- Andrew Hedrick lugia vstar guide: Review the tournament-focused 60-card list and its central game plan.
- Core engine: Build Archeops access quickly so Lugia VSTAR can use powerful Special Energy combinations.
- Main attackers: Rotate Lugia VSTAR, Stoutland V, Radiant Charizard, Raikou, and Yveltal.
- Trainer package: Use Ultra Ball, Quick Ball, Evolution Incense, Boss's Orders, and draw Supporters to maintain tempo.
- Testing focus: Practice opening-hand decisions, Prize mapping, Energy placement, and attack sequencing.
Andrew Hedrick lugia vstar guide: Deck Overview
This Lugia VSTAR list is a 60-card Pokémon Trading Card Game deck built around Lugia VSTAR and Archeops. Its structure combines a Colorless attacker core with several single-copy tech attackers, giving the deck multiple ways to take Prizes across a match.
The list contains 20 Pokémon, 24 Trainer cards, and 16 Energy cards. Lugia VSTAR is the primary attacker, while Archeops supplies the setup that allows the deck to assemble demanding Energy costs efficiently. The remaining Pokémon provide targeted answers, bench utility, draw access, and matchup flexibility.
The original deck page identifies the list as a Standard tournament deck associated with a first-place Regional Knoxville result. For the complete card record, consult the Lugia VSTAR by Andrew Hedrick deck page.
| Category | Count | Strategic role |
|---|---|---|
| Pokémon | 20 | Main attackers, Archeops engine, and utility options |
| Trainers | 24 | Search, draw, gust effects, and tool management |
| Energy | 16 | Special Energy acceleration and attack-cost coverage |
| Main engine | Lugia VSTAR, Archeops | Establishes the deck’s attacking foundation |
| Deck size | 60 cards | Standard Pokémon TCG deck construction |
Lugia VSTAR
- Primary attacker
- Colorless attack access
- Benefits from Archeops setup
Archeops
- Four copies maximize access
- Supports Special Energy acceleration
- Central setup target
Utility Attackers
- Stoutland V
- Radiant Charizard
- Raikou and Yveltal
Consistency Tools
- Four Quick Ball
- Four Ultra Ball
- Four Evolution Incense
Treat this list as an engine-first deck. Your early turns should prioritize establishing Lugia V and preparing Archeops before committing to a complicated Prize race.
Core Pokémon and Attack Roles
The Pokémon lineup is designed around a primary Lugia plan supported by situational attackers. Running three Lugia V and three Lugia VSTAR gives the deck a clear evolution path without filling the list with unnecessary copies of the same attacker.
Four Archeops are especially important. The deck wants to place Archeops in the discard pile and then use Lugia VSTAR’s ability to bring them into play. Once established, Archeops can accelerate Special Energy from the deck, enabling attacks that would otherwise require several turns of manual attachment.
| Pokémon | Quantity | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Lugia V | 3 | Basic setup Pokémon and evolution target |
| Lugia VSTAR | 3 | Main attacker and Archeops enabler |
| Archeops | 4 | Special Energy acceleration engine |
| Lumineon V | 2 | Opens access to Supporter cards |
| Stoutland V | 1 | Secondary Colorless attacker |
| Radiant Charizard | 1 | Late-game attacker with flexible damage potential |
| Raikou | 1 | Lightning-based coverage option |
| Yveltal | 1 | Darkness-based single-Prize attacker |
| Manaphy | 1 | Bench protection utility |
| Oranguru | 1 | Deck-management and utility support |
| Dunsparce | 1 | Colorless bench utility |
| Pumpkaboo | 1 | Stadium removal support |
How to Prioritize Your Bench
Your bench should reflect the next two turns rather than only the current attack. Lugia V is usually the first priority, followed by a path toward Archeops. Lumineon V can provide Supporter access when the hand lacks a way to stabilize, but it also creates a two-Prize liability, so place it carefully.
Use single-copy attackers when they answer a specific board state. Raikou, Yveltal, and Radiant Charizard are not interchangeable with Lugia VSTAR; they are tactical tools that can improve Prize exchanges or attack into a different weakness.
Do not fill the bench automatically. Lumineon V and other two-Prize Pokémon can become liabilities if they are placed without a clear Supporter or attack purpose.
