Muk – Pokémon TCG Highlander

Sturdy with great disruption and range, Muk is the poisonous bruiser whose tanking abilities help teams with momentum and sustainability. 

Strategy Points:

• “Sludge Cell” will out heal being Poisoned and Burned, while being Asleep, Confused, or Paralyzed will heal the max 30.
  • Windup Arm allows Muk to attack while being Asleep or Paralyzed, allowing you to use Venusaur or Wigglytuff to stream the former Special Condition while potentially disrupting the Defending Pokémon.
  • Ariados, Salazzle, Amoongus, Clodsire, and Golduck all provide Special Conditions before your attack while all having their own Special Condition centered options as attackers.
• “Sludge Drag” is a great sniping and disruption option that can stack fast with Poison modifiers like: Butterfree – Level X, Virbank City Gym, Shiinotic, Weezing, Dust Island, Toxapex, Dragalge, Toxicroak, and Dustox – Level X.
  • Target Whistle and Honchkrow’s “Darkness Restore” can create a lethal loop with the previous listed modifiers that can keep Knocking Out revived Basic Pokémon. If their evolutions are in the Discard Pile, the opponent could have no option to get rid of these Special Conditions should they last past one Pokémon Checkup.
• “Panic Liquid” creates a catch 22 for the Defending Pokémon on not being able to retreat but having to attack while Confused.
  • Malamar and Galvantula provide a lockdown combo for Confused Pokémon, which also pairs well with Muk’s disruptive “Sludge Drag” in making your opponent possibly wanting to switch out.
• Both forms of Muk can use Mystery and Hiding Energy respectively to aid in retreating when needed. Regular Muk can use Horror Energy for added punishment to the opponent while Alolan Muk can use Dangerous Energy.
• With multiple Poké-Bodies that stop inflicted Special Conditions, Garbodor combos well with locking those out as Muk continues to disrupt with its attacks.
• Regular Grimer’s “Lure Poison” can start the disruption strategies as early as the first turn. If you’re going second, you can consider a double attachment of Horror and Double Colorless Energy to use “Sludge Toss” with added punishment that can combo into “Panic Liquid” on the next turn.
• Alolan Grimer’s “Collect” is a great early game attack to gather resources for no Energy. “Sludge Bomb” is similar to regular Grimer’s “Sludge Toss” in terms of strategy, swapping Horror Energy with Dangerous Energy.
• Both forms of Grimer and Muk can utilize Z-Crystal effects well. The Psychic effect will grant double Poison that will cannot be removed, while the Darkness effect will provide Energy acceleration while placing 70 damage on your opponent’s board.
• Muk – Level X:
• “Polluted Plains of Power” inflicts 30 damage to any of your opponent’s Pokémon that declares a Poké-Power, if they get Knocked Out from this effect, they cannot use their Poké-Power.
  • Alakazam‘s “Power Cancel” will negate the Poké-Power while they still have to take the 30 damage. Ampharos’s “Power Bind” will also do this.
  • Having Aerodactyl active will add 20 more damage with “Primal Claw.” While Gengar, Inteleon, and Starmie are great one Energy attackers that can Knock Out any Pokémon with 90HP or below after using their Poké-Power once.
  • Cursed Stone dials up the anti-Poké-Power pressure with 10 damage between turns. All with the vulnerability of being hit by “Sludge Drag” throughout the game.
• “Poisonous Downpour” is a great way to Poison for no Energy. The Poison will get stronger for each Psychic and Darkness Energy you attach from your hand with this attack. Utilizing Professor’s Letter, Roseanne’s Research, Sandslash, Ribombee, Fog Crystal, and Piers can greatly help accelerate the amount of Energy you attach this way.