Raticate – Pokémon TCG Highlander

Quick to the cut, Raticate’s presence at the Highlander tables keeps opponents on instant alert with its array of Supporter theft and efficient damage-dealing attacks.

Strategy Points:

• “Recruit” serves as an early game blitz for doubling up your Supporter count per turn for possibly boosted consistency. It also allows for a crucial halt in your opponent’s momentum if you snipe the only Supporter card in their hand. Utilize Talonflame’s “Devastating Wind”, Red Card, or Judge to make your opponent reset to a hand of four, creating a cornered scenario where they could easily only have one Supporter before “Recruit”.
• “Extend Fang” has a relatively easy cost to get to 60 damage. This is before further damage modifiers like Vitality Band and Klefki are added. You can also utilize Strong, Powerful, and Special Darkness Energy to provide the one cost while adding additional damage modifiers.
• You can use Magearna’s “Change Clothes”, Mienshao’s “Haul In”, or Relicanth – Level X’s “Salvage Set Up” Poké-Powers to reliably move, recycle, and re-use Pokemon Tool cards for Extend Fang. If 60 damage is all you need for a KO, you can use these Pokémon to help pivot more defensively oriented Pokémon Tool cards, like Rocky Helmet and Assault Vest.
• You can also utilize a Z-Crystal for Z-Extend Fang to do 90 damage, with a guaranteed Pokémon Tool card that can’t be removed for future Extend Fang plays.
• With access to “Call for Family”, Pidgey serves to quickly set up your bench with additional Pokemon that can assist Pidgeot, like Metagross and Jellicent.
• “Super Fang” provides strong defensive piercing for potentially high damage against big attackers. Bouncing one Energy can be seen as a net bonus with cards like Speed and Cyclone Energy.
• Colorless Rattata provides a rare and valued effect in easily swapping around Prize Cards. You can play Colorless Raticate decks with the set up of knowing that you have your entire deck at your disposal with the assistance of “Trickery”.
• Darkness Rattata doing 20 damage for no Energy is also pretty rare in Highlander. Allowing for an easy amount of chip damage to be dealt on the first turn, making Raticate’s Extend Fang even closer for KOs overall by the next turn.
• Both Rattata’s providing free retreat allows for easy openers that can have you pivot into a wall or set up Pokémon like Dunsparce or Spinda before you evolve either of them.
• Raticate Break:
• The increased HP and guaranteed Pokemon Tool via the Form Change Key allows for Raticate stream “Extend Fang” with its bonus damage.
• You can use Altaria to grant Colorless Raticate a 10 damage boost, while Devoured Field will boost the damage of Darkness Raticate. While using Raticate Break, Darkness Raticate can use both with dual typing. It’s important to also keep in mind as to the Weaknesses and Resistances both types will carry over when using their Form Change.
• “Super Fang” can easily stream OHKOs with the help of Poison or in-between damage with the help of Pokemon like Ariados, Venusaur, and Stadiums like Cursed Stone and Shrine of Punishment.