Step-by-Step Lugia VSTAR Setup
The deck’s most important sequence is turning discarded Archeops into an active Energy engine. Your Trainer cards are built to find Basic Pokémon, discard specific cards, and evolve Lugia efficiently. The exact order changes with the opening hand, but the following framework is a reliable starting point.
Find Lugia V
Use Quick Ball, Ultra Ball, Capture Energy, or another available search effect to establish Lugia V on the opening turn. A second Lugia V is valuable when the matchup may pressure your first attacker.
Prepare Archeops
Use Ultra Ball or another discard-friendly line to place Archeops in the discard pile. Evolution Incense can find Archeops when the card is already available for the intended setup.
Evolve Into Lugia VSTAR
Move toward Lugia VSTAR as soon as the board supports it. Avoid spending every search card immediately if you still need a Supporter, backup Lugia, or a response to an opposing threat.
Activate the Engine
Use Lugia VSTAR to bring Archeops into play, then use Archeops to assemble the Special Energy required for the attack you want next.
Map the Prize Trade
Choose between Lugia VSTAR and a tech attacker based on the opponent’s board, remaining Prizes, and the Energy you can preserve for the following turn.
| Turn objective | Preferred resources | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| First setup turn | Lugia V, Quick Ball, Ultra Ball, Capture Energy | Discarding useful attackers without a plan |
| Archeops preparation | Ultra Ball, Evolution Incense, Professor's Research | Holding Archeops in hand when the discard line is available |
| Evolution turn | Lugia VSTAR, Evolution Incense, Ultra Ball | Using all search cards before checking the next attack |
| Attack setup | Archeops plus Special Energy | Attaching Energy without considering the follow-up attacker |
| Prize-race turn | Boss's Orders, Serena, Choice Belt | Attacking the active Pokémon without a Prize plan |
Before using a search card, identify the next attack, the Energy it requires, and the Pokémon you want ready after the active attacker is Knocked Out.
Energy Package and Attack Planning
The Energy line contains 16 cards, with a strong emphasis on Special Energy. Four Aurora Energy, four Powerful Colorless Energy, three Capture Energy, two Double Turbo Energy, and several single-copy options create a flexible but demanding resource system.
Powerful Colorless Energy supports the deck’s Colorless attackers, while Aurora Energy helps cover attacks requiring different types. Capture Energy can improve early board development, and Double Turbo Energy provides another way to reach an attack cost while accepting its damage tradeoff.
The list also includes Heat Fire Energy, Speed Lightning Energy, and V Guard Energy. These single-copy cards are best viewed as tactical resources rather than routine attachments. Preserve them when they improve a specific attack, protect an important Pokémon, or give the deck a better response to the opposing board.
| Energy card | Quantity | Primary use |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora Energy | 4 | Flexible typed Energy access |
| Powerful Colorless Energy | 4 | Boosts Colorless attackers |
| Capture Energy | 3 | Early Pokémon development |
| Double Turbo Energy | 2 | Helps meet attack costs with a damage tradeoff |
| Heat Fire Energy | 1 | Fire coverage and situational utility |
| Speed Lightning Energy | 1 | Lightning attack access and draw utility |
| V Guard Energy | 1 | Defensive value against selected attacks |
| Total | 16 | Special Energy-focused package |
Energy Sequencing Tips
- Decide whether an Energy card is needed for the current attack or the next attacker.
- Use Archeops to preserve manual attachments for developing the bench.
- Avoid spending Aurora Energy casually when a future tech attacker needs a specific type.
- Consider Powerful Colorless Energy when calculating whether a two-hit sequence becomes a one-hit knockout.
- Keep track of Energy discarded by attacks or removed by opposing effects.
The source deck page reports the attack-cost distribution as four attacks requiring one Energy, two requiring two, nine requiring three, seven requiring four, and two requiring five. That curve explains why the deck places so much importance on Archeops: many of its meaningful attacks require three or four Energy.
A strong turn is not only the turn that takes a Prize. It is the turn that takes a Prize while leaving enough Energy and search access to rebuild the board.
