Want to Win More Pokemon TCG Battles with Leafeon VMAX? Try Beedrill
For a moment in time, it looked like Leafeon VMAX might be one of the best decks in Pokemon TCG Standard Format. Unfortunately for the Grass-type Pokemon, a little new archetype rolled in with Fusion Strike called Mew VMAX (helped in no small part by Genesect V). With a retreat cost of zilch, Mew’s dominance soon ousted Leafeon’s potential claim to best deck in format.
Of course, people started trying to add Galarian Moltres V into the mix in hopes of it bolstering the Greening Cells king. But Galarian Moltres doesn’t do much to help Leafeon’s strategy at all, other than acting as a one hit solution to the 800 pound gorilla in the room (Mew).
However, there is another solution that much better suits Leafeon. That solution is Single Strike Beedrill (available via eBay) from Pokemon’s Chilling Reign set.
Update – August 2022,
With Mew VMAX no longer dominating the meta, Leafeon once again has a chance at winning.
Grass Knot + Galar Mine + Zigzagoon + Choice Belt = OHKO on VSTARs
With the meta having once again changed, and with decks like Palkia VSTAR and Arceus VSTAR on top, it’s no longer necessary to OHKO VMAXs. Instead, being able to dish out 280 damage regularly is where it is at.
Luckily, Leafeon VMAX is capable of this. Not only can it OHKO Pokemon Vs, when you combine it with a Choice Belt and a ping from Inteleon’s Quick Shooting or a Galarian Zigzagoon, you can pretty easily OHKO any VSTAR.
And if they have a big charm attached? Simply drop a tool scrapper.
Leafeon VMAX now very much counters the meta. See the newly up-to-date deck list below.
My deck list for Leafeon VMAX with Single Strike Beedrill
A Brief Overview of Leafeon VMAX Deck’s Strategy
The basic strategy of Leafeon VMAX is to play Leafeon VMAX on turn one, and use its Greening Cells ability to quickly accelerate energy onto it. After that, you quickly play Sobbles to your bench and build out your Inteleon army. As early as turn two, you can start attacking for as much as 240 damage thanks to Leafeon’s Grass Knot ability in combination with Galar Mine (Grass Knot takes only two energies and hits for 60 for each * retreat cost).
Single Strike Beedrill OHKOs Pokemon with Special Energy
Due to the current meta’s heavy reliance on special energy, Pokemon that counter special energies are seeing heavy play. For example, a new Duraludon VMAX “control” deck fairs well in tournament settings due to its inability to be damaged by Pokemon with special energy attached.
Beedrill is great because for one single leaf energy you are able to OHKO things like Mew VMAX, Single Strike Urshifu VMAX, and the like.
Skip the Rare Candies with Single Strike Style Mustard
Perhaps the coolest thing about Beedrill is that it can be played directly from your deck to your bench using Single Strike Style Mustard. Once benched, you can attach energy, and swap out your Leafeon VMAX for your sneaky insect for a OHKO.
As Mustard has to be the only card in your hand in order to use it, I find throwing a Galarian Meowth onto my bench when I need to lean heavy into Beedrill (against Mew VMAX etc) to be especially helpful. Meowth lets you dsicard two cards from your hand, making it relatively easy to play Mustard.
Beedrill works really really well in situations where your opponent doesn’t see it coming. But it can also be a great way to slow your opponent down and make him or her think twice about using their special energies. Against decks like Mew VMAX, this can be critical.
Get Single Strike Style Mustard on eBay via this affiliate link.
Leafeon VSTAR Makes the Combo Even Deadlier
When time is of the essence and you need to snipe a benched Pokemon with special energy attached, Leafeon VSTAR allows you to do this on the same exact turn that you used Mustard. Leafeon VSTAR’s once-per-game-use ability is basically a boss’s orders. It being an ability, however, it is not limited by the “one supporter per turn” rule that somewhat lessens the effectiveness of a pre VSTAR format Leafeon VMAX deck/Beedrill combo.
All-in-all, using Beedrill with your Leafeon VMAX – especially when leveraged with Leafeon VSTAR – will either blow your opponent’s mind when taking them by surprise or keep them on their toes when they know it’s coming.
