Magma Overlord
by Randy Beavers
Eclectica Scrapbooks & Games
Memphis, TN
Saturday, October 9, 2004
About 20+ participants
Modified Mini-Tourney $5 entry fee


Well, my friend and I (both from Alabama) begged our parents to take us to Memphis in order to play in this tourney. At first, we believed it was an Unlimited tourney. However, this was changed when only a couple had Unlimited decks. Modified became the chosen format. Here is the other deck that I brought with me.

Name: Magma Overlord

Basic Pokémon:
4 TM Groudon
4 TM Zangoose

Stage 1 Pokémon:
3 TM Claydol (Psychic)

Trainers:
4 Life Herb
1 Magnetic Storm
4 Maxie
1 Mr. Briney’s Compassion
3 Pokémon Reversal
2 Professor Oak’s Research
2 Steven’s Advice
2 Switch
2 TM Ball
4 TM Conspirator
2 TM Schemer
2 VS Seeker

Energy:
4 Darkness
9 Fighting
4 Magma
3 Psychic

Basic Deck Strategy:
My strategy is to power up Groudon or Zangoose, the two main attackers, as quickly as possible for a quick game. Zangoose helps bring Magma Pokémon to life from my deck to the bench, which helps power up his Team Play attack. Claydol is their for support in case they fall and to switch energies around, if necessary. Life Herb is there to heal mainly Groudon. Magnetic Storm is to help Groudon and Claydol against those resistant to their attacks. My only Briney can save a prize from being taken, and it does not cost me much except a small backup in my plans. Briney also helps with Claydol’s hand bonus attack. Pokémon Reversal is a coin flip for a Gust of Win!!! It is worth it (you will see, momentarily). Oak’s Research may help me make bad draws into good ones. Steven’s Advice can help punish the opponents for dumping all of their Pokémon on the bench (although this card rules against Magma decks). Switch saves energy and helps Groudon tremendously. TM Ball can help get Claydol if I have Maxie or help Zangoose fill up the Bench. Conspirator serves two purposes (whichever one I need at the time is the one I use): to get energy if I need it now, or fill up the Bench so Groudon can start his massacre. Schemer can sometimes be used with Claydol, followed up by Maxie the next turn. This places valuable cards in the hand and does not waste Claydol’s partial sacrifice.
VS Seeker can help me do three Brineys with only one card of it in my deck, or, if I need any of the supply of Supporters that are in this deck. Darkness Energy is basically a plus 10 or 20 (if I get Weakness). Magma is the “Boost” for the deck to run wild and destroy everything. 4 Magma Energy may very well mean, in the best case scenario, 4 easy prizes. 3 Psychic are included for Claydol, and the remaining space is for basic energy purposes (Fighting).

*Tournament Begins*

Round 1: Kevin White
This kid has won one tournament and ranked pretty high in all of the ones I have attended. His deck included the sick combo of Butterfree and Bellossom. A healing fest could be going on while all you can do is sit around and try and build someone up to attack, and you only get to see the damage go from 50 to 10 over the course of one turn. I managed to KO three of his soon to be monsters before they evolved. He began to gain the edge when time was called. Due to his lack of preparation before the match (shuffling his deck for about 5 minutes after time began) and my slow self playing out my hand, I won on the prize count of 3-4. I only won due to Briney, switching out Zangoose (since Groudon would die a horrid death), and flipping heads on one or two Life Herb. Stalling won me this one. I hate to win like that, but it was the only way and a win is a win!!!
1-0
Round 2: Nicholas Hamner
Clay, the evil judge, once again paired up my friend and me to a showdown. His deck
included Glalie, Wobbuffet, and Mr. Mime EX (odds). Throughout the match, I had the
upper hand until Briney popped up and saved 2-3 prizes. At this point, I was up
approximately 4-6 on prize count. Mr. Mime EX shows up and starts chaos. A mistake on my part with Magma and switching around energy almost cost me the game. However, I regrouped and manage to destroy the nasty creature. After this, a long of time of Glalie rearing its ugly head and retreating led to my agitation. I finally got going and got my last two prizes. He had 4-5 left of his own. It was a good match, where the underdog continuously playing it smart almost caught me way off guard. I hated to beat him, because since Grass was running rampant, I thought he stood a better chance than me. I told him I hoped he won two more, because I thought Magma’s luck had run out...
2-0
Round 3: Carlos
This guy and I have only faced each other once. This was my first tourney at the time, back in Dragon Prerelease. We faced each other in the first round, where I won on a coin flip from Treecko. Anyway, today was a new day, and it was war. He was playing a dreaded Blaziken, Magneton, and Energy Draw Delcatty deck. This match became a classic. I began with momentum, took a prize, and then Firestarter Blaziken shows himself. I manage to kill one. With another powered up, I am shocked at what comes next - Moltres EX!!! Confusion leads to a major decision left... what??? Groudon managed to survive by 10 HP. I could kill the EX and take two, because he will die surely next turn. I risk the whole game on a coin flip. I roll heads and eliminate Moltres EX from the equation. Prize count is now 2-4 in my favor. I manage to kill something else, and then Blaziken EX shows up. He decides to kill my Claydol instead of Groudon, believing that Groudon couldn’t attack now since all of my Pokemon are just about gone. I Maxie Claydol back out so I can attack, but then I play Pokemon Reversal. I roll heads, pull out Skitty, and with one Darkness and one Fighting on Groudon, I Linear Attack to kill Skitty!!! I win!!! Coin flips really saved me here, but this match was the new “Japanese” (more on that later) Archetype vs. the old Archetype. This match was the best Modified
match I have ever had, and I hope Carlos and I will have a rivalry from here on out!!!
3-0
Final Round: David* ranked best league Trainer
David had the nasty deck of Nidoking and Nidoqueen with awesome Trainers and Double Rainbow. Magma managed to KO two early on and then another one, but he was on his way to winning. Due to five minutes of hunting where he was, then shuffling, and my use of playing my hand out, we went to a sudden death tiebreaker. The judge called for two prizes instead of one, since this match would decide the tournament champion. He got the first prize after evolving Nidorina to Nidoqueen and destroying Zangoose. It was later Briney’d, which is what I did as well as Life Herb to hold up. I managed to kill a Nidoqueen or Nidoking I believe. I then decide to do Life Herb, which failed. However, I had a Pokemon Reversal. Head was rolled. I pulled out a new Nidoran Female from the Bench and killed it to win the match. I had won the tournament!
Winner at 4-0
Prizes Earned:
1 Gardevoir EX
1 Promo Winner Flygon
1 Promo Minun
1 Promo Swellow
Pokémon Monopoly (I have always wanted it!!!)
---
I learned that people hate coin flips. Also, people are in denial about how the Japanese swept Worlds (with Magma Decks). I learned Magma is still awesome in Modified Format. Finally, I don’t need TM Camerupt to teach people the one lesson I have worked on - DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE MAGMA!!!

Randy Beavers
TheBeav2006@aol.com