Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX (TCG)
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Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX was a Pokémon Trading Card Game deck archetype regarded by many as the best deck in the format of the 2013-2014 season, and remained a played contender in the 2014-2015 season. The deck's strategy revolved around its ability to charge up quickly Genesect-EX, with Virizion-EX, and knocking out opponent's Pokémon thanks to the high damage output of the ACE SPEC Pokémon Tool card G Booster's attack. With a constant attendance during the season, Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX players took 1st, 2nd and 3rd place honors in the Masters Division, at the 2014 Pokémon Trading Card Game World Championships and 1st place in the Juniors Division, at the 2014 US National Championships. Masters champion Andrew Estrada's version was printed as a promotional World Championships deck, Emerald King.
Strategy
Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX focused on quickly charging Benched Genesect-EX, easily switching opponent's Pokémon and knocking out them through high damage. It did this thanks to Virizion-EX's Emerald Slash attack, alongside Genesect-EX's Red Signal Ability and G Booster's attack. At the end of the 2013-14 season, Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX gained notoriety for its ability to easily knock out Pokémon with high HP or with ability that prevent damage, e.g. Suicune or Pyroar. Genesect-EX mainly setted up through the energy acceleration provided by Virizion-EX. Virizion-EX's only attack allowed the player to search for up to 2 
Energy and attach them to 1 Benched Pokémon. This, along with Colress Machine, ensured that the Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX player usually could attack at their third turn (benching a Virizion-EX ready to charge up a new Genesect-EX or replenish the energy discarded by G Booster) or, even, at their second turn and hit for 200 damages, if G Booster is attached to. Skyarrow Bridge allowed the player to retreat for free and switch between Virizion-EX and Genesect-EX when needed. Also, Energy Switch avoided unnecessary spread of energy.
Genesect-EX's Ability disrupted oppenent's set up, switching opponent's Active Pokémon as well as Pokémon Catcher or Lysandre. Its standard attack setted up next Knock Out, hitting, for 20 damage, 1 of the opponent's Benched Pokémon.
Virizion-EX's Ability "Verdant Wind" prevented any Special Conditions on a Pokémon, if it has any Energy attached to. This was a very useful Ability in season 2013-14 and 2014-15 because of the extremely used Item card Hypnotoxic Laser in almost every deck archetypes.
In addition to the above, there were several other cards that were major components of Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX's engine. Plasma Energy activated "Red Signal" Ability. Shadow Triad allowed for retrieving Team Plasma card, such as Plasma Energy or G Booster, from discard pile.
A good set up was considered achieved when the Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX player had at least one Virizione-EX on the field with 2 attached to, a Genesect-EX with G Booster attached to, as the Active Pokémon and one mone Genesect-EX with, at least, 1 Energy. Holding in the hand Shadow Triad, a Plasma Energy and a Energy card and Colress Machine allowed to fully recover from a Knock Out and attack immediately, even an opponent's Benched support Pokémon, if needed.
Key cards
- Virizion-EX - Virizion-EX's Emerald Slash attack allowed for searching from the deck for 2 Energy cards and attaching to 1 Benched Pokémon. This was commonly used to charge up Genesect-EX. Virizion-EX's Verdant Wind Ability protected Pokémon from Special Conditions.
- Genesect-EX - Genesect-EX's attack Megalo Cannon hit for 100 damages the opponent's Active Pokémon and for 20 damages 1 opponent's Benched Pokémon. Genesect-EX's Red Signal Ability allowed for switching one of the opponent's Benched Pokémon with their Active Pokémon, if a Plasma Energy was attached to Genesect-EX.
- G Booster - The Genesect-EX this card is attached to can also use the attack G Booster: hit for 200 damages, not affected by any effects on the Defending Pokémon.
- Skyarrow Bridge - The Retreat Cost of each Basic Pokémon in play is
less. This allowed for free retreat with all Pokémon of this deck archetype. The player could constantly switch between Virizion-EX and Genesect-EX to replenish discarded Energy cards. - Colress Machine - It allowed for searching a Plasma Energy card from the deck and attaching to Genesect-EX, providing a quick way to charge up Genesect-EX when needed.
- Shadow Triad - This Supporter card retrieved a discarded Team Plasma card, countering the effects of Tool Scrapper or Startling Megaphone that easily allowed the opponents for discarding G Booster.
- Plasma Energy - Plasma Energy was crucial to the deck because it allowed to activate Genesect-EX's Ability Red Signal. Also, it can be attached to Genesect-EX thanks to Colress Machine, allowing for attaching more than one Energy cards per turn.
Typical decklist
Andrew Estrada's decklist at the 2014 World Championship
| Quantity | Card | Type | Rarity |
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| 4× | Genesect
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| 1× | Jirachi
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| 1× | Mr. Mime | 
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| 4× | Virizion
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| 1× | Colress | Su | 
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| 1× | Colress Machine | I |
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| 3× | Energy Switch | I |
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| 2× | Enhanced Hammer | I |
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| 1× | G Booster | I | 
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| 3× | Muscle Band | I |
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| 4× | N | Su |
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| 4× | Professor Sycamore | Su |
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| 1× | Professor's Letter | I |
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| 2× | Shadow Triad | Su |
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| 3× | Skyarrow Bridge | St |
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| 4× | Skyla | Su |
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| 1× | Super Rod | I |
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| 2× | Tool Scrapper | I |
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| 1× | Town Map | I |
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| 4× | Ultra Ball | I |
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| 9× | Grass Energy |  E
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| 4× | Plasma Energy |  E
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Possible tech cards
The following cards are often used in Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX.
- Mr. Mime - Mr. Mime's "Bench Barrier" Ability prevented all damage done to Benched Pokémon, allowing the players for avoiding damage from Landorus-EX and opponent's Genesect-EX.
- Raichu - Used by 2014 US National Champion and Runner Up in the Junior Division, Raichu's attack Circle Circuit easily countered highly played deck archetypes based on Yveltal-EX.
- M Manectric-EX - Used during the 2014-15 season, it replaced Virizion-EX and its role, allowing the player to attach 2 basic Energy cards from the discard pile to 1 Benched Pokémon.
- Drifblim - Strong counter to any deck archetype that rely on Special Energy cards, its attack hit for 50 damage times the number of Special Energy cards on the opponent's discard pile.
Reasons for the loss of playability
Despite its top performance during the 2013-2014 season, Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX revelead itself as a slow and cloggy deck archetype that barely could counter deck archetypes released XY-onwards: Night March, Trevenant BREAK, even those with Weakness such as Seismitoad-EX and Blastoise/Keldeo-EX.
M Pokémon-EX cards overcome the 200 HP treshold, allowing no more one hit Knock Out with G Booster; Night March and its fast set up and high damage allowed no more Virizion-EX and Genesect-EX optimal set up, Seismitoad-EX's attack lock down any use of Item cards.
Also, Skyarrow Bridge rotated out of the Standard format, denying an optimal switching between Virizion-EX and Genesect-EX.
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This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. |
