alternative for ShayminEX in darkrai/hydreigon?

alainster

Aspiring Trainer
Member
So I've been playing with the darkrai/hydreigon deck and i started of with a ShayminEX in it but most of the time i'm unable to use it as a late-game finisher since darkrai does enough to put the other player at bay or I tend to draw it very early.

I wanna know if there's an alternative to ShayminEX because so far the problems I've been having is decks with fighting like Terrakion etc. and I was wondering what's a good way to counter this.
 
Shaymin EX is in there mainly to counter fightning decks. It resists Fighting and Terrakion is weak to grass. I don't think there are a lot more options.
 
Roronoa Zoro said:
I don't think there are a lot more options.

That. I'm sure there are other grass basics that hit hard, but none are as good or resist fighting like Shaymin.
 
You can use either Virizion, but other than that I don't think there's much, unless you want to try Maractus DRX.
 
I play Giratina EX, it's harder to set up, but has much more versatility. You can lead to prize exchange, instead of waiting for someone to get KO'd. It's a fun tech that can abuse Max Potion and Dark Trance, but like I said, it's harder to setup. Another Pro to him is the mirror match up, Mmm, yummy Hydregion's and Sigilyph's.:p

Giratina EX Pro's:
Basic
More Health
Heavier Attacks
Can OHKO Sigilyph, Any Dragon (including Zekrom, Reshiram and Kyurem) and Terrakion
Can Abuse Darktrance, Max Potion and Blend GRPD

Giratina Con's:
Three Retreat
Two Turns To Setup
Two Different Energy
Weak to Garchomp and Hydregion
Discards Three Cards From Deck When Using Second Attack
 
Most of your cons are not very sound. For one, 3 retreat matters nothing because of darkrai. Secondly, it doesn't really take two turns to set up because really you wont be setting it up withal your first attacker so later in the game you cAn just move energies onto it using hydreigons ability dark trance. And finally, it doesn't really matter if it takes two types of energy because they are both covered by GRPD blend energy that all good darkrai hydreigon decks run. But all in all, my number one recommendation is a hydreigon from NV. Ko's 2 altarias in 2 turns and gets 2hko'd by garchomp.
 
Gistica said:
Most of your cons are not very sound. For one, 3 retreat matters nothing because of darkrai. Secondly, it doesn't really take two turns to set up because really you wont be setting it up withal your first attacker so later in the game you cAn just move energies onto it using hydreigons ability dark trance. And finally, it doesn't really matter if it takes two types of energy because they are both covered by GRPD blend energy that all good darkrai hydreigon decks run. But all in all, my number one recommendation is a hydreigon from NV. Ko's 2 altarias in 2 turns and gets 2hko'd by garchomp.

What I meant by the Two Turn setup, was that it takes two manually attached special Energy, and with Enhanced Hammer around, this could prove problamatic. The retreat cost is valid against Garbodor.

Hydregion NV is not good, at all, your example is very situational, and other than than that situation, he most likely won't be of any help, especially against fighting decks.
 
Hydreigon NVI sets up KOs on Eels and if it does 3 turns of damage then you take 3 prizes at one. The Active and their Eels. I like Registeel EX a lot, 3 attacks and there goes 3 Altarias or Eelektrics. Also, against the mirror it only takes two attacks to get their Hydreigon in KO range of Darkrai while still weakening other threats.
 
Guys, you're missing the point of the thread. We're trying to discuss the alternative for Shaymin EX. Giratina doesn't really do what Shaymin does as far as countering Terrakion, and Hydreigon NV definitely doesn't as it's weak to fighting.
 
Giratina doesn't even OHKO Terrakion EX, so if they play it, it could give them time to prepare another Terrakion (or even Mewtwo if they play it).
 
Roronoa Zoro said:
Giratina doesn't even OHKO Terrakion EX, so if they play it, it could give them time to prepare another Terrakion (or even Mewtwo if they play it).

