With Trinity Nova and Starbirth, the Arceus VSTAR deck is powerful, and this guide shows the Deck List, Strategy and how to play it in Pokemon TCG!
Arceus VSTAR Deck Guide for Pokemon TCG
In Pokemon TCG, the Arceus VSTAR Deck is based on energy acceleration and multiple Arecus V cards. The strategy is to combine two Arceus V Pokemon to quickly fill up on energy, evolving to Arecus VSTAR, then attacking. This deck will provide early knockouts and can sustain itself with Cheren’s Care Supporter Trainer. The Arceus VSTAR deck is also easy to play, understand the strategy, and cheap to buy the cards.
We will go through an Arceus VSTAR decklist, a guide on how to play it, and the crucial cards. Let’s first show you the deck list so you understand the premise behind the Pokemon TCG: Arceus VSTAR Deck Guide.
Arceus VSTAR Deck List
| Pokémon: 14 | Trainers: 33 | Trainers | Energy: 13 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Bibarel BRS 121 | 2 Judge SVI 176 | 2 Pal Pad SVI 182 | 2 V Guard Energy SIT 169 |
| 3 Arceus VSTAR BRS 123 | 1 Escape Rope BST 125 | 4 Nest Ball SVI 181 | 4 Double Turbo Energy BRS 151 |
| 4 Arceus V BRS 122 | 2 Counter Catcher PAR 160 | 4 Professor’s Research SVI 189 | 7 Basic {W} Energy Energy 13 |
| 1 Mimikyu PAL 97 | 3 Battle VIP Pass FST 225 | 1 Choice Belt BRS 135 | |
| 1 Radiant Greninja ASR 46 | 4 Path to the Peak CRE 148 | 2 Cheren’s Care BRS 134 | |
| 3 Bidoof CRZ 111 | 2 Super Rod PAL 188 | 2 Boss’s Orders PAL 172 | |
| 4 Ultra Ball BRS 150 |
Key Cards in Arceus VSTAR
While Arceus VSTAR is the centerpiece of the deck, having at least 4 Arceus V is important for quick energy acceleration. So, here are the most important cards in the new Paradox Rift deck and how to use them.
Below are the most essential key cards in the Arceus VSTAR Deck:
- Arceus VSTAR: damage and energy
- Bibarel: draw cards
- Cheren’s Care: remove damage
- Double Turbo Energy: accelerate Arceus v
- Path to the Peak: shutdown opponents
Arceus VSTAR
Arceus VSTAR Features in Pokemon TCG:
- Pokémon: VSTAR
- Evolves From: Arceus V
- Type: Basic
- HP: 280
- Ability: Starbirth During your turn, you may search your deck for up to 2 cards and put them into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck. (You can’t use more than 1 VSTAR Power in a game.)
- Attacks: Trinity Nova (200 damage+) Search your deck for up to 3 basic Energy cards and attach them to your Pokémon V in any way you like. Then, shuffle your deck.
- Pokémon ex rule: When your Pokémon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
- Weakness ×2 Fighting
- Resistance: None
- Retreat Cost: 2 basic energy
- Set: Brilliant Stars 123/172 VS
Your strategy is to power up two Arceus V cards, then evolve one to Arceus VSTAR as your primary knockout Pokemon. Early on, Arceus V has a powerful energy acceleration ability called Trinity Charge. For only two colorless energies, you can attach 3 basic energies to any Pokemon V. This attack can be used on turn one if you go second. Thus, your goal is to start with Arceus V both in the active spot and on the bench. If that happens, one double turbo energy can be applied to your active Arceus V to power the bench Pokemon.
After you activate the Trinty Charge, your bench Arceus will now have three energy attached. You can then retreat the active, and start attacking as early as turn two. You want to evolve Arceus VSTAR after you have three energy and use the Starbirth ability in critical situations. Starbirth is a VSTAR ability and can only be used once, but helps search for any two cards in your deck. In summary, be patient on evolving Arceus VSTAR until it has 3 colorless energy so it can start attacking.
Bibarel
Bibarel Features in Pokemon TCG:
- Pokémon: Stage 1
- Type: Basic
- Evolves from: Bidoof
- HP: 120
- Ability: Industrious Incisors Once during your turn, you may draw cards until you have 5 cards in your hand.
- Attack: Tail Smash 100 damage + Flip a coin. If tails, this attack does nothing.
- Weakness ×2 Fighting
- Resistance: None
- Retreat Cost: 2 basic energy
- Set: Brilliant Stars 121/172 Rare Holo
The best Pokemon for keeping your hand full is Bibarel. This card is a Stage 1 Pokemon that evolves from Bidoof. You will want to use Nest Ball to find Bidoof and Ultra Ball to find Bibarel. You can have multiple copies on your bench, keeping your hand full of at least 5 cards. This is critical to keep your items and support cards following to quickly get Bibarel evolved. In this strategy, with a flood of cards, and evolved Arceus VSTAR, relentlessly attach for 200 damage.
Cheren’s Care
Cheren’s Care Features in Pokemon TCG:
- Trainer: Supporter
- Put 1 of your Colorless Pokémon that has any damage counters on it and all attached cards into your hand.
