What are your thoughts on the GX"s for the upcoming set. Worst? Best? Lets talk about it. Also, if any cards other than GX's come to mind, mention them as well!
Discussion Best and Worst GX's for Competitive Play (Guardians Rising)
- Thread starter ztstephenson
- Start date
Garbodor Tauros will be the top tier deck in the set. Toxapex is very nasty but will take too long to set up. Sylveon GX would be absolutely broken if it were any 2 Pokemon not just 2 benched Pokemon. Turntonator GX helps Volc and may completely replace baby Volc. Sableye is a wild card but there are too many decks that will get set up too quickly for it to be dominant. Trevenant Vileplume will definitely be a thing (and Trev item lock is even more deplorable in Expanded now that it's grass). Honchkrow might hit for A LOT of damage. Absol might prevent you from actually playing the game. Field Blower changes the way we build decks and may create a four month period where we all go Lysandre crazy. Oh, and a single Tapu Lele right now will cost you $40 USD.
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Personally, I think that Toxapex is really good! It may a little slow, but I really think that its payout is worth it. For one energy you can potentially hit for 120 dmg (flip four coins this attack does 30x number of heads). Usually i would say this attack is very mediocre but when you compare to other other GXs' one energy attacks, and add to the fact that there is now a reprint of the Vicitni with the Victory Star ability it really is a decent attack. Also, no matter what your second attack is going to deal 100 dmg which is pretty good, and even better if they can't get their Pokemon out of the active which would in turn make it really hit for 200!! Finally, I find the GX attack to be crazy good: 150 dmg and negate all effects including damage done to this Pokemon during your opponents next turn. The only thing really altering this would be a pokemon ranger, so I would actually say Toxapex GX is one of my favorte GX's out of the set. Of course, Tapu LeLe is going to be a staple card in a lot of decks moving forward, especially with Shaymin rotating out. I think Sylveon is decent, Wishiwashi is pretty terrible, Turtonator would be good in a few decks, Lyconroc I could actually see having some competitive potential strictly because of the ability, and also I think Alolan Ninetales is also decent. Other than GX's I think that like you said Garbador will probably see a lot of play. A line that I actually think is somewhat interesting is the Chandelure line. I'm aware that it is not really that viable but I think it could be fun to play if you were to pair it with Salazzle with its burn and poison ability!
Argh I didn't realise when writing this that it would be so huge, but I have ranked and written a bit about each GX in the format.
Honorable mentions from the rest of the set include Choice Band, which is format-changing, and Garbodor, also format-changing. I think Garbodor is the most format-changing card we've had for years to be honest, as decks will have to be built differently with it in mind.
S-Tier
A-Tier
B-Tier
C-Tier
D-Tier
E-Tier
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Honorable mentions from the rest of the set include Choice Band, which is format-changing, and Garbodor, also format-changing. I think Garbodor is the most format-changing card we've had for years to be honest, as decks will have to be built differently with it in mind.
S-Tier
I doubt you'll find this card anywhere else than 1st place on peoples' lists...Wonder Tag was amazing on Jirachi and it's amazing now, letting you dig out an easy Lysandre, turn 1 Lillie/Wally, Kukui...when has extra consistency for an Ultra Ball ever been bad? Energy Drive is a reliable and effective attack that pretty much means this card replaces Lugia in most scenarios - especially as it has No Weakness and isn't easily KO'd. Tapu Cure is nice in a pinch or if your deck doesn't already run a GX Attacker - Mewtwo, for example, will benefit greatly from Tapu Cure. So much about this card is good, but I think Wonder Tag is the main draw here. Meta-defining, to be honest.
A-Tier
Magical Ribbon is an insane attack for just 1 Energy, potentially you can even do this turn 2 with Energy Evolution Eevee. Search your Hammers, Supporters, whatever. It essentially forces an N from your opponent every turn just to suppress your constant threat to their gameplan. 110 for 3 Energy is an okay backup attack, pairing with Eeveelutions it can hit for 220 on the right Pokemon (Jolteon takes care of Rayquaza and Yveltal, Vaporeon takes out Volcanion). Finally, Plea is pretty insane, as all it takes is a Lysandre on a Shaymin and then boom, you've bounced two fully-powered Volcanions/Yveltals/Rayquazas/Darkrais right back to the opponent's hand and set them back 2+ turns. Finally, Metal weakness is fairly decent as Metal's not really anywhere in the meta at the moment, and Dark resistance is awesome as usual vs Yveltal and Darkrai, as well as Zoroark and Umbreon. So much about this card is good...or bad depending on how you like actually playing the game.