Trainer Suite, Match Flow, and Testing Checklist
The Trainer line provides the search density and disruption needed to make the engine function. Four Quick Ball, four Ultra Ball, and four Evolution Incense give the deck multiple ways to find Pokémon. Boss's Orders and Serena create gust options, while Marnie and Professor's Research refresh the hand.
Irida offers a targeted route to Water Pokémon and Items, which can be useful when the hand needs both a Pokémon and a specific setup piece. Lost Vacuum and Pumpkaboo provide ways to address opposing Stadium or Tool effects. Choice Belt improves damage calculations in situations where a knockout depends on a small modifier.
| Trainer group | Cards | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Pokémon search | 4 Quick Ball, 4 Ultra Ball | Find basics and discard Archeops when needed |
| Evolution search | 4 Evolution Incense | Find Lugia VSTAR or Archeops |
| Gust effects | 3 Boss's Orders, 1 Serena | Target benched Pokémon for Prize turns |
| Draw Supporters | 3 Professor's Research, 2 Marnie | Refresh or disrupt hands |
| Targeted access | 1 Irida | Finds a Water Pokémon and an Item |
| Board control | 1 Lost Vacuum, 1 Pumpkaboo | Address Tools, Stadiums, or board effects |
| Damage support | 1 Choice Belt | Improves selected knockout calculations |
Recommended Match Flow
Start by identifying whether the opponent can pressure Lugia V immediately or whether you have time to develop a second attacker. Against aggressive openings, prioritize redundancy. Against slower decks, preserve gust effects and map a sequence that forces the opponent to respond to multiple attackers.
Use Boss's Orders and Serena with a purpose. A gust card may take a key Prize, remove a support Pokémon, or create a tempo swing, but using it merely because it is available can leave the deck without a clean finishing turn.
Lugia VSTAR Testing Checklist:
- Establish Lugia V and identify a second attacker when possible
- Practice discarding Archeops without losing essential resources
- Calculate attacks using Powerful Colorless, Aurora, and Double Turbo Energy
- Reserve Boss's Orders or Serena for a defined Prize target
- Track bench space, remaining Energy, and future search outs
Test several opening hands before changing the list. First evaluate whether the engine starts, then assess whether your attackers and Energy remain available after the first exchange.
Card List Reference and FAQ
Use the following condensed list when rebuilding or checking the deck. The quantities match the recorded 60-card Andrew Hedrick list.
| Section | Cards |
|---|---|
| Pokémon | 3 Lugia VSTAR, 3 Lugia V, 1 Stoutland V, 2 Lumineon V, 1 Radiant Charizard, 4 Archeops, 1 Oranguru, 1 Raikou, 1 Yveltal, 1 Manaphy, 1 Dunsparce, 1 Pumpkaboo |
| Trainers | 3 Boss's Orders, 1 Choice Belt, 4 Evolution Incense, 1 Irida, 1 Lost Vacuum, 2 Marnie, 3 Professor's Research, 4 Quick Ball, 1 Serena, 4 Ultra Ball |
| Energy | 4 Aurora Energy, 3 Capture Energy, 2 Double Turbo Energy, 1 Heat Fire Energy, 4 Powerful Colorless Energy, 1 Speed Lightning Energy, 1 V Guard Energy |
| Totals | 20 Pokémon, 24 Trainers, 16 Energy |
Q: What is the main strategy in the Andrew Hedrick lugia vstar guide?
The deck aims to establish Lugia VSTAR and Archeops, then use Archeops to accelerate Special Energy for efficient attacks. Tech attackers provide additional Prize and matchup options.
Q: Why does the list play four Archeops?
Archeops is the deck's central Energy engine. Four copies improve access to the setup line and make it easier to establish the board after discarding Archeops with Ultra Ball or another effect.
Q: Which Pokémon is the primary attacker?
Lugia VSTAR is the primary attacker, supported by Stoutland V, Radiant Charizard, Raikou, and Yveltal. Choose the secondary attacker according to the opponent's board and your available Energy.
Q: What should I practice first with this deck?
Practice opening-hand sequencing, Archeops discard decisions, Energy placement, and Prize mapping. These skills determine whether the deck can maintain pressure after its first attack.
Card legality and tournament rules can change. Confirm the current Standard format and card rulings before using this historical tournament list in organized play.