New Pokemon TCG Card: Meowth VMAX

Hey PTCGO Store readers! Welcome back to another article here on the site! The Dallas Regional Championships are coming up soon on the 17th of January and the first thing about the expanded format we need to pay attention to is the new Meowth VMAX card that is officially going to be legal for Dallas. Meowth V and Meowth VMAX are the first cards to be released from the Sword and Shield set in the Pokemon TCG in the form of a promo box where you can buy the code for right here on our website. Meowth VMAX is the card we are going to be looking at because Meowth V isn’t that good besides using it to evolve into Meowth VMAX. Let's take a look at the Meowth VMAX and talk about why I think this new exciting card could make a splash in future Pokemon TCG events.

 

Meowth VMAX evolves from Meowth V, has a massive 300 HP, and has access to a decent attack that not only dishes out 200 damage, but also draws you 3 cards. This card can be good for a decent amount of reasons, but the main focus is its access to 300 HP. 300 HP is the highest HP Pokemon currently legal in the Pokemon TCG along with last year's first Tag Team legal, Magikarp & Wailord GX. Now the concern is what decks can use this new Pokemon TCG VMAX card, and how could we see it show up in a couple decks going into Dallas Regionals.

Meowth VMAX being an evolution Pokemon is great especially in the expanded meta right now because of popular cards such as Pyroar and Vileplume that both have powerful abilities that stop basic Pokemon from attacking or dealing damage to the Pokemon. In expanded, the most popular decks rely on attacking with their basic Pokemon, so those basic locking cards can slow them down or force them to have an answer within their deck list such as alternative evolution Pokemon. Turbo Dark can opt for a Weavile GX line or two, which is a great Pokemon anyways in the deck, but other decks that aren’t like Turbo Dark don’t really have a multi-purpose answer to Vileplume or Pyroar. The main deck we are going to look at here with keep that Vileplume problem in mind is Gardevoir & Sylveon GX. The deck already plays a 2-2 Aromatisse line which is an evolution and can attack, but it only deals 60 damage, which is only a 3 shot on the Vileplume. 60 damage isn’t enough damage because of the popular Eggrow deck that plays the vileplume now has access to cards like Mallow & Lana which can fully heal 2 hits from Aromatisse. One way to get around Vileplume is to put in a 1-1 line of the Meowth VMAX card. This card is a great attacker into the Vileplume as you one shot it with Meowth, and draw 3 cards which gives it more of a purpose then just being an answer to Vileplume. Meowth VMAX in other matchups also still has 300 HP, which is similar to the HP of Gardevoir & Sylveon GX has with Fighting Fury Belt attached. This card could be played in the Gardevoir & Sylveon GX deck not only for an answer to Pyroar and Vileplume decks, but also as a great alternate attacker that can do some big damage and draw some cards. Here is a list I am considering still for the Dallas Regional Championships.

Meowth VMAX is also going to be legal in the standard format soon, and the card could impact the Pokemon TCG in the standard format. Meowth VMAX will play a way different role than what I explained it’s expanded role to be because those basic locking cards aren’t legal in the standard format. Meowth VMAX will serve as either a secondary attacker or an out to Keldeo GX in GX based decks. I can’t say Meowth VMAX is going to be a game changer in standard because is quite difficult to set up due to it being a stage one that also needs 4 energy to attack. Even if you can consistently attack with it, it doesn’t do enough damage to handle cards like Mewtwo & Mew GX and Reshiram & Charizard GX that both have 270 HP and can both respectively one-shot Meowth VMAX. But I am sure there is some way you can make this card work. Here are my current list ideas for how Meowth VMAX can work in Pikarom and ADP.

Pikarom has been nonexistent this format because of its bad matchup to Mewtwo & Mew GX, and having to be built without Dedenne GX due to Mega Lopunny & Jigglypuff being introduced into the format and being splashable in any deck. Obviously Pikarom having to play slower than usual isn’t going to make it as good, so the deck has kind of fallen off. The deck also cannot deal with Keldeo GX which rose in popularity thanks to its synergy with ADP, because it is mostly all GX Pokemon you are attacking with. This is where Meowth VMAX can come in and spoil some gameplans. Meowth can be set up by Pikarom’s Full Blitz attack and with Meowth VMAX’s attack, can one shot Keldeo GX and be a good attacker into Malamar decks because of its incredibly high HP. The card can also draw 3 cards while doing damage so you can make up a little bit for the lack of Dedenne GX being played in the deck. Overall, I think Pikarom greatly benefits from the Meowth VMAX, but I’m still not too sure on its viability in standard at least until Sword and Shield comes out.

This ADP list is Xander Pero’s 2nd place Daytona list except I added the Meowth VMAX line so shout out to Xander. Meowth VMAX could work in this deck for 2 reasons. With altered creation GX in effect, Meowth VMAX can hit 230 which is the most amount of damage the deck has access to, and it can draw 3 cards. Meowth can also be powered up without worry by ADP’s Ultimate Ray attack since Meowth VMAX attacks for 4 energy. Meowth VMAX can also one shot Keldeo GX in the mirror match which is decent. I’m still not sure how good this card is, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it come up next format when ADP turns to its next partner in Zacian V which cannot one shot Meowth VMAX, but with altered creation in effect, Meowth VMAX can one shot Zacian V.

Sword and Shield is coming up soon as the next set entering the Pokemon TCG and Pokemon TCG Online universe. I have done an analysis on the set where I explain the best cards from the new set and why they could be potentially game breaking.

I am very excited for the set and cannot wait to see how it shifts the meta with the inclusion of more powerful trainer cards, and V & VMAX cards. Stay tuned to the blog website and the PTCGO Store for more news, decks, and Pokemon TCG Online codes all related to Pokemon TCG Sword and Shield set coming out shortly next month.

In conclusion to this article, Meowth VMAX is playable because it is not only an out to decks such as Keldeo GX and Vilplume, but can also draw 3 additional cards that can help set up for the following turn. If you need any Pokemon TCG Online codes or products make sure to check out the website right here to try the decks out on the Pokemon TCG Online. Special shout outs go to my testing group partners who are Ben Cryer, Isaac “Joe” Milaski, Alec Geissler, Luke Morsa, and Justin Lambert, and shout out to my awesome team Nerd Rage Gaming for all the do to help us succeed in the competitive Pokemon TCG scene. Until next time, have a good one and have fun trying out the new Pokemon Meowth VMAX card!