Kevin Hamilton 🔜 Indianapolis

Baby bolt was just for fun in this specific tournament to see if I’d use it. E retrieval - specifically if I need lightning/fighting out of the discard. If you maintain your energies you do not need to e switch 4 times in a game. 2 has served me fine in most of my testing. Bug catching - to find more grass and thin the deck. Switch - retreat lock is a thing, also can give you a free pivot to extra draw with kanga then switch back to a bolt. The deck runs fantastic. This isn’t the exact 60 I’ll be playing next.

@imakevin @PokeDuelsTikTok I guess but that could just be space for more consistency like why do we have E retrieval Baby bolt Switch Only 2 e switch Bug catching

saw this list in a Top 8 isn't crushing hammers pointless bc bolt is taking KO every turn??

@oceanicglooom @PokeDuelsTikTok Hammers help you farm pults. It’s pretty fun.

@imakevin @PokeDuelsTikTok This list bro 😭

@Brancus137 @PokeDuelsTikTok That’s why I run prime catcher. Especially good in the mirror. Where both players start kanga and have to possibly roll 2 heads to KO each other. Prime catcher allows you to bypass their kanga and take the first KO much easier and guarantee Winning the prize race.

@imakevin @PokeDuelsTikTok would Pokémon Catcher not be more impactful? allowing you to (potentially) gust and Crispin in the same turn?

@GALVANLazarus @PokeDuelsTikTok It's very fun! And hammers help keep your opponent behind. Bolt needs to be ahead on prizes to win. So anyway to help catch-up or keep them from catching up is very nice. And discarding Rockets energies and Neo upper, or legacy feels great when you hit it lol

@imakevin @PokeDuelsTikTok i currently really really hate Lop in format cuz my current deck is an energy control one that auto loses to how it moves around on the board with worms. If I try this out and enjoy my time against her, I'll probably like this deck a lot.

Latias is pretty crucial. New bolt focuses on starting first with Kanga, attach turn 1, Crispin turn 2. getting bunch extra draw and being able to set up your board further while talking knocks with Kang. Then finishing with bolt, so doubling the chances to get latias is net good.

@imakevin @PokeDuelsTikTok If you wanted to reply or DM me with tips on this idea I'd appreciate it. I'll need some explanation. Why 2 Latias and is Passimian and Koraidon just the same role? Any plans here that should go with mention?

@GALVANLazarus @PokeDuelsTikTok It's fun! I've been changing it up every tournament. There's 2 more iterations. 1st got me top 4 at a cup this weekend and the 2nd got me top 4 on an online tournament with 200+ people.

@imakevin @PokeDuelsTikTok I might try this list.

Well another online tournament as prep for indy. Threw baby bolt and Wellspring in just to see if I'd use them. Wellspring was welcomed and came in handy a few times. Baby bolt is gonna get swapped for leaves. Lost my top 8 match due to poor starting hands and bad draws and my opponent having insane hands. 7th/180 w/ Hammers Bolt. Still like the idea of Tera Koraidon in the deck too, especially with Lopunny running around. Too many options! This was in CRI but I didn't get to face any new decks 🤷‍♂️

@julianjunlian @KashMann27 Yeah, they're gonna do that no matter which sniper you play unfortunately. Unless you wanna play Crown

@imakevin @KashMann27 *flashbacks to all the festival leads and alakazams dropping their shaymin after spotting the sniper*

2026 Singapore Master Ball League - 61st/679 - 7/4 (28 pts) Not the run I needed in Day 2, wasting a 5-0 start but hey I GOT MY WORLDS INVITE WOOHOO!!! Big thanks to Clifton for helping me out with this Raging Bolt list, I wish I did the list justice. See you all in San Fran!

@julianjunlian @KashMann27 No water is a plus. Also a single prize sniper can in a matchup where prize trade is the main win factor could be a big thing.

@KashMann27 @imakevin any reason as to why baby bolt instead of waterpon?

@danivall0910 I've been working on it for a minute. Got 3rd/203 on an online tournament last week with this list.

@imakevin See rn it feels like im looking at peak

Top 4 at a cup today with Raging Bolt Hammers! Only lost to a pesky single prize deck. Story of my life. Deck is optimized. The optimal ace spec is NOT unfair stamp. My list should not change between now and indy. Also puts me at exactly 200 CP for Ace Trainer! + 32 CP

Scrapper was added in place of the 4th hammer. Was anticipating a garchomp matchup. Single prize decks are a struggle. So wellspring could be put back in. But they usually throw down shaymin anyway. So I just took it out. But having something to retreat look is definitely a net good. So considering putting it back in for indy

@imakevin Listtttr

Scrapper could become the 4th hammer. Swapped it this day cause I knew there was gonna be a garchomo running around. 4 hammers is better statistically. But honestly hitting 1 hammer can really make the difference in most matchups. And technically rolling more dice doesn't increase the odds of more heads. So more hammers IMO is optional. It's always a 50/50 chance to hit the heads.

@imakevin List somewhere??

@Quailman764 To survive in this crazy format. You either adapt or get left in the dust. Lol

@imakevin I’m sorry, bolt WHAT

this deck got 12th/284 last night what the hell is happening here😭

@amcharles0 I've been messing with Raging bolt Hammers. Gotta fight fire with fire to survive unfortunately. This is the proof

First big online tournament in the Chaos Rising format concluded late last night… 3/8 of the top 8 included 4 crushing hammers… including the winning zoroark deck… format is dying for gardy back rn 💀😭