But this wasn't like Ho-oh-GX, this was way better. Sure it may be a 3-prize attacker but it can knock out just about anyone and with six energy attached, it will knock everyone out. I've always liked playing decks that has energy acceleration and decks that can do one hit KOs and it's a Charizard card so of course I'm going to like it.
I started testing on it as soon as the proxies were out and my first idea for it was a Fire Box-style deck with the new Arcanine (which would become one of my new favourite cards too), the new Volcanion, Silvally-GX for the basic retreat and Salazzle and Salazzle-GX for draws and the last turn attacker. It didn't work as well as I wanted it to.
My first big event with the deck was the Singapore Pro Circuit Spring season Top 32 invitational event. I had spent $110 the weeks before to get 3 Reshiram & Charizards (which was perfectly timed as the NFA price would rise from $35 to $65 USD). But with the lack of testing due to the event being in the middle of my exam period, I was unprepared and didn't do well even though I started with two byes.
R1: Bye W
R2: Bye W
R3 vs Salazzle Hand Control L
R4 vs Reshiram & Charizard-GX LL
R5 vs Zoroark-GX/Slowking/Persian-GX LL
R6 vs White Kyurem LWW
It was so bad, my first win came in the last round and both times it was because my oppoent, my good friend Shaun, bricked both times. Right after my exams, the focus was straight onto the Singapore SPE, the biggest event I'll attend for this season so I wanted to at least do well. I did do a write up on my story for that event here: Singapore SPE 2019
In short, it was my best performance ever, I surpassed my own target of a Top 16 finish by actually finishing in the top 8 and making my first top cut at a top tier event, and that's after giving 2 wins anyway to two guys who were going for their worlds invite which annoyed me in some ways, 100cp in one event, which is ten times better than any points I've ever scored in any event.
R1 vs Zoroark-GX/Persian-GX WW
R2 vs Zapdos/Ultra Beast LWL
R3 vs Zoroark-GX/Persian-GX LL
R4 vs Gengar & Mimkyu-GX WW
R5 vs Gardevoir-GX/Alolan Ninetales-GX WW
R6 vs Blacephalon-GX/Naganadel WLW
R7 vs Rayquaza-GX/Vikavolt WW
Top 8 vs Nidoqueen/Meganium LWL
The list I played for the SPE was based off an idea from Rukan Shao, utlising 3 Dedenne-GX as the main draw engine of the deck with Jirachi there mainly to search out Guzma, Switch or the first turn Kiawe.
After that event I made some changes and tried a few different ideas. I did try the Green's Exploration version of ReshiZard and 4 Volcanion but that version of the deck just did not suit my style of play, I just couldn't get it rolling. No matter how many games I tried, I struggled with that version of the deck and the struggles have continued into the new format testing. I'll admit that I just have not gotten around figuring the deck out and that is one weak area of mine I plan on working out and hopefully get the better off as I still want to play ReshiZard in whatever version it's viable in.
The new list was made with help from Luke Morsa who suggested the 2-2 line of Arcanine to help with certain matches and it did. I liked the new version so much that from June to early August, I would exclusively play that list (other than a few days when I foolishly tried a Zoroark/Dewgong deck), with little to no changes to the deck as I felt it was close to perfect for how I wanted to play ReshiZard with Arcanine being the charger and sometimes the GX killer, and more importantly, the Stall killer. Just having Arcanine improved that matchup by miles for me.
From the five events I played with this list (yes only 5, as I missed a lot of games in May and July due to exams, illness and other personal stuff), the record with that list was 13/3/2 in 18 games, which would give me a 72.22% winning rate. I used the same list for the June Pokebeach PTCGO online monthly tournament and it was one of my better performances, it got me all the way up to my 2nd Finals appearance, but just like the first one, I missed out on the win.
R1 vs Reshiram & Charizard-GX WLW
R2 vs Blissey WW
R3 vs Bye (No Show) W
R4 vs Reshiram & Charizard-GX/Zoroark-GX/Slowking WW
R5 vs Lucario & Melmetal-GX/Stall LWW
R6 vs Quagsire/Naganadel ID
R7 vs ID
Top 8 vs Lucario & Melmetal-GX/Stall W
Top 4 vs Bye (No Show) W
Final vs Pikachu & Zekrom-GX LL
And a day before that finals match, I played in our local League Challenge at Project EXT and finally got my first Top 4 finish at a League Challenge, which meant I finally got a stamped promo card!
R1 vs Zoroark-GX/Persian-GX/Naganadel-GX LWW
R2 vs Zoroark-GX/Persian-GX/Naganadel-GX LL
R3 vs Blacephalon-GX/Naganadel WLW
R4 vs Reshiram & Charizard-GX WLW
So the ReshiZard with Arcanine might just be my favourite deck I've played so far, and quite a successful one at it too. Made top 4 cut at a Win-A-Box tournament and I usually don't do well at these events, Top 4 at League Challenge and Top 2 at Pokebeach's monthly tournament. The list I used for those events:
I can easily say that Reshiram & Charizard-GX has been easily my most succesful deck, even though it didn't start so well at the Pro Circuit Invitational. I mean I scored worlds Championship Points in two events with this deck and I rarely ever get CPs at any of the LCs or League Challenges I attend (we don't have that many anyways that's why I'm more of a casual player for now). 110cp with this deck, even though it was in two different "seasons". Hopefully this isn't my only successful deck and that there will be more to come. Would be nice if it was with one of my favourite Pokemon too like Charizard is.
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