In the current meta, I believe that there are 4 kinds of locks present. I think that these locks are trainer locks, energy locks, hand locks, and Pokemon locks.
Trainer Locks:
Trainer locks are locks that do not allow the opponent, and sometimes yourself, to play any trainer cards. Some examples of these cards are Vileplume, Trevenant, Seismatoad-EX, and Giratina-EX. Another example of a trainer lock card is Vanilluxe (BKT 45/162) because it does not allow the opponent to play Stadium cards or Supporter cards. These kinds of cards are viable in the meta because the meta is focused on speed. A deck relies on trainer cards in order to be quick in setting up. Therefore, a trainer lock could slow opponents down and be quite annoying. This kind of lock is very effective in the first turn because it does not give your opponent a chance to set up. However, the trainer lock will be less effective as the game progresses because your opponent has a couple of chances to set up. One weakness of these kinds of decks is that they are reliant on getting the trainer lock first turn. If the opponent has a chance to set up, cards like Night March, could be reaching up to 180 damage.
Energy Locks:
Energy locks are locks that discard the opponent's energies. Some examples of these cards are Crushing Hammer, Enhanced Hammer, Xerosic, and Team Flare Grunt. The reason why this kind of lock is viable is because an average "meta" deck has around 8-12 energies. Also, many "meta" decks are reliant on special energy. These decks are successful because they discard energies until the opponent has no more energies to attach to their Pokemon. This lock's weaknesses are Pokemon that need low energy set up, such as Lucario-EX. Also, it can falter under constant energy placement. Cards like Blastoise and Magnezone allow more than one energy to be attached per turn. This lock's final weakness is if energies are recycled. They can be recycled into the deck, or they can be put into play. Since resources were used in order to discard the energies in the first place, it would be harder to be as effective in discarding energies.
Hand Locks:
Hand locks are locks that discard cards from the opponent's hand, or make the opponent's hand smaller. Some examples of these cards are Delinquent, N, Ace Trainer, and Red Card. These cards minimize the opponent's hand, so it makes it harder to have an explosive start. This can be really annoying to some decks that need all of their cards to set up. Though this kind of lock does not have many downsides, one downside that it has is that many "meta" decks have cards, such as Trainer Mail, that can look through the deck and get the card that is needed.
Pokemon Locks:
Pokemon locks are locks that use Abilities and attacks to be "immune" to the opponent's attacks. Some examples of this are Glaceon-EX, Jolteon-EX, Regice, Aegislash-EX, Pyroar, and Carbink. The fact that makes this deck so lethal is that one present Pokemon can win the whole game. For example, Vespiquen is almost like an auto loss when Glaceon-EX uses Crystal Ray. A downside of this deck is that the cards that run on Abilities are weak to cards, such as Garbodor, Wobbuffet, and Hex Maniac, which shut off Abilities. Cards like Regice and Jolteon-EX that use attacks are weak to being Lysandred off the bench and being KOed. Also, the affects of the attack wear off once it goes to the bench.
After looking at the kinds of locks, which do you think would be the best in the meta?
Trainer Locks:
Trainer locks are locks that do not allow the opponent, and sometimes yourself, to play any trainer cards. Some examples of these cards are Vileplume, Trevenant, Seismatoad-EX, and Giratina-EX. Another example of a trainer lock card is Vanilluxe (BKT 45/162) because it does not allow the opponent to play Stadium cards or Supporter cards. These kinds of cards are viable in the meta because the meta is focused on speed. A deck relies on trainer cards in order to be quick in setting up. Therefore, a trainer lock could slow opponents down and be quite annoying. This kind of lock is very effective in the first turn because it does not give your opponent a chance to set up. However, the trainer lock will be less effective as the game progresses because your opponent has a couple of chances to set up. One weakness of these kinds of decks is that they are reliant on getting the trainer lock first turn. If the opponent has a chance to set up, cards like Night March, could be reaching up to 180 damage.
Energy Locks:
Energy locks are locks that discard the opponent's energies. Some examples of these cards are Crushing Hammer, Enhanced Hammer, Xerosic, and Team Flare Grunt. The reason why this kind of lock is viable is because an average "meta" deck has around 8-12 energies. Also, many "meta" decks are reliant on special energy. These decks are successful because they discard energies until the opponent has no more energies to attach to their Pokemon. This lock's weaknesses are Pokemon that need low energy set up, such as Lucario-EX. Also, it can falter under constant energy placement. Cards like Blastoise and Magnezone allow more than one energy to be attached per turn. This lock's final weakness is if energies are recycled. They can be recycled into the deck, or they can be put into play. Since resources were used in order to discard the energies in the first place, it would be harder to be as effective in discarding energies.
Hand Locks:
Hand locks are locks that discard cards from the opponent's hand, or make the opponent's hand smaller. Some examples of these cards are Delinquent, N, Ace Trainer, and Red Card. These cards minimize the opponent's hand, so it makes it harder to have an explosive start. This can be really annoying to some decks that need all of their cards to set up. Though this kind of lock does not have many downsides, one downside that it has is that many "meta" decks have cards, such as Trainer Mail, that can look through the deck and get the card that is needed.
Pokemon Locks:
Pokemon locks are locks that use Abilities and attacks to be "immune" to the opponent's attacks. Some examples of this are Glaceon-EX, Jolteon-EX, Regice, Aegislash-EX, Pyroar, and Carbink. The fact that makes this deck so lethal is that one present Pokemon can win the whole game. For example, Vespiquen is almost like an auto loss when Glaceon-EX uses Crystal Ray. A downside of this deck is that the cards that run on Abilities are weak to cards, such as Garbodor, Wobbuffet, and Hex Maniac, which shut off Abilities. Cards like Regice and Jolteon-EX that use attacks are weak to being Lysandred off the bench and being KOed. Also, the affects of the attack wear off once it goes to the bench.
After looking at the kinds of locks, which do you think would be the best in the meta?
