Standard Alolan Ninetales GX/Zoroark GX WIP Deck List

[Duo]

I'm currently working on an Alolan Ninetales GX/Zoroark GX deck list in preparation for Shining Legends coming out soon. I personally think Zoroark GX synergizes stupidly well with Alolan Ninetales GX for several reasons. I'm going to start with the list before I explain.

Spoiler: Deck List Version 2

Pokemon x18

Alolan Ninetales GX x3
Alolan Ninetales x1
Alolan Vulpix x4
Zoroark GX x2
Zoroark (Stand In/Mind Jack) x1
Zorua x2
Tapu Koko Promo x2
Tapu Lele GX x3

Supporter x14

Sycamore x4
N x4
Guzma x3
Brigette x1
Mallow x1
Acerola x1

Item x16

Ultra Ball x4
Aqua Patch x4
Choice Band x4
Switch x2
Rescue Stretcher x1
Field Blower x1

Energy x12

DCE x4
Water Energy x8

Spoiler: Deck List Version 1

Pokemon x18

Alolan Ninetales GX x2
Alolan Ninetales x1
Alolan Vulpix x3
Zoroark GX x2
Zoroark (Stand In/Mind Jack) x1
Zorua x3
Tapu Koko Promo x3
Tapu Lele GX x3

Supporter x14

Sycamore x4
N x4
Guzma x3
Brigette x1
Mallow x1
Acerola x1

Item x16

Ultra Ball x4
Aqua Patch x4
Choice Band x4
Float Stone x2
Rescue Stretcher x1
Field Blower x1

Energy x12

DCE x4
Water Energy x8

I'm taking a very big risk that I'm going to have to test by having no full on 4/3 lines of either GX and playing true hybrid with an even split. I think the most obvious thing people would do is simply replace their 2/2 Octillery lines with a 2/2 Zoroark GX line and maybe tech in Mind Jack Zoroark, but I wanted to experiment with this with how tight deck space is.

So to start off with why Zoroark GX is absolutely fantastic with Alolan Ninetales GX.

1. This is a DCE deck. DCE for flying flip, DCE detach for Blizzard Edge, DCE for Ice Blade, DCE for Ice Path GX, DCE for Energy Drive if you really have to, and now DCE for Riot Beat and Mind Jack. Your 1 DCE offers you 7 different methods of damage distribution throughout the game. Unreal.

2. Attach DCE for turn, discard a water with Zoroark GX's ability, aqua patch to accelerate. I can't tell you how many times I've had a water energy and an aqua patch in my hand, have already attached for turn, no water in discard, and Sycamore is the only supporter available to me. That sort of awkward hand will happen a lot less now.

3. Alolan Ninetales GX lacked an efficient way to OHKO small threats or set up Pokemon, like Tapu Koko or even Baby Volcanion. It's either 50, or 160. You have nothing in between. Riot Beat/Mind Jack fills that hole by letting you clean up with a single attach for turn without having to set up and discard for a blizzard edge.

4. Your Metagross match up is improved substantially. In fact, I'd even say it's now in your favor. You are a Stage 1 deck with a single attachment attack that can 2 hit KO Metagross with choice band or 1 flying flip, whereas Metagross is a deck that has a much longer set up period and a 3 energy attack reliant on Geotech System to 2 hit KO your Zoroark GX. Necrozma GX does close the gap, but that's also why there's Mind Jack Zoroark and Acerola in this list.

Now for the list itself:

After going to a League Cup and looking at other deck lists, I've become a fan of 2-3 Tapu Koko, preferably 3 when you can fit it in. Flying Flip is disgustingly good and applies a ton of pressure. You might even kill off some 60 HP basics before your opponent can set up. 3 might be excessive now that we have Zoroark GX hogging some attention for DCE as well, but the main point is that you want to open the game with him. He is your scout. No matter what you're facing off against, at least 1 flying flip and free retreat are never a bad thing.

The reason why I think this deck can get away with full hybrid is partially because of Beacon. Yes, it will get N'd a lot, and you can even encourage someone to N you by "bluffing" a Beacon when you yourself actually had a super dead hand, but Beacon can get you whatever Pokemon you need for the game, even if that happens mid game.

After a Brigette, you will have either 2 Zorua and 1 Vulpix or 2 Vulpix and 1 Zorua in play between your bench & active. That gives you the freedom to decide what you want to evolve up depending on your match up. Previously you had 3 Alolan Ninetales GX as your primary attacker. You now have 2 Alolan Ninetales GX, 2 Zoroark GX, and 1 Zoroark as your primary attackers, which is 5 attackers you can draw into instead of just 3. All 5 of those attackers can get going with a DCE. Anything that you would rather have but don't have in hand can be grabbed with Ultra Ball.

