Bouffalant

[_soul_hero_]

Anyone think that the new Primal Clash Bouffalant will see competitive play? Maybe with Laserbank and Muscle Band/Silver Bangle?

It just seems like a great card for a non-EX basic, especially against VirGen which I can see staying popular until the next rotation.

Thoughts? Deck ideas? Reasons why I'm stupid for even thinking this card could be used competitively? Let me know!

 

[My Little Keldeo]

I think there's better VirGen counters out there currently. While Derail isn't a terrible attack by any means, it's outclassed by other cards in the format better suited for the job at hand. Enhanced Hammer does a fine enough job at removing Special Energy. Having to give up three energy for Derail doesn't seem worth it, even with DCE in mind.

It also won't be KOing anything in VirGen easily, since with a Silver Bangle it will cap off at 150. In order for Laserbank to work, you would need to play Garbodor and/or Silent Lab, which would in turn hurt you by disabling Sap Sipper, and you still wouldn't get the KO. Flareon PLF and Charizard-EX (Combustion Blast) are much better options, especially Charizard since it's splashable (Flareon is a Night March component). With Garbodor or Silent Lab, Wing Attack will do 160 with a Muscle Band, meaning you just need a Laser to get the easy 170. Reshiram BW / LTR also does the trick, since Outrage is tricky for them to dance around in the early game. I just don't see a way that this new Bouffalant could make a better Grass counter. Really, VirGen hasn't had that much success as of late, so there's bigger fish to fry (in the case of Kyogre, literally speaking).

 

[Machamp The Champion]

I was thinking of playing this card in Vir/Gen decks, mostly because it's good in the mirror. It can easily be powered up by Emerald Slash, and after you hit a Virizion or Genesect with that, Derail can finish them off. Even against other decks, 80 is enough to set up KOs with Megalo Cannon. Unfortunately, due to it's weakness and high Energy cost, most decks can one-shot it pretty easily. The only major thing it adds to Vir/Gen decks is being a non-EX attacker. The only good non-EXs in Vir/Gen are Stage 1s, so Bouffalant is a decent way to play 1 non-EX without committing too much space.