Nice [C] attack that punishes early DCE attachments - 20 damage is kind of low but Choice Band can push up to 50 which is nice. I think Berserk is the main reason to play this card, hitting 150 fpr [C][C][C] (180 with Choice Band) if there are ANY damage counters on your benched Pokemon. That's an easy KO if your opponent gets sloppy, and can knock out a lot of EXs/GXs anyway. The Colorless cost also means that you can splash this card into loads of different decks - for example, soak a hit with a Tauros and you can retreat for a Berserk KO before following up for Mad Bull. Big Wheel, its GX attack, is okay in a pinch, but I can't see you using it particularly often with N still in the format. Really this card's all about the versatility it offers.
B-Tier
I don't think this card is amazing on its own, but it gives Volcanion a nice buff. Nitro Tank GX is the sort of crazy acceleration that the deck didn't really need, but gets nonetheless! Early game, mid game, late game, there's no real time when popping a Nitro Tank in Volcanion is ever really bad. Long as your opponent doesn't have a Sylveon Plea handy, of course. Shell Trap is one of those attacks that you just sort of do when you can't do anything else, in my opinion. I guess pairing it with Bursting Balloon gives it a 160 potential damage counterattack, but not sure if you'd build a deck based around it. Who knows! Bright Flame at 160 is sort of like a Steamed Up Volcanic Heat, meaning you just need to hit 1 or 2 Steam Ups to KO most things. The discard is a bit harsh though, so you'd probably ideally use it just before a Nitro Tank or to close out games.
I think this card will get a lot better once we get Acerola and Super Scoop up, but it's pretty decent nonetheless. Aero Trail is going to be the key here, letting you rush in from the hand, grab some energy and then Max Potion the former Active to start again. The GX attack is one of those "take 2 prizes" ones, and I don't think there's going to be a time when your opponent has less than 5 energy in play after turn 3. Its primary attack, at 130 for 3, hits a lot of important Pokemon (Yveltal, Ray) for weakness and 2HKOing 99% of everything else. It suffers to ability lock though, and Garbodor/Hex/Wobbuffet will still be played quite a bit. Maybe one to watch in a few months.
I haven't put this higher because we still have Lysandre, but once that rotates later this year, I think this will be a 2-2 staple in a lot of decks. Bloodthirsty Eyes reminds me of Luxray Lvl X, which was around before I played but I believe made up one of the best decks Pokemon's ever seen (Right?) It might even see play now, in certain Big Basic decks that would like to play the Sycamore as well as having a Catcher-like effect. Its main attack (3 for 110) is sort of okay, 110 is alright damage but sadly doesn't KO Shaymin due to resistance. Maybe one to pair with Eeveelutions? Dangerous Rogue is another "take a KO" GX attack, but it's a bit more tricky to hit than Koko's as your opponent can limit their bench. Overall - okay now, will be better later.
C-Tier
Everything about this card is "okay." I guess 210 HP is good, but 50 snipe for a DCE is just okay, Blizzard Edge hitting 160 is pretty mediocre considering Lapras does the same thing without the "discard 2" downside, and Ice Path GX is one of those attacks that will be good in certain situations only, it's hardly ubiquitous. It could make a good tanky deck with the GX attack, Rough Seas and Centre Lady, but I think this card is a bit underwhelming overall. Controversial opinion? The Vulpix, which searches 2 Pokemon for free, is way better and may even be splashed into decks in the future.
I think this has a lot of potential, but I'm not entirely sure what to pair Geotech System with. Lele? Genesect? Mewtwo? I think there are easier pairings for those cards than setting up several stage 2s. 250 HP is very nice, but Solgaleo is the better accelerator. 180 for 3 with Choice Band is quite nice, but setting up stage 2s just aren't worth it - this is a support Pokemon through and through. Algorithm is nice, but I don't know when you'd waste an attack on it - again, especially with N in the format. We'll see on this one.
Really solid Pokemon, but I think the attack costs and stage 2 status hold it back quite a bit. It's a shame because its top 2 attacks combo really nicely together and let you chain KOs. 240 HP is also a nice amount, which is really hard to OHKO unless you're hitting for weakness. The GX attack is nice, probably one that will be used to end games and clear up damaged Pokemon. If you're playing against a stage 2 deck, you can also use this effect if you're storming ahead of your opponent early on, by taking out their Basics before they evolve. I think this is a Pokemon that's just a bit too slow, but I'm willing to be surprised.
D-Tier
It's not good right now, but I can see this card having a Wailord or Quad Lapras surprise deck built around it that takes a regionals or something in the future. 210 on a Basic is pretty awesome, even though its top 2 attacks are really quite poor. I think Blue Surge is a really good attack that has a lot of future potential - 220 plus Choice Band KOs 99% of Pokemon, then you're basically setting up the rest of your attackers for the game. Sadly energy denial is really big at the moment, and Hammers/Sylveon aren't going anywhere soon. Lightning weakness is really bad with Koko inevitably going to be around, too.
