Standard Best Possible Lycanroc GX (Midnight form) Deck?

[jamesisninja]

Hey everyone, I'm pretty new to the Pokemon TCG, collected cards briefly as a little kid, but back right around the launch of Burning Shadows I got a new job and the itch to play a TCG without destroying my wallet (I'm looking at you Magic TG) so I've been playing Pokemon, for what would have cost 1 magic deck, I've played a bunch of "Meta" Pokemon decks, but I've mostly been netdecking stuff, with moderate success at my tiny local league (Been getting 1st or 2nd out of 4-6 people every week since the 2nd week or something)

But I'm finally feeling confident to start deviating from netdecks and trying to come up with my own lists based on what's popular in the meta.

I know Hartford and Yokohama are 2 of the most recent regionals that went on, and I read the Ptcg stats articel on Yokohama, and it seemed like Lycanroc / Zoroark GX were both very popular in Japan recently, and I thought since Shining Legends drops Friday, why not put together a Lycanroc/Zoroark GX deck kind of like Shintaro Ito's deck, but for Standard rather than Expanded, so let me know what you think, will this deck work decently in standard? Or do cards like Sky Field / Hex Maniac / Target Whistle help it to be super effective (Pardon the pun) in Expanded?

(PS if it helps to know, my local league has some: Toxepex GX, Alolan Ninetales GX, Ho-oh GX, a few expanded Keldio/Blastoise/Lapras GX style decks.)

List:

Pokemon - 19

3 Zorua SHL – Need 3

1 Zoroark GX SHL – Need 1

2 Zoroark BKT - Got

3 Tapu Lele-GX - Got

4 Rockruff GRI – Got

3 Lycanroc GX GRI – Need 2

2 Alolan Grimer BUS - Got

1 Alolan Muk SM - Got

Trainers - 31

3 Prof Sycamore - Got

3 Switch - Got

3 N - Got

2 Brigette - Got

2 Guzma - Got

4 Ultra Ball - Got

4 Puzzle of Time - Got

2 Field Blower - Got

3 Choice Band - Got

2 Floatstone - Got

1 Rescue Stretcher - Got

2 Brooklet Hill - Got

1 Skyla - Got

Energy – 10

4 – DCE- Got

4 Strong Energy – Need 4

2 Fighting Energy - Got

 

[wilnaw]

I think this is a solid list and that Zoroark GX/Lycanroc GX has the potential be a good deck. I also think that without Skyfield it’ll be difficult to get the damage necessary to make as viable in Standard US format as it is in Japan. But never know

 

[TuxedoBlack]

I've run Zoroark BREAK in a variety of decks and found the entire line of Pokémon to be versatile and very solid. However, I would strongly suggest though that you consider replacing all of your current Zorua with the BKT Zorua that has the Moonlight Madness attack. This attack can be very helpful at times.

On the other hand, I chose to build my Lycanroc GX deck (awhile ago) centered around the BUS Lycanroc GX's Crunch attack and an associated energy-denial tactic. For me, I did not find the GRI Lycanroc GX to be more effective than its BUS counterpart, especially given popular decks like VikaBulu and Golisopod GX decks. Either of these decks' main G attackers can simply 1HKO any Lycanroc GX; and Lycanroc GX can not respond with a similar 1HKO.

 

[gumball51321]

I suggest that you play Buzzwole GX. There's not much explainin to do: It's a strong basic Pokemon that utilizes Strong Energy and contributes by having a different weakness than anything else in the deck. It also sets up KO's for Zoroarks and Lycanrocs.

 

[jamesisninja]

I've run Zoroark BREAK in a variety of decks and found the entire line of Pokémon to be versatile and very solid. However, I would strongly suggest though that you consider replacing all of your current Zorua with the BKT Zorua that has the Moonlight Madness attack. This attack can be very helpful at times.

On the other hand, I chose to build my Lycanroc GX deck (awhile ago) centered around the BUS Lycanroc GX's Crunch attack and an associated energy-denial tactic. For me, I did not find the GRI Lycanroc GX to be more effective than its BUS counterpart, especially given popular decks like VikaBulu and Golisopod GX decks. Either of these decks' main G attackers can simply 1HKO any Lycanroc GX; and Lycanroc GX can not respond with a similar 1HKO.

Bulu is pretty easy to one shot with GRI Lycanroc GX not sure what you mean, 2 Strong energy and a choiceband is knock on Bulu, which is not very hard to get by T3/4 with decent setup. My list is a tiny bit different than above now, but I'm seeing pretty good success with it, haven't lost to Gardy yet, basically anything that runs Stage 2 and doesn't get T2 rare candy is an easy win for me, GRI Lycanroc GX's ability is Lysandre, it's very easy to get it out Turn 2 swinging for 130 on Non GX pokemon taking very early knocks stopping the opponent from ever gaining speed. A secondary attack option against Bulu is GRI Lycanrocs GX attack, with 2nd Bulu on bench, 1 Lele, and 1 Vika line, with choiceband that's knock on Bulu... Golisopod is basically a write off anyway if they don't brick the first 3 turns since it's a 1 energy attacker that has type advantage over Lycanroc GX, it sets up just as fast as my deck, but does double damage.