This weekend, the European International Pokémon Championships 2022, more commonly referred to as “Pokémon Europe International Championships” were held. This is an opportunity for license players to shine in the various competitions offered, including the VGC, Pokémon GO, Pokken Tournament or even the traditional card game. It is the latter that interests us here since we are going to come back to each of the finals and therefore let you discover the winners.
Pokémon TCG Junior Category Finalists and Winner
The Junior category final opposed Luka and Nathan. Both players have some precedents in card game competitions as Luka made Top 4 at the SPE of Tours in 2018a Top 8 at SPE Cannes in 2019 and he was elected 30 times League Cup champion (and no, we’re not talking about football, but about Pokémon). As for his opponent, he had several exploits between 2020 and 2022. Two-time champion (Dallas Regional in 2020 and SLC Regional in 2022) and twice Top 8 in 2020 at regional tournaments in Richmond and Collinsville.
A match between France and the United States in this final. Regarding the decks used, Luka went on a Thousand Fist Sepiatroce deck and Nathan on a Arceus VSTAR deck combined with Lézargus. A duel that looked tight with a first round that could show the stars of the decks.
On the one hand, the famous Sepiatrocious from the Reign of Ice expansion that can inflict a lot of damage to the detriment of the Thousand Fist cards in your hand that return to your deck if you show them for its attack. The other, the all-powerful Arceus VSTAR which has a fairly substantial striking power, but which above all allows you to prepare your Pokémon from the bench by fetching energies to equip them as you wish to your Pokémon V. In addition, Arceus VSTAR has a fairly substantial type advantage since in the card game, the Normal (or Colorless) type can use any type of energy to activate its attacks. Lézargus is a perfect supplement to inflict additional damage with its ability which allows you to put two damage counters on any opposing Pokémon, on each of your turns.
In the end, Nathan won with a score of 2 – 0. Although the score is this, Luka was still able to show the extent of the potential of his deck and unfortunately, the last round did not necessarily go well for him. Congratulations to Natthan and his Arceus VSTAR/Lézargus deck. Congratulations also to Luuka for being in the final. For those interested in knowing how to spin a deck around Arceus VSTAR and Lézargus, The Pokémon Company has posted a post on the official site that talks about this deck. You will also find a deck list there if you ever want to test it.
- Deck Arceus VSTAR/Lézargus
Pokémon TCG Senior Category Finalists and Winner
Senior category final also saw a Frenchman be in the final. Roberto who confronted Caleb. In terms of record, it’s more of an advantage for the American player since he was champion in two regional tournaments (SLC in 2022 and Dallas in 2020). He also finished Top 4 in the Daytona tournament and Top 8 for the Richmond one. On the side of the French player, these are all the same four League Cup finals to his name. Enough about the winners since on a BO3 (Best of 3), it is not necessarily what can make you win since if your cards do not come out correctly, you can lose.
Besides, let’s discover together the decks chosen by our two players. That of Roberto, you already know it since it is the Arceus VSTAR/Lézargus deck that we saw during the previous category although there are some peculiarities like the addition of the Galarian Moltres (or Sulfura de Galar). As for Caleb’s, it’s Shifours Mille Poings.VMAX and Lézargus which remains a must in the decks of this competition.
Again, the United States won the final, but it was after two ends where Roberto could not necessarily do much against the shots prepared by his opponent or his lack of energy in the first. sleeve. Shifours VMAX overcame the Pokémon Alpha Arceus VSTAR.
Zigzaton de Galar and Lézargus thanks to their talents were able to facilitate the victory of Caleb who was able to prepare his ground well. Moreover, Galarian Zigzaton’s talent allowing it to move a damage counter when played from your hand to your bench as well as that of Lézargus thus made it possible to have enough to finish certain Pokémon on the bench for example quite easily. Congratulations to Caleb who is now the champion of the Senior category and congratulations to Roberto for his place in the final even if he couldn’t show the full power of his deck.
Pokémon TCG Master Category Finalists and Winner
To close the TCG part of the event, we had the right to the final of the Master category. This pitted the United States against Brazil. A duel between the defending champion, Gustavo Wada and Frank Percic. Each of the two finalists have a track record in the Pokémon card game. Gustavo was Junior World Champion in 2011 before doing Top 8 at NAIC (North America International Championships) and LAIC (Latin America International Championships) but above all, he is the holder of the EUIC title which will therefore be put back into play during this final. On his opponent’s side, Frank Percic, we have three Top 16 (Dallas Regional, SLC Regional and Collinsville Regional) and a Top 8 at the OCIC (Oceania International Championships).
This match is an opportunity to see a new deck since Frank uses a Flounder VSTAR deck while Gustavo uses the deck that won the Senior category,to know Shifours Mille-Poing accompanied by this good old Lézargus. This time around, the Shifours deck also has Sulfura of Galar on its side while the Fluffyep deck offers us a multitude of Fluffywolves that stay in place. In terms of support, Frank has Pokemon like Castorno whose talent allows you to draw cards until you have 5 in hand once per turn. An ability that comes in handy for regaining cards when you’re out of ammunition. On Gustavo’s side, his version of the Shifours deck is played with Nostenfer V which also allows you to draw until you have 6 cards in hand thanks to its talent when placed on the bench from our hand and can deal 70 damage while poisoning for only two attached energies.
In the end, Sulfura de Galar allowed Gustavo Wada to retain his title by winning the final 2-0. Congratulations to him for winning the Masters category and to his opponent Frank Percic for making it to the final.
What to remember from these finals?
What we can learn from these finals is that we were able to see decks with similar basic components while each having their own little touch, which can take your opponent by surprise. Lézargus and Zigzaton de Galar make the pair and are present in almost all the decks of these finals. Another thing to note is that the cards that have been played since the release of the Sword and Shield expansions or even beyond such as Boss’s Orders which allows you to switch an opponent’s Pokemon or even Rosemary which can completely change your opponent’s tactics since you each send your hand below your deck then if one of the players sends at least one card, you draw 5 and your opponent 4. Classic cards are also present such as Rapide Balls which remain enormously important in decks. This concludes our article on the finals of these 2022 European Pokémon International Championships.
The European Championships are taking place right now and it’s an opportunity to discover strategy by obtaining your first strategic Pokémon. Indeed, creatures are often distributed. This is the case of Hydragon (or Dracovish) in this edition.
Pokémon Sword and Shield