Just kind of too slow at the moment, I think...coin flips aren't ideal but I suppose for 1 Psychic you may as well go for it. 10 damage counters between turns for Poison is good, but 3 Energy for it is not. Total Shelter is also an ok attack, but your opponent can Lysandre out something new and hit that instead. Also - just 210 HP? For the tankiest Pokemon in Sun/Moon? I wish this card was better because I love Toxapex :/
E-Tier
It's not good. Only 240 HP on a stage 2? 130 for 4 and barely any additional effect is awful. 4 Energy for a GX attack that doesn't OHKO EVERYTHING in the format? Also bad. Did I mention Double Dragon Energy rotates this year? Why wasn't this card a throwaway promo instead?
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I really wanna see a turtonator/decidueye deck in play lol but I know it won't happen. I might try it out lol
Wishiwashi costs are just so heavy! Five energy for 120 is absurd, especially when you have other cards hitting for 130 off 3 energy lol. I will say his GX attack is ok if you ad a choice band you're knocking out pretty much anything and the ability is essentially to have you be able to set yourself up for the rest of the game.
Turtonator is fantastic in Volcanion right now. I´ve tested mine with one from prerelease, and I agree it could very well replace baby Volc.
I think people are overlooking that Turtonator's 2nd attack is basically M Houndoom's attack on a basic. If you attach 2 Burning Energy to it, you don't need to discard anything.
5 for 120 is just terrible when M Gardevoir hits 110+ for two energy. I'd say Wishiwashi is only slightly better than Kommo-o.
5 for 120 is just terrible when M Gardevoir hits 110+ for two energy. I'd say Wishiwashi is only slightly better than Kommo-o.
I agree that the price on Wishiwashi is ridiculous. It does great in prereleases believe it or not LOL!
I actually think Kommo-o might be a bit underrated. It is one of those that could potentially pair well with something else and be pretty slick. I am not sure what that something else is at the moment and I do agree that the 130 Shred is stupidly under powered for just giving the ability to punch through walling pokemon (of which, I am pretty sure we only have Glaceon EX that would actually stop Kommo-o at the moment, but there might be one more...guessing we will get a lot more of these in the near future though). That said, the GX attack is a an insta-kill with a choice band on anything in the format except Wailord with a fighting fury belt attached.
The obvious issue is that it has a clear "now what" after you have blown that GX attack. I am not sure what to partner with it to improve the "now what" at the moment either. I just think that it might be a bit early to write off a pokemon that insta-kills anything with two energy attachments and, unlike Solgaleo, doesn't need a partner to power it back up. Call me crazy, but this is the type of pokemon that some super smart player creates some off the wall deck that places in a major tournament...you know, like quad wobbuffet just did
Just played in a 3 pack draft last night, and I think I've underestimated Drampa-GX and Alolan Ninetales-GX. With Drampa-GX, it's so easy to retreat a damaged Pokemon and hit for 150. Alolan Ninetales-GX has an incredibly useful GX attack that I dismissed at first, and 50 bench damage is nice as well.
I'm trying to make Kommo-o-GX work online, and I'm running into that same problem as well. You do have a very tanky Pokemon that is still charged up for 130 each turn but it can still be crippled by Enhanced Hammer. If Kommo-o got popular, people could tech Skarmory (SUM) to discard all special energy in play.
The best partner I can think of for it would be Giratina-EX (AOR) to limit your opponent's next turn.
That said, the GX attack is a an insta-kill with a choice band on anything in the format except Wailord with a fighting fury belt attached.
The obvious issue is that it has a clear "now what" after you have blown that GX attack. I am not sure what to partner with it to improve the "now what" at the moment either. I just think that it might be a bit early to write off a pokemon that insta-kills anything with two energy attachments and, unlike Solgaleo, doesn't need a partner to power it back up. Call me crazy, but this is the type of pokemon that some super smart player creates some off the wall deck that places in a major tournament...you know, like quad wobbuffet just did
I'm trying to make Kommo-o-GX work online, and I'm running into that same problem as well. You do have a very tanky Pokemon that is still charged up for 130 each turn but it can still be crippled by Enhanced Hammer. If Kommo-o got popular, people could tech Skarmory (SUM) to discard all special energy in play.
The best partner I can think of for it would be Giratina-EX (AOR) to limit your opponent's next turn.
I don't think toxapex is D tier.. I would put it upper C/lower B. I have one deck testing it with vileplume to prevent switch/rope and another with wobbuffet and it has had decent results. I run Tapu Lele + Wally just so my basic isn't donked. I want to make ability lock garb work, but field blower is shutting it down pretty easily.
I think toxapex is underrated and could make a decent rogue deck
If you play expanded just pair it with Dragalge (FLF) to keep it from retreating.