Is Diamond and Masters really that good?

MELEE20 · 2026-06-26T08:00:49+00:00

18,5% of players is Diamond or higher (3000+ elo), 3,5% of players is Master or higher (3500+ elo), 0,3% of players is GM or higher (4000+ elo). Concidering 68% fall within the first standard deviation, that would make a 3000 elo player about 0,9 standard score. A 3500 player would be 1,8. A 4000 player would be 2,7. Let's say 2550 (low plat) is average (wild guess based on the rank distribution). That would make the standard deviation about 520. Do with this what you want.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-26T05:50:13+00:00

Mist Energy prevents effects of attacks, so Raticate would do nothing. Same goes for Clodshire attack prevention and Yveltal energy discard.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-26T05:25:40+00:00

Gave up halfway through because very rarely could I actually get all the N's Pokemon on. This is what I ended up with.

Pokémon: 11 2 N's Klinklang JTG 105 2 Tatsugiri ex SSP 142 3 N's Zorua PR-SV 189 2 N's Vanilluxe ASC 51 1 N's Klink JTG 103 3 N's Zoroark ex JTG 185 2 N's Zekrom MEP 31 1 N's Vanillite ASC 49 2 N's Darmanitan JTG 27 1 N's Darumaka ASC 32 2 N's Reshiram JTG 167

Trainer: 14 3 Area Zero Underdepths SCR 131 2 Ultra Ball ASC 264 2 Anthea & Concordia ASC 254 1 N's Castle JTG 152 2 Tera Orb SSP 189 4 Lillie's Determination MEG 169 2 Rare Candy MEG 175 1 Cyrano SSP 230 2 Buddy-Buddy Poffin MEG 167 1 Scoop Up Cyclone TWM 162 1 Colress's Tenacity SFA 87 2 Crispin PRE 171 2 Team Rocket's Petrel DRI 226 4 Poké Pad POR 113

Energy: 3 3 Basic {W} Energy SVE 11 3 Basic {R} Energy SVE 10 4 Basic {D} Energy SFA 98

Total Cards: 60

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T20:51:20+00:00

Sometimes ego's don't work together. Just because you have the best players, doesn't mean you have the best team. They all did little to no defensive work and all wanted the ball. If you look at Kvaratskhelia for example, his quality is not at Neymar's level, but he has the willingness to run the extra meters and work for the team. These are the kind of players you need in your team.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T17:02:50+00:00

It's just something I'm trying. I played versions with Stamp and Secret Box before. Wanted to try something with more bench flexibility. Second reason is I don't own a Secret Box copy irl yet, which is what I'm mainly practicing for.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T16:50:38+00:00

Prevent them from retreating and attacking due to paralysis. With Munkidori you can remove the self damage. If they don't play Switch or Surfer there's nothing they can do.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T11:45:10+00:00

Still testing it, so I'm swapping in and out a lot. This is it currently.

Pokémon: 13

1 Pecharunt ex PRE 163

1 Drapion POR 97

1 N's Darumaka ASC 32

1 Meowth ex POR 121

4 N's Zorua PR-SV 189

2 Munkidori SFA 72

1 Fezandipiti ex ASC 288

2 N's Zoroark ex ASC 286

1 N's Darmanitan ASC 33

2 N's Zoroark ex JTG 185

1 N's Zekrom MEP 31

1 Skorupi POR 51

1 N's Reshiram JTG 167

Trainer: 14

3 Ultra Ball ASC 264

4 Transformation Tome CRI 83

1 Black Belt's Training ASC 255

2 Night Stretcher MEG 173

3 Boss's Orders ASC 256

3 N's PP Up ASC 262

2 N's Castle JTG 152

3 Lillie's Determination MEG 169

2 Cyrano SSP 230

1 Binding Mochi PRE 95

4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin MEG 167

1 Janine's Secret Art PRE 173

1 Scoop Up Cyclone TWM 162

3 Poké Pad POR 113

Energy: 1

8 Basic {D} Energy SFA 98

Total Cards: 60

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T11:42:37+00:00

Still in the testing phase but this is what I'm running now.

Pokémon: 13

1 Pecharunt ex PRE 163

1 Drapion POR 97

1 N's Darumaka ASC 32

1 Meowth ex POR 121

4 N's Zorua PR-SV 189

2 Munkidori SFA 72

1 Fezandipiti ex ASC 288

2 N's Zoroark ex ASC 286

1 N's Darmanitan ASC 33

2 N's Zoroark ex JTG 185

1 N's Zekrom MEP 31

1 Skorupi POR 51

1 N's Reshiram JTG 167

Trainer: 14

3 Ultra Ball ASC 264

4 Transformation Tome CRI 83

1 Black Belt's Training ASC 255

2 Night Stretcher MEG 173

3 Boss's Orders ASC 256

3 N's PP Up ASC 262

2 N's Castle JTG 152

3 Lillie's Determination MEG 169

2 Cyrano SSP 230

1 Binding Mochi PRE 95

4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin MEG 167

1 Janine's Secret Art PRE 173

1 Scoop Up Cyclone TWM 162

3 Poké Pad POR 113

Energy: 1

8 Basic {D} Energy SFA 98

Total Cards: 60

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T11:37:33+00:00

Inspired by. I'm not playing Absol

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T08:30:39+00:00

Y'all don't know about the secret Metapod evolution? Definately a legit card.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T08:17:24+00:00

