Dragapult ex has spent the fall winning Regionals, so a field of 1,739 players in Gdańsk, Poland expected more of the same on October 31 and November 1. Instead the trophy went to Aarni Karjala of Finland and a Slowking deck that most of the room had left off its list. Karjala finished with 14 wins, 1 loss and 2 draws, and the final paired his Slowking against an even cheaper surprise, Team Rocket's Honchkrow, played by Finn Lasse Fries of Germany.

Dragapult Owned the Room, Not the Final

Dragapult was still the deck to beat. It made up 33.1 percent of the second day field, with 107 of 323 players, and it took four of the eight places in the Top 8 and seven of the Top 16. One week earlier at Puebla it had taken six of the Top 8 and first place, and in Louisville it won the whole event in the hands of Canadian Riley McKay. Gdańsk followed that script for two days, right up until the final game.

How Slowking Pulls It Off

Slowking comes from Stellar Crown, numbered 058 of 142, a Stage 1 Psychic Pokemon with 120 HP, illustrated by Tetsu Kayama. Its Seek Inspiration attack discards the top card of your deck, and if that card is a Pokemon without a Rule Box, Slowking uses one of its attacks instead. Karjala built the deck as a toolbox around that idea, with four Slowpoke and three Slowking, four Mega Kangaskhan ex to draw cards, and attackers such as Kyurem and Metagross waiting in the deck for Slowking to copy. Four copies of Academy at Night help set up the top of the deck, so the surprise attack is planned far more often than it looks.

The Other Finalist Cost Even Less

Limitless prices the full Karjala list at $51.69 USD [$73 CAD], which is gentle money for a Regional winner. The second place list costs less still. Team Rocket's Honchkrow, numbered 127 of 217 from Ascended Heroes, is a Stage 1 Darkness Pokemon with 130 HP, illustrated by hncl. Its Rocket Feathers attack does 60 damage for each Team Rocket Supporter card you discard from your hand, and Fries paired three Honchkrow with a deep lineup of Team Rocket Supporters. Limitless prices that list at $15.29 USD [$22 CAD]. Only four players on the second day brought Honchkrow, and two of them reached the Top 16.

What Gdańsk Means in Canada

Canadian players play this same format, built from Temporal Forces through 30th Celebration, and Gdańsk is one of the last big results before Delta Reign cards become legal for tournament play on November 20. The lessons travel well. You still need a plan for Dragapult, since a third of the room will bring it. A practiced list can beat a popular one, since Karjala won with the same 60 cards he had already played to 13th place in Louisville. And a winning deck does not need a winning price tag, which is welcome news in a season when sealed product can be hard to track down. Slowking took its time, as Slowking does, and it arrived right on schedule.