BW4 Additions to Gothitelle/Reuniclus

[megatron]

Gothitelle is my current favorite deck in the world, and I've been checking out some of the Psycho Drive and Hail Blizzard scans, so I've come up with a list of all the cards from the new sets that could possibly find their place in a Goth deck. What do you guys think?

Gardevoir - Psychic – HP110
Stage 2 – Evolves from Kirlia

Ability: Psycho Mirage
As long as this Pokemon is in play, each Basic Psychic Energy card attached to your Psychic-type Pokemon provides 2 units of Psychic energy. This effect can’t be stacked, regardless of how many Pokemon with this ability you have in play.

[P][P][C][C] Mind Shock: 60 damage. Don’t apply Weakness or Resistance for this attack’s damage.

Weakness: Psychic (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2

This is SCARY. If you can get one of these set-up, you're doing a MINIMUM of 150 as long as you're powering up Goth with 3 psychics. Not to mention, the standard "quick" setup is one psychic and one DCE, which is still going to have you swinging for 70. Downsides are it's a third stage two with the same weakness as Goth and a worse attack, so it doesn't serve any secondary attacker purposes. However, whenever a Gallade gets printed, that could be another story.

Leavanny - Grass - HP130
Stage 2 - Evolves from Swadloon

Ability: Leaf Tailor
As long as this Pokemon is in play, all of your Pokemon with any Energy attached to them have no Weakness.

[G][C][C] Arm Razor: 40 damage. Flip 2 coins, this attack does an additional 20 damage times the number of heads.

Weakness: Fire (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2

Pros: Wins you the mirror match, hands down. They're not hitting for weakness and you are. No contest. Also really helps with Mew.
Cons: Another Stage 2

Solosis - Psychic - HP30
Basic Pokemon

[C] Rollout: 10 damage.

Weakness: Psychic (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1

Duosion - Psychic - HP60
Stage 1 - Evolves from Solosis

[C] Rollout: 20 damage.

Weakness: Psychic (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 1

Nothing groundbreaking here, but both are arguably better than their BLW counterparts (Duosion moreso than Solosis, as Solosis BLW has built-in donk protection and set-up aid.)

Reuniclus - Psychic - HP90
Stage 2 - Evolves from Duosion

[C] Future Sight: Look at 5 cards from the top of your deck, and return them to the top of your deck in any order.
[P] Net Force: Does 40 damage times the number of Reuniclus you have in play.

Weakness: Psychic (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2

An interesting back-up attacker that only takes one extra slot in your list, if your Gothitelle gets KO'd and you don't have another one ready, you can bring up this Reuniclus, attach one psychic and swing for 80, ideally to stall or get the revenge KO. He also has some really minor synergy with Electrode, but that's a stretch.

Musharna - Psychic - HP100
Stage 1 - Evolves from Munna

Ability: Vision
Look at 2 cards from the top of your deck, choose 1 of them, and put it in your hand. Return the other card to the bottom of your deck. You can use this ability 1 time during your turn.

[P][P] Fluffy Dream: 40 damage. This Pokemon is now Asleep.

Weakness: Psychic (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 3

Extra draw is necessary in this deck, especially if you go for more than 2 different Stage 2 lines. Definitely replaces Slowking as the poor man's Uxie, but I see this one being playable, especially with Goth,

Level Ball - Trainer’s Goods

Choose 1 Pokemon from your deck with HP of 90 or less, show it to your opponent, and put it in your hand. Shuffle your deck afterward.

Oh hai, Reuniclus, Electrode, Gothorita, Duosion, Gothita, Voltorb, Solosis, Cleffa, Pichu,

EXP Share - Trainer’s Goods

Pokemon Tool: Attach a Pokemon Tool to one of your Pokemon to use it. You can only attach 1 card to 1 Pokemon, and it remains attached.

When your Active Pokemon is Knocked Out by damage from an opponent’s Pokemon’s attack, choose 1 Basic Energy attached to that Pokemon and move it to the Pokemon that this card is attached to.

A good way to have a second Gothitelle ready even sooner after a KO if you've got one on the bench.

Vanilluxe - Water – HP130
Stage 2 – Evolves from Vanillite

Ability: Slippery Soul
Switch your Active Pokemon with one of your Benched Pokemon. Then, the opponent switches his or her Active Pokemon with a Benched Pokemon. You can use this ability 1 time during your turn.