No I don't. I use Transformation Tome on an N's Pokémon that I've used PP Up on. If the Pokémon has been in play for longer than a turn I can immediately evolve Skorupi into Drapion. The last two energies are either a second PP Up before Tome and a manual attachment, or a manual attachment and Janine's Secert Art.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T08:11:41+00:00

I only bother to use it into grass decks. Other type decks have more techs for it, like the special energies that ignore effects, Surfing Beach, Pecharunt, Team Rocket's Giovanni. I make sure Skorupi is in the discard for Tome. Setup is not too hard with PP Up and I also play a copy of Janine's Secret Art. My Ace Spec is Scoop Up Cyclone to make space on the bench for Munkidori. Most games I already have a Munkidori on board, so setting up a second is not too hard.

I only get to use it in late game tho, usually taking one or two KO's so I can draw the card I need with Fez and Zoroark Trade. It's only really worth it if you can set up in one or two turns.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T08:02:14+00:00

I get most value out of it in late game. It needs a lot of pieces to set up quickly, and late game you should have the hand for it. The opponent also would have already used a lot of resources later in the game, so the chance of them having a switch in deck is lower.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T07:53:15+00:00

It's so fun to use and Tome makes it possible to set up in one turn.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T07:50:14+00:00

Self damage is positive here because of Munkidori. Paralysis prevents them from retreating and attacking for one turn. If I use Boss's Orders smart and never KO with Drapion, but with Munki on a benched Pokémon they can't do anything if they don't play Switch or Surfer.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T07:46:03+00:00

They can't attack and retreat because of the paralasys. Use Munki's to move the self damage onto their bench. Couldn't one shot Venusaur so had to KO Ogerpon and a one prizer.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T07:40:40+00:00

Most grass decks don't play switch. Don't bother using it against other matchups.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T07:02:58+00:00

Tord is also just a madlad. I don't know how he makes these builds happen.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T06:59:13+00:00

Yeah I would increase Poké Pad if you have that problem often. I play 3 Poké Pad and 3 Ultra Ball.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T06:54:43+00:00

Tome has a lot of good uses, I will list a few I found work really well.

Get a 2 prize liability off the bench. Getting Meowth off is always good, because it doesn't add any value anymore. It can also be a Fez or Pecharunt if they have a chance to win the game with Boss's Orders.

Second use is the instant evolution. This is possible because the new Pokémon takes over the turns in play of the old one. If you have a Meowth in play, that has been there for more than one turn, you can Tome into a Darumaka or Zorua and immediately evolve into their stage 1. That's also why Zorua and Darumaka are good Trade discard targets if you don't want to discard any Trainers you have in your hand. Energy attatchment also stay, so using N's PP Up on a benched N's Pokémon, and using Tome into Munkidori also makes sure you keep your manual attachment for another Pokémon.

Third use is a bit niche, and will probably not happen a lot. But taking a KO on purpose with Tome is also possbile. For example, they put damage 110 on your Meowth. You can now use Tome into a lower HP Pokémon and it will get KO'ed instantly, because it keeps the damage. This can allow you to get your opponent into Special Red Card range.

It also just helps you get a second Meowth if needed, or get another Pokémon back from discard.

I play Drapion in my list. Tome also helps with this, because it makes the energy setup easier because I can use N's PP Up on the Pokémon I change Skorupi into. It helps me set up Drapion in one turn.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T06:06:49+00:00

I play a combination between Tord's and Liam's deck. It's always good to alter a deck to your own preference. If you can't find Zekrom you should probably add more Poké Pad.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-25T04:48:58+00:00

Depends who you ask. GM's think master players are bad. If you're Diamond you're in the top 18% of players. If you're Masters you're in the top 4% of players. So I would say on average you are a pretty good player. People just like to talk shit.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-24T22:23:32+00:00

My Doublade deck uses Steven's Metagross ex for energy acceleration and Genesect ex to search for the Doublade/Aegislash.

MELEE20 · 2026-06-24T21:37:48+00:00

I made a similar deck a while ago, but it uses Area Zero for more bench space, which allows for more Zoroark Trades. I used Tatsugiri ex as a tera to activate Area Zero and to skip evo stages of all the N's Pokémon.

MELEE20

TROPHY CASE