Discussion Best EX's XY-On

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pokedan24

Aspiring Trainer
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(as in basic EX's, not megas)

I think the number one is Shaymin. It's become a staple for it's draw power. Any deck that doesn't have it will struggle to keep up.

A close second is Mewtw- I mean Lugia.

From there, I don't know.

I think toad is still good (it's at least splashable), but it loses a lot with laserbank rotated.

Yveltal is also very good (Y cyclone is underrated), but I think Lugia might be better since both attacks are colorless and can go into any deck. Dark also lost something with the rotation of Darkrai.

I'm seeing Lucario more and more, partiularly with bats. Fighting is still as strong as ever while Psychic lost a lot of key attackers (mainly Mewtwo)

Aegislash: Very annoying ability and it's not lacking in attack power either. Best used with Bronzong (which struggles right now due to no float stone)

Charizard (combustion blast): Very easy to power up T1 with blacksmith.

Hoopa: Amazing ability, especially in skyfield decks.

Manectric: A bit of stretch, but it's an effective cheap attacker and can snipe.

Xerneas: Very overlooked. Works similarly to Darkrai EX as an attacker and benefits from all the fairy support.

Gengar: Also a stretch, but it's the best hit and run attacker we have now that Donphan and Palkia are out of format.

Hydreigon: Helps with retreating and cuts through things like Pyroar and Aegislash.
 
Manectric is a lot more than a little good. Even though we're not counting Megas for the list themselves, I'm still taking into consideration that it evolves into M Manectric, which it goes without saying that card is good. It's amazing for an evolving Basic Pokémon; it's also ironic that it does more damage than it's evolution. 120 for two is nothing to scoff at. Same exact thing with Sceptile EX. The only problem with Sceptile is that it kind of needs Ariados to do any real damage, and even then, you would struggle against other Grass types such as Vespiquen.
 
I'm starting to like malamar. It's attack isn't the best but it can hit hard. It's ability is pretty good now that lasers are gone. But I could be bias since I've been using for sceptile, and it does a lot of work.
 
I think you could make a case for either Yveltal or Tyrantrum being the top attacking basic EX. Yveltal has had a lot of tried and true success in the past. I think Tyrantrum-EX could also be just as successful. Its ability allows it to shred through any walls that the majority of EX's have to deal with, including "Resistance" attacks, Pyroar, Safeguard, and Aegislash. Its attack is also enough to OHKO any basic EX except Wailord. On top of that, it is one of the few basic EX's that has enough power to OHKO certain Mega EX's, including the very popular M-Manectric-EX. Also its not hit for weakness by the common types in Eeveelutions variants.
 
Giratina locks 3 different things and prevents Megas from hurting it. I'd say that's worthy of a spot.
 
I'd prefer Gengar EX. Hitting and then switching into a Robo Substitute is quite a good defensive core, since you're opponent has to play a Lysson (or Pokemon Catcher, who knows) in order to take any prize. But maybe I only prefer it for being playing a Gengar EX deck for 9 months ahahaha
 
I'd put it something like Shaymin, Seismitoad/Yveltal/Aegislash (I view these three as roughly even, they fill very different, but equally significant, roles), Hoopa, then Giratina. After that, it depends a lot more on the deck that's using them than the card itself. A card like Tyrantrum-EX is powerful, but relies heavily on other cards to work. I feel this kind of list is more useful if focused on how cards work on their own. Including Megas, I'd put Manectric in second place, above Seismitoad and co., and Rayquaza just above Giratina.
 
Okay... let's do this.

First I went over to the Poképedia to help compile my initial list. I'm only going to be naming the ones I feel noteworthy, so between that as duplicates (due to multiple releases) there will be far less than the 114 results for the query "Standard", "Pokémon only", "Basics Only" "EX only". I'll only include a set reference if there are multiple, Standard legal options for a card. I'm going to borrow a trick from video games and instead of the usual Tiers, I'll have S-Rank, A-Rank, B Rank and C-Rank designations. The ranking is the net power of the card, with factors like needing a lot of help detracting from the rank, while working well with others without being dependent upon them being a bonus and many other details people can ask about if they really want to know (and the individual descriptions don't make clear). Please remember that these are Standard ratings; Expanded may be better, worse or the same. In alphabetical order:

