanks for building this deck! I've been having a lot of fun testing it on Live. My issue I run into is that there doesn't seem to be a consistent draw engine. I usually run into mid-game where I only have 1/2 cards in hand, I can't find an energy card, and I'm relying on top deck luck. Would it work with a Bibarel or Pidgeot engine maybe?

@halfjewel: the mid to late game draw can be light, yes. If you're set up already it's not much of an issue, because at that point you should just need to recycle energy, Bouquet Magic Bouquet Magic, Energy Retrieval, more Bouquet Magic, etc, but if you're not set up or need to re-stabilize I can see it being an issue.

Someone from my reddit post said they use 4 Battle VIP Pass and either a 1-1 or 2-2 Pidgeot ex, I can't remember. It could definitely work, I'd have to find the full list for you though I don't remember what all the differences from my list are. I'm not a fan of Battle VIP Pass in decks without Squawk/R. Greninja or more turn 1 draw though, because they always seem to 🪛 me in anything else.

Run at least 3 DTE if you're going to run Pidgeot ex I'd say. Can attack with it and Meows with a DTE, so you can use your basic grass for more Bouquet Magic and Vespi. 

Lemme know what you come up with! 😄 always down to see others' tweaks and potential upgrades! Glad you're liking it!

@halfjewel: I'll test -1-1 vespi line +1-1 pidgeot line and let you know how it goes 👍🏻

@halfjewel: I like pidgeot, for sure. I was getting it confused with buddy gallade, I thought pidgeot only got supporters, but ANY card to hand is insane. Would Like to try fitting in another Arven to ensure more Rare Candy/Ultra Balls when needed, but idk what else to tweak now. Will try a few more games with the 1-1 Pidgeot and 2 copies of Arven for now. 

@vulp3s_vulp1x Thanks! Yes, I've done -1-1 vespi, +2+2 pidgeot. I've actually dropped manaphy because I'm finding that I usually just discard it away.

I've also gone up to 3 DTE, 3 Gardenia and 2 Trekking Shoes just to get through the deck faster, but I like your addition of Vengeful Punch so I might add that in!

I've been considering cutting Manaphy as well. Vespi has bench protection from being Tera, and you don't run into bench damage all that much, but I almost lost to a rogue Delphox V deck that did significant snipe damage to Meowscaradas. So I think I like having it in there, as Ultra Ball fodder if not facing bench damage, but we'll see. Good luck with your build! 😄

Mimikyu might work as a tech too. 

I really want to find a Meow deck to play, but testing this build bricks REALLY hard for me. Setup hardly ever works right, and I run out of cards very quickly. Do you not have card draw issues?

@fieryfractal: not usually. It might be a sequencing issue maybe? You have to get a feel for how the deck plays and then in which order to play all the cards to prevent bricking yourself on hand size and draw.

As I've said in earlier comments, once you get yourself setup (which can happen as early as turn 2/3) it's basically just trying to maximize your basic energy recycling. Bouquet Magic, Bouquet Magic, Energy Retrieval, repeat with Klara if you need any Pokes back to set up another Meows or Vespi that was discarded to something or if they picked off your Zam plus 2 energies or another Energy Retrieval if you just need energies, you should have already won if you've pulled this off or even just 1 recycle loop depending on the situation. 

It's not unbeatable by any means, but it's been very consistent for me at least. Keep at it and if you continue to run into problems let me know. I'll also report back if I start to have hand size or draw issues in the near future.

@fieryfractal: you could run a 2-2 bibarel if you like draw more than tutor. -1 pidgey -1 pidgeot -1 manaphy -1 h. basculin +2 bidoof +2 bibarel. Seems good also, if you like that version better.

Hello! This is so weird... I have been working on something similar but I just couldn't get it to work. Did some googling this afternoon and found your reddit post. My ratios are slightly different in that I went 4 Combee, 3 Vespi and 3-3-2 with the cats & Rare Candies.

I also had 4 Poppy in there for energy distribution but having looked at your success I have dropped them; also didn't think to put in the belt and Double Turbo. Arven is back in and finding him very useful. 

Thanks so much for posting this; have made some changes based on your experience and have just gone 3 for 3 on live including 2 Charizard ex/Arceus.

I don't know if you've had any success with Hawlucha & a bit more Gapejaw to get the damage spread more consistent? I'll post my current list now so look out for it. I've called it Cats & Bees.

Cave_Junkshun : thanks! Glad you found it helpful and are liking it 😁 

I run less vespiquen because meows is just objectively more powerful in my opinion. It takes longer to get vespi going, if I don't hit a double grass attach off gardenia's, it's not usually the greatest. Combee is sometimes even only used to search up rare candy or Ultra ball to get to Meows the following turn. Vespi is best used as a big finisher if you've managed to get a sufficient damage spread. 

I run into frequent battle vip pass decks and I like to go second with this deck (turn 1 h. Basculin is almost always the optimal play), so I find having 2 artazon for the early game and 2 gapejaw for potential hits in the mid-late game a little better. Early game Gapejaw always seems to screw me unless I get it turn 1 when going first, which isn't often at all. Having artazon to get Basculin or whatever other basic is needed, to get things evolved as soon as possible, is the best for early game I find.

Choice belt is great on vespi, allowing for the OHKO on stuff like Raikou V, Entei V, Palkia V, Giratina V, Arceus V, and the like. Also gives you another target to grab & thin the deck with Arven.

Let me know how it goes for you or if you have any other piloting/strategy questions! More than happy to help 😊

vulp3s_vulp1x Ah, I see what you're saying there about the ratio and utility of Basculin. I will have to pick some up and have a try. Will report back 👍

Hi, had to change account name :[ but just to say I have made the deck for real life play and will be giving a go soon 😬 Been using it a lot on live and gettings slightly better than 50% win rate. Enjoying it a lot. Maybe bricking 1/7 or 1/8 games.

@TOFTSTOM: That's awesome! Makes me happy you're having success with it, and even making it in paper too 😄😌 slightly above 50% win rate is accurate with my experience piloting it as well. Of like ~300 games I've only had like 2 runs of 3-4 bad streaks - with stuff that is so incredibly unlikely to happen that many times in a row haha other than that just about every game it performs very solidly for me.

Urshifu/inteleon I've never beaten though, unfortunately. Only played it twice, but they always accelerate faster and overpower. Path to the peak also destroys us, so keep those in mind as well. 

Hope you have continued success and lots of fun with it! 😁

vulp3s_vulp1x  Hello, me again! Still enjoying the deck and will be taking it to a casual event in a week 😱

Just wondered if you had any thoughts on switch or jet energy to get a free retreat in?

I haven't made any major tweaks but have been noticing I'd like a bit more control post-knock out.

Also; just like you said - only a few bad runs but overall staying consistent. Really enjoying surprising zard players!

@TOFTSTOM: That's awesome! Makes me happy, good luck! I was +13 wins in my W/L stats after yesterday and have proceeded to lose 8 or 9 in a row now, on Live. So...... all the wins I'm missing must be getting carried over to you for your tournament! I hope so anyway! Haha

@TOFTSTOM: Your call on the switch/Jet Energy. I know they'd be useful in some matchups for sure, but idk what I'd cut. Lemme know if you decide to, and what your final list ends up looking like. Curious to see!