- Set: Brilliant Stars 134/172 Uncommon
The best way to keep Arceus VSTAR from getting knocked out is Cheren’s Care. This Support card puts a Colorless Pokemon directly in your hand, along with the attached cards. This means, that not only does Arceus V return, but VSTAR as well. Thus, you use this once Arceus VSTAR has accumulated damage counters. You then, find and evolve another Arceus VSTAR on your bench and put it in the active position. This allows you to keep the pressure on the enemy and prevent losing prize cards.
Double Turbo Energy
Double Turbo Energy Features in Pokemon TCG:
- Energy: Special Energy
- As long as this card is attached to a Pokémon, it provides 2x Colorless Energy.
- The attacks of the Pokémon this card is attached to do 20 less damage to your opponent’s Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance).
- Set: Brilliant Stars 151/172 Uncommon
The easiest way to power Arceus V is Double Turbo Energy. This card gives two colorless energy though lowers your damage by 30. Ideally, you want this card on turn one. The combo is using Arceus V in the active position, then using Nest Ball or Ultra Ball to find another Arceus V. Attach a Double Turbo Energy to an active one, then power the copy on the bench. You should get 3 energy attached to your bench Pokemon. From here, you can either attack with your active Arceus V with another energy, or swap positions.
Keep in mind, that you can only have 4 copies of special energy. Moreover, these can be removed from other items and supporters. You want to be careful when attaching and remember they will lower your damage by 30 so it comes with a cost.
Path to the Peak
Path to the Peak Features in Pokemon TCG:
- Stadium: Item
- Pokémon with a Rule Box in play (both yours and your opponents) have no Abilities. (Pokémon V, Pokémon-GX, etc. have Rule Boxes.)
- Set: Chilling Reign 148/198 Uncommon
The Acreus deck does not rely heavily on abilities. This is why Path to the Peak is a great stadium card to counter opposing decks. You want to use this against Charizard ex or Chien-Pao ex because of their ability usage. The only thing this shuts down for this is deck Radiant Greninja and Acreus VSTAR ability. If you no longer need those abilities, or it can shut down the opponent, play Path to the Peak.
Arceus VSTAR Deck Strategy
Your main goal is to have an Acreus V in the active spot along with the bench. From this starting point, you use Double Turbo Energy on the active Acreus V. If you go second, the first turn you can use the Trinity Charge ability. This will search the deck and attach 3 water energy to your Arecus V on the bench. During your next turn, you can either attach an energy card to active Arceus V to attack, or retreat. Moreover, you want to use Ultra Ball and get Arecus VSTAR evolved. This might not happen frequently, so use Nest Ball and Ultra Ball to find additional Arceus V copies or whatever you are missing.
The second deck strategy is to build your bench with card drawing potential vai Radiant Greninja and Bibarel. Bibarel is a powerful Stage 1 that can fill your hand up with 5 cards. This is very useful when you blow through all of your items and don’t have much remaining. Typically, you can get one Professor’s Research until this combo is set up, then find and evolve Bibarel. This will keep your hands full, and you can have multiple copies using this ability more than once.
When it comes to knockouts, use Arecus VSTAR for 200 damage. However, if you use the Double Turbo Energy card, you will do 180 less damage. This is why the Double Turbo Energy is helpful initially, and typically your secondary Arecus is the primary attacker. Also, always keep a second Arecus on your bench powered and ready. You can use Cheren’s Care to put a damaged Arecus VSTAR in your hand, then immediately evolve the Arecus V on your bench. This is how you avoid dying with the Pokemon TCG: Arceus VSTAR Deck Guide and Deck List.
Sample Hand
You want to get a combination of cards that enhance drawing, Pokemon search, and Double Turbo Energy. Below is a sample hand and explanation of Arceus VSTAR gameplay mechanics in Pokemon TCG:
- 1 Arceus V
- 1 Double Turbo Energy
- 1 Professor’s Research
- 1 Nest Ball
- 1 Ultra Ball
- 1 Pal Pad
- 1 Water Energy
On turn one, you want to put Arceus V in the active position with Double Turbo Energy. From here, use the Nest ball card to locate another Arceus V and place it on your bench. Use Ultra Ball and discard Water Energy and Pal Pad, find Arceus VSTAR card. This will leave you with 2 cards, Professor’s Research and Arceus VSTAR. You don’t want to use Professor’s Research until you’ve evolved Arceus V on turn two, so hold on.
With this incredible start, now activate Arceus V ability and fill the bench Pokemon with 3 water energy. This completes your turn, giving you a ton of options on turn two.
On turn two, evolve the bench Arceus V. The reason why, it doesn’t have double turbo energy attached, thus it won’t lower its damage. Moreover, you can retreat or escape rope the active Acreus V and attach more energy that way as well. Once you evolve, drop the Professor’s Research card to fill your hand. You can then use VSTAR ability, and look for Path to the Peak if it’s not in your hand. Lay this in play to shut down the enemy as you won’t need it. From this position, look to get Bidoof to evolve into Bibarel. This will keep your hand full, while constantly attacking with Arceus VSTAR for 200 damage every turn.
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