AfterFlare Dive [Typhlosion/Reshiram/Lanturn] HGSS-on

[vareki]

Pokemon 22

4 Reshiram BW
2-2-2 Typhlosion Prime
2-2 Ninetales HS
1-1 Lanturn Prime
3 Stantler UL
1 Cleffa CoL
1-1 Cherrim UL

TSS 25

3 PONT
1 Pokémon Collector
3 Proffessor Juniper
2 Twins
1 Flower Shop Lady
2 Switch
3 Pokemon Communication
2 Rare Candy
1 Energy Retrieval
4 Pluspower
3 Junk Arm

Energy 13

2 Lightning
11 Fire Energy

I've never really given much thought to Lanturn Prime (mostly because I derped when I first read its attack, and thought the boost was only applied for energy attached to Lanturn), but I really, really should have. Hitting for 70 Damage automatically, and hitting for both Water and Electric damage makes Lanturn a powerful metagame tech against Reshiboar, Donchamp, Blastgatr and Samurott as well as being a powerful pokemon in its own right.

Typhlosion has a few benefits over Emboar, the most notable of which is an deep inbuilt synergy with Ninetales and Reshiram, something that Emboar cannot lay claim to. The much more bearable retreat cost of CC, and the better attack in Flare Destroy (which gives a noticeable edge agaisnt decks that rely on Special Energy cards, or things like Rescue energy) when compared to Heat Stamp.

Rates and Reviews are hoped for

 

[vareki]

Lots of adjustments, after some testing against Vilepluff, Cinccino/Zoroark, Lostgar and Zekrom/Electrode Prime (which may not be the best slice of the metagame to test against, but all testing is good testing).

My record with a revised list is:

6/7 Vilepluff
3/3 Cinccino/Zoroark
2/3 Lostgar
3/5 Zektrode

I learnt a bit more about how the deck performs in different matchups, but I still haven't gone against the Mirror, Blastgatr, Samurott, Donchamp, Tyranitar Toolbox, Zekrom/Pachirisu and many others, and I'm doing as much extra testing with as many of these matchups as possible as I can with the limited time available to me.

So, anyway, here are the changes:

-1 Chinchou
-1 Lanturn Prime
-1 Snivy
-1 Serperior {Ability}

-1 Pokémon Collector
-1 Seeker
-1 Energy Retrieval
-2 Pokémon Reversal

-3 Rainbow Energy

+4 Stantler UL

+1 PONT
+1 Proffessor Juniper
+2 Plus Power
+2 Junk Arm

+2 Lightning Energy

Since I haven't tested against the matchups I've teched it for, I've found myself dropping my Lanturn count to 1-1. It'll probably go back up again when I start testing for Reshiboar, Donchamp and Especially Blastgatr and Samurott. Snivy and Serperior were too weak as a 1-0-1 line, and despite being helpful, didn't contribute enough to stay. With the addition of Stantler, Pokemon Collector is mostly redundant, so I've dropped it to 1 copy. Seeker is a bit meh, so I've left it out. Energy Retrieval isn't as necessary here as it is in Reshiboar, because Typhlosion is busy retrieving energy regardless (and with the extra Junk Arms, I don't need more than 1). Pokemon Reversal is too unreliable for me, since 50% of the time is simply not good enough to put so much trust on. Rainbow Energy is replaced by Lightning so that I can retrieve it with, you guessed it, energy retrieval.

Stantler is an amazing starter this format, since the ability to guarantee basics is a godsend for consistency. Extra PONTs and Junipers allow for more consistency and hand refresh, and Junk Arm is Junk Arm. It lets you reuse things. PlusPower is really, really necessary. Without it, Reshiram doesn't get the OHKO on Gengar Prime, Blastoise, Itself or Zekrom. Its really good in most matchups.

So, yeah, that's it for now. Rate and Review

 

[vareki]

Got some testing in at league today, and although it wasn't as much as I would have liked, I got some useful insights into the Reshiboar matchup. I lost 2 out of the 3 games I played against it, but at least I learnt something.

Because Typhlosion has a lot more synergy with Reshiram than Emboar, I have a lot more room in my list. So, I can afford to run PlusPowers and extra consistency cards, without sacrificing deck integrity. I've also got a much stronger early game, based on how I took an early lead in all three games. The problem stems from the HP disparity; they have 130 HP, while my Reshiram's only have 120. This means that my early game consistency and strong starts fall apart mid-to-late game. Even so, I have a good chance of winning if I keep the pressure on

But, that one lonely damage counter that sits on my Reshiram compromises my Matchup immensely. In all other respects, my matchup against reshiram is very favourable; I have similiar (if not greater) levels of consistency, slightly lower speed and arguably better matchups against most other decks. But, agaisnt Reshiboar and ZPS, that 10 damage shuts me down.

It became obvious that I need to have some form of healing available, and the shortlist comes down to Serperior {Ability} and Cherrim UL. Strangely, I find myself wanting to use the much worse of the two, Cherrim. In all respects but one, Serperior outclasses Cherrim by miles, but Cherrim is easier to put into play, and that counts for a lot for me right now. I'll edit the list in my original post.

 

[Kittymew]

Cherrim actually might be the better play. I'm running 1-0-1 Serperior, and not really having difficulty making it happen with 3 rare candies and 3 junk arms, but I can see why Cherrim might be the way to go. Either way yes, healing IS a requirement for the midgame, but I think Typhlosion based builds are still the better deck.

One thing I should note is that this deck doesn't really want a starter pokemon. While they can be useful (esp. Cleffa), you don't want to burn an energy retreating a Stantler early on when you could be setting up an attack. I think this is one deck where Collectors > Stantler by a mile.

I also don't really like the Lanturn tech; take it from a guy who has this deck pretty tuned, it really doesn't save you in a lot of matchups. Sending Typhlosion up to deny energy is usually the better plan of attack. I've actually beaten Machamp players by running them out of energy and making them deck out digging for more.

 

[vareki]

Thanks for the input. I played a 1-0-1 Serperior originally, but I felt that the requirements needed to put it into play made it too wobbly to fit into the deck. Sometimes, I'd get it out, sometimes I'd be missing the candy, or bench the Snivy and prize the Serperior (or the reverse), etc, etc. At least in my solitaire hands (something I do altogether too much), Cherrim has been consistant enough to consider keeping.

I disagree a little on the subject of Stantler, because my testing has led me to believe that the benefits it brings to the table outweigh its faults. If I open with it, I solidify my board position instantly (and in almost all cases, setting up an attack on T1 doesn't help as much as building up your board does, so I have no qualms attaching the energy to Stantler). From around T2 onwards, I don't really bench it much, but it can be used to set-up Twins plays while keeping my field presence notable.

On the subject of Lanturn, however, I can see your point. It helps in the prize war, and gives me a solid out to most every threatening deck around. While Samurott and Blastgatr (both of which I expect to see dropping into my Meta in fairly high numbers) would otherwise give me a lot of trouble, Lanturn gives me a solid out to them. But, in the case of Donchamp and Reshiram, It might as well not be there. I will consider other options, even if those options are simply adding more consistency cards.