  • Aegislash-EX has proven quite useful as a wall. Once we get Float Stone back (assuming the Japanese reprint indicates one for us as well) it will be hard to ignore unless the format sees a dramatic shift towards more Basic Energy or "bypasses effects on the Defending Pokémon" attackers. C Rank
  • Dialga-EX (PHF) may only be able to OHKO 170 HP or less Pokémon (and that still requires a Muscle Band), but its first attack offers some handy disruption, so I think it still qualifies. C Rank
  • Gengar-EX is indeed a great hit-and-run (or "porter") style attacker; its first attack can be handy as well. Very dependent upon other cards, but that is still good enough for a nod. C Rank
  • Giratina-EX is a bit too resource intensive for me easily qualify. When properly supported it is amazing, but it needs not only four Energy to attack but the [GPCC] requirement is a bit awkward unless it is quite deck specific or relying upon Double Dragon Energy. Non-Mega Evolutions don't care about its Ability and the attack effects are annoying when all apply, but if you aren't relying on all of a Stadium, Special Energy and Pokémon Tool its more annoying than anything else. Hm... this is basically an anti-Lucario-EX card except without exploiting Weakness, isn't it? For now, it challenges the metagame just enough to seem especially potent. B Rank
  • Hoopa-EX is all about getting other Pokémon-EX. Without Shaymin-EX (ROS) it is a lot less impressive because while it gets you three Pokémon-EX, you have to need them at the point where Hoopa-EX shows up, have Bench space handy and Abilities working. It does have Shaymin-EX though, making it worth the usual trade of "Bench space" plus "Ultra Ball". C Rank
  • Hydreigon-EX is has a good Ability and attack, but if you don't have other Dragon-Types and/or a good way to power it up, it wouldn't be good enough. Fortunately, it does have those things even in Standard. C Rank
  • Lucario-EX gets three attacks and none of them are duds, all on a solid frame. Once you start stacking damage bonuses (as Fighting-Types are wont to do) it can become brutal. It is a mixed blessing that it relies on so much; this means it is less likely all its support will be cut off, but more likely that the opponent will be countering at least one piece of it. C Rank
  • Lugia-EX is a great universal attacker but only with adequate Energy acceleration. Yes "Aero Ball" is pretty easy to pay for (usually with a Double Colorless Energy) but it is just X-Ball by a new name and there is a reason Mewtwo-EX has long since stopped being the top attacker in the metagame. Deep Hurricane is a lot more accessible than Psydrive, but still isn't easy to use, just plausible in most decks (second Double Colorless Energy), with the Stadium discard being great... unless you need to keep your own Stadium in play. Perhaps the big thing to remember is that as a Colorless-Type it isn't ever going to hit Weakness, and hitting Weakness is often a key play for an attacker, even one with a generic Energy cost. B Rank
  • Machamp-EX needs a specialized deck, but within that deck its a nasty foe to face down unless you can score the OHKO or keep it from ever powering up. If you can't it will be a contest of which deck can trade better, Steaming Mad and Crazy Hammer going from "good" to "great" when tapping Fighting-Type bonuses. At the same time, as the focus of an entire deck that isn't that impressive. C Rank
  • Malamar-EX is a handy Bench-sitter if you have a spare manual (from hand) Energy attachment. It is a handy attacker if you can spare a lot of Energy and risk them on coin flips. It is great if these things come together, not so much otherwise. C Rank
  • Manectric-EX is vicious when you factor in its support; Pokémon Tool F cards to ensure opposing Pokémon-EX have a Pokémon Tool attached and are less effective, a little bit of inexpensive Bench damage, exploiting Lightning Weakness and a great Mega Evolution. Fighting Weakness tends to be painful and if some of its support is absent, negated or just not useful in that match-up but the net result is definitely in this card's favor. B Rank
  • Sceptile-EX (AOR) is more useful for Mega Evolving than attacking, but as long as you can hit the opponent with a Special Condition (re: support) you can deliver a good, solid bit of damage with Unseen Claw. B Rank
  • Sceptile-EX (Promo) might seem like a surprise, but it can fill a niche in M Sceptile-EX and/or Sceptile-EX (AOR) builds: Agility can stall when things are bad and Strong Slash scores a solid 2HKO (OHKO against Weakness) without depending on Special Conditions. C Rank
  • Seismitoad-EX can fit into most decks while locking down Items. While supplementing its damage is more difficult than it once was and while you can no longer endlessly recycle supporting disruption, this is still a card you hate to see; even when countering it you can't be sure it isn't simply the opening act! Predictions of its demise were greatly exaggerated. A Rank
  • Shaymin-EX technically depends upon other cards, which would suggest a lower score. It isn't something you drop and attack with for the win outside of fluke encounters or an obscure deck that requires a lot of support. You're usually trying to draw into the support and main attacker you do need and many decks need at least a little tweaking for "Setup" to work well. However it has become a driving force for most decks because this is a format with a stupid amount of fast, low/no-cost effects; the benefit of its use even factoring in drawbacks like its HP is stupidly good! S Rank
  • Tyrantrum-EX is one of those cards that are easy to miss, in this case because it is a promo. It has a solid Ability and attack and with support can become a pretty vicious OHKO machine. It doesn't quite hit hard enough to rank high, but it does enough to easily make this. C Rank
  • Wailord-EX is well known for having the current max printed HP of 250, but without support its just a fun footnote for the game. It has that support though; I don't know if the stall/mill deck is at all viable anymore but it does pop up in supporting roles just enough that in the end, I'm including it. C Rank
  • Yveltal-EX has scalable damage, allowing it to deliver minor, moderate or massive hits depending on how much Energy it has attached to it... and/or the Energy attached to the opponent's Pokémon thanks to "Evil Ball". "Y Cyclone" was originally written off by many as a filler attack but instead it has proven useful for a reliable 90 damage while kicking an Energy card (usually a Double Colorless Energy) onto your next attacker (usually another Yveltal-EX). The rest of the card is good though far from perfect, with the net result being the best attacker in the format because it can be stand alone or part of combos. A Rank
 