With the inclusion of efficient, reliable attackers like Zoroark GX and Zoroark, I felt the need for other techs to completely vanish. I don't see a need for Espeon EX when you have the ability to output all the numbers you need against any match up. Is Espeon EX still good in this deck? Sure, but due to deck space I cut it. There are also some match ups where Espeon EX is simply completely useless, such as all Volcanion EX variants, which is quite popular in my area.

The supporter line up is pretty standard except for 1 Mallow and 1 Acerola.

Acerola is here because a ton of people are playing Tapu Koko, and there are a lot of 2 hit KOs. Scooping up a DCE and a Choice Band is fantastic.

Mallow is here for Zoroark GX's ability. Vulpix can search your Pokemon, Lele can search your supporters, Mallow can search anything with Zoroark GX. You have a nice little loop of searching.

Only 1 field blower because abilities are not your win condition in this deck. You don't need Geotech. You don't need Secret Spring. You just need Guzma, DCE, choice band, and aqua patch. I'm considering cutting it completely, but having 1 still helps with annoying Pokemon tools like Fighting Fury Belt for a decisive KO.

Rescue stretcher because...rescue stretcher really. But you also now have Zoroark GX's ability, so you can freely discard Pokemon without too much concern if you really have to.

Everything else I'd say is pretty standard.

I just want to close by saying that I optimally want my Pokemon line up to look like this:

Alolan Ninetales GX x3
Alolan Ninetales x1
Alolan Vulpix x4
Zoroark GX x2
Zoroark x1
Zorua x3
Tapu Koko x3
Tapu Lele GX x3

But I'm having one heck of a time figuring out the cuts to make for it, and honestly I don't even know if it's that necessary.

Open to discussion and opinions.

EDIT: Supporter to consider - Olivia. Now that your main attacker and your utility Pokemon are both GX Pokemon you can have both at the same time in one turn with Olivia without the threat of getting N'd playing Beacon.

 

[Draskk]

I would drop a Koko and Field Blower for a 4th Alolan Vulpix and a 3rd Ninetales-GX. 3 Kokos is an interesting thought, but some games you won't get the chance to use them, or you'd rather attack with something else, etc. I don't like cutting Field Blower, but I don't see much else to cut. Maybe cut Acerola instead? Other than that, the list seems good. Nice idea!

 

[HouchinsDJ]

I know we talked about this list a bit, but here's my suggestions:

-1 Tapu Koko
-1 Zorua
-1 Zoroark

+1 Alolan Vulpix
+1 Alolan Ninetales GX

The problem I see with running a 3/2(1) line of both Alolan Ninetales GX and Zoroark GX is that the deck lacks focus. Looking at the big picture, what is your win condition? Ninetales is more consistent and powerful, therefore the deck should revolve around it. You're running Zororak GX primarily for it's ability. Yes, you plan to attack with it sometimes, but Ninetales is your primary attacker.

I usually prefer 2 Tapu Koko, unless you're running a dedicated damage spread deck, which this isn't. Plus, you have Rescue Stretcher if you really need that third one late-game.

As far as Supporters go, if you do go with the suggestions I made above then that leaves you an extra space which I would use for a second Mallow. Zoroark GX/Mallow is just too good. Once Ninetales sets up, you don't really have to dig through your deck as much so Mallow will let you grab that needed DCE or whatever else you need. I would even consider a third Mallow by cutting the Acerola. Ice Path GX is kind of like an Acerola. Sure it's a one-time use, but so is Acerola in this deck if you're only running one.

I think your Items and Energy look good!

Overall, I do really like the deck. It'll take some playtesting obviously, but here would be my list:

Pokemon x17

Alolan Ninetales GX x3
Alolan Ninetales x1
Alolan Vulpix x4
Zoroark GX x2
Zorua x2
Tapu Koko Promo x2
Tapu Lele GX x3

Supporter x14

Sycamore x4
N x4
Guzma x3
Brigette x1
Mallow x3

Item x16

Ultra Ball x4
Aqua Patch x4
Choice Band x4
Float Stone x2
Rescue Stretcher x1
Field Blower x1

Energy x12

DCE x4
Water Energy x8

 

[Duo]

If we are going back to the classic build, I think you need to trade 1 Mallow for 1 more Field Blower, but I do agree with you that the original posted build absolutely lacks focus. It's too even.

Something I found out the hard way at my first League Cup was that Garbotoxin + Abyssal Hand = RIP Mallow. I mean, I already knew this was the case, but when you have a Mallow in hand as your only supporter and Garbotoxin on the field, it feels really bad.

