The Armored Elephant - Donaphan's Rampage (Fighting/Dark)
by Josh Stowell
Toys R Us
Toledo, Ohio
Thursday, May 31, 2001
Roughly 20 participants

      Hey, everyone, what's up? This is my first Killer Deck Report at Pojo.
While trading at the league one day, I got a Donaphan and a Murkrow for
something. I looked at the cards, and this deck's strategy sprung into my
head.

4 Phanpy
3 Donaphan
3 Murkrow
2 Gligar
3 Cleffa
2 Magby - thinking about swapping for Neo2 Igglybuff, but he helps with Grass
Weakness.

12 Fighting Energy
4 Dark Energy
3 Recycle Energy

3 Oak
3 Search
4 Lass
3 Resistance Gym
3 Gold Berry
3 Double Gust
2 Item Finder
3 SER

      Strategy: Swap the opponent around with Rapid Spin and Double Gust to
do some major damage with Donaphan. Abuse the free retreaters. Then, Lock a
fattie in,
and Feint Attack the bench with Murkrow for the win. Resistance Gym is
supposed to be used wisely. It brings down the opponent's Fighting
Resistance, but it brings down your Resistance too.
      There was an odd thing about the tourney. Our league is on Thursday,
but the guys were holding the tourney right outside the league, and everyone
went to that. The deal was everyone had to bring a Neo Discovery Pack, and
the winner would get all the packs. The tourney was single elimination. Now,
onto the battles!!

Round 1: The Armored Elephant vs. Slowking's Trap.
      This round was easy. I started with a Murkrow, Cleffa, two Dark
Energy, and some other cards. He had out 2 Slowpokes. He went first, Trapped
my hand away, and passed. He he he. I laid down Cleffa, retreated Murkrow,
laid a Fighting on Cleffa and Eeeeeeeked. I got Double Gust, Magby, Recycle,
and some other cards. I knew I had then secured the win. He drew, laid down a
Rocket Zapdos, put energy on his active Slowpoke, retreated, evolved into
Slowking, and passed. I drew, laid Recycle on Magby, retreated Cleffa, and
Sputtered. He drew, confident, attached Lightning to RZ and Plasma'd for 20.
I drew, and Double Gusted. I chose his Slowking, he chose my Cleffa. I
retreated, laid Dark on Murkrow, and Mean Looked his Slowking in. From there,
I Feint Attacked his Bench for the win.
Record: 1-0

Round 2: The Armored Elephant vs. Cotton Balls of Death with a tinge of Dark
Muk.
      Darn, I would be playing a Grass Deck. However, luck was on my side. I
started with Phanpy, Donaphan, 3 Fighting Energy, Recycle Energy, and SER. I
won the coin flip, laid energy on Phanpy, and Tackled. He drew, and passed,
not be able to attack with his energyless Grimer. Sweet. I drew Gligar, laid
energy on Phanpy, and Endured. He drew, laid energy on Grimer, and Nast Gooed
with Paralysis. Luckily, I got heads, and had 10 HP. I drew, laid energy on
Phanpy, evolved, and Rapid Spinned for the K-O. From there, I used SER on his
other Grimers/Muk, Hoppips etc, to eventually win.
Record: 2-0

Round 3: The Armored Elephant vs. Occult Powers.
      OK, another Grass opponent. However, this one was easier. He easily
got out his Dark Plumes, but he couldn't get any Murkrow back-up, so I just
Tackled his Fighting Weak Plumes for the win.
Record: 3-0.

Semifinals: The Armored Elephant vs. Wild Growh.
      What is it with the Grass decks? Anyways, this one was easy, he
started with a lone Pinsir. After some SER help, I Sputtered him thrice for
the win.
Record: 4-0.

Finals: The Armored Elephant vs. Floodlights
      Thuis was versus a Lanturn Deck. With my Electric Resistance, I
crushed him easy. Chinchou after Chinchou fell, until he got a fully powered
Lanturn he did only 20 damage - normally, he would've been doing 50. Oh well.

      The prizes were awesome. I got Yanma, Houndoom, Tyranitar, Beedrill,
Butterfree, Espeon, Umbreon, and a lot lot more. I had a great time, too. No
props and slops, except to my deck, which worked awesome today.

E-mail me at pyro7031@aol.com or stowellclan@aol.com anytime. I love a good
discussion about Pokemon.