[W][C][C] Ice Crush: Does 60 damage plus an additional 10 damage times the number of Energy in the opponent’s Active Pokemon’s retreat cost.

Weakness: Steel (X2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 2

Potentially makes for a good 1-0-1 tech if "draggers" like Bellsprout and Liepard etc. see more play, however Dodrio seems better overall. I just like ice cream.

Regigigas EX - Colorless – HP180
Basic Pokemon

[C][C][C] Giga Power: 60 damage. You may do an additional 20 damage. If you do, this Pokemon also does 20 damage to itself.
[C][C][C][C] Raging Hammer: Does 50 damage plus an additional 10 damage times the number of damage counters on this Pokemon.

Pokemon EX Rule: When Pokemon EX is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards.

Weakness: Fighting (x2)
Resistance: none
Retreat: 4

180 HP on a basic is TOO god for soaking up damage. Any of the 180 HP EX's work, but I like Gigas's colorless attack.



Well that is a poopton of cards, but I'm bored/in love with PD/HB.

 

[Celebi23]

Honestly the only thing I see making its way into the deck is Regigigas and even that will not be a staple in it. The Solosis and Duosion are worse - at least Solosis can help setup and the Duosion can take a little damage off the board. Gardevoir could work but I'm reluctant to run so many non-attacking stage 2's especially when both deck space and bench space are already tight. The same applies to Levanny, but it could be more useful because it also helps against Mew techs. We don't know which decks are most played now though, so we'll have to wait and see for that. Vaniluxe is a cool idea but like you said, Dodrio and/or Switch is better.

I'd rather be running more energy and Jirachi/Shaymin over EXP Share in order to make sure you get an attachment a turn. Level Ball is good on one hand, but on the other hand it can't search Gothitelle and Gothitelle is the one card you want out the fastest. It could be a 1 or 2-of tech but for the most part I think other cards will take priority especially if trainer lock remains popular. You really won't get the opportunity to get 2 Reuniclus out and even if you do, you'll break the lock to do 80 damage and probably give them a prize... Musharna could be okay, but the retreat sucks against Mew or even Bellsprout techs and Tropical Beach is a thousand times better, takes less space in the deck can doesn't take valuable bench space.

 

[megatron]

As a disclaimer, these are just cards I thought were interesting, so I'm not staking my Poké-reputation on their playability; I just wanted to see what others thought about any card that seemed like it could work.

I think Gardevoir could almost provide an alternative to Reuniclus as a solo partner for Gothitelle. With Electrode, hitting for 150-200 damage consistently after T2 could provide your opponent with just as much of a "lock" as having to OHKO a Gothitelle. Buuut what do I know? I think Gardy might have more luck with Mewtwo.

I think EXP share would end up being the 61st card in a lot of lists, but if you had a benched Goth with 1 energy and an EXP share, if your active gets knocked out, you put up the second with 2 energy, and all you have to do is flip one heads with Jirachi, then Shaymin to be fully powered up in the same turn.

I think Level Ball could at least see more play than Communication with this deck, especially with lists that run Elm's. But not being able to search out a Goth does hurt it pretty bad. I think I'll test it, but I'm not optimistic.

The advantage Vanilluxe has over Dodrio and switch is that it's the only card that can rescue an active from retreat lock and trainer lock, but getting it out under trainer lock is a whole different story. I'd still say a 1-1 Dodrio and a switch or two beats Vanilluxe. But boy do I love ice cream.

The second Reuniclus just seemed like it was worth mentioning because it was Reuniclus. I'm not much of a fan.

Musharna < Tropical Beach. That said: non holo rare > 55 dollar promo. And on the same coin, ending your turn < not ending your turn. And, with more playable stadiums being printed, Tropical Beach might not be an option for as long as you could have Musharna out. So my final point would be,
Ending your turn for Magnetic draw + 1 < Uxie Lv. X (I know, I know, Musharna doesn't have Tropical Beach as a pre-evo or Zen Blade, but I can't afford Tropical Beach so I'm just trying to convince myself it's overrated.)

 

[Celebi23]

Well as far as Tropical Beach goes, the people who are good enough to win with the deck will already have the card (this is not self-endorsement btw; I don't even have the card). Goth doesn't really care about not attacking for a turn at all. After you setup, they're not doing anything relevant to you anyway. If you test the deck with Tropical Beach, you'll find it truly is a staple in any deck running Reuniclus. Furthermore, we probably won't even have Musharna till states.