Standard Another Solgaleo GX Deck Idea

[HouchinsDJ]

Hey everyone, so here is my current take on what my Solgaleo GX deck would look like if I could build it today. Obviously, we still have Crimson Invasion coming out and don't know all the cards in the Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon expansion that will come out with the new Solgaleo GX in February, so this list will undoubtedly change, but I do believe this to be a very consistent list and would like your thoughts.

The 4-3-2/2/1 Solgaleo line seems to be the most consistent to me at the moment. I wouldn't run less than 3 Cosmoem because you need to reliably get multiple Solgaleo out, and I think 4 is overkill with Rare Candy and deck space is very important. I'm not using any significant back-up attackers because I don't think the deck needs it. The new Solgaleo GX technically IS your back-up attacker already, and you have the GRI Solgaleo to handle baby Alolan Ninetales, the new Hoopa, and to just be a great one-prize attacker. You could use Oranguru against Alolan Ninatales and Hoopa too if needed, but it's there primarily for draw support of course. Megearna EX is there to help stop Espeon EX/Shining Jirachi from devolving you, but it can also stop other things like status conditions which is always good.

I'm opting for 2 Evosoda over Heavy Ball because the new Solgaleo's retreat cost is 2 which makes is unsearchable with Heavy Ball. Evosoda provides a nice, reliable way to evolve my Pokémon manually if I don't have Rare Candy or the necessary evolution piece in my hand. I think everything else in the deck is self-explanatory.

Huge shout out to @Duo for coming up with the initial list. I took his list and made changes as I saw fit.

Pokemon - 17

New Solgaleo GX x2
SuMo Solgaleo GX x2
GRI Solgaleo x1
Cosmoem x3
Cosmog x4
Oranguru x1
Magearna EX x1
Tapu Lele GX x3

Items - 31

Sycamore x4
N x4
Guzma x3
Skyla x2
Brigette x1
Ultra Ball x4
Rare Candy x4
Heavy Ball x2
Field Blower x3
Rescue Stretcher x1
Choice Band x3

Energy - 12

Double Colorless Energy x3
Metal Energy x9

EDIT 1: Removed 2 Evosoda for 2 Heavy Ball

 

[Duo]

I definitely want to hit my list against yours when we have our finalized lists and everything is available online.

As much as I'm being incredibly stubborn about adhering to the way I'm thinking, there's no better proof than a large sample size of games. I also think it's exciting that there are already variations and disagreements on cards. Well, to be fair it's mostly me disagree with everyone else, but hey whatever right?

Disagreement is what breeds evolution.

 

[HouchinsDJ]

For sure! I don't think you're being stubborn. As long as you can back-up your reasoning, I don't think there's a "wrong" list. That's one of the things I love about the game. You can have two Solgaleo lists that have the same goal but run some different cards to get to that goal.

I do agree with you Evosoda suggestion on the other thread. Rare Candy and Evosoda don't really mesh. I'll switch them out for Heavy Ball.

I do want to look at Max Potion, as I believe it makes this already tanky deck even more tanky. The problem is deck space though. The only flexible spots I see are maybe the Heavy Balls and the third Cosmoem. So maybe take out those three cards and add in three Max Potions? Or maybe take out the third Choice Band instead of the Cosmoem? I think Choice Band will be huge in this deck though because more people will be running Solgaleo and you need the Choice Band for the OHKO with Sunsteel Strike. There's too many ways to go about this, haha. I need to playtest.

 

[The Ultimate Umbreon]

As soon as I see tapu Lele I just think, it's out of my price range!

 

[HouchinsDJ]

As soon as I see tapu Lele I just think, it's out of my price range!

Well I never said it was a budget list, haha!

While Tapu Lele is obviously recommended, if I had to make a replacement recommendation, I would remove them and the Oranguru from the list and add in a 2-2 line of Zoroark GX, or a 2-2 Octillery line maybe. It wouldn't have the same impact that Tapu Lele has, but the extra draw support would hopefully get you want you need. I would also restructure the Supporters a bit to account for the lack of Tapu Lele. I wouldn't use Brigette since you couldn't search for it. I would probably remove the Skyla as well and I would max out Guzma and then add 2 more draw Supporters like Hala to replace the Skyla. Hala is a great draw Supporter in this deck because you're usually using Sol Burst GX early game.

 

[Duo]

My go to budget suggestion for every deck that runs 3 Lele + 1 Brigette is to just play 4 Nest Ball.

Lele for turn 1 Brigette is the most common use of Lele. At the start of the game your bench is clean and has plenty of room. Honestly, I don't often play a 2nd Lele (probably 25% of my games?) and in less than 5% of my games I use all 3. Generally speaking, if I'm Leleing for a supporter that isn't Brigette or Guzma, my game is going terribly wrong.

So the best thing you can do to keep up with the game is run 4 nest ball. That helps you get out your basics with more consistency so that you can have a realistic chance at setting up your own Pokemon. The set up part is the most important.

 

[HouchinsDJ]

My go to budget suggestion for every deck that runs 3 Lele + 1 Brigette is to just play 4 Nest Ball.

Lele for turn 1 Brigette is the most common use of Lele. At the start of the game your bench is clean and has plenty of room. Honestly, I don't often play a 2nd Lele (probably 25% of my games?) and in less than 5% of my games I use all 3. Generally speaking, if I'm Leleing for a supporter that isn't Brigette or Guzma, my game is going terribly wrong.

So the best thing you can do to keep up with the game is run 4 nest ball. That helps you get out your basics with more consistency so that you can have a realistic chance at setting up your own Pokemon. The set up part is the most important.

The downside to running Nest Ball though is that to have the same effect as Brigette you have to have 3 of them in your hand at the start of the game. I still reommend Nest Ball, but I would probably go with 2 Nest Ball and then 2 other draw Supporters like Shauna or Hala while maxing out my Sycamore, N, and Guzma. I think Random Receiver would be worth a look as well, since it's about as close to Lele's ability as you're going to get.