Hypno – Pokémon TCG Highlander

It’s not often you find sleep-inducing performances a good thing, but with Hypno’s wide range of great tricks, your opponent will want to stay wide awake to help their chances on the Highlander stage.

Strategy Points:

• “Binding Aura” stops your opponent from evolving their Active Pokémon from the hand while stopping Pokémon that are Asleep from receiving Energy attachments from the hand as well. All while healing 10 damage for each Pokémon Asleep at the end of each turn.
  • Hypno does not have to be your active Pokémon for this Poké-Body to work. You can use Relicanth, Darkrai, and Musharna as your Active Pokémon to further dial up the disruption and punishment associated with the Defending Pokémon that’s Asleep.
  • Venusaur (along with Ivysaur) and Wigglytuff can inflict sleep onto the Defending Pokémon before you attack.
• “Sleep Pendulum” creates automatic sleep infliction for the Defending Pokémon if they have no damage counters or are an EX. Creating a lot of pressure for the opponent on having to gauge if they want to promote a new undamaged Active Pokémon after a Knock Out or when Escape Rope or Repel is played.
  • Leafeon, Sneasler, Musharna, Darkrai, and Illumise all have attacks that get added damage if the Defending Pokémon is Asleep.
• “Spiral Aura” does wonderful damage for its cost while providing a rare effect that lets you pick the next Defending Pokémon should you get a Knock Out with this attack.
  • Hypno can end up being a great late game cleaner in a spread damage oriented deck. Great Psychic spread damage Pokémon to consider are: Meloetta, Azelf, Beheeyem, Cursola, Dusknoir, Bruxish, Espeon, Dusknoir, Cresselia – Level X, Lunatone, Jellicent, Necrozma, Chimecho (evolved from Chingling), and Weezing – Level X.
  • Target Whistle Team Flare Gear and Captivating Poké Puff make your opponent play down Basic Pokémon during your turn, potentially creating another Knock Out thanks to “Binding Aura” stopping evolution from the hand.
  • Mawile, Honchkrow, and Lumineon all provide a similar revival/opponent must play effects as Poké-Powers that can further help Hypno stream Knock Outs.
• “Sinister Suggestion” from Drowzee is a rare and powerful effect that will make your opponent flip all tails on their next turn. Decks that run Crushing Hammer or Pokémon Catcher will have to be conservative in usage if they don’t want automatic tails. While Pokemon strategies like Rayquaza + Moltres might resort to doing chip damage vs Drowzee to get rid of the undermining tails flip effect. “Psyshot” for 20 allows for Hypno to Knock Out an 80HP Pokémon next turn with “Spiral Aura” and start a potential snowball strategy towards winning the game.
• Hypno – Level X:
• “Shared Siesta” grants your attacking Pokémon 40 healing while healing Hypno 20 damage if your own Active Pokémon stays Asleep after Pokémon Checkup. The previous mentioned strategies to inflict Asleep work well here. Hypno – Level X’s “Sleep Pendulum” creates a 50/50 scenario where it will heal 40 after your turn ends, allowing for a potential snowball strategy with “Binding Aura” and “Spiral Aura.”
  • You can run All-Night Party with Wigglytuff or Venusaur to self-inflict Asleep and heal 50 damage.
  • Komala and Snorlax appreciate the extra bonuses for being Asleep that combo with their respective Poké-Bodies.
• “Pendulum Waves” does a great set amount of damage depending on what the Defending Pokémon is. Because this attack also bypasses effects for one Energy, you can use this to counter a lot of defensive strategies and get crucial Knock Outs, especially with the help from the previously listed spread damage Psychic Pokémon listed under “Spiral Aura.”