View source for Blacephalon/Naganadel (TCG)

{{ArchetypeInfobox
|title=Blacephalon
|image=BlacephalonGXLostThunder52.jpg
|image2=NaganadelLostThunder108.jpg
|caption={{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Blacephalon-GX|52}} and {{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Naganadel|108}}
||cards={{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Blacephalon-GX|52}}, {{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Naganadel|108}} and {{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Beast Ring|102}}
|types={{e|Fire}}{{e|Psychic}}
|era=2018-2019
}}

'''Blacephalon/Naganadel''' was a [[Pokémon Trading Card Game]] {{TCG|deck archetype}} played in the 2018-2019 season. The deck's strategy revolved around accelerating Energy in the board to quickly deal knockouts with the deck's attackers. Blacephalon/Naganadel players ranked 2nd place in the Masters Division at the [[2019 World Championships|2019 Pokémon Trading Card Game World Championships]]. Semifinalist Shintaro Ito's version was printed as a promotional World Championships deck, {{TCG|Mind Blown}}.

==Strategy==
Blacephalon/Naganadel focused on playing {{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Blacephalon-GX|52}}'s ''Mind Blown'' {{TCG|Attack}} to put {{e|Fire}} Energy cards from the player's Pokémon into the {{TCG|Lost Zone}} and deal 50 damage times the number of cards sent this way, which in the right conditons could knock out any Pokémon in one hit. The attack required around 3 to 6 energies to knock out most popular Pokémon in the format in one turn, but the deck played multiple {{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Naganadel|108}} due to its {{TCG|Ability}} to recover Energy cards from the discard pile, as well {{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Beast Ring|102}} and later {{TCG ID|Unbroken Bonds|Welder|189}} as supporting Trainer cards to better setup more Energy cards in the board.

Naganadel itself could act as a secondary attacker that awarded only one prize card when knocked out, dealing more damage if the player had exactly 3 prize cards remaining. The deck later added {{TCG ID|Unified Minds|Heatran-GX|25}} and {{TCG ID|Unified Minds|Naganadel-GX|160}} as other backup attackers. Since cards in the Lost Zone could not be retrieved, the deck had a fair amount of Energy cards to make up for it.
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==Key cards==
[[File:BeastRingForbiddenLight102.jpg|thumb|left|200px|{{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Beast Ring|102}}]]
* '''{{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Blacephalon-GX|52}}''' - For two {{e|Fire}} Energy, ''Mind Blown'' let the player put cards from their Pokémon in play (incuding Blacephalon-GX) to the {{TCG|Lost Zone}} and deal 50 damage times the number of cards sent this way. While ''Mind Blown'' could often not be able to knock out a Pokémon in the first turn, its other attacks that required only one Energy and would be usually played first; ''Bursting Burn'' burnt and confused the defending Pokémon while ''Burst-GX'', only able to be used once per game, discarded a player's prize card and attached it to one of their Pokémon if it was a {{e|Fire}} Energy card.
* '''{{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Naganadel|108}}''' - Its Ability allowed to, once per turn, attach a Basic Energy card from the discard pile to itself, easing the continuous use of Blacephalon-GX's attack. ''Turning Point'' also dealt 80 damage plus 80 if the player had exactly 3 prize cards remaining and, as a Pokémon with 130HP, could survive certain attacks from popular decks, though its basic stage as {{TCG|Poipole}} could be easily knocked out.
* '''{{TCG ID|Unified Minds|Naganadel-GX|160}}''' - As the deck already played Poipole, it was easy to include this Pokémon into the deck. Its Ability allowed to, once per turn, discard an {{TCG|Ultra Beast}} card from the player's hand to draw 3 cards. For 4 Energy, ''Venom Shoot'' dealt 170 damage to any of the opponent's Pokémon; enough to knock out, for example, benched {{TCG ID|Guardians Rising|Tapu Lele-GX|60}}. The attack required a {{e|Psychic}} Energy, covered by the deck already playing {{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Beast Energy ♢|117}} and most including an extra basic {{e|Psychic}} Energy even if unusable by Blacephalon-GX.
* '''{{TCG ID|Unified Minds|Heatran-GX|25}}''' - When becoming the Active Pokémon during the player's turn, ''Burning Road'' allowed to move any number of {{e|Fire}} Energy from the player's other Pokémon to it. Acted as a secondary attacker with sightly more HP than Blacephalon-GX and could, once per game, attack the defending Pokémon with ''Hot Burn-GX'' for 50 times the amount of {{e|Fire}} Energy attached to itself.
* '''{{TCG ID|Unbroken Bonds|Welder|189}}''' - Attached up to 2 {{e|Fire}} Energy cards from the players' hand to a Pokémon in play and then drew 3 cards. Could power up all attackers from the deck.
* '''{{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Mysterious Treasure|113}}''' - Could search the deck for the Naganadel line and other {{e|Psychic}} Pokémon by discarding another card, commonly a {{e|Fire}} Energy to be used by Naganadel's Ability later.
* '''{{TCG ID|Unified Minds|Cherish Ball|191}}''' - Searched the deck for a {{TCG|Pokémon-GX}}.
* '''{{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Heat Factory ♢|178}}''' - Stadium that allowed to discard a {{e|Fire}} Energy card from the player's hand once during their turn to draw cards. The lists would also use {{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Ultra Space|115}} and {{TCG ID|Unified Minds|Giant Hearth|197}} along this card.
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==Typical decklist==
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="multicol" style="background:transparent; width:100%"
| width="50%" style="vertical-align:top;" |
===Zach Lesage's decklist at the 2019 Coinsville Regionals, USA===
{{decklist/header}}
{{decklist/entry|4|[[Blacephalon-GX (Lost Thunder 52)|Blacephalon]]{{Red GX}}|Fire||Ultra-Rare Rare}}
{{decklist/entry|3|{{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Poipole|55}}|Psychic||Common}}
{{decklist/entry|4|{{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Naganadel|108}}|Psychic||Rare Holo}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Ditto ♢|154}}|Colorless||Rare Prism}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Alolan Grimer|57}}|Psychic||Common}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Alolan Muk|58}}|Psychic||Rare Holo}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG ID|Shining Legends|Marshadow|45}}|Psychic||Rare Holo}}
{{decklist/entry|1|[[Tapu Lele-GX (Guardians Rising 60)|Tapu Lele]]{{GX}}|Psychic||Ultra-Rare Rare}}
{{decklist/entry|4|{{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Beast Ring|102}}|Item||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG ID|Aquapolis|Energy Switch|120}}|Item||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|3|{{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Mysterious Treasure|113}}|Item||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|4|{{TCG ID|Dark Explorers|Ultra Ball|102}}|Item||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Heat Factory ♢|178}}|Stadium||Rare Holo}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Ultra Space|115}}|Stadium||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|4|{{TCG ID|Ultra Prism|Cynthia|119}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG ID|Team Up|Erika's Hospitality|140}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|3|{{TCG ID|Burning Shadows|Guzma|115}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG ID|Ultra Prism|Lillie|125}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|16|{{TCG|Fire Energy}}|Energy|Fire}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Beast Energy ♢|117}}|Energy|Rainbow}}
{{decklist/footer}}