Giratina's 2nd attack does, but it's cost of 4 energy, including 2 Blend is twice as much as Shaymin's, provided your opponent has taken 2 prizes. Which, coincidentally, is as many as a single Terrakion takes off of a Darkrai.
 
You can try adding Virizion EPO. Virizion EPO is great against terrakion. It isn't used for much else besides terrakion though.
 
how many shaymin ex do you have in your deck? you should only have 1 and if your starting with him often then you are a very unlucky man and need to buy every type of insurance available to you.
 
JayKam said:
how many shaymin ex do you have in your deck? you should only have 1 and if your starting with him often then you are a very unlucky man and need to buy every type of insurance available to you.

WOW. that helped A LOT.
 
ESP said:
Giratina's 2nd attack does, but it's cost of 4 energy, including 2 Blend is twice as much as Shaymin's, provided your opponent has taken 2 prizes. Which, coincidentally, is as many as a single Terrakion takes off of a Darkrai.

I was talking about Terrakion EX lol. I know it OHKOs Terrakion NV. And honestly, the cost isn't too much of a problem, because when you do need the Fighting counter you should have a lot of energy on the field already. But yeah, sometimes it can be though to power it up.
 
alainster said:
So I've been playing with the darkrai/hydreigon deck and i started of with a ShayminEX in it but most of the time i'm unable to use it as a late-game finisher since darkrai does enough to put the other player at bay or I tend to draw it very early.

I wanna know if there's an alternative to ShayminEX because so far the problems I've been having is decks with fighting like Terrakion etc. and I was wondering what's a good way to counter this.

I began testing Darkrai/Hydreigon with one copy of Shaymin-EX. I then dropped Shaymin-EX because, like you, I never used it as the late-game finisher that it is purported to be. However, when I started testing against Terrakion/Garbador, I found myself having a lot of trouble. I ended up putting the single copy of Shaymin-EX back into my deck. I still haven't needed it as a late-game finisher, however it has helped immensely in my Terrakion/Garbador match-ups.

When playing against Terrakion/Garbador, I drop Shaymin-EX and attach an Eviolite so it can't be 2HKOd by Terrakion and keep it on the bench until I have the Energy necessary to attack. I also don't usually drop it until my opponent has taken two Prize cards so that I can 1HKO their Terrakion.

Just hope that it doesn't get prized :p.
 
I'm going to toss out brainstorms right now. Maybe that new Yanmega from DraEX? I mean...It's splashable and stuff with a fighting resistance and free retreat...But then again...Lightning weakness and stage one...And then when you think about it, there's already Scyther.

Yeah...There was no point in reading that.

I don't think there is anything else, otherwise everyone would use it.
 
you could play Maractus DRX
No, don't, it only works if your opponent has a Tool attached, and it only works for Terrakion. You could play Virizion from either set, but I think that's about it. Also no Yanmega or Scyther. Maybe if Scyther did 80 damage it would be usable, but eh.
 
id play tornadus ex if you dont lke shaymin ex.
tornadus is a strong alternative high hp and resistance to fighting.
 
I feel that the best replacements for Shaymin EX are definitely the current prints of Virizion. Virizion Emerging Powers can OHKO Terrakion EX and the regular Terrakion through Eviolite. That's always really nice. Unfortunately, it doesn't provide much coverage,or help at all, in any other match ups. Virizion Noble Victories is another nice option. The ability to draw early game is great, and it can really give Terrakion or Terrakion EX problems. You 2HKO either Terrakion, and they 2HKO you back. It is an even to favorable prize exchange.

Another card that I like to tech in Darkrai Hydreigon is Reshiram EX. I'm not quite sure how much it will help the Terrakion match up, but I think it can be helpful. You can one shot regular Terrakions, and 2HKO Terrakion EX easily. With Max Potion, Reshiram EX poses the largest threat out of all the counters I have listed in non-terrakion match ups. If you do decide to tech Reshiram EX, make sure to up your Eviolite count, that way you have a favorable prize exchange with Terrakion EX.
 
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