Flex Trainer Malamar

Some say the Minccino line is the best draw engine for Rapid Strike Malamar.  If that line included any Rapid Strike cards, I'd agree.  But the Inteleon line includes several Rapid Strikers, making Malamar's attack more likely to hit high numbers, in my experience.  This engine also allows for much more flexibility and diversity with trainer card inclusions.  Data on Limitless also suggests to me that the winningest Malamar decks include the Inteleon draw engine.  With the

Some say the Minccino line is the best draw engine for Rapid Strike Malamar.  If that line included any Rapid Strike cards, I'd agree.  But the Inteleon line includes several Rapid Strikers, making Malamar's attack more likely to hit high numbers, in my experience.  This engine also allows for much more flexibility and diversity with trainer card inclusions.  Data on Limitless also suggests to me that the winningest Malamar decks include the Inteleon draw engine.  With the recent introduction of Battle VIP Pass by the Fusion Strike expansion, a few competitors have tried adding this powerful first-turn setup item to Malamar decks.  None that I've seen use the Inteleon engine -- only Minccino.  So here's my attempt at the former.

The strange counts on supporter cards here stem from my experience playing so much Expanded before returning to Standard with this and other budget decks.  In Expanded, because Battle Compressor and VS Seeker are both legal, you see a wider diversity of supporter cards included at lower counts.  The rationale: if VS Seeker just grabs whatever supporter I need, whenever I need it, I can afford lower counts and more diversity of my fave supporters without sacrificing consistency.  I think the "Shady Dealings" ability provides similar freedom, though I seldom see other deckbuilders use it this way.  If Drizzile and Inteleon offer such precise draw power, why not diversify your trainers with lower counts of each?  In theory, this provides for more situational flexibility.  Sometimes you need Fan of Waves.  Other times, Bruno.  Other times still, Tool Scrapper, Professor's Research, or something else altogether.  I'm even considering an addition of Leon (that's +30 damage on your current attack) just to help fill the gaps whenever your Rapid Strike card count falls short.  Making that play might require the addition of Crobat as well... Hmm, not sure that'll work but it's worth a try.

Speaking of making plays, the single count of Rapid Strike Mustard has been surprisingly explosive already after a few hours of play-testing.  Mustard single-handedly set me up for a turn 2 donk against Mew VMAX!  And it brought out a much-needed Octillery immediately after I lost my only benched Remoraid.  Inspired directly by Tricky Gym's work with Single Strike Beedrill decks showcased on YouTube, I've included Galarian Meowth helps make the Mustard play.  And I generally refuse to bench Meowth whatsoever unless it guarantees a decent Mustard play. 

I'd feel similarly about Crobat V if I ended up including Leon on a future edit.  The bat would almost certainly get boss-KO'd, so maybe not.  Only including single prize cards, you guarantee a slower pace for most opponents on today's Standard metagame.  

Single prize decks often get pigeon-holed into being to singulalry focused on a certain set of matchups, useless against the rest of the Meta.  But with a build like this, maybe Malamar takes on a new situational flexibility that helps it crawl back up towards threatening the top tier.  And it could happen in the hands of a skillful player, perhaps you.  Give this list a try and comment any suggested edits!  Feel free to take it to any competitions as well :-)