No Surprises from the Atlanta Regionals + What Would You Budew?No Surprises from the Atlanta Regionals + What Would You Budew?
The Payoff with Pete
Cory and Jared break down the Atlanta Pokémon TCG Regionals, focusing on why Gardevoir ex and Dragapult ex dominated and how Budew item lock shapes the format. They also spotlight creative deck choices and debate how players can adapt to the evolving meta.
1:17:16•18 Apr 2025
No Surprises in Atlanta and the Big Question: What Would You Budew?
Episode Overview
- Rotation into Scarlet and Violet-only cards has pushed Gardevoir ex and Dragapult ex to the front of the format.
- Successful Gardevoir lists lean on extra draw supporters and techs like Mew ex, Lily’s Clefairy, and Pheasant Dipity.
- Dragapult ex with Dusknor is praised for its mix of draw, pressure, and flexible damage placement, making it very hard to close out.
- Budew item lock shapes early-game decisions for almost every top deck, forcing creative counterplay such as Monkey Dory, poison packages, and targeted gust effects.
- Spicier decks like Arkladon poison builds, Mamoswine ex toolboxes, and Eeveelution lists show there’s still room for experimentation beneath the top tier.
“What do I badoo? What do I badoo? These first two or three turns are determining who’s going to win the game.”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This time the focus flips from substances to strategy, as two long-time friends break down the Atlanta Pokémon TCG Regionals with the kind of detail that card nerds live for. Cory and Jared bring a relaxed, funny, best-mates-on-the-sofa energy while dissecting a seriously technical event. You’ll hear them relive their predictions, including Cory’s eerily accurate call that Henry Chow would take the event with Gardevoir ex.
He jokes, “I need an award,” but their analysis backs it up as they walk through why Gardevoir and Dragapult ex came out as the clear top decks. The chat is fast, tactical, and very meta-focused. They talk rotation (“It’s like Christmas”), the shift to Scarlet & Violet-only cards, and why some archetypes thrive while others stall out.
Dragapult ex gets called “perfect” thanks to its draw power and pressure, while Gardevoir’s new supporter-heavy build and techs like Mew ex and Lily’s Clefairy get a careful breakdown. You’ll also get a tour of offbeat choices from day two: Arkladon builds with poison packages, creative Mamoswine ex lists, and charming Eevee-hero decks using Sylveon. A big chunk of the conversation circles around Budew item lock—what do you do with it, and what do you do against it?
As Jared frames it, the key question is literally, “What do I badoo?” This suits anyone who enjoys competitive Pokémon, deep meta talk, or just listening to two experienced players puzzle through a complex format with humour and honesty. If you like thinking three turns ahead, this one’s for you—what deck would you bring to the next big event?
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