Tyrantrum might be more than just C rank and prove to be solid even in Standard play, going off of your post, Otaku. Metal doesn't lose cards transferring over from Expanded to Standard other than Keldeo and the other Bronzong, and Heavy Ball will be reprinted to help nab some of those Pokémon with higher Retreat Cost. Hoopa-EX is definitely higher than C rank because of its utility in decks like SpeedRay and Manectric. Decks that run Sky Field love Hoopa because of its ability (pun intended) to grab the cards you need and thin down that deck for consistency.

Giratina is going to be dirty in Standard. FairyTina is on its way to becoming one of the top Standard decks in format because of Max Potion coming back, keeping your opponent from countering Fairy Garden or Flare Tooling other Giratina, all the while hitting for heavy damage. It wrecks Night March. It forces Bees players to Blacksmith. Giratina can do all of this on T2. Which is very, very scary.

Shaymin-EX is definitely S-tier. I'd call it $-tier because it's worth a bit of money lol
 
My tier list of EX cards, the tier list I choose was based off of a none break through format, though there is always a ton of options for it in the format.

Tyrnatrum EX: tier 1, the fact that it's base attack mixed with faded town and muscle band should not be under looked letting this card hit a max dmg out put of 230 against mega decks, it's also all the deck support for this card pushes it up to tier 1.
Seismetoad EX: tier 2, initial tier 3. Grass has become to much of a viable threat in standard which lowers seismetoad's viability but at the same time offer's options and is effective against some decks.
Manectric EX: tier 1-2, This is one of those EX's that does do a lot in our format, with the right combo can win almost all of it's initial match ups but also has hard match ups due to it's popularity turning the deck into a target overall, however there is so many good cards in standard to be paried with manectric it's more about finding that perfect partner.
Mega Rayquaza (colourless) tier 1, Don't let it's lightning weakness fool you, this happens to be one of the fastest and overall consistent dmg dealing deck in standard, being able to have access to setup and deal crazy amounts of dmg in next to no time at all, certainly a u/u deck but still a dangerous one.
Yveltal EX: tier 2, initial tier 3, The best way to explain this is lack of viable support and good matchups.
Mega Sceptile EX: Tier 2, There is solid support for the deck, not a whole lot of support options, Grass is prominent so is it's weakness.
Mega Tyrnaitar EX: rogue, it's a fun card to play, it just doesn't have enough testing to give it a name for itself.
Mega Ampharos EX: tier 2-3, this is another fun deck, though it has deck support, setup options and more on the way it is a hard deck to ensure in standard atm, after break through it could be a different story.
Mega Charizard X or Y or any EX: rogue, Though there is some support for fire pokemon the EX's seem to hold a lack luster stance to they're non-EX counter parts which offer more setup options overall, maybe after break through but the limited 190 attack base against megas leaves alot of they're attacks to be undesirable.
Lucario EX: tier 2, this card has lot's of support options and high dmg out put modifier's mostly in standard a U/U card but still a viable attacker in the format.
Dragonite EX: tier 2, funny thing about this card is you can tech it in mega manectric or sceptile and take glorious ko's on mega's, shaymin's or otherwise, adding muscle band an a dragonite is fairly viable when you think about it.
Aegislash EX tier 1, the ability, attack and the deck support the card has offer multiple options of play, people may play a hex maniac, but they will play more special energy in their deck overall making this one of the hardest cards to out play in the format.
Dialgia EX tier 2-3, the only issue for this card is needing the attack to proc the wall and the fact that it only wall's EX's.
Malamar EX tier 1-2, the ability and attack leaves the deck with much to be desired, however the card doesn't seem to have alot of deck options and is more of a tech.
camelrupt EX rogue, playing this card is living the dream, when all the options for a card can fit into one deck it's hard to deal with various matchups
Wailord EX tier 1, indisputably one of the best stall function based cards in the format, it's 250 hp makes it so, it's grass weakness is a little left undesirable but weakness policy is a good friend.
Primal Kyogre EX, tier 2, Solid attack, has alot of strong EX matchups but weak matchups in the same token, solid support and deck options
Primal groudon EX, tier 1-2, the deck options and support make this deck so high up on the scale, making cards like shaymin and hoopa junk cards and unfavorable matchup's favorable.
Mega Aggron EX, tier 3, though it has alot of deck's that beat it, it's dmg output, typing and various options leave it to be very desirable, this card could see a jump and win a lot in standard if something come's in and offer's it something.
Trevenant EX, tier 2, sceptile tech attacker which would get around corner's for sceptile.
Mega gardevior EX, rogue, fairy doesn't offer alot outside of toolbox, steel as it's biggest match-up threatens the format to much for fairies to thrive, if fairies got more support maybe.
Mega Gallade EX, rogue, I've only seen this deck to well once, though gallade has lot's of options in the format it's typing take's a hit, especially once breakthrough comes out.
Mega latios EX, rogue, The day after the pre release I got 4 mega latios and started testing, imo there was so many support options that make the deck solid in various matchups, however it's speed isn't that consistent making it rather hard to play the deck competitively.
Mega Rayquaza EX (dragon) tier 2-3, I have seen many different ways of playing the deck, all of which has been fairly effective, the issue with the deck has been consistency.
Machamp EX, tier 2-3, Machamp/ariados seem's to be the best combo for the EX, however due to the amount of speed the deck is allotted to and then typing it has some fairly bad matchups at the same times strong ones.
Giratina EX, tier 1, 2 things about this card make it far to good to play, 1. it's ability and attack make some matchups almost impossible to win, 2. It has so many viable and strong deck options that make it scary good in both standard and expanded.
Lugia EX, tier 2-3, attack is good, typing is bad and good, colourless means free reign in almost every deck but at the same time risky to play in some matchups