| width="50%" style="vertical-align:top;" |
===Shintaro Ito's decklist at 2019 World Championships===
{{decklist/header}}
{{decklist/entry|4|[[Blacephalon-GX (Lost Thunder 52)|Blacephalon]]{{Red GX}}|Fire||Ultra-Rare Rare}}
{{decklist/entry|3|{{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Poipole|55}}|Psychic||Common}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Poipole|107}}|Psychic||Common}}
{{decklist/entry|3|{{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Naganadel|108}}|Psychic||Rare Holo}}
{{decklist/entry|2|[[Naganadel-GX (Unified Minds 160)|Naganadel]]{{Red GX}}|Dragon||Ultra-Rare Rare}}
{{decklist/entry|2|[[Heatran-GX (Unified Minds 25)|Heatran]]{{GX}}|Fire||Ultra-Rare Rare}}
{{decklist/entry|1|[[Dedenne-GX (Unbroken Bonds 57)|Dedenne]]{{GX}}|Lightning||Ultra-Rare Rare}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Unbroken Bonds|Mew|76}}|Psychic||Rare Holo}}
{{decklist/entry|3|{{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Beast Ring|102}}|Item||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|3|{{TCG ID|Unified Minds|Cherish Ball|191}}|Item||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|4|{{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Custom Catcher|171}}|Item||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|4|{{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Mysterious Treasure|113}}|Item||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Unified Minds|Reset Stamp|206}}|Item||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Heat Factory ♢|178}}|Stadium||Rare Holo}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Ultra Space|115}}|Stadium||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|4|{{TCG ID|Ultra Prism|Cynthia|119}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Unified Minds|Hapu|200}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Ultra Prism|Lillie|125}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|4|{{TCG ID|Unbroken Bonds|Welder|189}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|14|{{TCG|Fire Energy}}|Energy|Fire}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG|Fire Energy}}|Energy|Psychic}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Forbidden Light|Beast Energy ♢|117}}|Energy|Rainbow}}
{{decklist/footer}}
|}

==Possible tech cards==
[[File:AlolanMukSunMoon58.jpg|thumb|left|200px|{{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Alolan Muk|58}}]]
''The following cards are often used in Blacephalon/Naganadel in place of certain cards included in the above lists.''
* '''{{TCG ID|Unbroken Bonds|Reshiram & Charizard-GX|20}}''' - Secondary attacker with more health than Blacephalon-GX, though it awarded one more prize card to the opponent when knocked out.
* '''{{TCG ID|Cosmic Eclipse|Blacephalon|104}}''' - Secondary single-prize attacker for lists that also used {{e|Psychic}} Energy.
* '''{{TCG ID|Sun & Moon|Alolan Muk|58}}''' - Played before Heatran-GX was released to shut down Abilities from Basic Pokémon; lists with this card would play {{TCG ID|Lost Thunder|Ditto ♢|154}} to make it easier to be put into play.
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{{Project TCG notice}}
[[Category:Deck archetypes]]