Base Set Only Decks (1999)

Below are four of the strongest decks you can build in the Base Set only format. The Haymaker mirror match is surprisingly fun and skillful!

Haymaker

🌠 Iconic Deck 🏆 Top Deck

Pokémon (12)	Trainers (30)	Energy (18)
4x Hitmonchan 3x Electabuzz 2x Farfetch’d 2x Doduo 1x Chansey	4x Bill 4x Professor Oak 4x Energy Removal 3x Gust of Wind 3x Scoop Up 3x Energy Retrieval 3x Item Finder 2x Super Energy Removal 2x PlusPower 2x Lass	9x Fighting Energy 7x Lightning Energy 2x Double Colorless Energy

The classic Haymaker deck uses Hitmonchan and Electabuzz to put immediate pressure on the opponent. PlusPower allows you to take knockouts more quickly, while Gust of Wind and Energy Removal prevent your opponent from setting up a Pokémon that can overpower you. When your opponent attacks your Weakness or shuts you down with their own Resistance, Scoop Up allows you to easily switch your Active Pokémon and turn the situation around.

Buzzapdos

😃 Fun to Play

Pokémon (13)	Trainers (36)	Energy (11)
4x Zapdos 4x Voltorb 4x Electrode 1x Doduo	4x Professor Oak 4x Bill 4x Computer Search 4x Item Finder 3x PlusPower 3x Defender 3x Lass 3x Maintenance 2x Pokémon Trader 2x Energy Removal 1x Energy Retrieval 1x Scoop Up 1x Full Heal 1x Gust of Wind	11x Lightning Energy

This hyper-aggressive deck goes all-in with one, sometimes two attacking Zapdos. Electrode’s Buzzap powers up Zapdos’s massive Thunder attack, while Lass follows to strip away your opponent’s Energy Removal & Super Energy Removal cards. In the turns that follow, you’re at the mercy of whatever cards make their way to the top of your opponent’s deck. If you can dodge the Super Energy Removal long enough, you’ll wipe out your opponent’s entire Bench, and win the game!

Tip: Defender can not only be used to protect Zapdos from damaging itself with Thunder, but also on the first turn of the game to help Voltorb survive Hitmonchan’s Jab.

Machamp/Alakazam

Pokémon (21)	Trainers (23)	Energy (16)
4x Abra 2x Kadabra 3x Alakazam 3x Machop 2x Machoke 2x Machamp 4x Chansey 1x Doduo	4x Energy Retrieval 3x Professor Oak 3x Switch 3x Item Finder 2x Computer Search 2x Pokémon Center 2x Pokémon Trader 2x Pokémon Breeder 1x Maintenance 1x Lass	12x Fighting Energy 4x Double Colorless Energy

With 100 HP, Machamp is an almost impossible one-hit KO for most decks. With Alakazam’s Damage Swap, you can move any damage Machamp takes to ensure it remains out of KO range. Four Chansey help to absorb this damage, with Pokémon Center there to erase it all when it starts to overwhelm your board. It takes a lot to get this powerful combo going, but when you pull it off, it’s nearly unbeatable.

Rain Dance

🌠 Iconic Deck

Pokémon (16)	Trainers (30)	Energy (14)
4x Squirtle 1x Wartortle 3x Blastoise 4x Magikarp 3x Gyarados 1x Chansey	4x Professor Oak 4x Computer Search 4x Energy Retrieval 4x Pokémon Breeder 3x Bill 3x Super Potion 3x Switch 2x Item Finder 1x Maintenance 1x Super Energy Removal 1x Lass	14x Water Energy

The original Rain Dance decks focuses on attacking with Gyarados, using Blastoise’s Rain Dance to provide both the Energy it needs to attack. Meanwhile, your Lightning-weak Blastoise can remain safely on the Bench, waiting for its window to attack.