Again this is my opinion, of course things change depending on set and testing. But why leave out hoopa and shaymin? Why do I have to talk about a card pretty much everyone plays in pretty much every deck they run.
 
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Tyrantrum is one I forgot. Most promos are crap, but this one is an exception. But for non promos... top 10...

10) Gengar: The best hit n run attacker we have right now, something that's very good when we have robosub to switch into. It's snipe attack is also useful. Would be higher, but it's lacking in the damage output.

9) Charizard: Can be easily powered up with Battle Compressor/VS Seeker/Blacksmith/DCE. Combustion Blast + Muscle Band will take out most things including 170HP EXes. Anything that survives can easily be finished with Wing Attack. Plus, it's freaking Charizard.

8) Aegislash: Respectable attack + situational immunity. Will be better once we get float stone reprint to help with retreating.

7) Yveltal: Still very powerful, but loses some mobility with the rotation of Darkrai and Float stone.

6) Seismitoad: Loses laserbank and garb which made it evil in previous formats, but Quaking Punch can still be disruptive and it's cost makes it splashable and easy to power up.

5) Lucario: Something which actually benefits from the rotation (no more Mewtwo). Much of it's strength comes from it's access to strong energy and fighting stadium, but it's three attacks make it one of the better and more versitile fighters.

4) Giratina: Better than toad imo. On it's own, it locks down four things (megas, tools, special energy, and stadium). Where it gets scary is combined with Vileplume. The attack is more expensive and not as splashable as toad, but double dragon energy helps with that and the higher damage output makes it well worth the cost.

3) Hoopa: Terrible attacker, but very useful ability, especially in skyfield megaray decks. It can also fetch #1 on the list.

2) Lugia: Go to attacker for... well... any deck. Anything that can take advantage of energy acceleration or needs a counter attacker can use this. It's good for all the same reasons Mewtwo was good, but with a better second attack that has the bonus of disrupting stadiums.

1) Shaymin: Best non-supporter draw engine and as a non supporter, it can be used again and again. Also worth mentioning is is the attack, which not only allows for some hit and run tactic for a DCE, but under the right circumstances, you can make it impossible for an opponent to ever take a prize.

Some honorable mentions

Malamar: A good way to put an opponent to sleep in a laserless format. Attack is flippy, but can be very powerful.

Xerneas: Fairly average attacker with the advantage of snipe and fairy support.

Manectric: Very good attacks for their costs. Can hit a lot of things for weakness.
 
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