If you face off against a Garbodor variant and don't have the opportunity to ever play a Mallow, you have 3 dead cards in your deck which you can't even discard with Zoroark GX's ability since, well, Garbodor.

I also think that 4 Sycamore and 3 Mallow is a bit too much focus on draw power, but maybe I'm wrong.

At this point I'm in agreement with slashing a full 3/2/1 Zoroark line, but I do want to keep the non-GX Zoroark. Mind Jack hits just as hard as Blizzard Edge under the right conditions, and it does it for much less energy and a 1 prize trade. I actually plan on using my Zoroark line fairly aggressively while I take my time discarding waters with the ability and aqua patching them all back on for a surprise Blizzard Edge which is part of the reason why I'm settled on 1 Mallow for the time being - I won't always be using her because I will have Zoroark GX in the front lines whenever ideal which might end up KO'd, and I might just opt to go into non-GX Zoroark if I can steal 2 prizes and gain momentum that way. I also always found it cute that Alolan Ninetales GX decks never ran a counter to their own trump card for the mirror match - BUS Alolan Ninetales. BUS Ninetales vs BUS Ninetales is an incredibly crappy match up of who gets energy first.

I am also thinking that the 2 float stone should become 2 switch. Literally every Pokemon in this deck is an attacker of some capacity, so I would rather have Choice Band on them at all times. You no longer have a "liability" Pokemon like Octillery who does literally nothing in the active, and Lele can retreat for 1 energy which you can just aqua patch back on anyway. All of your basics retreat for 1 or 0 energy, so I think playing Switch gives you more ideal offense since you would be "sacrificing" your attackers by denying them a Choice Band later on. Tapu Koko + Rescue stretcher cover your Guzma pivots, so float stone is no longer as necessary. This is also where the non-GX Zoroark comes in with the Stand In ability in case they do Guzma up something that you don't want them to, but you can take a favorable trade with a 1 prize attacker being in your active.

I think Acerola still has value in this deck. Against Garbodor variants and Metagross where your Zoroark GX are never going down in 1 hit (and Alolan Ninetales GX against Garbodor variants), I want the Acerola almost exclusively for the ability to allow me to recover an attached DCE more than anything else. Between Mallow and Acerola, I have a way to search for and recover DCE.

All that being said, I am now looking at the following list:

Pokemon x 18

Alolan Ninetales GX x3
Alolan Ninetales x1
Alolan Vuplix x4
Zoroark GX x2
Zoroark x1
Zorua x2
Tapu Koko x2
Tapu Lele GX x3

Supporter x14

Sycamore x4
N x4
Guzma x3
Brigette x1
Mallow x1
Acerola x1

Item x16

Ultra Ball x4
Aqua Patch x4
Choice Band x4
Float Stone/Switch x2
Field Blower x1
Rescue Stretcher x1

Energy x12

DCE x4
Water Energy x8

The only thing I think I'm going to have to really test for is my supporter ratios. I might pull my classic 3 Sycamore/2 Mallow here, or I might cut Acerola for 2 Mallow, or I might cut Acerola for a 3rd Zorua to increase my odds of accessing Zoroark GX.

I will say with absolutely certainty though that any deck playing Zoroark GX must run at least 1 Mallow.

 

[HouchinsDJ]

Yeah, the list definitely looks better! I do think this deck needs to run at least two Field Blower, unless you're just accepting the fact that Garbotoxin is what it is and you'll just do what you can to play around it. I also agree that Switch seems better than Float Stone in this build.

 

[Duo]

I only think 2 Field Blower is necessary if you want to play 2 or more Mallow. I'm okay with 1 Mallow succumbing to the wrath of Garbotoxin because you still have 4 Sycamore and 4 N for your draw power (the #1 weakness of my 3 Sycamore/2 Mallow strat). Basically you would field blower the turn you want to Lele for Mallow and you still get to play her. When it comes to Mallow, I think there's a fine line between strategy and dependancy. I'm honestly contemplating at this point if 4 Zorua/3 Zoroark GX/2 Zoroark running 3 to 4 Mallow and 3 Field Blower is a worthwhile archetype to pursue. "DCE box" decks might actually become a thing.

To say the very least, I will be looking for a way to run Zoroark GX as the primary star of different deck sometime soon as well. Being able to swing for 150 damage choice banded on a loaded bench every turn for a DCE, or for 190 if your opponent has a loaded bench is simply amazing.

But back to this deck list, both Zoroarks have an incredibly easy time against Garbodor, so with a little bit of good luck and Ya Boi Guzma, I think it'll be okay in Alolan Ninetales.